Operation Sealion Part of the Western Front of World War II Date Officially in September 1940 Location Normandy, the Belgian coast line, the English Channel and the English coast line from Kent to Dorset, Isle of Wight and parts of Devon, but principally in Sussex and Kent. Result Canceled on 17 September 1940, by Adolf Hitler due to a predicted Strategic Axis failure. Belligerents Germany Vichy France Italy. Combatants  United Kingdom  United States Poland  France Canada Free France  Netherlands  Belgium Germany Italy Commanders Winston Churchill, Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Harold Alexander, Bertram Ramsay, Bernard Montgomery, Lord Gort, Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Franklin Roosevelt,, George Marshall, Dwight Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, Jacob Devers, WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw Anders, WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw Sikorski, Stanis... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Normandy (disambiguation). ... National motto: Dutch: Eendracht maakt macht; French: Lunion fait la force; German: Einigkeit macht stark (English: Strength lies in unity) Official language Dutch, French, German Capital Brussels Largest City Brussels King Albert II Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 148th 30,528 km² 6. ... For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ... For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Dorset (pronounced DOR-sit or [dÉ”.sÉ™t], and sometimes in the past called Dorsetshire) is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast. ... For other uses, see Isle of Wight (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Devon (disambiguation). ... This article refers to the historic county in England. ... For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hitler redirects here. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Motto Travail, famille, patrie French: Unoccupied zone of Vichy France (until November 1942) Capital Vichy Capital-in-exile Sigmaringen (1944-1945) Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholic Government Dictatorship Chief of state  - 1940 — 1944 Philippe Pétain President of the Council  - 1940 — 1942 Philippe Pétain  - 1942 — 1944 Pierre Laval... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946)_crowned. ...  United Kingdom Free France Poland Czechoslovakia. Commanders Adolf Hitler Großadmiral Erich Raeder Reichsmarschall Herman Göring Gerd von Rundstedt Ernst Busch Airborne Formation General Karl Student Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb General Walter Graf von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt Generaloberst Hermann Hoth General Erich von Manstein Generaloberst Eugen Ritter von Schobert General Richard Ruoff General der Panzertruppen Georg-Hans Reinhardt General Leo Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg Walter von Reichenau Adolf Strauss Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Free_France_1940-1944. ... The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres in French) were French fighters who decided to go on fighting against Germany after the Fall of France and German occupation and to fight against Vichy France in World War II. General Charles de Gaulle was a member of the French Cabinet in... Image File history File links Flag_of_Poland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Czechoslovakia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Hitler redirects here. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... The rank of Grand Admiral has also appeared in science fiction literature, most notable the Star Wars Expanded Universe where the rank is held by Grand Admiral Thrawn. ... Grossadmiral Erich Raeder Erich Johann Albert Raeder (April 24, 1876 - November 6, 1960) was a naval leader in Germany before and during World War II. Raeder attained the highest possible naval rank – that of Großadmiral (Grand Admiral) – in 1939, becoming the first person to hold that rank since Alfred... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... The original uniform of the Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring shown in the Luftwaffe-Museum in Berlin. ... Hermann Göring. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Ernst Busch (6 July 1885 - 17 July 1945) was a German field marshal during World War II. He was born in Essen-Steele, Germany, and was educated at the Groß Lichterfelde Cadet Academy. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb in a photo from 1946 Wilhelm Ritter[1] von Leeb (September 5, 1876 - April 29, 1956) was a German Field Marshal during World War II. // Born in Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria as Wilhelm Leeb, he joined the Bavarian Army in 1895 as an officer cadet. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Colonel General is a senior military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries. ... General Hermann Hoth Hermann Papa Hoth (12 April 1885 - 26 January 1971) was a general of the Third Reich during World War II, notable for victories in France and on the Eastern Front, and later, after serving six years in prison for war crimes, as a writer on military history. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Colonel General is a senior military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries. ... Eugen Ritter von Schobert was a German general who served in World War I and World War II. He was born Eugen Schobert (the Ritter von was due to his later receipt of Bavarias highest military honor) on March 13, 1883 in Würzburg, in the Kingdom of Bavaria... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... General (IPA pronunciation: ) is presently the highest rank of the German Army (Heer) and Luftwaffe. ... Georg-Hans Reinhardt (March 1st, 1887 to November 23rd, 1963)) was Colonel General of the German Third Reichs Panzer Group 3, 3rd Panzer Army, Army Group Center. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Field-Marshal Walther von Reichenau Walther von Reichenau (August 16, 1884 - January 17, 1942), German military commander, was the son of a Prussian general and joined the German Army in 1902. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Prime Minister Winston Churchill Hugh Dowding, RAF Arthur Harris (RAF officer) A.K.A. Arthur 'Bomber' Harris, RAF Edmund Ironside, Army General Alan Brooke, Army John Dill, Army Sir Charles Forbes, Navy Sir John Tovey, Navy Admiral Cunningham, Navy Lord Gort, Army General De Gaulle in exile to the UK. Władysław Sikorski in exile to the UK. Edward Benes in exile to the UK. [1] [2] Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... Churchill redirects here. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Hugh Caswell Tremenheere Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding G.C.B., G.C.V.O., C.M.G. (24 April 1882 - 15 February 1970) was a British officer in the Royal Air Force. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Field Marshal William Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside (b. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, KG, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO (23 July 1883 - 17 June 1963) was a British career soldier, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the Second World War, and was promoted to Field Marshal in 1944. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill, GCB, CMG, DSO (25 December 1881 - 4 November 1944) was a British commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The Ohio Gang is a misnomer, applied to a group of officials within the administration of Warren G. Harding, 29th President of the United States of America. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... John Cronyn Tovey, Baron Tovey of Langton Matravers, G.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O., D.C.L. (March 7, 1885-January 12, 1971) was a British Royal Navy admiral. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham Bronze bust of Lord Cunningham, looking at Nelsons column and Whitehall Sir Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope (7 January 1883–12 June 1963), familiarly known as ABC, was a famous British admiral of World War II, winning distinction in... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Field Marshal John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort VC GCB CBE DSO and two Bars MVO MC (commonly known as Lord Gort) (10 July 1886 - 31 March 1946) was a British soldier who served in both World War I and II, rising to the rank of field marshal... Image File history File links Flag_of_Free_France_1940-1944. ... Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (  listen?) (November 22, 1890 – November 9, 1970), in France commonly referred to as le général de Gaulle, was a French military leader and statesman. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Poland. ... WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw Eugeniusz Sikorski (May 20, 1881 – July 4, 1943; pronounced ) was a Polish military and political leader. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Czechoslovakia. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Strength ~125,000+, 700 tanks, 2,000 aircraft. ~250,000 initially + exiled variouse forces ? tanks, 600+ aircraft. Casualties and losses At least 8-10,000 would be killed, At least 5-6,000 would be killed,

v • d • e Western Front (World War II) France - Maastricht - The Hague - Rotterdam - Fort Eben-Emael - The Grebbeberg - Afsluitdijk - Hannut - The Netherlands - Zeeland - Dunkirk - Britain - Dieppe - Normandy - Dragoon - Siegfried Line - Market Garden - Aintree - Scheldt - Hurtgen Forest - Aachen - Bulge - Colmar Pocket - Nordwind - Central Europe - German capitulation

Operation Sealion (German: Unternehmen Seelöwe) was Germany's plan to invade the United Kingdom during World War II, beginning in 1940. The operation was postponed indefinitely on 17 September 1940.^[3] Combatants  United Kingdom  United States Poland  France Canada Free France  Netherlands  Belgium Germany Italy Commanders Winston Churchill, Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Harold Alexander, Bertram Ramsay, Bernard Montgomery, Lord Gort, Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Franklin Roosevelt,, George Marshall, Dwight Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, Jacob Devers, WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw Anders, WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw Sikorski, Stanis... Combatants Kingdom of the Netherlands Germany Commanders Henry G. Winkelman, Jan Joseph Godfried baron van Voorst tot Voorst Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Strength 9 divisions, 676 guns, 1 tank (inoperational), 124 aircraft Total: 350,000 men 22 divisions, 1,378 guns, 759 tanks, 1150 aircraft Total: 750,000... This article is about a Second World War battle in 1940, for the 1658 battle of the same name see Battle of the Dunes (1658) Combatants United Kingdom France Belgium Germany Commanders Lord Gort General Weygand Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Ewald von Kleist (Panzergruppe von Kleist) Strength approx. ... Combatants  Canada  United Kingdom  United States  Germany Commanders Louis Mountbatten J. H. Roberts Gerd von Rundstedt Strength 6,086 1,500 Casualties Canada: 950 dead, 2,340 captured or wounded; United Kingdom: 600; United States:4+; 311 dead, 280 wounded The Dieppe Raid, also known as The Battle of Dieppe... This article is about the first few weeks of the Invasion of Normandy (D-Day). ... Combatants United States1 United Kingdom2 Free France3 Germany Commanders Lt. ... American soldiers cross the Siegfried Line The drive to the Siegfried Line was one of the final Allied phases in World War II of the Western European Campaign. ... Belligerents Poland United Kingdom United States Germany Commanders Field Marshal Montgomery Lieutenant-General Dempsey Lieutenant-General Horrocks Major-General Urquhart Major General Taylor Brigadier General Gavin Walter Model Wilhelm Bittrich Kurt Student Strength 35,000 (airborne only) 20,000 Casualties and losses Poland: 1st Polish Brigade: 378 Casualties[1] United... The Battle of Overloon (Code named Operation Aintree) took place between September 30th and October 18th 1944. ... Combatants Canada United Kingdom Poland Belgium Norway Germany Commanders Guy Simonds (acting) (First Canadian Army) Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (German 15th Army) Strength  ?  ? Casualties 12,873 total; including 6,367 Canadian  ? The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations which took place in northern Belgium and south... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Courtney Hodges Walter Model Strength 120,000 80,000 Casualties 33,000 casualties 12,000—16,000 deaths[1] (est. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders William Simpson Gerhard Wilck Strength 100,000 soldiers 12,000 soldiers Casualties 2,000 dead, 3,000 wounded 5,000 dead or wounded, 5,600 captured The Battle of Aachen was a battle in Aachen, Germany, that took place in October 1944 in World War... For the 1965 film, see Battle of the Bulge (film). ... Located near Alsace in Eastern France, the Colmar Pocket was the site of a ten-day battle during the Second World War that saw four divisions of the French Army and an entire Corps from the U.S. Army overwhelm German resistance. ... Operation Nordwind (North Wind) was an attack conducted by the German Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS during January 1945 in Alsace and Lorraine. ... wtrwretqwt ... During the Battle for Berlin, the Red Flag was raised over the Reichstag, May 1945. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Background

Following swift victory in the Battle of France, Germany believed the war in the west was won. However, the United Kingdom refused peace talks. As a result, more direct measures to break British resistance were considered. Belligerents France United Kingdom Canada Czechoslovakia Poland Belgium Netherlands Luxembourg Germany Italy Commanders Maurice Gamelin, Maxime Weygand Lord Gort (British Expeditionary Force) Leopold III H.G. Winkelman Władysław Sikorski Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Wilhelm von Leeb (Army Group C) H...

Großadmiral Erich Raeder of the Kriegsmarine oversaw numerous studies for a German naval assault across the English Channel. The earliest of these, made around November 1939, identified the conditions for invasion: The rank of Grand Admiral has also appeared in science fiction literature, most notable the Star Wars Expanded Universe where the rank is held by Grand Admiral Thrawn. ... Grossadmiral Erich Raeder Erich Johann Albert Raeder (April 24, 1876 - November 6, 1960) was a naval leader in Germany before and during World War II. Raeder attained the highest possible naval rank – that of Großadmiral (Grand Admiral) – in 1939, becoming the first person to hold that rank since Alfred... The Kriegsmarine (or War Navy) was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945, during the Nazi regime, superseding the Reichsmarine. ... For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

1. The Royal Navy must be eliminated.
2. Royal Air Force air strength must be eliminated.
3. Coastal defences must be destroyed.
4. British submarine action against landing forces must be prevented.

The Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) originally planned an invasion on a vast scale, extending along most of the English Channel, from Dorset to Kent. This was far in excess of what the Navy could supply transportation for and final plans were more modest, calling for nine divisions to land by sea with around 67,000 men in the first echelon and an airborne division to support them.^[4] The chosen invasion sites ran from Rottingdean in the west to Hythe in the east. This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... RAF redirects here. ... Coastal defenses are objects and engineering techniques used to defend coasts against erosion and flooding. ... For other uses, see Submarine (disambiguation). ... The Oberkommando der Heeres (OKH) was Germanys Army High Command from 1936 to 1945. ... For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ... Dorset (pronounced DOR-sit or [dɔ.sət], and sometimes in the past called Dorsetshire) is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast. ... For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Naval redirects here. ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to twenty thousand soldiers. ... Rottingdean is a coastal village next to the town of Brighton and technically within the city of Brighton and Hove, in East Sussex, on the south coast of England. ... Hythe (pronounced ) is a small coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the District of Shepway (derived from Sheep Way) on the south coast of Kent. ...

Plan of Operation Sealion.

The battle plan called for German forces to be launched from Cherbourg to Lyme Regis, Le Havre to Ventnor and Brighton, Boulogne to Eastbourne, Calais to Folkestone, and Dunkirk and Ostend to Ramsgate. German paratroopers would land near Brighton and Dover. Once the coastline was secured, they would push north, taking Gloucester and encircling London.^[5] There is reason to believe that the Germans would not attempt to assault the city but besiege it, and bombard it^[6]. German forces would secure England up to the 52nd parallel (approximately as far north as Northampton), anticipating that the rest of the United Kingdom would then surrender. For the Australian town and Aboriginal Mission, see Cherbourg, Queensland. ... , Lyme Regis (IPA: ) is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 miles west of Dorchester and 25 miles east of Exeter. ... Le Havre is a city in Normandy, northern France, on the English Channel, at the mouth of the Seine. ... Ventnor is a seaside resort and civil parish[1] established in the Victorian era on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of England. ... For other places with the same name, see Brighton (disambiguation). ... Boulogne-sur-Mer is a city and commune in northern France, in the Pas-de-Calais département of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... For other places with the same name, see Eastbourne (disambiguation). ... Calais (Kales in Dutch) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... , Folkestone (IPA: ) is a resort town on the south coast of Kent, England, traditionally known as The Garden Coast. Situated at the foot of the North Downs, the town has stunning views of the surrounding countryside as well as the coast of France. ... For other uses of Dunkirk or Dunkerque, see Dunkirk (disambiguation). ... The esplanade with the Thermae Palace, the former Royal Residence and the casino For other uses, see Ostend (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ramsgate (disambiguation). ... Fallschirmjäger Fallschirmjäger photo taken from The Hague, Bezuidenhout during the invasion of the Low Countries, morning of May 10, 1940   (often rendered Fallschirmjager in English; from German Fallschirm parachute and Jäger, hunter; ranger a term for light infantry) are German paratroopers. ... , Dover is a major channel port in the English county of Kent. ... This article is about the city of Gloucester in England; for other uses see Gloucester (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... On the Earth, a circle of latitude is an imaginary east-west circle that connects all locations with a given latitude. ... Northampton is a large market town and a local government district in the English East Midlands region. ...

Adolf Hitler's initial warning order on 16 July 1940, reflected the most current thinking and set out the revised minimum pre-conditions. He prefaced his order by stating: "I have decided to prepare a landing operation against England, and if necessary to carry it out".^[7] Hitler redirects here. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Hitler's conditions for invasion were:

• The RAF was to be "beaten down in its morale and in fact, that it can no longer display any appreciable aggressive force in opposition to the German crossing".
• The English Channel was to be swept of British mines at the crossing points, and the Straits of Dover must be blocked at both ends by German mines.
• The coastal zone between occupied France and England must be dominated by heavy artillery.
• The Royal Navy must be sufficiently engaged in the North Sea and the Mediterranean so that it could not intervene in the crossing. English home squadrons must be damaged or destroyed by air and torpedo attacks.

This placed responsibility for Sealion's success on the shoulders of OKM Großadmiral Erich Raeder and Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL) Reichsmarschall Herman Göring. The Strait of Dover (Fr. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... The Oberkommando der Marine (or OKM for short) was Germanys Naval High Command until 1945. ... Grossadmiral Erich Raeder Erich Johann Albert Raeder (April 24, 1876 - November 6, 1960) was a naval leader in Germany before and during World War II. Raeder attained the highest possible naval rank – that of Großadmiral (Grand Admiral) – in 1939, becoming the first person to hold that rank since Alfred... The Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL) was the Airforce High Command of the Third Reich. ... The original uniform of the Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring shown in the Luftwaffe-Museum in Berlin. ... Hermann Göring. ...

Operation Eagle and air superiority

The aerial battles which resulted from Unternehmen Adler (Operation Eagle) later became known as the Battle of Britain. Adler's objective was for the Luftwaffe to achieve air superiority over the Royal Air Force and allow the German invasion fleet to cross the English Channel. However, the change in emphasis of the bombing from RAF bases to bombing London turned Adler into a strategic bombing operation. This switch afforded the RAF, reeling from Luftwaffe attacks on its bases, time to pull back and regroup. This article is about the Second World War battle. ...   (German IPA: ) is a generic German term for an air force. ... Air superiority is the dominance in the air power of one side air forces of another side during a military campaign. ... A rare occurance of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. ... ‹ The template below (Citations missing) is being considered for deletion. ... The city heart of Rotterdam after being terror bombed by Germany in 1940, the ruin of the (now restored) Laurens Kerk is the only building that reminds people of Rotterdams medieval architecture. ... RAF is an three letter acronym for: Royal Air Force -- the Air Force of the United Kingdom (see also Air Ministry) Red Army Faction (Rote Armee Fraktion) -- a German terror organisation Rigas Autobusu Fabrika -- a factory making buses in Riga, Latvia Rapid Action Force in India Računarski Fakultet RAF...

British intelligence erroneously believed the Luftwaffe had a 4:1 advantage in aircraft. This led to the Royal Air Force mobilising the last of its reserves^{[citation needed]} and accelerating the rate of Spitfire production. In addition, the threat of invasion allowed a new technology, radar, to be tested in the field. The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), more commonly known as MI6 (originally Military Intelligence [section] 6), or Her Majestys Secret Service or just the Secret Service, is the British external security agency. ... The Supermarine Spitfire was a British single-seat fighter, which was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries during the Second World War, and into the 1950s. ... For other uses, see Radar (disambiguation). ...

Navy

The main difficulty for Germany was the small size of its navy. The Kriegsmarine had lost most of its large modern surface units in the Norwegian Campaign, either as complete losses or battle damage. In particular, losses of destroyers were crippling. The U-boats, the most powerful arm of the Kriegsmarine, were not suitable for operations in the relatively shallow and restricted English Channel. Although the Royal Navy could not bring the whole of its naval superiority against the Kriegsmarine to bear (most of the fleet was engaged in the Atlantic and Mediterranean) the British Home Fleet still had a very large advantage in numbers. This is not to say that ships were not vulnerable in the case of enemy air superiority, as demonstrated during the Dunkirk evacuation and by the later sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse. However, the 22-mile width of the English Channel, and the overall difference in power between the British and German naval forces, made the amphibious invasion plan very risky, regardless of victory or defeat in the air during the Battle of Britain. In addition, the Kriegsmarine had allocated its few remaining larger and modern ships to diversionary operations in the North Sea. The Kriegsmarine (or War Navy) was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945, during the Nazi regime, superseding the Reichsmarine. ... German battle cruisers in a Norwegian port in June 1940 The Norwegian Campaign, lasting from 9 April to 10 June 1940, led to the first direct land confrontation between the military forces of the Allies — United Kingdom and France — against Nazi Germany in World War II. The primary reason for... U-boat is also a nickname for some diesel locomotives built by GE; see List of GE locomotives October 1939. ... Atlantic and North Atlantic redirect here. ... Mediterranean redirects here. ... The Home Fleet is the traditional name of the fleet of the Royal Navy that protects the United Kingdoms territorial waters. ... French troops rescued by a British merchant ship at Dunkirk British evacuation on Dunkirk beach The Dunkirk evacuation, also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk and codenamed Operation Dynamo by the British, was the large evacuation of Allied soldiers from May 26 to June 4, 1940, during the Battle of... Combatants Force Z of the Royal Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Commanders Sir Tom Phillips † John Leach † William Tennant Niichi Nakanishi Shichizo Miyauchi Strength 1 battleship 1 battlecruiser 4 destroyers 10 aircraft 88 aircraft (34 torpedo aircraft, 51 level bombers, 3 scouting aircraft) Casualties 1 battleship, 1 battlecruiser sunk, 840 killed... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ...

The French fleet, one of the most powerful and modern in the world, might have tipped the balance against Britain if operated by the Kriegsmarine. The destruction of the French fleet by the British during the attack on Mers-el-Kébir, as well as the scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon two years later, ensured that this could never occur. Combatants United Kingdom France Commanders James Somerville Marcel-Bruno Gensoul Strength 1 aircraft carrier 3 battleships 2 light cruisers 11 destroyers 4 battleships 6 destroyers 1 seaplane tender Casualties 3 Blackburn Skua 3 Fairey Swordfish 2 dead 1 battleship sunk 2 battleships heavily damaged 1 destroyer damaged 1,297 dead... Combatants Vichy France Germany Commanders Jean de Laborde André Marquis Johannes Blaskowitz Casualties whole fleet scuttled ; 12 killed ; 26 wounded. ...

Even had the Royal Navy been neutralised, the chances of making a successful amphibious invasion across the channel were remote. The transport ships to be used by the Germans for landing were primarily river barges since the Germans had no specialised landing craft. This would have limited the quantity of artillery and tanks that could have been transported, and restricted operations to times of good weather. The barges were not designed for the open sea in any event, even with almost perfect conditions progress would have been slow and the craft would have been very vulnerable to attack. Nor were there enough barges to transport the first invasion wave and the following waves and their equipment. Without specialised landing craft, the Germans would have needed to immediately capture one of the ports, an unlikely situation considering the strength of the British coastal defences around the south-eastern harbours at that time. The British also had several contingency plans, including the planned use of poison gas, which would have made an invasion even more difficult. Self propelled barge carrying bulk crushed stone A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. ... Early detection of chemical agents Sociopolitical climate of chemical warfare While the study of chemicals and their military uses was widespread in China, the use of toxic materials has historically been viewed with mixed emotions and some disdain in the West (especially when the enemy were doing it). ...

Cancellation

On 17 September 1940, Hitler held a meeting with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring and Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt. Hitler became convinced that the operation was doomed. Control of the skies was unavailable, and coordination among three branches of the armed forces was out of question. Later that day, Hitler ordered the postponement of the operation. It was not until February 13, 1942 that the forces earmarked for the operation were released to other duties.^[8] is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...   (January 12, 1893 – October 15, 1946) was a German politician and military leader, a leading member of the Nazi Party, second in command of the Third Reich, designated successor to Adolf Hitler, and commander of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force). ... Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war. ... is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The postponement coincided with a rumour that there had been an attempt to land on British shores at Shingle Street, but it had been repulsed with large German casualties. This was reported in the American press but was officially denied. British papers, declassified in 1993, have suggested that this was a successfully-engineered example of British black propaganda to improve morale in Britain, America and occupied Europe.^[9] Black propaganda is propaganda that purports to be from a source on one side of a conflict, but is actually from the opposing side. ...

Chances of success

Military historians are divided on whether Operation Sealion might have succeeded; some (such as Michael Burleigh, Andrew Mollo, and Kenneth Macksey, the third of whom wrote a fictional treatment of it, Invasion, based on German planning documents and setting it in July 1940.) believe success was possible, others (such as Peter Fleming, Derek Robinson and Stephen Bungay) believe the operation would have most likely resulted in a disaster for the Germans if attempted. Adolf Galland, commander of Luftwaffe fighters at the time, claimed invasion plans were not serious and that there was a palpable sense of relief in Wehrmacht when it was finally called off. Michael Burleigh is a British author and historian. ... Kenneth Macksey (July 1, 1923 - November 30, 2005) was a British author and historian who specialized in military history and military biography, particularly of World War II. Macksey served in World War II under the command of Percy Hobart, later writing the (authoritative) biography that leader. ... Peter Fleming, OBE (May 31, 1907 – August 18, 1971) was a British adventurer and travel writer. ... Derek Robinson (born 1932) is a British author best known for his military aviation novels full of black humour. ... Stephen Bungay is a British management consultant, historian and author who has made a special study of the Battle of Britain. ... Adolf Dolfo Joseph Ferdinand Galland[1] (19 March 1912-9 February 1996) was a World War II German fighter pilot and commander of Germanys fighter force (General der Jagdflieger) from 1941 to 1945. ... The straight-armed Balkenkreuz, a stylized version of the Iron Cross, the emblem of the Wehrmacht. ...

There were a number of errors in German intelligence, and whilst some of these might not have caused problems there were others (such as the inclusion of bridges that no longer existed^[10] or mis-understanding the usefulness of minor British roads^[11]) that would have impacted on German operations, and would have only added to the confusion caused by the layout of Britain's cities and the removal of road signs^[12].

After the London Blitz, Hitler turned his attention to the invasion of the Soviet Union, and Seelöwe lapsed, never to be resumed. The Blitz, a popular English contraction of the German word Blitzkrieg, was the sustained and intensive bombing of Britain, particularly London, from September 7, 1940 through to May 1941 by the German Luftwaffe in World War II. Although the Blitz is named after Blitzkrieg, it was not an example of... Belligerents Germany Romania Finland Italy Hungary Slovakia Croatia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Franz Halder Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Fedor von Bock Gerd von Rundstedt Ernst Busch Erich Hoepner Alfred Keller Georg von Küchler Günther von Kluge Heinz Guderian Hermann Hoth Albrecht Kesselring Adolf Strauss Carl-Heinrich von...

Post-war test of the plan

In wargames conducted at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1974, which assumed the Luftwaffe had not yet won air supremacy, the Germans were able to establish a beachhead in England by using a minefield screen in the English Channel to protect the initial assault. However, the German ground forces were delayed at the "Stop Lines" (e.g., the GHQ Line), a layered series of defensive positions that had been built, each a combination of British Home Guard troops and physical barriers. At the same time, the regular troops of the British Army were forming up. After only a few days, the Royal Navy was able to reach the Channel from Scapa Flow, cutting off supplies and blocking further reinforcement. Isolated and facing regular troops with armour and artillery, the invasion force was made to surrender.^[13] Military simulations, also known informally as war games, are simulations in which theories of warfare can be tested and refined without the need for actual hostilities. ... New College, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst New Colours are presented to RMAS, June 2005. ... “Minefield” redirects here. ... A pillbox on the GHQ Line The GHQ Line was a defence line built in the United Kingdom during World War II to contain an expected German invasion. ... The British Home Guard (initially Local Defence Volunteers or LDV, or in slang, Look-Duck-Vanish, hence the name change) was a defence organisation active in the United Kingdom during World War II. Operational from 1940 until 1944, the Home Guard – comprising 1. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... It has been suggested that Gutter Sound be merged into this article or section. ... Balian of Ibelin surrendering the city of Jerusalem to Saladin, from Les Passages faits Outremer par les Français contre les Turcs et autres Sarrasins et Maures outremarins, ca. ...

German occupation of Britain

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

Had Operation Sealion been launched, six Einsatzgruppen were to follow the invasion force to Great Britain. They were provided with a list (known as The Black Book after the war) of 2,820 people to be arrested immediately. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... A member of Einsatzgruppe D is just about to shoot a Jewish man kneeling before a filled mass grave in Vinnitsa, Ukraine, in 1942. ... The Black Book was a product of the SS Einsatzgruppen. ...

In fiction

There is a large corpus of works set in an alternate past where the German invasion of Britain has been successfully carried out. These include:

• Novels
  • Against the Day, Through the Night and In the Morning by Michael Cronin
  • Collaborator by Murray Davies
  • SS-GB by Len Deighton
  • Invasion: Alternative History of the German Invasion of England, July 1940, by Kenneth Macksey
  • Fatherland
• Plays
  • Peace In Our Time (1946 - first performance 1947) by Noel Coward
• Film and television
  • It Happened Here
  • When Hitler Invaded Britain (2004)^[14]
  • Hitler's Britain (2002)^[15]
• Video games
  • Turning Point: Fall of Liberty
  • Empire Earth: in the German Campaign, the last mission is to carry out Operation Sealion
  • Axis & Allies: while playing as the Axis powers in campaign mode (which has the Axis powers winning the war), Operation Sealion is the mission following the failed invasion of Normandy.
  • War Front: Turning Point

Went the Day Well? is centred on a German reconnaissance mission for Sealion being repulsed, and the German paratroopers central to the plot of Dad's Army have crashed with photographs vital to the invasion. Michael Cronin is a British actor. ... Sidewise Award for Murray Daviess novel Collaborator Collaborator is an alternate history novel by Murray Davies, published in 2003. ... Murray Davies is a Welsh author. ... SS-GB (1979) is an alternative-history novel by Len Deighton, set in a United Kingdom fictionally conquered and occupied by Germany during World War II. // Spoiler warning: Douglas Archer is a British homicide detective assigned to Scotland Yard in November 1941, nine months after the British surrender. ... Len Deighton (left) teaches Michael Caine how to break an egg on the set of The IPCRESS File. ... Fatherland is a bestselling 1992 thriller novel by the English writer and journalist Robert Harris, which doubles as a work of alternate history. ... Noël Peirce Coward (December 16, 1899 – March 26, 1973) was an Academy Award winning English actor, playwright, and composer of popular music. ... It Happened Here is a 1966 British film set during World War II, about the possible effects of a successful German invasion of the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the first game in the Empire Earth series. ... Axis & Allies (abbreviated to A&A), also called Axis & Allies RTS, is a real-time strategy World War II computer game developed by TimeGate Studios and published by Atari. ... Went the Day Well? is a British war film produced by Ealing Studios in 1942. ... Dads Army was a 1971 feature film based on the BBC television sitcom Dads Army. ...

See also

• British anti-invasion preparations of World War II
• Operation Sealion order of battle
• Operation Herkules - The planned German invasion of Malta
• Operation Tannenbaum - The planned German invasion of Switzerland
• Operation Felix - The planned German invasion of Gibraltar
• Fall Grün - The planned German invasion of Ireland.

Detail from a pillbox embrasure. ... The German plan for a land invasion of England in 1940 was code-named Operation Sealion (Unternehmen Seelöwe in german). ... During World War II, Operation Herkules was the German plan for an airborne invasion of Malta. ... Map of a planned German invasion of Switzerland during World War II (12 August 1940) Map of a planned Italian invasion of Switzerland during World War II (12 August 1940) Nazi Germany started planning the invasion of Switzerland during World War II on 25 June 1940, the day France surrendered. ... World War II, Felix was the proposed name for a German/Spanish seizure of Gibraltar. ... Operation Green (Unternehmen Grün in German) often also referred to as Case Green (Fall Grün) or Plan Green (Plan Grün), was a fullscale operations plan for the invasion of the island of Ireland in support of Operation Sealion (Unternehmen Seelöwe in German). ...

References

This article refers to the news department of the British Broadcasting Corporation, for the BBC News Channel see BBC News (TV channel). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Fleming, Peter (1957). Operation Sea Lion. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0330242113. 
• Haining, Peter (2004). Where the eagle landed : the mystery of the German invasion of Britain, 1940. London: Robson. ISBN 1861057504. 
• Kieser, Egbert (1987). Cassell Military Classics: Operation Sea Lion: The German Plan To Invade Britain, 1940. Sterling. ISBN 030435208X. 
• Parkinson, Roger (1977). Summer, 1940: The Battle of Britain. David McKay Co.. ISBN 0679507566. 
• Macksey, Ken. Invasion.

External links

• [2]
• British Invasion Defences
• Operation Seelöwe directive No.16
• Why Sealion was not a (realistic) option (essay)
• Second essay on the unlikelihood of Sealion
• Sealion: an orthodox view (includes quotes from participants)
• Operation Overlord V Operation Sealion comparison, available here.
• http://library.thinkquest.org/15511/data/encyclopedia/sealionoperation.htm
• http://www.battleofbritain.net/0020.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Fighter_Command_Order_of_Battle_1940
• http://www.guidon.com/WWII.html
• http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/background/dunkirk1940.htm
• http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-38099-p-27.html - 248k
• http://www.probusmossvale.org.au/Military%20History_files/Battle%20of%20Britain%202.pdf
• http://www.operationsealion.com/
• http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/operation_sealion.htm
• http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWsealoin.htm
• http://gateway.alternatehistory.com/essays/Sealion.html
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/invasion_ww2_02.shtml
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/invasion_ww2_02.shtml

• Parkinson, Roger (1977). Summer, 1940: The Battle of Britain. David McKay Co.. ISBN 0679507566
• Hitler's Britain (a UK TV show in 2002) [[3]]