They talk about World War II even in high school in history lessons. Everyone knows about the tyranny of Hitler, the Holocaust, the attack on Pearl Harbor. But there are also such facts about the war, which are known only to those who are seriously studying the history of this period.
1. The German army was significantly inferior in size to the French army
Damaged German tanks in North Africa
photo: warhistoryonline.com
Many believe that the German army in 1940 was significantly superior in numbers and weapons to the enemy. Although the German armed forces appeared to be very modern and mechanized, the German army was outnumbered by the French army.
When the Germans attacked France on May 10, 1940, they only had mechanized transport in 16 of 135 units. The rest used horses, carts and even walked. France had 117 divisions, all of them ready for modern warfare. Also, France had more artillery pieces (more than 10,700 versus 7,378 in Germany). And that's not to mention the greater number of tanks from the French.
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2. Britain had almost no infantry
British Spitfire
photo: warhistoryonline.com
The British Armed Forces were mostly concentrated in air and sea units. But after the fall of France, it turned out that the British needed more infantry. Nevertheless, until the spring of 1944, most of the British military was still concentrated in the navy and air force. Even though Britain never had more than 750 infantry at the same time, the country built a whopping 132,500 aircraft.
3. The losses of allied ships amounted to about one percent
Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal and Swordfish flight
photo: warhistoryonline.com
The number of Allied ships during the Second World War was approximately 323,090 ships. Of these, about 4,786 were sunk, 2,562 of which were British. Thus, the loss of the allies between the North Atlantic, Arctic and inland waters amounted to 1.48% of the fleet. This number seems all the more surprising given the number of casualties in other sectors of the front.
4. There was no hunger in England
Line for rations, London, 1945
photo: warhistoryonline.com
After the outbreak of war, there was no food rationing in England and France, unlike Germany. Germany, on the other hand, was constantly faced with hunger throughout the war, and not only civilians, but also the armed forces. So when the Germans defeated France in June 1940, they began removing food from the occupied territories, leading to famine and food rationing in many parts of France. In 1940, rationing began in Great Britain as well, but the British never really went hungry like people in other countries.
5. The Japanese had kamikaze rockets
Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka
photo: warhistoryonline.com
Not only some Germans had rockets. The Japanese also had their own rockets that were operated by humans. They were called Ohka, which means "cherry blossoms". The Japanese armed forces had less advanced technology than the United States or Britain, so they used kamikaze. Although such missiles managed to sink several Allied ships, that was all.
6. Forgotten British Marshal
Campaign in North Africa, 1940-1943
photo: warhistoryonline.com
Field Marshal Alexander {fhjkml was one of the main figures in the war, often personally leading the troops. He was a combat commander during the First World War, commanded troops in Nowushera in 1930, in France in 1940 and even in Burma in 1942. Today he is hardly remembered, but his successes were simply amazing.
7. The Luftwaffe had high demands for pilots
German aces were more likely to win
photo: oemrecetinblog.com
The number of aircraft shot down among the Allied and German fighter aces varied greatly. The German Luftwaffe had much higher requirements for pilots. The German pilots had much more flying time. In this regard, the German aces had a much better chance of achieving better results than their colleagues. While the leading aces of the Luftwaffe shot down more than 350 opponents, the best Allied fighter ace shot down only 38 aircraft.
8. The Luftwaffe had the best planes
He 112 in flight
photo: warhistoryonline.com
The Luftwaffe had the development of the most modern aircraft for that time, but they were not put into service. The main aircraft from Messerschmidt was the Bf109 fighter, while rival Heinkel had its own version of the fighter, the He112 all-metal monoplane. Both aircraft were fast, reaching speeds of over 560 km / h mph, and their climb speed was excellent. However, the He112 could ascend to 6 km in just 10 minutes and had an unprecedented range of up to 1,150 km.
However, since Heinkel allegedly had Jewish connections, Heinkel fighters were not mass-produced.
9. The famous Parsons jacket
Soldiers in jackets
photo: warhistoryonline.com
The most widely known Parsons tunic, which was used by the US Field Army, became the standard attire for the army. It gained its popularity for its combination of comfort and durability, unlike other forms that were offered at the time. The simple short jacket was perfect for all seasons.
10. Germany had very little technology
German horses stuck in the mud
photo: warhistoryonline.com
German propaganda continually praised their modern technology, but Germans were, in fact, one of the least "automobile" societies during the war. Germany only had one car for every 47 people at the start of the war. This does not compare with the UK (14 cars per person), France (8: 1) and the USA (4: 1).