Middle East

“Battle of Savo Island” - a battle history episode focusing on the opening stages of the Guadalcanal campaign. The high quality battle analysis is supported by many works cited, worth reading on their own.

Notable insight: How contextual factors and battle mantra paradigms play as significant, if not more, of a role in decision making than force disposition alone.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lICRQPIduFc

All the sites I find for the book Europa w przededniu wojny only ship in Poland. If you ship to the US, please let me know:

https://lubimyczytac.pl/ksiazka/4984764/europa-w-przededniu-wojny

@Panther Looks cool! Thanks for sharing!

@Donostio

Very nice. I’d like to see the original picture of that letter.

@SuperbattleshipYamato

Wow, what a fantastic article, thanks for sharing.

@Lancasterlaw1175

I think your hypothesis is broadly correct.

But I think on a technical and logistical level (not sure about political), it seems to me that it was perfectly possible for the French to mobilize and brings the guns to the front much earlier, before September. This would’ve allowed them to begin attacking almost immediately and shatter the German lines. In retrospect, the French should be at fault for not mobilizing (and preventing the Poles from doing so).

The vast majority of Army Group C divisions were undersized (or even just command headquarters), while only about half of the French ones were deficient in some way (Nafziger’s book also lists the condition of French divisions in September-October 193o).

I got the book online here:

https://www.amazon.com/French-Order-Battle-World-1939-1945/dp/1585450189

@abworsham4

Unfortunately, the powers of both sides are not comparable to any of the games, so we can’t just play it out with side switching house rules (and other stuff too, but I’m just saying a new setup will need to be designed). The Soviets were even less modernised than in 1941. The real question is Germany. If Germany fights with the Soviets, (depends on what Hitler’s short term plan is) the outcome is uncertain, especially with Italy’s allegiance. It Germany fights against the Soviets, the Soviets would probably fall, especially if Japan can be convinced to jump into the war.

@crusaderiv if they could take them so easily, then why couldn’t the spanish take it back? a mid atlantic post for the kreigmarine would’ve been invaluable. also, the uboats didn’t need to operate there if Sea Lion had happened, which would have if spain had joined, due to the increased pressure on England. why would they be there? there’s no basis for this argument.