To my mind its the battle for Stalingrad and the battle for Berlin.

Rather depends on your country of origin I'd say.

Theres no main battle as such but Stalingrad, Kursk, Moscow, Siege of Leningrad, Battle of Berlin are the best known among the European battles.

Battle of Stalingrad, not a doubt.

Though, it should be the battle of Moscow.

Rather depends on your country of origin I'd say.

I'd say :lol:

To USA its probably Pearl Harbor (If you can count that that) If not, then The Battle of Bulge. Though most Americans would say "uhhh D-Day" if you asked them.

This question is much too nebulous to answer. I could make arguments for the Battle of the Atlantic (more correctly called the Atlantic Campaign), Stalingrad, Kursk, Battle of Britain, the non-battle of Dunkirk, Guadalcanal, Midway, and the Normandy Invasion. So my answer is "the most decisive battle of World War II that you've never heard of, Khalkhin Gol."

@YNCS - I've heard of that one :D

Somewhat along those lines, the true decisive battle of 1944, Operation Bagration.

@YNCS - I've heard of that one :D

Somewhat along those lines, the true decisive battle of 1944, Operation Bagration.
It was a battle between the Soviets and Japanese in 1939. The Soviets won but had more casualties and I believe it was one of Zukhovs early battles.

In May through August 1939, near the Khalkhin Gol River in Manchuria, there was the most important battle of WW2 that most people have never heard of. The Japanese tried to settle a border dispute with the USSR militarily and were quite soundly defeated. After Khalkhin Gol, the Japanese kept the peace on their Manchurian border and assumed that all would be forgotten, especially when the Japanese did not take advantage of Soviet weakness after most of the Russian army was sent west against the Germans in late 1941. In 1942 and 1943 the Japanese did make plans to take chunks of Siberia but defeats in the Pacific and in Burma undercut these aspirations.

The Soviets did not forget, and in August 1945, the Soviets made a massive invasion of Japanese controlled Manchuria. This invasion was agreed to by Stalin at the Yalta conference in February 1945.

In April 1945, the Japanese government attempted to get Stalin to use his good offices with the U.S. to bring aobut an end to the war. Somehow the messages never seemed to reach Washington. By the time the Japanese realized that the Soviets were stonewalling them and attempted to reach the U.S. through Sweden, it was too late to avoid the final horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Recently opened Russian archives show that Stalin scuttled the Japanese peace feelers because he wanted to grab Manchuria and any other bits of available real estate. He was quite successful in his territorial ambitions in the East.

In May through August 1939, near the Khalkhin Gol River in Manchuria, there was the most important battle of WW2 that most people have never heard of. The Japanese tried to settle a border dispute with the USSR militarily and were quite soundly defeated. After Khalkhin Gol, the Japanese kept the peace on their Manchurian border and assumed that all would be forgotten, especially when the Japanese did not take advantage of Soviet weakness after most of the Russian army was sent west against the Germans in late 1941. In 1942 and 1943 the Japanese did make plans to take chunks of Siberia but defeats in the Pacific and in Burma undercut these aspirations.

The Soviets did not forget, and in August 1945, the Soviets made a massive invasion of Japanese controlled Manchuria. This invasion was agreed to by Stalin at the Yalta conference in February 1945.

In April 1945, the Japanese government attempted to get Stalin to use his good offices with the U.S. to bring aobut an end to the war. Somehow the messages never seemed to reach Washington. By the time the Japanese realized that the Soviets were stonewalling them and attempted to reach the U.S. through Sweden, it was too late to avoid the final horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Recently opened Russian archives show that Stalin scuttled the Japanese peace feelers because he wanted to grab Manchuria and any other bits of available real estate. He was quite successful in his territorial ambitions in the East.

Fair enough but I don't see the impact of this battle. I think Stalin and the Soviets would have taken Manchuria even if Japan had not attacked them in 1939.

@Blindside - The impact of Khalkin-Ghol was that the Japanese (who took a lot more
casualties than the Soviets in receiving their drubbing) were moved to seek a
nonagression pact with Moscow (signed in 1940). Because of this, Stalin was able
in October/November 1941 to transfer the divisions he needed to stop
the Germans before Moscow. It also gave the wing of the Japanese military which
wanted to concentrate on the Pacific and Southeast Asia the leverage they needed
to get their way, leading to Pearl Harbor and American involvement in the war.

And as YNCS said, once that started, the fighting in the south prevented an
attack on the SU in 1942 or 1943.

So Khalkin-Ghol had a large impact indeed.

battle of satlingrad and Battle of Britian are the most important victorys. Also very famous Battle of El Amian, battle of the bulge, Battle of Iwo Jima, Battle of Midway, Battle of Leingrad. All very famous and important. Some Battles are better known as there Operation name, like Operation Overlord, Operation Marketgarden and Operation Torch

the battles that dicided the war......1942...........as early as that really
stalingrad
el alamin
midway

WWII actually consisted of about 5 separate wars. Germany vs west europe, west europe vs communism, usa vs japan, usa/uk vs germany, china vs japan. All thses conflicts have there own separate pivital battles thta's whys its so hard to pick a single one.

I would say Midway and Stalingrad stand out most in my mind.

Supremely important battles (my view)
Midway - Japan could have taken bases at Midway and Hawaii.
El Alamein - Gemany could have closed off supply and communication lines.
Stalingrad - Germany could have occupied more cities and oil fields.
Battle of Britain - Gemany could have destroyed RAF and used an invasion force to draw the RN into bomber range.
Atlantic Campaign - Germany could have starved Britain into surrender

Othe important battles
Crete
Gaudacanal
Normandy
Battle of the Bulge

Stalingrad, Midway and El-Alamein were most decisive battles, in my opinion.

Probably Midway was the MOST decisive.

I don't know much about the Pacific theater mainly because I have little interest with it. However in the European theater the most important was probably the battle at Moscow. The Russians lost a lot of men but they managed to push the Germans back dispelling the invincibility myth of the Germans. It was a symbolic victory. If the Germans had taken Moscow it is possible that the Soviet Union would crumble. Stalin had already moved the government out but the morale of the nation would collapse and possibly leading to a quick defeat and surrender by the Soviet troops. The Germans lost a lot more men at Stalingrad but I feel by 1942 (looking back historically) the Germans were doomed anyway. Its hard to say with the Eastern Front. In some ways it was the three German army groups failures to capture Leningrad, Moscow and Stalingrad which all contributed to the German defeat.

I'm really not sure of the impact of El-Alamein. It was the first victory for the Western allies but in reality the German army led by Rommel was tiny and undersupplied. They weren't going to get very far anyway. I suppose in many ways the battles in the Western Front were important due to their impact with the Cold War then actually beating the Germans. I know the British members here have great pride in their country but the importance of the Battle of Britain and Normandy, Bulge etc. is way overrated. The most important result of the German failure during the battle of Britain was that it allowed to keep more lines open to supplying the Russians.

The BoB helped to inflict significant losses on the Luftwaffe's planes and pilots whilst they were being used in a role they were emminently unsuited for. Those kind of losses cannot have failed to impact on the luftwaffe's subsequent peformances. Personally I rate that higher in importance than the idea that the BoB saved the UK from invasion on the basis that I've never been entirely convinced that it was feasible for the Germans to do so.

As for the importance of various W. allied battles, I'd disagree that their impact was that low, especially D-Day, Bulge, Atlantic and the Air campaign.

You could make strong arguments for numerous engagments. It would be supremely difficult (impossible?) to single-out one of them.

I'm really not sure of the impact of El-Alamein. It was the first victory for the Western allies but in reality the German army led by Rommel was tiny and undersupplied. They weren't going to get very far anyway.



If the Germans had won, they could have resupplied at Alexandria, controlled all traffic on the Suez, and been in Syria within 2 months. And that's exactly what Hitler had in mind. Look up "Plan Orient" sometime, eh?

The most important result of the German failure during the battle of Britain was that it allowed to keep more lines open to supplying the Russians.

:confused: Russia and German non-agression pact was still in effect during Battle of Britain. Stalin would not have accepted any supplies from Britain at the time (not that any could be spared, of course).

If the Germans had won, they could have resupplied at Alexandria, controlled all traffic on the Suez, and been in Syria within 2 months. And that's exactly what Hitler had in mind. Look up "Plan Orient" sometime, eh?


And at the point would the Russian army magically crumble the Germans win the war?

usa vs japan

there were a few other nations, it wasnt like Uncle Sam beat Japan on its own.

there were a few other nations, it wasnt like Uncle Sam beat Japan on its own.

there were? next you'll tell us that Canadians landed in Normandy on D-Day and liberated the Netherlands... :p

And at the point would the Russian army magically crumble the Germans win the war?

That was the plan, yes. I can see you haven't actually bothered to look up Plan Orient.

People, the question is which was the main or the most famous.

Which is in fact two questions...I'd find it hard to dispute the Battle of Stalingrad as being the most famous, as for the main battle, again it would be hard to choose any other battle as it is there where the tide clearly turned.

The tide clearly turned in the Pacific at Midway.

For the Pacific theatre I would have to defintley say the Battle of Midway. It was first decisive strike/revenge aganist the Japenesse from Pearl Harbor. For the European Theatre, it would have to be D-Day. It was the first step towards the end of the war. Also, if it failed, Hitler could have easily won the war. Pretty much all of the assests of the Allies were put into D-Day.

The tide clearly turned in the Pacific at Midway.

Cos Japan was such a threat and had any prospect of victory :lol:

Stalingrad, 2 milion dead, big german army captured, tide turned...

Most famous mainly Battle of Stalingrad or D-Day.

To USA its probably Pearl Harbor (If you can count that that) If not, then The Battle of Bulge. Though most Americans would say "uhhh D-Day" if you asked them.

Are you american? you sure have alot of ideas of what they'd pick.

I kinda like #1 Stalingrad
#2 1940 Blitz of Franch and the lowlands

In Europe, Kursk. Stalingrad is more famous, but IMO it only
settled that Germany would not win. Kursk settled that Germany
would be defeated.

D-day was much more important for the Cold War than WWII.
Germany was already doomed at that point, so it while it speeded
the end of the war, it did not decide anything. What it did do
was keep the Red Army out of western Europe.

The air campaign was much more significant because it
provided the Russians nontrivial relief in 1943 (Luftwaffe losses in
the West exceeded those in the East, even isolating the period
around Kursk).

I think that Kursk was a waste, a foolish gamble. The germans attacked the most heavily defended portion of the front. They even rushed the battle before all the bugs got worked out of their new tanks. They never had a chance.

Stalingrad is different if not equally stupid. Both side were more evenly matched and the battle could have gone either way. But from a strategic perspective, germany should have never faught that battle.

All of WWII was decided by the end of 1942, if not sooner. By not achieving their objectives that year, the axis sealed their fate.

No, the war was decided after Kursk. A more normal man than Hitler would have heard on his generals, especially Guderian and Manstein, who both said they should wait with an offensive for one year. Then there should have been enough Panther and Tiger to crush the Soviets. This chance indeed existed.
Stalingrad was in no way a decisive battl. It was not more than a morale turning point in Germany. Kursk was decisive.

Adler

Waiting one year would have allowed the Soviets to re-arm as well. Their tanks were better and they would have had even more of them, planes and artillery. At Kursk the germans were outnumbered as it was.

It is clear that by the summer of 1943, germany was incapable of any decisive offensive capability. What ever fine men and equipment they had were squandered in a futile attempt at victory. 1943 was a last best chance, but the tide had turned.

The war was lost at Stalingrad. I just don't see the military significance of that entire campaign. Why drive so far east? Why not go after Moscow again?

I know because of oil in the caucasus, but that army was very nearly captured along with the 6th army. The flank was extremely vulnerable. Further more, the transport capacity of the luftwaffe was sacrificed along with the cream of the german army.

The whole thing boggles my mind.

Are you american? you sure have alot of ideas of what they'd pick.

I kinda like #1 Stalingrad
#2 1940 Blitz of Franch and the lowlands


I am, and remember, most Americans, think USA single handedly beat Germany and Japan, with no help from anyone. Alot of Americans barely no the diffrence between WWI and WWII. I was talking to a guy who was 26 and thought we fought Russia in WWII.

I was talking to a guy who was 26 and thought we fought Russia in WWII.

:lol: Someone should elminate these kind of people from the gene pool ;)

I'd count both Normandy and Midway as important but not vital, since eventaully the axis powers would have been weakened. A Japanese victory at Midway would have crippled the American navy for several years, but Japan would evenually have been defeated since they could not match the American industrial power. A German victory at Normandy would not have defeated the Allies, since Germany was losing already.

Battle of Stalingrad, not a doubt.

Though, it should be the battle of Moscow.

I agree. Moscow was important coz it saved the Soviets and dealt Hitler his first real defeat but Stalingrad has it's rep because of the high casualties the Germans took and the retreat across the Ukraine afterwards. Moscow however gets a higher ranking because after this battle the Germans were never going to win in the east.

I think the Battle of Britain is probably the most famous but in terms of importance it is way down the scale.

Stalingrad is different if not equally stupid. Both side were more evenly matched and the battle could have gone either way. But from a strategic perspective, germany should have never faught that battle.

The Battle could have gone either way? the Germans plugged away at that city for about 6 months without taking it. If the Russians had of lost Stalingrad the impact on their armies would have been no where near as great as the final, catastrophic outcome the Germans were dealt.

I think they should have fought the battle but only after the Caucasus was secured.

Kursk would be an important one

I must go with Battle of the Bulge. One of the most crippling defeats of the german army.
Guadalcanal was the major turning point in the Pacific war, so that has to be up there.

I must go with Battle of the Bulge. One of the most crippling defeats of the german army.

Bulge was more of a near final deathblow. The German army was already crippled by then and even if they did succeed in breaking through the allied lines, they weren't going to win the war.

Most people I talk to associate WW2 with two things- Pearl Harbor and D-Day. I'd say those two events are the "most famous" over here.

Most Americans don't realize that WW2 started over two years before Pearl Harbor, and that 2/3 of German casualties occurred on the Eastern Front.

Most Americans don't realize that WW2 started over two years before Pearl Harbor, and that 2/3 of German casualties occurred on the Eastern Front.
There were 200 German divisions on the Eastern front versus 50 in France on DDay after the Russians had already killed and captured millions of German soldiers and annihilated half of Army Group South. Prior to the Allied invasion, Western Europe was used to send battered and broken troops while the fresh ones were being poured into the East. There are German soldiers that said it was like a vacation fighting in the west compared to the east.

You can't judge the relative strength by sheer number of divisions. Hitler was obsessed (when wasn't he obsessed?) with always having a large number of divisions. In reality by 1944 they weren't full strength or anywhere near it. German divisions had less troop strenght than their allied counter part to begin with. By te end of the war they were just shells.