I once read something about WWI-it seems by 1916, the British high command was frustrated by the horrible loss of life in the trench war in Belgium. Somebody came up with the idea to invade Germany from the North Sea coast-using the Royal Navy to clear the way, 5 divisions of British troops would be landed on the North Sea coast of Germany. This force would then attack Germany from the rear, capturing the coastal area of Germany.
Would this plan have worked? It would have broken the stalemate on the Western front, but did the British have the capability of supporting such a massive seaborne invasion?
Presumably, the German Fleet would have opposed this vigorously-but as I see it, the British navy was a far superior force.
Would have shortened the war, anyway.
Anybody have any references to this obscure plan? :eek:
There was a little about it in the Massie book “Castles of Steel”.
Both major navies were reluctant to risk their fleets in major operations in WWI. I don’t think there were good small amphibious assault craft at the time, as were developed for use on D-Day. And withdrawing enough men from other fronts for the invasion would probably have been obvious enough to allow Germany time to defend its rear.
Interesting to think, though, what might have happened if the British could have coordinated an invasion with the Russians in 1914.
It couldn’t have been any worse a failure than Gallipoli.