[Ferich]

Hey Fluffy beer:

[quote="Fluffy_Bunny":a1206]
Hitler had to strike before 44 as other countries were also re-arming once the Munich crisis was over and they realised what he was up to. Russia and Britain were undergoing speedy re-armament programmes, had he waited a few years the countries that he would be fighting would be a lot more powerful.[/quote:a1206]

I went without saying, but my stand point was from before 38. I meant Hitler made a mistake by not recognizing the big picture. Without any of the later day facts being involved( since they didn't exist yet ), german indsutrial power and throwing in things from Mein Kempf ( hatred for jews, slavs and the "Allies" of ww1 ) into my theory, I think he definately made a mistake at the beginning to fight with weapons that "could only get the job done," or manifesting conflict so quick with a broad scale of enemies without the big picture in mind. I'm speaking of before Hitler threatened to invade Czechoslovakia unless Britain supported Germany's plans to takeover the Sudetenland.

My original theory is just a blueprint to one of Hitler's biggest mistakes, imo.

[quote:a1206]Mostly achieved with slave labour, Hitler only turned to this tactic of wonder weapons once the tide of war had turned and he knew he was losing. Other countries would also be experimenting with wonder weapons. Japan had a jet fighter by the end of the war & so did Britain, albeit with a little help from the ME262.[/quote:a1206]

The German research for new weapons during the Second World War was negatively influenced by the German victories in the beginning of the war,yes. In those early years it looked like Germany could win with it’s usual weapons. There was no need for secret weapons. But because of a low interest in the "old" weapons individual German companies did research for new weapons.

German scientists were already investigating with nuclear power and rockets in 1932 then full scale in 39.

But of course as I implied, if Gemany could've recognized that they'd be facing a wide array of opponents and fronts before the war, they could've had new tactic/weapon ideas floating around. And to miss this could easily be named a mistake by Hitler.

Everything I said first off was just part of a theory that would need all the facts running towards secret weapon production at the beginning of the war, but of course history tells a different story....( broken record )

Again, my theory has nothing to do the with factual models of secret weapons ( STG44,etc ) or the facts that cause their unique production, but with the fact that German industry was CAPABLE of producing and brainstorming "advanced for their time" weapons.

I'm mostly throwing WHAT IFS into the air with my original theory, not facts. Which is why I'm sort of puzzled as to why you ripped my theory apart. biggrin:

[quote:a1206]Hitler never planned for World War Two, he wanted to get as far as he could diplomatically and then fight a small sharp war which he could win. Once it turned into a World War Germany was lost and at the start he knew this. The first triumphs at the start of the war probably warped his crazy ego enough to underestimate the USA & other allied powers.[/quote:a1206]

Hitler definately planned for a war. Diplomacy is part of any plan to go to war, as you can see that happening nowadays and a million times through history. His crazy ego was carved in stone since he promised the German people greatness in the 30's, so I think that cancels out him ever thinking it'd only be sharp conflict. Never heard that before anyways.

Hitler felt that (with some grain of truth) that Germany had wrongfully been forced to take total blame alone for WWI and made to pay tremendous reperations to the victors, mainly France. Don't forget the despression in some parts of Germany in the early 30's. So he had an easy time of it to convince Germans that he could fix all that by renouncing the Versaise treaty and bring Germany to greatness again. After he came to power he wanted to conquer Slav/French territory.

Hitler also announced in 1935 that Germany had gained an airforce/navy/etc and that they had started conscription. Hitler's excuse for this was that he wanted Germany to keep up with the other countries in size of army so Germany could not be invaded and taken over. Though there could have been another reason, Hitler was planning war and Germany needed bigger armies. He was testing Britain and France once again to see what they would do but they did nothing and they let it happen. Then at the end of 1935 a deal was made between Britain and Germany. This Deal was to prevent Germany getting more powerful than that of Britain. They were told that there Navy was to be 35% of Britons, this deal was agreed. Although Germany agreed to this they still kept up conscription while Britain was unaware. This is the time period I'd see Germany moving towards advanced weapons production. ( I think advanced Radar and Night Vision was investigated in this time period. )

Hitler took over the Rhineland 1936. This was pushing Britain and France even further to see how far Hitler could get without being stopped

The invasion of Poland in sept 1939 was to regain territory taken from Germany after WWI. The invasion of France was another matter mostly for vengence after the way France treated Germany after WWI (Which the US advised against but was not heeded by the French who understandably wanted revenge for the way France was fought over in WWI and demanded very harsh terms in the Versaise treaty)

In conclusion, I was saying if German Industry at said time turned toward better weapons production in the beginning of the war, that'd be a crowning achievement. But that just didn't happen, which constitutes it being a mistake that cost the war or missed opportunity " ", correct? Which is what Bean was asking.