Biggest Disaster in WW1 & WW2

[Sarevok]

What was the biggest disaster in history between the 2 world wars?

 

[Benderino]

Maginot Line.

 

[Patroklos]

Maginot Line was bad, but I would consider it a defeat of the inter war years as it was beaten when it was built.

I voted for Stalingrad. Not just the order to not retreat but the whole Caucusses campaign really. Was a complete tangent from the mission, which was Moscow and with those troops it may have been able to be captured the next spring, though it would have been a 50/50 slugfest by that time.

Hell, they could have at least used them to take out Leningrad and free the entire Army Group North that was just sitting there, plus secure one of their flanks.

Stalingrad just bled them to death, exacerbated by the no retreat policy.

 

[Sarevok]

I agree with that as well.

 

[Archer 007]

What was the name of the British landing in Turkey in WW1? I'd say whatever that was.

 

[Sarevok]

god dammit, Gallipoli. How could I have left that out?!?

 

[nonconformist]

The ANZAC and British Gallipoli landings in the Dardanelles. The troops were slaughtered in a situation that was impossible to win. It almost secured the First Lord of the Admiralty's, Winston Churchill, as responsible for the worst military disaster.

 

[Zardnaar]

Although bad the Gallipoli wasn't really a disaster. A defeat yes but they evacuated and it didn't cost the Allies the war.

With hindsight transfering troops from the centre army to the southern army in the USSR in 41 doomed the Germans to defeat there.

 

[Sarevok]

indeed, it was just a dumb move to invade russia at all.

 

[privatehudson]

I'm tempted to go for Dunkirk in many ways, but a disaster for whom? On the one hand you could say it was a disaster that the allies had to retreat so quickly and abbandon all that material, and that France collapsed. On the other it's a disaster for the Germans that they did not finish off the British army there and then. It's possible that such a result would have put the British out of the war, which to say the least would delay the opening of a western front It's quite understandable why it happened the way it did, but the Germans must have kicked themselves for not finishing the job or at least trying.

Personally I'll go for the no retreat duo, because IMO germany could have won in Russia, or at least negotiated a reasonable peace had the policies adopted by Hitler and others been a little more sensible and a little less fanatical.

 

[Mescalhead]

I'd say no retreat at Stalingrad. Hitlers forte was rousing the public, weaving seemingly for some, sound ideologies backed with pseudoscience, and getting in his generals' business, with which he had no place.

 

[Sarevok]

much like many before him, he just though he was a great military leader, but he killed his nation rather than leading it to glory.

 

[civilleader]

You should have specified defeat in terms of Germany, France, etc. I think it was Russia since that devastated both nations.

 

[marshal zhukov]

I believe that the poll has forgoten the Kiev pocket or encirclement: Encirclement of Kiev in numbers
- 665.000 russian soldiers became german prisoners.
- 884 tanks captured, most of them were obsolete probably.
- 3718 artillery pieces captured.
- 50 soviet divisions destroyed and 5 soviet armies destroyed.
(figures taken from Barbarossa - John Keegan )

One of the worst military disasters of military history and it is missing. I belive that the encirclement ended on September, 26 . The Pocket of Kiev was part of a double encirclement performed in part by Guderian. Does anybody has information on this encirclement?

 

[Sarevok]

that is reffered to as June 1941 in russia, it also includes further oerations involving encirclements of russian armies.

 

[rilnator]

Originally posted by marshal zhukov

One of the worst military disasters of military history and it is missing. I belive that the encirclement ended on September, 26 . The Pocket of Kiev was part of a double encirclement performed in part by Guderian. Does anybody has information on this encirclement?

That is a double edged sword though, Hitler tranfered his armour form Army group centre to South to trap these formations. In doing so he missed a golden chance to take Moscow before winter and the Siberian troops arrived. So it may have been a blessing in disguise for the Soviets.
My vote goes for the no retreat order in Stalingrad. The Beginning of the end for Germany. The Germans still would have been thrown back hundreds of miles but at least they would have been 200,000 men better off.
What about Singapore? Britain's greatest ever military disatser (and they've fought in a lot of wars!). How 130,000 men can surrender without a fight still baffles me.

 

[nonconformist]

I think that Gallipoli could have ended Churchill's political career-if it indeed had, it is possible Britain would have capitulated during the Battle of Britain, and hten what would have happened?

 

[privatehudson]

Britain might have sued for peace, but before then. When Chamberlin resigned the choice of his sucessor lay between Churchill and Halifax. Halifax, apart from being a lord was the foreign secretary and architect of the appeasement policy that had led to such a bad situation, but was much more popular than churchill in the parliment. Churchill was something of a maverick, he'd voted against his own government more than once, and of course, his reputation had been tarnished, both by Gallipolli and more recently the debacle of the Norway campaign. Halifax though refused the chance on the basis that firstly he felt a peer of the realm should not lead the country into such a war, and secondly he knew that the labour party opposition would never work with him, unlike Churchill.

Had Halifax not done that though he could well have lead the country out of the war during the climax to the Battle for France and sued for peace.

 

[Sarevok]

indeed, then the Germans could have moved unchecked head-first into russia after a major buildup. Greece would still be an issue, but without british troops it would be easy.

 

[Hurricane]

I voted for June 1941 in Russia. Stalin's purges and no-retreat orders in combination with the complete German surprise attack meant Germany was extremely close of crushing Soviet during that summer.