What were some of the less known ways the United States/allies were able to win world war 2?

Question

I have to write a paper on World War 2 and this is one of the questions that has to be answered within it. I am having some trouble with this question. I can't find anything on the internet about "the less known ways". Any help/links to websites would be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

The codes answer above is right on. Our ability to crack the Japanese Codes ensured our success at Midway.

The Western Allies successful cracking of the German Engima codes ensured Rommel's defeat in North Africa and enabled us to win the Battle of the Atlantic.

Another lesser known area would be focused on weather. We waged war with German Meterologists in Greenland as both sides tried to get the jump on the weather forecasting. This played a huge role in the success of D-Day. The Germans were so convinced that June 6th would be an unfavorable weather day that Rommel headed home for his wife's birthday and the remaining General Staff conducted wargames, which removed them from direct contact with the Army and Corps. HQ's. That bought time for us to secure the beacheads before German armor rolled us back into the sea.

Answer 2

Operation Fortitiude was important for the D-Day landings. It created a makebelieve army in northern Britain that even had its own commander. It never had its own troops but it made wooden tanks and planes to deceive the Germans into thinking that the allies were going to invade Norway. The allies even went as far to make radio broadcasts between themselves so that the Germans would pick them up, thus believing an attack was coming. Throughout the rest of the war Hitler kept valuable units in Norway even though the allies never intended to attack.
The allied bombings of Germany aren't as well known as they should be or the battle of the atlantic. Even operation PLUTO which provided essential fuels to the allies in France. All were vital to the overall success of the allies but are not given the recognition they deseve.
Hope this helped. Its been a while since Ive done WWII history.

Answer 3

The Allies simply out produced the Axis powers. The USA made war equipment faster than the Axis powers could destroy it. The war was won in the factory. Had Germany gone to a total war footing in 1938, instead of acting like things were normal on the home front, it probably could have won the European War. (Assuming all the other dumb decisions of Hitler did not happen either. The guy was a military idiot.)

Answer 4

Operation Underworld


"Operation Underworld was the United States government's code name for a series of mafia operations intended to counter Nazi saboteurs along the U.S. eastern seaboard, initiated in 1942.

In the first three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. lost 120 merchant ships to German U-boats.

The operation started when the Office of Strategic Services sought the help of Meyer Lansky, who controlled several dock workers groups....."

Answer 5

I think ML has it right. Prior to the attack on pearl harbor, we were nowhere near the world power we are today.in fact the attack all but destroyed the majority of our navy fleet.
The American people as well as the GI, fought the war. Automobile factories were converted to make tanks and airplanes, gasoline was rationed, rubber for tires was rationed, children collected scrap metal. In no time at all, the American people, the "greatest generation" turned the USA into the dominating world power that it is today.
i think that is the answer your homework question is looking for.

Answer 6

Obfuscation. The Allies used lots of tricks to influence German activity. One trick was to dress a dead body up like a pilot and put false maps on him to mislead the Germans about the landing sites for D-Day. They dumped him in the Mediterranean and when the Germans found him, they shifted their defenses according to the information they found on him.

Another trick was plywood and inflatable tanks and trucks. German air reconnaissance saw lots of vehicles massing in a particular place, so the Germans assumed that an invasion would be launched from that area.

We made it hard to defend the entire French coast effectively because we had them chasing shadows.

Answer 7

the less known ways were the breaking of the German code Engima by British intelligence and the Japanese code (I don't remember the name of the code...sorry) by the Americans None of this became known for years after world war 2 ended.

Answer 8

The U.S. military finally allowed Japanese Americans to fight in Germany. The Germans though the Japanese had surrendered when they saw the soldiers.

One of the most important spys (Germany called her the most dangerous) for the U.S. was Virginia Hall. She had a false leg due to a hunting accident. She was stationed with the French Resistance.

Answer 9

I don't know if this qualifies as a "less known way", but WW2 was a "total war". That means that everything we did, we did with the mindset of winning. From the troops in the field to the citizens rationing gas, sugar, rubber, steel, etc. Every adult in the country participated --- from farmers to steel workers to mothers to actors in Hollywood --- everyone.

That was the power of America. They were all part of the "awakened giant" --- they were the "Greatest Generation."

I wonder what our grandchildren will say of us...

Answer 10

Cracking Axis codes was very important. The use of an obscure native language by the U.S. also worked out very well.