By Summer 1944, the tide was already turning against the Germans. The Russian steamroller was moving ever closer toward the German border, Rommel had been defeated in North Africa, and German troops were expelled from Italy. Which brings about the question: was all of the bloodshed that came with the Normandy landing necessary?
My opinion is this: In terms ending the war with Germany, it was completely pointless; the war had already been won. But, it left the Western Allies in much better position for the coming cold war with the Soviet Union; if D-Day had not occured, Western European countries would have been liberated by the Soviets, and not the Americans.
In hindsight, D-Day was important for the United States, for it prevented all of Europe from being Soviet-dominated.
Well using hindsight..its possible to come to that conclusion.But at the the time the Russians were the ones demanding a second front be opened...not the americans!
Dont you think the russians were thinking ahead aswell?
and besides..the Allies could have gone up through italy/ southern france and invaded germany anyway...
quote
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Western European countries would have been liberated by the Soviets, and not the Americans.
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Which would make the second front seem even more important
surely?.
I doubt europe would have felt 'liberated' exactly.
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CAMPBELL: Is what you wrote about the man who called Two Jags, that's a name you coined: "He's a chimp, a pustulating boil of resentment and class hatred, a chippy, thin-skinned puffed up laughing stock, an ocean-going tub of lard, groaning with arrogance, ego, hypocrisy, and inferiority, he's an inadequate, inarticulate embarrassment, a disgrace to Britain at home and abroad." ...Do you sometimes think that this is a human being you're talking about?
LITTLEJOHN: Nah.
Reaver180 (Login Reaver180) Panzer Brigade(Germany)
Re: Was D-Day Necessary?
September 1 2005, 1:40 PM
"and besides..the Allies could have gone up through italy/ southern france and invaded germany anyway..."
Seeing just how "successful" the Italian campaign was conducted, you wouldnßt be in Germany in 1950... It took you 2 years and you didn't even reach the Alps...
'Seeing just how "successful" the Italian campaign was conducted, you wouldnßt be in Germany in 1950... It took you 2 years and you didn't even reach the Alps...'
yes...because we were preparing for normandy??? it was a side show?
So if we handnt had launched operation overlord all of our resources would have gone to italy...and since we had already got past the hardest part of italy and could choose any moment we liked when to attack(>cough< russian offensive)..the war would probably have still ended in 1945
Reaver180 Seeing just how "successful" the Italian campaign was conducted, you wouldnßt be in Germany in 1950... It took you 2 years and you didn't even reach the Alps...
no after the Allied punctured the Gustav line near Cassino they were able within a week's time to join up with the Anzio beach head and then to capture Rome almost the same day as the disembarquement: 7 june 1944.
The next line of defense was on the Alps but General Juin and some Brits supported an attack on Germany from Italy through Austria and Czechoslovakia. Could have been a good plan.
But it's true that thinking of it, attacking Europe from Sicilia and all along a montagnous country like Italy look completely stupid ....
But well, job done and well done.
This message has been edited by ultrarep on Sep 1, 2005 9:50 PM
"When their previous occupier was Fascist Germany, yes, I believe they would have."
Nah, Fascist Germany and Stalins USSR was just the same sh*t in a different package, when East Germany was "liberated" from the fascists I can sure as hell tell you with certainty they did not feel liberated, far from it.
"yes...because we were preparing for normandy??? it was a side show?"
And we had considerable parts of our army tied down for this invasion too, so?
"So if we handnt had launched operation overlord all of our resources would have gone to italy..."
As would have ours.
"and since we had already got past the hardest part of italy and could choose any moment we liked when to attack(>cough< russian offensive)..the war would probably have still ended in 1945"
