The Victor Davis Hanson Show A Q&A with VDH on World War II
Jun 17, 2025
Listeners dive into intriguing discussions about WWII, including the Allies' failure to declare war on the USSR in 1939. The role of General Patton on the Western Front and his ambitions against the Soviets are examined. The nuances of the Dunkirk evacuation and strategic decisions are critiqued, alongside a look at military technological advancements during the war. Additionally, the conversation touches on post-war historical resources and revisionist narratives of later conflicts, providing a rich context for understanding the impact of these historical events.
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Hitler's Dunkirk Hesitation
- Hitler could have finished off the Allies at Dunkirk but hesitated due to exhausted tanks and Goering's false confidence in air power.
- German underestimation of British naval evacuation and reliance on Luftwaffe failure allowed Allied retreat.
WWII Use of Blimps & Greenland
- Blimps were used in WWII for suspending cables in Britain to deter night bombers and for spotting submarines in the Atlantic.
- The Americans took control of Greenland during the war to prevent it falling under German control, securing a strategic base.
Why No War on USSR in 1939
- Britain and France did not declare war on the Soviet Union after its invasion of Poland due to hopes for a future two-front war against Germany.
- Both feared Stalin's atrocities but saw the Soviet deal with Germany as transactional and expected the alliance to break.
