Were the Germans really that good?

[Kingmaker]

HiHi
Paul, Huib 'fraid at a tactical level then I am way behind re WWII, not my era, I'm more of a, "Mechanized transport! ... In War ... don’t be silly boy it would scare the horses!” type.

Overall I agree Huib, no one country could have completed the task in the time-span 1939-1945, but Paul, I would still suggest that although it’s a strategic battle the BoB was the first one that had to be won, aircover for the RN to fight in the channel was imperative against ‘Sealion’, if that had been lost and the Germans had of landed in England the Gods alone know how the war would have gone.

While a backwater affair I would also suggest that the British Armies successful campaigns against Italy in Abyssinia & Libya were also vital in the long term strategic picture in that a) Rommel & Africa corps were sent to bolster the Italians in the Desert, a drain on resource, supply, men & equipment etc. b) the further involvement of British and Commonwealth forces in Crete and Greece forced Hitler to put back the invasion of Russia while he diverted forces to the Balkans to get Italy out of a mess. At a strategic level some historians (J G Stonessinger, ‘Why Nations go to War’ for one), have suggested it was that very act of diverting to the Balkans that caused Barbarossa to fail.

But I’m waffling on about strategic issues, and out of my league so I will end it there, let you good folk get back to tactical issues. :)

All the Best
Peter