Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
-
- Member
- Posts: 3775
- Joined: 10 Mar 2002 19:27
- Location: Reading, Pa
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
While, the Germans are still busy digging their Chunnel, the Allies land on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and within weeks have captured the Chunnel entrance.
The Chunnel is half to three quarters complete...Could the Allies finish the Chunnel, by working now from both ends to provide a meaningful logistical contribution to the Allied effort?
The world wonders...
The Chunnel is half to three quarters complete...Could the Allies finish the Chunnel, by working now from both ends to provide a meaningful logistical contribution to the Allied effort?
The world wonders...
-
- Member
- Posts: 5252
- Joined: 01 Jan 2016 21:21
- Location: Bremerton, Washington
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
Reading this thread is like being stuck in front of a TV endlessly repeating the Saturday Night Live, "What if Napoleon had a B-52 at Waterloo?" skit.
Richard C. Anderson Jr.
American Thunder: U.S. Army Tank Design, Development, and Doctrine in World War II
Cracking Hitler's Atlantic Wall
Hitler's Last Gamble
Artillery Hell
American Thunder: U.S. Army Tank Design, Development, and Doctrine in World War II
Cracking Hitler's Atlantic Wall
Hitler's Last Gamble
Artillery Hell
-
- Member
- Posts: 326
- Joined: 04 Mar 2012 09:19
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
What I want to know is, how will they get the Balrog into British battledress? Or is he going to wear something more ancient, perhaps Pictish?
-
- Member
- Posts: 2047
- Joined: 03 Sep 2003 18:15
- Location: Canada
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
I'm assuming based on the comments above that the lockdown sequence will commence soon.
-
- Member
- Posts: 3474
- Joined: 28 Apr 2013 17:14
- Location: London
-
- Member
- Posts: 1541
- Joined: 01 Feb 2020 18:10
- Location: Coral and brass
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
Brooksie would sniff about the Balrog not being up to par with the Guards, probably. "The Rohirrim are our Southrons," or something similar...Carl Schwamberger wrote: ↑20 Apr 2021 05:21Im imagining the entries in Brookes diary concerning the Balrog taking charge of Calais.
-
- Member
- Posts: 1541
- Joined: 01 Feb 2020 18:10
- Location: Coral and brass
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
It took four years to build the Holland tunnel in the 1920s, digging from each end. Granted, that was two tunnels, so from one side, it's probably still four years. Now, the Holland is roughly 2 km long; the Chunnel is roughly 50 km. Very roughly (even setting aside the rather questionable surface road and rail net of northwest France in 1940 in comparison with Manhattan) that means that at the same pace (.5 km per year), the Germans will break through in England in roughly 100 years; so, maybe 2041?Takao wrote: ↑20 Apr 2021 19:21While, the Germans are still busy digging their Chunnel, the Allies land on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and within weeks have captured the Chunnel entrance.
The Chunnel is half to three quarters complete...Could the Allies finish the Chunnel, by working now from both ends to provide a meaningful logistical contribution to the Allied effort?
The world wonders...
Do we really need to wonder?
-
- Member
- Posts: 568
- Joined: 18 Jun 2011 18:42
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?

For those that can't get enough.....due May 2021
-
- Member
- Posts: 3120
- Joined: 02 Feb 2006 00:23
- Location: Arizona
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
To the original question here, put in simpler terms...
Because the Germans couldn't even build a paved all-weather highway from Berlin to Moscow...
Because the Germans couldn't even build a paved all-weather highway from Berlin to Moscow...
-
- Member
- Posts: 1541
- Joined: 01 Feb 2020 18:10
- Location: Coral and brass
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
Good point.T. A. Gardner wrote: ↑22 Apr 2021 01:55To the original question here, put in simpler terms...
Because the Germans couldn't even build a paved all-weather highway from Berlin to Moscow...
-
- Member
- Posts: 2047
- Joined: 03 Sep 2003 18:15
- Location: Canada
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
There were lots of things the Reich didn't do. Like putting a man on the moon or perfecting a working nuclear weapon. And they failed to complete (at least) the Russian section of an 1800 km highway, which is not a trivial project, even in peacetimeT. A. Gardner wrote: ↑22 Apr 2021 01:55To the original question here, put in simpler terms...
Because the Germans couldn't even build a paved all-weather highway from Berlin to Moscow...
I would ask the following questions.
How much time is allowed for such an undertaking? Bear in mind they obviously could not start the construction of the Russian portion until June 22/41. Bear in mind it took Germany 8 years to complete 3800 km of Autobahn by 1941.
Could anyone do it in the time frame where it would make a difference in the war's outcome? Bear in mind the road would be threatened by bombing and military counterattack.
Would the road stand up to everyday traffic?
Why not just improve the rail network and local roads to extend North/South along the front as the war progressed? One needs good roads to distribute goods the last few miles along the front, not just eastward.
Last edited by maltesefalcon on 22 Apr 2021 20:13, edited 3 times in total.
-
- Member
- Posts: 1013
- Joined: 03 Feb 2003 23:25
- Location: north carolina
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
Why bother with a tunnel? They can just swim across. They are the "superior" race after all.Reading this thread is like being stuck in front of a TV endlessly repeating the Saturday Night Live, "What if Napoleon had a B-52 at Waterloo?" skit.
-
- Member
- Posts: 632
- Joined: 30 Mar 2008 00:48
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
Yes, I can see why building an underwater tunnel would be an acceptable "what if" unlike Turkey joining the Axis. One is likely, the other impossible.
-
- Member
- Posts: 459
- Joined: 10 May 2005 10:55
- Location: Pirmasens
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
What a brilliant plan. Building a tunnel. No one in Britain noticed it. Finally they ended in Buckingham Palace Garden. "Sorry, is this England?"
Ridiculous.
Ridiculous.
-
- Member
- Posts: 3120
- Joined: 02 Feb 2006 00:23
- Location: Arizona
Re: Why couldn't the Germans build an underwater tunnel to Britain?
By comparison the US built the ALCAN highway in a matter of about 8 months stretching almost 3000 km. While that was the initial unpaved version, it ran almost entirely through wilderness, aboral forests, over mountain ranges, and arctic terrain. There were about 8,000 US engineering troops used to build it.maltesefalcon wrote: ↑22 Apr 2021 19:38There were lots of things the Reich didn't do. Like putting a man on the moon or perfecting a working nuclear weapon. And they failed to complete (at least) the Russian section of an 1800 km highway, which is not a trivial project, even in peacetime
The the US built the Burma road...
The reason the Germans couldn't do such projects quickly was their civil engineering techniques were unmechanized for the most part.
Using mostly manpower with little mechanization, it could take the Germans years to build such a road. It's pretty clear that with proper mechanization it could be done in a matter of months.I would ask the following questions.
How much time is allowed for such an undertaking? Bear in mind they obviously could not start the construction of the Russian portion until June 22/41. Bear in mind it took Germany 8 years to complete 3800 km of Autobahn by 1941.
The could have, and such roads would make a difference.Could anyone do it in the time frame where it would make a difference in the war's outcome? Bear in mind the road would be threatened by bombing and military counterattack.
Yes, if properly engineered and constructed.Would the road stand up to everyday traffic?
The Germans should have done more of that. They could also have laid pipelines to move things like POL instead of by rail. Far more efficient and far less prone to things like sabotage by partisans.Why not just improve the rail network and local roads to extend North/South along the front as the war progressed? One needs good roads to distribute goods the last few miles along the front, not just eastward.
Of course, my original comment was meant to show how impractical it would be for the Germans to build a Channel tunnel.