Thursday, April 14, 2011

Sea Lion.

This is coolbert:

The German during the Second World War [WW2] - - not having a well thought out and developed doctrine for amphibious operations, whether on the offensive or defensive.

Here from various web sites some speculation and indication, including a simulation, a war game as done by professionals strongly suggesting that in the aftermath of the Battle of France - - 1940 - - the Battle of Britain still being fought in the air - - an attempted amphibious invasion of England by the German army WOULD HAVE FAILED!!

"'Operation Sealion' - was it possible"

"Operation Sealion - summary of an exercise held at the Staff College, Sandhurst in 1974."

Sea Lion, the plan for the invasion of England, the landing force being constructed to an extent from ad hoc elements, able to establish a beachhead, troops in large numbers successfully being landed, but not being able to bring ashore in sufficient quantity the heavy equipment, the tanks, the artillery, or have aerial support from the Luftwaffe as needed.

That exact combination of armor, artillery, and the Stuka dive bomber not being available to the ground troops, the blitzkrieg offensive used with such great success during the Battle of France NOT POSSIBLE!

The war game, the simulation predicated upon the assumption that prior to the landing of troops, the Luftwaffe HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO ATTAIN AERIAL SUPREMACY IN THE SKIES OVER BRITAIN!

Operation Sea Lion - - Post-war war gaming of the plan"

"In the war game conducted at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1974, which assumed the Luftwaffe had not yet won air supremacy, the Germans were able to establish a beachhead in England by using a minefield screen in the English Channel to protect the initial assault. However, the German ground forces were delayed at the 'Stop Lines' (e.g. the GHQ Line), a layered series of defensive positions that had been built, each a combination of Home Guard troops and physical barriers. At the same time, the regular troops of the British Army were forming up. After only a few days, the Royal Navy was able to reach the Channel from Scapa Flow, cutting off supplies and blocking further reinforcement. Isolated and facing regular troops with armour and artillery, the invasion force was forced to surrender."

This exercise, this simulation, this war game, the umpires and participants on both side actual combatants from WW2, some of which would have participated in Sea Lion and the defense of Britain if indeed such an invasion had taken place!

"The panel of umpires included Adolf Galland, Admiral Friedrich Ruge, Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris, Rear Admiral Edward Gueritz, General Heinz Trettner and Major General Glyn Gilbert"

coolbert.

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