Comments on: What if D-Day had failed? http://www.historynet.com/what-if-d-day-had-failed.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Mon, 20 May 2013 19:36:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Louie http://www.historynet.com/what-if-d-day-had-failed.htm#comment-820680 Louie Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:52:13 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13685741#comment-820680 Terrible answer. Saying 'failure was not an option' is a cliche and does not answer the question. D-Day came close to failure. It was a close run thing. For anyone wondering, the most likely scenario agreed upon by historians is that if D-Day failed the Germans would have likely lost anyway - just in a way that would have been detrimental to the West. The allies would not have been able to launch an attack for another year, and the element of surprise would have been lost. This would have given Hitler the breathing space he needed to dragging out the War in the East, using up his strategic reserve he wasted at the Battle of the Bulge against the Russians. However, the Germans would not be able to force a peace on the revitalized Russian juggernaut, and would slowly lose - helped along possibly by americans using the first nukes on Germany rather than Japan. After this, the victorious Red Army would have swept through a nuked Germany, Austria, the low nations, Denmark and France, and would have likely taken down Franco's Spain while they were at it. Facing the whole of Europe bar Southern Italy under the Red Curtain, Britain, Switzerland and the northern Scandinavian nations would have had to enter some sort of humiliating and disasterous compromise with Stalin and the Americans would have withdrew in isolation and even more paranoia and antagonism against Russia. The whole of western history post 1945 would have developed differently with the advantage in Communism's favour. It is a scary thought. Yes, this is a speculation, though it is the one I have seen come up most often and most agreed upon. Terrible answer. Saying 'failure was not an option' is a cliche and does not answer the question. D-Day came close to failure. It was a close run thing.

For anyone wondering, the most likely scenario agreed upon by historians is that if D-Day failed the Germans would have likely lost anyway – just in a way that would have been detrimental to the West.

The allies would not have been able to launch an attack for another year, and the element of surprise would have been lost. This would have given Hitler the breathing space he needed to dragging out the War in the East, using up his strategic reserve he wasted at the Battle of the Bulge against the Russians.

However, the Germans would not be able to force a peace on the revitalized Russian juggernaut, and would slowly lose – helped along possibly by americans using the first nukes on Germany rather than Japan.

After this, the victorious Red Army would have swept through a nuked Germany, Austria, the low nations, Denmark and France, and would have likely taken down Franco's Spain while they were at it. Facing the whole of Europe bar Southern Italy under the Red Curtain, Britain, Switzerland and the northern Scandinavian nations would have had to enter some sort of humiliating and disasterous compromise with Stalin and the Americans would have withdrew in isolation and even more paranoia and antagonism against Russia. The whole of western history post 1945 would have developed differently with the advantage in Communism's favour. It is a scary thought.

Yes, this is a speculation, though it is the one I have seen come up most often and most agreed upon.

]]> By: John Merkatatis http://www.historynet.com/what-if-d-day-had-failed.htm#comment-814211 John Merkatatis Wed, 01 Aug 2012 09:49:10 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13685741#comment-814211 Jon, I see that you are a researcher; do you know any researcher who advises a reader to consult only books written in his country? what about German accounts on the same subject? Do you think that the allied high command had taken into account that Hitler would interfere in operational decisions? and when he finally consented to release the armoured force,that force had to be engaged piece meal because the reaction was already overdue? I am certain that you understand that five divisions is not big deal to repel on the beaches and the force to do that was ready for the order to be released.A well coordinated assault by the German panzers and Panchergrenadier divisions would have mopped up the beaches;"Failure was not an option? that is not a sound military thinking for an operation of such magnitude! Counting the factors of a tactical situation,two out of three were against the allies....and you cannot count Adolf being on your side.In a normal situation the germans would have thrown every last man,tank,gun and aeroplane for that operation knowing full well that if the landing operation was unsuccesful,the allies had no hope of mounting another operation in the near foreseable future. Jon,
I see that you are a researcher; do you know any researcher who advises a reader to consult only books written in his country? what about German accounts on the same subject?

Do you think that the allied high command had taken into account that Hitler would interfere in operational decisions? and when he finally consented to release the armoured force,that force had to be engaged piece meal because the reaction was already overdue?
I am certain that you understand that five divisions is not big deal
to repel on the beaches and the force to do that was ready for the order to be released.A well coordinated assault by the German panzers and Panchergrenadier divisions would have mopped up the beaches;"Failure was not an option? that is not a sound military thinking for an operation of such magnitude! Counting the factors of a
tactical situation,two out of three were against the allies….and you cannot count Adolf being on your side.In a normal situation the germans would have thrown every last man,tank,gun and aeroplane for that operation knowing full well that if the landing operation was unsuccesful,the allies had no hope of mounting another operation in the near foreseable future.

]]>