How did geography protect the United States and Canada during World War and World War II?
1 Answer
Probably distance and the presence of two wide oceans helped to avoid aerial bombing and invasions.
Explanation:
The two main theaters of war (Europe and the Pacific) during WWI and WWII where separated from the US and Canada by the Atlantic Ocean and, basically, almost the entire Pacific Ocean. Due to the technical capabilities of that time, aerial bombing was impossible through these huge distances and an invasion (landings, establishment of bridgeheads and logistic network to sustain them) was basically impossible (considering that the D-day landings in Normandy or the invasions of the various atolls/Islands in the Pacific were already considered prodigious accomplishments).
As a curiosity, the Japanese Army devised (and operated!) an ingenious way of bombing mainland US or Canada using balloons (transported by wind and with a temporized device to release an explosive payload) and also a submarine carried bomber that could attack important targets (such as the Panama Canal) flying from the submarine in a one way only mission.
The Germans had plans for super bombers able to fly up to New York and release various types of payloads (explosive, biological…nuclear?) but I think that was mainly a fantasy.
[I think this was in Oregon]
