USD
Strategic Battle of Britain Map
By the end of June 1940, France had capitulated.
Since Britain refused any agreement it was necessary to study how she could be defeated.
The numerical superiority of the Royal Navy was overwhelming (see data in the pic) and the German Navy lacked the means to protect an invasion fleet or transport a significant amount of troops to the British beaches quickly: only 13 divisions could be transported in the first 3 days to face a British army consisting of 12 infantry divisions plus 3 armored divisions, supported by another 15 poorly equipped infantry divisions.
Even if the Luftwaffe destroyed the RAF completely (a tall order in itself), the risks of an invasion were unacceptable. We have to remember that during the Crete invasion, the Luftwaffe achieved air supremacy, it defeated the Royal Navy, but it could not prevent the British fleet from destroying the seaborne invasion fleet (the Germans won because they could transport a paratrooper division and a mountain divisions to the island by air. This small contingent would not have been enough to defeat the large British army defending the British isles).
Sealion was reduced to precautionary planning. Churchill even told the War Cabinet on 10 July (the start of the Battle of Britain) that a seaborne invasion could be discarded since it was a suicidal operation. The Germans planned the main offensive to achieve air superiority ( Adler Angriff) for Aug 13, but three days earlier the British decided to ship armored troops from Great Britain to Egypt to defend against an Italian offensive. Clearly, the risks for a German invasion, were considered small.
Nevertheless, the Luftwaffe was optimistic that it could defeat the RAF and force an English surrender by achieving air supremacy first, and then destroying the industry, blocking the ports, and smashing the cities if necessary.
But how should the offensive be carried out?
Strategic bombing (and if so, what targets: blockade -blue targets-, air industry -red-, or other -black-)? A tactical path (British airfields)? Day attacks (limited to the range of the Bf 109 to reduce losses but limiting the size of the bomber force)? Or night attacks (not limited to the range of the 109, so all the bomber force could be used, but with low accuracy)?
TARGETS IN RED: Aeronautical Targets
1 and 2 Spitfire factories
3 and 4 Rolls-Royce Merlin factories
5. De Havilland propeller division
6. Paul Boulton aircraft factory
7 and 8 Short Stirling bomber factories
9. Redwing factory
10. Rollason factory
11. Motorworks
12 and 13 Hurricane factories
14. Bristol factory
15. Westland factory
Since Britain refused any agreement it was necessary to study how she could be defeated.
The numerical superiority of the Royal Navy was overwhelming (see data in the pic) and the German Navy lacked the means to protect an invasion fleet or transport a significant amount of troops to the British beaches quickly: only 13 divisions could be transported in the first 3 days to face a British army consisting of 12 infantry divisions plus 3 armored divisions, supported by another 15 poorly equipped infantry divisions.
Even if the Luftwaffe destroyed the RAF completely (a tall order in itself), the risks of an invasion were unacceptable. We have to remember that during the Crete invasion, the Luftwaffe achieved air supremacy, it defeated the Royal Navy, but it could not prevent the British fleet from destroying the seaborne invasion fleet (the Germans won because they could transport a paratrooper division and a mountain divisions to the island by air. This small contingent would not have been enough to defeat the large British army defending the British isles).
Sealion was reduced to precautionary planning. Churchill even told the War Cabinet on 10 July (the start of the Battle of Britain) that a seaborne invasion could be discarded since it was a suicidal operation. The Germans planned the main offensive to achieve air superiority ( Adler Angriff) for Aug 13, but three days earlier the British decided to ship armored troops from Great Britain to Egypt to defend against an Italian offensive. Clearly, the risks for a German invasion, were considered small.
Nevertheless, the Luftwaffe was optimistic that it could defeat the RAF and force an English surrender by achieving air supremacy first, and then destroying the industry, blocking the ports, and smashing the cities if necessary.
But how should the offensive be carried out?
Strategic bombing (and if so, what targets: blockade -blue targets-, air industry -red-, or other -black-)? A tactical path (British airfields)? Day attacks (limited to the range of the Bf 109 to reduce losses but limiting the size of the bomber force)? Or night attacks (not limited to the range of the 109, so all the bomber force could be used, but with low accuracy)?
TARGETS IN RED: Aeronautical Targets
1 and 2 Spitfire factories
3 and 4 Rolls-Royce Merlin factories
5. De Havilland propeller division
6. Paul Boulton aircraft factory
7 and 8 Short Stirling bomber factories
9. Redwing factory
10. Rollason factory
11. Motorworks
12 and 13 Hurricane factories
14. Bristol factory
15. Westland factory
