Second front in Western Europe with neutral Italy?

Norway?

I have difficulty seeing the Western Allies 'do' Norway as an amphibious operation in 1942 or 1943. No airfields remotely close enough to prove adequate air-cover for them up there, except maybe in the places close to Russia, and in the bits of Norway close to Russia - unless the terrain's particularly nasty (I'm not familiar with the geography up there, I admit) - it seems to me that they may as well (if Stalin will give them permission) use northern Russia as a staging ground and push across the border (possibly using landing craft for short 'flanking' moves along the coast).
Mind you, if the Western Allies did at least manage an operation to liberate northern Norway, it would make the Arctic Convoys a bit simpler.
 

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
n the bits of Norway close to Russia - unless the terrain's particularly nasty (I'm not familiar with the geography up there, I admit) - it seems to me that they may as well (if Stalin will give them permission) use northern Russia as a staging ground and push across the border (possibly using landing craft for short 'flanking' moves along the coast).

Fair enough, WAllied ground action starting from a base in the Soviet Arctic, with seaborne supply and amphibious flanking as a threat in being.

Stalin will not deny permission in 42, in my opinion, if the WAllies firmly tell him that is the only ground operation they will do against Germans at all at that time.

"But isn't Stalin too paranoid to accept Allied troops on Soviet soil?"

This is actually the same Stalin who in OTL 1941 and 1942 proposed the British and later the British and Americans send troops to the Don and Caucasus fronts.

Things won't be peachy keen, but won't forestall a successful operation in northern Norway either. Once the WAllies have enough ports and airfields on Norwegian soil, the Soviets and WAllies will come to mutual agreement to run supply and air support operations in Norway from liberated Norway, and get out of the Soviet Arctic.

Supplying both a Norway liberation force *and* Soviet forces via Murmansk and Archangel is a bit of a strain. On the other hand, the Allied shipping situation is eased and more aid could probably be delivered for the Soviet forces by Black Sea routes.
 
I have difficulty seeing the Western Allies 'do' Norway as an amphibious operation in 1942 or 1943. No airfields remotely close enough to prove adequate air-cover for them up there, except maybe in the places close to Russia, ....

During 1943 there were around 300 operational aircraft kept in Norway. Hitler thought the Allies were going to invade & thought that number was what could be spared to resist. Commando operations and a anti shipping raids by the USS Ranger kept Hitler thinking that way. With some extra effort the US should be able to deploy a couple of the new Essex class carrier & the Brits three of their fleet carriers. Add in several CVE for ASW & other secondary ops & the Allies should have enough aircraft to deal with the German air group. A airfield would have to be in the imeadiate invasion objective area & a airfield ops unit & engineers landed early on, D+1 would be ideal. The full carrier force cant be kept on station for more than a few days, but rotation to Scapa Flow would sustain their operations until the airfield is operational.

It is correct Norway is out of range of Allied fighters of 1943. However both the USAAF & RAF had heavy bombers that could easily make the round trip. With a maximum effort by those against the German airfields it is not going to be impossible, or even severely difficult. A diversionary air campaign elsewhere in Europe should attrit some of the Geman air strength beforehand, & pin some to the south during the campaign.
 
Invading Norway in the summer of 43 threatens the iron ore supply from Sweden, puts Sweden in a position where it has to commit to the Allies, can open a supply route to Sweden. The economic effect if Sweden is no longer nuetral are one thing. On the military side this Scandanavia front is another long area Germany must deploy field armies on & watch for bomber raids.
 
Does Italy declare neutrality earlier than they declared war OTL?
Perhaps England decides to make a stand in Norway by moving assets out of the Mediterranean theatre.
 

Deleted member 1487

Does Italy declare neutrality earlier than they declared war OTL?
Perhaps England decides to make a stand in Norway by moving assets out of the Mediterranean theatre.
No same as IOTL they just don't DoW in 1940.
 
Top