Which country contributed most to the Allied Victory?

[Egorka]

@arhob1

Egorka’s original question was “which country contributed MOST to the Allied victory”.

Taking all emotion out of it the answer must be the USSR.

May be they would not have won on their own, may be they would not have - no one knows. But thank God that the Germans had 180 divisions in the East and “only” 50 in the West or my grandparents might not have survived the war and I might not be here today.

In reality the USSR, UK, USA etc all put 100% in to winning the war.

Rather than asking who contributed most to the Allied victory it woudl be more interesting to understand which belligerent on either side contributed the least - Italy? Romania? France? In fact I might start a thread asking this.

Arhob1, I love you!!! Finaly someone non russian gets my point!!!
Maybe you can help to explain the intesion of this threadto others!

.

[32Bravo]

@arhob1

Egorka’s original question was “which country contributed MOST to the Allied victory”.

Taking all emotion out of it the answer must be the USSR.

The USSR was on its back foot holding off the Nazis. Stalin had murdered many of his better Generals. To make up for his stupidity he sacrificed his people in their millions. The sacrifice made by the people of the USSR was amazing. The UUSR as a regime, under Stalin, had no other choice and the people paid for his paranoia.

In the West, the situation was less pressing. Also, the Western Allies were democracies and the people of those countries would never have allowed their leaders to sacrificed so many of them in that calous fashion, even if said leaders had tried.

“Taking all emotion out of it?” Don’t be silly!

[32Bravo]

@Cojimar_1945

I just can’t fathom why the reichs would make such stupid decisions after the victories of 1940.

For the solution, you must study Hitler!

[George_Eller]

Thanks for the input RisingSun, Chevan and 32Bravo.

IMO the Germans tended to fight more fiercely against the Soviets and surrender more readily to the Western allies partly out of fear of falling into the hands of the Soviets and the belief that they would receive better treatment at the hands of the Western allies.

Tropical disease also had an effect on allied forces in the pacific too. Although, the allies tended to look after their sick and wounded better.

IIRC the Japanese Kwantung army consisted of lower quality troops with very little in the way of anti-tank weapons to counter Soviet armor. Not to diminish the speed and scale of the Soviet victory.

The Japanese never seemed to do well against the Soviets. They were soundly beaten by the Soviets in 1939 at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. The Soviet commander was none other than general Georgy Zhukov.

Below are links to some simplified brief overviews of the Battles of Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Khalkhin Gol.

Battle of Iwo Jima
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima
February 19, 1945 – March 16, 1945
Location Iwo Jima, Japan
U.S. victory

US Forces
110,000

US Forces Losses
4,197 killed in action
19,189 wounded
1,401 died of wounds
494 missing

Japanese Forces
22,000

Japanese Forces Losses
20,703 killed
216 captured

Battle of Okinawa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa
April 1, 1945 - June 21, 1945
Location Okinawa, Japan
Allied victory.

US / British Empire Forces
548,000 regulars,
1300 ships,
? aircraft

US / British Empire Forces Losses
12,513 dead or missing,
38,916 wounded,
33,096 non-combat wounded,
79 ships sunk & scrapped,
763 aircraft destroyed

Japanese Forces
100,000 regulars & militia,
? ships,
? aircraft

Japanese Forces Losses
66,000 dead or missing,
17,000 wounded,
7,455 captured,
16 ships sunk & scrapped,
7,830 aircraft destroyed,
140,000 civilians dead or missing

Battle of Khalkhin Gol
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Khalkin_Gol
May 11 - September 16, 1939
Location Khalkhin Gol, Mongolia
Decisive Soviet and Mongolian victory

Soviet Forces
57,000

Soviet Forces Losses
6,831 killed, 15,952 wounded (stated estimate)

Japanese Forces
30,000

Japanese Losses
8,440 killed, 8,766 wounded (stated estimate)

[32Bravo]

@George_Eller

IIRC the Japanese Kwantung army consisted of lower quality troops with very little in the way of anti-tank weapons to counter Soviet armor. Not to diminish the speed and scale of the Soviet victory.

The Japanese never seemed to do well against the Soviets. They were soundly beaten by the Soviets in 1939 at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. The Soviet commander was none other than general Georgy Zhukov.

It seems to me that they were never particularly successful when fighting in the open, George. Looking at the way they fought in the jungle, those tactics were unlikely to succeed in open terrain. They’d just be cut to pieces.

It would require a canny General to get the better of Zhukov.

[Cojimar_1945]

The Japanese surrender occurred shortly after the Soviet attack. Japanese resistance prior to the surrender was fanatical but afterwards most of them surrendered. Many Japanese facing the western allies also surrendered following the surrender so I don’t see any difference in this regard.

[Rising_Sun]

A lot of the answers to the thread topic are in Richard Overy’s “Why the Allies Won”, although not presented as answers to that question. Review here http://books.stonebooks.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.exe/feedback/feedback?1005501

[GermanSoldier]

If it were not for the U.S the U.S.S.R would of lost many more battles. The U.S helped the U.S.S.R most of the time. If it was not for the U.S the British would of had a longer war on their hands and the U.S.S.R. would have lost more men and equipment. This is why the US contributed to the Allied victory the most.

[George_Eller]

01

History of the Second World War
Part 93, The War: An Overview
BPC Publishing Ltd. 1966
First Edition 1966
Second Edition 1972
Published by Marshall Cavendish Promotions Ltd. 1975, pp 2577-2582.

Colonel Nikolay Vasilievich Yeronin, p 2577

Colonel Nikolay Vasilievich Yeronin, p 2578

Malcomb Mackintosh, p 2579

Malcomb Mackintosh, p 2580

(CONTINUED BELOW)

[George_Eller]

(CONTINUED FROM ABOVE)

02

History of the Second World War
Part 93, The War: An Overview
BPC Publishing Ltd. 1966
First Edition 1966
Second Edition 1972
Published by Marshall Cavendish Promotions Ltd. 1975, pp 2577-2582.

Malcomb Mackintosh, p 2581

Malcomb Mackintosh, p 2582

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2691

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2692

(CONTINUED BELOW)

[George_Eller]

(CONTINUED FROM ABOVE)

03

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2693

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2694

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2695

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2696

(CONTINUED BELOW)

[George_Eller]

(CONTINUED FROM ABOVE)

04

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2697

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2698

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2699

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2700

(CONTINUED BELOW)

[George_Eller]

(CONTINUED FROM ABOVE)

05

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2701

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2702

Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia, Lt Col Eddy Bauer and Brigadier Peter Young, H.S. Stuttman Inc., 1978, Vol 20, p 2703

Atlas of World War II, David Jordan and Andrew Wiest, Barnes & Noble Books, 2004, pp 236-237

(CONTINUED BELOW)

[George_Eller]

(CONTINUED FROM ABOVE)

06

History of the Second World War
Part 93, The War: An Overview, Barrie Pitt
BPC Publishing Ltd. 1966
First Edition 1966
Second Edition 1972
Published by Marshall Cavendish Promotions Ltd. 1975, Cover, pp 2598-2599

SEE ALSO:

CASUALTIES IN WW2,AND DATA ABOUT COUNTRIES
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1947

[Rising_Sun]

@32Bravo

It seems to me that they were never particularly successful when fighting in the open, George. Looking at the way they fought in the jungle, those tactics were unlikely to succeed in open terrain. They’d just be cut to pieces.

The Japanese did OK in open country in southern China in the second half of 1944, relentlessly driving the Nationalist Chinese army and American air force back to the brink of defeat. From memory they were even using cavalry as skirmishers and marauders.

[32Bravo]

@Rising_Sun

The Japanese did OK in open country in southern China in the second half of 1944, relentlessly driving the Nationalist Chinese army and American air force back to the brink of defeat. From memory they were even using cavalry as skirmishers and marauders.

I thought someone would mention that. But, you’ve already spoken of the quality of the Chinese, elsewhere.

Georeg, I’ll get back to you in about a decade, when I’ve had the time to scan those postings.

[Chevan]

@32Bravo

The USSR was on its back foot holding off the Nazis. Stalin had murdered many of his better Generals. To make up for his stupidity he sacrificed his people in their millions. The sacrifice made by the people of the USSR was amazing. The UUSR as a regime, under Stalin, had no other choice and the people paid for his paranoia.

Firstly could you please give me the list of the soviets “best” Generals executed by Stalin?
( Or simply few mane of them).
Sec the fiercing the Battle in the East was not the resault of Stalin’s paraoia but the terror of Germans to the occuped civils and soviet POWs. As may be you know nowhere else ( not in France or N/Africa) the Germans cruelty wasn’s so much as in the Eastern Front ( i/e in the USSR).

In the West, the situation was less pressing. Also, the Western Allies were democracies and the people of those countries would never have allowed their leaders to sacrificed so many of them in that calous fashion, even if said leaders had tried.

And also don’t forget my friend in the western Europe threre were NEVER the simulars Nazy plans of limitation of native population AS IW WAS IN THE EAST . (So called plan Ost - the limitation of slav population to the 40-60 mln !!!). And don’t need to repeat you the most unhuman death camps were in the East (Poland) If USSR would defeated the whole territory of USSR might be like a giant deat-camp.
So Bravo the situation on the Western Europe were less pressing mostly due to the colloborations feelings of Europeans to the Nazy and its refucal from the hard fight with the Germans.

Cheers.

[Chevan]

And George thanks for the infor.
That’s really interesting to read the americans datas about Operation August storm

[Rising_Sun]

@Chevan

And also don’t forget my friend in the western Europe threre were NEVER the simulars Nazy plans of limitation of native population AS IW WAS IN THE EAST . (So called plan Ost - the limitation of slav population to the 40-60 mln !!!). And don’t need to repeat you the most unhuman death camps were in the East (Poland) If USSR would defeated the whole territory of USSR might be like a giant deat-camp.
So Bravo the situation on the Western Europe were less pressing mostly due to the colloborations feelings of Europeans to the Nazy and its refucal from the hard fight with the Germans.

Cheers.

Chevan

I started this thread http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4500 before I read your post above. You might like to comment in that thread as it covers the areas you’ve indicated here.

[Rising_Sun]

@32Bravo

I thought someone would mention that. But, you’ve already spoken of the quality of the Chinese, elsewhere.

Fair point. They were like the curate’s egg. Quite good in places.