World War II
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trmichaels
How did US involvement change the course of the war?
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replied to:  trmichaels
inzmtns
Replied to:  How did US involvement change the course of the war?
The US brought vast numbers of troops and supplies into the war.
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replied to:  trmichaels
carlo64
Replied to:  How did US involvement change the course of the war?
Well you really have to back almost 20 years before the war because at the beginning of the war Ford Chyrsler and Gm and even George Bush's Grandfather were either very good friends or admirers of Hitler in Fact Henry Ford had a signed picture of Hitler on his desk and Bush was part of a Bank that was funding him.At the start of the war over 30% of Trucks in the German Army were Fords.The punch cards used to process Jews for execution were produced in America.So how did America change the war? it helped create prolong and finish it in true Hollywood style
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replied to:  inzmtns
Causon
Replied to:  The US brought vast numbers of troops and supplies into the...
Not before they squeezed Britain of all its Gold reserves,and forced 3 major British companies and their technology/research based in the USA, to sell for a knockdown price to USA companies.
Two of the companies were Courtaulds and ICI. Courtaulds were developing nylon and other plastic type material, when forced to sell to Dupont a massive organisation, and a leader today in plastic technology and development.(google Dupont and bangaldesh) ICI were working on specialised explosives and the nuclear bomb.
Other concessions wrung out of Britain, who at the time were standing alone against germany,was to make the British Empire countries open for business to the USA after the war,previously denied them.
By the time the USA entered the war Britain had been fighting the Germans and Italians for 2 years.
The Americans indeed brought millions of men and supplies to the ww2.The also unfortunatley brought their arrogance.Thinking,as we are supplying the majority of men and supplies,we should be telling the Brits how to conduct the war.With no experience to support the claim they were soon shown what war is all about with their first taste of battle in north Africa in operastion torch,where they were steam rolled by the Afrika Corps.. Field Marshall Romell. Who was at the time being routed by the British 8th under General montgomery.After that incidedent their attitude changed a little.
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replied to:  trmichaels
stonemike
Replied to:  How did US involvement change the course of the war?
No one that is a real objective analyst of WW2 can really deny that the odds were good that Germany would have defeated both England and Russia without American intervention! The US was already feeding Russia and Britain, but the determining factor was our immense produc-
tion capacity which supplied the Russians through the back door and allowed them to destruct and reconstruct their factories farther east!
The British were being strangled by the Nazis, both militarily and
economically, and many , many Americans met their death running through
the German "wolf packs"! Englands military complex was barely even able to produce enough material for their defense, and they were more or less trapped on the island while the Germans captured unbelievable
amounts of resources in eastern Europe and in Russia.
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replied to:  stonemike
Causon
Replied to:  No one that is a real objective analyst...
Several major factors defeated Germany. Not one of the least was Hitler himself, in taking over as the Chief of the Army. Attacking Russia still using Blitzkrieg tactics on a country with endless boundries.It worked on Poland, France and the other countries because of their size.France was defeated in 6 weeks.
Germanys Army at any stage in the war was only 50% mechanical the other 50% was relient on Horse drawn equipment/material.Hitlers refusal to his Commnaders to carryout tactical retreats, consequently allowing whole armies to be overrun.
Russia was moving their factories further east in the Autumn and winter of 1941.America didnt enter the European theater of war until 1942.
Lend lease the Americans term of "goods now pay later" didnt really begin to get under way until late 1942 early 1943.
Hitler could not invade England with out air superiority, which was denied them by the the RAF.Their surface Navy was hamstrung by being bottled up by the Royal Navy.It was the use of Submarine pens in Brest France that allowed the submarines to cause havoc in the Atlantic. One of the reasons why America had so many losses at sea during 1942/3 was their refusal to adpot the English convoy system, which had proved to be succcesfull.America eventually accepted the system.In 1941/2 Brittain indeed had thier backs to the wall. But advances was being made in other areas which proved to be a turning point in the war. BP, Radar and sonar was having an enormous impact on the war. BP Bletchley Park was breaking the Germans "Enigma" codes,this secret secret facility was "Listening" to all Germanys military operations.Knowing what the Germans were planning before the actual order was given.Englands war effort at this stage especially in Aircraft production actually rose, new developments in fighter aircraft engine design,which England in turn supplied America.Radar was not only land based but was fitted in warships,and aircraft and was supplied to the Americans.Sonar the underwater system fitted to ships,that allowed ships to track down submarines
this was also fited to American ships.
No one could deny Americas production capability, in war materials,and food.Of course Americas production failities did not have the discomfort of being bombed on a daily basis.
Americas men in thier millions, was a major contribution to the European theater. Russia howver was the enemy Germany feared most.As it later proved.The allies had to cross 22 miles of water to gain a foothold on the continent, facing huge concrete fortifications, and mobile armour. Where as the Russians were all land based.With a majority of 11 to 1 men. With tanks and guns at the same ratio.
Without Russia the war would not have been won for another 3/4 years.
Although Americas contribution in production/materials and men was immense, their technology on entering the war was really non exsistant, compared to the English, Code breaking,radar,sonar,aircraft design. England forced Germany to turn to Russia, much earlier than Hitler wanted.Once committed he had to go on with it, and consequently to defeat,fighting a war on both fronts.
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replied to:  Causon
SonOfPete
Replied to:  Several major factors defeated Germany. Not one of the least was...
Let's be fair here grandpa Simpson, Churchill saw his number one priority on becoming PM as dragging the US into the war. Clearly he had a good grasp of his priorities and was a far-sighted statesman?

Maybe - not really likely though, (no 2 front war with Western threat eliminated)the Russians could have won alone. The least amount of credit you can give the Yanks would be to say they stopped the Russians from winning WW2. Would they have stopped at Berlin if the Allies (US-Canada-UK-De-Gaulle-joke...) were not in western Europe?
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replied to:  SonOfPete
jda69
Replied to:  Let's be fair here grandpa Simpson, Churchill saw his number one...
Wow, Causon - your facts are pretty solid, but your conclusions are skewed because you ignore other equally true facts.

You speak as though the US were unique in "wringing concessions" from Britain, when in fact the whole Alliance was one massive three-way wring-fest. For example: why did the Allies invade across the English Channel instead of the far easier Mediterranean route? Because that would have taken more than a year longer, and the Soviets demanded action NOW, that's why.

Most US companies weren't motivated by greed, but by necessity and political pressure. They couldn't possibly have produced the volume of goods they did (which everyone seems to agree was THE factor in ending the war in the time it took) without what we'd call today bulk discounts and other mutually beneficial arrangements. They were barely treading water at the end of the Depression.

What do you think they used all that gold for? Decorating the CEOs' houses? Nonsense - they used it to gather raw materials and build factories, railroads, ships, planes, tanks... need I go on?

You're right that the Lend-Lease program didn't get into full swing for a few years - but don't ignore the rest of that thought: that the US delivered hundreds of tons of materiel without payment. Not only to Britain but the USSR too. How many Russian tank divisions were comprised of Shermans? Oh, those evil capitalists!

Carlo64 is right to point out that Ford was a fan of Hitler. So was Lindbergh, the #1 American celebrity. Many in the American press were infatuated with Hitler too. So were other individuals in the other Allied nations. So what? That makes Ford a dufus, not a war profiteer.

On the other hand, I absolutely concur that Prescott Bush and his partners should have been discredited and humiliated for their financial misdeeds. Wow - a case of actual greed. But only the most cynical or lazy would use one example (or even 2-3) as proof of endemic, intractable corruption in the national character. Read up on Andrew Higgins and then make your argument.

You're right that Britain and the USSR were fighting long before the US sent troops. But why should you expect them to field an entire military made up of kids who'd never dreamed of military service before 1942 and perform as though they'd been doing it forever? The Brits and the Soviets - don't even TALK about the French! - performed pretty poorly in their first year also. So what?

You're right that there were other factors besides US involvement that won the war. But that hardly justifies dismissing the country's massive exertion as a mere supply closet.

And finally, you've completely ignored the OTHER World War II, almost like most of the other Allies did. How did the US influence the outcome of the war? It fought on two fronts, allowing the Russians to mass their forces in the West. Among other things.
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replied to:  trmichaels
giotto22
Replied to:  How did US involvement change the course of the war?
It made a two front war for the nazis a real possibility
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replied to:  trmichaels
bravotren
Replied to:  How did US involvement change the course of the war?
It helped bring about the end of the war much sooner than it would have.
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replied to:  bravotren
blockfrei
Replied to:  It helped bring about the end of the war much sooner...
The Soviets were already advancing west towards Germany before the D-Day invasions. It is unclear whether or not the US entry into the war slowed that advance or not.
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replied to:  blockfrei
gwynraven
Replied to:  The Soviets were already advancing west towards Germany before the D-Day...
The United States was already in the war before D Day. They fought the Germans in Africa and Italy.

If the Germans had all of the forces engaged with the US/UK/Canadian forces in the west fighting in the east, they may well have stopped the Russians.
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replied to:  trmichaels
jondabomb
Replied to:  How did US involvement change the course of the war?
Once the US was fighting the war in Europe the US economy was united behind the war effort. The retooling of the massive US economy for weapons of war and supplies probably did more to win the war than anything else.
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replied to:  trmichaels
melintur
Replied to:  How did US involvement change the course of the war?
It caused the Nazis to see the writing on the wall.
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replied to:  melintur
mordinho
Replied to:  It caused the Nazis to see the writing on the wall....
Yeah, everyone but Hitler. He stayed a believer until the bitter end.
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replied to:  mordinho
jharrington
Replied to:  Yeah, everyone but Hitler. He stayed a believer until the...
That was a sad thing for the world. Many lives were lost needlessly.
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replied to:  melintur
jondabomb
Replied to:  It caused the Nazis to see the writing on the wall....
Don't think so. Hitler declared war on the U.S. -- not the other way around.
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replied to:  jondabomb
ignati
Replied to:  Don't think so. Hitler declared war on the U.S. --...
Stupid move.
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replied to:  ignati
tjared
Replied to:  Stupid move.
Suicidal move.
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replied to:  tjared
galaxaura
Replied to:  Suicidal move.
He thought we'd have our hands full fighting the Japanese for a few years and by then, he'd control Europe and be unstoppable.
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replied to:  trmichaels
skjames
Replied to:  How did US involvement change the course of the war?
The bombing campaign did significant damage to Germany's ability to wage war. The US made and staffer B17 bombers by the thousands.
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