By the spring of 1942 , despite the failure of Operation Barbarossa to decisively defeat the Soviet Union in a single campaign , the war had been progressing well for the Germans : the U-Boat offensive in the Atlantic had been very successful and Rommel had just captured Tobruk .
The war was still going well for the Germans : the U-Boat offensive in the Atlantic had been very successful and Rommel had just captured Tobruk .