• Lets have a look then!


  • Two words: Operation Barbarossa


  • I understand that radar was important… but nowhere as important as what was listed above. All in all I would have to say economy (and don’t forget population!) were the two greatest factors in determining WWII)


  • No one thing decided WWII. It was a combination of what was listed, plus other things. But I think that of the list, it was individual leader’s mistakes. Case in point, D-Day. Hitler really bit the bullet on that one, his own arrogance allowed the Allies to get a foothold in France. Im not a WWII buff, so Im sure many other people could put up more poignant arguments or examples, for any side, but I think Hitler’s biggest obstacle was himself.


  • Hitler was the problem. But given he was a halfway decent military leader, the Allies (particularly US and Russia) would’ve simply overwhelmed them in the end.


  • @Janus1:

    No one thing decided WWII. It was a combination of what was listed, plus other things. But I think that of the list, it was individual leader’s mistakes. Case in point, D-Day. Hitler really bit the bullet on that one, his own arrogance allowed the Allies to get a foothold in France. Im not a WWII buff, so Im sure many other people could put up more poignant arguments or examples, for any side, but I think Hitler’s biggest obstacle was himself.

    Some historians believe that Rommel was a traitor at that time and therefore deliberately allowed the Allies to establish their foot hold.


  • I’m not so sure about that. It’s true that Rommel had no love for Hitler, but I don’t think he would sell his own country out. He would’ve of at least tried to work out a favorable peace with the Allies.


  • @TG:

    I’m not so sure about that. It’s true that Rommel had no love for Hitler, but I don’t think he would sell his own country out. He would’ve of at least tried to work out a favorable peace with the Allies.

    He he, that’s what I do if I start losing badly: point out how long the game’s taking (works best after about 6 hours or so) then offer to work out a “favorable” treaty. 8)


  • Hahaha… usually that means Germany’s in the gutter, while Japan signs a truce under 45+ IPCs worth of territory… :wink:


  • I’d say the anti-semitism and “people without room” policy decided it.

    Imagine: no jewish scientists have left for the US before the war.
    The hope of the people of the soviet union to be “liberated” would not have been disappointed. That means: much less partisans, much more support, porbably much more volunteers for the german army.


  • @TG:

    I’m not so sure about that. It’s true that Rommel had no love for Hitler, but I don’t think he would sell his own country out. He would’ve of at least tried to work out a favorable peace with the Allies.

    Yet Rommel was a member of the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler in East Prussia.


  • Yet Rommel was a member of the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler in East Prussia.

    But this was done after Rommel knew the war was lost and knew Hitler would never admit. I don’t think this equates to Rommel selling out to the Allies in the D-Day landings. If the D-Day landings were a failure, however, it would’ve given Rommel in a much stronger position for diplomacy.


  • @EmuGod:

    @TG:

    I’m not so sure about that. It’s true that Rommel had no love for Hitler, but I don’t think he would sell his own country out. He would’ve of at least tried to work out a favorable peace with the Allies.

    Yet Rommel was a member of the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler in East Prussia.

    Ahem… The Assasinatioon plot involving Rommel was the 40th Known time that hitler dodged a bullet(or Bomb)…Most of them by his own countrymen… Hitler’s genereals repeatedly disobeyed him from winter of 1942-43 on… What about the secret Germans underground(including military) Like Detriech Bonhoffer that tried to overthrow hitler and allow open allied landing spots on the North coast if the Allies would drop the unconditional surrender demand…

    Just some thoughts on hitlers popularity


  • Ahem… The Assasinatioon plot involving Rommel was the 40th Known time that hitler dodged a bullet(or Bomb)…Most of them by his own countrymen… Hitler’s genereals repeatedly disobeyed him from winter of 1942-43 on… What about the secret Germans underground(including military) Like Detriech Bonhoffer that tried to overthrow hitler and allow open allied landing spots on the North coast if the Allies would drop the unconditional surrender demand…

    Rommel wasn’t Detriech Bonhoffer. If that were the case, why would Rommel try to improve the shore defenses of the French coast to highest degree in the shortest amount of time possible (even predicting that the Allies would land in the lightly defended coast of Normandy)? As for Hitler’s generals, repeatly disobeying Hitler, that is true, but only to save the lives of their men and because it was the right thing militarily to do – unlike Hitler’s “Fight to the Last Man” orders


  • If that were the case, why would Rommel try to improve the shore defenses of the French coast to highest degree in the shortest amount of time possible (even predicting that the Allies would land in the lightly defended coast of Normandy)?

    Because of Unconditional Surrender which stated: Surrender of all units and political and militarial leaders to do with as the opposing factions states(including firing squads)…If the geanereals hadgiven them the open door to the mainland off with are heads…what would you do? now obviously I would think the “better” allies of Us and britian would have saved some heads but they couldn’t be sure… The Brutal Russians on the other hand was a different story they hated the germans to the point of brutality give to the Jews(who probably were ding only yards away anyway… The Russians killed about 250,000)…So would you give up europe for free (especially for your head lost)…


  • I’d say the anti-semitism and “people without room” policy decided it.

    No, that wasnt it.


  • @TG:

    Rommel wasn’t Detriech Bonhoffer. If that were the case, why would Rommel try to improve the shore defenses of the French coast to highest degree in the shortest amount of time possible (even predicting that the Allies would land in the lightly defended coast of Normandy)? As for Hitler’s generals, repeatly disobeying Hitler, that is true, but only to save the lives of their men and because it was the right thing militarily to do – unlike Hitler’s “Fight to the Last Man” orders

    Yes he did predict Normandy, but there was another general in charge of repeling the upcoming D-Day invasion who predicted the attack would come farther north and suggested to Hitler to keep some of the German armor further inland as back up. Because Rommel and this other general (whose name I cannot remember) both made very good points, Hitler divided the forces between them, basically securing Allied victory in D-Day.


  • Well there were actually two train of thoughts. One which stated that the Germans should crush the Allies on the beachhead outright. The other was to lure the Allies deep inside France and crush them in a decisive battle, where naval battle would not be an advantage. Hitler also split resources here, leading to his defeat.


  • I’d say it was the restrictions and burden placed on Germany at the end of WWI. All the other points are icing on the pie…I mean cake.


  • Rommel and other generals actually warned that the allies would come through normandy, but hitler in his wisdom decided that that was an allied plan of distraction. that why he didnt allow the germa army to use its tank forces against the normandy beaches.

    Hitler also split up the comman structure in the west too much because he feared that under a unified command one individual would be too tempted to try to oust him or negotiate with the allies.

    So there again, Hitler brought and cost Germany the war.

    another thing on Rommel. I agree witht he people that suggest Rommel wasnt a traitor, but loyal to germany. i think he could best be compared to gerneral lee in the american civil war. especially in the later stages he was more and more disgusted by Hitler, but felt he had to do his duty for this country.

Suggested Topics

  • 5
  • 1
  • 64
  • 12
  • 24
  • 25
  • 3
  • 45
Axis & Allies Boardgaming Custom Painted Miniatures

29

Online

17.0k

Users

39.3k

Topics

1.7m

Posts