This may be a stupid question but here it goes. What if Imperial Germany manages to subdue France with relative ease, before the BEF arrive. Could the Imperial Germans launch their planned "invasion" of the US? Basically their plan was that they would take some key cities on the East Coast and force a peace while hopefully diminishing American influence overseas.
WI: Imperial German Invasion of America
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Peter Parker
Banned
This wasn't a WWI plan
This was back in 1901 after the Spainsh-American War
America just got colonies around the world, Germany's plan was to invade the East Coast and hold them for ransom for the new colonies
This is ASB for WWI, since they would need the troops to hold down France and block Russia, and occupy the new lands.
Plus the British Navy would never let a fleet of this size though.
This was back in 1901 after the Spainsh-American War
America just got colonies around the world, Germany's plan was to invade the East Coast and hold them for ransom for the new colonies
This is ASB for WWI, since they would need the troops to hold down France and block Russia, and occupy the new lands.
Plus the British Navy would never let a fleet of this size though.
Delta Force
Banned
The Imperial German invasion plan called for attacking the Navy base at Norfolk, landing troops, and occupying cities along the coastline. The plan required a base in Mexico, South America, Cuba, or a Caribbean island to execute, and so there would be sufficient advance notice for the United States to respond. Also, the Norfolk region was (and still is) the center of American naval and air power. Attempting a landing at the enemy's most fortified coastal city is a recipe for disaster.
It's simply infeasible.
Although the plan did in fact exist. For years its existence was rumored and the Germans denied it until German naval historian Holger Herwig found the documents buried in some dusty archive somewhere.
The US also had War Plan Black which was the war plan for dealing with a German threat in the Western Hemisphere.
So, call it ASB, call it silly, call it ridiculous but the plans did exist on both sides.
As said, if France was knocked out that would be it, it would probably be game over in Germany's favour assuming they are able to keep out the Russians. They wouldn't bother for anything else, probably a white peace with Britain. Trying to go toe to toe with the Royal Navy and the USN to invade the states? Well thats one way to throw your victory out the window.
Is it good? If it is I might give it a read but If not I won't bother.
Driftless
Donor
It's a pretty good yarn, I thought. Plausibility of some of the events is a bit shakey (like many timelines here
); but I enjoyed the story overall. Spoiler Alert: You have the Kaiser, Teddy Roosevelt, James Longstreet!, a few Apaches, the "Who's who" of American & German Generals & Admirals for the era, Richard Hobson, Battleships, and a submarine all playing roles. How can you not like the premise?
You can find a decent used copy online through Abe Books or Amazon
It's pretty fun. There's also 1920, where Germany wins the war quickly, basically conquers Mexico in all but name, and then invades California while Mexican troops invade Taxas. It's probably my favorite Conroy book.
The military loves their ASB plans, don't they also have one for if the Girl Scouts try to overthrow the US Government?
Ya, but that one is pretty serious. You can get access anywhere with a box of Thin Mints.
My current favorite is the one the Marines came up with for fighting a zombie invasion.
To the OP: There is a rather significant difference between invading Belgium or France and invading the U.S. It's known as the North Atlantic. Besides the RN, who would almost certainly find a HSF invasion force headed toward North America of considerable interest (Canada is like, right there, as is Newfoundland) the USN has a fairly substantial battle force, certainly enough to deal with any HSF flotilla that would be low on coal and anchored to a fleet of 6-7 knot transport vessels
TFSmith121
Banned
River barges! The HochZeeSchelpArmee can use river barges!
River barges! The HochZeeSchelpArmee can use river barges! Come on, no one will ever expect it! It's genius, I tell you! GENIUS!
Maybe from the Frisian Islands?
Best,
River barges! The HochZeeSchelpArmee can use river barges! Come on, no one will ever expect it! It's genius, I tell you! GENIUS!
Maybe from the Frisian Islands?
Best,
Ya, but that one is pretty serious. You can get access anywhere with a box of Thin Mints.
My current favorite is the one the Marines came up with for fighting a zombie invasion.
Watching Walking Dead last night. Must have failed!
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the final version of German Operational Plan III in 1903 was nearly a mirror for the US Navy's early drafts of Plan Black drafted in 1914. There's actually a fascinating article in an old Proceedings from the period (around 1912 or 1913) where the Naval War College crew fought the whole thing out as a wargame. Of course, having mentioned it, I'm now having the devil's own time finding it in the Google Books archives of the Proceedings of the period. If I find it, I'll post it.
The Germans were expected to attack via the Caribbean, seize Puerto Rico or make a serious landing in Cuba, and use that to advance against the Southern Atlantic Coast; the final draft of OpPlan III suggested exactly that, having finally given up the idea of making landings in force against the American coastline without a closer base to operate from. Of course, as with several German war plans, it called for more than the German military possessed; it's been argued repeatedly that pretty much every German war plan was written as an excuse to leverage funding and expansion from the government, and this was no different.
The Germans were expected to attack via the Caribbean, seize Puerto Rico or make a serious landing in Cuba, and use that to advance against the Southern Atlantic Coast; the final draft of OpPlan III suggested exactly that, having finally given up the idea of making landings in force against the American coastline without a closer base to operate from. Of course, as with several German war plans, it called for more than the German military possessed; it's been argued repeatedly that pretty much every German war plan was written as an excuse to leverage funding and expansion from the government, and this was no different.
Germany could have tried. They'd have failed miserably, and the US, a now woken giant, would have probably smashed Germany with France's help. Yes, it would have taken years, but landing troops on American soil? Ouch.
Far from being a woken giant, the US wouldn't have noticed anything at all. The Royal Navy would have the Germans at the bottom of the Atlantic before lunch.
A German invasion of the US makes Sealion look sane by comparison.
This. The invasion would be sunk by the British, would would delight in attacking a giant shattering the HF then reaping it against a giant, slow moving, coal powered flotilla, teeming with seasick German soldiers sailing straight into certain death. The United States would not be happy and heads are gonna roll in Germany, namely whoever thought trying to attack the CONUS at any stage was a good idea.
They always do, most militaries come up with strange or absurd hypotheticals. It's good training for staff and officers at least. It's like the zombie plans or plans for a war with Australia, forces people to think creatively.
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