Why did Germany lose WW2?

Why did Germany lose WW2?

1. Actions of Allies

   • Bombing of German cities and factories-- especially Dresden
   • Food cut-out
     • Naval blockades from British marine
     • Allies had extra supplies from America

2. Internal opposition

   • Churches originally for war but by 1943 against it. Public priests against Nazis
   • Serious labor shortage by 1944- 13 million German men at war
   • 'Light Depression by 1940' after Ally bombing and news of war being declared with Russia
     • Nazi membership fell + 'defeatism' over war
   • Lots of military generals against Nazis-- Stauffenberg bomb plot

3. Battle of Britain-- by 1940 Germany had most of Europe but not Britain

   • Operation Sealion of 1940-- Conquer air above channel
     • Germans had X3 more planes than British
     • Germans had longer route to fight- lost petrol easily
     • Britain switched to smaller, more agile fighter planes-- X4 as Germany
     • Britain developed radar by 1938

4. Operation Barbarossa

   • Battle of Stalingrad
     • Hitler refused to retreat- 500,000 Germans dead
   • Siege of Leningrad
     • 1/3 of the Russians died = 1 million
     • No reinforcements- German too confident
   • June 1941
     • after 1st month-- captured land size X2 of Germany
     • 2000 planes downed in first 2 days
   • Autumn 1941
     • Germans killed 3 million russians + attacked land instead of attacking Moscow
       • Only got to Moscow by October in cold winter- Germans had no winter clothing
     • Russians had more time to prepare
   • Winter 1941
     • Generals wanted retreat but Hitler said no
     • Siberian troops arrived with winter clothing+equipment in Dec.
     • By January- 900,000 Germans dead from cold, lack of food and Russian army

5. Pearl Harbour attack brought USA into the war