Just one more Divison

When Hitler appointed Rommel to Field Marshal, Rommel said "I would be rather more happy have he given me one more division" In the 2nd Battle of El Alamein, Germany had a extremely tiny amount of tanks compared to the British, which had a around a 2:1 advantage (547 German and Italian tanks compared to 1,029 British and Commonwealth tanks)

What if Hitler recognized the importance of the African campaign (as a German victory at El Alamein would of certainty crippled the Royal Navy as the Germans could've captured Alexandria) and end Germany's oil shortage (German forces could have invaded the Middle East and take out the Suez Canal)?
Would Germany win?
 

Deleted member 1487

When Hitler appointed Rommel to Field Marshal, Rommel said "I would be rather more happy have he given me one more division" In the 2nd Battle of El Alamein, Germany had a extremely tiny amount of tanks compared to the British, which had a around a 2:1 advantage (547 German and Italian tanks compared to 1,029 British and Commonwealth tanks)

What if Hitler recognized the importance of the African campaign (as a German victory at El Alamein would of certainty crippled the Royal Navy as the Germans could've captured Alexandria) and end Germany's oil shortage (German forces could have invaded the Middle East and take out the Suez Canal)?
Would Germany win?
There was the wee problem of logistics and having one less division on other fronts. Also Egypt didn't produce oil in WW2 either, so there is no oil gains from capturing Alexandria.
 
There was the wee problem of logistics and having one less division on other fronts. Also Egypt didn't produce oil in WW2 either, so there is no oil gains from capturing Alexandria.

The port of Alex and the Suez were not insignificant assets, but yes the actual oil of Iraq/Iran and the oil was a very far ways off even if everything went right for the Panzer Army Africa.

A Mediterranean strategy and fighting in the USSR at the same time are of course missions where taking from one hurts the other and vice versa more then meets the eye.
 

SsgtC

Banned
The port of Alex and the Suez were not insignificant assets, but yes the actual oil of Iraq/Iran and the oil was a very far ways off even if everything went right for the Panzer Army Africa.

A Mediterranean strategy and fighting in the USSR at the same time are of course missions where taking from one hurts the other and vice versa more then meets the eye.
Suez wasn't that important in WWII. The Allies basically stopped using it after Italy joined the Axis. Yeah, it would have saved a shit ton of ton-miles verses going around the Horn, but it wasn't vital to the Allies
 

Deleted member 1487

Suez wasn't that important in WWII. The Allies basically stopped using it after Italy joined the Axis. Yeah, it would have saved a shit ton of ton-miles verses going around the Horn, but it wasn't vital to the Allies
The Suez remained critical to the British positions in the Mediterranean. They used it even more once Italy joined the Axis, because coming from Gibraltar was extraordinarily dangerous. Shipping from Britain to the armies in Egypt and the Mediterranean fleet came in via the Suez.
http://www.naval-history.net/xAH-WSConvoys02.htm#route
 

SsgtC

Banned
The Suez remained critical to the British positions in the Mediterranean. They used it even more once Italy joined the Axis, because coming from Gibraltar was extraordinarily dangerous. Shipping from Britain to the armies in Egypt and the Mediterranean fleet came in via the Suez.
http://www.naval-history.net/xAH-WSConvoys02.htm#route
Crap. I made a rookie mistake. I assumed. I know a lot of shipping hot routed along the Horn and just assumed that the British stopped using it until Italy was neutralized
 
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