Do most people know more about the Western front in WW2 than the Eastern Front?

Question

From most people who've ive spoken to, they believe that America and Britian won the war, preety much alone. However, while I know the Allies won WW2, it was down to Russia really. To all those into history, but mainly to those who aren't, without looking it up, do you know battles Russia had to participate in, and how difficult it was compared to us English with the Americans?

Answer 1

Its just because of the American film industries.US was fighting on the western front so the world knows western front better but there was a bloody war going on the eastern front where 1 out of 7 Russion population are killed.

Answer 2

Human existence to the two aspects on the eastern front had little fee as the two aspects considered the different subhuman as adversarial to the cultural similarities shared by ability of the Allies and the Axis on the western front the place there is data of places of historic and cultural magnitude being spared attack. From a human attitude you in basic terms would desire to ascertain the medical care of Prisoners of conflict (POW) by ability of the two aspects on the eastern front, certainly it replaced into no longer until properly into the 1950's that the Russians released the so called final of the German POW's the place POW's on the Western front have been often cared for in step with the words of the Geneva convention. From a wrestle attitude the Western front nevertheless had some vestiges of adhering to the policies of conflict the place the eastern front replaced into organic decimation and a remember of survival.

Answer 3

Here in the western world, more is known about the fighting on the western front in Europe during WWII, than the eastern front which is only natural since the bulk of the reporting was for the countries involved. Likewise, the Russian media mainly covered the east while counting the western front as a sideshow. I think most history afficionados know that the Russians contributed more to the defeat of Hilter than all other countries combined. However, the defeat of Japan was mainly due to the U.S., Britain, China and Australia.

Answer 4

It seems to me that in the last 10 or 15 years especially, there has been a greater willingness in the West to admit that the USSR played a huge role, perhaps the critical role, in defeating Germany. Without a doubt, it took Britain, the U.S., and Russia working together to stop the Third Reich, and the logistical support provided by the other Allies to Moscow was absolutely essential, but it was Russia that ultimately bled the Germans dry.

But back in my day, you didn't really learn that in high school. I wonder if the fall of the Soviet Union has made Western historians a little more open about treating the Eastern Front as the decisive theater of the war, now that no one has to be afraid of swelling the ego of a bunch of "commies".

Answer 5

In western nations knowledge of the wester front is much more common. There's no denying that. And yes, there is a tendency to overlook, or trivialize, the Russian contribution. However, your assertian that it "down to Russia really" is just as false. Yes the Russians were a key player and without their efforts it's doubtful the Western Allies could have been victorious. However, without the wester allies, Russia would have been overrun long before they could become the titan they were.

The British, Canadians and Americans sent the Russians thousands of tanks, airplanes, and trucks. As well as many other items like locomotives, infantry weapons, ammunition. Without that huge supply of materiel, it would've been nearly impossible for Russia to defend itself adequately against the Germans.

Answer 6

That's true. there was a BBC series called "The Unknown War" which dealt entirely with the Eastern Front. The turning point of the war in Europe was at Stalingrad where the German VI army was encircled and surrendered.Some of the great battles were Kursk, The siege of Leningrad and the Battle of Moscow. There is a great book (probably out of print, but maybe available on amazon.com) called "Russia at War" by Alexander Werth. Check it out.

Answer 7

And sadly the west have never given any credit to the Russians for helping on the Eastern front. I was taught this at school. Been from a neutral country. You see two sides. But the media in the west like to claim the glory.

Answer 8

Yes. All you learn in school about the eastern front really is that a lot of people died and that there was this thing called the battle of Stalingrad...
Even though I've read a bit more about it since then, I still don't know much about the Eastern front.

Answer 9

the russians fought the german for about 4 years while the allies fought the german for 1 year on the western front.......being from the us we were really only taught about the western front.......but the eastern front is where the war was won and lost........brutal....... is the word i would use to describe the fighting there

Answer 10

Yea. Textbooks r very forgetful of many of the eastern front struggles, manly because of the importance of the nations on the western front