Reasons for German Defeat in World War 2

Nazi Germany had one of the strongest military forces in the world at the start of World War 2. Additionally, the emotions of the German people were high for the supremacy of the German race and to take revenge for the defeat of World War 1. In just two years, Germany was in control of Europe except Britain and the Soviet Union. But the tides were turned later and the war ended with a decisive German defeat.

Top Reasons for German Defeat in WW2

There were several factors behind the defeat of Germany in the situation when it seemed to emerge victorious. The important reasons behind the German defeat are listed below:

Failure of Operation Barbarossa

The most important reason for the German defeat in World War 2 was the failed German invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa). Before this invasion, Germany had the upper hand in the war. Almost the whole of Western Europe (except Great Britain) was either under the control of Germany or neutral. Germany tried to use this advantage to annex the Soviet Union with assistance from its allies and several neighboring countries of Russia (Finland, Romania, Italy, Hungary, etc.). Germany and its allies remained quite successful in the initial stages of the offensive and captured a large swathe of western areas of the Soviet Union.

However, the German invasion only proved partially successful. The Russians defended their important cities of Moscow, Leningrad, and Stalingrad despite sustaining heavy casualties. Several other factors also played a significant role in the failure of this operation (severe cold, Axis shortage of troops and resources, etc.). Later, the Soviet counteroffensive not only uprooted Germans from all their Russian-annexed areas but also exhausted them to the point where any major offensive became impossible. Germans were even unable to defend their territory, which ultimately ended in the capture of East Germany by the Soviet Union (with simultaneous annexation of West Germany by the UK, the USA, and other Allied forces).

Battle of Britain

The Battle of Britain was another major factor behind the German defeat. In Western Europe, Britain was the only Allied country resisting the Germans. Germany had a powerful army but they had to cross the sea before they could enter Britain. British Navy was far superior to German Navy and it wasn’t possible for Germany to take a risk against Royal British Navy. This forced Germany to use its Air Force for military and civilian targets in Britain. The German effort to demoralize and later capture Britain remained unsuccessful. The resistance of Britain proved significant for the later liberation of the German-captured areas in Western Europe and Africa. The resistance forces of Free France, Poland, Norway, Czechoslovakia, and other countries used Britain as their base.

Italy – A Burden

Italy proved a weak ally of Germany. The performance of Italian forces in the Balkan campaign and Africa remained unsatisfactory and Germany had to assist Italy during these campaigns on a large scale. If Italy could perform better militarily then Germany would have more men for other fronts, especially the Eastern front (against the Soviet Union). Italian defeat against Greece forced Germany to intervene which delayed the planned German invasion of the Soviet Union, which later proved disastrous due to severe Russian cold weather.

Freezing Russian Weather

Russian severe cold weather was the main factor in the German defeat on the Eastern Front. The unexpectedly severe cold weather in 1941 was unbearable for German troops. Many German military personnel died in Russia due to the impact of the frigid weather. Russians, on the other hand, achieved their initial successes against the Germans also in winter.

Soviet-Japan Pact

At the start of World War 2, the Soviet Union and Japan signed a truce on their border. This truce was necessary for both countries, but it proved extraordinarily beneficial for the Soviet Union. Due to this truce, Russians had enough reserve men in Siberia and the Far East. As Japan had to fight against the USA in the Pacific, Russia was confident that Japan would not invade despite the absence of a large number of troops on the border.

This allowed Russia to send these fresh troops on the western campaign and they played a major role in the Soviet counteroffensive against Germany. Otherwise, a successful counteroffensive would not have been possible for the Soviets as they had lost most of their troops while defending the German offensive.

U.S. Arrival in the War

After the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbour in 1941, the USA entered the war in favor of the Allied Powers in the Pacific against Japan. Germany was quick to declare war on the USA. This provided a good reason for America to engage in the Western campaign against Germany. American entry into the war was also a major cause of German defeat due to its timing. The Allies got large numbers of fresh and experienced troops with modern weapons in Europe and the Pacific at a critical stage that proved decisive for the war.

War on Two Fronts

Taking lessons from World War 1, Germany signed a pact with the Soviet Union at the beginning of the war to avoid confrontation on two fronts. Later, the German invasion of Russia came when they had almost finished on the western front.

However, the failure to capture or weaken Britain and the arrival of the USA as a supporter of the Allies while facing stiff resistance from the Soviet Union on the eastern front created the same situation of war on two fronts for Germany in the ending days of the war. This ultimately diminished any chances for Germany to come back in the war and resulted in a complete defeat against opponents.