Jebus, here is something from ole Joe himself about the US capabilities.
It occurred in a toast made by Joseph Stalin during the December 1943, Teheran Conference where the Soviet dictator praised United States manufacturing:
"I want to tell you from the Russian point of view, what the President and the United States have done to win the war. The most important things in this war are machines and the United States is a country of machines. Without the use of those machines we would lose this war." That coming from a hater of the US. Now lets look at some numbers that were produced during WW2.
The Army estimated that the United States sent enough equipment to the United Kingdom and other parts of the British empire, the Soviet Union, France, Italy after it switched sides, China, and other allied and associated states to create 101 U.S.-type divisions which were only classified as infantry divisions, but yet had more halftracks and tanks attached than did Germany's vaunted Panzer divisions.
In 1940 the United States produced 3,309 tanks, versus 1,400 in Britain and 1,450 in Germany. In 1943, however, the United States manufactured 29,500 tanks, more in one year than Germany produced in the entire war from 1939 to 1945. In all, the United States manufactured 88,430 tanks during World War II versus 24,800 in Britain and 24,050 in Germany.
Now lets consider aircraft.In 1939 the United States produced 5,865 aircraft and in 1944 America produced 96,379 airplanes. Between January 1, 1940 and August 14, 1945 the United States manufactured 303,717 and between December 7, 1941 and the Japanese surrender, 274,941. Of these numbers The United States produced 97,810 bombers, Germany 18,235, and the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union produced more than Germany too. The United States produced 99,950 fighters, Germany 53,727, and American fighters were longer ranged, better armed and better armored (after 1943). The United States produced 1.6 times as many aircraft (heavier and longer ranged) than Germany, Italy and,Japan combined. The Soviet Union produced more aircraft than Germany, and the United Kingdom slightly less. But both of the United States's allies consumed millions of tons of American raw materials through Lend-Lease to build aircraft.
Now lets look at shipping. In the last half of 1943, the United States was completing 160 merchant ships per month, and in December that year there were 208 merchant ships completed for a total dead weight tonnage of 2,044,239 tons, and of course more than cargo ships were built. From July 1, 1940 to July 31, 1945 the United States built 64,500 landing craft. Some 6,500 other naval vessels were also built. Navy firepower during the war increased ten fold. The United States built 10 battleships during the war, 8 of them of 35,000 tons or more, and 17 large aircraft carriers (able to carry 100 aircraft or more and displacing more than 27,000 tons), and more than 80 smaller carriers (able to carry from 21 to 45 aircraft), 49 cruisers, and 368 destroyers. In first 6 months of 1944 the United States put more tonnage in the water than the Japanese had in 7 years of war. No country produced as many warships, cargo ships, airplanes, tanks, trucks, jeeps and other munitions as the United States did. We were not called the arsenal of democracy for nothing.
The logistics approach taken by Germany and it's axis partners and the United States drove their casualty figures. While the German military was about the size of that of the United States, the United States out-produced the Germans in trucks seven to one (2.4 million to 350,000). Germany often lugged its supplies around on horse drawn wagons. The United States, because it fought as much of an air war as an infantry war, out-produced the Germans five to one in bombers, 97,810 to 18,225. Moreover American bombers had much greater range, much more carrying capacity, were better armed and better armored. Even in fighter aircraft, the Germans were out-produced two to one, and in transport aircraft almost seven to one.
What did the tidal wave of munitions mean in the end? At the time of Operation OVERLORD, the western allies, on their front, outnumbered Germany 8.5 to 1 in aircraft (the United States by itself 4.5 to one) and within days after June 6, 1944 the allies outnumbered the Germans in tanks 4.5 to 1. In April 1945 the allied superiority in aircraft was greater than 20 to 1. In every dimension that mattered, the United States swamped it's enemies logistically. The war production machine had become so powerful that the United States could launch two massive amphibious assaults, both involving thousands of ships, in June 1944: the assault on Normandy and, later in the month, the attack on Saipan.
As it can be seen by anyone who cares to check, the United States never mobilized more than 40% of it's war making capability and almost certainly could have mobilized even more. That means the US ability to mobilize has always underestimated by their adversaries, and that could be bad for them, after all the United States did indeed drown Germany, Italy and Japan in a sea of munitions at a considerably smaller cost in American lives.
By the end of the war, the United States accounted for 53% of the world's GNP. Also the United States is the only nation to actually INCREASE consumer spending during the war. What all these facts and figures means is that if the Chinese did not conquer completely the United States a few years later, they are truly and well fucked. Remember how pissed the average civilian was at the duplicitious Japanese attack on Pearl, do any of you honestly think we would just roll over for a Chinese attack? If you do, then join the list of fools who have underestimated this 'pathetically weak' country.
And for anybody to say that logistics and economics have nothing to do with war with a straight face does not know anything about waging an industrial war. One other thing it requires to win is a SKILLED workforce, peasants off of the farms will never be able to outproduce a skilled workforce. THAT has been proven time and time again.
I always like to see folks underestimate the US capabilities, as it means we have the advantage. I will close with a quote that says it all,
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, after he found out that the ultimatum was delivered after the attack on Pearl.
another saying I like is this, Amateurs study tactics, while professionals study logistics. This attitude is best enshrined by being posted in both Sandhurst and West Point.
Thorgrimm
