Was the entry of the USA in 1941 the main cause of Germany's defeat in ww2?

1. Germany’s Defeat in WWII
Was the entry of the USA in
1941 the main cause of
Germany’s defeat in WWII?

2. Which means…
There were several reasons to the end
of WWII.
 Entry of USA
 German weakness
 Allied Resistance (USSR, UK)

3. Key Questions
Why did USA enter the war?
Prior to US entry: Why did they
pursue an isolationist policy?
How did the US change the strategic
war? How crucial was this? (p144)

5. Today – An overview of WWII:
What happened in WWII?
- Hitler’s expansionist policy
- How did Blitzkrieg (military tactics)
help Germany deliver a string of
victories?
- US isolationism to US entry into the
war

6.  Before 1914-18, Germany had perceived itself as surrounded by
enemies who were superior both in numbers and resources.
 Thus, in order to win, it would have to match quantity with
quality.
 Emphasized the speed of decision-making
 Recognising that battlefield conditions changed rapidly and that
orders often became overtaken by events, the German army
encouraged commanders to make decisions without
waiting for orders from above.
 With this doctrine, despite being outnumbered in tanks and
combat aircraft, they were able to outfight the Allies at every
turn in 1940, and cause the rapid and total collapse of Allied
Blitzkrieg

7. USA Isolationist Policy
 Neutrality Act (1937)
◦ No expiration date
◦ American ships not to
transport passengers or
materials to warring
nations
◦ American citizens not to
travel on ships of
warring nations
Franklin Delano
Roosevelt President USA

8. USA Isolationist Policy
“I have said this before, but I
shall say it again and again:
your boys are not going to be
sent into any foreign wars ”
Roosevelt, 1940

9. USA
• Cash & Carry (21 September
1939)
• Allowed Britain & France to purchase weapons from the USA
provided that they paid immediately in cash
• Lend-lease (March 1941)
• USA could supply food, weapons, equipment to any country
whose defense was vital to the US
• Almost $50 billion was provided to the allies
• Implications: Ended US neutrality

10. Land-Lease Act
Why?
 France fell in 1940
 Britain only major Allied country left

11. Land-Lease Act
 USA gave Britain 50 old destroyers in
return for 8 naval bases
 FDR held secret dialogues with
Churchill
 Germany, Italy and Japan joined the
Tripartite Pact in Sept 1941

12. Dec 1941: Pearl Harbour

17. USA
• Cash & Carry (Sept 1939)
• Lend Lease Act – Arsenal of Democracy
(March 1941)
• Pearl Harbour attack on the US (Dec 1941)
• US physical entry into war

18. D-Day landing sites (6/6/44)

20. Contribution of vast resources
and manpower (pg 144)
USA contributed
1. Military equipment
2. Military personnel
3. Resources (Oil)
4. Money

21. Collaboration with Allies on
military strategies
 Helped achieve control of air and sea
 Air Superiority
◦ Larger airforce than Germany and Japan
◦ Long-range bombing of enemy
infrastructure
◦ Disrupted German production of war
materials
 Sea Superiority
◦ American Navy took over escort duties
◦ Better anti-submarine weapons
◦ Mass production of warships

22. Collaboration with Allies on
military strategies
 Greater success at bombing German
cities and resources
 ‘Operation Overlord’ D-day deception

25. Entry of USA
Context
Initial Isolationism
 Cash and Carry Policy (1939)
 Land-Lease Act (1941)
 Contribution of vast resources and
manpower
 Collaboration on military strategies
Was this the main reason for German
Defeat?