Perspective 20th century 5 of 5
Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941
“A gigantic fleet… has massed in Pearl Harbor. This fleet will be utterly crushed with one blow at the very beginning of hostilities…Heaven will bear witness to the righteousness of our struggle.”
Rear-Admiral Ito — Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet — November 1941
This was an attack on the US Naval base at Pearl Harbour, by the Japanese Navy with an intention of destroying the US Pacific fleet. Launched as multiple waves of 350 aircraft from six aircraft carriers it destroyed or damaged fourteen US war ships and 360 aircrafts on ground. This was the key to its success for the Japanese as they caught the Americans literally napping on a Sunday morning with a sudden air attack. US lost around 2500 men. It was more shock and humiliation than the actual loss of men that resulted in Americans anger against Japanese which prompted President Roosevelt to declare war against Japan and enter the World war. Japanese after the attack realized that they had woken up the sleeping giant and this would have serious negative consequences for them as well as the Germans in the coming years.
Battle of Stalingrad (23 Aug 1942–2 Feb 1943)
“Soldiers of the Reich! This day you are to take part in an offensive of such importance that the whole future of the war may depend on its outcome.”
Adolf Hitler — 5th July 1943
Stalingrad was important to Hitler’s strategically because it was the transportation route by Volga river and also provided access to advancing German armies into oil rich city of Baku. Battle of Stalingrad was one of the bloodiest battles in the history where nearly 2 million people lost their lives. German offensive started in August 1942 and Soviets were able to crush the German advancing army and almost destroyed it by February 1943. It involved 700,000 troops of axis power and 11, 43,500 of the Soviet Red Army. Germans used airstrikes as well as ground attacks. Airstrikes reduced most of the city of Stalingrad to rubble. It also saw a hand to hand fight involving house to house fighting. Russians were not prepared to surrender and in November 1942 launched a huge counter offensive. As Russian winter set in the German forces weakened because of cold, hunger and lack of supplies. Hitler kept on pushing his troops and expected then to fight purely on their “will power”- which was a misplaced notion in such battle conditions. In this battle, Romanian and Italian troops were also taking part in bigger numbers alongside the Germans. It was in the end a humiliating defeat for the Germans.
Normandy Landing :
Operation Overlord (6 June 1944- 25 August 1944)
“Sure, we want to go home. We want this war over with. The quickest way to get it over with is to go get the bastards who started it. The quicker they are whipped, the quicker we can go home. The shortest way home is through Berlin and Tokyo. And when we get to Berlin, I am personally going to shoot that paper hanging son-of-a-bitch Hitler. Just like I’d shoot a snake!”
General George S. Patton — (addressing to his troops before Operation Overlord) — 5th June 1944
This was a major offensive by the Allied forces to liberate German occupied Western Europe- majorly France. It was in fact Battle of Normandy launched on 6 June 1944 and popularly known as D- Day or Normandy Landings. Nearly 160000 Allied troops aboard 7000 ships and vessels crossed the English Channel on 6 June. Allied troops consisted of UK, US, Canada, majorly and this operation was preceded by air attack involving 12000 planes. It took three weeks to secure the beaches, which saw the bloodiest of the battles as, allied forces faced firing from German troops who were well entrenched in their bunkers. It was a fight to secure a foothold in France so that the forces could then breakout into the entire French territory. It was two months that the western allies fought relentlessly against all odds to dislodge Germans from the beaches of France. Hitler knew that this was possibly the end of his story and his dream as he issued a war directive.
It involved 2 million allied troops and the Operation was conducted under general Dwight Eisenhower of the US army as the supreme commander (who later became the President of the United States). The Allied lost about 225000 men and German losses estimated at 450000 dead. This was the deadliest battle as it involved frontal attack against Germans who killed many on the beaches itself. It was also one of the shortest operations, lasting about three months.
Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944- 25 January 1945)
“Defend Paris to the last, destroy all bridges over the Seine and devastate the city.”
Adolf Hitler — August 1944
At the end of the war this was a desperate attempt by the Germans to turn around the war in their favour. Once the Allies successfully landed at Normandy, they moved rapidly towards Germany, much faster then expected by Germans. Hitler and his commanders knew that in such a quick operation, the British and the US troops will face supply and logistics problems and they would be vulnerable to attack. It was also true that Normandy Landings was a very tough operation for the Allies who lost a lot of men in the initial phase and the troops were exhausted due to weeks of combat. Idea of Hitler was to split the Allied forces into half and then encircle them and destroy four of their major armies quickly, which would force the Allies to negotiate for a peace treaty. Since the Germans could make a “dent” into the allied forces, it was called the Battle of Bulge.
For the Americans it was the bloodiest battle who had deployed around 840,000 troops and suffered a casualty of 90,000. It saw the best of American Generals lives of George Pattons, Omar Bradley and Courtney Hodges under the command of General Eisenhower.
Battle of Berlin (16 April 1945- 2 May 1945)
“It is on this beautiful day that we celebrate the Fuhrers birthday and thank him for he is the only reason why Germany is still alive today”
Josef Goebbels — Ministry of Propaganda — 26th April 1945
This was the final nail in Hitler’s coffin. US General Dwight Eisenhower didn’t want to inflict any more casualties to his American troops and therefore did not plan any major ground offensive. Americans were also aware that after the war Germany will come under the Soviet radius of influence. In addition if both Russians and Americans attacked Berlin simultaneously, there would be more firing than necessary. This therefore, was major offensive by the Russians who put up 2.5 million soldiers into battle along with Polish army. The offensive was backed with 7500 aircraft, 6250 tanks and 40000 pieces of artillery. They were opposed by a force of 766000 Germans who were well entrenched in the city. Germans lost over 100,000 soldiers whereas Russians had 81000 dead. Over 4,80,000 Germans surrendered and were captured.
Russians lost 2000 tanks but Berlin was reduced to rubble. Americans and the British contributed with arial Bombing Berlin continuously through the first four months of 1945. They bombed Berlin for 36 nights continuously only stopping on 20 April 1945, just before the Russians entered the city. It was again one of the bloodiest battles to finish the war. Hitler committed suicide on 30 April 1945, shooting himself through the head. On the night of 2/3 May 1945, Germany surrendered to the World.
“The release of atom power has changed everything except our way of thinking… the solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind. If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker.” Albert Einstein
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (6 Aug- 9 Aug 1945)
While Germany had lost the war and surrendered, Japan was still prepared to fight the Allied forces alone. Right from the beginning of 1945, Americans were bombing the Japanese cities, so as to demoralise them and get them to surrender. As late as 26 July 1945- almost two months after the surrender of Germany, Americans asked Japan to surrender. All warnings to Japanese of “dire consequences” were not heeded to. US had created the first atomic weapon under a secret project called “Manhattan Project”. Research began in 1939 with a fear that Germans may build an atomic weapon earlier than them. On July 28th, 1945 the Americans and other Allies offer of a Japanese surrender issued as “Potsdam Declaration” was rejected by Japanese. In such a situation, probably to save any more casualties, The Allies thought of atomic bombing. Under the executive orders of President Harry S Trumann, the American bombers dropped an atomic bomb called “Little Boy” on Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and on 9th August 1945; they dropped another bomb named “Fat man” on Nagasaki. A total of 166000 lost their lives in Hiroshima and another 80000 died in Nagasaki. In fact half of the deaths occurred on first day itself. Japan surrendered on 14th August 1945 finally ending the World War.
A thousand years will pass and the guilt of Germany will not be erased — Hans Frank, the Nazi governor of Poland.
There have been many dictators in the world who were responsible for killing millions of their countrymen and people from other nations. We cannot forget and even forgive people like Maozedong of China, Josef Stalin of Russia, Leopold II of Belgium, Hideki Tojo of Japan and Polpot of Cambodia. Hitler’s name is also a part of this infamous gallery. Such is the irony of making that people such as these always pop up to fool people and mostly suppress people to come to power again and again.
“Do not rejoice in his defeat, you men.
For though the bastard is dead, the bitch that bore him is again in heat.”
Bertolt Brecht
