A question about the Black Sea in World War 2

[charwo]

It's very clear I don't see the east front the way Hitler did, but every time I play a game, nearly any involving a strat world war 2 scenario, my Barbarrosa always begins with a major offensive in the Black Sea. I'm aware that Turkey would not let through military ships during wartime, so the Itanian Navy could not sail through the Dardenelles but I know even with the lackluster Romanian and Bulgarian navies, the Black Sea, if cleared of the Red Navy is a logtsical goldmine, a partisan free way to move supplies deep into Russia and there's no change of rail gauges needed. So Oddessa and Sevastople and Rotov are aways my first targets, take those, sweep for subs, logistics more or less solved. And also if you have control of the Black Sea, you can evac and land at will so you have operational flexibility.

Obviously Hitler did NOT think like that, but I'm wondering if I'm overestimating the potential of the Black Sea once the Red Navy is neutralized. So feel free to educate me on the matter

[Dann Falk]

Yes, you can start with the book by Friedrich Ruge, "The Soviets as Naval Opponents 1941-1945" published in 1979. I found it on Amazon $7.45.

Hope this helps.

[Darius333]

Hi,

for strategic thoughts you can find some interesting detail in these 3-volume-edition:

Salewski, Michael
Die deutsche Seekriegsleitung (3 Bände, komplett).
Band I: 1935-1941 /
Band II: 1942-1945 /
Band III: Denkschriften und Lagebetrachtungen 1938-1944

f.e. in Germany, but of course in a serious library, too:
https://www.zvab.com/buch-suchen/titel/ ... /salewski/


Regards

Darius