I've argued here, and elsewhere, that Germany could've done much the same thing (i.e., close the Med) had they simply taken out Gibraltar. Base a massive air group there, and you've effectively closed off the Med. Airfleet vs. surface fleet = lots of sunken boats. The three problems were:
1- Spain were being recalcitrant about the idea. Hitler should've said "You owe me. Pay up or I'll make you pay."
2- BUT, the bigger problem is that, as others have said, Hitler never really saw, or wanted to see, the Britain for the threat it was- a link to Canada and the US, who along with Britain, would eventually come busting through his Western flank.
3- The BIGGEST problem was trying to tackle Russia without a complete understanding of the magnitude of said task.
#1 would've helped tremendously, but only if #2 and 3 were also addressed at some level of thinking.
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