I'm a strong believer that Germany lost the war by being to overconfident. I mean if they focused on the western front instead of opening up the eastern front, then maybe we might've been looking at a different outcome all together. After the countless victories over France and the Low countries, Germany could've easily won the war and finally invaded and occupied the UK.

Originally Posted by greenricho

I'm a strong believer that Germany lost the war by being to overconfident. I mean if they focused on the western front instead of opening up the eastern front, then maybe we might've been looking at a different outcome all together.

Different - yes, but not more beneficial for Germany. If they focused on Western direction and started operation `Sea Lion`, certainly USSR would make an coalition with UK and hit the Germans in the back. Hitler understood it and thus decided to deal with Red Army first. It was strategically right and wise decision in the situation Hitler was in the June-July of 1940, when concept of `Barbarossa` started.

Originally Posted by greenricho

I'm a strong believer that Germany lost the war by being to overconfident. I mean if they focused on the western front instead of opening up the eastern front, then maybe we might've been looking at a different outcome all together. After the countless victories over France and the Low countries, Germany could've easily won the war and finally invaded and occupied the UK.

Not Germany but Hitler, i don't think the Reichswehr was overconfident. The Generals tried to advise hitler but he wouldn't listen.
And no one is able to invade Russia, just not possible.

The Generals advised Hitler not to invade France, and what happened there ????

Sorry, i was referring to the late years .. after 1942.
The Invasion of France was one of the first steps- i don't think the germans could have been overdonfident at this Point.

Without a doubt the Germans lost because they were trying to or tried to fight two wars at the same time. If they would have been more patient in their planning and execution, we may be speaking, writing, reading German now.

It is probably time to re-phrase the question. Not so much as why did germany lose the WW11, but ' Why were Germany soundly beaten in WW11 ?'

Beaten and destroyed, rebuilt by the Allies. And now doing a grand job as a leading democratic nation, amongst the best!

Well, I would say that in addition to what I have already said, eventually the troops and the Nazi command staff felt that Hitler was losing his mind and they felt less loyalty to him, less willingness to kill, and most importantly, probably less willingness to win.
Germany I think has become stronger because of their friendship with us, having our military there I am sure doesn't hurt. Plus, maybe most importantly, like any other country, the majoiriy of the people are probably very decent and unlike Iran for example, some of these decent people have been elected to political positions to run the country.

Originally Posted by LeEnfield

The Generals advised Hitler not to invade France, and what happened there ????

Exactly. Sometimes Hitler was right and the generals wrong, especially the General Staff who by and large were composed of men who were very set in their ways. Before 1939, most of the German senior operational commanders and General Staff officers were convinced that tank divisions would never, ever work.

How were they supposed to know that the enemy tanks would lose so hard against the good german tanks
I think American Veterans still fear the sight or the sound of a Panther tank