Poll: What was the turning point of World War 2?

[oliveira8]

Also its to note that Germany only one of greatest General's and field tacticians ever Rommel, lucky for us Hitler should have heard him more often.

Only Rommel? What about Manstein who planned the invasion of France, Guderian Who pioneered Bliztkreig and Von Runstadt. Germany had the best military command of all the nations in the war, its jsut that Hitler messed it all up.

Rommel is one of the greatest Generals in history and in the whole 20th century. He is the equivalent of Napoleon.(in some sort of way.).

Yes he lost North Africa but that wasnt entirely his fault. Hitler kept moving Rommels troops around and thinking that the British were completly destroyed. When Monty fought back Rommel didnt had the manpower to stop him.

 

[Overlord_Dave]

Stalingrad for the Eastern front
El Alamein for the African theatre
Battle of Britain in the European theatre.

This.

Sorry I don't have any more interesting input.

 

[johnman]

Also its to note that Germany only one of greatest General's and field tacticians ever Rommel, lucky for us Hitler should have heard him more often.

Only Rommel? What about Manstein who planned the invasion of France, Guderian Who pioneered Bliztkreig and Von Runstadt. Germany had the best military command of all the nations in the war, its jsut that Hitler messed it all up.

Rommel is one of the greatest Generals in history and in the whole 20th century. He is the equivalent of Napoleon.(in some sort of way.).

Yes he lost North Africa but that wasnt entirely his fault. Hitler kept moving Rommels troops around and thinking that the British were completly destroyed. When Monty fought back Rommel didnt had the manpower to stop him.

Yes Rommel was great, but he was eclipsed by Guderian, who was there thoughout the war. He pretty much single handedly created the German army, created Blitzkreig, and led the invasion on France. He took so much land so quickly he was order to stop by OKW as the rest of the army couldnt keep up with him. He carried on regardlesss. You alwasy hear about how Hitler had troops to take Dunkirk, but ordered them to hold back? Well that was Guderian.
Rommel was still a grat general, but he had nothing on Guderian, who had the same problems with Hitler who would ask for his advice then ignore it.
Guderian is not as well known as Rommel either, mainly because Hitler kept dismmising him and changing his positions. Rommel simply used Guderians stragety to great effect, when Gudierian was unleashed the Nazis had the greatest vicotries of the war.

 

[Mullahgrrl]

The end of Germany occurred when they put that lunatic in power. They had no chance.

Why not?

The soviets won and Stalin was just as much of a lunatic as Hitler.

 

[Snoopster]

pearl harbour may ass! besides, ze jerman empire vould haf got too big aind broken down eventually

 

[Snoopster]

OK who voted for Pearl Harbour? 30 Americans I'll bet.

methinks a combination of the battle of britain (THE MIGHTY MERLIN (engine)) and the russian cockup, you can imagine the scene:
Ok, ve are doing vell, let's piss off our biggest allies, ze russians, ve like a challenge

 

[hebdomad]

Awe now come on, I belevie Erwin Rommel belived that the battle of Britian was the turning point.

I mean the germans could have taken the russians, but they could have never taken on Britain, America and Russia. (plus all the other commenwealth support and free french forces)

The battle of Britain was the turning point because Britain kept the skys and the sea, and with that, germany could never invade.

 

[HerrBobo]

[
I'm still confused as to which option you voted for (it's twelve AM and I don't feel like squinting to read everything)

Although I do give you kudos, you sure do know your stuff!

Thanks very much. I have been studying history a college for many years.

I voted "other", I just dont belive that you can say it was just one battle that turned the war.

@ gh0ti: Once again your raise a good point. The belife was in Germany in the '30's why have 1 heavy bomber when you can have 2 medium ones. Over the course of the war this was proved wrong and by the time the Germans started building this beast it was too late!
http://media.photobucket.com/image/Heinkel%20He%20277/janswede/me264_V1_01.jpg

@ Ushario: Yes and No. While it is true that the latter tanks and such produced by the Germans were more complicated to make, that is not the full story. The bombing campain by the ailles ment that Germany had not the abilty to produce any type of vehicle in high numbers. This was then compounded by the great need for heavy tanks of the Eastren Front. So they were rushed into development and production. This ment that, already complicated vehicles, now that the added problems of a undeveloped production line. This ment that the new breed of heavy tanks really did not come into there own untill 1944. Make no mistake though after this time they were wepons to be feared.

From WikiAnswers (I know, but I could not be arseed looking anywhere else) "Michael Whittman commanded a Tiger Tank on the Eastern Front and on the Western Front and took out 25 Sherman Tanks with his one Tiger in an ambush in Normandy."

 

[Snoopster]

Awe now come on, I belevie Erwin Rommel belived that the battle of Britian was the turning point.

I mean the germans could have taken the russians, but they could have never taken on Britain, America and Russia. (plus all the other commenwealth support and free french forces)

The battle of Britain was the turning point because Britain kept the skys and the sea, and with that, germany could never invade.

definately but they'd have been near impossible to beat if they'd have captured Russia, but they were, hasty, to say the least

 

[Snoopster]

Where's D-day?

Yeah, I'm going to go with D-day. I'm sure the French appreciate that day.

It wasn't a turning point, more the bit just after the beginning of the end for ze shjermans

 

[beholdmycape]

Stalingrad, no question.

I'm glad to see it's leading the poll, though not as much as it should be.

 

[Valiance]

Voted Stalingrad, but I'd say the invasion of Russia in general was a terrible idea.

Should have taken care of the Brits first.
Should have supported the Afrika Corps more. Poor Rommel. ._.

Anyway, they also should have focused on bombing the HANGARS and AIRFIELDS instead of the cities (during the battle of britain).

Midway was important too, they could have made this take forever...Really is a miracle that we won...Gotta love stubborn enemy generals that think they have an advantage when they don't...

Hitler's gradual mental deterioration was a big problem. If he holed up and defended with the final remnants of his army, it would have taken a long long time to take him out. Instead, the Battle of the Bulge was his choice - reckless (though it almost worked, I suppose), and that was terrible too.

Hitler made countless mistakes, and he and the Japanese didn't work together enough.

 

[HerrBobo]

Where's D-day?

Yeah, I'm going to go with D-day. I'm sure the French appreciate that day.

It wasn't a turning point, more the bit just after the beginning of the end for ze shjermans

D-Day or Op. Overlord was as much a turning point as any of the other battles mentioned here. What I mean is it was a decisive defeat for the Germans. I dont really see how people can say Stalingrad (or wherever) was the turning point. The battle for Stalingrad ended on 2nd of Feb 1943 it was another 2+ years before the war ended. Stalingrad alone was not enough to be turning point, no one battle is. I suppose if I really really had to pick one battle, it would be the Battle of Berlin. That is the only battle that on its own turned the war, while also ending it. See what I'm getting at?

 

[space_oddity]

The failed invasion of russia was hands down the beginning of the end for nazi germany.

Yeah, declaring war on Russia was not a great idea.

 

[gh0ti]

Where's D-day?

Yeah, I'm going to go with D-day. I'm sure the French appreciate that day.

It wasn't a turning point, more the bit just after the beginning of the end for ze shjermans

D-Day or Op. Overlord was as much a turning point as any of the other battles mentioned here. What I mean is it was a decisive defeat for the Germans. I dont really see how people can say Stalingrad (or wherever) was the turning point. The battle for Stalingrad ended on 2nd of Feb 1943 it was another 2+ years before the war ended. Stalingrad alone was not enough to be turning point, no one battle is. I suppose if I really really had to pick one battle, it would be the Battle of Berlin. That is the only battle that on its own turned the war, while also ending it. See what I'm getting at?

There does seem to be a bit of a fascination with Stalingrad at this moment in time. My problem with seeing that particular battle as "the turning point" is that the reasons why the Germans were defeated are complex and long-term, and though things were undoubtedly worse for the Germans post-Stalingrad, it did not precipitate a great collapse in fortunes. That they were able to launch such vigorous counter-offensives at Kursk and to a lesser extent, the Bulge, suggests to me that Stalingrad, while massively important, did not seal Germany's fate to the extent it has been argued here by some.

 

[HerrBobo]

Where's D-day?

Yeah, I'm going to go with D-day. I'm sure the French appreciate that day.

It wasn't a turning point, more the bit just after the beginning of the end for ze shjermans

D-Day or Op. Overlord was as much a turning point as any of the other battles mentioned here. What I mean is it was a decisive defeat for the Germans. I dont really see how people can say Stalingrad (or wherever) was the turning point. The battle for Stalingrad ended on 2nd of Feb 1943 it was another 2+ years before the war ended. Stalingrad alone was not enough to be turning point, no one battle is. I suppose if I really really had to pick one battle, it would be the Battle of Berlin. That is the only battle that on its own turned the war, while also ending it. See what I'm getting at?

There does seem to be a bit of a fascination with Stalingrad at this moment in time. My problem with seeing that particular battle as "the turning point" is that the reasons why the Germans were defeated are complex and long-term, and though things were undoubtedly worse for the Germans post-Stalingrad, it did not precipitate a great collapse in fortunes. That they were able to launch such vigorous counter-offensives at Kursk and to a lesser extent, the Bulge, suggests to me that Stalingrad, while massively important, did not seal Germany's fate to the extent it has been argued here by some.

I could not agree more that the German army was worse off after Stalingrad, but it was far from broken. The thing is, and please no one get offended by this, the major battles are great for "Discovery Channel History." What I mean is people who have no need or intrest for/in the many academic works about WW2 watch these shows like Battlefront or whatever and they get told that the turning point of WW2 was Stalingrad or where ever. Thats fine, I have no issue with that, hell I was the same before college. However, these shows are designed to entertain first and educate second. I'm not saying that they do not have value, they can be a gateway into the fantistic world of history. However, they are a best a very limted introduction, and should in no way be seen as the final word of WW2 history, or what ever era. To get down to the brass tax of WW2 or any era in history you have to read the sources and much of the academic works.

 

[nekolux]

Definitely stalingrad, it took up so much of hitler's resources and his armies were essentially crushed since then. That battle itself was so bad that there was no 'defense of berlin' hitler and his generals were moving around battalions that no longer existed.
And while i wouldn't downplay the western front the german army was holding them back at least temporarily. While they were being chased all the way back on the eastern front.

What should have been, or at least what hitler expected it to be, a cheap quick war, turned into a disastrous lost and effectively the downfall of the wehrmacht

 

[Same River New Water]

Stalingrad was a disaster and the point when it became clear (with the benefit of hindsight) that Germany was in trouble, but really as soon as they started the war with Russia they had an impossible task ahead of them. Just like Napoleon, trying to take Moscow proved to be the beginning of the end, although that wasn't obvious for a few more years.

 

[Bulletinmybrain]

OK who voted for Pearl Harbour? 30 Americans I'll bet.

And I bet any Chinese are damn happy for the help America did for them.. Getting rid of those crazy japs.

Stalingrad was a disaster and the point when it became clear (with the benefit of hindsight) that Germany was in trouble, but really as soon as they started the war with Russia they had an impossible task ahead of them. Just like Napoleon, trying to take Moscow proved to be the beginning of the end, although that wasn't obvious for a few more years.

Moscow is the center of russia. Lots and lots of roads... Roads that lead to the oil fields not to far off... If germany had taken moscow, then it would have been over for the russians practically.

No oil, no tanks.

Also its to note that Germany only one of greatest General's and field tacticians ever Rommel, lucky for us Hitler should have heard him more often.

Only Rommel? What about Manstein who planned the invasion of France, Guderian Who pioneered Bliztkreig and Von Runstadt. Germany had the best military command of all the nations in the war, its jsut that Hitler messed it all up.

Rommel is one of the greatest Generals in history and in the whole 20th century. He is the equivalent of Napoleon.(in some sort of way.).

Yes he lost North Africa but that wasnt entirely his fault. Hitler kept moving Rommels troops around and thinking that the British were completly destroyed. When Monty fought back Rommel didnt had the manpower to stop him.

Yes Rommel was great, but he was eclipsed by Guderian, who was there thoughout the war. He pretty much single handedly created the German army, created Blitzkreig, and led the invasion on France. He took so much land so quickly he was order to stop by OKW as the rest of the army couldnt keep up with him. He carried on regardlesss. You alwasy hear about how Hitler had troops to take Dunkirk, but ordered them to hold back? Well that was Guderian.
Rommel was still a grat general, but he had nothing on Guderian, who had the same problems with Hitler who would ask for his advice then ignore it.


I loled at that.

I agree with the people that hitlers fall was one of the pivotal points in predicting the end of the war.

The man is a politician, not a military genius.