Just checking a few facts in "the war in the Med" by Bernard Ireland.
Interesting that Mussolini managed to upset Turkey with his invasion of Albania. That prevented him from importing oil from Russia via the Black Sea.
If he hadn't done that? ... the oil crisis for the Italian navy might not have been so severe.
On Malta: The civil war in Spain had shown RN that air power had to be factored into any naval equation.
As Italy became more and more hostile, Malta was in essence abandoned. Alexandria had not been chosen yet (in the late 30's) as anything like a fleet base.
Cyprus was looked at for the RN.
Cunningham's Med fleet consisted of four small cruisers and one Australian destroyer division (must have been in the 1939 time frame. Not clear in the book).
Now let us then look at two situations:
1) Italy is courageous
1939: Italy declares war on Britain (not on France) and the Italian navy is sailing forth in strength.
- Malta could be invaded
- Alexandria could be bombarded
- The Red sea could be blockaded
That will make it very difficult for Britain to get back
2) Britain is courageous
Realising the importance of the Med
- Battleships and carriers
- "Taranto and Matapan" and that is the end of Italian Navy
- "Salerno" in 1939
If we look at the immediate time frame from September 1939 until May 1940, we have so many things which could be done and all rather credible.
(Choose, really).
Ivan
Interesting that Mussolini managed to upset Turkey with his invasion of Albania. That prevented him from importing oil from Russia via the Black Sea.
If he hadn't done that? ... the oil crisis for the Italian navy might not have been so severe.
On Malta: The civil war in Spain had shown RN that air power had to be factored into any naval equation.
As Italy became more and more hostile, Malta was in essence abandoned. Alexandria had not been chosen yet (in the late 30's) as anything like a fleet base.
Cyprus was looked at for the RN.
Cunningham's Med fleet consisted of four small cruisers and one Australian destroyer division (must have been in the 1939 time frame. Not clear in the book).
Now let us then look at two situations:
1) Italy is courageous
1939: Italy declares war on Britain (not on France) and the Italian navy is sailing forth in strength.
- Malta could be invaded
- Alexandria could be bombarded
- The Red sea could be blockaded
That will make it very difficult for Britain to get back
2) Britain is courageous
Realising the importance of the Med
- Battleships and carriers
- "Taranto and Matapan" and that is the end of Italian Navy
- "Salerno" in 1939
If we look at the immediate time frame from September 1939 until May 1940, we have so many things which could be done and all rather credible.
(Choose, really).
Ivan