Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:00:04-2:00:36

Could air attacks and minefields protect Sea Lion?

Minefields could not be treated as a fixed shield for the invasion route because laying them was difficult and Channel tides would move them.

Battle Of BritainNaval Mine WarfareOperation Sea LionSea Control
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Question

Could concentrated air attacks and minefields guided by aircraft and submarines protect the Sea Lion crossing?

Short answer

The proposal was unlikely to hold. British opposition would complicate mine-laying, and strong Channel tides would move the fields out of position.

Notes

A proposed German combination of attacks on airfields, radar, and ports with minefields guided by aircraft and submarines still faces practical limits. Laying the required barriers under British opposition would be difficult. Channel tides would also move mines away from neat defensive positions. The coastal area between Ramsgate and Brighton was far less open to invasion in 1940 than its modern appearance might suggest.