Lets settle this! Would the UK have survived WW2 without the USA.

Loads of threads decnd into this and not just on ATS. "we saved your arse in world war 2" is a hot contentious topic anywhere a American and a Brit come together

This thread is not about if the UK could have liberated Europe without the USA. Nor is it debating if the USA played a integral role as it did.

This is about if the UK was the weak defenceless kitten many in the states claim it was.

I say the UK was pretty safe. My reasons:

1) UK is surrounded by water
2) NAZI can not walk on water (don't think even North Koreans claim to have that ability....yet)
3) The Royal Navy dwarfed the German navy. There was no way in hell the German navy could have fought the royal navy head on.
4) The German air force FAILED to gave air superiority in 1940.

The Germans only chance (and it was a slim one) was to gain air superiority so there air force could cover the landings. They failed.

Even if the Germans had and landed troops it would likely have ended up in a defeat worse than Stalingrad UK plan was to let them land and them fight a delaying action inland while the Royal navy cut the Germans off in the Channel. No supply's would have meant a whole German army having to surrender.
Of course that never happened as they couldn't even manage to defeat the Royal air force!

Plus with Germany would have had the same trouble as in WW1 in out producing the UK as the Royal Navy would have shut Germany off in a blockade.

Hence the Reason Hitler decided to get involved in Africa and Russia as it was not for a laugh. It was to gain the oil and resources to fuel its industry.
And why the UK sent so much men and equipment over to Africa even though we could have used it at home.

so ATS what do you say?

a reply to: crazyewok

Or Germany could just blockade your island and starve you guys for resources (all while continuing to relentlessly bomb you as they were) until you surrender. It's hard to say if the US "saved" the UK as such, but y'all were DEFINITELY hurting without us and it's likely your upper command wouldn't have lasted much longer before being forced to surrender.

German at the time had Air superiority as well as Navy superiority with the U boats. Britain would have lost sorry. Things didn't turn around until U.S. had the new aircraft, tanks and destroyers as well as counter U boats. Now if the U.S. would have made these new weapons and sent them to Britain maybe. But then the man power would have been lower.

a reply to: crazyewok


We were allies. We helped each other. End of story unless you just want to start an argument

Yes we would survived without the US. Would we have survived without the USSR on the other hand?

a reply to: crazyewok

You have forgotten the one who really defeated Hitler: Stalin.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: crazyewok

Or Germany could just blockade your island and starve you guys for resources (all while continuing to relentless bomb you as they were) until you surrender.

That was not possible.

In fact they tried both and failed.

Sure the Submarines hurt but once we where organised into convoys there were not going to blockade us. Just be a Burdon. The UK adapted to that threat. Plus once we hacked the German codes that reduced that threat even more.

The German Surface fleet was never a threat to the UK.

As for the bombings? Well again they tried and failed. All they could do after the RAF won the battle of Britain was conduct very inaccurate night raids. By the end of 1940 the RAF was returning the same favour.

a reply to: crazyewok

It will never be settled, all we have is opinions and 'official' history.
I couldn't give a # either way, it's been 70 years ago people, if your personal identity is so wrapped up in this question then I think it's time to move on.
Carry on with the bitchin' in the thread though, highly amusing, always good to chuckle at rabid 'patriots' from both sides.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: crazyewok

You have forgotten the one who really defeated Hitler: Stalin.

This isn't a discussion on if the UK or USA could have won WW2 on there own.

Only if Britain could have survived. Read the OP next time

originally posted by: grainofsand
a reply to: crazyewok

It will never be settled, all we have is opinions and 'official' history.
I couldn't give a # either way, it's been 70 years ago people, if your personal identity is so wrapped up in this question then I think it's time to move on.
Carry on with the bitchin' in the thread though, highly amusing, always good to chuckle at rabid 'patriots' from both sides.

Why do you think I started the thread? To have a good chuckle

But was Britain really "on their own" ?

The Lend-Lease policy, formally titled "An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States", (Pub.L. 77–11, H.R. 1776, 55 Stat. 31, enacted March 11, 1941)[1] was a program under which the United States supplied Free France, the United Kingdom, the Republic of China, and later the USSR and other Allied nations with food, oil, and materiel between 1941 and August 1945. This included warships and warplanes, along with other weaponry. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941 and ended in September 1945. In general the aid was free, although some hardware (such as ships) were returned after the war. In return, the U.S. was given leases on army and naval bases in Allied territory during the war.

Lend-Lease

originally posted by: Khaleesi
a reply to: crazyewok


We were allies. We helped each other. End of story unless you just want to start an argument

We helped each other defeat Germany and liberate Europe.....

That's not the threads purpose though

a reply to: crazyewok

So you don't think that Germany wouldn't have been able to adapt to this?

originally posted by: crazyewok
Why do you think I started the thread? To have a good chuckle

Lol, you big tease

Air and naval (U-boat) superiority.

V1 and V2 rocket.

Had it just been Britain and Germany alone, the Germans would simply bombard you until you retreated and then crossed the channel.

Gonna be brief.

Probably, though If the Germans had given Donitz the u-boat fleet has asked for at the start of the war, the lack of supplies from the cross-atlantic convoy would've forced Britain to make a negotiated peace with the Germans.

A German invasion of the UK was completely impossible, however. The current establishment of the UK would've remained largely unchanged.

Great Britain, France and whoever else were defeated.
Years before, Germany had prepared for a world war, Britain and the rest of Europe hadn't .

Fortunately Russia and the US got involved, I don't think the US and allies could have defeated Germany without the help of Russia

Japan were causing the US a few headaches, nearly took control of the pacific

originally posted by: xuenchen
But was Britain really "on their own" ?

Nope.

The Commonwealth had her back from day 1.

.

a reply to: crazyewok

Well my furry little friend, you can thank Pearl Harbor for allowing the US government to get all the German scientists and technology necessary to screw the planet. Saving youze pommies was probably not high on the "to do" list.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that it was Australia that saved you both.