America didn't do much in World War II (in Europe)

All i can say is that WW2 was horrible tragedy for lots of nations that were dragged into it - either by their leaders or due to developing situation.
And it is hard not to do much during the world war if you one of the major players in the field. Soviet Union was one of the major players and had its own political plans that went the way it did. Maybe if there was an independent Poland and France in 1941 - Soviet Union could be sending them economical and military aid while planning for naval invasion on German mainland while dealing with Japan in mainland China. France/Britain/Germany/Poland will bleed for years in WW1 deadlock and then when needed Communism will be able to march through continent,all the way. Who knows.
In this case Soviet Union losses in European theater would be much much lower and all the hordes of equipment and military hardware will not be lost in a few months of chaos.
Would you consider it "did not do much in World War 2 in Europe" because there would be much less casualties? Or directly the opposite - doing hard things by keeping others in fight and then striking in the end thus reducing own casualties is "doing much"?
Either way - Soviet Union , just as Nazi Germany, paid the heaviest price on each side. Because they had to in order to survive in the situation their leaders created for them. So as an effort by people - people of Soviet Union and Nazi Germany endured more and commited more for the war. As a political power - America achieved the same while its citizens paid much less. So i think it did more per life of American it had to "spend" then Soviet Union did.
Of course, US was not invaded and there is huge ocean. However prior to 1939 there was no land border between Nazi Germany and Soviet Union too. Maybe if US started biting chunks of Mexico and Canada Wermacht could have found a friendly port.

reply to post by SLAYER69


The film had many errors and although it is just a movie, I feel movies depicting historical events should try to be as accurate as possible.

Plus it was hard for me to suspend my disbelief when listening to the accents in the film.

It's because I like history so much, so really I'm just being a bit picky.

Personally I prefer the film Stalingrad.

If you are looking for historical corectness watch any WW2 movie by Stephen Speilberg (no clue how to spell) such as "Saving Private Ryan", or "Schidler's List". Gotta love his Tiger tank in "Saving Private Ryan"!
Sincerly,
CPL Sabastian Sears

reply to post by Old77


As controversial as it may sound, Europe was saved by Germany (except east Europe, ofc). If not a hard hard punch to soviets in 1941 by Germany, soviets would have taken all Europe without much sweat actually. Britain wasn't ready for war anywhere near 1943. France was just a bystander and without a real will to fight. And americans wouldn't have had a proper chance to do crap about it.

reply to post by therealwolf90


Saving Private Ryan's opening scene of the landing is impressive and great. I turn it off after that point. The rest is flag-waving American jingoistic sentimental rubbish.

Schindler's List however is excellent.

My two cents.

ATTENTION: this is not to be a troll fest... the USA or "America" would of NOT joined the war in 1941 if the japanese didn't bomb them because they were being stubborn and not helping at all, to the guy that said that they funded it, well they sold weapons to germany, and everyone who says that the usa did a large part in ww2 is either American or uneducated also movies like saving private ryan are NOT good sources for historical events, yes the events did happen but is the movie realistic? not really, they reloaded what like 20 times in the whole movie? why do you not WAKE THE F*CK UP and realize YOUR COUNTRY SUCKS SH*T now STOP GLAMOURIZING IT.


it's still a good movie though.

I agree on almost every point but in the movie Saving Private Ryan they reload 20 time the first 20 minutes. So in the whole movie they reload as they would have needed to. The .30cal Browning ran outa amo every 5 min which in real life with 75 round belts and the amount of spraying they were doing that would have been the reload time. CPT Miller reloads his M1A1 Thompson over 10 times in that movie. Also havent you heard of amo conservation?

I can't help myself...

Prior to the beginning of WWII, some Americans did indeed support, with money and words, the National Socialist movement in Germany. Many, however, did not. More infact did not than did. For every one that did, there was at the very least, one that did not. Probably more.

Did corportations work with the German govt after Hitlers rise to power? Yep. They sure did. More's the shame.

Did America attempt to stay out of the war? Yes, we certainly did. When did this become a bad thing? Wars are something to be avoided...or so I thought. One, the US military wasn't in any shape, fashion, or form ready for a war in Europe, or the Pacific, much less both areas. It took until 1943 for the wheels of even our inductrial base to get organized, and start churning out the arsenal that helped the Allies free Europe, or parts of it, from the Nazis.

Didn't do much? Really? Some herein really need to go back and take a closer look at the history of the times... Did we do it all by our little ol' selves? Oh, hell no, we didn't. In Europe, Americans fought beside British soldiers, Canadian soldiers, Indian soldiers, French soldiers, Poles, aided by the Resistance in many occupied countries. Across the continent, the Soviets fought, too. All did their part in retaking, for various reasons, Europe. America did its share.

In the Pacific? Beside the ANZAC troops, ships, and planes America battled across many a coral reef. The British were there, too, doing what they could. Could America have crossed the Pacific alone? Maybe. But our Allies made it so much easier.

I'm not sure where this silly belief arose that America "didn't do much". But to call it wrong is an understatement. The statement "If it weren't for us, you'd be speaking Russian/German now!" is equally wrong. If, instead, you use the sentences, "The Allies, amongst whom the U.S. stood proudly, fought to defeat an enemy that alone no one nation could have defeated. They defeated that enemy together.". That would better reflect the reality of WWII.

I fully expect this to bounce off the rabid ideology being expressed from both sides...but I can't help myself.

I dont think its a question of the US not doing much but more the point that popular culture in America promotes the "WE won the war and saved all of you...... twice"

It's common knowledge that Germany was losing the war back in 1941/2, once the soviet war machine built their tank factories(with the help of british machine tools) they were producing vast amounts of tanks and it was only a matter of time before Germany would have been defeated even without the help of the USA....but you have to take into account the numerous weapons programs that were recently completed by the Nazi's which could/would have tipped the balance in their favour so the invasion in the west by the allies did shorten the war considerably.

the biggest mistake the Nazi's did was have such a fool making military decisions, securing Africa and the UK would have prevented invasion from the west and the constant bombing of all the Nazi weapon factories and gifted easy access to the oil fields in the east from 2 fronts leaving open an easier victory over the Soviets(which had a non aggression pact with germany prior to operation barbarossa and with such a poor military did not have any desire for another conflict with Germany)

so sorry OP the USA did do alot to for the war but its the "We won the War" mentallity that does get on my nerves

Originally posted by misterbananas
ATTENTION: why do you not WAKE THE F*CK UP and realize YOUR COUNTRY SUCKS SH*T

So does this thread and your contributions to it.

Just saying is all.

No offense.

reply to post by SLAYER69


i wouldnt call anything he wrote a contribution.

cricumventing ats censors well says it all among the other tripe in the op.


but i do agree with this thread sucking it sucks about as much as italy signing a non agression pack with germany and russia and japan.

and who can forget hte french who didnt even last a week.

meh.

reply to post by misterbananas


Your right about one thing... in 1941 America did very little to aid in the war effort... remember too those battles you cite happened in 41... and the US didnt enter the war until Dec 7- 41 but there were 4 more years left ...why did you neglict to mention those battles???

Did it slip your mind???
here let me help you out...

February 15, 1942
Singapore Surrenders August 14, 1942
Raid on Dieppe
February 27, 1942
Java Sea August 24, 1942
Guadalcanal Eastern Solomons
April 18, 1942
Doolittle Bombs Tokyo August 27, 1942
German Troops Reach Stalingrad
May 3, 1942
Battle of the Coral Sea October 11-12, 1942
Guadalcanal Cape Esperance
May 6, 1942
Philippines Surrender October 23, 1942
British Victorious At El Alamein
May 30, 1942
British Launch 1,000 Aircraft Raid on Cologne October 26, 1942
Guadalcanal Battle Of Santa Cruz Islands
June 4, 1942
Battle of Midway NOVEMBER 12“15th 1942
Naval Battle Of Guadalcanal
August 9, 1942
Guadalcanal Savo Island November 8, 1942
Operation Torch
January 1943
Casablanca Conference July 13, 1943
Battle of Kursk
January 31, 1943
German Troops Surrender at Stalingrad July 23, 1943
Allies Land at Palermo
January 1943
Daylight Bombing of Germany August 17, 1943
Quebec Conference
April 1943
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Septemer 12, 1943
Allies Land in Italy
January 1944
US Troops Land at Anzio August 25, 1944
Paris Liberated
April 1944
Russians Recapture Kerch Peninsula September 27, 1944
Market Garden Fails
January 1944
Russian Troops Cross
Polish Border October 9, 1944
Dumbarton Oaks Conference
May 1944
Monte Cassino Falls To Allies October 24, 1944
Battle Of Leyte Surigao Straits
June 4, 1944
Rome Liberated October 25, 1944
Philippines Liberated
June 6, 1944
D-Day October 25, 1944
Battle Of Leyte Samar
June 15-19, 1944
Battle Of Philppine Sea November 29, 1944
First B-29 Raids on Japan
July 1, 1944
Bretton Woods Conference December 16, 1944
Battle of the Bulge
August 15, 1944
Southern France Invaded
January 27, 1945
Auschwitz Liberated APRIL 16th 1945
Battle Of Berlin
February 1945
Yalta Conference APRIL 1945
San Francisco Conference
February 14, 1945
Fire-Bombing of Dresden MAY 8th 1945
Germany Surrenders
February 19, 1945
US Forces Land On Iwo Jima JULY 1945
Potsdam Conference
March 7, 1945
US Forces Cross Rhine at Remagen August 5, 1945
Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima
APRIL 1st 1945
US Forces Land At Okinawa

Well now... looks like the US did a bit more than you elude too... when you look at the other 4 years... maybe you should amend your title to read the US didnt do much in 1941...

reply to post by neo96

and who can forget the french who didnt even last a week.

And it's exactly those kind of arrogant attitudes that help fuel these silly arguments.

reply to post by Kram09


it is historical fact most of europe didnt put up a fight

and when the largest armada in world history landed on d-day i say the us didnt a hell of alot.

not to mention the lend lease act which supplies china russia and england.

reply to post by neo96


Unlike some in this thread I'm not saying America didn't contribute.

However you shouldn't denigrate those other countries who took part.

France might have been occupied by Germany, but Free French forces fought with the allies. Other soldiers of occupied nations also continued to fight for the allies.

Saying that France didn't fight is just as ridiculous as the OP saying America didn't fight.

reply to post by Kram09


give me a break the fact is most europeans look down and denigrate the us every chance they get.

ats isnt one way its a two way street.

have we forgotten the vichy french while were at it?

reply to post by neo96


That's probably because you're all so arrogant.

But I understand what Americans did during the Second World War. Won't hear anything from me in that respect.

Originally posted by Kram09

Saying that France didn't fight is just as ridiculous as the OP saying America didn't fight.

This is quite true.

More correctly, France prepared for and tried to fight another World War I, when the Germans were fighting World War II in a whole new way. So, you can't say France didn't fight, they were just very inept about it. The French armed forces actually outnumbered the German in many ways, just guessed wrong in too many ways.

reply to post by misterbananas


Your thoughts are just your opinion and nothing more so sorry but mostly bananas.

2nd

Originally posted by neo96
reply to post by Kram09

 

give me a break the fact is most europeans look down and denigrate the us every chance they get.

ats isnt one way its a two way street.

have we forgotten the vichy french while were at it?

edit on 22-8-2011 by neo96 because: (no reason given)

So, basically, you are just as bad as the people who say "america didn't do much in the war" or the people who say "we hate americans" What is the point of sinking down to these peoples levels?

Anyone who says "our country won the war" are completly ignorant. But i guess some people can't help it because they have been brainwashed since bith with all this patriotic for you country rubbish