Re: Strategic Reserve.

[Roy Wilke <royboy@bit.dotnet.dotau>]

"Roger L. Traviss" wrote:

(snip)

>
> Mmmmm.  In both North America and in the U.K., the railways were a vital part of the
> Allied victory.  Railways are very difficult to disable or destroy for long periods of
> time.  Even after the worst bombing raid, a junction or marshalling yard could be back
> in service in a couple of days.  Bulldoze the holes flat and relay track over the top.
> May not be up to "standard" but it will do.

But in the 1914-18 War, reliance on railways contributed greatly to the stagnation on the
Western Front. Also, neither the UK nor the US were subject to a land war during the
1939-45 War.

>
> The Allies even built hundreds locomotives especially for transportation to Europe
> after D-Day, to ensure that they had enough serviceable locomotives to run the railways
> with.  That's how vital the railway system was.

Yet the Wehrmacht were vulnerable to air attack when trying to move troops by rail in
Europe during the Allied advance - also strategic points like bridges and tunnels are
vulnerable to air attack and sabotage - which puts them out of action for more than "a
couple of days."

>