Unlimited Oil for the German War Machine

[Indra Ross]

Would the unlimited supply of oil for Germany make a difference on the outcome of WWII. I remembered reading that the tanks ran out of fuel in Stalingrad.

What if the oilfields at Ploesti-Romania were not bombed by B24 (Liberators), and Rommel was sucessful in El Alamein.

Thanks

[Andy Krause]

Oh tyhis would change things dramatically,not only stalingrad but biggest of them yet,the battle of the bulge would have gone on alot longer thats for sure :twisted:

[Timo]

Oh tyhis would change things dramatically,not only stalingrad but biggest of them yet,the battle of the bulge would have gone on alot longer thats for sure :twisted:

Gibberish. In my opinion there wouldn't even have been a battle in the Ardennes if for whatever reason the Germans had enough oil.

As for the Bulge: the problem there was not the lack of fuel. They had fuel waiting in supply trucks. One of the main problems was that the long stretched supply lines were cut at several places (Stavelot being retaken, Bastogne being held) which disabled a further advance because the supply trucks could not reach the Panzerspitzen. The long and vulnerable supply lines were caused by the weather, the lack of appropriate roads and American pressure.
In short, more fuel would not have changed the outcome and the offensive would not "have gone on alot longer". Thats for sure

[Polizei27]

In the Bulge, weren't the Germans instructed/ordered to obtain their fuel supplies from captured allied sources? :

[Polizei27]

In the Bulge, weren't the Germans instructed/ordered to obtain their fuel supplies from captured allied sources? :

[Zapfenstreich]

In the Bulge, weren't the Germans instructed/ordered to obtain their fuel supplies from captured allied sources? :

I think so but by this time the Germans had been cut off from the Ploesti oil fields and were running pretty much entirely on synthetic oil and gas. I remember reading that General Patton gave his troops hell for using captured German fuel because it fouled the engines so badly.

The problem in Russia was, as stated earlier in this thread, the logistics. The supply lines had been stretched so far the Germans just couldn't move sufficient supplies quickly enough.

Springtime in Russia, with the thaw turning the roads into seas of mud was almost as bad as the winter cold in regard to motor transport.

Z

[Timo]

In the Bulge, weren't the Germans instructed/ordered to obtain their fuel supplies from captured allied sources? :

Yes, but that's simply because in that case the Panzerspitzen would supply themselves. That would increase their momentum as they would not have to wait for the supply trucks to catch up with them.

[Andy Krause]

whatever :twisted: believe what ya wanna believe I guess

[Timo]

You guess too much. Research and know. Thats the name of the game. Its not a matter of wanna believe. Years of research as member of a project group, searching through archives (NARA, BA-MA, etc.), contacts with a large number of veterans from both sides (Leibstandarte, 30.ID, TF Lovelady, etc.) pretty much gives a clear picture of what happened there.

Not once, when somebody comes with a constructive reply that proves you wrong, did you manage or even care to counter this with serious comments. Do you even know what research is all about?

[Brian Von Stauffenberg]

When people make a statement with no facts historical or otherwise and refuse to see the truth when presented to them in an adult and mature manner, oh well i guess some like to believe the hype and ignore the facts and thats why those people never get anywhere and end up very bitter about life.

[pdhinkle36ID]

The one thing that stopped the Germans, the lack of fuel... from June 1944 on, If they only had enough...

[prejo]

What if the oilfields at Ploesti-Romania were not bombed by B24 (Liberators)

The bombing of Ploiesti refineries (not oilfields) had no efect on oil production for the war. The operation Tidal Wave was a disaster for the allies as the bombers managed to destroy only one refinery. The bombers in low-fly were sitting ducks for german-romanian FLAK, and also for the romanian fighters.

[Cantankerous]

Had Hitler chosen not to split up his armies on the Eastern Front into three waves (the first marching towards Moscow, the second marching in the direction of Leningrad, and the third marching in the direction of Stalingrad), he could have ordered his troops to march to Azerbaijan and capture the oil fields in Azerbaijan near the Caspian Sea, that way German control over the oil fields in Ploesti and Azerbaijan would have provided extra fuel for German planes, tanks, and other weapons.

[Terry Duncan]

This poor thread was just approaching the 20th anniversary of its death only to be brought forth again by the dark arts of Necromancy!

Terry