To what extent was the outcome of the war in Europe due to the strength of the Allied Powers?
Richard Overy:
- air offensive one of the most decisive elements of Allied victory
- Especially important to British in Europe → fully embraced the idea of full victory through destroying the enemy’s “vital center” via air
bombings
- Also did not need to rely on land armies
- http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/ww2/overy.htm
CLAIM COUNTERCLAIM
1 Strong allied military (including numbers/size) enabled Allied Powers to win Outcome of WW2 can actually be attributed to the poor quality and
WW2 sustainability of Axis military
- John Barry: In the Battle of Normandy, Allies sent over 10,000 warplanes - E.g. in Battle of El Alamein, had 547 tanks vs. Allies’ 1,029, and had
and 8,000 tanks vs Germany’s 890 Luftwaffe and 1,350 tanks 116,000 men vs. Allies’ 195,000 → Axis loss in El Alamein = turning
- By 1942, Britain gained support of US airforce and fleet point
- Superiority of RAF vs Luftwaffe → permitted bomber forces to neutralize - Had more men and weaponry in Battle of Stalingrad but still lost to
strategic and tactical targets in France = essential to success of D-Day USSR (e.g. 270,000 men vs. 200,000) + did not expect battle to last as
landings and Allied ground forces’ advancement long as it did
- Emphasis of US (2 million served in Europe throughout WW2), colonial - Did not have modern anti-tank weaponry
troops - Ran out of ammunition
- Weak allies (e.g. Italy)
- Italy surrenders
2 The win of the Allied Powers can be seen as a result of their economic might However, it should be recognized that it was the Axis Powers’ failure to
in that they were prepared for a longer war economically prepare for a long-term war enabled the Allies win.
- Britain: vigorous programme to expand domestic agricultural output and a
strategy of stockpiling which had begun in the 1930s as a precaution - Hitler seen as ready to start war in 1940 not earlier
Richard Overy:
- air offensive one of the most decisive elements of Allied victory
- Especially important to British in Europe → fully embraced the idea of full victory through destroying the enemy’s “vital center” via air
bombings
- Also did not need to rely on land armies
- http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/ww2/overy.htm
CLAIM COUNTERCLAIM
1 Strong allied military (including numbers/size) enabled Allied Powers to win Outcome of WW2 can actually be attributed to the poor quality and
WW2 sustainability of Axis military
- John Barry: In the Battle of Normandy, Allies sent over 10,000 warplanes - E.g. in Battle of El Alamein, had 547 tanks vs. Allies’ 1,029, and had
and 8,000 tanks vs Germany’s 890 Luftwaffe and 1,350 tanks 116,000 men vs. Allies’ 195,000 → Axis loss in El Alamein = turning
- By 1942, Britain gained support of US airforce and fleet point
- Superiority of RAF vs Luftwaffe → permitted bomber forces to neutralize - Had more men and weaponry in Battle of Stalingrad but still lost to
strategic and tactical targets in France = essential to success of D-Day USSR (e.g. 270,000 men vs. 200,000) + did not expect battle to last as
landings and Allied ground forces’ advancement long as it did
- Emphasis of US (2 million served in Europe throughout WW2), colonial - Did not have modern anti-tank weaponry
troops - Ran out of ammunition
- Weak allies (e.g. Italy)
- Italy surrenders
2 The win of the Allied Powers can be seen as a result of their economic might However, it should be recognized that it was the Axis Powers’ failure to
in that they were prepared for a longer war economically prepare for a long-term war enabled the Allies win.
- Britain: vigorous programme to expand domestic agricultural output and a
strategy of stockpiling which had begun in the 1930s as a precaution - Hitler seen as ready to start war in 1940 not earlier
