June 1939, three months before Hitler’s invasion of Poland, the roughly 180,000-man U.S. Army ranked 19th in the world. This was smaller than the armed forces of Portugal. By the war’s end, about 16,000,000 personnel served in the U.S.
The War Machines Of WWII – The Americans – Episode 1: Reluctant Army
2007
Ill-equipped and wounded, the United States was thrust into World War II in December 1941. As a result, FDR launched a campaign to update the U.S military…
The War Machines Of WWII – The Americans – Episode 2: Jungle Soldiers
2007
The Pacific War was primarily a naval war, but the amphibious Marines who took each island one by one contributed largely to the final victorious outcome…
The War Machines Of WWII – The Americans – Episode 3: Beginnings
2007
Aviation efforts of the Army Air Forces are explored, including Doolittle’s raid and the Flying Tigers.
The War Machines Of WWII – The Americans – Episode 4: Control Of The Skies
2007
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The War Machines Of WWII – The Americans – Episode 5: Two Ocean Navy
2007
The United States Navy grew rapidly during World War II from 1941-1945, and played the central role in the war against Japan, and was a major player in…
The War Machines Of WWII – The Americans – Episode 6: Task Force
2007
The U.S naval offensive in the Pacific is explored, including the Battle of Midway up through the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which were considered to be crucial…
The War Machines Of WWII – The Americans – Episode 7: Devil Dogs
2007
The Marines continued played a central role in the Pacific War. The battles of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Tarawa, Guam, Tinian, Cape Gloucester, Saipan,…
The War Machines Of WWII – The Americans – Episode 8: The Marines Have Landed
2007
On August 7, 1942, Allied forces, predominantly United States Marines, landed on the island of Guadalcanal, to start what would be the turning point in…
The War Machines Of WWII – The Americans – Episode 9: Boats Away
2007
The U.S. Navy rightfully casts a large shadow over the naval history of World War II, but the U.S Coast Guard was a key player in the amphibious and naval…