The US did not have the strongest military in the world in 1939

[buritobr]

The world's biggest military powers in 1939 were Germany, France and Britain.
In numbers, even the Red Army was bigger than the US Army, however, it was weakened by the Stalin purges.

The US had the strongest manufacturing in the world, which could be converted fast into the strongest military in the world near the end of the war.

[Orser67]

Yep. The U.S. didn't have much of an army in 1939, because Congress had largely refused to fund it since the end of WW1. Despite its almost comically small size, the army did maintain a decent air corps, as well as a good group of officers who would later distinguish themselves in WW2. The navy was in better shape, though the British and possibly the Japanese were more powerful.

All of which makes what the United States did between 1939 and 1945 look that much more impressive.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

The world's biggest military powers in 1939 were Germany, France and Britain.
In numbers, even the Red Army was bigger than the US Army, however, it was weakened by the Stalin purges.

Actually I agree with Suvorov's (who'd been wrong on some other things, like Stalin preparing to strike at Hitler as early as 1941) assessment that the effect of the purges is exaggerated. First off, the numbers cited are faulty. Among "generals killed" a good portion weren't even military to begin with. It were party, bureaucracy and NKVD personnel that received the rank.

Second, among purged general officers very few displayed a modern outlook on the war. Most was still stuck in the old mentality, similarly to the French. Even Tukhachevsky, praised as such a great talent, had been entertaining idiotic ideas, such as the Red Army having 100,000 tanks at disposal at the same time. Many worthy commanders like Zhukov, Konev, Timoshenko, Rokossowski etc. were either spared or simply sent to prison. If anything Stalin failed to purge people like Voroshilov as well, which turned out to be a big mistake when he was put in charge of the war with Finland in 1939.

No, I'm not claiming the purges had no negative effect, but not to the degree that is being claimed.

[John Henry Eden]

It's difficult for a lot of Americans to fathom that our power projection was smaller before the second world war, American really won the lottery when WW2 ended though and for better or worse the American empire was born.

[Meclazine for Israel]

The US was relatively isolated and this afforded some level of protection durin WW2.

Especially as some has mentioned, in the area of manufacturing.

But the naval excursions of the military into the Pacific and Atlantic were pure legend.

[buritobr]

Since the USA and the UK had the natural protection of the sea, they didn't need to have a very powerful army. They were more concerned in having a strong navy and strong airforce. The USA had very powerful aircrafts during the WW2, but their Sherman tanks were medium size tanks, and they were not as powerful as the german Phanter and the soviet T34. The USA did not have big size tanks like the german Tiger and the soviet IS2.

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

Apparently the US navy was so weak in the 1880's, that Argentina or Brazil had a more powerful navy.

[dead0man]

is this a thread for random facts with no points?

[OSR stands with Israel]

Yah cause they disarmed but I am sure the US military of 1918 could have taken on any military in the world and won and even back in 1865 could have easily defeated the British in Canada or French in Mexico if they posed to much of a threat.

[RINO Tom]

As with most things USA-related pre-WWII, it was never in doubt that our potential military dwarfed almost anyone's ... Japan's attack woke us up, and this potential was no longer hypothetical.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Every war, the US and its allies have been used to fight. Even the Civil War and Revolutionary War UK and France assisted the US; consequently,  the Russians, being communists knew the German Nazis well, and were used to rid the Wrld of their evil.