world war 2?

Question

Was it possible for the axis forces to win in ww2?

Answer 1

everything is possible
they could have won but im glad they did not

Answer 2

This is a very what if question, but yes it could have been possible. Germany made several mistakes that cost them the war, the first was not conquering the UK and second declaring war on the USA and USSR.

When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor the USA only declared war on Japan, not the Axis powers. It wasn't till a few days later when Germany declared war on the US did we return the favor. Had Germany occupied the UK the USA would have never had a place to start its European operations. Being able to establish bases in the UK gave the USA a forward command post and causing us from have to strike from our own mainland.

Japan messed up during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Scared that they had been located the Admiral ordered the ships back to Japan, forfieting the third strike on the Naval Ships. This strike would have completely ruined out Pacific Fleet and opened the door for a Japanese invasion, causing us to start from our mainland once again.

Prior to invading Poland in 1939 Germany had signed a non aggression treaty with the USSR. With this behind them Germany should have concentrated on conquering all of Europe then turn their attention to the USSR. I feel Germany would have defeated the USSR if it was able to concentrate all its forces towards it and not just some like it did.

During WWII the two biggest turning points were the USA entering and Germany attacking the USSR. If the USA would have had to fight from its own mainland, I feel we would have eventually won but at a much higher cost. The USA had the advantage of being so far away from all the aggression that an attack on us would have been very difficult due to our nations size and distance to get to us.

Answer 3

Possible, but not likely, especially after the United States got involved. The sheer number of men and machinery that the Allies were able to muster at that point far overwhelmed what the Axis Powers (mainly Germany and Japan) could produce. Had the Germans been able to knock the British out of the war before they turned to the Soviet Union, they might have been able to sue for a peace, but it's unlikely that Roosevelt would have let Britain fall without stepping in.

After Pearl Harbor, and especially after Midway, El Alamein, and Stalingrad, it just became a matter of time.

Answer 4

1. Started too late in the year (1941), by the time they reached Moscow, the coldest winter in years hit and the Werhmact was totally unprepared.

2. Guderian's Panzers were diverted south at the gates to Moscow in 1941.

3. Again in 1942, the Germans made the fatal mistake of splitting Army Group South in two culminating in the debacle at Stalingrad and the failure to reach to Caucasus oil fields.

4. The Soviets were into a mindset of ordering important and troop saving withdrawals. At Stalingrad the Germans lost 25% of their entire operational strength in the Eastern Front, a heavy blow by all accounts but NOT decisive. It would however be the main factor for Germany's not being able to complete the conquest of Russia.

5. The Germans blew another chance during their offensive in the summer of 1943. Against Guderian's opinion that the production of Tiger and Panther tanks should be up to operational standards, Hitler launched the ill fated offensive at Kursk. The results being the destruction of the panzer armies. The fact that the German still had the capability to launch an offensive of this magnitude in 1943 proves that Stalingrad was not a decisive turning point in the war. From then on, it was just a delaying tactical war against the Red Army.

6. On the western front, two mistakes come to mind: stopping his tanks and allowing the BEF to escape to Britain via Dunkirk, and switching from the bombing of airfields and radar stations to London and other cities....the RAF was nearly brought to its knees before that 'miracle.'

7. Hitler made the mistake of diverting resources to multiple designs, rather than picking the best and staying with it... example is the multiple tank designs.

Answer 5

Yes....the Allies just made less mistakes than the Axis did.

Not invading England before Russia. Leaving England allowed the Allies to use it as a huge carrier for military equipment. That also would have freed up nearly fifteen divisions for the Eastern Front. ( Germany)

Starting the war before they had more standard military vehicles Germany alone dozens of types of trucks to maintain. It was a logistical nightmare. They had to press everything they captured into service. (Germany mostly but Japan also)

Building vehicles that were technical marvels but too costly to build and maintain. ( Germany)

Not pursuing more advance airplanes. Germany had jets in 1939 but didn't start development until the 42-43.

If the battle at Midway had gone the other way, it would have been our carriers sunk. We got lucky.

I could go on.

Answer 6

Normally,High strategy maintains,and correctly, that land powers cannot wage war successfully against sea powers whose land strength is not inconciderable.I am of the opinion,
based on fact that yes the Axis(excluding Japan) could;
I have to say here something to our US friends contributors to this question:You are making the same mistake like the Soviets made, you speak like the war was won by you or because of you(See Deborin-"the Great Patriotic War",the western allies almost don't exist there...)well Gentlemen you are wrong on both counts: in comparison to the German army
the US army was...a sizable pinprick;in1942 the German army in its order of battle numbered 325 divisions out of which 50 were armoured*,and the Germans were superior in training and experience;the US army in inWWII fielded 97 divisions;aren't you lucky that Germany was not on your vicinity?how much time would you give USA?probably few weeks because the soldiers are brave...
I am sorry I had to disclose that but we should put some straight facts wright.
German High Command(OKW-Oberkommando Wermacht)
estimated that Germany would be ready for war in 1945;Hitler started war in1939;
1)Crushing the French in Ardennes,19th Panzerkorps(H.Guderian) was ready to capture the channel ports especially Dunkirk;Hitler stopped them in river Aa for 48
hours;had Guderian continued the British army in France would have been destroyed and the road to invasion of England would be wide open.
2)Germans arrived in the Channel and OKW didn't have a plan to continue the war(!!-invade England) operation "Sea Lion"was a plan prepared in a hurry ,requiring the Luftwaffe to
dominate the skies of England which was wrong since it only had to have superiority over the beacheads where the landings would be where the bombers could have ample cover from the fighters(within reach)
the subjection of the British Isles would be an excellent card to play for peace negotations...
Invasion of Russia should no longer be in the cards;but if it were it would be a stalemate at worse or victory at best;
USA would not have a platform to land in Europe and even if it had fortress Europe would have been impregnable...
So avoidance of some wrong decisions and the axis could have won the war...
I said without Japan because these miserable but vicious little bastards didn't stand a hope in hell against united states
but they were responsible for so much that I think that the US
army was too lenient with them...
I suggest you read "The Other Side of the Hill"by Basil H. Liddel-Heart...It will answer your question fully...

Answer 7

Yes. Hitler's biggest mistake was attacking Russia. If he had waited until England was conquered first, before opening a 2nd front, he probably would have been able to win and keep Europe.

Answer 8

Yes

Answer 9

yes, entirely, they were weeks away from gaining enough of a technological edge to beat us, it's fortunate we closed the door on them so quickly by bombing their industry and preventing them from building up the Luftwaffe and the army and navy again

(air-to-air and air-to-surface) guided missiles - they had 'em
VTOL interceptors - ditto
ballistic missiles - everyone's heard of the V-2
cruise missiles - V-1 doodlebugs, anyone? London? comin' right up...
jet fighters (besides the unreliable unmaneuverable Me-262)
super tanks
guns that could shoot around corners
the list goes on...