What If......

[the lancaster kicks ass]

they'd still have had to have been evacuated...........

 

[plan_D]

Why do you think that? A lot of the British units didn't have any ammo for their tanks, morters or artillery. And the British were the only ones that effectively fought against the Wehrmacht.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yes but 350,000 against the entire might of the german war machine............

 

[plan_D]

Not quite correct, it wasn't the full might of the Wehrmacht. A lot though, your numbers comment makes a good point. However as Heinz Guderian noticed in August 1914 the attacking force must have something special, a new novelty, to overcome the defensive force, even if it is a lower number.

Plus, the British holding on might have encouraged the French to hold on.

 

[Lightning Guy]

The French were in a postion technologically to hold one. They were totally outclassed. And as much as you will not want to here this, at the time I still don't think the RAF was a match for the Luftwaffe. Many of the advantages that turned the Battle of Britain (radar, fighting over home territory, etc.) weren't so available over the Low Countries and France. Even if more supplies got through to the BEF, the Luftwaffe still makes the difference.

 

[plan_D]

If the BEF was covered with more in the way of aircraft, by the French air force and more squadrons from Britain I believe that they could have held on. The French countered with supporting aircraft at times but were not successful, and not because of their aircraft.
The French and British tanks were superior to the German tanks. Maj.Gen.von Mellenthin the author of Panzer Battles praises the Infantry Tank Mk.II for having superior armour and superior weaponary to the main German tank of the time the Pz.kpfw III Ausf F.
The S.35 Samoa of the French Army was also superior to the German tanks. And the Allies certainly outnumbered the Wehrmacht.

 

[Lightning Guy]

Airpower would have been the key. The tanks of the Allies may have been superior to the German tanks at the time but the Germans did have superior tactics and situational awarness/communication due to their extensive use of radios. That was another huge advantage for the Germans.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

all this depends on where they're trying to defend from, if they still have a large part of france with airfields, they had a chance, but if you mean defending from the beachead, not a chance.............

 

[Lightning Guy]

Certainly no chance then. The RAF did a splendid job in just buying enough time for the Dunkirk evacuation to work. Now if the Wermacht had been allowed to continue their attack . . .

 

[plan_D]

Even with German tactics the British already counter-attacked but were ordered to withdraw because of lack of supply.
When it got to Dunkirk we had already lost most of our artillery and cannon due to lack of supply so we didn't have a chance. If they were supplied they still could have held on...

 

[Lightning Guy]

I doubt it. If they had been properly supplied and showing signs of continued resistance, Hitler could have simply allowed the Wermacht to continue its assault.

 

[plan_D]

If the British were properly supplied the Wehrmacht would have never got as far as Dunkirk. Plus the fact the Germans didn't completely stop at Dunkirk, you can ask the people in 6th Colstream Guards at Dunkirk about that...

If the British had a decent supply base the Wehrmacht would have been completely dependant of the Luftwaffe. If the British had more squadrons in France the Luftwaffe would have been hard pressed.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

If the British had more squadrons in France the Luftwaffe would have been hard pressed.

But because they had "home advantage" the luftwaffe would have defeated the RAF, leaving us fewer fighters and pilots for the BoB, they saw we couldn't hold our posistion, so they withdrew the remaining fighters out there, a good move IMO...............

 

[plan_D]

You took it out of context. I was saying if the British were better supplied, which would give them a better hold at the original stages of the invasion more squadrons from the RAF would have provided enough air cover for the ground forces.
And since France was on the defensive the RAF would have had the home advantage.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

as both Germany and France were fighting close to each other, wouldn't both have home advantage??

 

[Lightning Guy]

And if my grandmother had wheels she'd be a wagon . . .

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i don't get it....................

 

[plan_D]

If two football grounds are close together...wouldn't both have home advantage? (Language a Brit understands)

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

ah, i see................

 

[cheddar cheese]

interesting.....