Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl W Schwamberger
The question is then would Hitler 1. Turn to attack Britian and fisnish it off, the Sea Lion option? 2. Send his best ground and air forces to aid the Italians in defeating the remaining Franch in Africa? 3. Leave the west and turn all but a occupation group east to prepare in Poland for attacking the USSR? ...
Of these I'd think the Sea Lion option the most likely. In June 1940 most people would think the Italians capable of occupying the French colonys. So it woud be tempting to try for defeating Britian and have all business settled in the west. So the battle of Britian is likely to play out as it did historically.
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If the Germans had opted for Sea Lion, they would have been massacred.
This was pointed very clearly in the What If Sea Lion thread. I agree with you though that it would've been a very tempting for Germany to attempt to finish off the UK once and for all.
As an afterthought, I don't think Germany would've mounted its air offensive in the same historical manner against the UK if France had chosen to fight on in North Africa.
Germany would've probably based more squadrons in Italy or the Med area to deal with any potential UK/French move, thus diverting forces from the air offensive against England.