Plausibility Check: Danish D-Day?

The only reason that I am asking is because it happened in one of my HoI2 games. Basically, the Western Allies had taken the Southern chunks of Scandanavia, while the Soviets had taken the Northern parts. So when D-Day came, the Allies chose to launch their attack from Sweden into Denmark and then began marching South towards Berlin, rather than from Britain to France and marching East. What it ended up being is that instead of Western (France), Eastern (Russia), and Southern (Italy) fronts; it was Northern (Denmark), Eastern (Russia), and Southern (Italy). So is this scenario plausible? First off, what would be the best POD to give them sufficient holdings in Scandanavia to do this? Secondly, if they did have such holdings, would they try this invasion over a French one?
 

Valdemar II

Banned
It would be quite bad idea, especially because the West Coast had been fortified by Germany, the longer transportation route, and of course that the Allieds couldn't use their quantitive advantage in thin Jutland as in the more open Northen France.
 
It would be quite bad idea, especially because the West Coast had been fortified by Germany, the longer transportation route, and of course that the Allieds couldn't use their quantitive advantage in thin Jutland as in the more open Northen France.
The OP talks about invading from Sweden. If Sweden is part of the Allies, then the entire north shore of Germany is quite possibly open for invasion.

Of course, they'd have to control Jutland and the {O/}resund first, but you wouldn't need, necessarily, to try to cross the reverse Danevirk (sp?).
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
Monthly Donor
It would still be pretty hazardous. The Allies had total air supremacy over the Channel, it is hard to see how that would be possible over Baltic that far North. The Reich could have used the same aircraft it had reserved for homeland defense to act against the invasion beaches. Without the level of control the Allies had over Normandy, you are looking at something closer to the landing at Salerno or even Anzio, except against fortified beaches.

Omaha with enemy air attacks?:eek:

It would also have put the Allies into a situation where they would advancing with both flanks exposed since the Heer forces in France would be able to operate against them from the east as well as the forces already in Denmark.
 
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The only reason that I am asking is because it happened in one of my HoI2 games. Basically, the Western Allies had taken the Southern chunks of Scandanavia, while the Soviets had taken the Northern parts. So when D-Day came, the Allies chose to launch their attack from Sweden into Denmark and then began marching South towards Berlin, rather than from Britain to France and marching East. What it ended up being is that instead of Western (France), Eastern (Russia), and Southern (Italy) fronts; it was Northern (Denmark), Eastern (Russia), and Southern (Italy). So is this scenario plausible? First off, what would be the best POD to give them sufficient holdings in Scandanavia to do this? Secondly, if they did have such holdings, would they try this invasion over a French one?

How would the allies ever end up in Sweden? I have some difficulty in imagining this if your war start as per OTL and then have the allies and Soviets hold on to Scandinavia untill D-day as June 6, 1944??

Invade Denmark from Sweden - where? In the islands where each landing can be contained to one island making for a slow slug over at least two before arriving in Jutland that is actually a bottleneck?
 
How would the allies ever end up in Sweden? I have some difficulty in imagining this if your war start as per OTL and then have the allies and Soviets hold on to Scandinavia untill D-day as June 6, 1944??

Invade Denmark from Sweden - where? In the islands where each landing can be contained to one island making for a slow slug over at least two before arriving in Jutland that is actually a bottleneck?
Note that he is basing this on a computer game session:)

However, I could imagine Sweden seeing which way the wind is blowing and throwing in with the Allies, especially if throwing in with the Western Allies meant not being conquered by Russia.

The West CONQUERING Sweden in WWII would be such a HUGE waste of effort that it would be ASB, I think.

But if Sweden threw in with the WAllies, I could see a northern invasion of Europe working. (Although surely once they have e.g. Fyn, they'll attack across the Baltic not the base of Jutland, no?)
 
In hindsight I probably should have put this in ASB. Hearts of Iron 2 is not the most accurate historical simulator in the world. :rolleyes:

The war started similar to OTL (slightly different, but not appreciably so). When the big differences started was when Sweden and Norway actually went more strongly towards the Axis. In retaliation, the British, Americans, and Soviets invaded and occupied them. This sidebar delayed the invasion of Europe itself. In early 1945 (April or May I think), the British and the Americans invaded into Denmark rather then France. The Germans then had to draw their forces from France to fight on the Northern Front. Because of this. France was liberated rather quickly by British troops. The Americans captured Berlin in January 1946, and the last of German resistance was destroyed in March. The Iron Curtain fell roughly at the modern day German/Polish border.
 
Note that he is basing this on a computer game session:)

But if Sweden threw in with the WAllies, I could see a northern invasion of Europe working. (Although surely once they have e.g. Fyn, they'll attack across the Baltic not the base of Jutland, no?)

Yes, I had my qualms about discussing AH on the basis of a computer game! But then this is taking place in cyber-space isn't it? :D

If Sweden threw her lot in why bother getting bogged down in Denmark at all? Why not go straight for Germany's Baltic coast like Fisher advocated (by this time you still run the risk of getting apprehended by the Prussian Police but what the heck).
 
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