There is no such thing as already beaten before the war. If there were then we look awfully silly losing half million men beating a dead horse.
Germany is not beaten in dec 1941. She came close enough to winning the Uboat war in 1942 - 1943 inspite of the US that if the us didn't come into the war, she still had a good chance of knocking Britain out by end 1942. Moscow and stalingrad not withstanding, the 1943 campaign on the eastern front was a close enough thing, while threat of western allied invasion sufficient effected Germany strenghth, timing and disposition in the east, that I think it likely the Germans could fight USSR to a stand still if it weren't for Britain and us.
Germany is not beaten in dec 1941. She came close enough to winning the Uboat war in 1942 - 1943 inspite of the US that if the us didn't come into the war, she still had a good chance of knocking Britain out by end 1942. Moscow and stalingrad not withstanding, the 1943 campaign on the eastern front was a close enough thing, while threat of western allied invasion sufficient effected Germany strenghth, timing and disposition in the east, that I think it likely the Germans could fight USSR to a stand still if it weren't for Britain and us.
