resources in colonies

[Petrarca]

Originally posted by Ming


Interesting. I'd always assumed that the Axis powers were trying to capture the middle eastern oil in the desert campaign.

Are you saying that the oil was unknown, or merely untapped? There wasn't ANY oil production in the Middle East during the war?

Wido says they discovered oil in Libya, but didn't produce until 1959. Any oil production would have been primitive and negligible- like the discovery of oil oozing into Pennsylania creeks. Russia near the Caucasus, Romania, west Texas, and Dutch East Indies were the major sources of petroleum production.

 

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Originally posted by Spruce
about the resources from the colonies, following input for Congo (Belgian colonie) =

- rubber,
- coal,

"quote Winkler Prins enclyclopedia = Belgium started up a programm of plantations (including rubber) and mining activities in Congo in the years 1920-1930".

possibly also steel, have no confirmation about that one. But no fears, Belgium provinces themselves had significant steel industries...

other colonies can be added...

for Congo, shouldn't that also be:?

copper
and near the end of the war: uranium !! (for those wishing to build the Bomb)

 

[Spruce]

Re: Re: resources in colonies

Originally posted by Crazy_Ivan80


for Congo, shouldn't that also be:?

copper
and near the end of the war: uranium !! (for those wishing to build the Bomb)

I agree but it seems that we are limited so some resources... like coal, steel, oil and rubber...

 

[Deserteur]

So if we are bound to the standard resources, can every country build the bomb without the need to acquire uranium?

 

[Ming]

Originally posted by Keplerus


A common misnomer. The Axis - and specifically, the Germans - had no real long-term strategy for the North African campaign other than to prop up the Italians and tie down as many British & Commonwealth forces as possible. Rommel exceeded his original mission in this regard, embarking on an ambitious scheme of conquest for which he never received (nor probably could have received) the resources to accomplish. The Axis 'grand strategy' of driving into the Middle East and perhaps linking up with the Eastern Front via the Caucausus is a largely post-factum invention. Hitler had little interest in the Mediterranean world, and his strategic decisions tend to reflect that.

I recall reading (I believe in a Biography of Rommel by David Fraser) of a high level German conference that Rommel attended and attempted to plead his case for either more reinforcements/supplies for the desert campaign or permission to withdraw. Hitler told him that retreat was not an option and that he would defeat the British, advance into into the Middle East, and link up with the Japanese somwhere near Iran/Iraq.