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From the standpoint of being willing to die instead of surrender I think the individual IJA private needs consideration in that respect, Followed by the Russians and then Germans. Italy gets a bad rap, but if they had decent equipment I think the world would have been very impressed. I do not care how good you are, after you get your butts kicked several times in a row, the fighting quality goes down fast.
At the squad level, it has to be the German army. The NCO's were just outstanding.
If you are talking "minor" nations, you have to look at the Fins. I do not care if the Russians did not have a clue on how to fight, it took a lot to stand up to that kind of numbers for as long as they did.
The Australian troops seemed to have carried over a lot of the attitude from WWI, and especially in the desert were second to no one one.
The average US GI was good, well trained and fought well, but were so used to having overwhelming airpower/artillery that is is hard to judge them man for man
Overall I give the edge to the Germans just because they had so many more men than Australia

Australia. AIF were all highly motivated volunteers who had to satisfy strict entrance requirements. Australia itself was never really in danger and most soldiers understood this; they volunteered for the adventure, for the chance to test their mettle, and most of all because they had a tremendous reputation to live up to: their forefathers in 1st AIF in WW1, who by 1918 were without a doubt the best troops on the field on either side. They also had probably the hardest and most thorough training of any troops in the war; they trained from the day they joined the army to the day before their first battle, and after every battle they'd be out on exercise excitedly going over what they'd learnt. It was a bit of a sport really, and they were obsessed with being the best.

Take the Australian 6th Division for example, the very first division aus formed (1939) to send overseas. There were conflicting signals from the Government as to whether they'd be going overseas or not, or maybe the militia divs would be overhauled as volunteers and sent instead, so when recruiting opened up many guys, even in the militia, wouldn't join simply because they thought the div wouldnt be sent anywhere exciting. On top of that, recruiters used any excuse they could to deny men entry. This all led to a unit made up of only the keenest, most adventurous type. It also had many highly experienced men (especially officers) who had fought in WW1 (they all lied about that because one of the many ways to be disqualified was to have fought in the last war), and when it was finally ready to go into action (after almost a year of training) it was straight off the bat a crack offensive force to say the least. In fact they soon found the div had enough high quality officer material for 5 divisions, let alone one. on the ever of their first battle, the battle of bardia, the mood was excited but also quite tense; they weren't nervous because they were attacking frontally a fortress with at least twice their men, more guns and more tanks; they were nervous because they had a legacy to live up to, the world was watching them (or at least the country) and they were scared of falling short. These guys actually looked down their noses at other AIF divisions and regarded them as pussies because they didn't sign straight up in '39. reinforcements to the 6th were treated in a similar way

then UK wasted them of course by throwing them into futile campaigns without support like Greece, where many ended up as POWs. lol

ignoring the above, Australians were the best close quarter fighters by a considerable margin; that is beyond dispute

ORIGINAL: DasHoff

.....Australians were the best close quarter fighters by a considerable margin; that is beyond dispute

warspite1

No it isn't.

As good as many Australians were, what evidence can you possibly have to support that "matter-of-fact" statement?

You are entitled to your opinion, but please do not present opinions as facts - it does not make them any more true.

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: DasHoff

.....Australians were the best close quarter fighters by a considerable margin; that is beyond dispute

warspite1

No it isn't.

As good as many Australians were, what evidence can you possibly have to support that "matter-of-fact" statement?

You are entitled to your opinion, but please do not present opinions as facts - it does not make them any more true.

I seem to think that Rommel rated the New Zealanders as the best of the CW in North Africa...

(steps back, ducks for cover)

ORIGINAL: Jimm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: DasHoff

.....Australians were the best close quarter fighters by a considerable margin; that is beyond dispute

warspite1

No it isn't.

As good as many Australians were, what evidence can you possibly have to support that "matter-of-fact" statement?

You are entitled to your opinion, but please do not present opinions as facts - it does not make them any more true.

I seem to think that Rommel rated the New Zealanders as the best of the CW in North Africa...

(steps back, ducks for cover)

warspite1

I've also read - but cannot find the source [&:] - that the New Zealand 2nd Division were Monty's favourite division. Personally, I would rate the Kiwi's the highest of the Allied units [&o]

I think this end in a nothing ..

all countries had good soldiers ...

Rommels famous quote; “Give me American equipment, German Generals and Canadian soldiers, and I will rule the world!” said General Rommel

to judge a country by its volunteers.

is not really a good way to judge that countries soldiers.

This Italian was the best soldier in WWII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bjBAez9cm4

ORIGINAL: SLAAKMAN

This Italian was the best soldier in WWII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bjBAez9cm4

An excellent choice!!!

He was my favourite character in Catch-22.

Him : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Major

Uber canadian soldier, "give me 2 men and I will liberate your town full of german soldiers". [:)]

This is all guess work people, [&:] you really want to find out who the best soldiers were, join me in the COD2 Wing and a Prayer Mod and just try to go up against Pumkin Pete with his STG 44 or Wing Man and his Thompson sub machine gun or the Raven who could do a somersault moving sideways and shoot you in the right eye from 100 yards away or the Basher who earned his nickname from bashing people with the butt of his rifle, I should know because I [Willycube] won the Baby Seal Award,[:@] given only to players who were camping and got bashed the most. [;)]

Bo

Ghurkas.....they were tough and scared the bejesus out of the Japanese

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Major

Uber canadian soldier, "give me 2 men and I will liberate your town full of german soldiers"

Haha fantastic story. I especially like where he held off 2 Chinese divisions with 20 Recondo scouts for 3 days!

This is all guess work people, you really want to find out who the best soldiers were, join me in the COD2 Wing and a Prayer Mod and just try to go up against Pumkin Pete with his STG 44 or Wing Man and his Thompson sub machine gun or the Raven who could do a somersault moving sideways and shoot you in the right eye from 100 yards away or the Basher who earned his nickname from bashing people with the butt of his rifle, I should know because I [Willycube] won the Baby Seal Award, given only to players who were camping and got bashed the most.
Bo

OH YEAH?? YOU THINK YOURE BAD DO YA?! WELL LETS SEE HOW BAD YOUR TEAM IS WHEN MY BOYS THROW ONE OF THESE AT YOU!; [:'(]

Damn Slaakman, why do I get the feeling that you would kill an ant with a sledge hammer. You would most likely attack Denmark with 8 Panzer divisions or probably corps just to make sure. Not nice!

Bo

Damn Slaakman, why do I get the feeling that you would kill an ant with a sledge hammer. You would most likely attack Denmark with 8 Panzer divisions or probably corps just to make sure. Not nice!

Bo

[:D][X(]
(Actually my prefered methode is seduction of the Queen);

ORIGINAL: SLAAKMAN

Damn Slaakman, why do I get the feeling that you would kill an ant with a sledge hammer. You would most likely attack Denmark with 8 Panzer divisions or probably corps just to make sure. Not nice!

Bo

[:D][X(]
(Actually my prefered methode is seduction of the Queen);

that is clearly not the queen .. that the crown princess ..

as a royalist. im offended by that

She's Tasmanian, She'd probably give a swift kick in the ..........................................

I went to university with her. Lovely girl...very enthusiastic [;)]

Cheers, Neilster

that is clearly not the queen .. that the crown princess ..
as a royalist. im offended by that

SILLY BOOB. SHE IS ONE OF MY QUEENS, ERGO SHE IS A QUEEN! NOW GIMME HER PHONE #! [:'(]

I went to university with her. Lovely girl...very enthusiastic
Cheers, Neilster

So Nielster Ol' Buddy, Ol Pal, when do we party? I feel the need to edify destiny.
[:D]