the french fleet was good enough that it scarred the shit out of the enlgish that the germans may get it.
thats why the english attacked the french fleet twice.
The English were being pragmatic when they attacked elements of the French fleet, they did not want the ships to fall into the AXIS control, however, it is unlikely that the French ships would have made any real difference but better sunk then even a remote threat.
Attacking the French fleet is the type of typical British military response and it is why they don’t lose wars very often. You do what it takes to win.
Yea the British did attack them, but it was not much of an effort either. Churchill wasn’t exactly doing a #2 in his pants thinking about it. It was more like “get me another cigar, and while your at it bomb the frenchies before my afternoon tea appointment with lord Halifax”. the adjutant would say “yes very good sir” and the bulldog Winston would slouch in his green leather chair by the fireplace.
I believe there is little chance that any large French Warships could reach German coastal water with skeleton crews operating. Italian ports seem the best option.
If Germany could get these vessels into the open oceans the french lack of heavy armor would had little effect concerning the war effort. The German were in the business of commerce raiding- the best way to ‘bring England to it’s knees’. Even with the full weight of the French fleet at Germany’s control; Germany was in no postion take the Royal Navy on directly.
I think the French Battleships( Battle-Cruisers) would make great commerce raiders.
Under Italian contol the French ships would only be targets for Malta based subs and aircraft.
Possibly the Italians could have used the French ships to help keep Rommel better supplied. Had those convoys had better protection who knows what might have happened. This would have been a short term fix because the Brits would have filled the Mediteranean floor with those ships in due time.
Still maybe that fleet helps Rommel get more tanks, he reachs Alexandria, makes a German presence in a supportive Jewish loathing Middle East, then moves to make contact with supportive Iraqi forces. Now established in Iraq the Germans and Mid Eastern allies push east and invade India. This coincides with a Japanese attack on the other side of India. Now linked the Axis powers surge northward capturing all of Europe and Asia. Russia is removed.
As Japan builds forces and focuses solely on the US, Germany finally launches Operation Sealion. Facing Hitler without the help of Europian allies Britain falls. Japan hits Alaska with a diversionary force then over runs Central America. At the same time Germany invades eastern Canada. Facing a two front assault America falls. The Axis claims victory on G34.
Fueling additional new ships would raise issues. The Italian Fleet was already near the bottom of the oil priorities list.
Still that leaves Malta to be dealt with in the Mediteranean.
I think the Axis able to finish the battles of Mediterranean would have longer war.
And while any longer war might have had a different outcome, after all who knows? More likely than not it would have simply led to the eventual Atomic bombing of Germany. As long as the US was still on course to develop the A-Bomb by August of 1945 any delay in the war would have had profound implications for Germany and Europe.
Delay was not what Germany needed it was victory no later than 1943.
ok two things that could have turned the war into an Axis victory….
The big one was never built…
and if Rommel had taken the North Afrikan oil fields.
nuf said. :-P
The real prize was the fleet at Toulon under Admiral Jean de Laborde. Even with Darlan’s ceding of his fleet to the Allies, Toulon had 77 available french ships. Darlan tried to barter with his old rival to throw his lot in with his, but laborde remained silent over the topic In occupying Vichy France after the African landings, the Germans stopped short of Toulon demanding the surrender of the fleet. Soon the German’s grew tired of waiting for a reply and moved in to take the fleet by force. Quoted as “one of the greatest acts of self immolation in military history”, Laborde scuttled his fleet and sabatoged it before it could get into German hands. In all 3 battleships, seven cruisers, and thirty-two destroyers were lost amongst the fleet. Eisenhower had mixed feelings, he was dismayed that the fleet was gone, but relieved the prize was not in German hands.
