Any nation is capable of that sacrifice and that effort, when it comes to survival. But it may not be enough. The Russian nation, in spite of its incompetent leadership and oppressed and ignorant population was able to do it. But in war, at least one side has to lose, if not both. The German nation's equivalent sacrifice and effort led only to humiliating defeat. By comparison, we got off easily. Our casualties were relatively minor and our nation was untouched by the destruction of war. This is no disrepect to those individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice, or to their survivors. But war is the ultimate collective activity. It is not won or lost by individuals.