Our major contribution to the European War was supplying the Red Army with the transport to out run the German Army to Berlin. Strategically our overall plan was sound, we would have been in a cul-de-sac in Nothern France if we invaded there before 1944. Late 1942 and 1943 we, with the Brits, cleared the Mediterranean front, knocking out Italy. creating a 3rd front there.
We were careful after D-Day for the reason that the Germans had interior supply advantage despite air superiority. Patton may have been correct that he could have punched passed the German west wall in September, but he still would have exposed the flank has the northern front was stuck. (The Bridge Too Far put paid to any more daring thrusts for the duration.)
But it was a political blunder that the Western Allies didn't press on in Germany and move farther East when it was wide open in April to create a military accomplished fact given Stalin reneging on earlier agreements.
“But it was a political blunder that the Western Allies didn’t press on in Germany and move farther East when it was wide open . . . given Stalin reneging on earlier agreements.”
Calling it a “blunder” is akin to saying that President Ubama made a “blunder” by supporting blood thirsty anti-American Islamists during the so-called “Arab Spring.”
Both were deliberate political decisions made by socialists that had predictable outcomes against the best interests of our nation.
IMHO
Oldplayer