What If the Nazis Conquered Europe and Envisioned Africa?
The Enigma of Nazi Colonial Ambitions: If the Nazis had conquered Europe and Russia, and made peace with the USA, what exactly would they have planned for Africa and its millions of negroes? The Nazi regime, notorious for its fascism and racial ideology, aimed to establish a new colonial empire, and there is evidence to show that they were not perversely shy about making their intentions known. The Reichskolonialbund, a group symbolized by the old German East Africa Company flag, heralded these intentions, albeit with provocative subtlety.
Old colonial administrators would have attempted to reassert control over territories previously governed by Germany. In the event of a Nazi victory, it was likely that the Allied powers would have been pressured to return the captured colonies or cede more territory. However, this scenario is even more troubling when contextualized within the harsh atmosphere of Nazi racial ideology.
Violent Racism and Colonial Oppression: The Nazis were well-known for their violent and racist policies. It is highly improbable that such policies would not extend to African colonies under Nazi rule. Thus, it is crucial to consider the potential suffering that would be inflicted on the indigenous populations of Africa.
The Focus on the Soviet Union
Contrary to colonial expansion, the Nazis' primary preoccupation was with capturing and consolidating territories in what was the Soviet Union. Italy and Japan, as Nazi allies, played a significant role in these aspirations. For Italy, it was a goal of creating a large part of an Italian Empire in northeast Africa, intended to compete with the might of the old Roman Empire. However, such an empire's viability would depend on Italy’s naval capabilities, which were much smaller compared to the British and American navies.
Failure to Realize Military Strengths
It is crucial to remember that the Nazi's naval might was significantly weaker than that of the Royal Navy or the US Navy. This meant that African colonies would remain vulnerable to being cut off. The Reichskolonialbund was never a prominent part of the Nazi administration, and its significance was more as a symbolic gesture for the old colonial administrators rather than a strategic asset.
Military Strategy and Territorial Ambitions
Germany’s naval limitations severely constrained its ambitions in Africa. While Africa was not completely forgotten, the primary focus was on subduing the USSR. The Italian Navy, though more powerful than the Nazi Navy, was still far from competing with the British or Japanese navies. Even in the best-case scenario, Italy would have acquired territories like Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. However, the successful conquest of these territories largely depended on the outcome of the war with the USSR and the strength of General Rommel’s military operations.
Colonial Consequences
The treatment of indigenous populations in areas like Libya and Abyssinia suggests that life under such a fascist empire would have been harsh for black Africans. The fascist regime under Benito Mussolini had grand ambitions to conquer significant parts of Northeast Africa, intending to create an empire that rivalled the glory of Ancient Rome. This is not merely a hypothesis; it reflects the historical context of fascist expansion, where the rights and lives of indigenous populations were often disregarded.
Looking at these cases, it is unimaginable that the treatment of African populations would have been any different under Nazi rule. The thesis of a self-sufficient ethnostate for Germans in Europe would have been a sanitised facade for the reality of colonial oppression and brutal suppression elsewhere.
In conclusion, the potential scenario of Nazi rule in Europe and the subsequent conquest of Africa is fraught with moral and ethical complexities. Understanding the Nazi colonial ambitions and the fascist expansion in Africa is not just an academic exercise but a call to reflect on the long-term consequences of historical events and the importance of human rights and dignity.