In World War II, if Britain surrendered and the USSR had to liberate Europe from the Nazis to end the war, would the Soviets have turned all of Europe communist? If so, could the United States have beaten them in a future Cold War?
If the UK falls before the US enters the war, let’s say a capitulation after Dunkirk followed by occupation (this is almost impossible for various reasons obvious to those in the know!) it is very possible that the USSR would loose the war.There would be no battle of the atlantic, no 1000 bomber raids over german cities from 1943 onwards, in fact no bomber raids at all, no covert support for local resistance from the UK government, no North African Campaign, no Operation Torch in 1943, no D-Day - at least not in 1944 - and Italy stays on as an ally. That’s given.This vastly increases the Third Reich’s capacity to wage the war by reducing the drain on existing resources dramatically, increasing the total resources available and transferring some of the most important foundational technology from the Allies to the Axis.Beyond that, the outcome of the war hinges on a number of factors:How badly are the luftwaffe and wehrmacht degraded by the war to occupy the UK?Does the US ever enter the war?Does a vichy type regime under Mosely or someone similar co-operate with the Nazis?How much technology do the Nazis capture intact from the UK? This could include advances in radar, nuclear technology, air defence, the spitfire, designs for the lancaster heavy bomber, code-breaking, electronic warfare. All advances the UK handed to the US in 1940.What does the rest of the British Empire do?If the Nazis have a difficult time of it and nothing on this list breaks their way, they probably still loose the war to the USSR and Americans in the late 1940’s.However, if one or two break for the Nazis they probably win the war.If 3 or more items on the list break for the Nazis, they almost certainly win the war. For example if the Americans never enter the war, the Nazis capture most of the technology that would have been handed to the US and a Vichy type government co-operates fully then the USSR will be smashed by conventional means in 1943/4 and if the coventional war doesn’t go right for the Nazis, bogging down in a bloody stalemate, then a nuclear weapon - developed by building on the British “Tube alloys” project - dropped in 1947/8 will finish the job.What we will not see are the massive Red Army counter attacks from mid-1943 onwards, the USSR simply doesn’t have the resources due to the absence of US and UK help, as well as the greater losses they sustain in the opening stages of Barbarossa.
What are one or two sentences that someone has told you that changed your life for the better?
“The real measure of wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money.”I was a junior in college when I originally read this quote. I was living paycheck to paycheck working crummy jobs, sleeping on a deflated air mattress and would skip a meal every now and then so I could afford rent. BUT the caveat was that period was some of the best years my life because all the OTHER areas in my life were going exceptionally well.—I split a room with my best friend so we’d constantly hang out and play basketball. He was also thin financially so we couldn’t afford to do much else.—I got good grades in school and was even able to land a summer internship.—I kept in touch with my friends and family from back home via group phone calls.—I turned my financial shortcomings into a benefit by electing to stay home and read instead of go out for drinks.Before reading this quote, it was extremely easy for me to wallow in self pity. This proverb made me realize that numbers on a screen are JUST numbers on a screen. They’re not tied to my ego, self worth or self esteem. My self esteem is tied to the impact I have on the social circles I’m apart of.Being broke those years helped my personal wealth grow exponentially. I was able to cultivate precious relationships and figure out what my passions in life truly are.I’m not swimming in cash today, but I am in a much better position to succeed today than I was a few years ago. Chasing money is playing with fire. Eventually, you’ll get burned. When you’re face down in the dirt 100 years from now, the connections you made during your time will far outweigh your annual income.Appreciate what you have and don’t dwell on temporary hardships. There is light at the end of the tunnel as long as you are willing to see it.
Why was Germany able to defeat Russia in WW1, but not the USSR in WW2, and how did the personalities, leadership styles, and degree of competence between Nicholas II and Joseph Stalin compare?
Russia during World War 1 was in the middle of economic and political turmoil and a German invasion didn’t help.Russia had the largest military in the world at the time but it’s railways, roads and industry was inadequate to support an army that large. After large casualties in the Caucus campaign and the Prussian offensives in 1914, the Russian population was fed up with the war.Massive strikes and a revolution that overthrew the Tsar, left the military in shambles. Many soldiers left the battlefield to participate in the revolution and officers lost faith in the war and in their commanders. Eventually the Bolsheviks came into power and signed a treaty with Germany ending Russian involvement in the war.In World War 2, The USSR didn’t have the industrial power and economic stability to support a war. Stalin purged most of his top generals and implemented incompetent yet loyal generals to defend the Soviet Union from the most power and technologically advanced armies in the world. However there is a catch. With the help of lend-lease and the man-power that the USSR had, the USSR started churning out millions of soldiers,tanks, air planes and other necessary materials. Russia soon got into her step and won battle after battle supported by supply lines and industrial might.The defining factor that separates the two is industrial support and adequate supply lines. The Russians in WW1 wasn’t supported by industry due to strikes and revolts while the Soviet Union, although plagued by political instability at the start, eventually overcame the problem. Along side industrial support, cold winters, supply lines, perseverance and man-power, the Soviet Union was unstoppable.