What if the German war plan decided to leave the Atlantic/Baltic campaigns to the U-boats, and concentrate their surface fleet to the Mediterranean, with eyes on Suez (also abandoning the Norway campaign).
So sometime between late 1938 and mid 1939, the Germans announce a "show the flag" tour of the Med with their primary surface fleet, concluding with joint war games with Italy (including Lufrwaffe dive bombing/torpedo practice), and then rest at various Italian ports.
This would mean that when the war begins, the Germans have the following ships in the Med:
Bismarck, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Prinz Eugen, Hipper, Blucher, Scheer, Graf Spee, Deutschland, plus a group of destroyers as well as some support ships.
What would be the British (and French) reaction to this deployment? Would the Taranto raid be scrubbed or broadened in scope? What about the Crete and Malta operations, as well as North Africa?
Would the Kriegsmarine be a much tougher nut to crack as a combined force, combined with the Italians, and the addition of air cover?
Ric350
So sometime between late 1938 and mid 1939, the Germans announce a "show the flag" tour of the Med with their primary surface fleet, concluding with joint war games with Italy (including Lufrwaffe dive bombing/torpedo practice), and then rest at various Italian ports.
This would mean that when the war begins, the Germans have the following ships in the Med:
Bismarck, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Prinz Eugen, Hipper, Blucher, Scheer, Graf Spee, Deutschland, plus a group of destroyers as well as some support ships.
What would be the British (and French) reaction to this deployment? Would the Taranto raid be scrubbed or broadened in scope? What about the Crete and Malta operations, as well as North Africa?
Would the Kriegsmarine be a much tougher nut to crack as a combined force, combined with the Italians, and the addition of air cover?
Ric350