German complacency

Discussions on the economic history of the nations taking part in WW2, from the recovery after the depression until the economy at war.
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NeoVisionist
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Joined: 22 Dec 2014, 10:50
Location: Italy

German complacency

#1

Post by NeoVisionist » 01 Jul 2017, 03:19

Why wasn't more done to prevent economic and military fallout from operations in Poland, Norway and France? The Norwegian tanker fleet abroad played straight into eager British hands; why wasn't more done to prevent this? Similarly the legions of Polish and other nation's pilots who traveled to Britain and fought the Luftwaffe- who was responisble for letting them get away?

GregSingh
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Joined: 21 Jun 2012, 02:11
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: German complacency

#2

Post by GregSingh » 01 Jul 2017, 14:30

Similarly the legions of Polish and other nation's pilots who traveled to Britain and fought the Luftwaffe- who was responisble for letting them get away?
Well, apart from large numbers of Polish soldiers captured by Germans and interned by Soviets, around 50000 were interned in Romania and around 40000 in Hungary. Those in German and Soviet hands did not go anywhere anytime soon, there were just single episodes of escapes. But out of those 90000, close to 80000 managed to escape to France and Syria (under French control) before mid 1940 !!!
It was in no economic interest for Romania and Hungary to care for large number of men and authorities were happy for a problem to go quietly away... It seems that in 1939/40 German influence in those both countries was not strong enough to stop the process...


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