Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
O.k. if i'm correct in that didn't Germany recieved most of its oil (about 35%) from the Ploiesti Oil Fields (Romania) and if so then thoughts about why didn't they first invade the middle east starting with Turkey and then come across to invade and occupy the rest of the oil rich countries in that region to have their fuel situation secured before it's invasion of the Soviet Union?
Was it pure oveconfidence of Hitler and the High Command towards the USSR?
Most of Germany's oil was synthetic, and Ploesti was used for refining oil rather than the source, right?
The German's were aware of the oil in the middle east, but staked their gambit of moving through Egypt. That ended at El Alamien. But even if they did that they had a second obstacle - how to get all that oil into refinement and then to the front.
But moving through Turkey? You ever look at a map of Turkey? It's all mountains, a natural fortress. Germany would have been bogged down, would have created yet another enemy, and would have opened up another front. Not strategically sound.
O.k. if i'm correct in that didn't Germany recieved most of its oil (about 35%) from the Ploiesti Oil Fields (Romania) and if so then thoughts about why didn't they first invade the middle east starting with Turkey and then come across to invade and occupy the rest of the oil rich countries in that region to have their fuel situation secured before it's invasion of the Soviet Union?
Was it pure oveconfidence of Hitler and the High Command towards the USSR?
Tony T and others ???
Turkey was nuetral. It signed a treaty with Germany that prevented invasion of Turkey. I know German treaties were about as good as toilet paper back then but an invasion of Turkey would not have been feasible. It would have probably have served as a warning shot for the Soviets.
One of the Nazi war aims in invading the Soviet Union was to seize the Caucasan oil fields. The Battle of Stalingrad was partially about opening the route to those fields.
Not only would Germany get a new supply of oil, it would also deny that oil to the Russians.
The main reason is that the Middle East was not the major oil producing region it became following the war. Oil was first discovered in 1908 in Persia (Iran) and later in Saudi Arabia in 1938. However, outside of the nominal development of the Persian oil fields, it was a largely untapped/unrealized resource. Total output from the Middle East in WW2 amounted to around 3% of the worlds supply.
By comparison the Baku oil fields in the Caucusus were pumping upwards of 35% of the global supply at the time and were also the only major oil producing area developed by the Russians.
To the Germans targeting the Baku fields accomplished several purposes:
1. It gave them the oil supplies they needed.
2. It was an already developed resource complete with all infrastructure.
3. Capturing it would deal a crippling blow to the Soviets.
The Middle East by contrast held unknown quanitites and the proven reserves at the time were not enough to make an expedition worthwhile. Even if they had captured the area, they would have had to essentially build an entire oil industry from scratch. Finally, Britain and the U.S. were fueled by the worlds largest oil producer the United States. Capturing the Middle East would simply not have been a blow to the U.S. or Britain, getting there would have been a monumental effort and once captured it would have to be explored and developed.
He never invision the Middle east as part of his greater europe is why i think. He already invisoned the bulkins as his oil supply with eastern europe is bread basket as its called plus labor pool. He invsioned these as supllyig his western europe empire with everyhtig he needed really.If later he got further ambitions thatwould be in the future. WII was really just more like ca continuation of civil war in europe started in WWI.Besdies he di not want the miidle east which basically would pose no htreat and actualy mostly support nazi ideas and knew that much of the region had been inpossible to governamnt by a central government for deacdes. He saw what happened when other european power tried.Germnay already had african colonies form the foremr government. He alos saw that england had gotten to the point after WWI where its Navy was unable to provide security of rits worldwide empire holdings and it only got spread worse after the Washington naval conference.He really dreamed of uniting europe into a world empire under german domaintion .
The main reason is that the Middle East was not the major oil producing region it became following the war. Oil was first discovered in 1908 in Persia (Iran) and later in Saudi Arabia in 1938. However, outside of the nominal development of the Persian oil fields, it was a largely untapped/unrealized resource. Total output from the Middle East in WW2 amounted to around 3% of the worlds supply.
Exactly!
But then, if everyone had already read the history, threads like this would never get started in the first place.
Most of Germany's oil was synthetic, and Ploesti was used for refining oil rather than the source, right?
The German's were aware of the oil in the middle east, but staked their gambit of moving through Egypt. That ended at El Alamien. But even if they did that they had a second obstacle - how to get all that oil into refinement and then to the front.
But moving through Turkey? You ever look at a map of Turkey? It's all mountains, a natural fortress. Germany would have been bogged down, would have created yet another enemy, and would have opened up another front. Not strategically sound.
Excellent point .... as i hadn't pondered about the terrain between the Black and Capsian Sea's as being rugged and mountainous.
The main reason is that the Middle East was not the major oil producing region it became following the war. Oil was first discovered in 1908 in Persia (Iran) and later in Saudi Arabia in 1938. However, outside of the nominal development of the Persian oil fields, it was a largely untapped/unrealized resource. Total output from the Middle East in WW2 amounted to around 3% of the worlds supply.
But then, if everyone had already read the history, threads like this would never get started in the first place.
Are you suggesting to get rid of the history forum here at city data?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
