Good poll with good choices Freebird... Tough call....
My answer to ur question Freebird is the Luftwaffe could maintain air superiority over Europe if the USSR is eliminated...
Thanks! I was hoping to get some input from the aircraft experts.
in a word NO
if you look at the extreme bombing during 1944 and what the LW had on the Ost front for fighter support which was practically nothing, removing those 3-5 LW fighter units would not have bolstered up the LW front in the Reich to add even any response against the US/Allied P-47, Stang, Spitfire, Tempest units.
In the same regard about nil for the LW in the night fighter realm as well
Erich, I would think that the Axis defeating USSR in 1944 would be far too late for any real help. However without the disasters in the summer of 1943, could the LW not maintain a better grip, without the Eastern front grinding down the JG strength in 43?
I think it depends on when they beat the Soviets. IMO, I believe the line is 1943.
I think you are exactly right Thor, which is why the choice is not easy.
Let me expand on the question a bit.
We were looking at the results on the other thread {KM IJN thread} if the Axis launched an all out total submarine offensive right after Pearl Harbor.
The most probable result is that in 1942 the US would be mainly concerned with holding on building up defences in Hawaii, Australia, NZ, and the Caribbean. The extreme shipping losses would force the Commonwealth to concentrate on suppling the UK, and to hold on to Australia and perhaps India.
They would have had to sacrifice the Mediterranean Middle East fronts, as they simply do not have enough ships for the "Round the Cape" route.
The results:
1.) Due to shipping losses the Japanese cutting off the "Pacific" route to Russia
NO lend-lease arrives in Russia after Jan 1942
2.) As the British abandon Egypt, this allow the Axis to transfer ~ 150,000 - 200,000 men and substantial LW elements to the Eastern front in the spring/summer of 1942 as they don't need to guard Greece Southern Europe.
3.) The Axis do not send ~250,000 men to Tunisia in the fall of '42, nor do they lose ~250,000 men of the 6th Army at Stalingrad.
4.) The Axis are in a substantially better position in the fall of '42, having captured Leningrad, surrounded Moscow and driven deep into the Caucusas.
5.) With the capture of parts of the Caucusas Middle East the Axis fuel situation will be much improved in 1943