Alternate N. African/Middle Eastern Front, WWII

Previous posts had floated the idea of moving supplies thru Lebanon and Syria, French possesions I believe, so that would likely not go well with the Vichy, so if you are going to tick them off anyway why not get something for it.

The value of a southern stategy is to force peace on Britain because you are correct that Germany has no other interest in the region. If you are not going to pursue it to force Britain out of the war then the Axis is better off employing just enough assets needed to slow the Anglo-American effort and hope for victory elsewhere.

Germany was surpizingly effective at getting non-germans to fight in or with their armies in tacticly usefull numbers, but failed to get them in numbers that were strategicly decisive. They would have to find a way to succeed in the latter to make it work.

If the Axis had to deploy an army into India, then you are correct the stategy would likely fail. The key would be getting just close enough to cause a fall of government in England and getting someone more willing to cut a deal with Hitler.

Enough military disasters on top of those already gone before plus no realistic ally (USSR) to aid them and a weary Britain might be willing to deal. We tend to see Churchill as the 'Ironman' of England, but on occasion he was not so popular with his people or goverment and was even voted out of office at his moment of triumph.