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Reasons for the defeat of Germany in WWII (Germany's weakness and…
Reasons for the defeat of Germany in WWII
Entry of USA
Formal entry
(end of policy of isolation after Pearl Harbour Attack in Dec 1941)
Contribution of Vast Resources and Manpower
large no. of military personnel sent
solved military shortage and bolstered Allied war machine
turn out 70000 tanks and 120000 air crafts a year during peak production which the axis could not match
220 mil to 6mil barrel of oil
resources were so great that the longer the war lasted, less likely Axis will win, harder for them to recuperate
Collaboration with allies on military strategies
gain control of air and sea
prevent essential resources from reaching G
success bombing G cities military sites, vital industries, rail links, synthetic oil plants (austria&romania)
hindered production of war materials
Luftwaffe never fully recovered
fighting ability severely affected
Isolationism regarding Eu (1918 to Aug 1939)
Although Roosevelt did not want war, he feared the possibility of American military involvement in war. Therefore began to prepare US for such a possibility
Indirect involvement in the war (Sep 1939)
'Cash and Carry' to Lend-Lease Act
[Cash and Carry] -1939
B and F were allowed to buy arms from US on a cash and carry basis
hoped that this wld supply aid whilst maintain US neutrality
[Lend-Lease Act]-1941
as a response to Churchill's call for help as Bresources near exhaustion
signifies end of US neutrality and played key role in Allies winning
extended to USSR when it invaded G in 1941
Payment had to be made immediately vs payment cld be deferred or demanded by USA at a later time
Arsenal of Democracy (1940)
meant that USA ought to actively support democratic nations
gave rise to Lend-lease
B was the only major allied country in Eu not fallen to Germany
US gave 50 old destroyers for 8 naval bases in Carribean
secret dialogues
reequip US navy and army
ready to have 10 mil men ready for overseas duty
in response, Germany, Italy and Japan formed Tripartite Pact to counter arsenal of democracy in US bringing US closer to involvement
Others
US provided escort roles for all Allied convoys at sea after Nazi Submarine attacked US ships
Economic sanctions to deprive them of resources needed
i.e. trade embargo of oil, steel, iron on japan
Germany's weakness and miscalculations
Ineffective command structure
suffered confusing system of overlapping authority
only Hitler had power to make decisions and often went against the advice of experienced generals
[Battle of Britain] (1940)
Luftwaffe was ordered to focus on destroying B(RAF)
when civilian areas in London were bombed by mistake, changed focus to bombing cities instead
gave B time to recover airfields & radar system
[USSR invasion] (1941)
gaining upper hand but changed his focus from Moscow to Ukraine
accumulated losses led to eventual defeat
Inappropriate use of resources and military funds
weakened military production and effectiveness
1) competition of funds among leaders
-invested in battleships instead of U-boats which limited effectiveness
2) lack of adequate personnel for armament production
-women stayed at home
-factories staffed by slave laborers
3) demand for diff type of armaments and most-up-to-date weapon
-shortage of proven and essential equip
fighting ability severely affected
Heavy reliance on petroleum
little natural petroleum reserve and petrol was chief source powering war machines
invented synthetic oil by liquefying coal and used it as substitute as fuel
oil fields and plants in austria and romania that were seized were subjected to heavy bombing by US and B (1943 onwards)
esp Ploesti oilfields in romania (chief source of oil imports) was put out of operation by USSR and US
war machine almost came to a halt
fighting severely affected
War on two fronts
prevented G from concentrating efforts on one war
still at war with B on western front chose to invade USSR opening up the Eastern Front
seemed to be gaining upperhand against USSR declared war on US
believed that US wld be occupied with Japan, instead Roosevelt focused efforts in North Africa and Eu
ability to win was compromised and lack of focus contributed to eventual defeat (exhaustion of resources)
Allied resistance
Re-organisation of Soviet Union
G broke the Nazi-soviet Pact
in response USSR formed a military alliance with B
G Blitzkrieg tactics were unstoppable in first month (USSR airs and tanks destroyed, 4mil casualties)
However USSR gained upperhand
re organisation took form in following:
1)delegated control over the red army to competent generals (unlike Hitler)
heavy defeats in Leningrad (1942) when Stalin made use of harsh winter to lay siege in G troops
2) Made use of harsh winters to rebuild and reorganise
unlike G who were not prepared for extended conflict in harsh winter (lack clothing and equip) (blitzkrieg strategy)
3) Transformation of economy to intesify war production
By 1943: Red army had 4x as amny tanks as G in eastern front
gave USSR numerical edge
4) Lend-lease aid
USSR bore the brunt of Nazi German attack through out WWII defeating 80% of G forces
British resistance to German invasion
G knew that Blitzkrieg would not work against B and needed to achieve air and land supremacy first
[Battle of Britain]
B(RAF) was able to recover airfields and radar system
boosted British morale
B resilience as the only Eu country against G until USSR and USA stepped in played a role in Nazi's eventual defeat
Resistance movements
Yugoslav, Polish and Soviet resistance movements/Free french forces
disrupted war efforts by blowing up rail links, sabotaging factories, gathering intelligence
made it difficult for G to make good use of areas they occupied
occupied G's attention and resources as they had to stay vigilant against attacks
provided vital info to allies making allied strategies more successful