Hitler Could Have Won….

Bombing of Germany

Unlike the Germany bombing of residential areas, the Allies bombed German industries and oil production plants and hampered their production of war materials.

During bombing raids from May to September 1944, Germany’s synthetic fuel plants were wiped out. Germany’s ability to a powerful army rapidly declined. Albert Speer, Nazi Minister of Production, also said that this was the single most critical blow to Germany.

If Hitler had done more to protect those areas, such as the deployment of anti-aircraft guns, he could have produced or replaced his army. He would then be more able to match up with USSR’s and America’s production capabilities.

Misuse of the Luftwaffe

Britain was an island, similar to Japan. America would later mine the waterways off the coast of Japan using bombers, together with ferocious US submarine warfare, causing Japan to nearly starve to death. Completely eliminating supplies of oil to Japan was also fatal. Britain at the time also had no oil fields, and was dependent on oil from the Middle East. Strategic bombing and mining of its harbours would have produced a similar effect on Britain as the US air attack did with Japan later.

Had Hitler done that with Britain after the fall of France, Britain would be forced to surrender and thus the end of the Western Front. Note that America was supposedly neutral then and would not have helped Britain.

Hitler had no strategic vision. He emphasises attacks on battlefields and failed to understand that the best targets for attack were far away from the battlefield, which are the industries and supply lines. If he did, he could have paralysed production in Britain and USSR. America was out of the question as it would be vulnerable to attacks due to the long distance and the lack of fighter escorts(fighters could not fly that far).

The bombing raids could also target various airfields and communication and radar centres of England, a strategy that could have hampered British air operations severely.

Extra tidbits

Hitler was a terrible leader. Germany had plenty of good military commanders such as Rommel, generals who led German troops to victory during the early years. It is unlikely that the allies could have managed to stop the German expansion by 1942 had Hitler stopped dismissing his commanders over minor problems. Germany could have won the war if Hitler let the outstanding generals do their job without his interference.

In North Africa, instead of capturing small towns, Hitler’s Afrikakorps should have dashed for the oilfields of Iraq and Iran, providing Germany with large oil supplies that could be used for the war effort.

Hitler chose to make enemies instead of allies with conquered people. He then had to spend supplies and men to settle the hostile population, implying less of men and supplies for the war effort. Things could have changed if Hitler was to be allies with the people.

Conclusion

The above mentioned are the key points in the German defeat. Had Hitler not commit them, the war may have turned out much differently.