"Mapping the Invasion of America, 1942" Topic

"…Losing looked like something that could actually happen in pre- war-ready America3. The war in Europe had been on in earnest since the very end of 1939 (since 1933 in Asia), and the Axis had reached just about the fullest extent of their victories (though there would be more gains in the Pacific to come). By March of ‘42, we had Bataan, MacArthur leaving the Philippines and the fall of rape of Manila, the siege of Leningrad, Corregidor, Java Sea, the Brits leaving Singapore, Malaya, and so much more. The Axis powers in Europe were now in control of Austria, Czechoslovakia. Poland, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Norway, Yugoslavia, Finland, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and parts of the Soviet Union (Ukraine, Bylorussia, Crimea), and parts of North Africa; plus the allies of Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovakia. There was also Italy, of course, controlling Sicily, Ethiopia and Libya., and of course the Japanese controlled large swaths of China, South East Asia, Indonesia and points in-between. The overall situation did not look very good.

The following maps appeared in a two-page spread, detailing ways in which the Axis powers could combine their efforts, focus on America, and take over the country. Maps such as these with arrows being drawn towards America were absolutely uncommon during this time…"

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From here.
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Part II here.
weaponsandwarfare.com/?p=30702

Hope you enjoy!.

Amicalement
Armand

Well, if nothing else, it shows how badly a small island nation and a mid sized European state misjudge American continental geographic size, terrain, climate, and distances. Oh, and the size of their own industry base and economy.

I didn't realize the Fifth Column was so strong. Were they counting on every person of German heritage taking up arms against the US?

I like plan No 3, quite short resupply lines for spare parts etc – only about 10,000km
Reminds me of the German Invasion of Soviet Russia – "It doesn't look that far on the map and we have 3 million men………."

Hmmmmm. Could you use gangster figures as fifth columnists? Could make for some interesting games.

Old news

Looks much like my plans for victory in the Axis & Allies boardgame!

I would love to see who gets to command the German invasion force for Hudson Bay for Plan 6 – so, you get to sail through ice-packed Hudson Bay – land in northern Ontario – then spend the next 10 years slowly moving south; I figure if you start with a Corps, you might have a good sized company left by the time you reach the US border

Are all war plans drawn up by 12 year olds?

As for gangster figures as 5th Column… Talk with Mussolini about letting up on the Mafia in Sicily first.

As for gangster figures as 5th Column… Talk with Mussolini about letting up on the Mafia in Sicily first.

Actually, in the U.S. you want to talk to Meyer Lansky, who ran the Jewish version of the mob in NY. As such he had no patience with 5th columnists, especially the pro-Nazi German "Bund" movement. He was also largely responsible for brokering a deal with the U.S. government whereby the Mafia "took care" of 5th columnists and saboteurs on the NY waterfront.

He tried to enlist but was turned down by the Army for being too old. I think it says something about how popular the nazis were when a successful 40-something Jewish mobster tries to join the Army to fight the Nazis.

More here:
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Maps by another batch of amateur strategists who haven't got the faintest notion about logistics. And I'm sure they checked under their beds every night for those Fifth Columnists.

The plans all seem to be under the assumption that the Executive Leadership of the era would abide by our Constitution and *not* inter some/any potential 5th Columnists.

Unfortunately, history tell us different.

Japanese controlled large swaths of China.

Not sure controlled is the right word. And where were they getting this army.

I love the 'Japanese come storming down the Alaskan coast' scenario. Obviously the author has never been to that neck of the woods. Like Frederick said about invading through Ontario; they might start out with a corps but they'd be lucky to have a company worth of effectives when they hit Vancouver (just send out the local PD to round them up..).

I kind of think that any 5th Columnists would be on the other side..
Wolverines!

I love that film

Maybe the Germans did invade through the Hudson Bay "valley', and just haven't gotten anywhere yet. That could explain why the caribou and polar bears are disappearing.

Yeah, that'll work.. Not.

Word of advice. Never get into a land war in North America.

Not to mention if the enemy parked their vehicles in NY or NJ, the next morning, they'd find them up on blocks, stripped and all the radios stolen …

They really are missing the point. You need a base outside close aircraft range to build up supplies for the invasion, then a good place to land. Drawing arrows up the Central American isthmus or Down the coast from Alaska is ridiculous.
The Japanese should take Hawaii, then one of the islands off the coast of California followed by an invasion between San Diego and San Francisco. For the Germans that means Bermuda, Bahamas and then invasion plans for someplace between New Orleans and New York (maybe drawing in the Mexicans for flank protection).
Regardless, I don't think it's feasible for either country to pull off. They just don't have the troops, equipment or supplies to pull it off.

Legion 4… you make me laught a lot!. (smile).

Amicalement
Armand

The most likely alternative would've been to establish an alliance with a South American country ( like Brazil). After all, if the Axis were in full control of Europe it's feasible they'd find sympathetic nations in the New World as it appeared inevitable that Germany would rule Europe for decades to come.

From South America, Axis forces could just come north through Central America ( aka the Elephant Trap from the Cold War era). There would be no armored battles in Central America, but the Japanese would be accustomed to fighting in the mountainous jungles and the narrow land mass would be perfect for peninsula war tactics (marine landings leap-frogging up the isthmus).

It's like Humphrey Bogart in "Cassablanca" warning Major Strasse that: 'There certain parts of New York City you should probably avoid invading.'

I especially loved the 5th columnists in the illustrations. In the west they have these people operating in one of the most desolate, inhospitable, and isolated regions, the rockies. Who are these people, proto-survivalists. In the East they have them in the Appalchians. Again, who are they- the Hatfields and the McCoys?

Going the route of logistics and "lift" getting the troops there, and these miraculous rendesvus is like shooting puppies in a rain-barrell. It's not very hard. But one must remember the tenor of the times. In 1936-1939 the only war America knew, nay, the wold knew was "The Great War" where it took four years for the front to move 20 miles and the cost was a million men a mile on both sides. In 1940 the thunderclap of Poland and France, Scandinavia and the low countries seemed miraculous, diabolical, that the Axis somehow WERE supermen and had developed some new and overwhelmingly superior technique and methodology, so that they could avoid the slaughter of the trenches. The mind was prepared for such inaneties.

One point. I live in exteme North-Western NJ. Fust ten mles from where I now tap on these keys is Hillside Park in Andover Township. Beautiful little park of about 100 acres with a wonderfully large, quaint old lodge with a full cafeteria and painted murals of the joys of sylvian life and the woods. In the 30's it was a Nazi-american bund camp and it is said that at that time the murals were of Hitler and the Nazi's, and glorifying national socialism. It was a little colony pf the "Strength through Joy" boys back then, a sort of "Bund Scouts" where kids went to play in the woods, do exercises and be healty. It collapsed befor the war on some shady dealings and playing fast and loose with the money, and some allegations with regard to child molesting, but…. It had a big huge swastika in stone on the front gate.

Significantly research showed that virtually all of the attendees AND the leaders volunteered for the Armed forces and served well once the War began, which emphasizes that "nationalism" always trumped "socialism".

Bugsy Siegel offer to kill Mussolini when he was staying with and schtupping an Italian contessa…..

The Invasion of America, 1942, Part II

"The article displayed six maps showing possible invasion routes from the east and west. It was also illustrated with four unusual graphic images depicting various parts of the U.S. attacked and pulverized by Japanese and German forces. [Images like these—outside the science fiction world--were very uncommon.]

The first image shows the assault and capture of the town of Dutch Harbor, "the pivot of Alaskan defense" by Japanese forces. I guess we're to assume that the American military base on opposite the town has been overtaken already, with the assault on the town being a mop-up operation. Odd thing here is that Dutch Harbor and Fort Mears were actually attacked n 3 June 1942 by a Japanese aircraft carrier (and entourage) which inflicted moderate damage on the harbor and fort, and killed 78 Americans. This was a diversionary movement, meant to draw away American attention from Midway. It didn't work…"

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Hope you enjoy!

Amicalement
Armand

As for the 5th column, although we were of Ukrainian ancestry when my relatives emigrated they country they came from was Austria Hungary. All male members of my family who were old enough went into the American Military, my father and four cousins fought in Europe, two died in France. The rest served in the Pacific or here at home. If Hitler and his cronies were counting on them to help he was way off the mark. Of course the reality is that even if you combined the merchant ships of the Axis powers you would have never had near the sealift capability needed. The British of course planned on, if the British Isles fell, withdrawing the Royal Navy to Canada or America. And lets face it, the Germans never even had the capacity to pull off "Sea Lion" let alone any of these. They might as well have planned to invade the moon.