I've read a lot of threads about how the Kriegsmarine of the 2nd World War could have performed better in the Atlantic, and all of them end with the unanimous conclusion: "They're still screwed". So this thread will ask the complete opposite: what if the Reich's leadership took one look at the British, American, and French navies, and said "I'll see you nerds later"?
ITTL, the General Staff makes the assumption (that wasn't very far of from their IRL thinking) that if they can win air superiority and overrun the continent prior to America getting involved, they've effectively won. Their navy is thus built for two purposes and two purposes only: completing Operation Weserubung to secure Sweden's resources, then pivoting to a purely coastal defense role to prevent commando raids and large-scale landings.
This would probably look like:
-The Scharnhost-class ships are still completed for Weserubung
-Bismark, Tirpirtz, and Graf Zeppelin are never laid down
-The U-Boat fleet is significantly reduced
-R&D for advanced naval weaponry is reduced (acoustic torpedoes, magnetic mines, snorkels)
-More E-boats and similar small craft
Presumably, the resources, fuel, and manpower would be used for the land and air forces instead.
How does this alter the length of the war? Does Germany lose faster with allied shipping not being disrupted? Is Japan going to be obliterated with Britain and America able to send even more ships into the Pacific? Or does this strategy actually lengthen the war by giving the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe more to work with?
ITTL, the General Staff makes the assumption (that wasn't very far of from their IRL thinking) that if they can win air superiority and overrun the continent prior to America getting involved, they've effectively won. Their navy is thus built for two purposes and two purposes only: completing Operation Weserubung to secure Sweden's resources, then pivoting to a purely coastal defense role to prevent commando raids and large-scale landings.
This would probably look like:
-The Scharnhost-class ships are still completed for Weserubung
-Bismark, Tirpirtz, and Graf Zeppelin are never laid down
-The U-Boat fleet is significantly reduced
-R&D for advanced naval weaponry is reduced (acoustic torpedoes, magnetic mines, snorkels)
-More E-boats and similar small craft
Presumably, the resources, fuel, and manpower would be used for the land and air forces instead.
How does this alter the length of the war? Does Germany lose faster with allied shipping not being disrupted? Is Japan going to be obliterated with Britain and America able to send even more ships into the Pacific? Or does this strategy actually lengthen the war by giving the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe more to work with?