Operation Sealion is successful

[East Anglian Lefty]

Given the implausibility of military success, it strikes me that the more interesting question is what the consequences of its failure would have been. If the entire beachhead was overrun, Barbarossa can effectively be ruled out as a viable option.

Rather more speculatively, imagine that the landing is made, it goes disastrously but that the Germans manage to withdraw a substantial proportion of the first wave, though with dreadful casualties. The fighting in Kent and Sussex is savage in the extreme, and the reporting of it in the British press only amplifies this. Let's say that the war then takes broadly its historical course. Exactly how does this affect British willingness not to impose ruinous terms upon the defeated Germans? With the signs of warfare still visible on the South Downs, how willing is Britain to allow food to be imported to Germany to prevent starvation? The recriminations might lead to a very different Europe.

[mboy]

I doubt that even "savage" fighting in Kent and Sussex would have been remotely as devastating or frightening to the wider urban UK than the Blitz was, or the terror of the V1/V2s were in 1944. Tens of millions of people in cities experienced the reality of urban bombing campaigns, which would be compared to tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands maximum, who would even get sight of the rural front-line on the South Downs...

[johnloony]

Nov 27, 2016 21:52:48 GMT @williamhone1780 said:

Worth a watch this, I wasn't previously aware of it.

I've heard of it, but I've never watched the whole thing before. I must have seen clips, because I remember a few extracts ("We don't accept your decisions. You accept ours" and "To deny this is illogical"). Presumably the "real fascists" were the people in the unscripted discussion at about 52 minutes? I didn't recognise any of them individually but it seemed as if they were actors discussing in character, rather than necessarily stating their real views.

[cibwr]

No they were real people discussing their real views.

[carlton43]

Nov 28, 2016 20:22:00 GMT East Anglian Lefty said:

Given the implausibility of military success, it strikes me that the more interesting question is what the consequences of its failure would have been. If the entire beachhead was overrun, Barbarossa can effectively be ruled out as a viable option.

Rather more speculatively, imagine that the landing is made, it goes disastrously but that the Germans manage to withdraw a substantial proportion of the first wave, though with dreadful casualties. The fighting in Kent and Sussex is savage in the extreme, and the reporting of it in the British press only amplifies this. Let's say that the war then takes broadly its historical course. Exactly how does this affect British willingness not to impose ruinous terms upon the defeated Germans? With the signs of warfare still visible on the South Downs, how willing is Britain to allow food to be imported to Germany to prevent starvation? The recriminations might lead to a very different Europe.

I think that is a really excellent series of questions.

[carlton43]

Nov 28, 2016 21:02:52 GMT mboy said:

I doubt that even "savage" fighting in Kent and Sussex would have been remotely as devastating or frightening to the wider urban UK than the Blitz was, or the terror of the V1/V2s were in 1944. Tens of millions of people in cities experienced the reality of urban bombing campaigns, which would be compared to tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands maximum, who would even get sight of the rural front-line on the South Downs...

The difference must be in the actuality of jack boots on our soil and hand to hand fighting in quiet village environments, not just on those involved and nearby but on the whole psyche of a population thinking 'It could so easily have been here'!

[The Bishop]

Indeed, any German invasion would have been the first in this country for some two centuries. That would surely have to impact significantly on the national psyche.

[Deleted]

For anyone interested Len Deighton's alternative history novel SS-GB has been dramatized by the BBC. Always thought it about time this lesser known work by Deighton got TV time. Looks like a fairly slick production.