General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Would Hitler have won World War II if he had left Russia alone? [View all]sarisataka
(19,211 posts)Germany and U.S.S.R. were going to fight sooner or later. Hitler wanted sooner, Stalin later.
Hitler had already made two serious strategic mistakes in fighting the British
-allowing the BEF to escape at Dunkirk. There was noting preventing the panzer divisions from isolating the beach thus trapping the BEF except Hitler's orders. Some historians have said he allowed the BEF to get away as a good will gesture, hoping England would agree to peace and joining him in the fight against communism.
-letting Goering oversee the Battle of Britain. Goering was a good WW1 fighter pilot and had a decent grasp of tactical air operations. He knew jack about strategic air combat and had an ego as big as a blimp. RAF Fighter Command was strained to the breaking point and in a matter of days would have pulled most fighter squadrons back to western airfields, thus curtailing their ability to stop the Luftwaffe raids. The switch from attacking the RAF to cities was a double blessing. It allowed the RAF to rest and rebuild while staying in the fight and it solidified civilian morale, which though high, had been starting to waver. The raids on cities made everyone feel as if they were an important piece, personally fighting the war. Exactly the opposite effect Hitler expected t would have.
Had everything gone perfect for Germany it would have limited British participation. There was no option of surrender. even had London fallen, they Government would have moved to the colonial empire, Canada most likely, and continue the struggle as best they could.
What is more intriguing is, would a German victory of the British in Europe, convinced the Japanese that they could take the European Pacific possessions without the U.S. intervening. If so, Pearl Harbor would not have been attacked, the Philippines could have been bypassed and the U.S. remaining, if not neutral, at least a non-belligerent for some time.