Thanks. Though I think, in fairness, not too many people are arguing that any one event actually won the war.
The problem, I think, is that it is very easy to look back and see how things "should" have gone differently. Hindsight is a bitch :) I know a few people who have started a sentence with the words "If I were Hitler I would have...", and you have to turn round and say yes. Any sane man in Hitlers shoes could have won the war. But Hitler was in Hitlers shoes, and he didn't.
And then there are those who are often forgotten when discussing of the war. For example what about the Australian contribution; the Japanese are known for being resilient, refusing to give ground under any circumstances. But the Aussies had the same attitude and theirs was one of the most successful armies in the war (even in all time I think). They harried the Japanese on a number of flanks, that arguably kept them at bay where otherwise they may have won (or prolonged even further) the Pacific war.
Then there is the more complex matter of things which would have lost the war. This usually ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous; with all sorts of theories. But often ignores simple things like, the U Boats could have got lucky and hit 3 or 4 convoys in a row. Logistically that could have won Germany the war as easily as anything else. It's simply impossible to predict.
A lot of Brits will argue that us holding out for those crucial few months was what won the war; I'm not entirely sure I disagree, it was certainly an extremely important thing. But so many people forget the country was full of US, French and other soldiers at the time; it was multi-national resilience. And, at the same time, the supply convoys kept us going, again a multi-national force.
At the end of the day my History teacher at school summed it up best:
You will meet all sorts of people who claim they won the war. But the truth is people won the war; lots of people from different nations pulling together in the same direction for once. It's a thing to be proud of. But also to be sad that it is only in the face of war and eradication we can truly band together like that
The problem, I think, is that it is very easy to look back and see how things "should" have gone differently. Hindsight is a bitch :) I know a few people who have started a sentence with the words "If I were Hitler I would have...", and you have to turn round and say yes. Any sane man in Hitlers shoes could have won the war. But Hitler was in Hitlers shoes, and he didn't.
And then there are those who are often forgotten when discussing of the war. For example what about the Australian contribution; the Japanese are known for being resilient, refusing to give ground under any circumstances. But the Aussies had the same attitude and theirs was one of the most successful armies in the war (even in all time I think). They harried the Japanese on a number of flanks, that arguably kept them at bay where otherwise they may have won (or prolonged even further) the Pacific war.
Then there is the more complex matter of things which would have lost the war. This usually ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous; with all sorts of theories. But often ignores simple things like, the U Boats could have got lucky and hit 3 or 4 convoys in a row. Logistically that could have won Germany the war as easily as anything else. It's simply impossible to predict.
A lot of Brits will argue that us holding out for those crucial few months was what won the war; I'm not entirely sure I disagree, it was certainly an extremely important thing. But so many people forget the country was full of US, French and other soldiers at the time; it was multi-national resilience. And, at the same time, the supply convoys kept us going, again a multi-national force.
At the end of the day my History teacher at school summed it up best:
You will meet all sorts of people who claim they won the war. But the truth is people won the war; lots of people from different nations pulling together in the same direction for once. It's a thing to be proud of. But also to be sad that it is only in the face of war and eradication we can truly band together like that