"Russia has no good generals. The only exception is Bagration." - Napoleon

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While D-Day commemorations will get all the press today, this little known Russian offensive is what really broke the back of the German Army in World War 2. Although the Wehrmacht were aware of the sizeable Red Army concentrations, they had no way to determine if this was just a feint to support an expected attack on the other Army Group in Ukraine or if Army Group Center was the real target. This is why holding the initiative in warfare is so important: all those crippling unknowns are gifted to the enemy camp whereas you have the luxury of picking the time and place to strike.

The end result of Bagration was nothing short of catastrophic for Hitler: the effective destruction of an entire Army Group as well as the isolation of Army Group North and half-a-million casualties(60% loss to total ratio!). This stands as Germany's largest defeat to date...

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"When it is still to be considered that the attack against Army Group Center will be a secondary operation in the framework of the global Soviet offensive operations, it must be taken into account that the enemy will also be capable in front of Army Group Center to build concentrations which the force of penetration cannot be underestimated in view of the ratio of forces between the two sides." - Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) on June 10, 1944