What if Germany had not invaded Denmark or Norway?

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Tim Smith
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What if Germany had not invaded Denmark or Norway?

#1

Post by Tim Smith » 08 Jun 2003, 22:43

Three questions here:

1) Would the Allies have invaded Norway instead? If so, when and why?

The Germans suffered heavy losses and damage to their surface fleet in the Norwegian operation - Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were badly damaged and put out of action for months, the heavy cruiser Blucher and 12 destroyers were sunk.

2) Without the above naval losses, would the naval part of Operation Sealion have been successful, i.e. could the Kreigsmarine protect the invasion fleet? (Assume the Luftwaffe has driven most RAF fighters out of S.E. England.)

3) Assuming Operation Sealion had NOT been launched, would Germany be better or worse off than it was historically for not having invaded Denmark or Norway, and why?

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Baltasar
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#2

Post by Baltasar » 09 Jun 2003, 18:22

Norway was a vital point in the german plan for conquering the european continent. The land offers good naval ports for subs and for the war against russia, it was vital to threaten this support line.

Denmark was alogical target, as it would be in the way of the advancing troops. Furthermore, German paratroopers could jump on south norway from there and it would shorten their supply lines while they needed nearly no troops to occupy the country.

I don't know which RN ships were involved in the invasion of norway, so I don't know if the Kriegsmarine could have been successful in driving of their opponents form the landing ships.

I don't think that germany would have been better of since the KN needed those ports in norway as an "Sprungbrett".

But what if the german torpedos would have worked in those days as they should? The RN would surely have suffered some more losses, may be even forcing them to abandon the plan for norway.


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Redbaron1908
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#3

Post by Redbaron1908 » 09 Jun 2003, 21:09

I think that if the Germans did not invade Norway and Denmark the Allies would have in order to cut off the Iron Ore supplies from Sweden.

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Baltasar
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#4

Post by Baltasar » 09 Jun 2003, 22:01

by attacking ships under swedish flag? I don't think so.

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Sam H.
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Re: What if Germany had not invaded Denmark or Norway?

#5

Post by Sam H. » 09 Jun 2003, 22:22

Tim Smith wrote:Three questions here:

1) Would the Allies have invaded Norway instead? If so, when and why?

The Germans suffered heavy losses and damage to their surface fleet in the Norwegian operation - Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were badly damaged and put out of action for months, the heavy cruiser Blucher and 12 destroyers were sunk.

2) Without the above naval losses, would the naval part of Operation Sealion have been successful, i.e. could the Kreigsmarine protect the invasion fleet? (Assume the Luftwaffe has driven most RAF fighters out of S.E. England.)

3) Assuming Operation Sealion had NOT been launched, would Germany be better or worse off than it was historically for not having invaded Denmark or Norway, and why?
1) I think the allies would have invaded Norway before the fall of France. If I remeber correctly, they had planned to send a relief force to Finland through Norway. The allies wanted to contain the Germans and eliminate the iron ore experts that Germany was recieving.


2) If the Kreigsmarine had these vessels available for operation sea lion, they definetly would have made a diffrence. I don't believe they would be the deciding factor though. Something about transporting troops by river barge just gives me nightmares.

3) If Germany had not occupied Norway it would have been virtually powerless to halt the Murmansk run. I would expect to see even more vessels filed w/ lendlease supplies usaing this route. Not having Norway would also affect KM surface ship operations (the fleet would hide in the Baltic for most of the war) and if the allies had Norway, just think of how terrible the strategic bombing campaign would be flying from Norwegian bases!

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Redbaron1908
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#6

Post by Redbaron1908 » 09 Jun 2003, 23:34

Baltasar wrote:by attacking ships under swedish flag? I don't think so.
Not exactly doing that but actually stoping the shipments of Iron Ore before they even got to the ships.

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#7

Post by Baltasar » 10 Jun 2003, 04:22

by attacking ships under swedish flag? I don't think so.

Not exactly doing that but actually stoping the shipments of Iron Ore before they even got to the ships.
Which leaves attacking a neutral country... either by commandos or air raid.

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Yevgeniy B.
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answer

#8

Post by Yevgeniy B. » 12 Jun 2003, 06:01

I agree with Sam. if Germans would invade Denmark Norway Finland (SCANDINAVIA)
it would cut off the sea lines to Murmansk, and Achangesk pretty much.
Another fact I know that U.S. sand like aroung 20 ships with supplies to eastern front, only one made it there.

And then another question come up, why should germans waste their people and ammo to take those powerless, and maybe useless countries when they could have just load the Bultic sea, and part of Arctic ocean with submarines.

About invading Denmark, mostly islands, I though that the paratroops, would be great idea, I don't think Denmark had a heavy armor like tanks at that time.

Want to say sorry if my writing seems confusing, I am master in Russian, not english,:)

Yevg

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Baltasar
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#9

Post by Baltasar » 12 Jun 2003, 10:00

Why invade Finland? There were already lots of tensions with russia, so Hitler must have seen them as a usefull ally instead of a worthy pray.

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Sam H.
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#10

Post by Sam H. » 12 Jun 2003, 16:30

About invading Denmark, mostly islands, I though that the paratroops, would be great idea, I don't think Denmark had a heavy armor like tanks at that time.
Denmark offered little resistance and was unprepared for war. I think more Germans died in traffic accidents during the drive into the country then to enemy fire.

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Tim Smith
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#11

Post by Tim Smith » 12 Jun 2003, 20:38

The Allies could not have conquered Denmark had they invaded it before 1944, unless they took Norway first. Denmark is too far away from English airfields, which means the Allies would have little fighter cover. The Germans would quickly move in and throw the Allies back into the sea.

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Yevgeniy B.
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#12

Post by Yevgeniy B. » 14 Jun 2003, 18:05

I agree about useful for allies airfields

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#13

Post by Yngwie J. » 20 Jun 2003, 22:14

Tim Smith wrote :
Would the Allies have invaded Norway instead? If so, when and why?
Britain and France had concrete plans concerning an invasion of Norway.
When ? I don´t know. But an attempt would have been futile after the German invasion of France. Why ? Because of the allready mentioned iron ores and naval ports. And to move the inevitable front to Norway, instead of fighting it out on French soil again.

An interesting question would be if an Anglo-French invasion would have met the same amount of resistance as the German did. One important aspect which comes to mind is how the Norwegian merchant fleet, one of the largest and most modern of its day, was virtually played right into the hands of the British.

Baltasar wrote :
Quote:
Quote:
by attacking ships under swedish flag? I don't think so.



Not exactly doing that but actually stoping the shipments of Iron Ore before they even got to the ships.

Which leaves attacking a neutral country... either by commandos or air raid.
Why wouldn´t they ? Norway was neutral too.


Yevg wrote :
Another fact I know that U.S. sand like aroung 20 ships with supplies to eastern front, only one made it there.
8O Are you suggesting that only one in twenty ships made it through ?


Sam H. wrote :
Denmark offered little resistance and was unprepared for war. I think more Germans died in traffic accidents during the drive into the country then to enemy fire.
:lol: I think more Germans died from syphilis than to Danish bullets.

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Feldmarshall Erwin Rommel
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#14

Post by Feldmarshall Erwin Rommel » 02 Jul 2003, 00:57

Yes, ever since the Winter War, the Allies wanted to land in Norway and cut off the ore deliveries to Germany. They asked the Norwegian government permission for this but this wasn't granted.

During the night of the 8th (evening before the German invasion) the British fleet layed three minefields along the Norwegian cost. I believe they had serious plans for invading norway later on, but the Germans beat them at it. (i can't find my info, so i can't be more specific)

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#15

Post by taivaansusi » 02 Jul 2003, 16:38

Feldmarshall Erwin Rommel wrote:Yes, ever since the Winter War, the Allies wanted to land in Norway and cut off the ore deliveries to Germany. They asked the Norwegian government permission for this but this wasn't granted.

During the night of the 8th (evening before the German invasion) the British fleet layed three minefields along the Norwegian cost. I believe they had serious plans for invading norway later on, but the Germans beat them at it. (i can't find my info, so i can't be more specific)
It is true. In Fall 1939, Western Allies had offered to help Finland against Soviet Union. French and Britain formed an expeditionary force (of approximately 14-16.000 soldiers, if I remember correctly). It would have resulted in a war between Soviet Union and Western Allies - which was not desirable. The offer of help was mostly political bluff aimed at domestic opinion, which heavily favored Finland's forlorn struggle against Soviet invader. The Expeditionary force was really formed, but it was in reality tasked to occupy neutral Norway, so that vital ore shipments could be cut off and Germany totally blockaded - quite the same plan the Allies used in World War I.

Norwegian goverment denied permission for Allied troops to land in Narvik and Oslo - there was a genuine fear that it would make Norway a battleground for the belligerents. It was a vain hope. Allied troops were ready to land nonetheless, when Hitler suddenly intervened and succeeded in capturing Norway only a days ahead of his enemies. Norway was vital for Germany, to keep its supply lines safe, and to break through allied blockade.

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