What if Hitler did not retire the use of paratroopers?

During the early days of World War II, paratroopers were critical to the implementation of the German doctrine of blitzkrieg, seeing action during Germany's 1940 invasion of the Low Countries-France, Belgium and the Netherlands. They performed duties such as capturing ports and destroying fortifications, most notably Fort Eben Emael in Belgium.

However, this would end with Hitler's invasion of Greece. The Allies and Greeks had holed themselves up on the island of Crete. Hitler sent paratroopers in to seize the island. They succeeded, but at a bloody cost to the paratroopers. With this in mind and the belief that the paratroopers no longer held the element of surprise, Hitler retired the use of paratroopers.

But what if Hitler maintained the use of paratroopers during the war?
 
Would they have been needed? Where would they have been more of use than as regulars?

German paratroopers both failed in The Netherlands and Greece. I'd say if they were used again, they would fail again.
 
The option to use air landings was always there with the number of airborne divisions increasing throughout the war. There were at least two further German airborne operations after Crete but on a smaller scale, but in general there were very few opportunities to utilise paratroopers.

As for Crete, the failings were as much to do with faulty intelligence (estimates of opposing forces on Crete being just 5000 rather than a force many times greater than this) and the lack of secrecy during German preparations as any other factor.
 

Redbeard

Banned
It would mean an even greater waste of experienced men and valuable materiel.

The value of air landed troops proved much more questionable than was expected. Sure air landed troops could be valuable in coup like situations, but as soon as organised opposition from regular units was met the airlanded units simply were to lightly equipped and with too limited supplies.

And even if lightly equipped air landing operations were also extremely expensive. Not only were the men well trained (much effort put into their training) but it took a C47 to carry the same number of men that a 2,5 tons truck could carry. AFAIK a C47 cost in the region of 60-80.000 $ and a 2,5 ton truck 1800 $. The difference in operating costs probably would be even greater.

For the Germans, always in short supply of materiel incl. Ju 52s, one more major air landing operation probably would have meant the end of air transport as a factor. But perhaps that would have meant the 6th Army being allowed to break out from Stalingrad as not even Göring can claim he can supply them from the air.
 

Deleted member 9338

What would the impact be on Barbarossa of paratroopers being used?

Or Stalingrad..

Airborne troops allow for the insertion of well trained troops to offer shock for a limited time period. But there use comes with a built in loss percentage that is not for the squeamish

The Soviets used them effectively and once their mission was complete they often joind d the partisans.

With this said I see little effective use for them on the Western for not in 1944, but Italy and the Eastern Front is a different matter
 
The primary reason Hitler grounded his paratroopers was huge numbers of Ju52 transports wrecked during invasions of Holland and Crete. Luftwaffe transport squadrons never recovered from those losses. Ergo few late-war Fallschirmjagers were jump qualified.
Instead, Fallschirmjagers became Goering's private army. He recruited the best and brightest german soldiers and equipped them well. So well equipped that Fallschirmjagers developed unique weapons like the FG42 rifle.
Without Fallschirmjagers, Goering would have needed another object for his ambitions.
Ironically, Fallschirmjagers proved stubborn defenders through the Italian and German (1945) campaigns.
 

Deleted member 1487

German paras were used several more times in air drops, just not on division scale. There really was no need for that for the Germans by the time they rebuilt their division and wasted IMHO a ton of resources building several more para divisions.

The Soviets used them effectively and once their mission was complete they often joind d the partisans.
No, no they didn't. Soviet airborne drops were universally failures and paratroopers had to hide with partisans just to survive after the disasters.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Airborne_Troops#Interwar_and_World_War_II
After the 1943 disaster Stalin gave up on using them for drops.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyazma_airborne_operation
The Vyazma drops were partially successful, but they failed in their mission other than harassing German supply lines. Some survived to breakout of the position they were in, but the majority were lost without accomplishing the operational/strategic goals set out.
 

Deleted member 1487

well then they should make more :winkytongue:

i can do this all day.
This was Nazi Germany in 1941 under Udet. One does not simply make more even on Hitler's orders. Udet was pressured to make more of everything and couldn't get things to work, so he was sidelined and harassed and committed suicide in late 1941, when Milch took over and did that. But it was too late by then.
 
This was Nazi Germany in 1941 under Udet. One does not simply make more even on Hitler's orders. Udet was pressured to make more of everything and couldn't get things to work, so he was sidelined and harassed and committed suicide in late 1941, when Milch took over and did that. But it was too late by then.

Well then Udet needs to get things to work.
 
Realistically Wiking had some scenario where the Germans commit to Rethymno instead of Maleme avoiding some of the OTL Ju52 losses. So you could create a drop with that.

But with a couple of hundred extra Ju52s you could do more productive things with than airdropping soldiers. Ju52s could fly up fuel to keep a few tanks going further. Or fly in supplies to an overextended spearhead. Many things to do on the eastern front.
 
Landing on the oilfields in the Caucasus in 1942 from CONDORS. Would have a shock impact , but not sure if the could be resupplied except through Turkey?
 
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