How powerful was the US Army in ww2?

However, unlike some countries, the American divisions would be maintained near full strength throughout the war. In the summer of 1943 the decision was made to build the Army to an effective strength of 7.7 million personnel. By 1945, operating strength reached 8.3 million.

What were American soldiers fighting for in ww2?

At the same time, the United States was providing its allies in Great Britain and the Soviet Union with critically needed supplies. Many Americans volunteered to defend the nation from enemy bombing or invasion. They trained in first aid, aircraft spotting, bomb removal, and fire fighting.

Was the US military prepared for ww2?

As the United States prepared for war, military leaders had a long list of needs—guns, tanks, ships, and equipment of every kind. One of the things they needed most of all, however, was people. In 1939, the US Army only had 174,000 soldiers, including the Army Air Forces.

How did the U.S. win ww2?

American war production — its ability to churn out astounding numbers of bombers, tanks and warships — was possibly the key war-winning factor, say some historians, who point out American factories produced more airplanes than all of the other major war powers combined.

How many U.S. military died in WWII?

US Military Casualties in World War II

Why was ww11 so important?

The legacy of the war would include the spread of communism from the Soviet Union into eastern Europe as well as its eventual triumph in China, and the global shift in power from Europe to two rival superpowers–the United States and the Soviet Union–that would soon face off against each other in the Cold War.

How did ww2 start facts?

Hitler had long planned an invasion of Poland, a nation to which Great Britain and France had guaranteed military support if it were attacked by Germany. On September 1, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland from the west; two days later, France and Britain declared war on Germany, beginning World War II.