cbnoodles
Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2004
- Messages
- 564
I was reading some comments recently from teenagers in Europe who were under the impression the US played a minor role in WWII in Europe. When questioned specifically, they stated this was what their history books were telling them. Any Europeans under 50 out there who can comment on this? I think I know what the over-50 group will have to say about it but I was pretty amazed by the remarks by the kids. They truly seemed to believe we were there in a strictly mop-up capacity.
, WWII would have turned out very differently if the Yanks hadn't got involved.<br /><br />The best thing that ever happened for England and Australia, and Europe, in the past 65 years was Pearl Harbour. There's still debate about whether or not Roosevelt and / or Churchill manipulated intelligence about the impending Japanese attack to allow it to occur as grounds for war. There's no debate that Churchill knew that the only chance of victory was for America to join the war, and he devoted huge energy to that end, with sympathy from Roosevelt.<br /><br />If aggresively American people like Boomyal hadn't got involved in WWII the facts are that:<br /><br />1. The Japanese sweep through East and South East Asia would have been unstoppable.<br /><br />2. But for the Battle of the Coral Sea which the Yanks won and which occurred because they were the only Allied naval force in the Pacific (after the British lost Singapore, their main naval force and our 8th Division and nearly our 9th Division, through arrogance, incompetence and stupidity) Australia might well have been invaded. This would have denied Australia and the numerically superior American forces a base for successful army, navy and limited air operations against the Japanese. The island war would have been fought from New Zealand or Hawaii which would have involved significant supply and other line of communications difficulties. This would have involved greater steaming times, fuel loads, and reduced operational ranges for the US ships which were the basis of operations. The result would have been a greatly reduced ability to deliver forces against the enemy. At best the Pacific war would have been a lot longer. At worst it could have been lost. Either way it would have diverted forces and resources from Europe, which in turn would have put the result of that war in doubt. Or vice versa.<br /><br />3. The successful invasion of Europe through Italy could not have occurred without US forces. <br /><br />4. The successful invasion of Europe through Normandy could not have occurred without US forces. <br /><br />5. Anybody who wants to contest #3 and #4 should first look at pictures of amphibious landings in Italy and Normandy. The landing craft are US craft. They got there on US ships. They came out of US factories,like huge amounts of other war material without which these invasions could not have occurred. There's also the minor point that the troops coming out of the landing craft were often American. If the Yanks weren't running up the beaches it would have been a lonely party for the remaining British.<br /><br />6. Daylight bombing raids on Europe were done largely by the USAF from 1943. Their contribution was at least as great as the British night raids during the same period. Also a bit more dangerous as it's easier to find and shoot down a plane in daylight.<br /><br />7. The Yanks made contributions in other theatres in various ways, like Vinegar Joe Stillwell in Burma whose contribution was similar to Orde Wingate's British Chindits.<br /><br />8. If Germany had been defeated without US forces, which is highly improbable, the only army likely to do it was Russia. <br /><br />9. If the atom bomb had not been dropped on Japan the Pacific War would probably have gone on much longer, with many more Allied casualties. The Yanks developed the atom bomb. They're the only country that has used a nuclear weapon so far and, much as the Yanks can be a PITA at times, I'd far rather they had it than Germany or Japan at the time, or since then Russia or China or India or Israel or just about anywhere else except the UK. (The French have it but they'll probably just blow themselves up arguing about how to set if off, which would please everyone.)<br /><br />In case Boomyal thinks that my appreciation of Americans is boundless, I'll remind him of what our and English troops said of American troops during WWII. "There's only three things wrong with Americans. They're over paid; over sexed; and over here."