The Rise of the Third Reich

September 3, 1939, 4pm GMT.

On the battleship "Nelson" anchored in Scapa Flow, everyone stood silently at their posts. Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, First Sea Lord Sir Pound and their entourage stood silently in the officers' lounge.

The same voice came from all the loudspeakers on the ship - the voice of a stammering man: "...I call on...my people to unite as one...in the experience of time...to unite to the The task ahead...will be...difficult...the road ahead may be clouded...here...we devoutly...promise God...if we all stand firm in our faith...God will bless...we will win! "

The person who was speaking was King George VI of the United Kingdom. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the British House of Commons passed a resolution declaring war on the German Empire. Then Prime Minister Chamberlain entered Buckingham Palace, informed the King of England about the news, and asked for the King's approval.

King George VI, who had long known that war with Germany was imminent, immediately gave a radio speech after approving the official declaration of war. Because he had a very severe stutter, he stammered when he spoke. But this speech still greatly inspired the British people and soldiers!

"God bless my king! Britain will win!"

The officers and soldiers on the "Nelson", as well as the officers and soldiers on all the British naval ships anchored in Scapa Flow, all chanted slogans. Then began to sing the national anthem "God Save the King"...

Almost at the same time, Hitler, who had just delivered a demagogic speech in the Reichstag, accompanied by Marshal Schleicher, Minister of Defense, entered the official residence of the Imperial City in Berlin to meet with the German Emperor Wilhelm.

"Your Majesty, we will win!" Marshal Schleicher, wearing a marshal's military uniform with many medals on it, stood in front of the emperor, looking confident.

"Really?" William, whose beard and hair turned all white, still looked very majestic, but no longer as sharp as he was 25 years ago. "Little Maoqi told me the same thing at the time, but later..."

"Your Majesty, at 9 o'clock this morning, the leading troops of the 19th Armored Army have crossed the Vistula River and are currently attacking the back of the Eastern Group of the Polish Maritime Army. Tomorrow at the latest, most of the troops of the Polish Maritime Army will Completely broken!"

Marshal Schleicher informed the emperor of the good news he had received in the morning - a Polish army group with 100,000 people would soon be wiped out.

"And the personnel losses of the 19th Armored Corps," Schleicher said in a very proud tone, "are less than 500 people. This is the total loss including killed, seriously wounded, and missing!"

In the last war, a battalion suffered 500 casualties in three days of fighting! Now the 19th Armored Corps has defeated 100,000 Polish troops, with only a few losses. This shows that the German army's combat effectiveness is extremely powerful and there is no need to worry about France at all. Moreover, the performance of the German Air Force in the past few days was also very good, and the Polish Air Force was unable to fight back.

"But the British navy is very powerful!" Emperor William whispered, "The last war failed because of the British navy's blockade."

"Your Majesty, the British Navy will be handled by the Naval Air Force!" Schleicher promised, "There will be good news within two or three hours!"

…

"Captain, our radar seems to be broken!"

Just when Marshal Schleicher assured the emperor that the naval aviation surprise attack would definitely be successful, radar officer Hunter on the "Sheffield", a British Royal Navy light cruiser patrolling the periphery of Scapa Flow, suddenly appeared on the green Countless snowflake-like spots were found on the radar screen - this is the screen of an air search radar!

Although British radar was in a leading position during World War II, it was September 1939 after all, and it was not long before the radar was put into practical use. Therefore, most British warships are not equipped with radar. Only a few "air defense escorts" (actually converted destroyers) and a few light cruisers had radar installed.

The light cruiser "Sheffield", which entered service in 1937, is one of the few British warships equipped with air search radar. However, the radar installed on the "Sheffield" was only an experimental product, and its quality was not satisfactory. Really useful British shipborne radars would not appear in large numbers until 1940 or 1941.

Therefore, Hunter's first reaction after discovering an abnormality on the radar screen was not that an enemy plane was incoming, but that the radar was broken.

"Report the specific situation." Captain Sean, the radar commander who was looking through a document, asked without looking up.

"Southeast...southeast, about 25 miles, many targets, approaching quickly..."

"What? Let me take a look!" Captain Sean immediately put down the file and walked to the radar screen. Only countless snowflake-like dots were seen densely connected together, approaching at an extremely fast speed.

"Is it a plane?" Sean asked.

"It's not like that," replied Hunter, the radar man. "The plane only has a few points, how can they be connected together?"

"Is it a lot of planes?"

"A lot? There aren't many planes at the Naval Air Station in Scapa Flow..."

Captain Sean suddenly thought of something and shouted: "Kraut, Kraut's plane!"

"German planes? What are they doing in Scapa Flow?" Radar soldier Hunter didn't react at all. His boss, Captain Sean, had already picked up the phone receiver and started yelling.

"Enemy planes found! There are many in the southeast! The Germans are coming!"

…

"...There is no doubt that our Royal Navy is the most powerful armed force in the history of mankind. We rule the world's oceans and protect the greatest and most civilized empire of mankind. Anyone who tries to challenge our authority... woo woo Woo..."

Churchill was delivering a speech to a group of British naval officers in neat military uniforms under the turret of the battleship "Nelson". Of course, the final "woo woo woo..." did not come from the mouth of Admiralty Churchill.

This is the sound of an air raid siren!

"What's going on?" The Lord of the Admiralty felt very strange and looked at Sir Pound, the First Sea Lord who was also in a daze beside him. "What's broken?"

"Mr. Minister, this sound sounds like an air defense siren..." When Sir Pound spoke, the air defense siren was still ringing on the "Nelson".

A fleet staff officer who was staying in the command tower ran over as if flying, panting heavily and started shouting: "Germans, the Germans are coming!"

"What?" Commander Forbes of the Home Fleet asked hurriedly, "The German fleet was discovered? Where are they?"

"It's not the German fleet," the staff officer looked panicked, "it's their plane! Their plane is coming!"

"German planes? Where are they? How many are there?"

"There are a lot of them, and they are almost reaching Scapa Flow!" the staff officer said quickly and urgently. "The Sheffield's radar discovered them 10 minutes ago. They are less than 40 miles away from the bay. 5 minutes They were also spotted in front of our watchtower..."

Admiral Forbes and Sir Pound both opened their mouths, and for a moment they couldn't say anything. On the other hand, Lord Admiralty Churchill was relatively calm and said loudly: "Great, the Germans are here to die. Sir, Admiral, I think the home fleet is ready now, right?"

"Of course!" Admiral Forbes replied quickly, "We are ready!"

Unlike the U.S. Pacific Fleet in the Pearl Harbor incident in history, the British Home Fleet has long been in the highest state of combat readiness. Scapa Flow, where the fleet is concentrated, is not a peacetime garrison, but a wartime anchorage, making it easier for them to attack the North Sea from here to fight the German fleet trying to break through the blockade.

From this perspective, the Battle of Scapa Flow was not a "surprise attack" or a "sneak attack", but an upright battle!

"Sir, please escort the Lord of the Navy to the officers' lounge." Admiral Forbes wanted to let Churchill and Sir Pound leave, but enemy planes were about to attack. It would be more dangerous to leave the armored battleship at this time.

Forbes gave a military salute to the two of them, "Mr. Minister, Sir, now I am going to command the battle!"

…

"No enemy plane found, no enemy plane found!"

Major Werner Molders, commander of the 1st German Naval Aviation Combat Flight Regiment, looked at the clear sky with no cloud cover and empty sky in front of him, and shouted loudly, "The surprise attack has been successful! The surprise attack has been successful! God bless Germany!"

His voice reached an Fw-200C reconnaissance aircraft through radio waves at an altitude of 5,000 meters. Lieutenant General Graeme, commander of the German Naval Air Force, slapped his hands: "Awesome, we succeeded!"

Then he picked up the intercom and said loudly: "Start action now! Start 'Operation High Seas Fleet' (code name for the air raid). We want to avenge the destruction of the High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow! Remember, hurry up, we must do it within 30 minutes." Complete the air raid and evacuate everyone!”

Although there is no British Air Force airport near Scapa Flow, there are several airports in northern Scotland. Maybe 1 or 2 squadrons of British fighter jets will fly over in less than 30 minutes! If it takes too long, I'm afraid more British planes will arrive!

The dense fleet of aircraft in the sky immediately dispersed after hearing his order. The 56 Fokker Zeros flying at the front were divided into 14 four-finger formations. Then it was divided into two groups (each consisting of 7 four-finger formations), flying along the edge of Scapa Flow and over the islands that make up Scapa Flow such as Mainland Island, Hoy Island, and Southern Ronasse Island. . Their mission was to search for and attack any British aircraft if they were present.

Bombers and torpedo planes also began to form groups at the same time. He-111 took the lead, forming 22 five-plane formations, and then roared towards Scapa Flow. Behind them were 86 Ju.88 bombers and 84 A He-115 torpedo bomber...