That situation was actually a bit more complicated than that. Most countries in WW2 had a treaty with each other about feeding each other's prisoners of war. The Soviet union refused to sign onto that one. Partly because they barely had enough food to feed themselves (due to their communist policies) and partly because of political rhetoric (Why would they feed the subhuman enemy prisoners of war?). But in addition, of the few Soviet prisoners of war who did survive, almost all got sent to the Gulags. In almost all cases, it wasn't even their fault they got captured (even though they were blamed for it). Political considerations drove Soviet military strategy which resulted in horrible tactical decisions and strategy. Of course, the blame had to be put somewhere (but not on Stalin or the party) and it was put on the troops, the people who actually were least to blame. And if the German POW camps did not end them (usually due to lack of food), the gulags would.
Note that the Soviets treated any captured Germans equally badly if not worse, except they didn't have nearly as many of those since the German army was far better run than the Soviet one and made effort to avoid having large numbers of their troops and equipment captured.
I'm aware of the complicated version, but very early in the war they did as I said,to keep their own people from surendering,, not something you read about in the books,but obviouse as heck,if put the facts together.
Russians did the same thing against the germans in 41,just to provoke the germans into doing the same,then their people would never surender.......
That situation was actually a bit more complicated than that. Most countries in WW2 had a treaty with each other about feeding each other's prisoners of war. The Soviet union refused to sign onto that one. Partly because they barely had enough food to feed themselves (due to their communist policies) and partly because of political rhetoric (Why would they feed the subhuman enemy prisoners of war?). But in addition, of the few Soviet prisoners of war who did survive, almost all got sent to the Gulags. In almost all cases, it wasn't even their fault they got captured (even though they were blamed for it). Political considerations drove Soviet military strategy which resulted in horrible tactical decisions and strategy. Of course, the blame had to be put somewhere (but not on Stalin or the party) and it was put on the troops, the people who actually were least to blame. And if the German POW camps did not end them (usually due to lack of food), the gulags would.
Note that the Soviets treated any captured Germans equally badly if not worse, except they didn't have nearly as many of those since the German army was far better run than the Soviet one and made effort to avoid having large numbers of their troops and equipment captured.
I'm aware of the complicated version, but very early in the war they did as I said,to keep their own people from surendering,, not something you read about in the books,but obviouse as heck,if put the facts together.
The same thing was done in the civil war.