Oxford was to be the capital of Hitler's new kingdom, according to invasion plans unearthed at the Bodleian Library, announce staff earlier this week. Documents detailing Operation Sea Lion are published this week, revealing how German researchers were employed to find out details of local road systems, geography, units of measurements, money and even translations of some Welsh words, all to be used by invading forces when they landed.According to Oana Romocea, spokesman for the Bodleian Library, "It's thought Hitler was never intent on bombing Oxford because he wanted to make it the new capital of his new kingdom."Of course, Operation Sea Lion was unsuccessful. The plan was to be put into action in 1940, but by September of that year it was abandoned, with the Nazi forces only advancing as far as the Channel Islands. The details of these plans, which were meticulously recorded, will be published in two books, entitled The German Invasion Plans and Instructions for British Servicemen in Germany, 1944. They are intended as a follow-up to the very successful Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain, 1942 and Instructions for British Servicemen in France, 1944.
