Why do some Americans believe they single handedly won WW2?

[Crepitus]

Well kid I beg to differ.

Reality doesn't care how much you beg, kiddo.

 

[Stryder50]

Reality doesn't care how much you beg, kiddo.

It's a turn of phrase, not literal.
You are one of the last voices here I would consider as having an accurate concept of reality.

 

[Captain Caveman]

The only country to fight every single day of WW2 -

 

[Deadstick]

The only country to fight every single day of WW2 -

Indeed the Battle of Britain when the RAF destroyed the Luftwaffe over the UK, WW2 was won by the allies all of them, about 80% of axis forces were destroyed on the Eastern front, on D-Day there were more British and Canadian forces than US landing on those beaches but they all played a part, why some Americans have to claim they won all on their own is a mystery.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

cite for us anyone making the claim

 

[Dekster]

It seems to crop up quite a few times where posters claim everyone would be speaking German if the US hadn't won WW2.

Time for America to get over its WWII nostalgia

It was the nadir of human history, not a Saturday morning cartoon

theweek.com

There's nothing wrong with an interest in history. But the distorted and chauvinist way the war's history has been presented in the popular imagination is a major problem. It's long since time Americans adopted a more realistic and sensible attitude towards World War II.

The greatest error of historical fact in America's popular interpretation of the war is the idea that the United States won it pretty much single-handedly.

So despite actual history, do you still believe America single-handedly won WW2? Why? Is it something school taught you or your parents? Genuinely would like to know.

I don't recall ever believing that but I suppose for those that do it is because of all the Hollywood movies set in WWII that came afterwards. America took POW's. The Russians just left them dead on the battlefield for the most part.

 

[AZrailwhale]

Indeed the Battle of Britain when the RAF destroyed the Luftwaffe over the UK, WW2 was won by the allies all of them, about 80% of axis forces were destroyed on the Eastern front, on D-Day there were more British and Canadian forces than US landing on those beaches but they all played a part, why some Americans have to claim they won all on their own is a mystery.

Wrong. The Soviets only killed the majority of German infantry on the eastern front. The majority of the artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, ships and aircraft were killed by the WAllies. Plus the majority of the German land losses were in the last year of the war after the WAllies had gutted the German war machine and POL production.
The RAF never “destroyed” the Luftwaffe in the BoB. In June 1940, the Luftwaffe’s strength was 3,157 total aircraft. A year later its strength was 3428 aircraft despite the losses in both the BoB and Operation Barbarossa.
In Overlord the US committed ten divisions compared to the Commonwealth’s seven. Utah and Omaha were the most defended beaches with Gold, Sword and Juno being less fortified and with fewer natural obstacles.

 

[Deadstick]

Wrong. The Soviets only killed the majority of German infantry on the eastern front. The majority of the artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, ships and aircraft were killed by the WAllies. Plus the majority of the German land losses were in the last year of the war after the WAllies had gutted the German war machine and POL production.
The RAF never “destroyed” the Luftwaffe in the BoB. In June 1940, the Luftwaffe’s strength was 3,157 total aircraft. A year later its strength was 3428 aircraft despite the losses in both the BoB and Operation Barbarossa.
In Overlord the US committed ten divisions compared to the Commonwealth’s seven. Utah and Omaha were the most defended beaches with Gold, Sword and Juno being less fortified and with fewer natural obstacles.

You are talking bollocks, the Red army destroyed most German divisions on the Eastern front because that is where they were, most of the fighting in Western Europe took place after D-Day in 1944, the Soviets had already been fighting for three years before that, and if the RAF had not beaten the Luftwaffe the Germans would have invaded Britain.
The Normandy Invasion consisted of 5,333 Allied ships and landing craft embarking nearly 175,000 men. The British and Canadians put 75,215 troops ashore, and the Americans 57,500, for a total of 132,715, of whom about 3,400 were killed or missing, in contrast to some estimates of ten thousand.

 

[PeterPilot]

Indeed the Battle of Britain when the RAF destroyed the Luftwaffe over the UK, WW2 was won by the allies all of them, about 80% of axis forces were destroyed on the Eastern front, on D-Day there were more British and Canadian forces than US landing on those beaches but they all played a part, why some Americans have to claim they won all on their own is a mystery.

It's simply a sign of how well indoctrinated most Americans are.

 

[AZrailwhale]

You are talking bollocks, the Red army destroyed most German divisions on the Eastern front because that is where they were, most of the fighting in Western Europe took place after D-Day in 1944, the Soviets had already been fighting for three years before that, and if the RAF had not beaten the Luftwaffe the Germans would have invaded Britain.
The Normandy Invasion consisted of 5,333 Allied ships and landing craft embarking nearly 175,000 men. The British and Canadians put 75,215 troops ashore, and the Americans 57,500, for a total of 132,715, of whom about 3,400 were killed or missing, in contrast to some estimates of ten thousand.

You said "DESTROYED" the Luftwaffe, not beat it. And the RAF didn't even beat the Luftwaffe, Goering and Hitler just changed the objective from destroying the RAF to revenge bombing of British cities after the RAF bombed Berlin in revenge for the accidental bombing of London by a lost German bomber.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Not single-handedly, but most intelligent people realize the US participation was a huge factor in the defeat of the axis powers. If we had allied with Germany, they would’ve won.

Subjectively.

 

[Deadstick]

You said "DESTROYED" the Luftwaffe, not beat it. And the RAF didn't even beat the Luftwaffe, Goering and Hitler just changed the objective from destroying the RAF to revenge bombing of British cities after the RAF bombed Berlin in revenge for the accidental bombing of London by a lost German bomber.

Accidental bombing of London and the RAF may as well have destroyed the Luftwaffe because by the time we had finished with them they couldn't fly a kite over England.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Loving the monarchy moar than yoar own nation certainly does.

Oh God, going through the clichés again.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Is Hollywood to blame for many American's poor war knowledge?

 

[Deadstick]

Subjectively.

Well there were some in the Tory party elite who wanted to do just that.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Well there were some in the Tory party elite who wanted to do just that.

Oh gawd, you need to get the Tories and Thatcher out of your system.

 

[Deadstick]

Oh gawd, you need to get the Tories and Thatcher out of your system.

Just giving you the facts, some even lived in Berlin while the war was on broadcasting for the Nazis.

 

[Orangecat]

Subjectively.

Agreed, but my money would've been on it, under that hypothetical situation.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Just giving you the facts, some even lived in Berlin while the war was on broadcasting for the Nazis.

Your constant whining about the Tories and Thatcher is not conducive to most threads. Trying to understand why many Americans believe it was them that won WW2 and all the allies were irrelevant.

 

[San Souci]

It seems to crop up quite a few times where posters claim everyone would be speaking German if the US hadn't won WW2.

Time for America to get over its WWII nostalgia

It was the nadir of human history, not a Saturday morning cartoon

theweek.com

There's nothing wrong with an interest in history. But the distorted and chauvinist way the war's history has been presented in the popular imagination is a major problem. It's long since time Americans adopted a more realistic and sensible attitude towards World War II.

The greatest error of historical fact in America's popular interpretation of the war is the idea that the United States won it pretty much single-handedly.

So despite actual history, do you still believe America single-handedly won WW2? Why? Is it something school taught you or your parents? Genuinely would like to know.

Because without us , the Krauts and Japs would have WON. Proven Fact.