This is a very simple, proposed timeline, that I hope others can provide insight on and help me expand or change what is necessary, and whereever I have faulty reasoning, to adjust that.
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It is late 1940. Adolf Hitler, seeing that any hope of an invasion of Britain is, for the present at least, utterly hopeless, decides to scrap Operation Sealion entirely. His initial plans are to invade the Soviet Union while Britain remains in the war. However, based largely on the advice of one of his closest lieutenants, Rudolf Hess, he chooses, instead, to change his focus dramatically. Thus begins Operation Orpheus.
Operation Orpheus is a nonlinear plan, one might almost call it "passive-aggressive", that is comprised of three separate, but related programs:
1) The pursuit of unrestricted submarine warfare on Britain, with the intention of crippling its commerce. The German leadership has not forgotten how devastating that system of action was in the previous war, nor that the Kaiserreich temporarily abandoned it. This will not happen in this war. Hitler gambles there is enough isolationist feeling in the United States that, at worst, it will take Roosevelt precious months, perhaps a year or more, before he can work up enough support for war against Germany, and at best, no war declaration will be coming. Either way, Hitler's plan is to starve Britain, either into submission, or into a position where it cannot fend off invasion, before the U.S. can effectively become a military factor. Hitler directs large numbers of submarines to be built as quickly as possible, to help ensure the success of this operation. In additon to the relentless sinking of merchant vessels, the Luftwaffe will resume operations on British military targets, maximizing the military effect the weakened German Air Force can cause.
2) Many of the armored divisions originally earmarked for an attack on Russia, up to 15%, will join with the forces already under Erwin Rommel's command in the Afrikacorps, with the goal to destroy the Allied North African, and take the Suez Canal, as quickly as possible, thus farther weakening Britain's position through oblique, rather than direct, attack.
3) Although Hitler does not expect Stalin to invade immediately, he knows the peace the two dictatorships currently have will not last forever. He thus prepares for an attack from the Soviets. A plan for defense in depth is ordered, with the goal being to weaken the numerically superior Russian force while still in what is mostly conquered Polish territory. The hope is for successful counterattacks to continue and eventually form into a steady press into Russian territory. Although Hitler does not care for the plan overmuch, he is convinced by Hess and by the German military command to adopt it for several reasons: A) It will provide a propoganda boon, and may even reduce tensions in the U.S. caused by the renewal of aggresive unrestricted submarine warfare; and B) It will provide a chance for Germany to induce favorable attrition against the Russians, perhaps encircle and capture large numbers of fighting men, before adopting Blitzkrieg tactics for the inevitable counterattacks.
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Ok guys, what do you think? What's feasible here and what isn't? And what would be the results of such a strategy?
NOTE: I know that Hitler, being aggressive, cool towards naval operations as a general rule, and just plain batshit crazy, would be unlikely to enact such a plan, but let's write this down as Hess and the Generals getting him on a couple of good days. I'm more concerned with *if* something like this proposed plan was adopted, what would be the consequences, rather than how likely it is that such a plan would be accepted by Hitler.
********
It is late 1940. Adolf Hitler, seeing that any hope of an invasion of Britain is, for the present at least, utterly hopeless, decides to scrap Operation Sealion entirely. His initial plans are to invade the Soviet Union while Britain remains in the war. However, based largely on the advice of one of his closest lieutenants, Rudolf Hess, he chooses, instead, to change his focus dramatically. Thus begins Operation Orpheus.
Operation Orpheus is a nonlinear plan, one might almost call it "passive-aggressive", that is comprised of three separate, but related programs:
1) The pursuit of unrestricted submarine warfare on Britain, with the intention of crippling its commerce. The German leadership has not forgotten how devastating that system of action was in the previous war, nor that the Kaiserreich temporarily abandoned it. This will not happen in this war. Hitler gambles there is enough isolationist feeling in the United States that, at worst, it will take Roosevelt precious months, perhaps a year or more, before he can work up enough support for war against Germany, and at best, no war declaration will be coming. Either way, Hitler's plan is to starve Britain, either into submission, or into a position where it cannot fend off invasion, before the U.S. can effectively become a military factor. Hitler directs large numbers of submarines to be built as quickly as possible, to help ensure the success of this operation. In additon to the relentless sinking of merchant vessels, the Luftwaffe will resume operations on British military targets, maximizing the military effect the weakened German Air Force can cause.
2) Many of the armored divisions originally earmarked for an attack on Russia, up to 15%, will join with the forces already under Erwin Rommel's command in the Afrikacorps, with the goal to destroy the Allied North African, and take the Suez Canal, as quickly as possible, thus farther weakening Britain's position through oblique, rather than direct, attack.
3) Although Hitler does not expect Stalin to invade immediately, he knows the peace the two dictatorships currently have will not last forever. He thus prepares for an attack from the Soviets. A plan for defense in depth is ordered, with the goal being to weaken the numerically superior Russian force while still in what is mostly conquered Polish territory. The hope is for successful counterattacks to continue and eventually form into a steady press into Russian territory. Although Hitler does not care for the plan overmuch, he is convinced by Hess and by the German military command to adopt it for several reasons: A) It will provide a propoganda boon, and may even reduce tensions in the U.S. caused by the renewal of aggresive unrestricted submarine warfare; and B) It will provide a chance for Germany to induce favorable attrition against the Russians, perhaps encircle and capture large numbers of fighting men, before adopting Blitzkrieg tactics for the inevitable counterattacks.
******
Ok guys, what do you think? What's feasible here and what isn't? And what would be the results of such a strategy?
NOTE: I know that Hitler, being aggressive, cool towards naval operations as a general rule, and just plain batshit crazy, would be unlikely to enact such a plan, but let's write this down as Hess and the Generals getting him on a couple of good days. I'm more concerned with *if* something like this proposed plan was adopted, what would be the consequences, rather than how likely it is that such a plan would be accepted by Hitler.