The Rise of the Third Reich

"A complete set of technologies for the triple 406mm/L50 turret; a complete set of technologies for the triple 180mm/L60 secondary gun turret; a complete set of technologies for the twin 100mm anti-aircraft guns; and a single steam turbine technology with a power of more than 45,000 horsepower and a large heavy oil boiler Technology……"

Hessman recited the requirements listed one by one in a low voice, but frowned slightly and said to himself: "Stalin's appetite is really big. What does he want to do?"

"Your Excellency, General, we have received information that the Soviets are preparing to start building 8 battleships with a displacement of more than 40,000 tons and 406 mm main guns and 18 heavy cruisers with a capacity of 26,000 tons." Hans Speidel said.

"I remember this," Hessmann smiled and shook his head. "The Soviets did not have the ability to design such large surface ships at all. They asked us for help a few years ago, but their requirements were too high and we could not meet them. What we proposed They thought the plan (the Bismarck-class plan) was too conservative...then they seemed to have found the Italians.”

"It's the Italian Ansaldo Company." Hans Speidel has an amazing memory. "They completed the design in July 1936, and the design code was the UP-41 battleship. It is said that this battleship is Italian." The improved version of the Littorio Veneto class has a standard displacement of 42,674 tons and a full load displacement of 46,200 tons!

"The improvement is so great that it can't be built." Hessmann smiled sarcastically. "Stalin was too impatient and liked to act recklessly... It has more than 40,000 tons and three triple 406mm main guns. How can it be so easy to build it?" ?”

Hans Speidel reminded: "Admiral, we still have ways to deal with the hull, armor, and power system. The No. F battleship is similar to it."

No. F was the later "Bismarck". Construction started in early 1936 and was expected to be officially completed before the end of 1939.

"But No. F doesn't have a triple 406mm cannon." Hersman gently threw the document on the table. "It only has four twin-mounted main gun systems. If the Soviets want it, they can give it to them, or we can help redesign it into a triple-mounted turret."

Hersman really wanted to meet the Soviets' requirements - he could exchange technology for oil and non-ferrous metals!

"Admiral, it is already May 1937," Hans Speidel whispered, "Isn't it a little late to build a battleship?"

"Is it too late?" Hessman chuckled, "Start construction now and it should be basically completed by the end of 1940. The first ship will be in service by 1941. The shipbuilding plan of 8 battleships and 18 heavy cruisers may be completed by the end of 1943. Maybe we can build some more 'Karl Marx' class aircraft carriers. By then the Soviet Union will have a very powerful navy..."

Hersman remembered that in the original history, due to their blind pursuit of high technology and world war, although the Soviets designed a bunch of battleships and battlecruisers, they ultimately failed to build one.

However, in this time and space where history has been changed, the Soviet battleship plan is still very likely to be realized. Because Soviet engineers participated in the design and construction of the two "Scharnhorst" class battleships throughout the entire process, they basically "understood" this class of battleships.

However, Stalin was not satisfied with the performance of the "Scharnhorst" class, mainly because of the ship's firepower - only three triple 280 mm caliber main guns were not enough to defeat the British, American and Japanese ships in Stalin's view. Powerful battleships, to defeat them you must have a cannon of over 400 mm.

According to the plan given by the Italian company Ansaldo, the new generation of Soviet battleships will have three triple-mounted 406mm main guns - a firepower exceeding the German F-class battleships with four twin-mounted 380mm main guns...

Deputy People's Commissar of Defense and Commander of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army Navy Fezmir Mitrofanovich Orlov walked into Stalin's office building on the morning of May 12. He saw that Berzin of the Military Advisory Group in Spain had already There it is.

"Comrade Stalin, Comrade Berzin," Orlov gave a military salute to Stalin, then greeted Berzin, whom he had not seen for many years, and then reported to the great leader of the Soviet Union, "the Germans agreed to give us It provides the power system and secondary gun system of the F-class battleship, and is also willing to provide us with the twin-mounted 406mm main gun system of the H-class battleship.”

H-class battleships, like F-class battleships and Scharnhorst-class battleships, are part of Plan Z. According to the plan, the H-class battleship will complete all designs by the end of 1938 and start construction before July 1939.

Although the unloaded displacement of this class of battleships will exceed 55,000 tons, the main gun system used is still relatively conservative, with only four twin-mounted 403mm cannons.

"Comrade Orlov, what do you think?" When Stalin asked, he was still looking down at the photos - photos of aircraft and tanks used by the German and Italian intervention forces in the Spanish Civil War that Berzin brought.

"Comrade Stalin," Orlov said, "the technology of the twin-mounted 406mm main gun system can be used as a reference. Perhaps we can improve it into a triple-mounted 406mm main gun...or we can also ask the Germans to help."

The design given by the Italians is for three triple-mounted 406mm main guns. It is very troublesome to change it to four twin-mounted 406mm main guns. Moreover, the Soviet shipyards had no experience in building turrets of this level, so it was best to import them from Germany.

“Can four ‘Soviet’ class ships be completed before the end of June 1943?”

Stalin's eyes showed a dark and excited look, much like the look of a beast before it attacks.

"Obviously, what will happen after June 1943!" Jan Karlovich Berzin thought to himself: "I hope I can still live until then."

Berzin certainly did not suffer from any terminal illness. He just underwent a comprehensive physical examination at the Red Army General Hospital. Unfortunately, he is in good health and has nothing wrong with him. This means that he cannot retreat in the name of "sick and waiting to die". And many people in his Red Army Military Intelligence Department have been arrested in the past few months, some of whom are his cronies...

"If we follow the current plan, we are confident that we will complete four ships as planned." Orlov replied.

"Very good," Stalin took out a photo from a stack of photos and placed it in front of Orlov. "This is Italy's Fiat G.50 Arrow fighter. It is their latest carrier-based aircraft and has only appeared once in Spain."

Different from another time and space, Mussolini had two aircraft carriers in this time and space - not because he thought they were needed, but because the Soviet Union had the "Lenin" and the "Karl Marx".

Since Stalin had an aircraft carrier, Mussolini must have one!

However, the Italians did not copy the Soviet Union's "Karl Marx". Mussolini's first aircraft carrier was named "Aquila" and his second was named "Eagle". They were both modified from a cruise ship with an unladen displacement of more than 20,000 tons, and the superstructure was removed. A continuous flight deck is formed.

Because the hull was not built as an aircraft carrier from the beginning, and it was also equipped with a large number of artillery. Therefore, the hangar area of ​​these two aircraft carriers is not very large, and the number of carrier-based aircraft is relatively small. Without folding-wing carrier-based aircraft, there are only 51 carrier-based aircraft (15 of which are suspended on the aircraft). library top).

"By June 1943, the performance of our carrier-based aircraft will exceed theirs." Stalin paused and looked at Orlov, "By then, the Black Sea Fleet should be the main force of the Red Navy and need to be equipped with 'Karl. "Marx' aircraft carrier, 4 Soviet-class ships and 2 new heavy cruisers (actually Kronshtadt-class battlecruisers)!"

The Soviet Union is going south!

Orlov and Berzin immediately understood Stalin's vision.

If the war broke out in 1939, Poland would definitely not be able to survive for long. Under the attack of the Soviet Union and Germany, it would last until the end of 1939 at most. But Britain and France will not be finished so soon - because the Soviet Union does not intend to go to war with Britain and France.

In this way, Germany, Britain and France will be fighting a tug of war on the Western Front, just like what happened after the February Revolution in 1917.

The Soviet Union can take the opportunity to continue to develop its own strength and consolidate the defense on the western front; it can also expand the power of the socialist camp in the Far East. When Britain, France, and Germany are all exhausted—after three or four years of fighting, they should be almost exhausted by 1943—then they will move south in a big way, capture Turkey, and march into the Mediterranean...

The Italian Navy is likely to be the biggest obstacle to the Soviet Union's southward march to the Mediterranean!

Therefore, the Soviet Red Navy will deploy the "Karl Marx" and four "Soviet" class two new heavy cruisers in the Black Sea.

"Comrade Stalin, I understand what you mean!" Orlov sighed in his heart - he is Ukrainian! Ukrainians are currently the focus of the "Great Purge", and many Ukrainian cadres have been shot. So Orlov was on tenterhooks every day these days. Now that Stalin seemed to be entrusting him with important tasks, it seemed that he could live with peace of mind before June 1943.

Stalin smiled and nodded, waving for Orlov to leave. Now, only Stalin and Berzin were left in Stalin's office.

The fatherly leader of the Soviet Union looked at Berzin with a smile, which made him feel nervous. Stalin suddenly spoke: "The comrades of the Political Security Bureau just arrested Tukhachevsky yesterday!"