World War 2 after 1940 without Britain

[uk 75]

To try and get away from Brit centric Alt History.and learn some more about US options I am removing the United Kingdom from the war.after the Fall of France.
To avoid political discussion the whole UK finds itself inside the Wardrobe of CS Lewis's famous children's books. To everyone outside the place just vanishes.
This of course does leave the British Empire to fend for itself as best it can.

 

[James1978]

Does the entire Royal Navy return to home waters to enter the Wardrobe?

 

[uk 75]

No. The fleets outside UK waters would be available to their local commands in Gibraltar, Alexandria, Singapore etc.
But they would not make much impact on the global conflict.
I doubt Washington would need to do a Mers ElbKebir.

 

[zen]

So Britain decides to stay out of the war?

Arguably do the Germans bother with Norway under such circumstances?

This would imply the war with the USSR gets going earlier.

 

[Hood]

Implies no war.
*Roll end credits*

 

[Arjen]

Not for the UK, but throughout the Thirties, Japan is at war with China - likely to spill over into the Dutch East Indies because of oil and other commodities. Which means a big war whichever way you turn it.

 

[alertken]

What actually happened was that the Axis waited for UK to parlay on the public Offer of Me, Eurasia Land Mass, You, the blue briney. They were just as surprised as UK Joe Public that Parliament applauded and agreed no surrender, fight on the beaches. With What/Who?

If you are of the view of L Halifax (Foreign Secretary, 6/40) - leave Germany to bash the Bolshies, then clean up World Markets denied to exhausted Axis (=Isolationism), then: Barbarossa Spring 1941, all over by Christmas. This forum today in the German language.

Or, per Arjen::
Somewhere around top of the Persian Gulf Japan links up with the European Axis, so owning Eurasia, owning most fuel in the Eastern Hemisphere and with Naval Power sufficient to isolate US (who don't care) and UK (who do), so a tense time of Trade Protected by Naval Power (RN bunkered in Trinidad). With no casus belli, that could go on forever, US owning Western Hemisphere Trade, UK owning Oz/Sub-Sahara, because young men would have no imperative to fix bayonets to try to change things. There's a limit to the willingness of families to die for obscure causes.

This outcome did not happen for 3 reasons: FDR cutting Japan from NEI oil, so Pearl bringing US in to the Eastern War;
Hitler's interpretation of his Japan Agreement as requiring him to Declare on US, so bringing US into European Defence;
and the Bomb coming to pass with the Good, not the Bad Guys.

(Howzat! I liked that).

 

[Michel Van]

I don't know what happen that Great Britain step out of WWII and i don't like this
Seem GB went Neutral after the fall of France and what ever to hell happen in Dunkrick...
...do Primeminister Hallifax ?

Now the Part i don't like, the Nazi are now undisturbed,
no British bombing on Germany, No combat of British force against Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine.
But in 1941 two things will change drastic.
One: the Italian Over Macho try to expand his Empire into Afrika direction Egypt under British Protection.
This will drag Great Britain back into War with Axis powers...

Two: the little annoying Austrian will declare War to USA in support of Empire of Japan.
considerable underestimate the Industrial power of US of A
and with Great Britain drag back into War thanks by Italian Over Macho, the USA has Airstrip One
With Fleets of B-17 bombing the Third Reich into Stone Age !

But this is unrealistic plot: GB went Neutral
USA could use Ireland as Airstrip One for there bomber fleet until B-36 is ready
But Ireland and Britain is neutral during the war and Island is to Far away.
maybe Stalin could offer some USSR Airstrips for USAAF, in exchange for some post war concession perhaps ?
in Mean time the little annoying Austrian has his Barbarossa moment, were Wehrmacht retreat from too strong red army.

Some were in 1945 run the Third Reich out of resources and it war machine stop working,
the little annoying Austrian don't care anymore since, he died of lead and cyanide poisoning.
and since D-day never happen do Britain is neutral during the war,
The USSR will liberate also rest of West Europe and install communist dictatorship there. (the post war concession)


man i'm happy that we had our Winston Churchill !

 

[GTX]

To avoid political discussion the whole UK finds itself inside the Wardrobe of CS Lewis's famous children's books. To everyone outside the place just vanishes.

I don't think you can just do this...unless you are going into the realm of pure science fiction. The how the UK exited the war will have an impact.

If Peace Treaty signed with NAZI Germany then the likelihood of USA getting involved will drop to nil. When Japan later strikes Pearl Harbour, one would expect USA focusses only on Pacific (of course it would also be interesting to see what Japan does - if it still attacks Hong Kong and Singapore then you have WWII become a Pacific war only). A Peace treaty also would likely preserve most of British Empire and holdings including in Middle East. thus North African conflict might take a different tact as Hitler tells Mussolini to not do anything to provoke the UK. One might even see some British elements (perhaps volunteers) joining the Germans in attacking the USSR. How the rest of the Empire/Commonwealth reacts will be interesting too - most would thus stay out of any conflict but would support Britain's decision. Some of this scenario is covered in Harry Turtledove's The War That Came Early series.

If on the other hand it is the result of the UK being defeated by NAZI Germany then you would likely see the USA and the Commonwealth/Empire continue the fight, albeit from a distance. tHis also however puts the British equipment and colonies potentially within Germany's (and their Axis partners) hands which has all sorts of consequences.

If somewhere in between - e.g. say Churchill has a stroke one morning - then you get other implications.

 

[Scott Kenny]

The US would not be able to do much to affect events in Europe until the B36 was developed. And B35 flying wings. The wings would be viable for conventional attacks, packing up to 8x4000lb bombs for big booms and 64x500lb for general mayhem. The downfall of the B35s was inability to carry the first generation atomic bombs.

It would also make invading Europe a very large challenge, without Ireland or the UK to launch from. The US would probably have to establish stockpiles in Spain or North Africa before jumping across to either southern France, Italy, or even the Balkans.

I suspect the Pacific Theater of Operations would wind up about as historically happened. Maybe a little quicker if the US didn't have to send so many ground troops to Europe.

 

[uk 75]

I guess I was trying to get an answer like Scott's about US projects.

As usual Alertken seems to come closest to what might have happened. A Halifax led government was a real possibility in 1940 aa the Labour Party and the King thought him safer than Churchill.