"How would the war have ended if America had not intervened? The carnage might have continued for another year or two until citizens in the warring nations, who were already protesting the endless sacrifices required, forced their leaders to reach a settlement."
This is crazy talk. Germany was a de facto military dictatorship at the time. The legislature and citizens had no say. The only reason the war ended as quickly as it did is they realized the stream of fresh troops from the US doomed them.
Like most military leaderships the Germans were delusional about their capabilities. It's amazing they surrendered when they did, instead of fighting the allies inch by inch in germany. Because they surrendered in a "moment of clarity" it created the whole "stab in the back" theory that Germany could have won victory but it was taken from them.
If the US doesn't enter, the privations of Germany aren't as awful, and their delusions of victory would won out over pragmatism. The war could have lasted years longer.
Maybe, but then the resulting peace treaty would likely have been non-punitive, and then the Nazis and Hitler would never have happened, along with WWII.
This is crazy talk. Germany was a de facto military dictatorship at the time. The legislature and citizens had no say. The only reason the war ended as quickly as it did is they realized the stream of fresh troops from the US doomed them.
Like most military leaderships the Germans were delusional about their capabilities. It's amazing they surrendered when they did, instead of fighting the allies inch by inch in germany. Because they surrendered in a "moment of clarity" it created the whole "stab in the back" theory that Germany could have won victory but it was taken from them.
If the US doesn't enter, the privations of Germany aren't as awful, and their delusions of victory would won out over pragmatism. The war could have lasted years longer.