USSR didn’t need Allies to win WWII – survey
Published: 01 September, 2009, 16:46
Edited: 23 October, 2010, 01:09
Soviet WWII poster
TAGS: Anniversary, Military, EU, Russia, UK, USA
Almost two thirds of Russians (63%) are confident the USSR could have won the Second World War without any help from the Allies, a nationwide survey has concluded.
However, according to the Russian Public Opinion Research Center, the number of respondents sharing this opinion has fallen from 71% in 2001, Interfax news agency reports.
The number of those who recognize the role of the US, Britain and France in defeating fascism, is just 23%.
The survey conducted in anticipation of the 70th anniversary of the beginning of World War II also revealed the double in numbers of those who have no answer to the question (from 7% to 15%).
As before, most of the Russians (87%) consider the Soviet Union’s contribution to the victory as decisive. The role of Great Britain and France, as a rule, is considered insignificant (36% and 34%, respectively) or quite large (26% and 22%, respectively).
For the US, the respondents are equally likely to express both points of view (30%). In addition, a significant number of respondents (47%) think China did not help in fighting the Nazis at all.
VCIOM Survey
The nationwide survey was held on August 22–23, 2009. 1600 people in 140 cities and villages in 42 regions of Russia were polled. The statistical margin of error does not exceed 3.4 %.
According to the Russian Public Opinion Research Center, for the past seven years the opinion of Russian citizens about the role of certain countries in the victory in World War II has changed.
The proportion of Russians who think the USSR contributed the most has decreased from 92% to 87%.
Less people consider Britain’s role as minor (36% instead of 42%), along with China’s (18% instead of 27%), America’s (30% instead of 39%) and France’s (34% instead of 39%).
At the same time, more respondents give credit to the US, considering America to be the main force in putting Hitler down.
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The Russians sacrifice was enormous but it should be noted that the high number of casualties was due to overall poor military leadership...
The significance of the America's effort through equipment support of the red Army, strategic bombing campaign of German cities, not to mention a massive campaign against the Japanese in the Pacific should not be underestimated.
Proportionately (that is looking at casualties inflicted upon the enemy per soldier), the American (and German for that matter) military was much more effective.
"Nobody ever won a war by dying for his country, he won it by making the other bastard die for his."
- General George S. Patton
I do think they would win without any help at all. Its easy to defend instead of attack. USSR wasn't that good with troops or attack tactics. USSR had many troops but poor equipped. Now America and Britain were strong friends, notice how FDR and Truman took strong actions, even Churchill... Stalin wasn't that good.
I live in South Africa and the ruling ANC government are working feverishly at re-writing history whether it is real or fantasy.