... The danger is to be complacent.
Admittedly, on a snaller scale, but:
1) Franco and his merry men (from Morocco, etc) were flown into Spain. The Republicans dominated the sea, so Germany avoided that.
2) Crete: air was a better route
3) To some extent Norway (a bit muddled, but not insignificant)
I do know the British admiral (who was it again?) who said: "I am not saying that they can't come, I am saying they can't come by sea".
Very good, but how about air? And now we are not talking parachute jumps and light divisions.
The berg division flown into Crete was what was needed. And that settled it.
If BEF had not been evacuated there would have been a bit of a shortfall here and there. Armour in UK after Dunkirk? not impressive I believe. I have some numbers out of Brooke's book which I shall look up later.
Still, luck and a lot of things must have happend prior to 1940. Doubt it could have been done with the shabby planning in 1940.
Ivan
Admittedly, on a snaller scale, but:
1) Franco and his merry men (from Morocco, etc) were flown into Spain. The Republicans dominated the sea, so Germany avoided that.
2) Crete: air was a better route
3) To some extent Norway (a bit muddled, but not insignificant)
I do know the British admiral (who was it again?) who said: "I am not saying that they can't come, I am saying they can't come by sea".
Very good, but how about air? And now we are not talking parachute jumps and light divisions.
The berg division flown into Crete was what was needed. And that settled it.
If BEF had not been evacuated there would have been a bit of a shortfall here and there. Armour in UK after Dunkirk? not impressive I believe. I have some numbers out of Brooke's book which I shall look up later.
Still, luck and a lot of things must have happend prior to 1940. Doubt it could have been done with the shabby planning in 1940.
Ivan