[Nattering Nabob]

Would a fight in Paris have given the French and British the needed breathing time to regroup and stop the German advance?

In another thread it was pointed out that the British/French were not out gunned or outmanned...I believe the French had as many tanks as the Germans though they were dispersed vice concentrated into units...

Would the time it would have taken to capture Paris have allowed the French/British to stop the Germans in France?

[Smilin' Dave]

I could be wrong, but a problem with that scenario is that there was a lack of units available to defend Paris. The BEF was stuck up North along the Channel (some of those units were redeployed to Brittany... which doesn't help), which the French army was either around the Maginot line area or just to the south of the German breakthrough. The surprise of the German move, along with its speed really did wrong foot the generals, and the resulting chaos might have interfered with predicting the next move.

[Thompson_NCL]

A realisation that Paris was irrelevant to overwall war aims would have been more useful. If morale had held, the French army could have fought it's way through German lines and linked up with the British on the coast to counter attack. I doubt they could have beaten the Germans at that point in time, but I imagine they'd manage to stabilise a front. If that objective was achieved then Germany would ultimatley lose as time is always against Germany in this period of history, as the longer the war drags on the more the dispairty between Britains imperial resources and Germanys continetal resources would become clear. And of course, we had the USSR prowling on Germany's border waiting for an opportunity to annex the rest of Poland.

So yeah, in my fictional scenario France could have survived.

[GandalfTheGrey]

I don't think its inconceivable that the Germans and the British/French could have reached a ceasefire if the fighting came to a stalemate. Memories of WWI was still very fresh in the minds of everyone involved. Remembering this was all happening before Germany launched its attack on the Soviet Union.

[QatzelOk]

Imagine destroying all that Hausmannian architecture.

What a thrill for a barbarian.

[secator553]

And of course, we had the USSR prowling on Germany's border waiting for an opportunity to annex the rest of Poland

I do not understand such disrespectful replicas. The USSR is the only country who stoped the Nazis. And they paid for it the highest price.
Given that ideologically between communism and Nazism was deep enmity, even before WW2. USSR waited for an opportunity to defeat Nazism in Europe, and not for annex the rest of polland.

[Thompson_NCL]

I do not understand such disrespectful replicas

Theres nothing disrespectful about it. At this point in history the Soviets had already annexed half of Poland, why is it rude to suggest they'd take the other half if the opportunity presented itself?

The USSR is the only country who stoped the Nazis

The USSR fought in North Africa, France, Belgium, Holland, Western Germany and Italy did it?

And they paid for it the highest price.

I thought China did?

Given that ideologically between communism and Nazism was deep enmity, even before WW2. USSR waited for an opportunity to defeat Nazism in Europe, and not for annex the rest of polland.

Capitalism and Communism also have a deep emnity (why else the Cold War?) so exactly how far was the USSR going to go to save Europe?

[secator553]

why is it rude to suggest they'd take the other half if the opportunity presented itself?

First, the other half of polland had mainly polish population(the first half had mainly belorussian and ukrainian population, friendly for USSR), it's hard to annex anything that is non-friendly for u. Second USSR hadn't done it in 1945, but it had the opportunity.

The USSR fought in North Africa, France, Belgium, Holland, Western Germany and Italy did it?

Anyone stoped nazis advance in North Africa,France, Holland, Western Germany and Italy before USSR stoped them in East Front in 1942-1943?
And try to compare number of soldiers and war-technics in east and west. North Africa,France, Holland, Western Germany and Italy are little skirmishes, even take them summary.

I thought China did?

You are wrong again. China takes the second place. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:World ... lties2.svg

how far was the USSR going to go to save Europe?

How far? USSR had combats with Germany and Japan before wwii, And USSR was ready to start the war in 1936 to help Czechoslovakia.

I'm sure USSR worth respect in WWII more than anyone else

[Thompson_NCL]

, the other half of polland had mainly polish population(the first half had mainly belorussian and ukrainian population, friendly for USSR), it's hard to annex anything that is non-friendly for u. Second USSR hadn't done it in 1945, but it had the opportunity.

Annexing Poland would have roused the anger of the West whereas installing a puppet goverment achieved the same result without the anger. Also, it's entirley possible to annex a non friendly neighbour, its happened thousands of times throughout history.

Anyone stoped nazis advance in North Africa,France, Holland, Western Germany and Italy before USSR stoped them in East Front in 1942-1943?

The chronology of events is irrelevant, you said the USSR is the only country to have stopped the Nazi's. Clearly Britain stopped the Nazi's also as they remained in the war and participated in the campaigns I mentioned.

And try to compare number of soldiers and war-technics in east and west. North Africa,France, Holland, Western Germany and Italy are little skirmishes, even take them summary.

Size of the armies involved is irrelevant, the strategic value is what matters. I am not arguing against the value of Soviet involvement in the war so I don't need to explain the strategic value of Britains participation in the war, it's for you to explain why it was irrelevant.

You are wrong again. China takes the second place. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:World ... lties2.svgFirst

Possibly, though I am sure I have read otherwise. Its ultimatley immaterial as I am uninterested in death tolls as a whole.

How far? USSR had combats with Germany and Japan before wwii, And USSR was ready to start the war in 1936 to help Czechoslovakia.

When did the Soviets fight the Germans and Japanese prior to WWII? If you refer to Manchuria I am not sure I understand the relevance as it's not like you had a choice...

I'm sure USSR worth respect in WWII more than anyone else

Who was being disrespectful? I pointed out that the Soviets were in a posistion to annex Poland, something which I do not consider unusual during the period of history we discuss. You are taking offense as you believe Russia were the good guys; but there are no good guys, just guys