Why Do The Americans Think They Won WW2?

[Killergold88]

Alright so maybe they were the ones to drop the bombs on Japan but when it comes to Germany that was more or less Russia's achievement in the field with the Americans and commonwealth being a distraction more then anything.

Americans think the way they do about WW2 for the same reasons you would say what you said right there. Its simple, every country has its own propoganda, we (United States) are tought that our country is the best and no one could stop us no matter what happens, we down play our failures and up play our achievments... as im sure Russians do the same, and Germans, and Egyptians, and Swedes, and so on... im sure if you ask a Franch man about WW2 they will tell you the resistence was one of the most important parts of the allied victory, not saying it isnt, it very well could be, its just the point of view... "our country is better than yours" we are all tought that, and id hate to see the world if we wernt

however that being said, the very few that you can get to actually talk about history or understand it for that matter here in the States would clearly state that we by no means did it on our own

[Phier]

Two reasons:

#1 - If the US would have remained neutral during WWII the map of Europe would be just a bit different right now.
#2 - WHERE the fighting was. Outside of the Pacific and a couple of very minor incidents, all the fighting was on foreign soil. We were less in a fight for our lives and homeland, but fighting for others homeland. This gives us a bit of a moral high ground, even if the motives and reasons were not particularly altruistic. I have a couple of great uncles buried in Europe who died in WWII. Their deaths may have served a greater good but they were not self serving.

[Hakkapeliitta]

For a bit different angle, Stephen Ambrose in the "World at War" documentary made the case that America was the biggest winner as they emerged from the war as the premier economic and military power in the world with no damage to the US itself. USSR got the buffer of satellite countries it wanted against central/Western Europe so it got territorial gains but suffered huge damage in the process. Britain won the least, as fighting the war they spent their economic and military power and lost a lot of prestige which resulted in the loss of their Empire, though opposing Germany even when it seemed hopeless makes Britain a sort of the moral victor, but that's somewhat intangible.

[Azog 150]

Well I'd argue the USA was the only true winner of World War 2. I am not talking about the manor in which the war itself was won, but rather the outcome.

The USA was flung into the position of dominant superpower, a position which it retains today. Not only that, it did this with less loss of life then all the other major combatants.

The USSR also entered position of superpower, but it lost 26 million people with much of the East of the country devastated in doing so and it lost its superpower status less then half a century later.

Britain lost its empire and was in massive debt, and in international terms has been on a downward spiral ever since.

[Nikitn]

I doubt that an offensive led by America or the British would have resulted in the same casualties that the Russians incurred, simply because of their style of warfare. It's entirely feasible that Patton could have taken Berlin months before the Russians, but instead was told to turn south for political reasons.

Not that the US could have won the war by themselves, or without the Russians soaking up the Nazis on the Eastern front. I would argue that no one of the Allies could have stood alone against the Nazis.

By 1945 the Russian army was much better than the Allied or the German one (due to it primarily consisting of raw recruits by this point, with a few elite units). So It's fair to say that the allies would take higher losses than the Soviets would, since the Allies wouldn't be able to use their overwhelming airpower efficiently over Berlin.

[Menelik_I]

The only problem with WW2 is that the USSR didn't lose, because they were in the same caliber of monster as the Nazi, and yet got off Scot free to torment Eastern Europe and part of the Third World for the next 50 years.

[Nikitn]

Actually they weren't anywhere near as at the same level. That's why the poles, Czechs, Belorussians, Jews in Europe etc. still exist and aren't exterminated.

But go ahead and live in your little bubble

[Inhuman One]

Let's not forget the Canadians.

Unlike the other allies, they had the choice to go to war and where not forced into it. Many died while freeing the Netherlands and I am still gratefull for them, as well as the soldiers from other countries that helped liberate us.
And unlike other allies, they do not boast about it constantly and try to guilt trip european countries for this.

Considering everything France did for the United States, its only fair that the US came to help them.

[Wulfburk]

And hey lets not forget brazil eh??
25000 soldiers who won all the 20 battles they fought in italy!

[Dodge]

America did win WW2, everyone else lost.

[motiv-8]

Three pages discussing an OP that is a total straw man argument? Shame, VV, shame.

[Menelik_I]

Actually they weren't anywhere near as at the same level. That's why the poles, Czechs, Belorussians, Jews in Europe etc. still exist and aren't exterminated.

But go ahead and live in your little bubble

40 000 Polish officers buried in Kattin beg to differ.

[visser300]

40 000 Polish officers buried in Kattin beg to differ.

300,000 civilians in Nanking beg to differ

[Col. Tartleton]

300,000 civilians in Nanking beg to differ

Germans raped Nanking?

[hellheaven1987]

Actually they weren't anywhere near as at the same level. That's why the poles, Czechs, Belorussians, Jews in Europe etc. still exist and aren't exterminated.

Indeed!! Soviet only sent capitalist pigs to gulag!! Those capitalist pigs would only embrace Communism through hard works!!

[Nikitn]

40 000 Polish officers buried in Kattin beg to differ.

Oh holy crap, really?? That's MUCH worse than when the Nazis slaughtered 1/4th or so of the Polish population, and planned to finish off the rest in a few decades.

[motiv-8]

So what, Nikitn? God killed the whole world except for a single family once. What the Nazis did isnt a big deal.

[Menelik_I]

Oh holy crap, really?? That's MUCH worse than when the Nazis slaughtered 1/4th or so of the Polish population, and planned to finish off the rest in a few decades.

They were able to do that thanks to their joint invasion of Poland with the Soviets ... do did Hitler forced Stalin to do that too ?

Also the Soviet starved thousands of Ukrainians to death.

[Comrade_Rory]

I think it's important to remember that this is during Stalin's time. You can't really blame a country because of one mental leader, otherwise every nation on earth would be considered evil.

[Dave Strider]

Also the Soviet starved thousands of Ukrainians to death.

Here comes the butchered history again.