Originally Posted by Katczinsky

I'm not the ignorant and condescending little dick-head when you are the one constantly calling me names and picking on the fact that you're older than me. Just because you're older doesn't mean you grew up.

It may be a "fact" in your mind; but I'm sorry, its not a fact. If you morons can get it through your thick skulls, I'm here to tell you the truth. Overwhelming force did NOT win us WWII. BRILLIANCE, valour, and luck won it. We did NOT have "overwhelming force" compared to the Germans or Japanese. It was rather evenly matched. We (as allies) did have a numerical advantage, but the Germans had the technological advatage and thus is why it was more evenly matched. Hitler COULD HAVE WON WWII save him a bunch of stupid mistakes on his part. If he would have kept true to the Nazi-Soviet Pact of Non-Agression and went through with Operation Sea Lion, then he could have won WWII. Unfortunately he was more interested in targeting civilian targets in air raids rather than focusing the Luftwaffe on the Royal Air Force.

It was essentially his first major mistake. He could have consolidated the rest of Europe and even beat back the Americans if Roosevelt jumped in when the Germans were on British shores. However, in his ignorance he gave in to his prejudice toward the slavs and jews and invaded the Soviet Union. He was more interested in eradicating the Jews from Europe rather than total military victory, and this is what lead him to his downfall ultimately. But even with an invasion of Russia in 41, he still had a chance of winning WWII believe it or not. His next most major mistake was in the midsts of Operation Barbarossa at Stalingrad. He thought that because of the initial success of the offensive into Russia, then the strength of the Russian military had been broken; consequently he diverted General Hoth's 4th Panzer Army down to help Kleist's 1st Panzer Army cross the lower Don to open a path to the Caucasus, and consequently vital oil resources. He had, in fact, stripped the offensive toward Stalingrad down of even resources and reserves. The 6th was all alone. If he hadn't done this, they could have taken Stalingrad and consequently the war. However, it was the turning point of the war and the Soviets were now on the offensive. (And this wasn't the only mistake at Stalingrad).

The Japanese, too, could have won WWII. A series of mistakes on their part led to their downfall; hence I said a bit of luck won us the war. But also brilliance and valour won it. I don't think the atom bomb forced the Japanese into submission. They displayed their willingness to end their life for their country and Emperor; havn't you ever heard of the Bushido code? No...they were more afraid of invasion, and what might happen in an occupation (the thought of losing the Emperor, etc.). In fact, the fire bombings of the numerous Japanese cities had done more damage and killed more Japanese than the atom bombs ever did put together. And even after the fire bombings they were more willing to fight us. I think the Soviet invasion of Japan, Operation August Storm, had more to do with it than the atom bombs. Brilliance on our General's part, as well as mistakes by the Japanese had lead to them to a point where they now see an invasion of the main Japanese islands as a feasable outcome if they didn't end the war, so they ended it. So the war would have ended without the atom bombs.