HISTORY OPINION POLL 5: Who Were The Best Soldiers During WW2?

The disciplined German? The stubborn British? The cow boyish American? The deeply loyal Japanese? Or the Mother Russia-loving Russian?

Who were the best and toughest soldiers during World War Two?


We are not talking of  individual soldiers here. Collectively. Motivation. Bravery. Will to win. Who fight on despite overwhelming odds. But collectively


A tough question to answer.


What do you think?


Just vote in the poll on this site.


The majority often is right.


Let us find some answers.


THE FINAL RESULTS:

American	333 (12%)
Japanese	278 (10%)
German	1172 (44%)
British	131 (4%)
Russian	494 (18%)
Other...	222 (8%)

Votes so far: 2630
Poll closed 

HISTORY OPINION POLL 4: Men Of Waffen SS: Criminals or Elite Warriors?

As the Nazi Reich collapsed in May 1945, Hitler’s finest soldiers continued with desperate resistance amidst the ruins of Berlin.Throughout the great sphere of conflict created by the Nazis,there was one band of elite units, known and feared across Europe and beyond. In an existence of only twelve years, they won a unique reputation for immense fighting spirit and unfailing professionalism in combat. Yet, despite their undoubted bravery,they established a culture of fear and loathing. In many of the most signal triumphs of German arms and military strength, they played a role far disproportionate to their small numbers. As the Axis powers retreated in the face of the advancing Allies, despite repeatedly sustaining horrific casualties, their discipline remained unbroken, their fighting ability unimpaired. As the crimes of the regime were unearthed, they were burdened with the blackest crimes of the Nazi regime. For all their undoubted bravery, they bear a reputation which will be forever shrouded in infamy. They were the Waffen SS, and, to me, they were the greatest fighting force of the Second World War, and perhaps even of all military history. 

The Waffen-SS were the best equipped units in the Second World War. They were the elite of the elite in Hitler’s Reich. I feel that no Allied or German can touch the lofty position which the Waffen SS occupy in the military history of WWII. Despite their animalistic crimes, the Waffen SS seldom retreated and resisted surrender until the last possible moment of the war. In some of the most famous actions in history, the SS units were always at the front line. The greatest fighting force, in my mind, can only be the unit which, although only in service for six years, served with a gallantry and courage which was near fanatical: the Waffen SS.

Source: Scribd


ALSO READ "Waffen SS: Elite Fighting Machine Of WW2"

Guido Knopp, sums the Waffen-SS perfectly in his documentary “Waffen SS – Hitler’s Elite Fighting Force”: “Had that marvellous courage and unflinching endurance,the blood so freely shed been devoted to a cause in anyway honourable, the Waffen SS would have assured themselves of eternal. But it was not. They served and were inextricably interlinked with a system unutterably evil in any conception.Nurtured by lies, upheld by corruption, impelled by avarice,ambitions and naked lust for power. And thus, although the ranks of the Waffen SS included many who were blameless, its arms will be forever stained with the darkest hues of infamy.”

What do you think is the truth? That the men of Waffen SS were the best and noblest warriors history has ever seen? Or were they just bigoted fanatics? Or does the truth lie somewhere between?

FINAL RESULT OF THE POLL

Greatest Warriors	624 (46%)
Mere Fanatics	312 (23%)
Something Between	398 (29%)

RELATED

Waffen SS Divisons At A Glance: Part 1

Waffen SS Divisons At A Glance: Part 2

Waffen SS Unit Logos

WAFFEN SS IN ACTION: Rare, Unseen Pictures: Part 1

WAFFEN SS: The Toughest Soldiers Of The Third Reich

Rare Images Of WAFFEN SS

Waffen SS In Action

Waffen SS In France 1940: Part 2

Waffen SS: War Criminals Or Great Soldiers?

Waffen SS: WW2 Elite Highly Motivated Fighting Machine

Waffen SS Training: Personal Narrative Of A Recruit

HISTORY OPINION POLL 3: "Were German soldiers during WW2 the best fighters in history?"

Some historians, such as British author and ex-newspaper editor Max Hastings, consider that "... there's no doubt that man for man, the German army was the greatest fighting force of the second world war". Similar views were also expressed in his book Overlord: D-Day and the battle for Normandy, while in the book World War II : An Illustrated Miscellany, Anthony Evans writes: "The German soldier was very professional and well trained, aggressive in attack and stubborn in defence. He was always adaptable, particularly in the later years when shortages of equipment were being felt"
From Wikipedia 

Many think that the German soldiers during World War Two were the best fighters history has ever seen. Do you agree?

HISTORY POLL 3: "Were WW2 German soldiers best fighters in history?"

Result Of The Poll:

Yes

1101 (59%)

No

753 (40%)

Votes Polled: 1854

EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS. TO WRITE IN COMMENT BOX BELOW

History Opinion Poll: "Have Western Historians Under-emphasized The Role Of Russia In Defeating Nazi Germany?"

Rodric Braithwaite, ambassador to Moscow in the 1960s and again during perestroika, argues that the battle of Moscow is one of the most overlooked moments in history. Fighting over a territory the size of France, more than 900,000 Soviet soldiers died, a figure that exceeds the combined deaths of the British and American forces in the Second World War. For every Briton or American who died, the Soviets lost 85 people.

Braithwaite concludes that 'had they not been fighting the Russians, they would have been in France, and there would have been no D-Day'.

What do you think? Do you feel that historians, especially those from the West have not underlined the fact that if Russia had collapsed in 1941/42, the Allies would never have been able to defeat Hitlerite Germany. That the Russians have not been given due recognition for defeating the once invincible German army during World War Two.

The result....

Total Votes Cast: 130

YES: 74%

NO: 26%