Most feasible way the Nazis could have attacked US territory?

[Post]

With a huge number of points of departure, German gets the a bomb before anyone else and develops a delivery system that could be fired by a submarine. I think this the only way to significantly damage US territory without needing a very difficult to defend base far beyond Germany.

This is the least feasible way, not the most feasible way (given that it took until several years after the war before the US could do this, and the German A-bomb program was years behind that of the US).

As several already have mentioned, the most feasible way is to shell some coastal cities with a U-boat. Not sure what the odds of survival of said U-boat would be after doing it. Significantly damaging the US is just not possible for Germany in WW2. Japan at least had the capacity to attack Pearl Harbor, doing similar damage was impossible for Germany. And even Japan could only do it once with the element of surprise. Other plans they had were not really feasible or did little damage

 

[JasTysoe]

Other than a u-boat firing a few shells at something in the coast during the first months of 1942, I don't see it happening. And that crew would claim massive bragging rights for the rest of (their short) lives.

Given the ineffective nature of ASW along the US east coast at that time, there's no reason to assume that the U Boat would not have got away with it.

 

[juanml82]

Given the ineffective nature of ASW along the US east coast at that time, there's no reason to assume that the U Boat would not have got away with it.

They would have gotten away with it, but they would have died in combat some time later. The U Boat crews had the worse chances of survival of all services of the German military in WW2

 

[JasTysoe]

Secret agents who have absolute dedication to the Nazi ideology and biological weapons (ideally like weaponized rinderpest, stem rust if possible it doesa good job fucking with us already, and of course anthrax).

Wouldn't that result in gas attacks on Berlin in retaliation?

 

[JasTysoe]

They would have gotten away with it, but they would have died in combat some time later. The U Boat crews had the worse chances of survival of all services of the German military in WW2

Ah, OK.

 

[thaddeus]

the US aluminum production was reliant on cryolite, only mined on Greenland, and (afaik) processed solely near Pittsburgh. do something to disrupt that "flow" and the US has to revamp their production. the bauxite came solely (or almost solely?) from Dutch Surinam, so something could have targeted that also.

Synthetic cryolite was commercially available by the 1930s (note that Germany had their own factory) so bombing the mine would not seriously affect the outcome of the war.

I didn't predict it would affect the outcome of the war, simply that the US would be forced to revamp their production methods during wartime.

 

[Pax_Nihil]

Wouldn't that result in gas attacks on Berlin in retaliation?

If the spy is caught, back then it wouldn't be as simple as reviewing the camera footage ubiquitous around cities as such things didn't exist. A smart, rolling-all-sixes operator could easily sprinkle some anthrax powder while riding the subway, taking a trolley down a nice main street and letting it out into the breeze, hell, sneaking into crop dusting equipment could be an ingenious point of vulnerability (though given the oddity of a non-local sneaking around in the farm areas of America that is also a potentially dangerous place where capture would be easy if he's not careful).

Though of course they could cyanide themselves if they can manage it if they are actually captured by people who wouldn't have the knowledge to prevent it.

 

[CaptainCalvert]

Wouldn't that result in gas attacks on Berlin in retaliation?

I doubt it. HE is safer to handle and more effective.If chemical warfare worked better than conventional weapons, people would still use it against peer opponents, but since WW1 ended, it's mostly been used against civilians and weaker forces.

 

[CaptainCalvert]

The best chance is probably sabotage or to send an explosives-filled ship into a US controlled port. This could be tough if ship inspections are effective, especially as it likely involves some form of deception which would be discoverable by, eg someone noticing that SS Grossbombe should have a Swedish flag, had three funnels not two, was supposedly sunk three months ago etc or just docked in Montego Bay.

However, the propaganda value could be neutered if politically expedient by simply saying it was an unfortunate accident, our best people are investigating to ensure it doesn't happen again, etc.

 

[West234]

However, the propaganda value could be neutered if politically expedient by simply saying it was an unfortunate accident, our best people are investigating to ensure it doesn't happen again, etc.

For the germans that wouldn't matter so much they would just say we did this attack and use it in there own propaganda no one would believe the Americans especially if the british have communicates from the Germans that prove they are not lying.

 

[JasTysoe]

If the spy is caught, back then it wouldn't be as simple as reviewing the camera footage ubiquitous around cities as such things didn't exist. A smart, rolling-all-sixes operator could easily sprinkle some anthrax powder while riding the subway, taking a trolley down a nice main street and letting it out into the breeze, hell, sneaking into crop dusting equipment could be an ingenious point of vulnerability (though given the oddity of a non-local sneaking around in the farm areas of America that is also a potentially dangerous place where capture would be easy if he's not careful).

Though of course they could cyanide themselves if they can manage it if they are actually captured by people who wouldn't have the knowledge to prevent it.

Ah, I assumed that if it was done to terrorise the population the Nazis would be a bit more open about it. You're ways probably better, I typed before I thought.

 

[JasTysoe]

I doubt it. HE is safer to handle and more effective.If chemical warfare worked better than conventional weapons, people would still use it against peer opponents, but since WW1 ended, it's mostly been used against civilians and weaker forces.

I was under the impression that the Germans knew that the British were ahead in gas warfare and therefore played their own part in mutual deterrence, but that's far from my area.

 

[Pax_Nihil]

Ah, I assumed that if it was done to terrorise the population the Nazis would be a bit more open about it. You're ways probably better, I typed before I thought.

Well the OP wanted maximum damage. What I'm suggesting is going to bite the US in the ass longer than OTL Nazi Germany even managed to exist

 

[njslim]

Japan to Hawaii is about as far a distance as Germany to the continental US. As the Japanese attacked US territory, what were some potential American targets the Nazis could have launched attacks on?

A more rational Hitler may have rightfully concluded the US would at some point come to fight him in Europe (him being the one to declare war on the US guaranteed that beyond anything), so perhaps a pre-emptive strike before his declaration?

If Germany was willing to sacrifice a ship and 1000 tons or so of High explosive could have rigged a bomb like the one that destroyed Halifax in 1917 or the Texas city explosions in 1947

Sail it into New York harbor and set it off the resulting blast would shatter windows for up to a mile causing casualties from flying glass

 

[prester.john208]

Take a page from the Russians.
Occupy a small island off the east coast for a day or so.

 

[Mad Bad Rabbit]

Easiest way: during Kristallnacht, an out-of-control mob attacks the U.S. embassy on Bendlerstraße in Berlin, killing several workers in the heat of the moment, then taking the rest hostage while they try to figure out what the hell to do now.

Upon hearing of the crisis, Hitler decides: fuck it, might as well double down...

 

[CaptainCalvert]

Easiest way: during Kristallnacht, an out-of-control mob attacks the U.S. embassy on Bendlerstraße in Berlin, killing several workers in the heat of the moment, then taking the rest hostage while they try to figure out what the hell to do now.

Upon hearing of the crisis, Hitler decides: fuck it, might as well double down...

That's probably about the most credible option. Another close cousin would be an accidental (more negligent really) attack on a US embassy during invasion of Denmark, Belgium or Netherlands. So not planned, but overenthusiastic troops get carried away and shell [1] what appears to be a defended house. Well it is defended but by US embassy guards.

[1] more chance to realise it is the embassy if directly assaulting, more chance to miss that if attacking at a distance.

 

[prester.john208]

That's probably about the most credible option. Another close cousin would be an accidental (more negligent really) attack on a US embassy during invasion of Denmark, Belgium or Netherlands. So not planned, but overenthusiastic troops get carried away and shell [1] what appears to be a defended house. Well it is defended but by US embassy guards.

[1] more chance to realise it is the embassy if directly assaulting, more chance to miss that if attacking at a distance.

Or bomb the Chinese US embassy in Serbia "by accident". Incidentally the embassy has components of a crashed FW 190 prototype.

 

[njslim]

Take a page from the Russians.
Occupy a small island off the east coast for a day or so.

N
Block Island ? Between Long island and Rhode island. Do like a makin island raid.

 

[gladiator8085]

One method might be to use one or two neutral flagged freighters. Put some bombs on them and some disassembled planes. Have a very basic air strip in Greenland. Launch from there ala the Doolittle raid except after they bomb Boston or NYC if they're not shot down they bail out over the middle of nowhere with false papers and plans to make it to a neutral embassy, Spain or Argentina for example.