This video explores a hypothetical scenario: a war between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union erupting immediately after World War II's conclusion in 1945. It analyzes the military capabilities of both sides, simulates the potential course of this early World War III, and predicts the outcome.
Allied and Soviet Military Strengths in 1945: The Allies possessed a significant advantage in naval and air power, while the Soviet Union had a numerical edge in tanks and artillery, particularly in Europe. However, a large portion of Soviet military personnel was support staff, not frontline combatants. The Allies also had more troops in support roles per frontline soldier.
The Importance of Logistics and Supply Lines: The vastness of Eastern Europe presented logistical challenges for the Soviets, making their supply lines vulnerable. Allied control of sea lanes provided them with a much easier means of transporting troops and supplies.
Nuclear Weapons as a Factor: By the summer of 1945, the US possessed atomic bombs, a decisive technological advantage that could have significantly impacted the conflict's trajectory. The Allies could have targeted Soviet oil fields or major cities like Moscow. However, the accuracy and effectiveness of such attacks remained questionable, especially over long distances.
Technological Disparity: The Allies had a technological edge in areas like jet fighters and radar, which the Soviet Union was still developing. Though the Soviets did leverage captured German technology and espionage to close the gap relatively quickly.
Outcome Prediction: The video concludes that the Western Allies would likely have prevailed due to their combined advantages in naval and air power, superior industrial capacity, nuclear weapons, and ultimately better logistics and supply chains. However, it emphasizes that such a war would have been long, bloody, and devastating for Europe, regardless of the victor.
The Western Allies held a substantial advantage in naval and air power, controlling the seas and skies. The Soviet Union, conversely, possessed a numerical superiority in tanks and artillery, especially within Europe. However, a significant portion of Soviet personnel were support staff, reducing their effective combat force. The Allies also enjoyed a higher ratio of support personnel to frontline soldiers. These discrepancies in both the type and effective number of troops, along with the Allies' clear air and naval superiority, significantly influenced the hypothetical war scenario, favoring the Allied forces.
The vast expanse of Eastern Europe created significant logistical challenges for the Soviet Union. Their reliance on railways for supplying troops created a vulnerable bottleneck. A successful bombing campaign targeting these rail lines could have severely hampered the Red Army's ability to resupply its forces effectively, hindering their operational capabilities and potentially tipping the balance of the conflict.
