did the axis even have a chance to win ww2?

Question

war

Answer 1

You bet. If the triad has consolidated their bases in 1940 or so, rebuilt and updated their war machines in lieu of expanding the war to include the Russian front and the United States, it is very likely that all of Europe, a good chunk of the Middle East, and Northern Africa would have remained under German and Italian control, while the Eastern Pacific would have remained in Japanese hands.

Once Germany attacked Russia, Japan attacked American interests, and the United States entered the war, it was a done deal.

Answer 2

Yes, they could have won. The three Axis powers made several key mistakes, however, which allowed the Allies to strengthen to the point that the Axis powers could be defeated. So many "ifs" they are almost too numerous to mention. Here's just a few: if Germany had taken a different route in pursuit of the atomic bomb (they went the "heavy water" route, we went the U238 route. Had Germany acquired nukes first, they would have won. If Germany had waited to attack Russia until after they had secured the oil fields in North Africa and the middle east they may have won. If Japan had not attacked us and "awoke the sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible rage" the Axis powers could have won. If the Luftwaffe had pounded Britain for just a few more weeks they may have taken Britain. And on and on.
In the end the Axis powers could not stand up to the manufacturing might of the U.S., the Arsenal Of Democracy. We out produced them and in the end when their cities were in ruins, their ships sunk, their planes (and pilots) destroyed, they simply could not withstand the Allied onslaught. And having nuclear weapons didn't hurt either!

Answer 3

It is a purely hypothetical question. Italy wasn't much of a military power to begin with. They invaded Ethiopia in 1935 and thought that was real big victory--conquering a poor Third World country such as that. Germany and Japan both thought they were invincible, but they would have only won the war if they had at least three times the manpower and three times the resources to operate a war machine than they had on hand at the outset of the war. If Hitler had concentrated on one front only, he might have taken over Western Europe and North Africa. But Germany couldn't have capitulated the Soviet Union without much more manpower and resources. Even if Germany or Japan had conquered some fraction of what they attempted to take over, there would have also been the problem of hanging onto it. At some point, cracks would have appeared in their defense and those they would have been victorious over would have mounted an orchestrated insurrection.

Answer 4

Defo. If Hitler hadn't double-crossed the Russians he wouldn't have had to split his resources so many ways. He could probably have taken the oil fields in Persia securing an oil source, invaded Britain and Ireland with the help of Vichy France and had his Fascist allies in Spain, and Italy secure Southern Europe.

With a base as secure as that, the Americans might have been less inclined to invade as they would have needed to come all the way across the Atlantic Ocean rather than just the English Channel. Over in Asia, the Japanese and Russians might have had problems with each other seeing how Japan was following its own expansionist agenda, at the expense of other regional powers (such as Russia).

Answer 5

In 1942 they were winning. They had mainland Europe and N. Africa tied up nicely. England was on the ropes and going down. German U-boats were sinking our ships within sight of our coastlines form Jersy to Miami. The US Pacific Fleet was at the bottom of Pearl Harbor and our army in the Philippines was captured. The Japanese had South, Central and North Asia with most of the Pacific and were in Alaska. Australia was in the crosshairs. They had the best Navies, Armies and Air Forces. It was very dark times.

Answer 6

Someone mentioned that Japan should have attacked Russia and thereby distract Russia from defending Moscow with reserve troops from Siberia with all its subsequent impact on the German-Russian front.
In fact the Japs did attack Russia in the East and were soundly defeated by none other than Zukhov. They then turned to concentrate on the Pacific and China.
Once the Jap threat was removed, Stalin was free to use those troops in his West.

Answer 7

In the end no, but they certainly had the potential to carry on victorious for many years longer than they did, and could have inflicted heaver losses. Ego's got in the way and that doomed the axis, both Germany & Japan specifically, into being stopped sooner then either would have anticipated.

Answer 8

Yes,

If Japan would have attacked into Russia, then the Soviets would never had been able to pull troops out of Siberia. Those troops prevent Moscow from falling, with out them the capitol,major communication, and rail hub would have been captured. Then if they never declared war on the US and just been happy with Europe and USSR they would have won.

Answer 9

Yes. Had Japan not jumped the gun and attacked us we would have not entered when we did, the war would have been lost at least in the pacific. I think hitler had his hands full with the soviets, had we not also entered that part, europe would be under the red boot.
Actually we were going to begin sending supplies to germany back in the early 30's until they started attacking our supply ships, causing us to rethink our alliance with them... look it up

Answer 10

They came too close. Hitler had Great Britain on it's knees and did not realize it. He got psyched by propaganda.

The US Navy was almost destroyed on Pearl Harbor Day. Japan established bases on the Aleutian Islands. That was close enough for me.