Why do Americans think that they won WW2 all on there own?

Question

Ok I accept that you played a major part in it, but there was no way it was all down to you. Look at the wars you have created recently where you have gone at it alone, or been running things. I'll start with Vietnam, then Iraq, now Afghanistan and back to Iraq.

No I'm not trying to slam America. But surely it is more than coincidence that in the last 30 years the wars America has started hasn't really gone the way they expected. It seems that every American I talk to feels that America won WW2. A little humility goes a long way.

Answer 1

First of all the Soviet Union won World War 2, in Europe almost single handed!

But in the tradition of the Soviet Union public schools in the United States are all run by government. The vast majority of them only teach a very US centric history with little time on any event leaving most of the students not knowing who was even in most of the wars.

Enter Hollywood! Here is who teaches most Americans about everything from politics to history. According to Hollywood we did win World War 2 all by our selves, John Wane landed on the Beaches of Normandy and marched east until Germany Surrendered!

Well now that we have completed the portion where you will agree with me....

The United States Military does not lose wars, politicians and the American people lose wars.

Example: "I'll start with Vietnam" to use your words. Vietnam is an example of what I hope will not happen in Iraq. We secured the country beefed up the government to where they can defend it themselves with our aid and advisers and then we cut all aid and turned our back on them. At that point the north attacked them again and they fell only because the American people lost the will to fight / lost the will to support a country fighting a war they lost the will to fight a few years ago.

Iraq and Afghanistan are outstanding examples of how to fight and win wars and I am 100% behind both of them. We are winning both of them but you wouldn't know that by watching CNN.

Answer 2

Ummm, The French started Vietnam, we just backed them up, it ended up escalating, but the only reason we lost is because "Total war" was not acceptable. The First Iraq war was started by Iraqis, we were just helping out allies The Kuwatitis and Saudis. The insurgency in Afganistan has been all but quelled, and the quality of life has immensely improved. So you don't have an arguement. I'll give you Iraq, but when we went in there we THOUGHT they posed a threat, and we just cant leave. As for WW2, the Russians killed 9/10 German soldiers that died, so they carried the brunt, but the US did do all the work in the Pacific (most anyway).

Answer 3

Anyone who thinks America won WWII by itself does not know they're history. Don't know who your'e talking to. What a dumb thing to say. Its just as dumb as you stating about all the wars the US Started? You apparently don't know you're history either.
Vietnam was a fight against communisiam. We are too strong to sit back and have one nation swallow another? We did the same thing in Korea. Why no reference there?
The world has a very vested interest in the Iraq, Afghanistan area. The worlds oil supplies deem it very important for us to have a presence there. The area is virtually a third world country and it was time we stepped in and made our force known. Who else is going to help those people. They live in mud houses and ride camels. No schools, poor hospitals. Do you realize the Billions of dollars we are pumping into those countries?
I'm no expert on war or world politics or anything. Just a guy who can see the right side of what our country is about. Take care. Dan

Answer 4

There are two points to this:

To be honest, we were not doing that brilliantly when USA joined us and we may have lost the war had they not joined in.

However, I think the main reason is the cinema - you know, how USA found the Enigma machine etc. Of course, every American knows that Audie Murphy and John Wayne really won the war!

Answer 5

I would maybe agree that we didn't win the war in Europe alone, although we drove the Germans back from the western front. The Soviets sacrificed more, but the Russian terrain and Germany's blind stupidity is the reason Russia was not overrun.

However the War in the Pacific was all the USA! The Navy/Marine Corps is the sole reason of our victory over Japan.

Answer 6

Do you want to debate WWII, or are you trying to slam the USA's actions as of late?

No we did not win WWII on our own, we certainly helped but the Soviets payed more of a price than anyone and I am certainly thankful of their efforts as well as those of American service men and women of that era.

Answer 7

We did not win it alone. Nor do we think so. However we pretty much saved all of Europes' As----es. Without us you were done for. We fought on two fronts, on one pretty much alone. All of europe was almost lost. Germany had already occupied France and was bombing Britian into submission. And many people in France, etc, but France especially, were sleeping with the Germans. They thought they were with the winners. If not for the ressistance and the Americans I think you would all speak German. So yes we did win the war with the help of the British pretty much alone. My Father got a Bronze star helping to save you. At least he came home. You should at least be somewhat grateful.

Answer 8

I have personally never met an American that thinks we won WWII all by ourselves. Most of us aren't quite that arrogant. However, it is indisputable that our efforts greatly contributed to the reversal in fortunes. We do believe in giving credit where it is due.

Answer 9

We did play the key role...excluding of course the Soviets...who probably have as good or better claim to winning the war. Problem with giving them credit is their reprehensible treatment of their "spoils of war"

Much of those you credit with playing a part were lost or nearly lost before we entered.

Answer 10

If the U.S. had NOT entered World War II, Hitler and Nazis would have won. It's that simple.

If the U.S. had NOT entered World War II, everyone would be driving VW Beetles today. No Ford Mustangs, no Corvettes, no Vipers. Just Beetles!!!

You ought to drop to your knees and thank GOD for the USA.