Wargames wrote: ↑08 Nov 2018 05:01
Please read the section you're in. It's for "What if" scenarios. Please explain why I cannot posit a "what if" scenario where just one of Mussolini's choices wasn't followed and which he was advised to do by all?
For starters, your
what if assumes both of the decisions are not followed....
Wargames wrote: ↑08 Nov 2018 05:01
Even Germany's Admiral Raeder supported it and Hitler immediately reamed Mussolini for invading Greece and not Malta. If you have a problem with my doing this take it up with the moderators.
As the creator of this fantasy non-historical event, you can write the storyline in whatever way you want. You can have the Italians supported by intergalactic troop transports from the Planet Blob if you so wish. But, as you may expect, not too many others will take you very seriously if you did. What you seem unable to appreciate, is that some of your assumptions are not far removed from that - and thus other posters are not treating your story very seriously. And why should they?
From my side, you have made two key assumption errors or simply got your historical facts wrong. Those errors take your storyline into the only slightly less ridiculous than the Planet Blob scenario.
First. your claim that the British were expecting the Italians to invade Malta in late August 1940. Second, it was a credible strategy to invade Malta, Egypt and Greece concurrently. The two are separate issues but linked in their impact on your storyline.
Dealing with the second issue first. You have yourself highlighted that Grazziani and Mussolini were at loggerheads as to whether they should invade Egypt
OR Malta - not both. And now you have highlighted that the German High Command was also not impressed with the decision not to drop the invasion of Greece from the table. You claim that Mussolini was "
stupid" for not attempting all 3 and yet your own words indicate that nobody seemed to consider this a credible option. Nevertheless, your storyline is based upon all three invasion being carried out: your fantasy non-historical invasion of Malta on 28 August 1940, the invasion of Egypt on 9 September 1940 and the invasion of Greece on 28 October 1940.
As regards the first issue, documentary evidence demonstrates that the British were NOT anticipating an Italian invasion of Malta at the time.
Both of these issues affect your storyline in a similar way. If the British were expecting an invasion of Malta, their strategy and military dispositions (air, land and sea) in the Mediterranean area would have been different to that historical documented. If the Italians set the ball rolling with an invasion of Malta, their subsequent invasions of Egypt and Greece will surely be compromised - and thus the British response would be different to that historical seen. Your storyline, probably due to laziness, just assumes NOTHING CHANGES to the wider British strategy and effort both in preparation and after the firing begins. That is laughable. Laughable to a similar level as the idea of an intergalactic troopship from Planet Blob.
If the Italians had chosen to invade Malta - the essence of your fantasy non-historical event - they would need a period of time to build up and train their invasion fleet and landing force. The chances are that the British would detect that and alter their strategy and military dispositions. It is precisely because they were not doing this that the British historically did not expect an invasion.
The start point for all the British forces is therefore going to be different to the one historically documented. It will be different to the start point that you have assumed in your storyline. It is pointless trying to establish what speed a ship steamed and in which direction if the start point you have proscribed is probably irrelevant.
Now, since you are the creator of this fantasy non-historical event you can, of course, stipulate that the Italians managed to keep the entire build up secret and thus the British were taken completely by surprise on 28 August and all three invasions were commenced. So be it. But do you realise you have turned "
stupid" on its head? Your storyline is based upon the British being "
stupid", Hitler and Raeder being "
stupid" as well as Grazziani and Mussolini being "
stupid". The only person considering this a credible storyline is you.
It is you lack of willingness to engage with these contradictions that lead you to propose reinforcements for Malta that are not even in the Mediterranean!!! They were no more available to Cunningham than the troopship from Planet Blob was available to the Italians.