James G
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Post by James G on Aug 29, 2018 19:24:01 GMT
As the Battle of France developed in 1940, after Dunkirk and the Germans on the attack again, was there any chance that Brittany could be held by the Western Allies?
The skies would be open to German aircraft, but a defensive line could have been made on ground and there would be sea control.
It would certainly lower the risk of any Sea Lion and perhaps encourage continued resistance elsewhere in mainland France.
Thoughts?
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Aug 30, 2018 14:41:32 GMT
As the Battle of France developed in 1940, after Dunkirk and the Germans on the attack again, was there any chance that Brittany could be held by the Western Allies? The skies would be open to German aircraft, but a defensive line could have been made on ground and there would be sea control. It would certainly lower the risk of any Sea Lion and perhaps encourage continued resistance elsewhere in mainland France. Thoughts?
I doubt it as it would enable the Germans to fight the RAF in a much more favourable condition than OTL BOB and also wear down the RN trying to supply the region. Even if the BEF somehow managed to retire to there or get all its equipment out of Dunkirk and reinsert them into Brittany. Also if Anglo-French forces are in Brittany that probably means less forces in Britain itself and hence a greater fear of invasion.
Even if a good chunk of the French forces manage to retire into Brittany and are supported by British forces they have the problem of being supplied and equipped as French will have lost pretty much all its industrial base so French equipment can't be supported for long and they will need to re-equipped and retrained on the use of British/American/whatever equipment while under constant air attack. Also with only really the manpower of Brittany to call upon for the French - plus possibly what they can get from the N African colonies if that fights on - their manpower resources are limited and while Britain can send new conscripts into the mincer that means men are being consumed that Britain can't really afford, even ignoring losses in shipping them to Brittany.
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steffen
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Post by steffen on Aug 31, 2018 13:44:33 GMT
Nope, just zero chance. The germans were so far ahead of their enemies, that any "britanny defence" would be easily crushed... for the germans it would be the wet dream they want. 1.) the RAF is slaughtered. Period. Just look at the distances, they have fighters with 5 minutes fuel knowing that they are either captured in the cauldron or drown in the sea). For the germans it is perfect, they can shoot up the RAF and gain easy experience... the needed bombers of the RAF also get slaughtered, massive AA guns help the germans to kill british planes. 2.) the RN get destroyed. To supply the huge and massive army, with no adequate ports the RN need basically all light forces they could spent. More as they have, more as they should waste. For the german airforce it is a cheap and easy training alley... they could gain experience how to kill RN-ships, with less or nil british defence for them. In the same time the RN need to supply the forces or they get lost. That is basically a mega-desaster, not even in 1944 with the mullberrys the british could hope to win that if they have so massive lost the air battles... in 1940 it is a desaster, esp. for light ships (destroyers, cruisers, small ships (later used in convoy protection). 3.) the Royal Army get slaughtered. If you have a small cauldron, the germans dig in, use their artillery, their stukas, their other bombers and destroy systematically the ports of the britanny... in the same time they kill the RAF. Then they look for a section, crush it and break through. No place to run to the british and rump french surrender... Hitler won ww2 - first section, this time half a million british and 300k french soldiers end as POW. But the british loose around 2000 planes, 1500 pilots, 30-40 destroyer, 100-500 more light ships, 100-200 medium sized freighters (they could not spare), and because they leave their other sea lanes undefended around 2-3 million BRT more lost to german subs. What a smart idea  You could not think about such an idea... |
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sandyman
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Post by sandyman on Oct 2, 2018 18:02:53 GMT
Royal Army sadly not.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2018 9:43:01 GMT
Well, stranger things have happened even in WW2, with even more strained supply lines (Guadalcanal). Saint Malo in Brittany held until September 1944 in the face of a huge Allied assault the 1940 Wehrmacht has no hope of replicating Just look at the distances, they have fighters with 5 minutes fuel knowing that they are either captured in the cauldron or drown in the sea). For the germans it is perfect, they can shoot up the RAF and gain easy experience. The British and French aircraft operating from airfields on Brittany/Contentin would have huge advantages, over Luftwaffe attackers the RN get destroyed. To supply the huge and massive army, with no adequate ports Is Brest not a port, then? It could be done if there was political will to do it. The British were evacuating personnel and civilians by sea a week after the French capitulated en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Aerial |
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James G
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Post by James G on Oct 3, 2018 19:39:44 GMT
Well, stranger things have happened even in WW2, with even more strained supply lines (Guadalcanal). Saint Malo in Brittany held until September 1944 in the face of a huge Allied assault the 1940 Wehrmacht has no hope of replicating Just look at the distances, they have fighters with 5 minutes fuel knowing that they are either captured in the cauldron or drown in the sea). For the germans it is perfect, they can shoot up the RAF and gain easy experience. The British and French aircraft operating from airfields on Brittany/Contentin would have huge advantages, over Luftwaffe attackers the RN get destroyed. To supply the huge and massive army, with no adequate ports Is Brest not a port, then? It could be done if there was political will to do it. The British were evacuating personnel and civilians by sea a week after the French capitulated en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_AerialBrest is a big port, as I first thought, plus I'm thinking St. Nazaire & Lorient too. Plenty of ports, plenty of airfields. |
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