World War 2 is a part of history that is often discussed in classrooms all over the US with avid collectors gathering WW2 Memorabilia. However, history classes tend to only cover the side of the Allied Soldiers and leave out facts about the German side of the war. Here are some surprising facts about both sides of the war that was probably not covered during your high school history classes:
1 – German Soldiers Were More Skilled Than Allied Soldiers
It might seem moot because the Germans lost the war, but when studied thoroughly, the German troops were able to outperform the Allied soldiers in many ways.
2 – Allied Tanks Were Better
Perhaps one of the reasons for Germany’s fall was due to the firepower of the Allied forces. The tanks used by the American and British troops were significantly better than those used by the Germans.
3 – Germans Use Of Horses
Although WW2 is considered as a “Modern War” because tanks, jeeps, and other machines were used, the Germans actually relied a lot on horses during the war. The troops gathered over 600,000 horses when they invaded the Soviet Union!
4 – The First German Serviceman Casualty
Did you know that the first ever German serviceman to die during the war was shot by the Japanese?
5 – The Eastern Front
A large percentage of the German army, about 80{cea8d9aa62bad3a86c29dffa3a743c41d84271440c9b4bb5bfd3bde47c59ae47} of all troops were killed on the Eastern Front.
6 – Hamburger’s Name Change
Americans called hamburgers as the Liberty Steak during the war because “hamburger” sounded like a German name.
7 – Winter Blues
Despite being tasked of invading the frozen climate of the Soviet Union, German soldiers were never given winter clothes.
8 – Russians In The German Army
Close to one million Soviet Citizens served willingly as a part of the German army because they saw the Germans as their liberators from Stalin’s rule.
9 – German Casualties
It was the Germans who suffered the most casualties during the war with numbers going over 21 million deaths.
10 – Two Major Fighting Powers
In WW2 there were two powerful and influential fighting powers. The USA, France, Britain, China, and Russia were part of the “Allies” while the “Axis” was comprised of Germany, Japan, and Italy.
11 – The Invention Of Nutella
The well-loved sweet treat of today was first invented during WW2 because of the scarcity of actual chocolate.
12 – Neutral Countries
Sweden, Spain, and Switzerland remained neutral during the entire course of the war, refusing to join any of the fighting powers.
13 – The First Jet-Fighter Aircraft
It was also during this time in history when the first ever jet-fighter aircraft, the Messerschmitt Me 262 was invented. However, it was invented too late that it was utilized during the war.
14 – The Largest Transport Aircraft
Another invention that was made during WW2 was the Messerschmitt Me 323 also known as the “Giant” or “Gigant” which was the largest transport aircraft of its time.
15 – Toilet Trouble
Submarine U-120 was a famous German sub that sunk during the war because the toilet inside malfunctioned.
Whether you are history buff or a WW2 memorabilia collector, one of these facts will surely come as a surprise!
The Gettysburg Museum has WW2 Memorabilia and other military artifacts for sale. These are collections brought home by veterans and certified by experts.
