Page 87 - All About History - Issue 53-17

What if…
THE ALLIES HAD LOST THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC?

If Britain had fallen, do you think Churchill and the Commonwealth? That would also change the tanks that stand between the Germans and
would have been able to continue fighting from the situation for the Americans. Moscow in the first week of December 1941 were
bases in Canada and other parts of the Empire Matildas and Valentine tanks from British factories.
and Commonwealth? If Britain had fallen in 1941, how would that have If that’s the case, there is a very narrow window in
Canada declared war against Nazi Germany, not as affected Russian resistance to Nazi Germany? which British production and Lend-Lease material,
part of the British Empire but as an independent, The assumption is that Britain would have fallen in including Hurricane fighters, get to Russia just at
self-governing nation. So it is entirely conceivable the spring of 1941 because it is difficult to figure the the most critical moment of the German advance
that the war would have continued. There were scenario before or after that. And by then Brits have on Moscow. And many historians assume — though
certainly plans to move the British fleet to already signed the Lend-Lease deal and are already I don’t know that it’s a fair assumption — that
Canada, and ports along the Canadian east coast trans-shipping vast amounts of goods destined had Moscow fallen, the Soviet Union would have
were surveyed to see just where the Royal Navy for Britain like American fighters, P40-Warhawks capitulated. I am not entirely convinced of that but,
could shelter. So the question becomes, does and Tomahawks, straight to Russia. Britain is also if so, then the British aid to the Soviet Union in the
Britain capitulate like the French did and make sending a large number of its tanks to Russia autumn of 1941 might well have been one of the
accommodation, or does the British government go in the autumn of 1941. I have read recently that most singular, decisive things that Britain did to
into exile and continue the war from the Empire perhaps as much as upwards of 40 per cent of ensure the Allied victory in World War II.

German U-boat bases in
France were hundreds of miles
closer to the Atlantic than the
bases on the North Sea

O Stalingrad comes O The Longest Day O Hitler commits suicide O The US drops the bomb
to an end 6 June 1944 April 1945 August 1945
February 1943 Germany is stretched to The war in Europe nears its World War II nears its end after
Arguably the single most crucial breaking point as Allied end as Hitler takes his own a B-29 bomber drops the world’s
battle of the European war forces, including a vast life in his Berlin bunker shortly first deployed atomic bomb on
concludes with Germany’s defeat in American army, launch before the Red Army arrives. Hiroshima, destroying 90 per
the ruins of Stalingrad. Thousands of D-Day operations with the Unconditional surrender follows cent of the city and instantly
German troops become POWs. invasion of Normandy. a week later on 7 May. killing 80,000 people.

O Royal Navy moves to Canada/Ceylon O The Allies take North Africa O Second Battle of Moscow O D-Day launches via Iberian
August 1941 November 1942 March 1943 peninsula
Churchill relocates the Royal Navy to Halifax British Empire forces in Africa, The German Sixth Army takes June 1944
in Canada, and Trincomalee in Ceylon, the supplied via the Suez Canal, have Stalingrad and Hitler launches a The Iberian peninsula becomes
only Empire-Commonwealth ports capable taken control of the continent. second assault on Moscow. Yet the staging post for the Allied
of handling such warships. The invasion of Italy is planned. Russia still stands. push into Western Europe.

O Britain falls to the Reich O The US declines Germany deal O D-Day preparations begin in earnest O Liberation of Great Britain
November 1941 December 1941 January 1943 February 1944
With food supplies dwindling and Roosevelt strongly considers Operation Torch is no longer a With his forces stretched thin
the U-boat wolf packs emerging negotiations with Nazi Germany, but requirement given Allied success in following defeat at Kursk, Hitler
pre-eminent in the Atlantic, the pressure from Britain, Canada and Africa. American GIs begin arriving withdraws from mainland Britain
British government goes into exile to Hitler’s early success in Russia prompts in Morocco and Algeria in preparation in a bid to shore up his defences in
continue the war from the Empire. him to enter the war in Europe. for a strike at mainland Europe. France. Churchill returns to Whitehall.
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