Would the war last longer if...

Nuav · Post by **Nuav** » 15 Sep 2002 16:00

The germans pulled out of Norway in early 1945? Afterall, 300 000 men was stationed in Norway, all fully equipped. In adittion comes all the units that fought in Finland. If they had been told to leave Finland earlier. they would have all reached Germany before the war ended. We are talking about a force on 400 000-500 000 men, some very trained and experienced soldiers! Consider there where many naval units with heaps of uboats, smaller warships and armed vessels. Also enourmous army units, and complete and well equipped fighter and bomber units from Luftwaffe. My guess it would be totally suicide as the americans poured in enourmous loads of equipment to all the allied countries, even Sovjet-Russia! Perhaps they could hold Berlin for a couple of weeks more, and maybe, with renewed force, encircle some allied units. I am not a specialist in these things, could the new force mean that they could gain valuable time and be able to regroup shattered units, retake lost land, and manage to develop more fearsome weapons? Perhaps the spark in the allied forces would dissapear, and they would redraw their units?
I am interested in hearing others view on this scenario.
I also have another scenario to mention, that a w-ss veteran I know claims that he heard from high ranking officer the last days of the war, something that would change the course of war, but I will post this later on. See ya'!
Kurt

Mark V · Post by **Mark V** » 15 Sep 2002 16:41

Kriegsmarine and German merchant fleet were well occupied at that time (early 1945) transporting millions of German civilians from East-Prussia to west, ships were also used to supply troops in Kurland pocket.

All this activity was done with the last drops of fuel left and IMO was absolutely the right way to use the few resources left. Ask any woman or children who was transported to safety.

And anyway, against Allied sea- and airpower transporting troops (not even talking their equipment) from Norway to Germany wouldn't had been easy...

Erik E · Post by **Erik E** » 15 Sep 2002 18:19

I think we could be glad that they didn`t, otherwise the Russian forces in the North may have advanced further south and we would ended up in the Warzaw-pact! 8)

EE

Rob S. · Post by **Rob S.** » 15 Sep 2002 19:10

Norway was a large supplier of just about everything including Oil and....gasp....hydro plants making heavy water (needed for nukes).

Evacuating Norway contradicts the entire reason for advancing to the cacauses.

Mark V · Post by **Mark V** » 15 Sep 2002 19:18

Rob S. wrote:Norway was a large supplier of just about everything including Oil and....gasp....hydro plants making heavy water (needed for nukes).

Evacuating Norway contradicts the entire reason for advancing to the cacauses.

Only oil found in Norway during WW2 was fish oil !!

You are right on importance of abundant and cheap electricity on some production areas, especially aluminium production and heavy water.

Erik E · Post by **Erik E** » 15 Sep 2002 21:14

Germanys last Molybdenum mine were in Norway. It was also a good place to hide the remaining submarines and surface vessels. Lots of airfields within distance of Great Britain.

If Norway had been given up, the supplies to Murmansk would have arrived unhurt........

E

Mark V · Post by **Mark V** » 15 Sep 2002 21:46

Erik E wrote: If Norway had been given up, the supplies to Murmansk would have arrived unhurt........

They had arrived practically unhurt since 1943. After all, this scenario is about 1945.

Erik E · Post by **Erik E** » 15 Sep 2002 23:16

You`re right Mark.....
The I guess the convoys were rather safe in 1945. I just couldn`t stop typing

EE

Mark V · Post by **Mark V** » 15 Sep 2002 23:24

Erik E wrote:I just couldn`t stop typing

Good way is to disconnect the keyboard cord

, or kick the computer case, HARD...

, that should do the job...

OK, it's over my bedtime. I can't stop on time either...

kchuah · Post by **kchuah** » 16 Sep 2002 05:11

They still cannot fight or change the tide of the war... due to =>
low morale... Actually, some germans cursed hitler at their backs...

as in the movie "DAS BOOT"

Leibstandarte · Post by **Leibstandarte** » 19 Sep 2002 08:34

Kchuah - remember that Hollywood nor any other film company does not and never will accurately reflect history. That a nasty comment is made in Das Boote should not make you leap from the specific to the general no matter how specious.

But back to the question...no I do not believe that the Northern forces would have been of use at this point in '45...they would have simply ended up as casualties on the list of German losses as the Allied Air and ground forces forced them into the meatgrinder of their (at that point) unstoppable war machine.

Leibstandarte