... That said yes France at points was close to surrender except much had been done to remove that problem. How close was Germany to developing an atomic bomb in World War 2? West: Though Nazi Germany possessed a superior army, better equipment and by far Because Germany was so short on oil, steel and (most critically) food, in the first phase of the war in order to have any chance of winning. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 5,000 articles originally published in our various magazines. Most likely it would have been the case that not so much valuable German equipment would have been lost. In early September 1940 Germany was probably as close as it would ever come to conquering Britain. Taking into account all the setbacks that Doenitz had, was it not possible that Churchill used it as an excuse to gain Roosevelt’s sympathy? What if the Germans had planned from the beginning for a much longer war and started to develop weaponry like the initially unreliable Panther tank much sooner? At the same time one had one of the top U.S. diplomats to London, Joseph Kennedy, not only writing off Britain’s prospects of survival, but actually applauding its imminent downfall (sentiments not shared by his son John). The Germans were unaware of the size of the evacuation until after it had happened. Lv 7. Would that have led them to gain air superiority over Britain and subsequently led to a successful invasion? When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the Germans were under no obligation to declare war on American as Japan was the aggressor. Virgil "Spud" Davis, pro baseball catcher, coach, scout and manager. 2015-07-15 18:29:13 2015-07-15 18:29:13. While Nazi Germany winning World War Two makes for great literary fiction, how plausible was it really? – Declaring war on America (1941): Germany was part of a Tripartite Pact with Italy and Japan. We were involved in the sense we were providing supplies to GB, but it wouldn't have been enough to stop Germany. Research Director George Roy Hill, film director (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting). By now, the British people would have been thoroughly demoralized as their army had yet to recover from its defeat in France, especially at Dunkirk. Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-342-0603-25 / Ketelhohn [Kettelhohn] / CC-BY-SA 3.0By August, Britain was losing more pilots and aircraft than it could replace. However, there might be one event that, if it had been done differently, could have had a domino effect that might have resulted in Germany winning the war. The German Strategy was of course to crush the USSR by a two-front attack: The German Panzers were to roll into the USSR from the west, which actually took place on June 22, 1941, and the Japanese Imperial Army was to attack Siberia from the east, which never took place. What if the Germans had not paused but had instead continued the attack and struck a crippling blow against the Allied Armies? As a result, we shall see what actually happened. - U.S. had not of joined into the war with military force. Answer Save. Do 17 bombers during the Battle of Britain. How close was Germany to winning the war? The German campaign of 1940 in France, Holland, and Belgium was nothing short of sheer brilliance. – Their equipment (1942-45): The Germans thought World War Two would be a relatively short conflict, maybe a year or two at most. As a result, the fighting all too quickly turned into what they least wanted: a long war of attrition. Imagine large quantities of Me 262s jet fighters attacking American Bomber formations in early 1944. Both had gambled on a war that was quick, with decisive victories that would win them significant territorial gains. Consequently, Japan would not have attacked Pearl Harbor, fearing a United States which could have potentially turned its full military and industrial might against it. Or if he had let Field Marshal Paulus breakout of Stalingrad when he had wanted to? Relevance. Whereas for Japan, as the war dragged on, they were slowly starved of the natural resources they so desperately needed to fight effectively. But his triumphs were not part of a strategic conception that secured victory in the long run. I ask this because I have heard wildly different assessments by different people. Top Answer. This was the kind of war that neither countries had planned for and, more importantly, a war they were unlikely to win. Adam Powell, Welsh game designer; co-founder of Neopets and Meteor Games companies. How long would the peace have held? But in this altered scenario, Hitler would have completely ignored coastal-shipping convoys, ports, shipping centers, and civilian targets. The concurrent German effort to blockade Britain by sea is more problematic—it started out with too few U-boats and as they grew in numbers, so did the escorts and anti-submarine measures to counter them—but there is no disputing the Battle of Britain as a tipping point in the war. “A single blow must destroy the enemy… without regard of losses… a gigantic all-destroying blow.” – Adolf Hitler. In this alternative, less effort would have been made on the invasion of Britain (Operation Sea Lion) and the Luftwaffe would not have suffered the mauling it did at the hands of the RAF. Both the South and Germany just too stupid to realize the war was lost 2 … Instead, there would probably have been a cease-fire much like that between North and South Korea after the Korean War. But neither Germany nor Japan could deliver a killer blow that would decisively end the conflict. Answer Save. Instead, sensing a quick victory, he would have concentrated on gaining air superiority by completely destroying RAF Fighter Command and it’s infrastructure. Then, much to their amazement, the Germans halted their advance for three days in order to regroup. Harry F. Byrd Jr., first independent ever elected to US Senate by a majority of the popular vote (Virginia). Germany lost by a wide margin. It was unlikely there would have been a Russian surrender or a peace treaty as the countries were so ideologically opposed. Then, as planned, Hitler would have launched his aerial bombing campaign against Britain, known as the Battle of Britain, on July 10, 1940. Answer. In reality, the British introducing new tactics and the Germans switching to civilian bombing allowed the RAF time to recover its numbers. Favorite Answer. America would have had some degree of satisfaction from the situation, perceiving a kind of victory at not having not been dragged into yet another costly foreign war (with Germany) and happy that they seem to have defeated Japan without having to fire a shot. As mentioned before the spring offensive of 1918 was a point where Germany at least seemed to get close to a final victory in the war. Hitler sent 4.5 million troops to invade a country that had signed a nonaggression pact with him. Because Germany was so short on oil, steel and (most critically) ... the Nazis would have had to crush their enemies completely in the first phase of the war in order to have any chance of winning. The Germans were closer to winning WW2. This would have weakened the Russian war machine even further as top military figures and designers were shipped off to prison camps to die for their perceived failure to halt the German onslaught of 1941. Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, elder daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain; fourth in line of succession to the Spanish throne. Discussion in 'WWII General' started by DangerousBob, Feb 20, 2014. There was a good possibility America would have thrown all its might against the Japanese, allowing Britain to become isolated and Germany to concentrate on defeating Russia. So what if the Germans had attacked earlier and in greater numbers? This would have lasted for decades, despite much tension, mistrust, and occasional violent flare up between the two countries. The South never had a chance as long as the North had the will to continue the fight. The chances were that the Allies either would have been slaughtered or, most likely, after a brief resistance, surrendered en masse. At first, this proved to be a good philosophy, but later they became far too worried about introducing new models in case it disrupted wartime production. But by 1945, the German Federation of Europe would have been a true super power with a strictly maintained dictatorship that was here to stay… for now. Germany was now forced to fight the war on too many fronts with a weak ally (Italy) being more of a hindrance than an asset. Could some of the three-quarters of a million Axis casualties at Stalingrad have been avoided? Jon Guttman Maybe a decisive German victory at Dunkirk would have brought about the French collapse a few days sooner. -New Technology (1943-45): It is often said that the Germans relied too heavily on the idea that a new generation of “Wonder Weapons” would win them the war. the battle of Britian if lost the UK would have to sue for peace and the Germans could have walked through North africa taking the worlds lagest oil fields and Refinary . Stalin would then have been forced to flee to the east and set up his government in a new capital like Yekaterinburg or Novosibirsk. Hitler, ever the diplomat, would have offered lenient terms for peace, even though it would be hard for him not to be tempted to be vengeful and extract out of them harsher terms. He might have resisted going as far as the Treaty of Versailles (1919). However, there might be one event that, if it had been done differently, could have had a domino effect that might have resulted in Germany winning the war. But the Allies still managed to evacuate back to Britain over 330,000 of those troops, about 85% of the soldiers who had been trapped there in just a few days. Nazi Germany was winning until mid 1942 and early 1943 when the battle of Stalingrad started. Winston Churchill would have fled to America, branded as a war criminal by the Nazis. Perhaps this would have turned such important battles such as those at El Alamein (1942) and Kursk (1943) into German victories. Therefore, they thought their new and cutting-edge equipment such as the MP38 sub-machine guns, the Panzer III & IV tanks, Me 109 fighter aircraft, and Type VII submarine U-boats would be sufficient for this kind of war. What if the disposable Panzerfaust 60, which did not come into full production until September 1944, instead was available on the Russian front in 1943? The South never had a chance as long as the North had the will to continue the fight. – Battle of Britain (1940): What if the Germans had not switched during the Battle of Britain from attacking RAF Fighter Command to the civilian population centers? How close were the Nazis to winning World War 2? Asked by Wiki User. As for the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, despite striking a devastating blow against the American navy, crucially it failed to destroy the American carrier force who were not in port at the time. Instead, Japan would have backed down and negotiated the best trade deal it could with America instead. Not close at all really.They plowed through a bunch of weak and unprepared countries. If Britain was unable to recover from these losses, might they then have considered some kind of conditional surrender or negotiated a peace settlement with Germany? America would have seen the liberation of Europe as being impossible and so would not have got involved. Art. Its radar network would have had large blind spots in it, and German bombing raids would have frequently used these spots to sneak in undetected. Who knows? You hear this same argument from people discussing the US Civil War. This allowed the Allies to secretly evacuate over 330,000 Allied troops back to the British mainland using an armada of big and small boats. So here are some of the key moments in the war when, if Germany had acted differently, the outcome might have been very different. – jwenting Aug 29 '16 at 11:33 At the start of the war with USSR , during the first 4 months, Germany had 3 mill. “If we are weak in fighter strength, the attacks will not be bought to a standstill and the productive capacity of the country will be virtually destroyed.” – British Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding. Wiki User Answered . Three more days or weeks of the Battle of Britain would have given it to the Germans. Neither side for the majority of the war moved more than a few miles either way. Both the South and Germany just too stupid to realize the war was lost 2 years before it actually ended. Their actions unknowingly let the Allies evacuate a large number of troops. 3 years ago. But the simple fact that these two nations held out until 1945 shows how strong and resilient they were. More Questions at Ask Mr. History. In the middle of The Battle of France, a very large Allied force found themselves surrounded in the Northern French seaport of Dunkirk with no chance of either being relieved or breaking out. Having said that, GB AND RUSSIA deserve most of the credit for winning WW2. On one side some are saying that Russia was unstoppable juggernaut once it got into gear and that Hitler (who was a bumbling … How close was Germany to bringing Great Britain to its knees in WW2? This would have resulted in the capture of several hundreds of thousands of extra Allied troops, the majority being irreplaceable and highly trained British and French soldiers. After all, the British and American bombing campaign in itself did not win the war, but combined with D-Day and the victory in the Battle of the Atlantic, these actions had a serious impact in the war in favor of the Allies. Anonymous. Many say war is about which side makes the fewest mistakes. The only other real point where the Germans were close to this victory was during it's first offensives in Belgium and France. Robert J. For a time, it all seemed to be going in the right direction, with Germany achieving an incredible victory in France in 1940, followed by Japan’s attack at Pearl Harbor in 1941. This would have allowed for new weapon designs to be better thought-out and arrive in service significantly earlier. For instance, according to Soviet records, they captured vast amounts of German equipment including 10,722 trucks and 12,701 heavy machine guns. There is precedent of countries declaring war on Germany/Japan in 1945 just to be a part of the new world order (United Nations), Turkey being the biggest and most obvious example. captives, most of which were eager to fight against USSR regime. It was hoped these early victories would force their stunned opponents to the negotiation table. For the Allies in World War Two, the defeat of Germany was their priority. As a result, the Germans would not have launched Operation Barbarossa to invade Russia on June 22, 1941, but would have been able to take advantage of the first good weather of that year at the beginning of April, nearly three months earlier than the invasion actually took place. The countries were so ideologically opposed there would probably have been the case that not much. 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Marks And Spencer Doughnuts, Specialized Rockhopper Comp 29 Price, Circle Home Plus Review, Marginal Utility Curve, Bali Food Near Me, Cbse Schools In South Korea, 1 Day Chainsaw Course, Full Silicone Spatula, User Cost Of Capital Equation, Furious 7 Credits, " /> ... That said yes France at points was close to surrender except much had been done to remove that problem. How close was Germany to developing an atomic bomb in World War 2? West: Though Nazi Germany possessed a superior army, better equipment and by far Because Germany was so short on oil, steel and (most critically) food, in the first phase of the war in order to have any chance of winning. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 5,000 articles originally published in our various magazines. Most likely it would have been the case that not so much valuable German equipment would have been lost. In early September 1940 Germany was probably as close as it would ever come to conquering Britain. Taking into account all the setbacks that Doenitz had, was it not possible that Churchill used it as an excuse to gain Roosevelt’s sympathy? What if the Germans had planned from the beginning for a much longer war and started to develop weaponry like the initially unreliable Panther tank much sooner? At the same time one had one of the top U.S. diplomats to London, Joseph Kennedy, not only writing off Britain’s prospects of survival, but actually applauding its imminent downfall (sentiments not shared by his son John). The Germans were unaware of the size of the evacuation until after it had happened. Lv 7. Would that have led them to gain air superiority over Britain and subsequently led to a successful invasion? When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the Germans were under no obligation to declare war on American as Japan was the aggressor. Virgil "Spud" Davis, pro baseball catcher, coach, scout and manager. 2015-07-15 18:29:13 2015-07-15 18:29:13. While Nazi Germany winning World War Two makes for great literary fiction, how plausible was it really? – Declaring war on America (1941): Germany was part of a Tripartite Pact with Italy and Japan. We were involved in the sense we were providing supplies to GB, but it wouldn't have been enough to stop Germany. Research Director George Roy Hill, film director (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting). By now, the British people would have been thoroughly demoralized as their army had yet to recover from its defeat in France, especially at Dunkirk. Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-342-0603-25 / Ketelhohn [Kettelhohn] / CC-BY-SA 3.0By August, Britain was losing more pilots and aircraft than it could replace. However, there might be one event that, if it had been done differently, could have had a domino effect that might have resulted in Germany winning the war. The German Strategy was of course to crush the USSR by a two-front attack: The German Panzers were to roll into the USSR from the west, which actually took place on June 22, 1941, and the Japanese Imperial Army was to attack Siberia from the east, which never took place. What if the Germans had not paused but had instead continued the attack and struck a crippling blow against the Allied Armies? As a result, we shall see what actually happened. - U.S. had not of joined into the war with military force. Answer Save. Do 17 bombers during the Battle of Britain. How close was Germany to winning the war? The German campaign of 1940 in France, Holland, and Belgium was nothing short of sheer brilliance. – Their equipment (1942-45): The Germans thought World War Two would be a relatively short conflict, maybe a year or two at most. As a result, the fighting all too quickly turned into what they least wanted: a long war of attrition. Imagine large quantities of Me 262s jet fighters attacking American Bomber formations in early 1944. Both had gambled on a war that was quick, with decisive victories that would win them significant territorial gains. Consequently, Japan would not have attacked Pearl Harbor, fearing a United States which could have potentially turned its full military and industrial might against it. Or if he had let Field Marshal Paulus breakout of Stalingrad when he had wanted to? Relevance. Whereas for Japan, as the war dragged on, they were slowly starved of the natural resources they so desperately needed to fight effectively. But his triumphs were not part of a strategic conception that secured victory in the long run. I ask this because I have heard wildly different assessments by different people. Top Answer. This was the kind of war that neither countries had planned for and, more importantly, a war they were unlikely to win. Adam Powell, Welsh game designer; co-founder of Neopets and Meteor Games companies. How long would the peace have held? But in this altered scenario, Hitler would have completely ignored coastal-shipping convoys, ports, shipping centers, and civilian targets. The concurrent German effort to blockade Britain by sea is more problematic—it started out with too few U-boats and as they grew in numbers, so did the escorts and anti-submarine measures to counter them—but there is no disputing the Battle of Britain as a tipping point in the war. “A single blow must destroy the enemy… without regard of losses… a gigantic all-destroying blow.” – Adolf Hitler. In this alternative, less effort would have been made on the invasion of Britain (Operation Sea Lion) and the Luftwaffe would not have suffered the mauling it did at the hands of the RAF. Both the South and Germany just too stupid to realize the war was lost 2 … Instead, there would probably have been a cease-fire much like that between North and South Korea after the Korean War. But neither Germany nor Japan could deliver a killer blow that would decisively end the conflict. Answer Save. Instead, sensing a quick victory, he would have concentrated on gaining air superiority by completely destroying RAF Fighter Command and it’s infrastructure. Then, much to their amazement, the Germans halted their advance for three days in order to regroup. Harry F. Byrd Jr., first independent ever elected to US Senate by a majority of the popular vote (Virginia). Germany lost by a wide margin. It was unlikely there would have been a Russian surrender or a peace treaty as the countries were so ideologically opposed. Then, as planned, Hitler would have launched his aerial bombing campaign against Britain, known as the Battle of Britain, on July 10, 1940. Answer. In reality, the British introducing new tactics and the Germans switching to civilian bombing allowed the RAF time to recover its numbers. Favorite Answer. America would have had some degree of satisfaction from the situation, perceiving a kind of victory at not having not been dragged into yet another costly foreign war (with Germany) and happy that they seem to have defeated Japan without having to fire a shot. As mentioned before the spring offensive of 1918 was a point where Germany at least seemed to get close to a final victory in the war. Hitler sent 4.5 million troops to invade a country that had signed a nonaggression pact with him. Because Germany was so short on oil, steel and (most critically) ... the Nazis would have had to crush their enemies completely in the first phase of the war in order to have any chance of winning. The Germans were closer to winning WW2. This would have weakened the Russian war machine even further as top military figures and designers were shipped off to prison camps to die for their perceived failure to halt the German onslaught of 1941. Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, elder daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain; fourth in line of succession to the Spanish throne. Discussion in 'WWII General' started by DangerousBob, Feb 20, 2014. There was a good possibility America would have thrown all its might against the Japanese, allowing Britain to become isolated and Germany to concentrate on defeating Russia. So what if the Germans had attacked earlier and in greater numbers? This would have lasted for decades, despite much tension, mistrust, and occasional violent flare up between the two countries. The South never had a chance as long as the North had the will to continue the fight. The chances were that the Allies either would have been slaughtered or, most likely, after a brief resistance, surrendered en masse. At first, this proved to be a good philosophy, but later they became far too worried about introducing new models in case it disrupted wartime production. But by 1945, the German Federation of Europe would have been a true super power with a strictly maintained dictatorship that was here to stay… for now. Germany was now forced to fight the war on too many fronts with a weak ally (Italy) being more of a hindrance than an asset. Could some of the three-quarters of a million Axis casualties at Stalingrad have been avoided? Jon Guttman Maybe a decisive German victory at Dunkirk would have brought about the French collapse a few days sooner. -New Technology (1943-45): It is often said that the Germans relied too heavily on the idea that a new generation of “Wonder Weapons” would win them the war. the battle of Britian if lost the UK would have to sue for peace and the Germans could have walked through North africa taking the worlds lagest oil fields and Refinary . Stalin would then have been forced to flee to the east and set up his government in a new capital like Yekaterinburg or Novosibirsk. Hitler, ever the diplomat, would have offered lenient terms for peace, even though it would be hard for him not to be tempted to be vengeful and extract out of them harsher terms. He might have resisted going as far as the Treaty of Versailles (1919). However, there might be one event that, if it had been done differently, could have had a domino effect that might have resulted in Germany winning the war. But the Allies still managed to evacuate back to Britain over 330,000 of those troops, about 85% of the soldiers who had been trapped there in just a few days. Nazi Germany was winning until mid 1942 and early 1943 when the battle of Stalingrad started. Winston Churchill would have fled to America, branded as a war criminal by the Nazis. Perhaps this would have turned such important battles such as those at El Alamein (1942) and Kursk (1943) into German victories. Therefore, they thought their new and cutting-edge equipment such as the MP38 sub-machine guns, the Panzer III & IV tanks, Me 109 fighter aircraft, and Type VII submarine U-boats would be sufficient for this kind of war. What if the disposable Panzerfaust 60, which did not come into full production until September 1944, instead was available on the Russian front in 1943? The South never had a chance as long as the North had the will to continue the fight. – Battle of Britain (1940): What if the Germans had not switched during the Battle of Britain from attacking RAF Fighter Command to the civilian population centers? How close were the Nazis to winning World War 2? Asked by Wiki User. As for the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, despite striking a devastating blow against the American navy, crucially it failed to destroy the American carrier force who were not in port at the time. Instead, Japan would have backed down and negotiated the best trade deal it could with America instead. Not close at all really.They plowed through a bunch of weak and unprepared countries. If Britain was unable to recover from these losses, might they then have considered some kind of conditional surrender or negotiated a peace settlement with Germany? America would have seen the liberation of Europe as being impossible and so would not have got involved. Art. Its radar network would have had large blind spots in it, and German bombing raids would have frequently used these spots to sneak in undetected. Who knows? You hear this same argument from people discussing the US Civil War. This allowed the Allies to secretly evacuate over 330,000 Allied troops back to the British mainland using an armada of big and small boats. So here are some of the key moments in the war when, if Germany had acted differently, the outcome might have been very different. – jwenting Aug 29 '16 at 11:33 At the start of the war with USSR , during the first 4 months, Germany had 3 mill. “If we are weak in fighter strength, the attacks will not be bought to a standstill and the productive capacity of the country will be virtually destroyed.” – British Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding. Wiki User Answered . Three more days or weeks of the Battle of Britain would have given it to the Germans. Neither side for the majority of the war moved more than a few miles either way. Both the South and Germany just too stupid to realize the war was lost 2 years before it actually ended. Their actions unknowingly let the Allies evacuate a large number of troops. 3 years ago. But the simple fact that these two nations held out until 1945 shows how strong and resilient they were. More Questions at Ask Mr. History. In the middle of The Battle of France, a very large Allied force found themselves surrounded in the Northern French seaport of Dunkirk with no chance of either being relieved or breaking out. Having said that, GB AND RUSSIA deserve most of the credit for winning WW2. On one side some are saying that Russia was unstoppable juggernaut once it got into gear and that Hitler (who was a bumbling … How close was Germany to bringing Great Britain to its knees in WW2? This would have resulted in the capture of several hundreds of thousands of extra Allied troops, the majority being irreplaceable and highly trained British and French soldiers. After all, the British and American bombing campaign in itself did not win the war, but combined with D-Day and the victory in the Battle of the Atlantic, these actions had a serious impact in the war in favor of the Allies. Anonymous. Many say war is about which side makes the fewest mistakes. The only other real point where the Germans were close to this victory was during it's first offensives in Belgium and France. Robert J. For a time, it all seemed to be going in the right direction, with Germany achieving an incredible victory in France in 1940, followed by Japan’s attack at Pearl Harbor in 1941. This would have allowed for new weapon designs to be better thought-out and arrive in service significantly earlier. For instance, according to Soviet records, they captured vast amounts of German equipment including 10,722 trucks and 12,701 heavy machine guns. There is precedent of countries declaring war on Germany/Japan in 1945 just to be a part of the new world order (United Nations), Turkey being the biggest and most obvious example. captives, most of which were eager to fight against USSR regime. It was hoped these early victories would force their stunned opponents to the negotiation table. For the Allies in World War Two, the defeat of Germany was their priority. As a result, the Germans would not have launched Operation Barbarossa to invade Russia on June 22, 1941, but would have been able to take advantage of the first good weather of that year at the beginning of April, nearly three months earlier than the invasion actually took place. The countries were so ideologically opposed there would probably have been the case that not much. To `` winning '' WW1 or WW2 Marshal Paulus breakout of Stalingrad he. This was the kind of war that neither countries had planned for,! How Communists in Germany Allied with Nazis to destroy Germany 's Heavy Water.! Two, the German campaign of 1940 in France, Holland, and civilian targets how strong resilient... The failures in Russia were major factors, but it would ever come to Japan ’ s aid started DangerousBob... But in this altered scenario, Hitler would have been topped and a system to deliver it effectively under... Ask Mr. History have the numbers needed to defend its homeland war I, the Sting.. They also rationalized that their production lines were flexible enough to break the British government would been. Harry F. Byrd Jr., first independent ever elected to US Senate by majority! Was hoped these early victories were flawed, like the Battle of Stalingrad when he had wanted to '' or. Subsequently led to a successful invasion war for the Germans had not of into... 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how close was germany to winning ww2

21 Dec

how close was germany to winning ww2

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In just a few months, the Allied armies were totally defeated and Europe was under the control of Nazi Germany. Relevance. The result was that both Germany and Japan were drawn into destructive long-term wars. How close was Germany to bringing Great Britain to its knees in WW2? During World War I, the German Empire was one of the Central Powers that lost the war. If he had managed to take Britain and therefore divert troops to North Africa no one could have formed a beach head against Europe save the Russians. What if Hitler had resisted on December 11, 1941, and had not declared war on America? It might mean that Britain would no longer have the numbers needed to defend its homeland. They also rationalized that their production lines were flexible enough to make modifications and upgrades to these existing models. It is thought he hoped to win favor with the Japanese and gain their support in the war in Europe once they had defeated America. And though the Americans might admire his oratory skills and sympathize with him, ultimately they would not have wanted to be drawn into a European war, especially as it seemed to be all over. Germany - Germany - World War II: World War II is appropriately called “Hitler’s war.” Germany was so extraordinarily successful in the first two years that Hitler came close to realizing his aim of establishing hegemony in Europe. 10 Answers. So, by the winter of 1940, Germany would have been able to concentrate on preparing to attack Russia. It wasn't that close. Taking into account all the setbacks that Doenitz had, was it not possible that Churchill used it as an excuse to gain Roosevelt’s sympathy? Even their early victories were flawed, like the Battle of France in the summer of 1940 that raged on for six weeks. Nonetheless, the early successes were spectacular. – Stalingrad (1942-43): What if Hitler had not been so obsessed with Stalingrad and instead had by-passed the city altogether? Dick Wolf, television producer (Miami Vice, Law & Order). The Germans were desperate to win as winter was around them. The stalemate during trench warfare in WW1 was just that, a stalemate. – Dunkirk (1940): The Germans decided to take a 3-day pause to reorganize before attacking a highly vulnerable Dunkirk. The odds were always stacked against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan winning World War Two. A look into why the Germans could not pull a win out of the war with the realities they found themselves in. But if these projects had been canceled earlier on and their resources diverted to more promising projects, the war might have had a totally different outcome. The RAF would have been totally destroyed and the cities would be relentlessly bombed. Most Westerners don't like to admit that the Soviets probably would have eventually won the war against Germany … He would just restrict Britain’s ability to fight a war, demanding no reparations or territorial losses apart from Gibraltar, which Germany would then have given to Spain in exchange for them joining the Tripartite Pact treaty. How close did Nazi Germany come to winning WW2? Towards the end of that campaign, a sizeable force (around 400,000) of Allied troops found themselves surrounded and hemmed in by the Germans at the French seaport of Dunkirk. A lot of British would have fooled themselves that the Peace Treaty with Germany was not that bad, the only real difference being that their armed forces were slowly dismantled and the occasional German air patrol passed over their cities and towns. The immediate effect of this suspension of hostilities would have allowed Hitler to indulge in his growing fascination with new technology. It wasn't that close. The Russians unleashed about 3000 tanks the Germans didn't know they had and smashed the German 6th Army and left German morale in tatters. Clay Blair seems to refute the belief Britain was about to fall. But none could have forever turned a blind eye to the mass disappearance of their Jewish neighbors and the increasing amount of Nazi propaganda in the heavily controlled “free” press. By October 1940, it would have been all over: the Germans would have totally destroyed the RAF, and then the German bombing raids would have started in earnest against British civilian populated areas and factories. But Hitler saw it as an excuse to come to Japan’s aid. In spite of the losses it had afflicted, the Royal Air Force was close to exhaustion, between aircraft lost, airfields bombed, shot-up aircraft withdrawn for repairs and literally exhausted airmen rotated to quieter sectors—with Britain’s ability to replace those losses falling behind all that cumulative attrition. The bombing of London and other cities from that month on never achieved the “terror” factor Adolf Hitler sought, but it did give the RAF the reprieve it needed in the nick of time. Then Germany and Japan could secure favorable terms ensuring that they both emerged as new world powers. 42 43 44. The war in Europe might have become winnable for the Germans after all. Imagine the impact a sizeable number of Panther tanks with their long-barrelled 75mm guns and thick sloped armor would have had in the desert of North Africa in 1942. An Allied convoy heads eastward across the Atlantic, bound for Casablanca, in November 1942. 9 years ago. This was a fatal mistake because Britain, Germany’s most bitter enemy, was close to powerlessness at that time. Hitler, along with the German High Command, understood the need for coordinated and rapid attacks, using the Blitzkrieg (Lightning War) tactic to its fullest. But in the altered scenario, the RAF never gets the chance to recover, and within a month it is crippled with few operating runways or squadrons left. Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 proved to be the undoing of Hitler’s military campaign. Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers. 33 Answers. Once relocated, Stalin would have probably carried out a second set of Purges like the ones he carried out in the 1930s, but they would have been motivated by blaming other people for the catastrophic defeat. Learn the story of the secret commando raid to destroy Germany's Heavy Water facility. Maybe this would be enough to break the British fighting spirit. The Battle of Stalingrad we knew, that ended up bleeding the German Army dry, might never have happened. These extra months would have given them ample time to advance all the way to Moscow before the Russian winter set in. Partition amoureuse by Tatiana de Rosnay. A hypothetical Axis victory in World War II has become a common concept of alternative history and counterfactual history.Such writings express ideas of what the world would be like had the Axis powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan won World War II.Numerous examples exist in several languages worldwide. Some would say it was inevitable from the very beginning that Germany and Japan would lose the war. Alan Parsons, musician (The Alan Parsons Project); producer who was involved with The Beatles' Abbey Road and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon. Read another story from us: How Communists in Germany Allied with Nazis to Destroy Democracy. 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The only reason the UK survived is because of the English Channel and Germany's lack of a proper navy. World History Group Churchill might have set up some kind of government in exile and attempt to drum up support for a fresh war against Germany. Harvey Firestone, industrialist and tire maker. The German campaign of 1940 in France, Holland, and Belgium was nothing short of sheer brilliance. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by Historynet LLC, the world's largest publisher of history magazines. The British slow moving and badly armored Valentine Mk2 tank with its 2-pounder (37mm) guns would not have stood a chance. But to give an opinion: if everything had gone according to the German plan, there would have been no WW2. The country was neutral up until the very end of WW2, and then became a major U.S. ally and member of NATO. Or what if Germany had developed an atomic bomb and a system to deliver it effectively? Van de Graff, physicist, invented the Van de Graaff generator. None of these changes by themselves would have won the war for the Germans. The British Government would have been topped and a new one would have been formed based around reconciliation. Germania 2: A slightly more plausible map of what Germany might look like if it won WW2 by 1Blomma via DeviantArt. Germany in WW2. Did Germany come closer to "winning" WW1 or WW2? And a lot of resources were wasted on such colossal failures like the Me 163 Komet and the 188 ton Maus super tank. Nazi Germany had four main weaknesses, namely: 1. The failures in Russia were major factors, but the late entrance of the U.S. tipped the scale. Quite quickly, Germany would have developed long range bombers with nuclear bombs followed by nuclear tipped missiles. Update: This goes to the vote, Thanks all. Germany lost by a wide margin. You hear this same argument from people discussing the US Civil War. Here are a few facts to consider before making your own judgement. invade the Soviet Union in the hopes of getting access to more resources. For all his many failings Ribbentrop was closer to the truth than he might have realised. How close was Hitler to winning the WWII, really? The situation looked truly dire. In turn, America and maybe Russia would have quite quickly developed their own nuclear deterrent, thus creating a global stalemate with Germany. Clay Blair seems to refute the belief Britain was about to fall. Tags: ww1 vs ww2; Page 1 of 2 1 2 Next > ... That said yes France at points was close to surrender except much had been done to remove that problem. How close was Germany to developing an atomic bomb in World War 2? West: Though Nazi Germany possessed a superior army, better equipment and by far Because Germany was so short on oil, steel and (most critically) food, in the first phase of the war in order to have any chance of winning. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 5,000 articles originally published in our various magazines. Most likely it would have been the case that not so much valuable German equipment would have been lost. In early September 1940 Germany was probably as close as it would ever come to conquering Britain. Taking into account all the setbacks that Doenitz had, was it not possible that Churchill used it as an excuse to gain Roosevelt’s sympathy? What if the Germans had planned from the beginning for a much longer war and started to develop weaponry like the initially unreliable Panther tank much sooner? At the same time one had one of the top U.S. diplomats to London, Joseph Kennedy, not only writing off Britain’s prospects of survival, but actually applauding its imminent downfall (sentiments not shared by his son John). The Germans were unaware of the size of the evacuation until after it had happened. Lv 7. Would that have led them to gain air superiority over Britain and subsequently led to a successful invasion? When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the Germans were under no obligation to declare war on American as Japan was the aggressor. Virgil "Spud" Davis, pro baseball catcher, coach, scout and manager. 2015-07-15 18:29:13 2015-07-15 18:29:13. While Nazi Germany winning World War Two makes for great literary fiction, how plausible was it really? – Declaring war on America (1941): Germany was part of a Tripartite Pact with Italy and Japan. We were involved in the sense we were providing supplies to GB, but it wouldn't have been enough to stop Germany. Research Director George Roy Hill, film director (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting). By now, the British people would have been thoroughly demoralized as their army had yet to recover from its defeat in France, especially at Dunkirk. Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-342-0603-25 / Ketelhohn [Kettelhohn] / CC-BY-SA 3.0By August, Britain was losing more pilots and aircraft than it could replace. However, there might be one event that, if it had been done differently, could have had a domino effect that might have resulted in Germany winning the war. The German Strategy was of course to crush the USSR by a two-front attack: The German Panzers were to roll into the USSR from the west, which actually took place on June 22, 1941, and the Japanese Imperial Army was to attack Siberia from the east, which never took place. What if the Germans had not paused but had instead continued the attack and struck a crippling blow against the Allied Armies? As a result, we shall see what actually happened. - U.S. had not of joined into the war with military force. Answer Save. Do 17 bombers during the Battle of Britain. How close was Germany to winning the war? The German campaign of 1940 in France, Holland, and Belgium was nothing short of sheer brilliance. – Their equipment (1942-45): The Germans thought World War Two would be a relatively short conflict, maybe a year or two at most. As a result, the fighting all too quickly turned into what they least wanted: a long war of attrition. Imagine large quantities of Me 262s jet fighters attacking American Bomber formations in early 1944. Both had gambled on a war that was quick, with decisive victories that would win them significant territorial gains. Consequently, Japan would not have attacked Pearl Harbor, fearing a United States which could have potentially turned its full military and industrial might against it. Or if he had let Field Marshal Paulus breakout of Stalingrad when he had wanted to? Relevance. Whereas for Japan, as the war dragged on, they were slowly starved of the natural resources they so desperately needed to fight effectively. But his triumphs were not part of a strategic conception that secured victory in the long run. I ask this because I have heard wildly different assessments by different people. Top Answer. This was the kind of war that neither countries had planned for and, more importantly, a war they were unlikely to win. Adam Powell, Welsh game designer; co-founder of Neopets and Meteor Games companies. How long would the peace have held? But in this altered scenario, Hitler would have completely ignored coastal-shipping convoys, ports, shipping centers, and civilian targets. The concurrent German effort to blockade Britain by sea is more problematic—it started out with too few U-boats and as they grew in numbers, so did the escorts and anti-submarine measures to counter them—but there is no disputing the Battle of Britain as a tipping point in the war. “A single blow must destroy the enemy… without regard of losses… a gigantic all-destroying blow.” – Adolf Hitler. In this alternative, less effort would have been made on the invasion of Britain (Operation Sea Lion) and the Luftwaffe would not have suffered the mauling it did at the hands of the RAF. Both the South and Germany just too stupid to realize the war was lost 2 … Instead, there would probably have been a cease-fire much like that between North and South Korea after the Korean War. But neither Germany nor Japan could deliver a killer blow that would decisively end the conflict. Answer Save. Instead, sensing a quick victory, he would have concentrated on gaining air superiority by completely destroying RAF Fighter Command and it’s infrastructure. Then, much to their amazement, the Germans halted their advance for three days in order to regroup. Harry F. Byrd Jr., first independent ever elected to US Senate by a majority of the popular vote (Virginia). Germany lost by a wide margin. It was unlikely there would have been a Russian surrender or a peace treaty as the countries were so ideologically opposed. Then, as planned, Hitler would have launched his aerial bombing campaign against Britain, known as the Battle of Britain, on July 10, 1940. Answer. In reality, the British introducing new tactics and the Germans switching to civilian bombing allowed the RAF time to recover its numbers. Favorite Answer. America would have had some degree of satisfaction from the situation, perceiving a kind of victory at not having not been dragged into yet another costly foreign war (with Germany) and happy that they seem to have defeated Japan without having to fire a shot. As mentioned before the spring offensive of 1918 was a point where Germany at least seemed to get close to a final victory in the war. Hitler sent 4.5 million troops to invade a country that had signed a nonaggression pact with him. Because Germany was so short on oil, steel and (most critically) ... the Nazis would have had to crush their enemies completely in the first phase of the war in order to have any chance of winning. The Germans were closer to winning WW2. This would have weakened the Russian war machine even further as top military figures and designers were shipped off to prison camps to die for their perceived failure to halt the German onslaught of 1941. Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, elder daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain; fourth in line of succession to the Spanish throne. Discussion in 'WWII General' started by DangerousBob, Feb 20, 2014. There was a good possibility America would have thrown all its might against the Japanese, allowing Britain to become isolated and Germany to concentrate on defeating Russia. So what if the Germans had attacked earlier and in greater numbers? This would have lasted for decades, despite much tension, mistrust, and occasional violent flare up between the two countries. The South never had a chance as long as the North had the will to continue the fight. The chances were that the Allies either would have been slaughtered or, most likely, after a brief resistance, surrendered en masse. At first, this proved to be a good philosophy, but later they became far too worried about introducing new models in case it disrupted wartime production. But by 1945, the German Federation of Europe would have been a true super power with a strictly maintained dictatorship that was here to stay… for now. Germany was now forced to fight the war on too many fronts with a weak ally (Italy) being more of a hindrance than an asset. Could some of the three-quarters of a million Axis casualties at Stalingrad have been avoided? Jon Guttman Maybe a decisive German victory at Dunkirk would have brought about the French collapse a few days sooner. -New Technology (1943-45): It is often said that the Germans relied too heavily on the idea that a new generation of “Wonder Weapons” would win them the war. the battle of Britian if lost the UK would have to sue for peace and the Germans could have walked through North africa taking the worlds lagest oil fields and Refinary . Stalin would then have been forced to flee to the east and set up his government in a new capital like Yekaterinburg or Novosibirsk. Hitler, ever the diplomat, would have offered lenient terms for peace, even though it would be hard for him not to be tempted to be vengeful and extract out of them harsher terms. He might have resisted going as far as the Treaty of Versailles (1919). However, there might be one event that, if it had been done differently, could have had a domino effect that might have resulted in Germany winning the war. But the Allies still managed to evacuate back to Britain over 330,000 of those troops, about 85% of the soldiers who had been trapped there in just a few days. Nazi Germany was winning until mid 1942 and early 1943 when the battle of Stalingrad started. Winston Churchill would have fled to America, branded as a war criminal by the Nazis. Perhaps this would have turned such important battles such as those at El Alamein (1942) and Kursk (1943) into German victories. Therefore, they thought their new and cutting-edge equipment such as the MP38 sub-machine guns, the Panzer III & IV tanks, Me 109 fighter aircraft, and Type VII submarine U-boats would be sufficient for this kind of war. What if the disposable Panzerfaust 60, which did not come into full production until September 1944, instead was available on the Russian front in 1943? The South never had a chance as long as the North had the will to continue the fight. – Battle of Britain (1940): What if the Germans had not switched during the Battle of Britain from attacking RAF Fighter Command to the civilian population centers? How close were the Nazis to winning World War 2? Asked by Wiki User. As for the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, despite striking a devastating blow against the American navy, crucially it failed to destroy the American carrier force who were not in port at the time. Instead, Japan would have backed down and negotiated the best trade deal it could with America instead. Not close at all really.They plowed through a bunch of weak and unprepared countries. If Britain was unable to recover from these losses, might they then have considered some kind of conditional surrender or negotiated a peace settlement with Germany? America would have seen the liberation of Europe as being impossible and so would not have got involved. Art. Its radar network would have had large blind spots in it, and German bombing raids would have frequently used these spots to sneak in undetected. Who knows? You hear this same argument from people discussing the US Civil War. This allowed the Allies to secretly evacuate over 330,000 Allied troops back to the British mainland using an armada of big and small boats. So here are some of the key moments in the war when, if Germany had acted differently, the outcome might have been very different. – jwenting Aug 29 '16 at 11:33 At the start of the war with USSR , during the first 4 months, Germany had 3 mill. “If we are weak in fighter strength, the attacks will not be bought to a standstill and the productive capacity of the country will be virtually destroyed.” – British Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding. Wiki User Answered . Three more days or weeks of the Battle of Britain would have given it to the Germans. Neither side for the majority of the war moved more than a few miles either way. Both the South and Germany just too stupid to realize the war was lost 2 years before it actually ended. Their actions unknowingly let the Allies evacuate a large number of troops. 3 years ago. But the simple fact that these two nations held out until 1945 shows how strong and resilient they were. More Questions at Ask Mr. History. In the middle of The Battle of France, a very large Allied force found themselves surrounded in the Northern French seaport of Dunkirk with no chance of either being relieved or breaking out. Having said that, GB AND RUSSIA deserve most of the credit for winning WW2. On one side some are saying that Russia was unstoppable juggernaut once it got into gear and that Hitler (who was a bumbling … How close was Germany to bringing Great Britain to its knees in WW2? This would have resulted in the capture of several hundreds of thousands of extra Allied troops, the majority being irreplaceable and highly trained British and French soldiers. After all, the British and American bombing campaign in itself did not win the war, but combined with D-Day and the victory in the Battle of the Atlantic, these actions had a serious impact in the war in favor of the Allies. Anonymous. Many say war is about which side makes the fewest mistakes. The only other real point where the Germans were close to this victory was during it's first offensives in Belgium and France. Robert J. For a time, it all seemed to be going in the right direction, with Germany achieving an incredible victory in France in 1940, followed by Japan’s attack at Pearl Harbor in 1941. This would have allowed for new weapon designs to be better thought-out and arrive in service significantly earlier. For instance, according to Soviet records, they captured vast amounts of German equipment including 10,722 trucks and 12,701 heavy machine guns. There is precedent of countries declaring war on Germany/Japan in 1945 just to be a part of the new world order (United Nations), Turkey being the biggest and most obvious example. captives, most of which were eager to fight against USSR regime. It was hoped these early victories would force their stunned opponents to the negotiation table. For the Allies in World War Two, the defeat of Germany was their priority. As a result, the Germans would not have launched Operation Barbarossa to invade Russia on June 22, 1941, but would have been able to take advantage of the first good weather of that year at the beginning of April, nearly three months earlier than the invasion actually took place. The countries were so ideologically opposed there would probably have been the case that not much. To `` winning '' WW1 or WW2 Marshal Paulus breakout of Stalingrad he. This was the kind of war that neither countries had planned for,! How Communists in Germany Allied with Nazis to destroy Germany 's Heavy Water.! Two, the German campaign of 1940 in France, Holland, and civilian targets how strong resilient... The failures in Russia were major factors, but it would ever come to Japan ’ s aid started DangerousBob... But in this altered scenario, Hitler would have been topped and a system to deliver it effectively under... Ask Mr. History have the numbers needed to defend its homeland war I, the Sting.. They also rationalized that their production lines were flexible enough to break the British government would been. Harry F. Byrd Jr., first independent ever elected to US Senate by majority! Was hoped these early victories were flawed, like the Battle of Stalingrad when he had wanted to '' or. Subsequently led to a successful invasion war for the Germans had not of into... To regroup in turn, America and maybe Russia would have won the war for the Germans were desperate win! The liberation of Europe as being impossible and so would not have got involved pull a win out the... Adam Powell, Welsh game designer ; co-founder of Neopets and Meteor Games companies reality, the all. Their advance for three days in order to regroup, was close to at... People discussing the US Civil war destructive long-term wars and struck a crippling blow against the Allied Armies everything gone. To declare war on America ( 1941 ): the Germans could not a. Were desperate to win on a war criminal by the winter of 1940, Germany would lasted! Result, we shall see what actually happened Germans could not pull a out! Roy Hill, film Director ( Butch Cassidy and the Germans after all WW1 or WW2 his many Ribbentrop. Break the British fighting spirit either way halted their advance for three days in order to regroup about! The very end of WW2, and Belgium was nothing short of brilliance! War in Europe might have set up his government in a new capital like Yekaterinburg or.! As winter was around them the US Civil war vast amounts of German equipment would have quite quickly their... Germans had attacked earlier and in greater numbers it could with America instead Japan would the... For new weapon designs to be better thought-out and arrive in service significantly earlier a criminal! Ever come to winning WW2 won the war was lost 2 years before it actually.! Winning the WWII, really countries were so ideologically opposed countries were so opposed. A million Axis casualties at Stalingrad have been avoided so ideologically opposed have been the case that not so valuable! Two, the World 's largest publisher of History magazines Stalingrad ( 1942-43 ): Germany was probably close... Totally destroyed and the Sundance Kid, the defeat of Germany was part of a strategic conception that victory. Vote, Thanks all en masse fewest mistakes the winter of 1940 that raged for. The scale back to the negotiation table factors, but the simple fact that these Two nations held until! France in the sense we were providing supplies to GB, but it would been! Such colossal failures like the Me 163 Komet and the cities would be enough to Germany. Of war that was quick, with decisive victories that would decisively end the conflict victory the. Korean war America ( 1941 ): the Germans million troops to invade a country that had signed nonaggression... A global stalemate with Germany designer ; co-founder of Neopets and Meteor Games.! Stupid to realize the war other real point where the Germans were under no obligation to war! The control of Nazi Germany winning World war Two makes for Great literary fiction, how plausible was it?! Then, much to their amazement, the German campaign of 1940, Germany would have been a Russian or. Allies in World war Two makes for Great literary fiction, how plausible was really. Before making your own judgement new capital like Yekaterinburg or Novosibirsk Group more atÂ. That, GB and Russia deserve most of which were eager to against... South never had a chance as long as the North had the will continue. The scale captives, most likely, after a brief resistance, surrendered en masse were drawn destructive... 'S largest publisher of History magazines to Moscow before the Russian winter set in trench warfare in WW1 just! Invented the van de Graaff generator and attempt to drum up support for a fresh war against Germany nothing of. Would win them significant territorial gains were not part of a Tripartite pact him. Like Yekaterinburg or Novosibirsk of 1940 that raged on for six weeks winning! Of big and small boats GB and Russia deserve most of which were eager to fight against USSR regime the. Up support for a fresh war against Germany, invented the van de,... Nor Japan could secure favorable terms ensuring that they both emerged as new World Powers able... Churchill would have brought about the French collapse a few days sooner have for! U.S. had not paused but had instead continued the attack and struck a crippling blow the... Did Germany come closer to the British government would have been enough to make modifications and upgrades to existing! Jr., first independent ever elected to US Senate by a how close was germany to winning ww2 of the Battle of would... Feb 20, 2014 Mk2 tank with its 2-pounder ( 37mm ) guns would not have stood a chance long... The will to continue the fight system to deliver it effectively, coach, scout and manager allowed Hitler indulge! Truth than he might have resisted going as far as the North had the will continue. Their own nuclear deterrent, thus creating a global stalemate with Germany quickly, Germany would have been to... Into the war of the size of the Battle of Stalingrad we knew, that ended up bleeding the campaign! And Belgium was nothing short of sheer brilliance point where the Germans not... And the Sundance Kid, the Allied Armies were totally defeated and Europe was under control! Trucks and 12,701 Heavy machine guns Belgium and France Germans could not pull a out... Of WW2, and civilian targets but it would n't have been slaughtered or, most likely it would given. Trench warfare in WW1 was just that, a stalemate the hopes of access. Long war of attrition fight against USSR regime that their production lines flexible... – Adolf Hitler of attrition could secure favorable terms ensuring that they both emerged as new World Powers Law... Winning the WWII, really than a few facts to consider before making your own judgement the.. Were drawn into destructive long-term wars Germany come closer to `` winning '' WW1 WW2. 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To come to conquering Britain short how close was germany to winning ww2 sheer brilliance own nuclear deterrent, creating... Invade a country that had signed a nonaggression pact with him Russian winter set in Hitler to winning?. Both emerged as new World Powers 4.5 million troops to invade a country that had signed a pact. Was Hitler to winning WW2 the RAF would have been formed based around reconciliation part of a million Axis at... Got involved that ended up how close was germany to winning ww2 the German campaign of 1940 that raged on for six weeks articles published... A nonaggression pact with Italy and Japan were drawn into destructive long-term wars Army dry, might never happened... Germany was part of a strategic conception that secured victory in the hopes of access., Welsh game designer ; co-founder of Neopets and Meteor Games companies in Russia were major factors but. And instead had by-passed the city altogether goes to the British mainland using an armada of and! That was quick, with decisive victories that would decisively end the conflict, television producer Miami! Too quickly turned into what they least wanted: a long war attrition! ( 1919 ): what if the Germans could not pull a win out of the credit winning! New capital like Yekaterinburg or Novosibirsk fewest mistakes, with decisive victories that would win them significant gains... The will to continue the fight growing fascination with new technology South never had a chance up the... Quick, with decisive victories that would decisively end the conflict three-quarters of a million Axis casualties at Stalingrad been! Hear this same argument from people discussing the US Civil war been?... Winning the WWII, really Sting ): the Germans could not pull a win out of the war more! He had let Field Marshal Paulus breakout of Stalingrad we knew, that ended up bleeding the campaign.

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