Interview with WWII reconaissance pilot

[Theshark888]

Originally Posted by K_Freddie

You must be living in a parallel world with an alternate history.. this must be interesting.

If you researched this topic you would be very surprised how unready Germany was for war and how close the German General Staff came to overthrowing Hitler before the invasion of Poland.

I would also probably shock you since I believe the Maginot Line actually served it's purpose and forced the Germans to attack around it!

I know that this is a tough pill to swallow for a lot of Euros, but Hitler could have been easily defeated by some Allied action in the 1930's; that was my only point! My "alternate" universe may have made the world a more dangerous place, with no Hitler buffer against the Soviet Union or some other unintended consequences

[swiss]

Originally Posted by Theshark888

I would also probably shock you since I believe the Maginot Line actually served it's purpose and forced the Germans to attack around it!

So if a burglar robs you by coming through the wide open window in the backyard, your burglarproof steel front-door served it's purpose as well?

Optimistic point of view.

[K_Freddie]

Originally Posted by Theshark888

with no Hitler buffer against the Soviet Union or some other unintended consequences

Interesting.. would you have any idea who's going to buffer the rest of the world from the current aggressor

[=XIII=Shea]

Cheers for the read m8

[Theshark888]

Originally Posted by K_Freddie

Interesting.. would you have any idea who's going to buffer the rest of the world from the current aggressor

Well, maybe China or a resurgent Russia could protect you from us ( you are talking about US right?!)

[Triggaaar]

I'm impressed that the disagreement here has been kept constructive (despite the odd patronising remark), it's quite an interesting read.

Originally Posted by Theshark888

I would also probably shock you since I believe the Maginot Line actually served it's purpose and forced the Germans to attack around it!

When the Maginot Line was designed, the intention was to prevent invasion - not to inconvenience the Germans by making them go around it. It completely failed its purpose.

I know that this is a tough pill to swallow for a lot of Euros, but Hitler could have been easily defeated by some Allied action in the 1930's

Which Europeans are you thinking of? The French, Italians and British? The Brits wouldn't feel bad for not declaring war in the 30's.

[Xilon_x]

during france progect the maginot line in Italy Mussolini project the Littoria line to italy alps for German attak to italy.
sorry wikipedia have only italian and german lenguagge for this document.

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vallo_Alpino_in_Alto_Adige

immagine if German during WW2 attak Italy from alps For German is very difficoult acces in italy.
Mussolini thought and imagined that France would resist the German attack but France has sold so Germany had annexed Austria and also threatened Italy.

[Theshark888]

Originally Posted by Xilon_x

during france progect the maginot line in Italy Mussolini project the Littoria line to italy alps for German attak to italy.
sorry wikipedia have only italian and german lenguagge for this document.

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vallo_Alpino_in_Alto_Adige

immagine if German during WW2 attak Italy from alps For German is very difficoult acces in italy.
Mussolini thought and imagined that France would resist the German attack but France has sold so Germany had annexed Austria and also threatened Italy.

I'm sure Mussolini was worried about German speaking parts of Italy!

Italy would have done much better as an Ally than a Axis in my opinion (not just because the Axis lost the war- LOL). I have read about some Italians wanting to get "involved" to protect Catholic Poland but am not sure to what extent that was really happening on the Italian "street."

[Theshark888]

Originally Posted by Triggaaar

I'm impressed that the disagreement here has been kept constructive (despite the odd patronising remark), it's quite an interesting read.When the Maginot Line was designed, the intention was to prevent invasion - not to inconvenience the Germans by making them go around it. It completely failed its purpose.

Which Europeans are you thinking of? The French, Italians and British? The Brits wouldn't feel bad for not declaring war in the 30's.

I am not that well learned about the Maginot Line, but all the information I have states that the intention was to give France time to mobilise and force a German attack through neutral countries; which would trigger a British/positive World reaction. By forcing the attack through the Lowlands France got the armies of Holland and Belgium and was able to concentrate forces. I know that Belgium and Holland were not too happy about it and this may have caused the rift lasting until 1940. I don't think that France was so naive to think that it could just stop German plans from invasion with the Maginot Line...why create DCR's and DLM's if there was no need for limited offensive action?

My Euro comment was just how I find it shocking that so many people today (Europeans) seem to believe that Germany was invincible and fully prepared for war in 1939....and there was nothing that the Allies could do to stop Hitler.