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Why Did the Allies Win World War 2?
In the spring of 1942, the Axis powers were winning everywhere. Germany had swept across Europe, Japan controlled the Pacific, and Britain stood nearly alone. Then, in a single year, three battles turned the tide. But it wasn’t only battles that won the war.
Think about the following questions as you watch the video
Why did the war look lost for the Allies in the spring of 1942?
What were the three critical battles of 1942, and what did they have in common?
How did population size give the Allies an advantage?
What role did oil and raw materials play in the war’s outcome?
How did the Allies’ form of government give them an edge?
: It's Spring of 1942, and the Axis powers are triumphant everywhere. Germany, Italy,
: and Japan have won battle after battle. The flames of fascism sweep across the globe.
: Nazi Germany seems unbeatable in Europe. In 1939, they occupy Czechoslovakia and Poland. In early 1940,
: they take Denmark and Norway. Then, in a lightning summer campaign – called Blitzkrieg –
: German armored columns defeat the French army. Britain stands alone, protected by the waters of
: the English Channel and the Royal Air Force. The valiant efforts of British fighter pilots repel
: the Nazi Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. Aiming to isolate the island nation, the Nazis launch the
: biggest submarine campaign in history. Their U-boats claim hundreds of kills. Turning south,
: German and Italian forces conquer Yugoslavia and Greece and march across North Africa. In the east,
: Nazi troops launch a surprise attack against the Soviet Union. The Soviets halt the Nazi advance
: just miles from Moscow. In Asia, the Allies fare no better. Japan had occupied large parts of China
: and Southeast Asia. Then, on December 7th, 1941, Japanese planes launched a sneak attack against
: the US Navy at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. With the American Navy weakened, Japanese naval
: forces spread across the Pacific, conquering the Philippines and other islands. Their army pushes
: down the Malay Peninsula, capturing the critical British base in Singapore. The war seems lost.
: The war seemed lost, but the tide was about to turn. In 1942, three critical battles – all
: brilliant traps – shift the balance of war for the Allies. In the Pacific, Japanese forces approach
: the island of Midway. American dive-bombers ambush them. The American Navy arrives and sinks four
: Japanese aircraft carriers. In a single day, the war in the Pacific is transformed. Half a world
: away, in the sands of the Egyptian desert, another trap is sprung. This time, it is British Imperial
: forces – including Indians, Africans, Australians, and New Zealanders. They dig in around the town of
: El Alamein and strike with overwhelming force. German and Italian forces are sent reeling. Finally,
: in the depths of the Soviet Union, Soviet forces lure a German army into the city of Stalingrad.
: Their stubborn six-month resistance draws more and more German soldiers into the city. In November,
: the Red Army strikes, encircling and defeating the Nazis trapped in the city. These three
: battles reset the war. British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, later remarked on this turning
: point: "Before Alamein we never had a victory, after Alamein we never had a defeat." By 1943,
: the Axis powers were retreating everywhere. In Russia, the Soviets win history's largest tank
: battle, the Battle of Kursk. Both sides suffer mass casualties, but the Nazis are overwhelmed
: by the Soviet numbers. In the West, Britain and America use advanced technology to defeat
: German submarines while building huge fleets of bombers and fighter aircraft. In 1943,
: American and British forces invade Italy from North Africa. Mussolini and his fascist government
: falls. On June 6th, 1944, D-Day is launched, and a huge Allied invasion force lands in Normandy,
: France. The liberation of Europe begins. But the Germans still have cards to play. A winter
: campaign, the Battle of the Bulge - attempts to push the Allies back to the English Channel. The losses
: are staggering, but the Allies prevail. On April 30th, 1945, Adolf Hitler dies by suicide. In May,
: Berlin falls to the Soviet army, and the Germans surrender. In the Pacific,
: the Allies push back Japanese forces. Allied troops from Britain, India, and Africa liberate
: Burma. American Marines and soldiers take island after island from the Japanese. In October 1944,
: they work with resistance fighters to push the Japanese from the Philippine Islands. Still, it
: takes most of 1945 to defeat Japan. The dropping of the first atomic bombs on the Japanese cities
: of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria - finally force a Japanese surrender.
: The Second World War was won with the blood of Allied soldiers, sailors, and airmen. But war
: isn't just a story of battles. The Allies also triumphed thanks to large populations, industrial
: production, and the advantages that democracies have over autocratic governments. Let's start by
: looking at human power. The German population in 1939 was about 80 million, and Japan came in at
: about 70 million. Compare that to the Soviet Union, at 168 million; the US, at 133 million,
: and the 500 million inhabitants of the British Empire: Indian, Canadian, Australian, African,
: and Caribbean troops who contributed to the war effort. The Allies had similar advantages when
: it came to raw materials. Coal, iron, wheat. You name it, they had more of it. Most important of
: all was Allied oil. The US controlled 70% of the world's oil production - about 1.3 billion
: barrels. Germany could produce only 10 million barrels, and Japan a tiny half million barrels.
: And there's one more big factor to consider. The Allies included free and open societies that made
: decisions democratically and rationally. Germany, Italy, and Japan were led by dictators who ignored
: their generals. They created an environment in which officers competed with each other for the
: dictator's favor. Axis leaders were also suspicious of each other, and never really cooperated. By
: contrast, the Western democracies - Britain and the United States - cooperated very closely. They
: even coordinated with their Soviet allies. Their generals worked together. As a result,
: the Allies developed better strategies. So, what won the war? Was it a few key victories in 1942?
: Larger populations? Industrial production? Or better cooperation and decision-making? There
: is no singular answer. All of these factors contributed and helped shape the world in
: the second half of the twentieth century. Our thanks should go to the veterans who fought in the war,
: but also the women and men who worked in the fields and factories that made their victories