No offence taken. But you are correct; I meant the Black, not Red, Sea.
On another note, I imagine you'd see some additional border rectifications to Turkey's advantage at the war's end in this event. Rhodes, at the very least, and I imagine Western Thrace would be in the cards as well. Does this lead to a more hostile re-framing of Greeco-Turkish relations post-war? It could make for a key Cold War flashpoint, given Turkey's position as a missle base/unsinkable aircraft carrier for the West and the strategic importance of the Bosporus.
ITTL, Tunisia is secured during Op. Torch, ... the Axis is spared the loss of ~360k men, 3k aircraft, 1k guns and ~450 tanks (minus whatever made up the original Panzerarmee Africa ... which is mostly lost ITTL as well).
The Allies then invade Pantelleria, which works, followed by Sicily, which doesn't. ...
At the same time the Sicily landings are underway but before the decisive axis counterattack, Turkey decides to join the Allies by declaring war on Germany (but not Bulgaria, the only axis member it shares a border with). ...
How do things progress from here? Can the Allies clear the Aegean in time?
Be a useful supplementary operation to an attack in NW Europe. Maybe do the amphibious operation with British corps and airpower, Then reinforce with Red Army units? Is that even realistic?
But if this delays a invasion of NW Europe and capture of the Ruhr its not worth it.
What kind of naval support would the Brits send? I'm trying to picture playing this scenario out. A British fleet, army, and air force, and maybe an American air force, gathering on the Black Sea. The Germans, Romanians, and Italians massing their own forces to counter the threat. The Soviets may be planning their own invasion of Romania in conjunction with the British invasion.
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Did a bit of light review of Turkish attitudes towards the war & I don't see it as likely they'd join in just because Tunisia was secured five months earlier. This might be a slightly more favorable TL...
1. Tunisia is secured by the Allies in December 1942
2. SYMBOL conference results in a invasion of NW Europe posiphoned to 1944
3. Sardinia is attacked in March with a subsidiary operation seizing Corsica
4. Hitler decides both Italy in indefensible & German forces are withdrawn to north of Rome.
5. April: Mussolini is deposed & Bagdoglios government opens negotiations with the Allies.
6. Churchills blandishments persuade the Turks to say 'maybe'.
7. Hilter panics and attempts a coup de main to capture the Italian government and Istanbul. Rome is secured but the Italian government escapes south and rally a residual army there. Bulgarian and German forces capture Istanbul and selected Bosphorus crossings. The Turkish army begins mobilizing a army group opposite the German lodgments.
8. May. The Brit 1st Army under Anderson lands in south Italy along with Pattons I Corps. The 8th Army under Monty lands in Turky and covers the ports. The US II Corps under Fredenhall joins the 8th Army.
9. The French take over occupation of Corsica/Sardinia and began preparations for the invasion of S France, not caring what anyone else plans are.
!0. Churchill is estatic, covering maps with arrows in blue crayon and casting flurries of memos on the offices of SACMED & the other commanders.
Couldn't the Germans close the Dardanelles rather easily (with a Bulgarian land-invasion as backup) before the Allies were in any position to use Turkey as a forward base for an attack on Romania? I suppose the Allies could base planes to whatever suitable bases exist inside Turkey's heartland, but Istanbul and the Straits seem to be effectively lost once Turkey is in (and there is no sink in Sicily to tie up so many German forces in the Med).
I suppose the Turks will have fortified and mined before the DOW, but really - given the conditions in the OP - I don't see how this "Demonstration at the Dardanelles" can go down well for Turkey in any way.
Indiana ?How quickly could the Western Allies reinforce Turkey? When would a German build-up in Bulgaria be noticed? I think if Turkey is planning to DOW the Axis, then there would be pre-DOW planning with the Allies.
Does Dr. Jones get sent to Turkey by the OSS?![]()
Supplying to Rumania adds some 25% to the days a ship is tied up delivering each ton. Longer turn around time costs the Allies dearly in cargo shipping. This last is one of the US arguments for invading western France. A 30 day turnaround from US ports vs a 40-45 day RT to Western MTO ports. Rumania pushes that to over fifty days, maybe 55?