How did the Eastern Front differ from the Western Front?

The Eastern Front differed from the Western Front in terms of geography, scale, tactics, and the nature of warfare.

The Eastern Front, stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, was much larger than the Western Front. This vast expanse of territory, coupled with the lack of natural barriers, made the Eastern Front a war of movement, unlike the static trench warfare that characterised the Western Front. The Eastern Front was marked by large-scale battles, sweeping movements of armies, and rapid changes in the front line. The vastness of the Eastern Front also made logistics and supply lines a significant challenge.

The nature of warfare on the Eastern Front was also different. The Western Front was characterised by trench warfare, with both sides dug into fortified positions and making little progress for much of the war. In contrast, the Eastern Front saw more fluid, mobile warfare, with large-scale encirclements and retreats. The Eastern Front was also marked by a higher level of brutality and civilian casualties, partly due to the ideological nature of the conflict between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

Tactics and strategies also differed between the two fronts. On the Western Front, the use of artillery and machine guns led to a stalemate, with neither side able to make significant advances. On the Eastern Front, the use of large-scale encirclements, deep operations, and combined arms tactics allowed for more dynamic warfare. The Eastern Front also saw the use of large numbers of tanks and aircraft, which were less common on the Western Front.

Finally, the scale of the Eastern Front was much larger than that of the Western Front. The Eastern Front involved millions of soldiers and stretched over thousands of kilometres, while the Western Front was much smaller and more concentrated. This difference in scale also affected the nature of the fighting, with the Eastern Front seeing larger battles and more significant shifts in the front line.