Total victory

I am curious as to how many on this forum consider the U.S. as "winning" the war in Europe?
 

My Dad fought in France and from the stories that I had been told and what I learned in history class and other books, I would have to believe that the U.S. played a huge role in the victory. The U.S. left a lot of bodies over there. Just look at the pictures of the American Cemetery in Normandy.
 
A photo of my dad and his brother in Sabres, France, May 1919. They had arrived in 1917 with he 42nd Engineers. My dad is third from the right and his brother far right.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipPo6fUNjOC5_TcTcfBouIw3mo0FYbsnkk8KMcLq

Many folks felt that WWI was the war that would end all wars and time proved how wrong they were as WWII commenced 20 years later.
 

I would not count Russia out. Remember it was Joe Stalin calling the shots and he would never surrender to Hitler. Also, Hitler near death and insanity had a staff that would not pursue his dream of the conquest of the free world. America would have poured everything it had to support the war effort to crush Germany. Britain took care of the Luftwaffe and that was huge in defeating Germany.
 
It was called a world war for good reasons. It involved many nations and many theatres of war.

As fmdog has pointed out, one of the nations was Russia. When Hitler opened the second front in June 1941 he effectively began his own destruction. Besides the European theatres there was also North Africa, South East Asia and the Pacific where the allies engaged not just Germany but also Italy and Japan.

Winning the war was a team effort, not just an American victory but without doubt victory would not have been possible without America's entry into the war after Pearl Harbour in 1941. Australians remain grateful to US for coming to our aid at that time.
 
Well there have not been enough responses to get a good reference but it appears most believe the US did in fact win or play a major role in wwii. Oh and to those who posted about their fathers service my father was also in europe. But the truth of the matter is that the good ol boys from the US did not arrive in the major european theatre until very late in the war.

Yes we did help, but we did NOT win that war. In fact we had fewer men on the ground then other countries, and that also applies to the pacific war. And so I wonder how many who answered did any research on just what impact the US actually had during wwii before posting an answer?
 
True but I doubt many Americans view it as such.
You are correct. We convinced ourselves we were the great beacon of light for the entire world due to propaganda galore as if we alone defeated evil. Then Korea and Vietnam challenged that idea and taught us different. I recall all the stories we were taught in school as children about how great all of our heroes were as if they were as pure as holy water and that was amplified by TV. Not taking away from the enormous bravery/success our troops displayed in WWII but sacrifices were made by all nations in the fight to defeat Japan and Germany.
 
I believe the allies defeated the Nazis & brought peace back to Europe. All the particulars can be argued till we are blue in the face....not much point to that, unless one or several of us happen to be actual experts.

We should have maintained control over both Germany & Japan. Returning them to their own [so to speak] was a mistake .........jmo.
 
rgp; I wonder, what would we have done with those countries. And would it have been just as good an idea as patton proposed in the taking of russia as well. It was a team effort as mentioned and yes later engagements taught us some valuable lessons. And if you look now at our military status, you would see we rely way to heavy on less and less, while other nations strengthen theirs.
 
rgp; I wonder, what would we have done with those countries. And would it have been just as good an idea as patton proposed in the taking of russia as well. It was a team effort as mentioned and yes later engagements taught us some valuable lessons. And if you look now at our military status, you would see we rely way to heavy on less and less, while other nations strengthen theirs.


As you indicate it is all just speculation @ this point....My post was merely opinion. I do BTW agree with your last sentence .

I just believe that the countries of our enemies should have been part of...the spoils of war. Now some 70years later , they would be/could be a strategic advantage . The world has become a much smaller place since war's end.

As my father [who fought in Europe & Korea] said......the Jet changed everything.
 
I'm one. I was THERE. Been there/done that.

Wow.... And I thought I was old @83... I was 9 in '45. Remember Churchill on the radio... and then Truman, later announcing the Japanese surrender. Remember the gold stars in the windows on my street, and in grandma's house for uncle Jerry age 17... my best friend and hero.

The good things... homecomings, end of rationing, gas available for travel, meat available, no more blackouts or air raid drills.... uncle Tommy and uncle Arthur back home.

For all of that, as kids, we didn't play games... we played War... I guess that made life a little cheaper.
 

Back
Top