The Rise of the Third Reich

The sumptuous dinner began. The menu was printed in Russian and German on thick pale yellow paper with a sickle and hammer emblem on it. There was a long list of fish, soup, game, chicken, roasted meat, etc. The waiters began to serve the dishes. They were all cute girls. They jumped around with bottles of wine and vodka and poured wine into the glasses of the big shots.

Stalin's newly married wife Nadezhda also came to the Kremlin to keep her company - Stalin and his wife do not live in the Kremlin now, but they will move in soon.

At the dinner, Hersman found another opportunity to talk to Stalin about the aircraft carrier.

"What? Ludwig, you said you built an aircraft carrier in the Riga shipyard?" Stalin showed a surprised expression. He didn't know about such a big thing!

"It was built secretly in a large shipyard. It is just a 7,500-ton boat, and it has not yet laid a flight deck. It is not a true aircraft carrier."

The construction process of this experimental aircraft carrier is strictly confidential, and the entire dock is a military restricted area - it was originally a base of the Tsarist Russian Navy, and the surrounding area is easily guarded. Moreover, it has not been completed, and the flight deck has not been laid. Even if someone sees it, it will not be recognized as an aircraft carrier.

"We want to take it to the Petrograd shipyard to lay the aviation deck, is that okay?"

Wandering around in the Gulf of Riga and letting the British see it is always a problem. If it goes to the territory of the Soviet Union, there will be no problem. Who can control the Soviet Red Navy building an aircraft carrier?

Moreover, Hessman really wanted to use this "test" ship to trick the Soviets into acquiring an aircraft carrier - he regarded American imperialism as the number one enemy and John Bull as the number two villain BOSS. To defeat them, aircraft carriers are a must.

Building an aircraft carrier is a gradual accumulation process. A 7,500-ton test ship is easy to build. The United States initially found a coal ship and covered it with planks to make do with an aircraft carrier. But it will not be easy to build an aircraft carrier that can truly dominate the ocean in the future. This "experimental" ship is just the beginning. To continue development, it can only be launched in Soviet shipyards.

"Come to Leningrad... Do you want to build an aircraft carrier with us?" Stalin quickly guessed what Hessman was thinking.

"Yes," Hessman took a sip of wine, "This should be the starting point for comprehensive military cooperation between our two sides."

"Comprehensive military cooperation?"

Historically, Soviet-German military cooperation also began in 1924. Germany used Soviet territory to train pilots and mechanized troops, laying the initial foundation for Germany's future military revival.

In this time and space, Germany no longer relied heavily on Soviet-German military cooperation because it had the Baltic Republic, a satellite country that was not restricted by the Treaty of Versailles. Now the Baltic Defense Forces have established an aviation force and a tank force. Although the scale is small, it is enough to study tactics and test secret weapons.

However, it is difficult for a large aircraft carrier to be developed using the Polo shell. In Hirschmann's plan, the Soviet Union, Italy and Japan were all candidates for cooperation.

But if you want to cooperate with Italy and Japan, you must have something in hand, otherwise it will be difficult to negotiate the price.

"But the Soviet Navy is not currently the focus of development. Aircraft carriers are for us..."

Stalin seems to be in a dilemma. Rather than aircraft carriers, he now hopes to get German submarines-submarines can be used to deal with Japan. After the Siberian intervention, the Soviet Union has regarded Japan as a major threat.

"It won't cost much," Hessmann waved his hand. "Our test ship only cost more than 2 million Baltmarks. If the Soviet Union is interested, we can cooperate to build a 15,000-ton ship at the Sevaspor Shipyard. A ton-class medium-sized aircraft carrier.

If it is the Pacific type deployed in Vladivostok - the wind and waves in the Pacific are small, the requirements for the hull are relatively low, so it is also more economical - including research and development costs, there are more than 40 million pol Mark is enough... about 7 million to 8 million rubles. And it won’t be spent in one year, because it is the development of new ships, so the progress will be slower. If the design plan is completed in 1925, it would be good to be completed in 1928, so the average annual cost will be 2 million rubles. We can afford 25% of the cost. After the aircraft carrier is completed, it will be owned by the Soviet Union as a training ship, but Germany will have to send people on board for training. Of course, if you want to turn it into a combat ship, you still need to pay us the corresponding price. "

1.5 million rubles a year is indeed not a lot of money for the current Soviet Union. They spend at least ten times that on exporting revolution every year. The question is whether the money is worth it.

Hersman added: "Our naval experts believe that if four such aircraft carriers are deployed in Vladivostok, they will pose a major threat to Japanese imperialism. If combined with three hundred more aircraft carriers, the combat radius will exceed With a 1,000-kilometer long-range four-engine bomber, the Soviet Union’s situation in the Far East will completely change—from passive defense to active attack.”

Hessman paused and looked at Stalin. "This is more effective than deploying one or two hundred submarines... Of course, we can also provide submarine-related technology to the Soviet Union. This is not a problem."

Historically, the Soviet Union had a strong submarine force before World War II, but it had little effect. Because Germany does not have sea control and no long sea transportation lines. The war between the Soviet Union and Japan did not break out until the end of World War II, and they won within a few days of fighting.

And if the Soviet Union could deploy a Pacific Fleet with four 15,000-ton aircraft carriers (similar to Japan's Soryu-class) as the core in Vladivostok in the Far East before September 1931, supplemented by 300 "enhanced" TBs, -3 heavy bombers. Then the situation in the Far East will undergo major changes...

"The bases of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Sasebo and Kure Port, and Japan's most important cities, Tokyo and Osaka, will all be under the threat of bombers and fighter jets taking off from Vladivostok and aircraft carriers!"

"Three hundred long-range four-engine bombers with a combat radius of more than 1,000 kilometers?" Stalin raised his eyebrows slightly, obviously he was more interested in this kind of aircraft. "Are you ready to develop such an aircraft?"

"Not now, we have to wait for BMW or Siemens to develop a more powerful engine based on the Type 101 engine... To meet the needs of heavy long-range bombers, the power of a single engine must exceed at least 900 horsepower."

Hersman gently turned the wine glass, "When we have this kind of engine, we will transfer technology to the Soviet Union, and at the same time we will develop a four-engine heavy bomber together... As long as our two countries can have 500 such aircraft, we can Effectively deterred imperialist wars of aggression.”

"Heavy bombers can be developed together, and we also need 900-horsepower engines." Stalin said with a smile. "Aircraft carriers can be developed together. We can still afford 8 million rubles, and you don't have to pay the quarter. However, we Once you have an aircraft carrier, you also need cruisers and destroyers, and you also need to equip the aircraft carrier with aircraft.”

This means that Germany will work with the Soviet Union to develop or provide (technology) at least one heavy bomber, a 900-horsepower air-cooled engine, a 15,000-ton aircraft carrier, a cruiser, a destroyer, and several carrier-based Aircraft, and of course submarine technology...

"This is not a problem," Hessmann said immediately. "We can jointly develop new aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers and carrier-based aircraft. Germany can also transfer new aircraft engines and submarine technology to the Soviet Union. When I return to Germany, arrangements will be made immediately Negotiations on comprehensive military cooperation.”

"Absolutely, Ludwig." Stalin raised his glass and clinked it with Hessmann's. "I wish our two countries a happy cooperation."

"Wish you a happy cooperation."

Just as the two clinked glasses, a Stalin secretary walked in quickly from outside the restaurant, leaned over and whispered a few words in the ear of the future great leader.

Stalin waved to the man, and then said to Hessmann: "Ludwig, Comrade Lenin is awake... We are going to say our final farewell tonight, let's go there first."

——————

Please collect and recommend