History GCSE today – Discuss

Interesting question…

I’ve always though the key point that turned the outcome of the War in Europe and ultimately dealt the winning hand that put an end to the Nazi threat, was the Battle of Britain. As Mr Boyle pointed out, without this little island fortress, there would have been no D-Day…

Another key part, without which the Battle of Britain might have taken another, less desirable path was Rolls-Royce’s Merlin… 😉

Britains greatest contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany?

It’s population.

I read somewhere quite recently – but can’t remember where – that Heinz Guderian was asked by the Russians what he thought the turning point in the war was.
They expected the answer Stalingrad, and were mightily miffed when he replied “the Battle of Britain”.:D

I have just finished reading ‘ D-DAY BOMBERS : THE VETERANS STORY by Stephen Darlow published by Bounty Books 2007. The British and American heavy bombers were ordered to aid the land forces whilst still at the same time bombing German and occupied countries industry and transport. Air Chief Marshall Harris in a letter to Portal about the lack of publicity for the RAF for April, May and after the invasion up to the 28 June 1944
when the British Army had 2500 killed and the US Army approx. 5000 since the 6 June . The RAF Bomber Command alone had 6038 killed wounded and missing. 5084 are missing of the missing we know from experience only 20% survive! Thus we have 2.5 more killed than the British army and more than the US Army: add to this T.A.F; Coastal, A.D.G.B. and 38 Group. After this letter the Air Ministry gave more air staff time to publicity so the story of the RAF before during and after the invasion could be given to the general public.

Britains greatest contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany?

I’d suggest the Battle of Britain.
If that battle was lost…and if the Germans successfully invaded
(even with air superiority, I’d suspect the success of Operation Sealion would not have been a forgone conclusion…discuss:D)
…D-Day as we know it would simply not have been possible.
Not to mention the combined USAAF/RAF bomber offensive and as the staging base for tactical air operations.

With Britain lost, where would the invasion have come from?
North Africa? Italy? Russia? Turkey or Iran?

It would have been very hard going for the Americans…and what few Commonwealth and French troops there might have been in that scenario.

History is always tough at that age. He has my sympathies, just don’t let him read this thread in case he starts questioning his replies. He’s been taught how to answer that exam, we haven’t.

Good question though. Did it really say “Britain” and not “Allied Forces”? D-Day was as an Allied endeavour

Battle of the Atlantic was a constant feature of WWII but to the question of how it contributed to defeat, I was suggest that initially it contributed to Britain’s survival, only later with some successes against the u-boats allowing easier movement of troops across the Atlantic for training in north America and allowing the US to send large numbers of troops.

I can see the point about Bomber Command taking the battle to Germany but what about the military industrialisation of Britain? The conscription of women from Dec 1941 and the massive expansion of armaments production enabled Britain to be ready for D-Day in 1944. But then that story is more about politics than action.;)