This is EP 89 of The Truth Tank

Have you ever wondered what the world might look like if Nazi Germany had won World War II? What if a single battle — or a handful of desperate decisions — had tipped the balance? What if the Allies came second best? What if Operation Sea Lion actually happened?

In this episode, we dive deep into The Hitler Options: Alternate Decisions of World War II, edited by Kenneth Macksey (Wren’s Park Publishing, 2000). In particular chapter 1 by Macksey, Operation Sea Lion Germany Invades Britain, 1940. This book forms the backbone of today’s exploration, offering detailed counterfactual analyses of critical turning points during the war. The book is divided into 10 chapters, each covering a decisive or key battle of WWII. Chapters are written by former veterans and service members some of which served in WWII, as well as military historians. 

We open with the chaos of the Dunkirk evacuation — the shattered equipment, the massive personnel losses, and the psychological shock that convinced Hitler that Britain was already on its knees. Fueled by overconfidence after rapid victories across Europe, Germany prepared its boldest gamble yet: Operation: Sea Lion. The plan was invade the southern coast of England. Crush the RAF from the skies. Land a combined naval-army force across the Channel and force Churchill into surrender. 

This episode explores:
• The real German invasion plans for Operation Sea Lion
• Hitler’s miscalculations and overconfidence after Dunkirk and the evacuation
• Britain’s weakened position after the evacuation
• The scramble to rebuild the RAF and reorganise defences
• Civilian home defence forces preparing for street-by-street resistance
• How close Britain truly came to the brink
• And the chilling alternate timeline — what the world might have looked like if Sealion had succeeded

This is a cinematic, tactical, and deeply researched dive into one of the most interesting“what ifs” of WW2.

Merch

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Sources:

Macksey, Kenneth, ed. The Hitler Options: Alternate Decisions of World War II. Great Britain: Wren’s Park Publishing, 2000. Pages 9–10, 11–12, 13–34.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sea_Lion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkirk_evacuation

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-dunkirk-evacuations

https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/go/the-evacuation-of-dunkirk

https://legionmagazine.com/the-miracle-of-dunkirk-came-at-high-cost/