Battle for Stalingrad Six months of continuous bloody slaughter on the territory of a huge city. The whole of Stalingrad is turned into ruins. The USSR fielded seven ground and one air armies against the Nazi invaders ....
Battle of Stalingrad
Six months of continuous bloody slaughter on the territory of a huge city. The whole of Stalingrad is turned into ruins. The USSR fielded seven ground and one air armies against the Nazi invaders. The Volga flotilla beat the enemy from the expanses of water.
The Nazis and their allies were defeated. Here Hitler felt sobering. After this battle, the Nazis were no longer able to recover. Soviet troops exhausted the enemy at the cost of their own lives of many soldiers, officers and civilians.
Defending Stalingrad, 1,130,000 people died. Germany and the countries drawn into the conflict on the side of the fascists lost 1,500,000. The battle, which lasted six months, ended completely with the defeat of the fascist armies, which were trying to pass to the oil fields of the Caucasus.
Battle for Moscow
The defeat of the fascist troops near Moscow was a real victory for the whole people. The country perceived these events as the threshold of an imminent general Victory. The troops of Nazi Germany were morally broken. The spirit of the offensive movement has fallen. Guderian highly appreciated the will to victory of the Soviet people.
He later said that all the sacrifices were in vain. Moscow resisted, destroying the victorious spirit of the Germans. The stubborn unwillingness to understand the situation at the front led to huge losses on all sides. The crisis in the German troops undermined faith in Hitler and his unsurpassed military genius.
Near Moscow, the USSR lost 926,200 fighters. Civilian losses were not estimated. Germany and allied countries 581,900 people. Hostilities continued for more than six months, from September 30, 1941 to April 20, 1942.
Battle for Kyiv
The Soviet military leaders learned a hard lesson when they surrendered Kyiv to the enemy to be torn to pieces. The Wehrmacht felt the weak training of the armed forces of the USSR. The troops of the Nazis began an intensive movement towards the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov and the Donbass. As soon as Kyiv was surrendered, the soldiers of the Red Army, completely demoralized, began to surrender en masse.
In the battles for Kyiv, the losses of the Red Army amounted to 627,800 people. The civilian population was not taken into account. How much Germany lost remained unknown, since at the beginning of the war the Germans did not keep records of losses, hoping for a blitzkrieg. The fighting continued for two and a half months.
Battle for the Dnieper
The liberation of Kyiv was worth heavy losses. Almost four million people from both sides took part in the battles for the Dnieper. The front stretched for 1400 kilometers. The surviving participants in the forcing of the Dnieper recalled - 25,000 people enter the water, 3-5 thousand get out onto the shore.
All the rest remained in the water, only to resurface after a few days. A terrible picture of war. When crossing the Dnieper, 417,000 soldiers of the Red Army died, Germany lost from 400,000 to a million (according to various sources). Terrible numbers. The battle for the Dnieper lasted four months.
Battle of Kursk
Although the most terrible tank battles took place in the village of Prokhorovka, the battle is called Kursk. It is scary to see the battle of iron monsters even on the cinema screen. What was it like for the participants in the battle?
Incredible scale battle of tank armies of opponents. The grouping "Center" and "South" was destroyed. The battle lasted almost two months in the 43rd year. The USSR missed 254,000 people, Germany lost 500,000 of its soldiers. What for?
Operation "Bagration"
We can say that the operation "Bagration" was the bloodiest in the history of mankind. The result of the operation is the complete liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders. 50,000 prisoners of war after the completion of the operation were carried out through the streets of Moscow.
In that battle, the losses of the Soviet Union amounted to 178,500 people, Germany lost 255,400 Wehrmacht soldiers. The battle lasted two months without interruption.
Vistula-Oder operation
The bloody battles for Poland went down in history as the rapid advance of the troops of the Soviet Union. Every day, the troops advanced twenty to thirty kilometers inland. The fighting lasted only twenty days.
In the battles for Poland, the losses amounted to 43,200 people. Civilian losses were not taken into account. The Nazis lost 480,000 people.
Battle for Berlin
This battle was decisive for the victory. Soviet troops approached the lair of fascism. The assault on Berlin lasted only 22 days. The Soviet Union and allied forces lost 81,000 men. Fallen Germany, defending its city, lost 400,000. The 1st Ukrainian, 1st and 2nd Belorussian fronts fought for the Victory. Divisions of the Polish Army, and Baltic sailors.
Battle of Monte Casino
Soviet troops did not participate in the liberation of Rome. The United States and England managed to break through the "Gustav Line", and completely free the Eternal City.
The attackers lost 100,000 people in that battle, Germany only 20,000. The battle went on for four months.
Battle for Iwo Jima
The fierce battle of the US military against Japan. The small island of Iwo Jima, where the Japanese put up stubborn resistance. It was here that the American command decided to atomic bomb the country.
The battle went on for 40 days. Japan lost 22,300 men, America lost 6,800 fighters.
The Second World War was the bloodiest and most brutal military conflict in the history of mankind and the only one in which nuclear weapons were used. 61 states took part in it. The dates of the beginning and end of this war are among the most significant for the entire civilized world. The causes of the Second World War were the imbalance of power in the world and the problems provoked by the results of the First World War, in particular territorial disputes. The United States, England, and France, who won the First World War, concluded the Treaty of Versailles on the most unfavorable and humiliating conditions for the losing countries, Turkey and Germany, which provoked an increase in tension in the world. At the same time, adopted in the late 1930s by Britain and France, the policy of appeasing the aggressor made it possible for Germany to sharply increase its military potential, which accelerated the transition of the Nazis to active military operations.
The main battles of the Second World War, which were of great importance for the history of the USSR, are:
By the end of September 1941, the Wehrmacht overcame the resistance of the Soviet troops in the battle of Smolensk. Covertly concentrating more than half of the troops on the Soviet-German front, the Germans launched an offensive against Moscow.
The Center Group began to implement the elaborate Typhoon plan. The Germans managed to break through the heavily stretched defenses of the Soviet troops and, having penetrated deeply into the rear, surrounded two Soviet armies near Bryansk and four near Vyazma. More than 660 thousand soldiers were taken prisoner.
Every day the situation near Moscow became more and more dramatic. Hitler's troops came close to the city.
By the beginning of December 1941, the Germans managed to reach the Moscow-Volga canal and, having crossed it, took Khimki. From the east, the Germans crossed the Nara River and reached Kashira. On October 8, the State Defense Committee decided to evacuate a significant part of government institutions and enterprises. In Moscow, the creation of a militia began, the city went into a state of siege.
Despite the difficult situation at the front, on November 7, 1941, a military parade took place on Red Square. Stalin made a patriotic speech. This made a tremendous impression on the Soviet citizens, instilling in them confidence in victory. From the parade, the troops went to the front line.
The troops were tasked with defeating the attack groups of the Center army and eliminating the threat of the capture of Moscow.
This came as a complete surprise to the German command. During this offensive, German troops were pushed back 120-150 km from the capital.
During December, they lost over 120 thousand soldiers and officers killed. The Red Army liberated the cities of Kaluga and Tver.
For the first time in all previous military campaigns, the fascist troops suffered such losses. Before the whole world near Moscow, the myth of their invincibility was dispelled.
The Battle of Stalingrad July 17, 1942 - February 2, 1943, which marked a radical turning point in the war.
The Battle of Stalingrad, one of the greatest battles of the Great Patriotic War, was a turning point in the course of World War II. Interest in Stalingrad is not weakening, and the disputes of researchers do not subside. Stalingrad is a city that has become a symbol of suffering and pain, a symbol of the greatest courage. Stalingrad will remain in the memory of mankind for centuries. The battle of Stalingrad is conditionally divided into two periods: defensive and offensive. The defensive period began on July 17, 1942 and ended on November 18, 1942. The offensive period began with the counteroffensive of the Soviet troops on November 19, 1942 and ended with victorious volleys on February 2, 1943. More than 2 million people participated in the battle at certain stages.
The battle of Stalingrad in terms of the duration and fierceness of the fighting, in terms of the number of people and military equipment participating, surpassed all the battles of world history that preceded it. It unfolded over a vast territory of 100 thousand km2. At certain stages, more than 2 million people, more than 2 thousand tanks, more than 2 thousand aircraft, 26 thousand guns participated in it on both sides. According to the results, the battle surpassed all previous ones. During her time, the Soviet armed forces defeated five enemy armies: two German, two Romanian and one Italian. The fascist German troops lost in killed, wounded, captured up to 1.5 million soldiers and officers and a large number of military equipment, weapons and equipment.
The motherland highly appreciated the historical feat of Stalingrad. He was awarded the title of Hero City. 55 formations and units that distinguished themselves in the Battle of Stalingrad were awarded orders.
The Battle of Stalingrad ended, the historical significance of which was recognized by the whole world. Stalingrad lay in ruins. The total material damage exceeded 9 billion rubles. And it was quite understandable the desire of people to see it revived and not just a city for residents, but a city-monument, in stone and bronze, with an instructive lesson in retribution to the enemy, a city of eternal memory to its fallen defenders. Every Stalingrad family suffered - 300,000 civilians were evacuated, 75,000 people fought in militia units and destruction battalions, 43,000 people died during enemy air raids and shelling, 50,000 people were wounded, forced labor in Germany was hijacked 46 thousand people.
The revival of the hero city has become a significant milestone in the history of the people, the country.
The Battle of Kursk July 5 - August 23, 1943, during which the largest tank battle of the Second World War took place - near the village of Prokhorovka.
The Battle of Kursk occupies a special place in the Great Patriotic War. It lasted 50 days and nights, from July 5 to August 23, 1943. This battle has no equal in its bitterness and stubbornness of the struggle.
The general plan of the German command was to encircle and destroy the troops of the Central and Voronezh fronts defending in the Kursk region. If successful, it was supposed to expand the front of the offensive and return the strategic initiative. To implement their plans, the enemy concentrated powerful strike groups.
The Soviet command decided to first bleed the enemy strike groups in defensive battles, and then go on the counteroffensive. The battle that began immediately took on a grandiose scope and was of an extremely tense character. Our troops did not flinch. They met the avalanche of enemy tanks and infantry with unprecedented stamina and courage. The offensive of the enemy strike groups was suspended. Only at the cost of huge losses did he manage to penetrate our defenses in some areas. On the Central Front - at 10-12 km, on the Voronezh - up to 35 km. Hitler's operation "Citadel" was finally buried by the largest oncoming tank battle near Prokhorovka in the entire Second World War. It happened on July 12th. 1200 tanks and self-propelled guns simultaneously participated in it from both sides. This battle was won by the Soviet soldiers. The Nazis, having lost up to 400 tanks during the day of the battle, were forced to abandon the offensive.
On July 12, the second stage of the Battle of Kursk began - the counteroffensive of the Soviet troops. On August 5, Soviet troops liberated the cities of Orel and Belgorod. On the evening of August 5, in honor of this major success, a victorious salute was given in Moscow for the first time in two years of the war. Since that time, artillery salutes have constantly announced the glorious victories of Soviet weapons. On August 23, Kharkov was liberated. So the battle on the Kursk fiery arch ended victoriously. military bloody tank Kursk
The Battle of Berlin - which led to the surrender of Germany.
In the second half of April 1945, the Red Army dealt the final blow to fascist Germany and its armed forces.
The troops of the Belorussian, Ukrainian 1st and 2nd Belorussian fronts from the line of the Oder and Neisse rivers launched a grand offensive against the Vistula Army Group and the left wing of the Center Army Group, covering Berlin. The troops of the 1st and 2nd Polish armies also took part in the Berlin operation. 41,600 guns and mortars, more than 6,250 tanks and self-propelled guns, and 7,500 aircraft took part in the assault on Berlin from the Soviet side.
The German armies covering Berlin had about a million soldiers and officers, 10,400 guns and mortars, over 1,500 tanks and assault guns, and 3,300 aircraft. In the face of formidable danger, the Nazi command concentrated its forces in the east against the Red Army advancing along the entire front. In addition, the Nazis were looking for ways to diplomatically avoid disaster. To this end, they tried to start negotiations with the United States and England on the conclusion of a separate peace. However, these attempts were not successful. Nothing could save Nazi Germany and its army from complete defeat.
Troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front reached Berlin from the south and southwest. On the night of April 25, in cooperation with the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, they completed the complete encirclement of the Berlin enemy grouping. On the same day, the troops of the 5th Guards Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front reached the Elbe River and in the Torgau area came into contact with units of the 1st American Army. Ten days on the streets of the capital of Nazi Germany were fierce bon. 8th Guards Army under the command of General V.I. Chuikov, the troops of the 3rd shock army under the command of General V.I. Kuznetsov fought their way towards each other in order to unite in the Reichstag area.
The Berlin grouping of the enemy was divided into four isolated parts. At dawn on April 30, Soviet soldiers, who had captured the central region of Berlin, stormed the Reichstag. The fascist leaders were completely at a loss. Some of them fled Berlin, others committed suicide. On the afternoon of April 30, Hitler himself committed suicide.
At 18 o'clock on the same day, as a result of a swift attack, Soviet soldiers ended up at the Reichstag building.
The troops of the 2nd and 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts in early May reached the line Wismar - Schwerin - Wittegburg - Elbe to Meissen, and along its entire length came into contact with the Anglo-American troops advancing from west.
The significance of the Second World War for the Soviet Union is enormous. The defeat of the Nazis determined the future history of the country. According to the results of the conclusion of the peace treaties that followed the defeat of Germany, the USSR significantly expanded its borders. At the same time, the totalitarian system was strengthened in the Union. In some European countries, communist regimes were established. Victory in the war did not save the USSR from the mass repressions that followed in the 1950s.
World War II, Great Patriotic War. It was the most brutal and bloody war in human history.
During the period of this massacre, more than 60 million citizens of various countries of the world died. Historians have calculated that every military month, an average of 27,000 tons of bombs and shells fell on the heads of military and civilians on both sides of the front!
Come on today, on Victory Day, let's remember the 10 most formidable battles of World War II.
Source: realitypod.com/
It was the largest air battle in history. The aim of the Germans was to gain air superiority over the British Royal Air Force in order to invade the British Isles unhindered. The battle was fought exclusively by combat aircraft of the opposing sides. Germany lost 3,000 of its pilots, England - 1,800 pilots. Over 20,000 British civilians were killed. The defeat of Germany in this battle is considered one of the decisive moments in World War II - it did not allow the elimination of the Western allies of the USSR, which later led to the opening of a second front.
Source: realitypod.com/
The longest long battle of World War II. During the naval battles, German submarines tried to sink Soviet and British supply ships and warships. The allies responded in kind. Everyone understood the special significance of this battle - on the one hand, Western weapons and equipment were delivered by sea to the Soviet Union, on the other hand, the UK was supplied with everything necessary mainly by sea - the British needed up to a million tons of all kinds of materials, food, in order to survive and continue the fight . The price of the victory of the members of the anti-Hitler coalition in the Atlantic was huge and terrible - about 50,000 of its sailors died, the same number of German sailors lost their lives.
Source: realitypod.com/
This battle began after the German troops at the end of World War II made a desperate (and, as history shows, the last) attempt to turn the tide of hostilities in their favor, organizing an offensive operation against the Anglo-American troops in the mountainous and wooded terrain in Belgium under the code called Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein (Watch on the Rhine). Despite all the experience of British and American strategists, the massive German attack caught the Allies by surprise. However, the offensive ultimately failed. Germany in this operation lost more than 100 thousand of its soldiers and officers killed, the Anglo-American allies lost about 20 thousand soldiers killed.
Source: realitypod.com/
Marshal Zhukov wrote in his memoirs: “When people ask me what I remember most from the last war, I always answer: the battle for Moscow.” Hitler considered the capture of Moscow, the capital of the USSR and the largest Soviet city, as one of the main military and political goals of Operation Barbarossa. It is known in German and Western military history as "Operation Typhoon". This battle is divided into two periods: defensive (September 30 - December 4, 1941) and offensive, which consists of 2 stages: the counteroffensive (December 5-6, 1941 - January 7-8, 1942) and the general offensive of the Soviet troops (January 7-10 - April 20, 1942). The losses of the USSR - 926.2 thousand people, the losses of Germany - 581 thousand people.
LANDING OF THE ALLIES IN NORMANDY, OPENING OF THE SECOND FRONT (FROM JUNE 6, 1944 TO JULY 24, 1944)
Source: realitypod.com/
This battle, which became part of Operation Overlord, marked the beginning of the deployment of the strategic grouping of the Anglo-American allied forces in Normandy (France). British, American, Canadian and French units took part in the invasion. The landing of the main forces from the Allied warships was preceded by a massive bombardment of German coastal fortifications and the landing of paratroopers and gliders on the positions of selected Wehrmacht units. Allied marines landed on five beaches. Considered one of the largest amphibious operations in history. Both sides lost over 200,000 of their troops.
Source: realitypod.com/
The last strategic offensive operation of the armed forces of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War turned out to be one of the bloodiest. It became possible as a result of a strategic breakthrough of the German front by units of the Red Army that carried out the Vistula-Oder offensive operation. It ended with a complete victory over Nazi Germany and the surrender of the Wehrmacht. During the battles for Berlin, the losses of our army amounted to more than 80 thousand soldiers and officers, the Nazis lost 450 thousand of their military personnel.
The Second World War was the most terrible and bloody war in the history of mankind. The world was in a state of "total war". The anti-fascist coalition won, but some of these battles did not always end in victory. The article discusses ten battles that changed the course of the war.
Battle for France
After the Germans conquered Poland in September 1939, Hitler turned his attention to the west. Invading the territory of the Soviet Union was his main goal, but he knew that, first of all, he needed to capture Western Europe in order to avoid a war on two fronts. First, it was necessary to capture the Netherlands (Holland, Luxembourg and Belgium) and France. Hypothetically, Germany could conquer Britain by re-deploying its troops in the East, and then launch military operations against the Russians. The German army outnumbered the armies of the anti-fascist coalition. However, this did not matter, as the German plan was very effective. After the Germans invaded the Netherlands, the French army and the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) moved north, coming face to face with German forces. This allowed the German army to break through the coalition defenses in the Ardennes and advance towards the English Channel, but it was a trap. The Germans captured Paris, France fell, and the British Expeditionary Force was evacuated at Dunkirk. The country was divided into German occupation zones, in which the Vichy regime was introduced. Now Germany could concentrate and strike at BritainOperation Overlord
By the summer of 1944, the Red Army was already on the doorstep of Germany. There is no doubt that the Russians could single-handedly defeat Nazi Germany, but Stalin pressured the West to set up a second front there and try to distract the Germans and end the war quickly. Since 1942, the US Air Force and the Royal Air Force of Great Britain have carried out a massive bombardment. The coalition led the Mediterranean operation and in 1943 invaded Italy. However, it was necessary to recapture France in order to destroy the main strength of the German army in Northern Europe. Operation Overlord began with the Normandy landings in June 1944. By August, there were about 3 million troops of the anti-fascist coalition in France. Paris was liberated on August 25, and the German army was driven back and on September 30 they retreated to the Seine River. Germany was forced to reinforce its Western Front by taking reinforcements from the Eastern Front. The anti-fascist coalition won a strategic victory. By September, the western coalition forces were close to the German border. Nazi Germany surrendered less than a year later. It was important that Western Europe could not govern Russia, which was already going through hard times. Battle of Guadalcanal
The Battle of Guadalcanal, or Operation Watchtower, took place from August 7, 1942 - February 9, 1943 in the Pacific theater of operations. The war was between the forces of the Allies and Japan. The fighting took place on the island of Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands). On August 7, 1942, the first Allied units landed on the islands of Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Florida in order to prevent the Japanese from using them as their bases, which were a threat to the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The Allies intended to use Guadalcanal and Tulagi as a foothold. The initial landing caught the Japanese by surprise. The Allies immediately managed to capture the islands of Tulagi and Florida, as well as the airfield on Guadalcanal (which was then called Henderson Field). Not expecting such an onslaught from the Allies, the Japanese made several attempts to retake Henderson Field. These attempts led to major battles, and ended up with the Japanese without support. In December 1942, the Japanese began to evacuate their troops. The Battle of Guadalcanal was of great significance as it marked the loss of Japan's strategic initiative and the Allies switched from defensive to offensive. Battle of Leyte Gulf
This is the largest naval battle in history. The battle took place in the seas on the Philippine island from October 23 to October 26, 1944. The battle was between the American and Japanese fleets. The Japanese tried to push back the Allied forces that were located on the island of Leyte. For the first time in the war, kamikaze tactics were used. As a result, the Allied fleet won a significant victory and was able to sink one of the largest battleships in the world - Musashi and damaging another battleship - Yamato. After this battle, the Japanese Combined Fleet did not undertake major operations. Battle for Moscow
Hitler intended to capture Moscow. This capital was considered an extremely important point militarily and politically. The original plan was to capture Moscow within four months. Hitler and his coalition make the decision to capture the capital before the onset of winter. Weather conditions prevented the Germans, but in December they were practically 19 miles from Moscow. Then there were heavy torrential rains. And the temperature dropped sharply and reached -40. The German troops did not have winter clothing, and the tanks were not designed to operate in such low temperatures. On December 5, 1941, the Russians counterattacked, driving the German forces back. For the first time, the Germans retreated, and Operation Barbarossa was a failure. Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place after the Battle of Stalingrad. The Germans wanted to break through the northern and southern flanks in order to encircle the Soviet troops. However, the Soviet Union knew about Hitler's intentions, and began to prepare for defense. The Germans delayed the offensive as they were waiting for the tanks: the Tiger and the Panther, thus giving the Red Army more time to dig and gather forces for a counterattack. The defense around Kursk was 10 times deeper than the Maginot Line. German troops went on the offensive on 5 July. This was the first time that a blitzkrieg plan had been defeated without even breaking through the defenses. After the failed attack, the Red Army launched a counteroffensive. The war in Europe would continue for another two years, but the Battle of Kursk was over, the Americans and the British could invade Italy. At Kursk, the Germans lost 720 tanks, 680 aircraft and killed 170,000 people. This battle was the largest tank battle in history. After three years of war, the Allies finally gained a strategic advantage. Battle of Midway
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan began preparations for the next operation against the United States in the Pacific. The goal of the Japanese was to destroy US aircraft carriers and capture the strategically important Midway Atoll, located equidistant from Asia and North America. The Americans managed to decipher the encrypted messages of the Japanese, and now the United States could prepare for the attack. On June 3, 1942, the Battle of Midway began. Combat aircraft took off from Midway Atoll, they began bombing and torpedoing during the battles like in the air. The battle was won by the United States, and it was a turning point in the Pacific War. Operation Barbarossa
The Nazi invasion of the USSR began on June 22, 1941. The operation involved 8.9 million soldiers, more than 18,000 tanks, 45,000 aircraft, and 50,000 artillery pieces. When the Germans went on the offensive, the Red Army was caught by surprise. The non-aggression pact was signed prior to the German and Soviet invasion of Poland. Both countries invaded and occupied Poland, but Hitler always saw Russia as a source of agriculture, slave labor, oil and other raw materials. Three army groups were formed; each of which had its own task. The group in the north was supposed to capture Leningrad. The central group was to take Moscow, and the group in the south was to take the Ukraine and move east towards the Caucasus. The Germans advanced quickly. The main battles took place in Smolensk, Uman, and in Kyiv. Panzer divisions could surround and capture three million Soviet soldiers by the time they got to Moscow. By December, they surrounded Leningrad from the north, reached the outskirts of Moscow in the center, and occupied the Ukraine in the south. Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad is the decisive battle of the Second World War, in which the Soviet troops won the biggest victory. This battle marked the beginning of a radical change in the course of the Great Patriotic War and World War II in general. The Battle of Stalingrad is usually divided into two periods: defensive (from July 17 - November 18, 1942) and offensive (from November 19, 1942 - February 2, 1943). The battle of Stalingrad surpassed all the battles in world history: in duration, in the number of people and military equipment. The battle took place on a vast territory. According to the results, this battle also surpassed all previous ones. Near Stalingrad, Soviet troops defeated the armies of the Germans, Romanians and Italians. In this battle, the Germans lost 800,000 soldiers and officers, as well as a large amount of military equipment and equipment. Battle of Britain
If Great Britain were withdrawn from the war, then Hitler could concentrate the entire military potential of Germany on the Soviet Union. America and the Soviet Union would have to fight the Nazi coalition, and Operation Overlord might not have taken place at all. For these reasons, the Battle of Britain is without a doubt the most important battle of the Second World War. The British Expeditionary Force was successfully evacuated to Dunkirk. However, most of their equipment remained in France. Germany gained air supremacy over Great Britain, and could launch Operation Sea Lion (invasion of the British Isles). The Royal Navy would have been ineffective without air cover. The original strategy of the Luftwaffe was to destroy the RAF. It was quite a good idea, but then the strategy changed. And that gave the Royal Air Force a chance to win. Radar was important to America. Without it, the RAF would have to keep its aircraft in the air. They lacked the resources to do so. The radar would have allowed the troops to wait and coordinate the German attack. By October 1940, the Luftwaffe had a shortage of combat equipment and crew. Hitler did not get an advantage in the air and Operation Sea Lion failed. This battle allowed Great Britain to rebuild its forces. After the victory was on the side of the Allies, Winston Churchill said: “Human conflicts have never been so acute as they are now.
