Post by Terrordar on May 7, 2009 14:05:48 GMT
When I start this thread, in no way do I detract anything from the soldiers who fought on any of the major fronts of the Second World War, or minor fronts for that matter.
The reason why I put "The REAL" Second World War as the title is simply this. I've been talking with friends, people around town, stuff on the web, and I've run across a large volume of people as of late. A large volume of these people assume the biggest deciding part of the war was the D-Day invasion. This is a lie, generally perpetuated during the Cold War to make the west honestly feel better about itself, particularly Americans. The D-day invasion, other than the fact it was the largest sea-invasion in history, was a political move. Its relevance in terms of the actual defeat of Nazi German was minor.
The biggest contirbution of the Allied War Effort was the Allied Bombings. Which of course by the way, were great at killing civilians. Hundreds of thousands of them. In fact German war production peaked in mid 1944. This showed honestly a real problem with even the concept of the bombings, and how Germany was effective at countering it at least on the ground.
The British fought in North Africa and Italy, but the actual amount of German forces in the area was not entirely high. Firstly, because they couldn't actually get them there. In fact, outside of a handful of Tigers, most tanks fighting in the desert of North Africa, were Panzer 2's and 3's, not even Panzer 4's. It was amazing that Rommel did as well as he did, given he had terrible equipment. The Italian 90mm flak cannon was probably their greatest asset, along with just general small arms.
No, the real second World War did not begin until 1941, on June 22nd. This was when the German Wehrmacht attacked the Red Army for Eurasian dominance. 80% of all German military casualties occurred in the battles to come. Battles not seen in size since, or before. Some battles were so huge they covered the entirety of the front, spanning thousands of kilometers. Great pockets were cut in lines and devoured by each side.
The Soviet Union had more endurance than Germany gave her credit, however, and the motherland by 1943, after nearly collapsing herself, won the most important battle of the 20th century. This battle was known as Kursk. Kursk ladies and gentlemen, decided World War II. Not D-Day. Kursk is the largest real tank battle in human history, and one of the largest land battles in history. Millions of men partook in this operation, and literally thousands of tanks and aircraft. To have been on site when it occurred would have been terrifying to see the full military industrial might of two superpowers clash together. The Germans arguably won the battle, they actually had managed to halt the Red counterattack. However the 'victory' if one could call it that, cost Germany nearly all its vehicles and weaponry. Over a years worth of German production destroyed in one battle. Where as the Soviets lost only a bit more than a months worth.
After Kursk, the attrition switched away from the Russians. Unlike Stalingrad which showed a horrible ratio of dead for the Russians, that now flipped over to the Germans. As more well trained Russian soldiers and hardened veterans and survivors of the combat took up the standards to push towards Germany. German soldiers fought well equipped and competent enemies, who grossly outnumbered them. One by one their satellites fell to the Red Army, including Romania, and with it their main supply of oil. Round after round of Soviet assaults cut through the German defenses, until finally Berlin itself was taken, but not without of course great cost to the Red Army.
Over Thirty million people died on the eastern front. Most of the German casualties were there, as well as their allies. To anyone who tells you America and Britain's contribution decided the war, let them know quite simply that at the battle of Kursk alone, more Germans died than the combined total of allied dead for the entire war.
The reason why I put "The REAL" Second World War as the title is simply this. I've been talking with friends, people around town, stuff on the web, and I've run across a large volume of people as of late. A large volume of these people assume the biggest deciding part of the war was the D-Day invasion. This is a lie, generally perpetuated during the Cold War to make the west honestly feel better about itself, particularly Americans. The D-day invasion, other than the fact it was the largest sea-invasion in history, was a political move. Its relevance in terms of the actual defeat of Nazi German was minor.
The biggest contirbution of the Allied War Effort was the Allied Bombings. Which of course by the way, were great at killing civilians. Hundreds of thousands of them. In fact German war production peaked in mid 1944. This showed honestly a real problem with even the concept of the bombings, and how Germany was effective at countering it at least on the ground.
The British fought in North Africa and Italy, but the actual amount of German forces in the area was not entirely high. Firstly, because they couldn't actually get them there. In fact, outside of a handful of Tigers, most tanks fighting in the desert of North Africa, were Panzer 2's and 3's, not even Panzer 4's. It was amazing that Rommel did as well as he did, given he had terrible equipment. The Italian 90mm flak cannon was probably their greatest asset, along with just general small arms.
No, the real second World War did not begin until 1941, on June 22nd. This was when the German Wehrmacht attacked the Red Army for Eurasian dominance. 80% of all German military casualties occurred in the battles to come. Battles not seen in size since, or before. Some battles were so huge they covered the entirety of the front, spanning thousands of kilometers. Great pockets were cut in lines and devoured by each side.
The Soviet Union had more endurance than Germany gave her credit, however, and the motherland by 1943, after nearly collapsing herself, won the most important battle of the 20th century. This battle was known as Kursk. Kursk ladies and gentlemen, decided World War II. Not D-Day. Kursk is the largest real tank battle in human history, and one of the largest land battles in history. Millions of men partook in this operation, and literally thousands of tanks and aircraft. To have been on site when it occurred would have been terrifying to see the full military industrial might of two superpowers clash together. The Germans arguably won the battle, they actually had managed to halt the Red counterattack. However the 'victory' if one could call it that, cost Germany nearly all its vehicles and weaponry. Over a years worth of German production destroyed in one battle. Where as the Soviets lost only a bit more than a months worth.
After Kursk, the attrition switched away from the Russians. Unlike Stalingrad which showed a horrible ratio of dead for the Russians, that now flipped over to the Germans. As more well trained Russian soldiers and hardened veterans and survivors of the combat took up the standards to push towards Germany. German soldiers fought well equipped and competent enemies, who grossly outnumbered them. One by one their satellites fell to the Red Army, including Romania, and with it their main supply of oil. Round after round of Soviet assaults cut through the German defenses, until finally Berlin itself was taken, but not without of course great cost to the Red Army.
Over Thirty million people died on the eastern front. Most of the German casualties were there, as well as their allies. To anyone who tells you America and Britain's contribution decided the war, let them know quite simply that at the battle of Kursk alone, more Germans died than the combined total of allied dead for the entire war.
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