Page "Erich Raeder" Paragraph 43

In September 1940, Raeder first presented his " Mediterranean plan " to Hitler.

Raeder favoured a strategic focus on the Mediterranean theatre, including a strong German presence in North Africa, plus an invasion of Malta and the Middle East by German, Italian, Spanish and, if necessary, Vichy French forces.

Raeder believed that capturing Gibraltar, and the Suez Canal would be a great blow to Britain.

Afterwards, Axis forces would use the Canary Islands, the Azores and the Cape Verdes Islands to launch naval and air attacks that would destroy British commerce and knock Britain out of the war.

On 6 September 1940 and again on 26 September, Raeder met with Hitler to advise the acceptance of his " Mediterranean plan ".

According to Raeder: " The British have always considered the Mediterranean the pivot of their world empire ... Germany, however, must wage war against Great Britain with all the means at her disposal and without delay before the United States is able to intervene effectively. Gibraltar must be taken.

The Canary Islands must be secured by the Air Force. The Suez Canal must be taken. An advance from Suez through Palestine and Syria as far as Turkey is necessary.

If we reach that point, Turkey will be in our power.

The Russian problem will then appear in a different light ... It is doubtful whether an advance against Russia from the north will be necessary ".

On 30 May 1941 Raeder told Hitler that a major offensive against Egypt to take the Suez Canal gave Germany a chance to strike a blow that " would be more deadly to the British Empire than the capture of London !".

On several occasions, he suggested that Hitler send the vaunted tank commander Erwin Rommel to Egypt.

Hitler agreed with Raeder's idea of sending German forces to North Africa at their meeting of 26 September 1940, but noted that he would need Italian permission to do so, and as it was not until Mussolini requested German help in early 1941 that the necessary Italian permission was obtained.

Murray and Millet wrote that Raeder's " Mediterranean strategy " had "... more to do with inter-service rivalry than with any strategic conception ".