Which were better soldiers during WW2 : the Germans or Americans ..?

Question

in terms of discipline, team spirit etc.

Answer 1

This is a tough one, Jason, but then - you like to ask those...
At the outset of War - the German was the better soldier as he had been "training" for this his entire life. German society - Prussian, Hessian, etc. were all militarily based - the civilian population was also ingrained with a "Code" that required them to do what they were told. Period.
(Don't jump on me folks - I'm 1/2 German.)
The Germans were obviously winning - despite the Brit's best efforts. England was in it alone and showed more strength, tenacity and bravery than any of us can hope to emulate. WE, and all free peoples owe our freedom to the RAF.
When we came in it was a whole new ballgame. Yes, our "boys" (my Dad was 17) were not professional soldiers and our Country did not glorify War - like the Germans.
Eventually - this worked to our benefit. Our men had free will - the ability to think on their feet - to think outside the box. The Germans (and the Japanese, too) just couldn't do this.
I'm not saying that discipline is not a necessity - it most certainly is. But when our guys found themselves in untenable situations - they thought their way out of it. Not everything is in a textbook or learned at Boot Camp.
When we were in a pickle we were damned if those bastards were going to beat us. When the Germans found themselves in one - they tried - but they lacked the inner flexibility to disobey obviously stupid orders and improvise.
Lack of improvisation and generations of ingrained military discipline served them quite well in the beginning - they also feared a bullet in the back of the neck if they disagreed. But freedom the likes of which they had never known, won out in the end.

Answer 2

In terms of discipline the German armed forces held a edge over the American forces. But being so disciplined came at a price when an officer in the German armed forces was killed the chain of command was broken and the soldiers in the command were lost as to what their next moves were whereas the armed force of the United States had NCO's (Non Commissioned Officers) that were the backbones of the organization that could and would assume command. As for team spirit the Americans had it all the way

Answer 3

Well by 1994 Germans were fighting to protect their homeland so there spirit was higher as was there discipline. Germany lost cause its army was divided between 2 fronts and there supplies were limited due to extensive allied bombing of german industry.

Answer 4

The Germans I reckon, they were so well trained (and brainwashed) and they honestly believed (well alot of them) in the Third Reich and the preservation of the Aryan race so because they had the Political ideology behind them it would have motivated them further. Plus the Americans only joined at the last minute.

Answer 5

The British

Answer 6

Many a WW2 veteran has stated that even in defeat the German's were far more dignified.

Being 23 though I can hardly judge.

Answer 7

The Germans - although it pains me to say it.

By the time the Americans joined the fight, (with raw, freshly trained but untested troops), the Germans had had 3+ years practice and were VERY experienced.

Answer 8

The British. We fought alone for nearly two years against a larger better equipped (after most of our armour and vehicles were abandoned in the retreat to Dunkirk) military force.

Answer 9

the range of discipline, team spirit, etc. on both sides is great. I presume you're not talking about the 12 year old Hitler Youth defending the Hitler Bunker, the Volkgrenadier divisions, the foreign SS divisions, or the second rate units manning the pill boxes along the normany beachhead. So i presume, you're probably talking about the elite divisions, Gross Deutchland, 1st SS LAH, 2nd SS, Panzer Lehr etc. That would mean you're measuring them against the Big Red one, 82nd and 101st? Well, i'd pit our 442nd Regimental Combat Unit man for man against any SS unit of comparable size, any day....but that's just me.

Answer 10

It varied depending on the unit, as always, some german units were better than some american, and vise versa. however, overall, I would assume the american individual soldier platoon was better overall because of we had better training, and fresher troops (especially towards the end of the war). Plus, more equipment and morale builders (USO's/ hot food) built into the system for our troops.