In all fairness, no he doesn't. - Edit 1
Before modification by Tom at 06/04/2011 07:04:40 PM
This chain of reasoning makes any minor event into a major, if not the major, factor of the war. It's clear that Enigma would have been decoded. The Poles had just done it extremely early on (prior to Hitler's rise) so others didn't have to.
Based on this logic, we could prove that France played a decisive role in the war, or even Yugoslavia - by overthrowing the pro-Nazi clique it forced a German invasion in April 1941 that delayed Barbarossa by one month, the one month that might have been crucial to the Soviet Union's survival.
In reality, did Yugoslavia play a decisive role in the war? No. It didn't. Hitler didn't have to invade Yugoslavia before attacking the Soviets. There is little evidence that Yugoslavia would have allowed British soldiers into its territory. Did Yugoslavia play a significant role in the war, by defecting from the Axis and then by the partisan resistance that tied down entire German divisions? Certainly.
Based on this logic, we could prove that France played a decisive role in the war, or even Yugoslavia - by overthrowing the pro-Nazi clique it forced a German invasion in April 1941 that delayed Barbarossa by one month, the one month that might have been crucial to the Soviet Union's survival.
In reality, did Yugoslavia play a decisive role in the war? No. It didn't. Hitler didn't have to invade Yugoslavia before attacking the Soviets. There is little evidence that Yugoslavia would have allowed British soldiers into its territory. Did Yugoslavia play a significant role in the war, by defecting from the Axis and then by the partisan resistance that tied down entire German divisions? Certainly.