How to take over the world

[Anathema]

Germany would have taken over the world if they were the first to invent nuclear weapons.

The Americans got the nuke earlier because they benefited from knowledge from jewish scientists that fled Germany.

[Caid Ivik]

Hitler would have taken over the world if:

1) He wasn't insane making insane changes to his plans (eg moving forces from heading to Moscow to encircle Soviet troops elsewere, stoping the bombing of the RAF in favour of London, etc).

2) If Pearl Harbour hadn't happened (although even this might not have stoped him).

3) If Rommel hadn't lost in Africa this would have meant Germany would gain vital oil fields needed by both sides and could join up with the Soviet invasion forces by invading Turkey.

4) If the German weapons later in the war had been developed earlier (V1s, V2s, Tiger tanks, jet aircraft).

1) Most insane was an attack on USSR. Hitler just couldn't wait. Stalin wasn't preparing his army, he was no threat. First he should have crushed the west, and then seek some new - altough USSR was his primary target as written in Mein Kampf.

2) Japanese were aggressive before Germans. First wars in China (Mandjukuo invasion) were in 1934, with no special support of Germany. Their attack had no positive influence on the allies, USA just had to aim everything on them. Also, they were already supporting both USSR and Britain.

3) Rommel lost due to worst ally in the history - Italy. Italians never really knew how to fight. All wars in times of Renneissance were also held by foreign mercenaries. Also, material support was very bad. Axis failed to crush Malta, also most tanks flewn into russian battlefields.

4) In 1941, when all projects were slowed because all money were transfered to weapons production was no need for that kind of weapons. All enemies were falling. But also, Me 262 or Tiger had many flaws. First action of Tiger unit ended with all vehicles quickly lost. Other countries had jets too (P-59 in 1942, Meteor in 1944, rockets were commonly used over whole war - remember famous russian Katusa)

[Usul]

But the V1 was the first true intercontinental missile. Also in Normandy one Tiger wiped out a whole brigade of Shermans because they couldn't penetrate there defenses. Also Hitler would have won in Russia if he had taken Moscow and his forces were 20 miles of reaching it before he moved them away. If you doubt Russia would have surrendered consider the fact that Stalin stayed in Moscow and would not leave, he would have been killed or captured. True that America was supporting the USSR but not at first. They saw the Soviet inefficentcy in the Winter War (the invasion of Finland in which Finland held out for a few months by use of supieriour skill and tactics thus stopping the Soviets completly conquering there land giving Germany another ally) and didn't want to send help to a country which was doomed to lose. Clearly they turned out to ne wrong and changed there minds later. (OT: Does anyone know why the Russian KV1A was the tank that modern tanks are based on rather than the superior Panthers (the best all round tank of the war).

[Caid Ivik]

V1 and V2 could have some effect, but their full damage was miserable. It has some psychical effect, one bomb falling from pure heaven and blowing one house up. But then look on Dresden. THAT was special thing which has won the war.

Tiger was an annihilator on west, that's true. But against T-34 or IS-2, uncounting many tank interceptors (ISU-152, "russian Sturmtiger" especially) it wasn't so invincible. It lacked some armor on back. Tank battles were won by T-34, fast, maneuverable and still tough tank. There were built about 64 000 units, used until 1982!

Moscow was near the fall, but would they be able to reach Ural, centre of russian industry? Stalin was preparing to leave the Moscow. Much of administration leaved just before. About USA, they started support for the Russia just after first Germans penetrated their border.

[exatreide]

did the germans use the v1s or 2s on the eastern front at all?

[Caid Ivik]

That is the biggest failure. Megalomanic Hitler wanted to have strategical weapons, like allied bomber fleet. If he would use his Vergelltungswaffen as tactical missiles, specially against factories in Ural or Britain, he would have more chance. But what was main failure of them was their low firepower.

It isn't known if any V1 or V2 were fired on east. I think no.

[exatreide]

The blitskreig was a brillient means of military thinking.

Heck most of the nations today used a modified version of it in there military operations. look at desert storm and tell me if it dosnt look like the blitskreig.

[Caid Ivik]

Blitzkrieg was good against weaker nations, but it couldn't last long. Main strategy of it is a surprise, and after two years in Russia it does nothing. Nowadays is tank weapon close to obsolete status. Armies are getting smaller, concentrating as much firepower as one elite soldier can carry, combined with massive aircraft attacks. Main force is carried by air force, not tanks.

[Dunenewt]

Space Weapons are the future