© Tom Taylor
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Sunday, June 23, 2024
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Industry
Economics provide the foundation for a modern military.
Stalin saw industrialization, mass production, as
the decisive factor to winning the war with Germany.
A successful war economy made huge numbers of
battlefield necessities because combat wear and
tear quickly used up all the trucks, tanks, planes,
and ammo on hand.
Germany had few strategic resources of its own.
A six month supply of critical materials such as
steel and oil was all that Hitler could count on to
win the war. Everything Germany needed to be
strong militarily was imported, scarce and often
not reliably available.
The strategy for war had to take this into account.
Success over your enemy had to be quick, decisive.
The Allies base their strategy on defense.
The strategy of Britain and France was to play defense.
Prolonging the war worked to their favor because of
Germany's material disadvantage. The German
military could be crippled by denying this elite force
it's 20th century underpinnings.
Germany bets on an armored punch with speed.
Blitzkrieg was the tactic German strategists wanted
because it offered the potential for quick victory.
This meant a very selective, pinpoint offense of
armor, artillery and air support. Concentrated firepower
would overwhelm your opponent's defense, creating
a breach that would enable tanks to speed behind
enemy lines - disrupting supplies, capturing
command centers and causing confusion.
Surprise is an essential component of victory.
Your enemy's most vulnerable point is where your
main attack is least expected.
France believed the Ardennes region along its
northern border was too mountainous to
support an advancing panzer force.
French defense along the Meuse River was
infantry, mostly older reservists lightly armed.
They hadn't trained for confronting an army
of tanks.
The Luftwaffe controlled the skies over Ardennes.
The German force headed for the Meuse
was backed up over a hundred miles of
narrow, winding mountain roads.
The French were right. This was not tank country.
Meanwhile, the Allies thought they were fighting
the main German attack in Belgium. Everything
was going as planned. Britain and France rushed
their troops forward into battle. They had matters
well in hand. So they thought.
Turns out they were just chasing the bait.
* * * * *
© Tom Taylor
OVER EASY
Sunday, June 16, 2024
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Big Picture
First Lord of the Admiralty
Churchill's fingerprints were all over the Norwegian
campaign. It wouldn't take much to capture Narvik
and cut Germany off from its iron ore. This one small
victory could have a decisive effect in the course of the
war over the long term. It was worth the gamble.
The iron fields at Gallivare are the real objective.
Germany can get the ore it needs from the harbor at
Lulea once the ice melts in April. The port of Narvik
is no longer of importance. Britain must take Sweden's
iron ore fields if the Allies are to keep this metal from Hitler.
The Royal Navy zigged when they should have zagged.
The Glowworm's sinking by the Admiral Hipper
confirmed to the Admiralty at Scapa Flow that
Germany's warships were making a break for the
British shipping lanes of the Atlantic. The Home Fleet
made a dash to prevent the Reich's battleships and
cruisers from destroying its ocean lifelines.
Turns out the Royal Navy was actually headed
away from the ships they hoped to intercept.
The enemy rarely gives you the battle you want.
The Royal Navy wanted a showdown with the German
Kriegsmarine because such a conflict plays to the
Home Fleet's strength. Certainly Germany's
Admiral Raeder knew his navy wasn't prepared for
such a head on confrontation. The idea is to come
up with something unexpected.
Germany captured Norway's ports, mostly unopposed.
Surprise. Your ports have all been captured by your enemy.
Your militia was sleeping and the British were off chasing
a phantom fleet out to sea.
British battleship sinks flotilla of ten German destroyers.
The Kriegsmarine was pretty much swept from the board
by the Royal Navy in the days that followed.
Admiral Raeder's credibility with Hitler had dropped
to near nothing. U-boats had the proven strategy
and that was the province of Admiral Donitz,
Raeder's rival.
Hitler was about to upend the entire Allied defense.
Norway was a distraction that was easily handled.
In a matter of days British troops abandon their
outpost in Narvik because the entire Scandinavian
campaign had just become irrelevant.
Everyone's attention had suddenly turned to
a small French town in the Ardennes named
Sedan.
* * * * *
© Tom Taylor
OVER EASY
Sunday, June 9, 2024
Saturday, June 8, 2024
Norway
German flotilla heads for Narvik.
Ten destroyers slipped from the small German harbor
of Wesermunde, near the border with Denmark.
Their mission was to capture Narvik, preventing
British disruption of iron ore meant for Germany.
Troops target all main Norwegian ports.
Each destroyer was transporting 200 fully equipped
German infantry. Norwegian ports targeted for attack
included Oslo, the capital, Bergen and Trondheim -
besides the small town of Narvik, nearly 1,200
miles away.
Attacks everywhere begin 9 April, 0500hrs.
Everyone needs to be in place, ready to launch
the attack at the appointed hour. Surprise here
is the key to success. German forces are small.
They need to catch the Norwegian militia off guard.
German battleships provide destroyer protection.
Two German battleships provide the necessary firepower
to ward off most anything other than a mano y mano tussle
with their British counterparts.
The cruiser Admiral Hipper is an unpleasant welcome.
Three of the destroyers are dropped off for their attack
on Trondheim. The group is stumbled upon by the
British destroyer Glowworm. It's 5 inch guns are
no match for the radar directed broadsides coming
from the cruiser Admiral Hipper, here to protect
the Trondheim landing force.
HMS Glowworm is ablaze bow to stern.
An apparent defenseless wreck, the Glowworm
veers full force into the hull of the Hipper. The
cruiser must return to Germany for repairs but
Glowworm's damage is catastrophic. It quickly
turns belly-up, then sinks, taking most of the crew
to the bottom with it.
But the alarm has now been sounded.
* * * * *
© Tom Taylor
OVER EASY
Sunday, June 2, 2024
Saturday, June 1, 2024
Iron Ore
German military production soars as war with France looms.
Gallivare is Germany's prime source for iron.
Much of the ore Germany needs to produce steel
comes from these Swedish iron fields. With the harbor
at Lulea closed in winter the Arctic port of Narvik becomes
Germany's sole means of reaching this strategic metal.
First Lord and Prime Minister probe for German weakness.
As head of the Royal Navy Winston Churchill plots
the takeover of Narvik by British troops, cutting Germany's
link with Swedish ore. Narvik's capture by Britain
would deprive Germany of a staple of industry.
Raeder - an admiral among generals.
Britain is astir. This sudden surge of radio traffic.
Troops are seen assembling. Transports all, on the move.
Admiral Raeder suspects the British have designs
on Norway. Closing Norway's coastline to German
navigation is unacceptable. The Fuhrer must be warned.
Hitler needs Norway to stay neutral.
The Fuhrer is currently planning his attack on France.
There isn't time for some military diversion against Norway.
Raeder is to keep Hitler apprised of British moves but,
otherwise, don't bother him with fearful speculation.
German prison ship discovered by RAF reconnaissance.
It's the Altmark, supply vessel for the Graf Spee. It has
been steaming for Germany, closely pursued by the Royal
Navy. A British destroyer boards the cornered vessel
in this tiny fjord. Three hundred British prisoners found
onboard are freed.
Hitler is alarmed. Britain openly violated the coastal
waters of Norway but Oslo doesn't appear outraged.
Their sentiments are not neutral. Germany cannot
tolerate its northern flank dominated by the enemy.
German invasion force slips by Royal Navy.
Preoccupied with the search for large warships
the Home Fleet from Scapa Flow totally ignored
the small fry German transports and destroyers
that steamed up the Norwegian coast.
Admiral Raeder is about to deliver 10,000
German troops to all major Norwegian ports
simultaneously.
* * * * *
© Tom Taylor
OVER EASY
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