Why did not Hitler seize Gibraltar and Suez. Fuehrer's fatal mistake
The Second World War is considered the most popular topic of stories our country. But the story associated with the plans of the Third Reich to seize the British fortress of Gibraltar, which to this day is an overseas territory of Great Britain in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, remains little-known in Russia. Gibraltar was and remains the most important strategic military position that controls the Strait of Gibraltar, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean.The plans of the Germans to capture Gibraltar were connected with the choice of a strategy - to go to the East or to solve the issue with Britain before that. Control of the Mediterranean, through the possession of Gibraltar, Malta, Suez, was a fundamental principle of British politics. Without free passage of ships through this sea, the power of the British Empire would be greatly undermined. The blow to Gibraltar was obvious, if the Germans wanted to deliver a strong blow to Britain, put it on their knees.
They supported this idea in fascist Rome. On September 19, 1940, Mussolini, in a conversation with German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, said that the loss of Gibraltar would be a heavy blow to England and would guarantee Italy greater freedom in the Mediterranean. The Italians wanted to protect their Navy from the attack of a more powerful British fleet.
Particularly intensified the threat to Britain after the crushing defeat of France. 27 June 1940, the French concluded a truce with Germany, the Wehrmacht reached the French-Spanish border. And 12 June, the Spanish leader Franco, who was obliged to Italy and Germany - they helped win the Civil War, changed Spain's position from "neutral" to "position of non-participation in the war."
Intelligence service
In July, 1940, the head of the Abwehr (the German military intelligence and counterintelligence authority in 1919 — 1944, was part of the Wehrmacht High Command), Admiral Canaris arrived in Spain with an intelligence group. They arrived hidden like civilians. Then the German scouts arrived in Spanish Algeciras, which was located near the fortress of Gibraltar. The Germans tried to examine and evaluate the fortress from the land (from the Spanish territory) and from the air.
Abverovtsy immediately discovered serious problems complicating the possibility of storming fortifications:
- The steep coast, the unstable direction of the wind, the limited landing area made it very difficult for the airborne troops to be used, the use of gliders.
- The sandy isthmus connecting Gibraltar with the Iberian Peninsula, did not give a good opportunity to conduct a land operation. The British could easily mine it and keep it under heavy fire. The advancing troops had to suffer huge losses, trying to break through this strip of land.
- According to Abwehr, inside the Rock (one of the names of Gibraltar, there is a monolithic limestone rock with a height of 426 meters) a powerful system of tunnels, shelters that could accommodate a significant garrison (so the British increased the garrison of the fortress to 1942 thousand people) was created . He could withstand a long siege.
- There was a technical problem with the delivery of units of the Wehrmacht: the Spanish railways were in poor condition, their track was different from the French. This slowed the pace of the operation, it was necessary to overload the troops, equipment, ammunition on the French-Spanish border. To carry out such a transfer, while maintaining secrecy, it was not possible, the effect of surprise disappeared.
- The issue of the participation of the Spanish army was not resolved. The Germans did not know whether the Spaniards would fight the British and generally help the Germans.
Felix Plan
Returning to Germany, the Abwehr officers prepared a plan for the assault of Gibraltar. He combined artillery shelling (they were also going to use rockets), aerial bombardment, distracting actions of the amphibious assault force and the attack of assault groups. The assault was supposed to begin with a powerful artillery bombardment of heavy guns from 167, which should have given an advantage over the British in the ratio of 3: 1. It was believed that heavy guns could reach the English cannons hidden in the rocks, destroying them. Artillery was supported by dive bombers. The fire on them should have revealed the remaining firing points of the British.
For the direct assault, they planned to isolate at least 2 rifle regiments, one of them was mountain rifle, 1 engineering and construction, and 2 sapper battalion. The regiments were divided into assault groups. At the height of the battle, the landing craft from the Spanish observation post at La Linea, under the protection of a smoke screen, approached the Old Mall to discourage the garrison. The operation took three days. The Spaniards, if they took part in the assault, were to play a subordinate, auxiliary role. The main danger Canaris saw in the British fleet, whose ships had to be disabled or destroyed in the harbor or the open sea.
In August 1940, Adolf Hitler approved the proposals as part of an overall strategy against Britain. 6 September 1940 at a meeting of the leadership of the Reich Hitler instructed to begin preparations for the capture of Gibraltar. 12 November 1940, the German leader signed the secret directive No. 18 for the seizure of the British fortress. The plan was called Operation Felix. 5 December 1940 was held another meeting, where they discussed the plan to capture Gibraltar. The operation was assigned to Field Marshal Walter von Reichenau, the commander of the 6 Army, which participated in the French campaign. The General of the Mountain Forces, Ludwig Kübler, commander of the 49 Mountain Corps, established in October 1940, was responsible for preparing the assault units. From the beginning of November, the selected units conducted combat training in the mountains, where they created a semblance of a British fortress.
The main elements of the operation:
- The Luftwaffe were supposed to take over the destruction of the ships of the British fleet, which will be in Gibraltar; for this purpose, 2 squadrons of diving bombers and one fighter squadron were assigned to it. Attack ships were going with the help of submarines.
- They relied on motorized units, since the railways were bad in Spain. More than 65 thousand soldiers were allocated for the operation.
- It was not possible to achieve suddenness (according to Halder, only 25 days after crossing the French-Spanish border could concentrate all the forces, transport and prepare equipment, ammunition, etc.), so we decided to reduce the time to prepare and increase the power of impact .
- The ground assault was combined with an attack from the sea, with the help of landing craft based in Algeciras.
- A huge role was to play artillery, the use of rocket projectiles. The German command was going to concentrate the maximum number of guns, including heavy ones, at Gibraltar.
- After the capture of the fortress, Hitler was going to tightly cover the strait, to place heavy tools in Ceuta (Spanish city in Morocco) and Tarifa (Spain). To the North Africa to transfer 1 armored and 1 motorized rifle divisions.
Position of spain
Some problem for Berlin was the position of Spain, which was to let the German troops through its territory. Hitler urged Franco to enter the war on the side of the Third Reich, or at least grant the right to unimpeded passage of parts of the Wehrmacht through Spain. Franco feared that if Spain sided with Germany, the British would seize the Canary Islands. The UK fleet could also cut food supplies from Argentina and other Latin American countries.
Although it is clear that with a strong desire the German troops could easily pass through the territory of Spain, the Spanish army could not provide serious resistance. So, on November 4, Hitler announced that Gibraltar would be captured with or without the Spaniards. The main reason for the rejection of Operation Phoenix is the development of the Barbarossa Plan, which was adopted on December 18 of the year 1940.
October 23 1940 of the year at the station Enday (French-Spanish border), Hitler met with Franco. Hitler proposed to transfer to Spain, after the operation, not only Gibraltar, but also a number of French territories in Africa. And Franco presented a whole list of demands as a fee for consent. He demanded to transfer several hundred tons of grain to the country; give the Spanish army airplanes and guns (including heavy ones) and other weapons that will be involved in the operation to seize Gibraltar. Put Spain weapons, including coastal guns and anti-aircraft guns, because the country has a large length of coast, which must be protected. In addition, Franco believed that the occupation of Gibraltar by foreign troops would damage the national honor of Spain, only the Spaniards themselves could capture the fortress.
18 November 1940, the head of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Serrano Sunnier, told Hitler at a meeting in Berchtesgaden that Spain is not ready for war with England and does not give permission for German troops to pass through their territory.
Hitler's fatal mistake
The main reason that Operation Felix did not take place was that Hitler switched his attention from the British Empire even before the famous air "Battle of England" began. Formally, it was decided 31 July, when Adolf Hitler told the top leadership of the Wehrmacht that it was decided to "begin the destruction of the vital forces of Russia in the spring 1941 year."
This alarmed the top German officers, they reasonably believed that leaving Great Britain in the West and its potential ally - the United States - was stupid when all the main forces would be concentrated in the East. The military elite led many arguments to convince Hitler to abandon the plan of march to the East until the issue with Britain. The head of the Kriegsmarine (Navy), Erich Raeder, declared to Hitler that for domination of the world it was not necessary to fight the USSR, the path to this was open to the defeat of France. Major General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff of the Operational Directorate of the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht, in a memorandum from 30 on June 1940, said that if the throw across the English Channel fails, it is advisable to transfer military operations to the Mediterranean - to seize Egypt, the Suez Canal. It is possible that the Italians can do it, or they will need help. At that time, the British in Egypt had only 36 thousand people, including one half-manned armored division. In addition, the entry into the war of Italy dramatically complicated the life of Britain, the supply could be carried out only with a powerful cover or send ships through Africa, the Cape of Good Hope. It was necessary to take into account the fact that the British needed at least several months to strengthen the units in Egypt, and there was not too much strength, they were connected by the defense of the metropolis.
Italy, with the help of Germany, could transfer superior forces to her colony, Libya, and rather quickly. The German Air Force was able to neutralize the British base in Malta.
But Hitler was only interested in the idea of capturing Gibraltar. The Fuhrer was also interested in the idea of capturing the Azores and the Cape Verde islands, they belonged to Portugal. In addition, the Germans could land in the Canary Islands. These territories had a large potential military strategic role. Could become the naval and air bases of the German Empire. This step allowed to strike at communications of Britain. In the Azores, long-range bombers could be deployed in the future to threaten the United States. True, Admiral Raeder said that it is pointless to capture the islands so far. The German Navy can really capture them. But the problem is that the British fleet is much more powerful and will be able to block the German garrisons, leaving them without a supply of food and ammunition. A aviation cannot completely solve this problem.
Interestingly, Hitler missed the opportunity after the defeat of France to deliver another severe blow to Britain - to send troops to French North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco). The French government of Petain and Vichy could not prevent the Germans. The Wehrmacht was easy to throw on the occupation of southern France, and in North Africa the French military contingent was small and could not prevent the German offensive. Thus, the German troops could then, along with the Italians, strike at Egypt and capture Suez. But Hitler did not. Although this step was completely logical and reasonable.
Hitler recognized the strategic importance of northwestern Africa only three days before the September 26 meeting, when the British and the Free French troops under Charles de Gaulle tried to capture Dakar, but were beaten off by French forces loyal to the Vichy government. This event confirmed Raeder’s view that the British, supported by the Americans, would try to gain a foothold in northwestern Africa. The admiral insisted that, together with the French Vichy government, it was necessary to retain control of the region, to seize Suez. After that, German troops could easily go through Palestine, Syria, reach Turkey. The Turks will be forced to cooperate more closely with the Third Reich, and in this light the problem of the USSR will look different.
W. Churchill understood perfectly well the whole danger of such a prospect. He told US President Roosevelt that if Egypt and the Middle East were lost, then the war would become more difficult, longer and with more somber prospects, even when the United States entered the war.
Raeder recalled that although Hitler agreed with his “general direction of thought,” he did not want to change the general strategy after the defeat of France. He was going to solve only minor tactical issues in the Mediterranean, concentrating on the East. The admiral saw that Hitler did not want to bear the burden of the main military operations in the southern Mediterranean. The other top military leaders of the Reich were not as persistent as Raeder apparently did not want to “rock the boat” or risk a career. Everyone saw that Hitler had long ago decided everything for himself - to destroy the USSR and conquer the “living space” in the East became a fix idea for him. Although victory and control of the Mediterranean gave Germany a lot more benefits. The victory was achieved with fewer casualties, Britain was dealt a heavy blow (with the prospect of the German troops entering India). Germany gained control over the most important strategic communications and oil deposits (the first oil fields in Iran were discovered in 1908, in 1932 in Bahrain, in 1938 in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia). The problem was solved with other sources of raw materials.
Erich Raeder
And the Suez Canal was much more important than Gibraltar. His capture led to the fact that the British fleet had to go into the Red Sea. Germany and Italy could, after the capture of Suez, freely transfer considerable forces to the Middle East, the British could not interfere. The huge reserves of oil in this region made it possible for the German military-industrial complex to work without hindrance, the problem of dependence on the deposits of Romania was removed. Turkey was surrounded: the Germans could influence it not only from Greece, Yugoslavia (the occupation of these countries was already predetermined), Bulgaria (from the Balkans), but also Palestine and Syria. Therefore, Istanbul remained the only way out - to become a satellite of the Third Reich. To enter the war on the side of Berlin or to provide territory for military transit. Resistance was impossible, the Turkish troops had no chance against the Italian-German forces.
The Wehrmacht could occupy the whole of North Africa, with or without Peten’s consent, go to Spanish Morocco. After this, Franco was much easier to convince to send the Wehrmacht to the Strait of Gibraltar or to do so by the right of the strong. Hitler was able to build his coastal batteries and airfields along the southern coast of the strait. This meant the loss of the fortress of Gibraltar for Britain and without assault. Forced the British to abandon Malta, its garrison could not be supplied.
After the British had completely left the Mediterranean, it was possible to occupy West Africa without any problems, to occupy the French base in Dakar. Ships, submarines, German planes, having a base in Dakar, could disrupt the British communications that went through the South Atlantic. As a result, Berlin put Britain on its knees, even when entering the US war, London faced the prospect of defeat. From Syria, the Germans had the opportunity to strike at Iran, and the strong position of the Germans in Persia posed a great threat to the “pearl of the British crown” - India. At that time in India there was a struggle for independence led by M. Gandhi and other leaders. The threat of India forced the British to throw there all the forces that were not engaged in the defense of the metropolis.
With such positions: having oil from the Middle East, allied Turkey, blocking the possible transit of military goods to the Soviet Union through Iran, full control over the Mediterranean and the Black Sea straits - the war with the USSR looked more promising. The situation was aggravated by the fact that the Wehrmacht (Germans could create a powerful grouping in Turkey, reinforced by Turkish divisions) were hit by Soviet oil production centers in Transcaucasia and in the North Caucasus.
Moscow would have to take into account the fact of a change in the military-strategic, economic situation of Germany. Berlin received winning positions in negotiations on the future position of the USSR in the new world order. This question was not necessarily solved on the fronts, the Soviet Union was self-sufficient (there was no desire to conquer Europe) and could provide Germany with its vast reserves of raw materials, the capabilities of the Trans-Siberian railway for the transportation of goods from South-East Asia.
Results
As a result, taking possession of the Mediterranean, the whole of North and West Africa, the Near and Middle East, Berlin received for its economy the resources of Europe, Africa and Asia. The Germans controlled the most important strategic routes: Gibraltar, Suez, Bosphorus and Dardanelles (through dependent Turkey). The resistance of the British on the periphery simply did not matter much and sooner or later died out. In addition, all the forces of the British went to the defense of the metropolis (on which it was possible to throw significant forces of the Air Force and submarine fleet) and convoys with raw materials, food. Before the British government raised the issue of negotiations, London would have begun to seek a truce, its place in the new order.
The United States lost hope of launching troops in Europe. For this, it was necessary to turn the country into a single military camp, build a huge naval and air armada, create a powerful army. Plus ammunition, transport, stocks weapons and so on. Necessary for such a risky and ambitious operation. The chances of success were minimal. Most likely, the Americans focused on the Pacific Ocean, on the confrontation with Japan.
Germany at this time could consolidate the empire, unite the occupied territories and the satellites into an economic union (the EU of that time). Every day becoming stronger economically, militarily, politically. As a result, a “New World Order” could have arisen, where the 4 of the center of power was - the USA, the German Empire, the USSR, the Japanese Empire.
But Hitler did not heed Admiral Raeder's strategic instinct. All his thoughts were concentrated on the war with Russia. He was saving tank divisions, forces, means to throw them against the USSR, to the East. That is why Adolf Hitler did not think to allocate more than one tank division (initially) for operations in North Africa, to decide to capture Suez and Gibraltar.
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