The Waffen-SS was the combat wing of the Schutzstaffel of the Nazi Party, as well as the multi-ethnic and multinational military force of Nazi Germany. Throughout the course of the war, it would go from a pathetic fighting force to the most brutal, feared, and hated military organization in the world. The Waffen-SS grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions during World War II, serving alongside the Wermacht, but never officially becoming a part of it. Adolf Hitler resisted assimilating the Waffen-SS into the army, as it was intended to become a specialized police force at the end of the war. Before the war it was under the command of Heinreich Himmler, but during mobilization control was handed over to the German high command. During the attack on Poland in September 1939, the Waffen-SS was tactically inferior to the Wermacht and suffered relatively large losses. . They partly made up for it during the attack on France in the spring of 1940, where they achieved exceptional success. After this last event, another division was created. Hitler attributed this success to what he called “fierce will – the feeling of superiority personified.” In mid-1941, on the eve of Operation Barbarossa, the Waffen-SS numbered only 160,000 men. It had six divisions (Leibstandarte, Das Reich, Totenkopf, Polizei, Wiking and Nordland). They were set to play a major role in the attack on Russia, and Himmler had made it clear what was expected of them. Hitler had already told his Wehrmacht generals that the attack on Russia must be carried out with "unprecedented, implacable and merciless conduct." toughness." The Waffen-SS made a name for itself in Russia for its unwavering determination in its attacks and its cruelty towards prisoners and civilians...... middle of paper ...... uh had lost all confidence in the Wehrmacht. He appointed Sepp Dietrich to lead the counterattack in the Ardennes – known as the Battle of the Bulge. The Waffen-SS units fought hard enough to temporarily push back the Allies. stopped only by the lack of fuel for their tanks At Malmedy, the SS showed their darker side when American prisoners of war were killed after what is believed to have been a singular escape attempt that went wrong. After the war, Leibstandarte SS officer Joachim Peiper was sentenced to death for his role in this massacre, but was later sentenced to life in prison. 'To be blunt, time and time again they have proven themselves to be an elite fighting force, repeatedly on both fronts. However, the harsh aspects of the war linked to the Waffen-SS tainted their achievements..