How to Lose a War

In Europe, the Second World War began when Germany invaded Poland in 1939. However, further east in Asia, conflicts had already started.

Each Axis nation had an individual strength which, when combined, could have won the war. Who were the leaders who held their people’s lives in their hands?

Wars are as much a battle of equipment, as they are contests of leadership. Without weapons, equipment and fully functioning supply lines to carry it out, a brilliant plan is just a piece of paper.

Despite sometimes being welcomed as liberators, Germany, Japan, and Italy could never translate initial acceptance, into the practical support that could have helped them win battles.

A country’s leadership needs the confidence and support of its citizens to successfully wage war. But when the fighting draws close to home, that support can waiver.