What if Hitler invaded Africa instead of Russia?

Germaniac

Donor
Umm last time I checked a map there was a land route to the soviet union, even a border. The only land route to africa is through the SU. There would be a MASSIVE LOGISTICAL CATASTROPHE to move the Reich's armies to africa and there is very little to gain.

Hitlers goals were not conquest for the sake of conquest like napoleon, Hitler wanted land for the German people to expand onto and destroying the communist menace was a key aspect in his plans.
 
Well if the Hitler had plowed down through Turkey and had captured the middle east, he could have then focused on possibly wrenching the allies out of Africa at a later date.

The problem is navy power. The brits could land on thousands upon thousands of miles of African coast or in the middle east to counter attack. If Hitler were able to build a massive Navy and totally blockade the British Isles, there might be a chance when it comes to invading Africa and the middle east.

The only thing different about doing this compared to invading Russia is manpower. The British didn't have much compared to the Russian's.
 

mowque

Banned
Well if the Hitler had plowed down through Turkey and had captured the middle east, he could have then focused on possibly wrenching the allies out of Africa at a later date.

The problem is navy power. The brits could land on thousands upon thousands of miles of African coast or in the middle east to counter attack. If Hitler were able to build a massive Navy and totally blockade the British Isles, there might be a chance when it comes to invading Africa and the middle east.

The only thing different about doing this compared to invading Russia is manpower. The British didn't have much compared to the Russian's.


Must resist urge to shame....must...:p
 
Okay. Here's a new idea:

Stalin gives Hitler Transit rights? In return for Germany paying big time for a Warsaw-Baku Freeway, Stalin lets the Wehrmacht drive across the country.

So, not only can German troops start at Baku, they are able to improve their logistical situation as time passes. Stalin, meanwhile, is being paid off big time for his support.

It is easy to see Turkey in serious trouble when Germany can simply invade the country in three directions at once, but the route from Istanbul or Baku to Jerusalem is going to be hard to transverse, and driving to Kharkotum from there is going to be nearly impossible. If Hitler wants Africa, he's going to need decades of infrastructure investment and going to wind up with little more than empty land for his trouble.
 
It's a good thing he didn't. Driving south to Khartoum would be pointless; he needed to take the Suez Canal and the Middle East oilfields. Seizing Gibralter would have been imperative, to keep the Royal Navy out of the Med.
 
a Mediterranean strategy instead of a Russian one? Actually, if Hitler did decide to attack eastwards through Turkey, Arabia/Palestine, and then across the Suez into Egypt, could Germany have done it? The distances are far, but the opposition is a lot weaker than Russia too. And there's the minor matter of getting across the Bosphoros and Suez Canal...
I don't think Germany could do it unless Hitler changed the composition of his forces... more paratroopers (to deal with Malta and other islands along the way), a lot more naval vessels, and more combat engineers. Plus, he would have to build some aircraft able to deal with anti-ship tasking (torpedo planes, etc.)... even if based on land, the planes could deal with British ships that get too close to the mainland.
And of course, if Stalin does decide to attack Germany, then Germany is screwed, with the bulk of her armies gallivanting out in the Middle East...
 
Okay. Here's a new idea:

Stalin gives Hitler Transit rights? In return for Germany paying big time for a Warsaw-Baku Freeway, Stalin lets the Wehrmacht drive across the country.

So, not only can German troops start at Baku, they are able to improve their logistical situation as time passes. Stalin, meanwhile, is being paid off big time for his support.

It is easy to see Turkey in serious trouble when Germany can simply invade the country in three directions at once, but the route from Istanbul or Baku to Jerusalem is going to be hard to transverse, and driving to Kharkotum from there is going to be nearly impossible. If Hitler wants Africa, he's going to need decades of infrastructure investment and going to wind up with little more than empty land for his trouble.

This owuld also be handy for Stalin's eventual attack, the Soviets could slice the Germans in half.
 
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