History repeats itself

 The USA saves Europe.

To me, Christmas is a time of remembrance and thanksgiving.

I am thankful for the entrance of the USA into WW2; without them, there would be no life as we know it today.

In the winter of 1944, the Germans made a final push to cut the Allies off from the port of Antwerp; if they had succeeded, Europe would have been under German control within weeks. 

The tank onslaught known as The Battle of the Bulge resulted from French stupidity; again, the same result almost happened in WW1. Only the reluctance of the Imperial German Army commander halted the von Schlieffen plan, which was the same as what happened in 1944; only Hitler almost pulled it off.

The French's error is that tanks could not be driven through the Ardennes woods; the Germans proved they could, and if bad weather hadn't slowed them down, they would have probably succeeded. Another major factor was that the rains forced the fronts to be massed rather than act as a twin attack.

The American soldiers on the Northern edge of the line had been sent there for R&R, not expecting any action. They found themselves involved in the third-highest fatality count in US history, with over 19,000 deaths and 85,000 injured.

It is classed as an Allied victory because the Germans didn't get their objectives, but it is a victory when you lose more men than the enemy?

This was the turning point in the war; after this, Germany fought a retreating war to the boundaries of Berlin.

The next time you read/ hear someone complaining about the mess the USA caused by interfering in other countries, it is wise to remember if they weren't there, Europe would not be as we know it.

Most of the time, the Americans are sent somewhere; you can bet in the mix is a screw-up by France; why do you think the Foreign Legion has dropped the title French?

As George Santayana once said, "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

When you look back at the various attempts by Germany to control Europe this century, you can see his point.