Imperial Overlord

However, after careful calculation in his mind, Li Le found that it was not cost-effective to defend the existing line of defense in 1940.

Those seemingly very attractive advantages are actually very simple illusions. As long as these illusions are untenable, defensive operations themselves are a joke.

First of all, let’s take the matter of national capital. The so-called capitalism and communism were not as profound as they were during the Cold War.

Even during the Cold War, hegemony was still an issue that took precedence over so-called national ideology. Talking about national ideology is just an excuse made by the two opposing sides.

If you are willing to be the lackey of the United States, even if the Communist Party comes to power, it is not something that cannot be negotiated. Sounds like a joke, but the reality is really so cruel.

Germany is now competing with Britain and the United States for world hegemony, and this contradiction itself is irreconcilable. The United States would rather unite with the Soviet Union to put aside its prejudices for the time being, and must also kill the most difficult Third Reich at this stage. This is an unshakable decision.

Li Le comes from the 21st century. Historical facts have proved that the United States would rather carve up Europe with the Soviet Union, the enemy of the Cold War, than accept Germany's proposal for peace talks and let Hitler and other German high-level officials go.

Now, Li Le happens to have a moustache and happens to be sitting in the office of the Prime Minister's Office... He is the object of the United States' death, and it is impossible for the United States to support him.

Therefore, waiting for the Soviet Union to attack Germany, the Third Reich still won't get any sympathy in international public opinion. It is still the fastest country after the United States, and it is also the country that the Soviet Union must kill!

Since the national ideology cannot bring any advantage to Germany in the defense, then this first rule of course does not hold.

Secondly, let's look at the second point, that is, the area where Germany defends and counterattacks is close to the Soviet border, which is long and sensitive.

To the north and in the middle is the Polish occupation zone that the Germans had just carved up from the Soviet Union. This seems to be a natural battlefield, even if it is beaten to ashes, it doesn't matter.

But in fact, this is not the case: Germany is planning to develop here, a large number of concentration camps and temporary factories, which make it impossible to give up easily.

In Li Le's plan, Poland's slave factories are now continuously producing various materials that, although not important, seriously affect Germany.

Because of the sweatshops here, there can be a large number of light industrial products in Germany, and countless precious workers can be freed to produce heavy industrial military weapons and equipment.

For example, the Polish occupation area is producing fabrics for Germany, pot lids, tea cups, various screws and even wood strips.

While most of the stuff is cheap and seemingly insignificant, without them, Germany's homeland is going to be a waste of precious German skilled workers to produce these odds and ends.

In addition, there are countless farms that are reclaiming and planting seeds, hoping to produce crops such as potatoes when next summer comes. This is also a part of Germany's grain-producing area.

If there is a fight with the Soviet attacking forces here...that would be really hopeless. At least Li Le does not think that this is a good choice.

And if the Soviets are allowed to attack first, then the direction of the attack is up to the Soviets themselves. Once the Soviet Union did not attack Germany, but concentrated its forces on Romania, things got weird again.

Not to mention the combat effectiveness of the Soviet army, nor whether the German army was capable of encircling and annihilating the Soviet army in Romania.

Let’s just say that if something goes wrong in the Romanian oil field, it is the only oil field in the German army today.

Don't say that it is impossible for the Soviet army to hit the Romanian oil field. It is just an assumption. Who dares to take this responsibility?

If something goes wrong, there is no need to wait for 1945. In 1942, the German high-level officials will wipe their necks collectively, and it will be even more ugly to wait for the Soviets to kill them in the province.

Therefore, even if Li Le clapped the table and asked for a defensive battle, the German top brass would not consider it a good choice.

If you want to defend, you must consider the importance of Romania, and arrange enough troops there to support the defense line... Up first, you are forced to concentrate troops on the southern front. This defense plan itself is enough to make you feel tired.

Let's take a look at the fourth point mentioned above, which is the good idea of ​​using the German elite to fight defensive operations. Although it sounds good, it can be problematic in practice.

The first question is that this majestic German army has always been in offensive operations and has high defensive accomplishments, no one knows!

This is not the German SS with experience in defensive operations in 1943. Holding the advanced Tiger Panther tank of the field fire brigade in his hand, he looks firm and tough at first glance...

In the current German army, most infantrymen only have PAK37 37mm anti-tank guns, and there are very few new iron fist rocket launchers.

The most in the hands of the tank troops are the 38T, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 tanks. It is obviously not reliable to expect these tanks to play the positional battle record of the Tiger tank.

The fire support the troops relied on when attacking were bombers like the Stuka. Its effectiveness in defensive operations is compromised.

And the artillery, which is very important in defense, has no advantage over the Soviet Union at all. The number of artillery on the front line of both sides is one to one, and the quality is slightly better than that of the Soviet Union...

To top it all off, at the beginning of Barbarossa, the Germans destroyed 3,000 Soviet aircraft and captured at least 1 million people.

And if you choose to defend, you can't kill them preemptively. It is not easy to set up an ambush circle to kill 1 million or even 2 million people without giving up key areas.

If you count the Soviet troops surrounded and killed in areas such as Kyiv and Smolensk, the difference of millions of people will also make the German army miserable in defense.

It seems that the only advantage of defense for Germany is that when Germany goes to war, it does not need to consider logistics and other issues.

Another advantage is that maybe the Soviets will go to war first, and Stalin will be reluctant to die. He may be the first to negotiate with the Germans if the situation is unfavorable.

But this is a unilateral gamble that Stalin will accept defeat, which is also a gamble. Why should the fate be left to the other party's choice?

So after thinking about it, Li Le believes that strategic defense should not be carried out now, or at least should not be directly transferred to strategic defense.

"If we attacked the Ukrainian plains and near Belarus, and then took the initiative to switch to the defense, would the effect be better?" Looking at his subordinates, Li Le suddenly asked.

"Well, in terms of logistical supplies, your opinion seems to be better than a direct attack, my Führer." Wagner likes this suggestion very much.

Because of the Führer's suggestion, after the German army moved forward 400 kilometers, the logistics support was the core, and it was fully transferred to the strategic defense, then his supply troops would not be under any pressure at all.

But after all, this is a strategic plan based entirely on logistical support. Whether it is the most suitable for military decision-making, it is necessary to convene the generals of the main battle force for a meeting to discuss.

Looking at his subordinates in the conference room, Li Le felt that today's meeting had already received too much information. He needed to sort it out, and then use his thinking of the future to judge which reasonable strategic decision he should choose.

Settling the fighting on the British side had already delayed his timetable for the invasion of the Soviet Union. It now appears that if the British continued to fight, Germany would not necessarily be ready to invade the Soviet Union in June 1941.

If it is further delayed than the historical timetable for attacking the Soviet Union, the possibility of hitting the harsh Soviet winter is higher, and the possibility that Li Le's plan will fail.

This situation made Li Le unable to make a choice easily, so he still decided to listen to the opinions of front-line combat generals such as Lundstedt.

Thinking of this, before he could say the meeting was dismissed, the door was pushed open by Bowman. He walked to Li Le's side, lowered his head and leaned into Li Le's ear, and reported something that made Li Le very happy. The message: "My head of state! Crete has been occupied by our army!"

Glancing at Bowman with satisfaction, Li Le put on a smile on his face, and he ruled out the last unstable factor! The Mediterranean Sea can now be said to be in its own hands.

The last British air base that could threaten Libyan oil fields, and also the last air base that could threaten Romanian oil fields, has completely disappeared!

"Very good! I will summon Marshal Liszt later! And General Student! Help me write it in the diary~www.wuxiaspot.com~ Don't forget to remind me." There was a kind smile on the Fuhrer's face , people can see that he is in a good mood at this moment.

"Let the two of them prepare the materials, and I will read their summary! This matter is related to the battle plan for landing in the UK. Let them experience this aspect more when writing." Because he was in a good mood, Li Le's voice was also very cheerful. .

Bowman nodded, then continued: "My head of state, in addition, we found something on Crete..."

Hearing Bowman's words, Li Le's eyebrows were first locked together, and then stretched out: "I have to think about how to deal with this matter!"

Having said this, Li Le suddenly remembered that he still had someone to ask: "You ask Goebbels to come to me immediately! Maybe this matter can be discussed with him!"

"Yes! My head of state!" Bowman nodded quickly, and then prepared to exit the meeting room of the head of state.

Li Le also took the opportunity to interrupt the meeting: "Let's be here today, everyone, go back and sort out the information in your hands, and if you think of a better way, report to me immediately!"