That’s interesting...What were our strengths militarily you think?
Russians always tell me that Americans take too much credit for ourselves even though we didn’t lose as many lives...and i’m like...isn’t that the point?
I certainly would NOT have been wanting to fighting under Stalin! He had no care for the lives of his countrymen whatsoever.
>That’s interesting...What were our strengths militarily you think?
US army killed 5 Germans for every 4 Americans lost. Russia lost 4 Russians for every German killed. The US army was full mechanized, very fast moving, and with pinpoint artillery. Our fighter-bombers destroyed German tank counterattacks. In France Germany viewed US troops as about on par with them.
>Russians always tell me that Americans take too much credit for ourselves even though we didn’t lose as many lives...and i’m like...isn’t that the point?
Industrial warfare is about producing enough goods to make your army effective in the field. The US outproduced everyone about 10 to 1. Russia would have folded in 1943 or 1944 without US support. US victory in Tunisia was a bigger blow to the Germany army than the defeat at Stalingrad according to German accounts of the war. The US airwar decimated the German Airforce and was the primary reason Germany had issues with air support in the east. As a rule Russian planes ran when they encounter German fighters the Germans regularly destroyed the entire Soviet airforce. But the US would just send another 10,000 planes and the Russian air force would be reborn. None of the big Russian gains in 1943 and 1944 would have happened if the German airforce wasn’t busy fighting the US in Italy and over Germany.
Russia fighting alone would have lost the war by late 1943.
Our strengths were technology and allowing Officers to analyze and change things on the fly. Our creativity was something no other army had at the time.
The two fronts were very different. Men died on both fronts but the Eastern front was an example of two evil men trying to destroy each other.
The Battle of Kursk, had 6,000 tanks, 2 million men and 5,000 aircraft. Not to even mention the rape and civilian murder on both sides. Women were raped in front of their men and crucified on barn walls in retaliation for what the Germans did. I don't think any American units did that.
Here is a great podcast series by a guy named Dan Carlin. He really puts the Eastern Front in perspective.
Here's a great sample. I actually bought all his podcasts. This one is free online. I promise that anybody that loves history will love this podcast.
https://soundcloud.com/wonkywombat696969/ghosts-of-the-ostfront-i
This excellent video has been around for a while, but fits right in with your comments on Russian losses. Check out the sickening, seemingly never-ending graphic representation of their losses at around 5:35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwKPFT-RioU