America could have done it alone (almost) in World War 2.

[Swampy]

Since this is the 80th Anniversary of the start of WWII, I'll be starting a series on conversations of the greatest conflict our species had ever faced.

I believe that, America was key to victory. In both wars, without American help, the Germans would have become master of Europe and hence the world. In particular, during the second one, Germany had already conquered all of mainland Europe and pushed the Soviets nearly to Moscow. Without American Lend-Lease, the Soviets could not have had the strength for the counterattack, while Britain, blockaded by U-boats, would have gone bankrupt and, eventually defenceless.

But, would the reverse have been true? If the other allies needed America, would America have needed them? I'd give a qualified yes. If Britain and the Soviet Union had fallen, they would still have weakened the Germans significantly, especially since the Germans would have continued to have been tied down in Russia and the Balkans. The US could have launched the counterattack from Africa or Turkey, and, so long as it could control the Middle East, it could deprive the Germans of oil.

What it may not have been able to do was to take on Germany and Japan at the same time. But, again, if America had help from other countries, say Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Latin American countries, it may have been able to take out Germany first, then Japan. As for Italy, well, they turned on the Germans, and many partisans did fight the German ferociously, so, once the Americans landed on their peninsula, they would have helped the Ally (singular).

[Sir John]

Russia could NEVER have been defeated, even after the fall of Moscow, Leningrad, and Stalingrad the Germans were only half way to the Urals, and the Urals are only half way to VLADIVOSTOK!

And every mile they went east was an extra mile on their lines of communication. Like Rommel at El Alamein his lines were costing him a gallon petrol to transport a gallon of petrol to the front.

Russia was 5 times as bad.

Russia was fairly easy to re-supply she had a fleet of American, Russian flagged, Liberty Ships sailing unmolested to Vladivostok.

So America would never have been alone.

SJ

[Swampy]

Agreed that America would never have been alone, because Canada, Australia, and NZ would have stuck it out, as well as Greater India and much of the Middle East. But, as for the Soviet Union, one possibility is that the Germans could have taken Moscow, pushed the Red Army past the Urals, then stopped to consolidate and face the Anglo-Americans.

[Sir John]

Even if Germany had managed to get to the Urals and maybe stopped there, they would have had to defend that front line from a never ending (and growing) threat against her.

Russia was just starting to draw manpower from Siberia in 1943 and with training and equipment would have been a major problem to be accounted for. Russian troops on the Chinese border could have been run down too, at least until 1945.

The populations of Canada, Australia, and NZ were nowhere near enough to sustain many divisions, Australia had about 10, all involved in the Pacific and NZ had two. India was the big one but not sure if they could have been used apart from defending the Indian nation. They did very poorly in Malaya and even turned traitor to the Japanese.

And remember that the USA was emotionally exhausted by 1945, and could not have supported much more blood letting.

SJ

[Swampy]

Agreed. I would say, however, that, east of the Urals, the Russians had no industry, so they would have had to rely completely on the Americans. Also agreed about the other countries. Of course, the Chinese bogged down over a million Japanese, so that was also a factor. The British Royal Navy and the other units outside Britain would also have joined in, just as the free Europeans elsewhere did. As for the three Commonwealth countries, well, every little bit helps, and they helped. So quite a coalition remained, though they would have been peripheral.

In the end, the US, without Britain, and with the SU coming from the Urals, would have beaten the Axis. Britain staying in the fight was very important, but, if she had been occupied, the war would still have been won.

[Sir John]

From what I have read much of Russia's industry had already been moved east of the Urals.

I agree that the final outcome would have been victory for the USA and friends but 'Manhattan was the real decider. In August 1945 after 'Trinity' the USA was producing a bomb every 8 days, so that would have eliminated Germany and Japan by late September.