Why didn't Germany make peace in 1944

[The Basket]

Had the war continued then Germany could have been atom bombed.
This may have been a game changer.
Interesting idea. In WW1 the Germans would have been fed a constant propaganda diet of victory and how well war was going. So the surrender would have been a shock as only last week it was all ok. So this in part would have led to the 'stab in the back myth.

 

[stona]

Groves was asked, post war, about the possibility of using 'the bomb' against Germany.
He said that Roosevelt, who was very disturbed by the 'Battle of the Bulge' asked him about the possibility around this time. Groves gave the President a list of reasons why it would be a difficult, though not impossible, task. Not least was the absence of any B-29s in Europe, and the inability to camouflage the 'specials' among any significant number of the type.
Groves concluded.

"The bombing of Germany with atomic bombs was, I would say, never seriously considered to the extent of making definite plans but on this occasion I told the President, Mr. Roosevelt, why it would be very unfortunate from my standpoint, I added that of course if the President — if the war demanded it and the President so desired, we would bomb Germany and I was so certain personally that the war in Europe would be over before we would be ready that you might say I didn't give it too much consideration."

As far as the British attitude can be discerned, and they would have had to approve the bomb's use, the possibility of using nuclear weapons against Germany, as a deterrent to the V-2 attacks, was discussed with Churchill in August 1944. I don't believe the British would have had any objections, on principle, to its use against Germany.

Cheers

Steve

 

[pinehilljoe]

If the War in Europe was still raging after Trinity, I don't think there would be any question about the Bomb being used. A cover story for B-29 in the UK could have been used. If Truman were handed a weapon that could end 6 years of killing, he would have used it. Just like with Japan, all the accounts after Trinity show there was no debate on using it, nothing could have stopped the use of a weapon that promised to end the War. There were discussions of using the Bomb tactically for Operation Olympic, I don't think the close proximity of friendly troops in Europe to the IP would have changed a decision.

 

[michaelmaltby]

"... I don't think the close proximity of friendly troops in Europe to the IP would have changed a decision."

It didn't stop the testing with troops in the dessert after the war, did it?

 

[parsifal]

The allies could be as profligate with the lives of their personnel as any of the others if the needs of the nation required it