" America's Biggest Military Victories" Topic

Don't like five choosen only, but at least they show some of them. The important thing is if you agree or not.
After all, a thread is for to inform or to "talk" about a topic.

"Is there an American way of war? The question evokes deep controversy, not least because for a very long time, Americans considered themselves an exceptionally peaceful nation. Even into the twentieth century, American presidents boasted about the nation's aversion to war and defense expenditures.

But even during the period in which the United States openly embraced pacifism, its military forces won some remarkable victories. This article examines five great American victories, spanning from 1780 until 1944. We're looking for neither technically impressive victories (although most of these are), nor predictable thrashings. With one major exception, these battles did not turn on chance or on the need for remarkable heroism (although such heroism was always present). Instead, these successes came at the end of well-conceived and executed campaigns, designed to integrate the elements of national power into a strategic victory. We're looking at how the United States built a series of advantages that led inexorably to victory, even if the outcome sometimes remained in doubt until the final play…"
Full article here.
link

Amicalement
Armand

I'll admit that it is a bit strange for a list of the 5 biggest victories to include one against itself in a civil war and one where they were didn't even make up the majority of the force.

D Day, see link for an idea of numbers)

Also: link

'D-Day was not a predominantly American effort. Rather, it was an Allied effort with, if anything, Britain taking the lead. Yes, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme Allied commander, was American, but his deputy, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder was British, as were all three service chiefs. Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham, commander of the tactical air forces, was also British. The plan for Operation Overlord -- as D-Day was codenamed -- was largely that of Gen. Bernard Montgomery, the land force commander. The Royal Navy had overall responsibility for Operation Neptune, the naval plan. Of the 1,213 warships involved, 200 were American and 892 were British; of the 4,126 landing craft involved, 805 were American and 3,261 were British.

Indeed, 31% of all U.S. supplies used during D-Day came directly from Britain, while two-thirds of the 12,000 aircraft involved were also British, as were two-thirds of those that landed in occupied France. Despite the initial slaughter at Omaha, casualties across the American and British beaches were much the same. This is not to belittle the U.S. effort but rather to add context and a wider, 360-degree view. History needs to teach as well as entertain.'

Why did we even bother to show up. Seems like you chaps had things well in hand. :)

I wonder how Europe would have looked if the western allies had delayed until 45. Would Germany have been able to hold longer in the east or would the Soviets just gobbled up more with much higher casualties?

I think the saying in the UK then about the Yankees was, "Over Paid, Over Sexed and Over Here !"

Yes. I can imagine so Legion. I don't know how long the troop build up lasted, but I imagine most of the UK was ready to get on with it.

True … and a number lasses did end up marrying some of those Yanks, regardless …

Oh, didn't mind you showing up. It's Hollywood hijacking the whole thing that we don't like. As in, often seems like, as far as many Americans are concerned, we weren't in the war.

Many Americans are not aware of a lot things that occurred historically. However, like many here, we all studied histroy and generaly know the facts. And just for the record, many movies, like "The Longest Day" and "A Bridge Too Far", BoB Series, etc. to name a few did a pretty good job showing the "Allies" in action. But generally Hollywood is not known for being a place for a lot of accuracy, etc. … The top movie last weekend in US Movie Theaters was "Dumb and Dumber 2" … so you can infer what you like from that …

If anything, I think Desert Storm and 73 Easting should be in the pantheon of greatest American victories…absolutely fantastic performance by the US armed forces (and those of our allies as well).

Frank