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Best soldier?

Discussion in 'WWII General' started by Luke, Apr 8, 2008.

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  1. Luke

    Luke Member

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    What country had the best all round soldier?
    say you put one of every country's soldiers into a battle situation, who would come out on top?
     
  2. krieg

    krieg Ace

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    i would say soldiers from all country's were good enuff .some may lacked
    good leadership
    generals sitting miles behind the lines knowing nothink about how the battle
    unfolds .. makes any soldiers from any country look not so good
    but me beaing australian i say our digger's .were up there with the very best
    cheers krieg....:armyman1:
     
  3. Otto

    Otto Spambot Nemesis Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    I would say that the Germans had some very good troops and some bad ones, the Australian had a good reputation also.

    The thing is that in general, "pound for pound" comparison is usually pointless when discussing total war. Quantity almost always counts more that quantity when you are talking such a global, lethal conflict as WWII.
     
  4. JCFalkenbergIII

    JCFalkenbergIII Expert

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    I have seen this question asked in almost every other forum I have seen or been on and it usually ends up the same way :rolleyes: LOL. I can pretty much predict what the answers will be. Here's an idea though. Why don't you start off with who you think would be the "Best overall"?
     
  5. krieg

    krieg Ace

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    over all best soldiers .. the australian diggers .. the adolf hitler division .
    a very good unit ..hitlers mountain ske troops ..
    best krieg:pPmp40fire:
     
  6. von Poop

    von Poop Waspish

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    I once saw a man killed in a thread that began with a similar question, can you hear the sounds of National anthems building... ;)

    Anyone who ever picked up a gun and went to war without wetting themselves and running away is a pretty remarkable chap to me, regardless of nationality or training.

    Now I'm just off to sing Jerusalem.

    Cheers,
    Adam
     
  7. Owen

    Owen O

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    How long is a piece of string?
    What country has the most stupid forum members?

    Best soldier?
    It is a completely unanswerable question.
    Every soldier has his breaking point.
    Make them all undress and stand in a row naked, you can't tell where anyone comes from can you?
    Every person has the potential to be the best or the worst.
     
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  8. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Aquila non capit muscas

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    All Soldiers are good, extremely good, bless their souls.

    They may have better officers and/or better motivations to fight, but this is for another thread.

    I find this question infantile and the thread should be closed as useless.
     
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  9. Otto

    Otto Spambot Nemesis Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Wow, don't you guys have a shred of patience. ;) This idea might be rehashed to you guys, but not all people start off with a deep knowledge of WWII and warfare. Instead of bashing every new member for not asking the very highest quality questions, why not help him out, ar at least point him to the other threads where this question was asked before.

    I'm surprised especially at you Za, is this a whiff of elitism I see? :D A Rogue needs to start somewhere.
     
  10. Luke

    Luke Member

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    haha, yea im new to this forum so i thought i would just ask a simple question to get the "wheels going" as you can say.

    Ill try to keep the questions less vague next time.

    thanks for the answers everyone.
     
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  11. Owen

    Owen O

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    Luke, did you have any relatives fight in WW2?
    I see you're from Canada, what would your local Regiments be?
     
  12. Joe

    Joe Ace

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    I don't think there is any 'right' or 'wrong' answer to this question.

    No single country had the best soldiers. There where cowards in the German army, heros in the Italian army. Sure, some are better trained, better equipped, better led, but if all the soldiers had the same weapons, same leaders, and the same training then they would all be the same.
     
  13. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

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    Trick question. I believe that any country's fighting men are equal given the same training and weapons. The Italians are always made fun of but consider what they were given to fight with. Consider going into battle on the Russian front in an Italian tank against the T-34. Also, take a look at the Polish calvary attacking the German tanks with lances. No success there but that is what their government gave them to fight with. Answer to the question would have to be that there were all equal.
     
  14. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Aquila non capit muscas

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    Otto, you know me better than this, I normally do have more than enough patience with fledgling Rogues. But you'll realise that a subject like this runs the risk of getting ugly quickly if some of our higher-temperature headed members see it, the potential for unpleasantness is high.

    Anyway, I'm game. I'll vote for the Romanian Soldier!

    This division was paired with German 22nd Pz Div in 48th PzKorps, right in the way of the 2 Soviet Fronts (Don and Southwestern) making up the Northern pincer of Op. Uranus. I suppose the tanks not lost were those absent at depot for repairs.

    I don't know if they were the best, but for putting up such a fight in such awful conditions and with such miserable equipment, they looked pretty good to me.

    [​IMG]

    By the way, great forum in WorldWar2.ro Forum - Romanian Military History Research Community
     
  15. JCFalkenbergIII

    JCFalkenbergIII Expert

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    Exactly. I agree for the same reasons LOL.And Im not bashing a newbie per se :). And sometimes(ok almost always LOL) this kind of thread and question breaks down into a pissing match. Like all the other types of "Best" threads and questions it comes down to a poster's opinions,bias,nationality,ect. :D. Too many variables here. Another good one I have seen is "Who were the most brave soldiers in WW 2 ?" . Thats just asking for mayhem LOL.
     
  16. mikebatzel

    mikebatzel Dreadnaught

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    The best soldier of WWII is easily :pzp:

    Ok seriously, the men who fought the Battle of Britian. They where just too determined.
     
  17. Paul Errass

    Paul Errass Member

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    A totally unanswerable question !!

    I'm gone from this thread
     
  18. Luke

    Luke Member

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    I was actully born in England but moved to canada when i was young, my grandad on my mothers side was a motorbike messenger for the british. I have no clue what regiment.
     
  19. arneken

    arneken Member

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    Maybe if whe look not to to soldiers itself but at his training who had to prepare him for war?
     
  20. skunk works

    skunk works Ace

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    Orks...

    You grow them like potato's, (hundreds at a time), they follow orders, (they terrify the enemy), they fight to the death, (not very brave, but who cares, there's a million more where that came from), they march on foot, (no fuel costs) and make there own weapons, ( no R&D costs) and you don't need rations, (because they kill & eat there own) ?

    :D
     
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