Which Axis member that gave Germany more disadvantages: Italy or Japan?

Which Axis member that gave Germany more problems?

  • Italy

    Votes: 202 79.8%
  • Japan

    Votes: 51 20.2%

  • Total voters
    253
Italy required help in Greece and North Africa against their common foe because they where failing miserably. Germany made USA turn into a common foe themselves. Besides, Japan made sure the UK had to transfer more attention and material off too the Pacific, making it easier for Germany. They took away a lot of resources from the British as well(oil). That is, untill the USA took it over for them.

Also, Hitler was under no obligation whatsoever to declare war on the United States after Pearl Harbor. He did it entirely on his own initiative, and let his anti-Semitism, anti-capitalism, and personal hatred of Roosevelt get the better of him. That said, the U.S. would have entered the European War in early 1943 at the latest, but that was the critical year in which Germany had to knock both the British and the Soviets out of the war, or else get drawn into a war of attrition in which it was seriously outmatched.

Italy clearly hurt Germany more: it was a sink of resources and equipment, and Mussolini's adventurism opened up several fronts that forced Germany to dive in and save him, to the point of delaying Barbarossa, Hitler's entire life goal, and reason for starting the war in the first place.

So what you guys are saying is that it was Germany's fault that they were at war with the United States because they declared War on their own?

Well the Italians didn't ask for Germany's help in North Africa and Greece. The Germans did that on their own too.

What Hitler should have done is let Japan and the Americans fight a war in the Pacific, and not declare war on them. They should have also let the the Italians fall in their war in North Africa. At the very least it would divert some of the British forces away from Germany for a while.
 

Deleted member 1487

Well the Italians didn't ask for Germany's help in North Africa and Greece. The Germans did that on their own too.

Mussolini did ask for German assistance and sent Italian bombers to France to bomb Britain during the Blitz, as well as sent Italian submarines to the Atlantic.
 
Mussolini did ask for German assistance and sent Italian bombers to France to bomb Britain during the Blitz, as well as sent Italian submarines to the Atlantic.

Do you have a source, because I've never read that.

Well, I know that Mussolini sent Italians to German Fronts. I've just never heard that Mussolini asked for help. In fact, it seems very out of character for him to ask Hitler for help. He was jealous of Germany and didn't want Italy to become a lesser member of their alliance. Asking for help would be like saying that Italy was dependent on Germany for protection during the war. It pretty much was, but it doesn't seem like something that he would admit.
 
I'd say Italy was a greater drain on Germany than Japan. The U.S. was going to enter the war on the side of the Allies at some point. At least Japan never needed propping up or material support from Germany, and was able to inflict serious damage to the U.S. all on its own.
 
Of course, it was Italy which gave more headaches to Hitler. It was the bungling of Mussolini that forced Germany to send their troops and materials to Greece and North Africa. Italy drained the German resources on several fronts. Hitler had to send his forces even to Italy to save his friend, Mussolini. He got pretty nothing in return.
In the case of Japan, they never required any help from their allies. They were fighting on their own and tied up the Allied Forces in Asian theater to a large extent. The only thing that Japan did that could be negative for Germany was that they brought U.S.A. into war on the side of Allies. But the entry of U.S.A. into the War was inevitable and was only a matter of time. The action of Japan only made it a little earlier.
 

Deleted member 1487

Do you have a source, because I've never read that.

Well, I know that Mussolini sent Italians to German Fronts. I've just never heard that Mussolini asked for help. In fact, it seems very out of character for him to ask Hitler for help. He was jealous of Germany and didn't want Italy to become a lesser member of their alliance. Asking for help would be like saying that Italy was dependent on Germany for protection during the war. It pretty much was, but it doesn't seem like something that he would admit.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...lianArmyArticle.pdf+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
 

Perkeo

Banned
Also, Hitler was under no obligation whatsoever to declare war on the United States after Pearl Harbor. He did it entirely on his own initiative, and let his anti-Semitism, anti-capitalism, and personal hatred of Roosevelt get the better of him. That said, the U.S. would have entered the European War in early 1943 at the latest, but that was the critical year in which Germany had to knock both the British and the Soviets out of the war, or else get drawn into a war of attrition in which it was seriously outmatched.
But that year was critical for both sides: If - and once again I say if - the US were vincible at all, they had to be forced into submission BEFORE they were fully mobilized. Waiting for Japan to be defeated and then face the fleet and troups that return from the Pacific doesn't sound like a very good idea to me. So I see no strategic mistake - short of hindsight - in attacking the US. The strategic mistakes were attacking the Sowjet Union
a) at all
b) before the war in the west was over.
Italy clearly hurt Germany more: it was a sink of resources and equipment, and Mussolini's adventurism opened up several fronts that forced Germany to dive in and save him, to the point of delaying Barbarossa, Hitler's entire life goal, and reason for starting the war in the first place.

I mostly agree, but if Hitler had delayed Barbarossa by a full year rather than only a couple of weeks, it might have actually done good. Its not Italy's fault that Germany got their own timing wrong.
 
Italy, they'd have probably done more good staying neutral and sending a corp much like Spain did...

Quick question, how much trade did the Axis lose by Italy joining Germany?
 
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