Board Thread:Timeline Discussions/@comment-7559950-20130911012534/@comment-32656-20130926114410

Yes, Japan did have "plans" to firebomb the US - not that they had the ability to do that, either.

Far as I know, that tin can beef bit isn't true, Imp.

They wouldn't win the war even if they concentrated on the Brits. Remember, they did that for a year and it backfired.

You cut the battleships and get more U-boats? Then the Brits can do the same thing with frigates and destroyers by cutting their own bigger production down somewhat. And, for that matter, there's parts that went into the U-boats that did not go into the BB's - you still have the same limits there, roughly.

Basically, the Brits are/were not morons. As was shown repeatedly, they could and would counter German sub movements/changes.

And, even if the Brits do not go different than otl? Increasing the number of subs would not change anything.

Italian aircraft were very obsolete, imo. Most of the planes they mostly used where even still biplanes. About the only "good" design they had was for a torpedo bomber.

Past that, Italian forces were severely underequipped, underfed, undertrained, using obsolete equipment... the list is very lengthy. There's a very good reason why their combat record was so bad, and not just in the desert against the Brits.

More or less exactly why Franco refused when Hitler wanted him to join.

Japan could go for Indonesia all it wants, but without the area between there and Japan, those forces get cut off and destroyed very easily. That, along with the fact that the attacks would lead to American intervention, meant that to go after those other targets, they had to go after the US too. Strategic value, rather than economic. But just as necessary.

Err... compared to other countries, Japan was in fact not undergoing a baby boom at that time. Definitely not when compared to the 1960s. And China would have been far more worse then the USSR for "living space," though you're right about the goal.

You're overstating the Ho-229, and understating the Brits. That figure only applied to the so-called "Chain Home" towers - the Allies had far more types of radar than that, most of which would have been unaffected by the "stealth" abilities of the Ho-229.

That time figure is also much too simple - the process for taking off more or less means that you could, at best, double that. Add even more because they would not be right on the coast. And the Brits would be able to detect them long before "2.5 min."

Not like they'd have any of those for years, anyway.

Germans could not focus in Africa. It's basically impossible for them to supply/maintain a force any larger than they did - and what they did have was not near enough. Impossible for Rommel to take Egypt.

As I noted earlier: supplies to the UK and its colonies largely came from the Americas. Very little from India, and anything that was to/from there can be sent around Africa just as easily. And almost none of that can be attacked by anyone, anywhere on the route. Even if the Germans had Egypt.

German rockets were actually prioritized during the war. Never got anywhere.

Soviets would steamroll over the German defenses.

Germans don't get anywhere in Africa. Terrain alone would dictate that, imo.

Hitler would have lasted longer than that.

1949 is about the most "optimistic" date you can get - you're right that the early 1950s may be more likely, but... if the Soviets, using basically no start and stolen tech, took 4 years, and the Germans actually had a fair start on that, 1940 is about as good as it gets.

Your world doesn't result in any of those things, Imp.

The SS, Guns, was in positions of power and importance - and would have fought. Also, they on average had better equipment and far more die-hard supporters. And, elements of all military branches would have gone with them. Plus, the German Army has front lines to maintain. Be a lot more than days. Weeks, at best.

Most likely result would be German troops moving east from the Western Front. No ceasefire possible at that point. Total surrender was the only option.