Operation Sealion would have been a disaster

 Why didn't Hitler invade Sweden or Switzerland?

Holocaust

                                         Germany keeps falling

The plan of Adolf Hitler to invade the UK was ended before it began.

Despite the logisitics of supply, Germany had one enemy nobody could defeat - the English Channel - on a calm summer day, the channel is a risky trip in a small boat. Trying to cross in September in landing craft is a nightmare, at the best, and most likely impossible.

Consider the plan, you have over 25 miles of open sea to cross, at the beginning of the winter, in vessels designed for shallow waters, there is no way they could have got far from the coast, never mind here.

The men were soldiers, who had little training in swimming, it wasn't considered for schools as few people left their locale. If they landed, the ground the encountered would be steep hills, and heavy artillery cover, it would have been worse than D-Day as the area to be covered was a lot smaller.

The plans depeneded on air cover, which would never have been available, the nearest bases were in France, over 30 miles away, the fighters would not have had the fuel to sustain air cover.

At the time, Germany was concentrating its doctorine on large tank formations, the UK roads were little more than single lane tracks, as most people didn't have a car, and travelled by bicycle. Nothing is more vulnerable than a large object - a tank - which cannot move. The allies found this during Operation Market Garden, and later the Russians found this in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, and recently in Ukraine.

Though there was some support for Germany in the UK, mainly through the Blackshirts of Oswald Mosely, and people who refused to fight. The majority of the people were against Germany, despite Edward Viii and Wallis Simpson being pro-Nazi.

People laughed at Dad's Army, yet it many countries it was the partizans who did as much damage as the regular Armed Forces

Russia defeats herself

 Ukraine 2- Russia 0

Ukraine

Russia was doomed

Russia has little chance to win a war, the reason has little to do with ideaology or politics, and a lot to do with infrastructure.

Since the late 60's, Russia has fought, and lost several wars, mainly because their stategy is flawed. The days of tank battles such as Kursk are long-gone. These days battles are more hit-and-run fights, major tank battle are history.

History has proven, Russia cannot be taken as it is so large, while this is a good defensive guard, it also make it hard to be offensive, as nearly all the fronts from Budapest, Prague, to Kyiv are so far from a major city in Russia it makes supply extremely difficult, with long trails for supplies that are easy to attack. Also, the morale of men fighting a war so far from home is a major factor, nobody fights harder than a person fighting for his home.

Russia has the problem ALL Empires face, from the Mayans to the British. Empires demand supplies, troops, food, and money. The further you extend, the more troops you require to protect the trade routes against attack from the people you subjugate.

I doubt many Russian soldiers knew where Kyiv was until the were sent there.

The war effort was hit hard when the Russian bank collapsed recently, without funds, Russian troops become like the Germans in Stalingrad during WW2. When the bank collapsed, I expect the MAFIA pulled their funds out. At its roots, the MAFIA is a business

The flip side

 What links Bergerac to Midsomer Murders?

Spain

Channel Islands

You may wonder what France and Spain have in common?

Both have islands in disputes with the UK.

France wishes to rid themselves of the Channel Islands, the UK only wants them for a tax exile.

Spain wishes to maintain Gibraltar, but the UK is fighting for them to control axis to the Mediterranean Sea. Even in the age of huge ships capable of crossing vast distances the Suez Canal is a vital link. In the 1980's a ship from France, but registerred in Russia ran aground off the Cape of Good Hope.

The French firm paid for FOUR tugs to transport a new drilling rig around the cape, and to India. The firm hired THREE tugs, and pocketted the rest of the money.

From this point, what happened was only a matter of time.

The tugs set off on their journey, all was going well, until the go to Cape Town. This area of sea is the dangerous on the planet, you have the warm waters of the Indian Ocean meeting the icy water of the South Atlantic, which is why Table Moutain often looks like it has a tablecloth on.

The voyage would have been risky with four vessels, but managable, with three, it was impossible. The front tug couldn't hold the violent swaying from the currents, and barely held control. Then the captain made a stupid decision, instaed of trying to go around the rocks, he thought he could go through them. The ship grounded, and despite many attenpts to refloat, and salvage the pipe, it remains jammed, and is now a snctuary for birds.

Why didn't Hitler invade Sweden or Switzerland?

 Time for A Geography Lesson

Switzerland

                                         Don't look for a complex reason to a simple solution

A question asked on Twitter this week answers itself, why didn't Adolf Hitler invade Sweden or Switzerland?

You don't need intense knowledge of WW2 to answer the question.

Both parts can be answered in one reply, there was no need.

Germany signed a non-aggression pact with Russia, which they later went back on. At the time Russia was involved in the Winter War with Finland. Though Finland didn't sign a treaty with Germany, there was an agreement for Germany not to invade.

As Germany already had taken Norway, invading Sweden became useless.

The same theory goes for Switzerland, with Austria already supporting Germany, Switzerland became a useless capture.

Add to this, he knew that to keep a country without the compliance of the people would occupy troops he planned to use elsewhere, to invade Russia.

It is catch-up time

 Is it worth writing?

In discussion

Publicity costs

Now there is a short lull in the list of appointments, I can attempt to catch-up with some writing for the project I am undertaking with the Madeleine Milburn Agency. 

The project is the re-writing of my awardwinning short story selection - The Chronicles of Mark Johnson - the reason for the revision is that my skill as an editor is greater than it was in 2012, when I wrote the book.

I am not expecting a lot from the project, by the time it will be finished, I won't be able to pay for publicity, but at least writing the story will give this pensioner something to do.

The Time Tunnel

 When will they end?

Time to destress

                                                              Silver Trauma

The stress of the last month is draining my capacity to think straight. I woke this morning trying to think what day it is, I thought it was Friday, it is Thursday. The reason for my error is I had an appointment yesterday, I don't usually have appointments on following days if I can help it, so I thought there was a gap day, there wasn't.

What to get?

 Should I buy a PC Game?

For the good times

Glad all over

Now my finances are settling, and the daylight is getting less, I am considering buying a computer game, but which one? I am not a good FPS player, my reactions are too slow for the fast pace of first-person-shooter games. I prefer city building games, what would be ideal for me is either a cricket game, or a motocross game.

Before then, I wish to buy a shirt from Hollywood Mysteries YouTube channel, the sales help the channel grow.

I wanted to get this shirt for my birthday, but didn't have the money at the time.

Hollywood Mysteries