What if?????

The Soviets were fighting for their own survival. The Americans, Brits, and Canadians who landed on D-Day were fighting for someone else's.

Big difference.

 

Perhaps in the immediate term. But the Germans were clearly knocking on Britain's door.

Moreover, is there any question that if the Axis had been allowed to take all of Europe (including Britain), they would have immediately set their sights on North America.

We did have altruistic motives, but, still, we were fighting for our own survival.

Moreover, how could anyone possibly think that D-day was not a case of fighting for our own survival, but invading Iraq was?

 

By 1944 the Nazis were doing anything but knocking on Britain's door. Most of their men and material were committed to the Eastern Front. The back of German might was being broken by the Red army. The Nazis had abandoned Operation Sea Lion, the German plan to invade Britain, in October 1940, nearly four years before the invasion of France.

Absolutely. Indeed, pre Pearl Harbor, that had been the rational and argument used to sell Lend Lease to the American public. Neighbor's house on fire - lending him your garden hose so that your own house might remain out of reach of the flames.

 

While around six million Russian soldiers died in WWII, the soviets lost in excess of 20 million souls in total.
Some estimates are significantly higher. Those interested may find this table of value:-

http://www.magweb.com/sample/sgmbn/sgm80soj.htm

 

Yes, there are many questions. North America in the 1940's, much as it is today, is just about impossible to conquer.

Combine the natural obstacles with the fact that many American households have firearms (probably more back in the 1940's than now), and that equals a quagmire of the first order.

There is no doubt in my mind that the U.S. could have easily pacified Hitler if we let him take Europe. That we didn't says a lot.

 

The fact is the Russians played an integral role in breaking the back of the German army, and they paid a far higher price than any other Allied country. A far higher price.

And there's no bellyaching or whining from the Russians about what is owed to them for their sacrifice.

Ostensibly, one of the major reasons for our involvement in WWII (other than turning back fascism) was to allow the European nations a continued right to democracy and self-determination. That's exactly what France and others are exercising today - whether or not it is aligned with our interests. So be it. Live with it. To continue to insist that the French must always go along with us, and waving our flag in front of their faces in the process, is the height of hypocrisy.

The U.S. itself is extremely divided over Bush and company’s actions. Yet we expect the French to universally accept what we’re doing? Perhaps the French actions/behavior will be taken into account whenever the next crisis emerges that involves them and the U.S. directly. That’s how “justice” gets meted out. Until then, they are not annexed to the U.S. They owe us nothing. Get over it.

 

As I stated before, the Soviets (yes, Soviets...not Russians) were fighting for their own survival. The soldiers at Normandy were fighting for someone else's survival. If you can't see the difference, there is no point in continuing this discussion.