Why do Americans always say they saved Western Europe in WW2???

Question

The fact is that the Americans entered the war late, and well after Britain, Canada, Australia, France and the USSR had fought -- and won -- the hardest battles.

Americans really have a bloated sense of self-worth and it is very irritating to the rest of us.

The Tin Man is a perfect example of the ignorant american that everyone hates. America did NOTHING in Europe in WW2.

Answer 1

I am chuckling about how you think the France 'won' the hardest battles.

I suspect that you have never read a history of WWII.

Answer 2

First, Roosevelt was helping the British for years before the US got into the war. There was the lend-lease program, that basically gave military equipment to Britain with no payment required until well after the war.

Second, yes, Canada and Australia were involved. Britain was not about to surrender, but did have a problem with production. The major "save" the US did was their industrial production. Car assembly lines became tank and jeep production, ships and airplanes were turned out faster than anyone else could. Canada was barely industrialized at the time and less than 1/10th the population of the USA. America's massive industry and resources, immune from the bombing that was hurting Britain, managed to churn out more than enough equipment to turn the tide.

Those famous 1000-plane raids that flattened Germany? Frequently 10% to 20% of the planes did not make it back. The US provided new planes, crews, bombs - much more than Britain could. The tanks, guns, and huge fleet for D-Day? Made in USA.

Then, at the end, the US was the only country left with a huge, well-developed industry and the finances to provide the "Marshall Plan", where they rebuilt the economy of Europe.

Yes, the Russian side fought some of the bloodiest battles of the war. The Americans provided them with the equipment and ammunition to help. The threat from the Anglo-American side, and the campaign they were waging in Africa tied up troops that otherwise might have been thrown at Russia.

Meanwhile, the Americans almost single-handedly fought and won a war across the world's largest ocean and the world's largest continent against a fanatical suicidal Japanese army.

WWII was a huge struggle. I wonder if the Allies would have won without the Americans. I doubt it. But (speaking as a Canadian) the contribution from many countries all over the world made the difference.

The Americans have a right to be proud. but they should also remember to be humble. They came late to WW1, after the cream of the young men on both sides in Eurpoe had been slaughtered. They tried to stay out of WWII that afterwards was seen as the greatest fight between good and evil. The countries they fought with gave proportionately more and were so heavily dmaged while the US remained untouched.

Nobody's ever a winner when there's a war.

Answer 3

While I'll agree with you about American's tending to be irritating, because I am irritated by them every day, I'll attempt to quickly explain why America was primarily responsible for the Victory in (Western) Europe. Let's not forget that before the United States entered the war in 1940, France was defeated by the Germans within several short weeks and Britain was on the defensive. When you simply put the numbers on the table, after D-Day in 1944 the Americans simply made up the bulk of troops and divisions on the Western Front by a long shot. Counting "battles" at the beginning of a war as victories will not give you a fair estimation of any one side's impact on a victory because strategically, loosing or winning a battle may not have that final victorious effect - the final battles are the ones that count. When it comes to that, on the Western Front, the United States holds the claim for making the victory in the West possible. In the East however, is a whole different story.

Answer 4

After reading the answers, mainly from Americans about reading your history books, the problem is that the history trying to be imposed on the UK and the rest of the world is the American version. A number of facts need to be cleared up, America was very isolationist at the time and the American people did not want to be involved in another European war. There was also a large German community in the US which was very vocal in its attempt to steer the American Government against the British and the French. The reason America joined the war in Europe was a miscalculation by Hitler after the attack on Pearl Harbour, by declaring war on the USA I find it hard to believe that FDR could have pushed for the USA joining the European war if Hitler had not declared war, because Germany posed no threat to the Japanese campaign. It also has to be remembered that the MOST important battle was won BEFORE the US entered the war - The Battle of Britain. It would be naive to think that if the Luftwaffe had destroyed the RAF and launched a successful invasion of the UK that the US would come rushing to our rescue. There would be no military or political will from the American Government to do so, and they would have concentrated on the Japanese campaign. It would also be naive to think that after conquering Britain and the Soviet Union Hitler's would be satisfied, he would have turned his sights next to the United States from a basis of incredible strength.
The biggest contributor to victory wasn't the Americans, British or the Commonwealth it was without a doubt the Russians. When I read about 50,000 Americans killed in one of the answers I don't think the Americans realise just how many Russians were killed in WWII, a staggering 20,000,000+ the equivalent of the whole population of Florida being wiped out. It was the Red Army by pinning down and destroying large numbers of the German Army on the Eastern Front that allowed D-Day to occur and be successful. It is hard to see how the Allies would have won the war without the Russian contribution.

Answer 5

The US doesn't have a bloated sense of self worth! The hard facts are that if the US had not entered WW2, there is no way the UK could have defeated Germany alone! Russia was a help, but by entering WW2 the US opened a second front against Germany (from the south and west) and enabled the allies to have an overwhelming superiority in weapons and production, which won the war. You should be thanking us, Europeans love to talk, but when it comes to action, you're pretty useless!

Answer 6

Unfortunately Americans are Americans the big bullshit brigade,they are brought up where they believe they are the big I am.They have as much chance of winning a war as i have of being a millionaire,and that is a big fat Zero.They want the world to believe the are superior as other wise they would be seen for what they really are a nation of losers.They need people to believe they WON the wars as they cannot admit to themselves what a failed nation they are especially after Vietnam.So they took the easy route and joined wars that were basically already won so they could take the glory.Unlike the U.K which was heavily bombed the just watched and listened to the final results Americano style. People in the world get on with life and are left to do so Unfortunately Americans need a daily dose of being told how wonderful they are if not they might cry.

Answer 7

Samantha you are almost 100% correct but you have to let the Americans get there way or they kick up a fuss. Yes the hardest battles were fought before america came in because Germany wer at there most powerful, which incidently was more powerful than the US wer at any time during the war. The C U N T who thinks britain was on the verge of surrender might want to read a history book because we never came close and we inflicted the most damage on Germany throughout the entire war. We made whole parts dissapear ( not something to brag about but they bombed our main cities so we obliterated theres ) WE SHALL FIGHT THEM ON THE BEACHES WE WILL FIGHT THEM IN THE STREETS WE SHALL NEVER SURRENDOR and all that. Winston Churchils speach declaring we would fight to the end ment britain never once came close to surrender. France are p ussys but they saved your **** in you war of independence so maybe you should show them some respect. Just to let you americans know that Russia actually sent more ment to war than anyone else and 20million of them died for the cause. They did more than you and dont bring up the " you used our equipment " bollox because we paid for it so it was ours. We even invented the most widely used weapons in the war so you can forget about saying that, we dominated the Africa front ( bar a small hicup with Rommel ) and we dominated the seas. Radar, sonar both British.

America helped win a war that was already being fought and played a big part in it but when Russia officially got the surrendor of Germany, Britain broke Germanys people with constant bombings and takes all the credit because the ended the war on the whole by dropping a nuke you can see why europe gets pi$$ed off. One day the americans will realize what britain did during the war and maybe after tha they will start thanking us and eventually the russians. Dont forget our navy prevented the Germans getting close to you so we saved your **** just as you saved ours. You owed us a debt of gratitude.

Answer 8

The success of the Allies in WWII was a team effort. When the US says they 'saved everyone else', they are insulting the incredible contributions and sacrifices made by soldiers of other countries. Canada, with its light population, contributed more soldiers per capita than any other country, and they did it without the draft. Along with Britain, Australia and Europe, they fought from 1939 to the bitter end (over two years before the US entered the fray).

The veteran US soldiers from WWII would not be so quick to dismiss the efforts made by soldiers from other countries. For Americans to boast that they won the war is disgraceful and dishonors not only other Allied soldiers, but their own.

Answer 9

History lesson the Yanks entered the war because Japan bombed Pearl habour so the only arses they were saving were theirs,they became one of the richest countries in the world by not entering the war while all the other countries did their bit.I am not saying they didn't help in the end but they had to be attacked first they are not called Johnny come lately for nothing.All of Europe was destroyed and USA watched and waited they should of helped because we would have been the first to help them that's what allies are supposed to do and your right is irritating when they believe they saved us.

Answer 10

Sorry--that's not how it happened. Britain (with her allies) did manage to survive until the US entered the war--and they deserve all the credit in the world for a valiant stand. But, courage and determination notwithstanding, they did not and could not have defeated the Nazis without the US--and if you think all the "hardest battles" occured before the US came into the war, you haven't read any history of the war. Check out D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, Anzio, the Sicilian campaign, etc. Or the air battles .

Answer 11

Nonsense. While I greatly appreciate the valiant efforts of the Allies before the US entered the war, they would have been hard pressed to defeat Germany and especially Japan without the industrial might of the USA. We tipped the balance and even with a mighty "Arsenal of Democracy" like the USA, it still took 4 years to finally rid the world of Nazism and Japanese militarism.

You could not have done it alone but you showed great courage and resolve in keeping Hitler at bay. You can thank Churchill and US Lend Lease for that.

And if you are irritated, tough. Learn some history.