would there have been a WWII? The Allied and Central powers seemed to be near stalemate when the U.S. entered the war tipping the balance in the Allies favor. Without this advantage it seems unlikely the Allies would have been able to achieve such a decisive victory and impose the terms in the Treaty of Versailles on Germany. The perceived unfairness of the Treaty of Versailles and the hyperinflation it contributed to was a sentiment Hitler played on to get elected on his nationalistic economic platform. Agree? Disagree?

disagree

If the United States had not entered the war it would have dragged on and on. Perhaps there would not have been such a harsh treaty, but communism would still have conveyed the message that world leaders are callous to the suffering of the working class because of the bourgeoisie and that the working class in each nation has common cause with the working class in every other nation not the aristocracy or bourgeoisie.

Communist held up the first world war with its lack of intent as a prime example."What the hell were working class people dying for?" was the question. National Socialism was a counterpoint to international communism, eventually there was no middle ground and I don't think a prolongation of the war with more even handed armistice would have changed that.

Who knows...?
Germany would probably be the strongest country in Europe...
Oh wait...that's already teh case.
Never mind...

Well, now. The few military blokes I have spoken to and heard speak of their experiences seemed to all think that the USA was only good for partying after the hard work was done. I'm sure there were some sheer jealously motivations but most of my blokes seemed baffled by the assumption USA had even got its hands dirty.

Yet I've never heard a bad word said about the US from those that appeared in documentaries. I can't figure what to make of it.

US soldiers didn't start arriving in large numbers in WW1 until after it was apparent that Germany would lose.

Rome Existed wrote:US soldiers didn't start arriving in large numbers in WW1 until after it was apparent that Germany would lose.

Umm..."apparent" to whom?
As I have read it, the UK and France were basically running out men and desperately needed the reinforcements. Also since Russia ended the war on the Eastern Front, Germany had additional manpower to shift to the war in the West. While Germany might have lost the war in 1919 or 1920, they were certainly not beaten in 1916 or 1917.

Perhaps you should re-read your WWI materials. You may have missed several salient points.

IVoteNone wrote:would there have been a WWII? The Allied and Central powers seemed to be near stalemate when the U.S. entered the war tipping the balance in the Allies favor. Without this advantage it seems unlikely the Allies would have been able to achieve such a decisive victory and impose the terms in the Treaty of Versailles on Germany. The perceived unfairness of the Treaty of Versailles and the hyperinflation it contributed to was a sentiment Hitler played on to get elected on his nationalistic economic platform. Agree? Disagree?

Well the Brits realised after the Russian surrender, and it's flow on effects, that they would never achieve a decisive victory, but they thought they'd get a victory none the less... and they and the French were adamant that Germany be punished to the full.

Talking about Russia, they signed a humiliating treaty with Germany during upheaval and rebellion in their country, later, even with a stalemate, Germany with starvation, strikes, discontent and the pressures of war and Socialism, could well have followed suit, who knows?

One thing's certain, America was invested in the outcome of that war long before they sent any troops in.