There's probably a few thoughts on it.Does Narvik still fall to the Nazis if France doesn't fall in 1940 (or later)?
Any thoughts on this?
Also, separate question: How much would a Narvik in Allied hands combined with a lack of a Fall of France have hurt Nazi Germany?
Thanks; will do!There's probably a few thoughts on it.
If you have time to read look at PDF27s timeline. Narvik remains in allied hands and France doesn't fall.
Well, I can skim it rather than outright read every single word of it.Be careful it's a little long.
Thread 1Well, I can skim it rather than outright read every single word of it.![]()
Well, I can skim it rather than outright read every single word of it.![]()
Well worth reading in full, very good timeline.
You would need a combined services approach (land, air, sea); plus some cooperation from the Swedes on sealing the border to prevent raiding parties from slipping around the flanks. At some points the distance from the border to the nearest fjord is just a few kilometers - overland supply lines would be at risk.
While the Germans would have access to closer good ports and airfields for attacking the North, it would still be a very high maintenance operation. The 1940 mid-year Kriegsmarine was pretty beat up after the initial invasion, so there's that. The Luftwaffe's first priority was the Battle of Britain, so Norway would be a side-show for both sides.
If the Allies knew the cost of the Arctic convoys in 1940, they might have had second thoughts about trying to retain Northern Norway. But then, they'd need to know the military and diplomatic outcome of Barbarossa in advance.
You would need a combined services approach (land, air, sea); plus some cooperation from the Swedes on sealing the border to prevent raiding parties from slipping around the flanks. At some points the distance from the border to the nearest fjord is just a few kilometers - overland supply lines would be at risk.
While the Germans would have access to closer good ports and airfields for attacking the North, it would still be a very high maintenance operation. The 1940 mid-year Kriegsmarine was pretty beat up after the initial invasion, so there's that. The Luftwaffe's first priority was the Battle of Britain, so Norway would be a side-show for both sides.
If the Allies knew the cost of the Arctic convoys in 1940, they might have had second thoughts about trying to retain Northern Norway. But then, they'd need to know the military and diplomatic outcome of Barbarossa in advance.
Did the Allies have enough Free French forces at the time to send to Narvik, or were these just getting organized?
Interesting observation, in that he was the prime political architect of the Norwegian campaign on the Allied side.The whole of northern Norway was covered with snow to depths which none of our soldiers had ever seen, felt, or imagined. There were neither snow-shoes nor skis - still less skiers. We must do our best. Thus began this ramshackle campaign.
From all this wreckage and confusion there emerged one fact of major importance potentially affecting the whole future of the war. In their desperate grapple with the British Navy, the Germans ruined their own, such as it was, for the impending climax. The Allied losses in all the sea-fighting off Norway amounted to one aircraft carrier, two cruisers, one sloop, and nine destroyers. Six cruisers, two sloops, and eight destroyers were disabled, but could be repaired within our margin of sea power. On the other hand, at the end of June 1940, a momentous date, the effective German Fleet consisted of no more than one eight-inch cruiser, two light cruisers, and four destroyers. Although many of their damaged ships, like ours could be repaired, the German Navy was no factor in the supreme issue of the invasion of Britain.
On the assumption that Narvik falls into our hands in the near future we must consider the uses to which we intend to put it. First we want to make it a convenient oiling base, where our flotillas acting on the Norwegian coast can refuel at the highest economy. Secondly, we require to ship the masses of ore there to this country in a very active manner.
For these purposes we must have a moderate garrison, say about a thousand Territorial troops. A few efficient AA batteries, both high and low ceiling: a well netted, boomed and perhaps partially mined barrier: and a good supply of oil in tankers.