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The Effects Of Geography On World War II

Decent Essays

Ruben A. Rosa
September 27, 2015
HIST 465 6980: World War II
Marc Henderson
Geography is a pivotal factor in war, logistically and tactically. In this short essay, the affects of geography on WWII will be explained through a discussion considering distance, climate conditions, and terrain/industrialization of the nations involved in WWII.
I. Distance/Borders The nations, which were remote had difficulty accessing their supplies and required more resources due to its length and needed to be protected thereby increasing its exposure, vulnerability, and susceptibility to attacked. Additionally, while the eastern portion of the Russia was not of great concern, the size and location of the Nation had a huge …show more content…

Germany easily invaded Poland, due to Poland's few natural barriers. Also, at Pearl Harbor/Hawaii Japan attacked the United States Naval Fleet stationed there, to deter them from entering the war and in retaliation for the oil embargo but on them. This attack was a huge surprised cause they though distance would provide sanctuary against military strikes.
II. Climate/Weather The elements not only significantly affect the functioning of the supplies and equipment, but also the individuals on the ground fighting in the war. Hot and wet weather verses cold and requires different attire and gear and the soldiers' bodies were not accustomed to tolerating different, especially extreme, elements, i.e. German soldiers fighting in Russia brutally cold and North Africa extremely hot made fighting especially difficult under these conditions. Americans, British, Australian and New Zealanders fighting in the pacific under harsh wet weather were also difficult to Indore. Additionally, Normandy was crossed with hedgerows (hedges that act as fences) that slowed both the Allies attack and the Germans' …show more content…

Bocage country was the lay of the land inland from the beaches. Bocage was a sequence of diminutive fields surrounded by dense hedges and intersected by recessed lanes enclosed by high sides. The hedges were so dense that tanks couldn't surge through them and when they could the high sides of the recessed lanes of the hedges caused the tanks to rear up, baring its armored undersides, rather than the guns that were needed in the surge. This positioning prevented the guns on the tanks from being utilized. However, the hedges provided optimal concealment and protection for German soldiers and when breaks in the hedges could be made, which was only achieved through the utilization of high explosives, soldiers surging through those breaks were extremely susceptible to German machine guns and infantry sheltered by an similarly unmovable hedge on the other side and without any protection in fully exposed fields. The recessed lanes and hedges of the bocage thwarted Allied airpower. As a result of the condition of the hedges, locating German standpoints was extremely problematic, however, the sunken lanes did serve as good protection for tanks and guns, as the Allied troops were not able to hit what they weren’t able to see or locate. Thus, the bocage served as an ideal defensive terrain, blending the trenches, difficulties utilizing the tans, and the natural protection for the German

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