Quote: | Had Germany defeated the Soviet Union I'm afraid that Great Britain would have been in a very difficult position. I don't think we would have had any option but to come to terms with Hitler. As so-called Aryans we wouldn't have suffered the fates afforded to the Slavs and the Jews but we would have ended up as a 'puppet' satellite of the 3rd Reich. | This is being discussed as if it was Germany’s decision. It has already been said that Britain was out-producing Germany in many areas, and America would probably have kept supplying military equipment irrespective of the financial situation, since it was cheaper than going to war herself. Whilst Churchill was in charge it is unlikely that Britain would have surrendered, and it is difficult to see what could in principle make Britain surrender. Similarly it is difficult to see how a British invasion of the continent would have been successful without US help and Russia diverting German resources. The superiority of Britain’s air force and navy (bolstered by American materiel) would have been countered by Germanys experienced army leading to a stalemate. With Hitler hoping to return to a peacetime footing he may have reduced German land forces with the remainder policing the vast land mass they had conquered.
It would therefore have resorted to a bombing and possibly a naval campaign, with the US waiting in the wings. The Middle East would surely have fallen to Germany, and possibly Japan would not have been able to resist Britain’s Far East possessions including India.
Looking longer term perhaps a truce may have occurred eventually, especially after the US detonated the Atom bomb (with the threat of supplying this to Britain), but the conditions would not have been dictated by either side. Britain would have remained a thorn in Germany’s side well into the 50s with nuclear bombers and short range missiles well within range of German cities, as Cuba nearly was to the United States in the 60s.
Regarding the fate of the British people if they were invaded, there would have been severe retaliation for the guerrilla warfare tactics Churchill encouraged, so I am not convinced it would have been easy.
__________________
Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country. Herman Goering
Last edited by perseus; August 18th, 2006 at 17:49.
|