Part 4/13:
The idea of invading Turkey might seem appealing because it would grant the Germans access to additional oil supplies, notably from Iraq and the Caucasus. Furthermore, Turkey was a major producer of chromite ore—vital for steel manufacture—and controlling it would bolster Germany’s war economy. Since Turkey was the fourth-largest producer of chromite globally and the only significant source outside the Balkans, controlling it could have provided a strategic advantage.
However, the strategic landscape and logistical challenges rendered this plan impractical, and these considerations are deeply rooted in Hitler’s broader war aims and military psychology.