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Invasion 1940: The Nazi Invasion Plan for Britain by SS General Walter Schellenberg

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This book is incorrectly titled "Invasion 1940." The book is a handbook for occupation forces after the invasion. It nowhere purports to be an invasion plan.
This book was not compiled by "SS Police." Walther Schellenberg was an SS Surmbannfuhrer (Major) at the time of the compilation of the book. He was a Dept. Head in the SD (Security Service) He was promoted Brigadefuhrer und Generalmajor (Major General)in 1944.
Schellenberg was an attorney and like so many unemployed professionals joined the elite SS. He was noticed by SD Chief Heydrich ( combat fighter pilot (Norway), olympic grade fencer and concert hall level violinist). Heydrich always sought the brightest men for the SD. Schellenberg although known to the top level leaders of the Third Reich was unknown to the public.
As an Academy graduate, retired Army officer and retired attorney/judge I see the lawyers hand in this book. While the book is a summary of of an entire nation there is a noticeable economy of words. The organization of data is superb. This is NOT a book for the casual history reader. For the historian, especially those who ponder alternate history it is a goldmine!
Schellenberg was not just an intellectual he was a man of action and personal bravery in that he personally engaged in a gun battle with British agents in Holland and brought them as prisoners to Germany. For that action he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class.

This book isn't for someone who expects a quick read. It was put together with typical Nazi zealousness by SS officer Walter Schellenberg. It was purportedly for the troops going into Britain for Operation Sealion. It wouldn't have been much use for the average soldier, but rather the administrators that would run a German-held Britain. It's most unsettling portion is the "Special Wanted List GB," which contained the names of many people the Gestapo would want arrested. Many famous names are included, such as Winston Churchill and H.G. Wells.
If you are a student of history, and would want to know what the Nazis would have done in Britain, give this book a read.

Not a review of the book, but I noticed the cover art of the soldiers in front of Big Ben was used for the DVD cover art of the movie "It Happened Here". I liked the movie a lot and just wanted to pass that along. It's about a German occupation of England during WW2 (what if alternate reality). If you are looking here though you probably already knew about this film, lol. Maybe not though as it's an obscure film, but should be at Netflix.

"A detailed analysis of how the Nazis intended to invade Britain in 1940."

Only, it's not. No part of this booklet really covers the actual invasion plans, the Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine and Wehrmacht preparations, which formations were earmarked to take part in the initial operations, operational plans or the German estimate of the make-up and positions of the British defenses, Home Guard and regular army (as well as Commonwealth units) strength and disposition.

All that this volume does is summarize some empiric facts about 1940 Great Britain - facts, I might add, that you can easily and at no cost find on the internet, even on Wikipedia (which also is, ironically, a much more thorough source for the *actual* invasion plans surrounding "Sea Lion"). The second part also is of little interest or use even for readers from a professional academic history background, unless someone needs names for his or her own attempt at writing historic fiction.

All in all, the volume is a disappointment, largely due to false advertising. Taken at face value, it does exactly what General Schellenberg intended it for, which is giving a brief overview over Great Britain for administrators and officers atop the command chain of a possible occupation force. But neither does it warrant its title of "Invasion 1940" nor the description. If you want an account of the actual invasion plans, you'll find more on wikipedia's "Sea Lion" articles than in here.