Most decisive battle of the Second World War


  • i don’t know if this has been posted or not, i couldn’t find it, but in your opinion what was the most decisive battle of the second world war


  • Battle of Britain. It saved Britain as a fighting force, which meant that the axis could never win.

    In fact, some Russians were interviewing a great German general, asking him what battle was the turning point. They expected him to say Stalingrad, but he said it was the Battle of Britain. After that, the Russians walked away.

    I didn’t choose the others for the following reasons:
    Germans were going to lose before Stalingrad: they were fighting Russia, Britain, and the United States

    Japanese were going to lose even if they completely decimated America at Midway. there’s an essay showing that American carrier numbers would overtake Japanese carrier numbers by 1943.

    By Kursk, Germans were already losing

    Germans were definetly losing by D-Day. I never got why it was seen as a turning point.

    Japanese were already losing before Leyte gulf

  • Customizer

    Battle of Moscow, and the aftermath.

    Germans could never launch an offensive in the scale that Barbarossa was after losing.  Their momentum just evaporated.  Even Operation Blue (including Stalingrad) was far more limited than Barbarossa was.


  • @jim010:

    Battle of Moscow, and the aftermath.

    Germans could never launch an offensive in the scale that Barbarossa was after losing.  Their momentum just evaporated.  Even Operation Blue (including Stalingrad) was far more limited than Barbarossa was.

    I think you forgot to vote :-D


  • It is hard to say, for me,  which individual battle or offensive was ultimately decisive.  MY feeling has always been that the sieged cities of Russia were the will killing and decisive events of the war i.e. (Leningrad, Sevastopol, and Moscow to an extent.)  Stalingrad was later, but the German failures to swiftly take these cities were draining operations that sapped the strength of the German war machine.  These siege wars provided time for the US and British army to go through a series of trial and errors when they initially entered the war in Africa and Italy to eventually muster the right personnel and experience for landings in France.  I think even if somehow the landings in France failed, Russia would have eventually beaten back the stalled German army and the western allies would have eventually reloaded for another landing.  Japan doomed themselves from the start of Pearl.


  • Midway. It completely reversed the balance of power in the Pacific. The Japanese fleet outnumbered the Americans heavily, and most importantly had superior aircraft and aircraft carriers. In only one battle the United States reversed completely and destroyed 4 Japanese CVs to the loss of only 1, and, after that point, the United States was on the offensive.

    One may argue that the United States outproduced Japan and could have rebuilt their fleet had they lost the Battle of Midway (or if it hadn’t even taken place). However, the essential fact is that up to that point the US had been almost exclusively defending either its possessions or British/Australian ones. Had the US lost her fleet at Midway, they would have had no battle-ready fleet to attack the Japanese fleets that were still spread out throughout the Pacific. Even when the United States did rebuild a fleet, it would be out of position to do any damage and would take much time to get into the necessary positions. During that time, India or Australia may have capitulated, which would have delt a horrendous psychological defeat to the Americans (remember that in the Pacific psychological warfare was very present: hence the Doolittle raid). Had one of the British powers folded, the US populance may have supported an early peace with Japan, which would be a major victory for the axis. Had Midway been a defeat for the Americans, or had it not taken place, the war would have ended very differently.


  • @GrizzlyMan:

    Midway. It completely reversed the balance of power in the Pacific. The Japanese fleet outnumbered the Americans heavily, and most importantly had superior aircraft and aircraft carriers. In only one battle the United States reversed completely and destroyed 4 Japanese CVs to the loss of only 1, and, after that point, the United States was on the offensive.

    One may argue that the United States outproduced Japan and could have rebuilt their fleet had they lost the Battle of Midway (or if it hadn’t even taken place). However, the essential fact is that up to that point the US had been almost exclusively defending either its possessions or British/Australian ones. Had the US lost her fleet at Midway, they would have had no battle-ready fleet to attack the Japanese fleets that were still spread out throughout the Pacific. Even when the United States did rebuild a fleet, it would be out of position to do any damage and would take much time to get into the necessary positions. During that time, India or Australia may have capitulated, which would have delt a horrendous psychological defeat to the Americans (remember that in the Pacific psychological warfare was very present: hence the Doolittle raid). Had one of the British powers folded, the US populance may have supported an early peace with Japan, which would be a major victory for the axis. Had Midway been a defeat for the Americans, or had it not taken place, the war would have ended very differently.

    I dont think under those circumstances the American people would of considered peace with Japan. The American people wanted revenge and the industrial power of the U.S gave them the ability to inflict that revenge upon the Japanese. Even if the U.S had of sued for peace it would of only been a matter of time before Japan took over all of Asia including British India and then really challenged the United States to an arms race the U.S may not of been able to win.

    Psychological warfare in the Pacific is in my mind over rated yes it brought the war home to Japan and helped morale at home because we were finally getting some of our own back, but it only increased Japanese resolve and made the case for continued military control of the government to protect the Japanese people from the “American Threat”.

    Midway was a turning point for the fortunes of the Japanese that much is certain and to those who dont understand disparity in industrial capacity and manpower between the U.S and Japan. For the fortunes of the U.S it was merely the logical conclusion considering to the build up of American forces.

    As for British and Australian posessions being taken under Japanese control, that wasnt going to happen with the entire British pacific fleet comitted to the defence of Australia as well as the remains of the Dutch navy and also numerous US navy warships based in Australia that would eventually become the 7th Fleet.

    Even if the fleet at Midway had of been completely destroyed there was plenty more where that came from, maybe not fleet carriers but plenty of escort carriers, battleships, destroyers and crusiers to fill the gaps in the fleet until such time as new fleet carriers could be brought into service.

    Also this doesnt take into account the massive British ship building effort (plus the lend lease plan) that coupled with the Japanese navy tied up protecting their new posessions in the Pacific could of run rampant raiding Japanese supply lines and slowly grinding down Japanese forces. When the British pacific fleet was formed in late 1944 it consisted of:
    17 aircraft carriers
    four battleships
    10 cruisers
    40 destroyers
    18 sloops
    13 frigates

    So if that force just one fleet continually travelling together it would of been tough for the Japanese to match that in battle let alone defeat it.

  • Customizer

    @calvinhobbesliker:

    I think you forgot to vote :-D

    Voted  :-)

  • '10

    @calvinhobbesliker:

    Battle of Britain. It saved Britain as a fighting force, which meant that the axis could never win.

    In fact, some Russians were interviewing a great German general, asking him what battle was the turning point. They expected him to say Stalingrad, but he said it was the Battle of Britain. After that, the Russians walked away.

    I didn’t choose the others for the following reasons:
    Germans were going to lose before Stalingrad: they were fighting Russia, Britain, and the United States

    Japanese were going to lose even if they completely decimated America at Midway. there’s an essay showing that American carrier numbers would overtake Japanese carrier numbers by 1943.

    By Kursk, Germans were already losing

    Germans were definetly losing by D-Day. I never got why it was seen as a turning point.

    Japanese were already losing before Leyte gulf

    The battle of Britian also saved an unsinkable aircraft carrier for the allies.


  • Has to be Barbarossa/Typhoon and the German failure to take Moscow. 1942 the offensive power of Germany had been reduced by some 60% (estimate), and in 1943 it was just about 20% of 1942. Case Blue could have worked if the panzers had gone into Stalingrad with limited opposition in late august instead of sending them to the Caucasus. Cut off the Volga, then seize the oilfields and you can starve Russia of oil and supplies from the south. But even then, Germany is up against it.

    Battle of Britain was important but not decisive. Germany at the time was only at war with Britain. Imagine Hitler had kept his alliance with Stalin until 43-44 and built tons of U-boots to sink incoming shipping towards Britain. Churchill said the only fear he ever had in the war was the U-boats.

    I’m gonna say Barbarossa. It brought the Soviets into the war and the failure to take Moscow coupled with Pearl Harbor resulted in war with USSR and USA. Hitler had only been at war with a beleaguered Britain half a year earlier, and by his own choice signed the Third Reichs death sentence.


  • I chose Stalingrad. Forget all other fronts and battles World War Two was decided on the Eastern Front.

    After studying the question more, I should have choose other: Moscow 1941 lost the war for the Germans.

  • '10

    Midway has to be the turning point in the Pacific. Pearl Harbor was the turning point in the European conflict. Thats when hitler declared war on the U.S. This ought to generate some interesting comments.


  • I also vote for battle of britain.
    If UK falls, Hitler win the war…


  • Is there an option “i really don’t know” ?  :-D

    They were all turning points in a way. i suppose it is the combination of “kinda decisive battles” that did it.


  • They were all turning points in a way. i suppose it is the combination of “kinda decisive battles” that did it.

    Ah well. Nevertheless it is simple to understand.
    Because of the battle lost over England, the resistances and the obtination of churchill, Hitler has change his plan and so he attacked USSR.
    A fatal error!!!


  • Stalingrad for me because it was a major drain on German forces and probably there first major loss on land.


  • i think you’re forgetting the Battle of Moscow


  • Dunkirk and Moscow '41 and the Atlantic

  • '10

    @aequitas:

    Dunkirk and Moscow '41 and the Atlantic

    I vote for the battle of the Atlantic


  • @crusaderiv:

    They were all turning points in a way. i suppose it is the combination of “kinda decisive battles” that did it.

    Ah well. Nevertheless it is simple to understand.
    Because of the battle lost over England, the resistances and the obtination of churchill, Hitler has change his plan and so he attacked USSR.
    A fatal error!!!

    Well yes, it makes sense to chose an early big battle, because everything after that might / will be influenced by that one’s outcome.

    And the new Global is teadching me to appreciate the importance of the battle of britain ;)

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