North along the west side of Etna to cut off the Italians, then hold and drive east to cut off all hope of relief. If he can do that he thinks the Italians will collapse.
The Whale has Wings
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North along the west side of Etna to cut off the Italians, then hold and drive east to cut off all hope of relief. If he can do that he thinks the Italians will collapse.
Astrodragon
OK, thanks for clarifying. I was think you were referring to the push west that would then follow to occupy the centre and west of the island.
Steve
I wonder if this would have been affected by the replacement of the Vichy regime with direct occupation? Did the esteemed dragon specify what form the German occupation of France is currently taking? Is it as much a mess as their OTL occupation of Eastern Europe?
usertron2020
Donor
The Germans didn't see the French as their "race enemy" as they did the Slavs in Poland, Czechoslovakia, the Baltics, and Russia. But they DID so regarding the usual Nazi list of "undesirables", so as I and others posted earlier, there will be divisions between the Communists, Jews, Anti-Nazis, and Gaullists on the one side, and French Anti-Semites, natural collaborators, and remaining Vichyites on the other. The biggest differences here are that with the earlier Operation Anton, no Royal Navy bombardment of Oran, and a far more successful Allied cause ITTL, the Free French movement is so powerful that they have all but abandoned the title of "Free" and are just seen as the French. The Gaullists are seen now ITTL as THE legitimate representative government of the French Republic, whether you call them the Third Republic or the Fourth Republic. (1)
As to its being a "mess", there are inherent differences. No amount of collaboration on the part of Slavs in the East will EVER take them off the Nazis' hit list, only just delay their extermination while said collaborators assist the Nazis in going after those the Nazis want to murder more quickly. That is, Jews, Anti-Nazis, homosexuals, gypsies, Jehovah Witnesses, and so on.
With the French, I don't think the Third Reich lasted long enough for the Nazis themselves to get around to deciding what they would do with the French in the very long run. As one poster here said, what constituted an "Aryan" depended on what mood Hitler and Himmler were in on any particular morning.
There were extremely strong anti-Seimitic elements in France, that were neither fascist nor pro-German (see for example Charles Maurras and L'Action Francais which started during the Dreyfus Affair). Jews who were not born in France were one category that a large number of French were "happy" see to see removed, as undesirable aliens of the first order. Those Jews of French origin had sequential restrictions put on them by the OTL Vichy government, and did better in escaping deportation especially outside Paris as the French were disinclined to see "genuine" French citizens deported by the Boche. Of course there were those (in no small number) who were just as glad to see native French Jews hauled away. Overall a complex issue.
This looks a little slow - a WWII airstrip was a grass field, with a tent for the ground crew and a stack of fuel jerrycans
At times the RAF in North Africa were operating airstrips behind the German front lines
Also not sure Sicily is the best place for relying on armoured thrusts - too many hilltop villages.
The main issue is having enough depth that it wont get overrun. They may be being too cautious, but no-one's done this before.
the only real location for an armoured thrust is SE of Etna. Which is where its going in. Otherwise its all local stuff.
The Italians know this quite well, of course. Sadly they are facing supieror tanks.
marathag
Banned
Marsden Matting, aka PSP, Pierced Steel Planking was just starting to be used on new CONUS airbases just before Pearl Harbor
usertron2020
Donor
Marsden Matting, aka PSP, Pierced Steel Planking was just starting to be used on new CONUS airbases just before Pearl Harbor
I would think that ITTL that would have absolute 100% L-L priority for the Med and Operation:Husky. It seems less reasonable to expect their absence than their presence.
OK, people. Am I really going to start hearing that this PSP was already in use by Wellington in his Peninsular Campaign?
usertron2020
Donor
They did have wooden corduroy roadways, though
marathag
Those don't look like Spitfires and Mustangs to me.
Then again, I suppose some of those horses could have started out their lives as mustangs...
Sior
Banned
The British (Kelts, saxons were still bothering livestock in Germany at the time) were building good roads before Rome discovered toga's!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/16/roman-road-made-by-britons
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/16/roman-road-made-by-britons
Hmmmm...
Now what if Italy and Europe had been conquered by the British Empire!
All roads lead to London...
Hmmmm...
Now what if Italy and Europe had been conquered by the British Empire!
All roads lead to London...
which london?
ontarion? kiribati? Arkansaw? Oos-londen?
In British World all capitals are named London except the original which is named LONDON.
Not surprised, the Romans weren't the only big road-builders, and in fact I suspect quite a number of 'their' big roads were ones that already existed and they just ridid them.
Artaxerxes
Banned
No way British Celts could have used chariots otherwise, a chunk of loan words passed into Latin from Celtic as well in regards to types of chariot/vehicle as well
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