The Rise of the Third Reich

In a messy and stuffy little room at 10 Downing Street, which smelled of old books and cigar butts, Donovan, the special envoy of US President Roosevelt, met the obese British Prime Minister again. Churchill's big red face looked serious and determined. He smoked a cigar butt and said slowly in a low voice: "The Italian leader is a clown who can only brag. He can't be compared with the three real villains, Emperor Wilhelm, Chancellor Hitler and Marshal Hessmann." Donovan understood why Churchill said such a thing as soon as they met. This is because Italy has been boiling over the past two days. Everyone cheered for the victory of the invincible fascist navy and fascist air force. Donovan himself came from the United States for this matter! "It's better to be like this, Mr. Prime Minister." Donovan said, "Because it's really difficult for Mr. President to help Britain now." Moreover, if the Italians really destroyed half of the British Mediterranean Fleet as they boasted. Then in January next year, Churchill will have to deal with President Wilkie... Because if Britain loses Egypt and the Suez Canal before November 1940, then public opinion in the United States will definitely change dramatically.

The anti-German sentiment aroused by the defeat of France will subside due to the prospect of Britain's defeat. After all, the United States is a very practical country. If Britain is bound to fail before the United States is ready to fight, then the United States cannot defeat Germany and Italy alone - without Britain as a springboard, the United States cannot even get to the European continent, so how can it win?

Since the United States cannot defeat Germany and Italy, then what is the point of fighting? If the United States does not have to participate in the world war, then who needs a capable commander-in-chief (referring to Roosevelt)? Why does Roosevelt, who has served two terms as president, break the rules and seek a third term?

"Prime Minister," Donovan said, "Egypt and the Suez Canal must not be occupied by the Italians before the November voting day!"

"Of course we will not fail!" After hearing this, Churchill said angrily, "Those are Italians. Do you Americans think they are the same as the Germans? How could our British Empire lose to Italy? How could such a thing happen?"

"That's great." Donovan continued, "The President has reached an agreement with the leaders of the two parties in Congress. If we can lease the naval base on the British islands in the Caribbean, then they will agree to hand over 50 sealed destroyers to Britain."

This is a condition that is difficult for people to accept! Churchill frowned. Exchanging British land for warships will only make Parliament feel embarrassed.

At this time, Donovan smiled bitterly, "There is another condition... The president also wants a written guarantee that once Germany invades and wins, the British fleet must not surrender or flee to Germany, but must sail to American ports." "I can't even consider this, let alone write it into an official document." Churchill was immediately annoyed and said angrily, "German warships have rich practical experience in escaping and surrendering. But we don't." Roosevelt made such a request, in fact, it was related to Mussolini's boasting. The US President consulted some senior generals of the Navy. They all believed that the victory of the Italians in the Mediterranean was not only possible but also a matter of course! Their "humpback" aircraft is fully capable of this! The US Army purchased several civilian "humpbacks" (a kind of passenger aircraft) through private enterprises in the early years for research and found that its maximum speed exceeded 400 kilometers per hour and the maximum range could reach 3,300 kilometers. This is still a 1935 model. Now the "humpback" aircraft of the Italian Air Force must have a better engine, and it must be a medium-sized bomber and torpedo attack aircraft with very superior performance. If there are hundreds of them (the US Navy believes that the Italians must have hundreds of them), then the British Mediterranean Fleet's dozen Sea Spitfires can't resist them at all.

The US Navy Chief of Operations told Roosevelt that referring to the Scapa Flow bombing (the US already knew some of the relevant information) and the Toulon attack, as long as the Italian fascist air force performs normally, it will definitely cause heavy losses to the British Mediterranean Fleet.

Moreover, several senior generals of the US Navy were very surprised by Admiral Cunningham's "random command". They thought that with such a confused general commanding the Royal Navy, Britain would most likely lose... No, Britain would definitely lose! So the US Navy had to consider the issue of accepting the remaining ships of the Royal Navy.

"This danger should not be great." Donovan did not insist any more. He also knew that this question embarrassed Churchill.

"Yes, this possibility is not great," Churchill said. "I totally agree." As he spoke, he found a stack of photos and handed them to Donovan. The photos showed some mighty-looking warships and hulls that had not yet been outfitted.

"These are the fleets that the three villains (Emperor Wilhelm, Hitler and Hessmann) are preparing to use to invade," Churchill said. "The ones that have been built are the Bismarck-class battleships. There are currently two of them, which look to be 50,000 tons. The ones that have not yet been built are the Hindenburg-class and Zeppelin-class. The former is estimated to be a 60,000-ton battleship, and the latter is said to be a 30,000-40,000-ton aircraft carrier... If the Germans conquer North Africa and the Middle East, they can get the shipyards in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden to help them build such battleships!"

Winning the Middle East and North Africa means owning oil from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, cotton and grain from Egypt, and non-ferrous metals and chromite from Turkey. And it can further extend its claws into the rich India. In this way, the Germans will have enough resources to win over other European countries, and the end of Britain will not be far away.

"But this also means that Germany will not invade in the short term," Donovan looked at the photos. "The unbuilt ships on this will not be put into service until at least 1942..."

"It looks like they are preparing to invade in 1942," Churchill said. "We still have a chance."

Churchill raised his thick lower lip and looked at Donovan. "But before that we will fight back with a four-engine heavy bomber!" He handed another photo to Donovan, which showed a four-engine heavy bomber parked on the runway. "We are preparing to build a large number of such bombers and blow Germany into chaos. If you are willing to join, victory will come faster."

"But the premise is that Egypt and the Middle East cannot be lost...that is a battlefield that cannot be lost!" Donovan put the photo on the table and said, "If the Germans have enough oil and the productivity of the entire continent, that will be Their four-engine heavy bombers leveled Britain."

"I understand!" Churchill smiled, "Don't worry, there will be no accidents in the Mediterranean and North Africa. They belong to the British Empire and no one can take them away!"

Churchill's big words were not nonsense. Before meeting Donovan, he had just approved a plan to send additional reinforcements to North Africa and the Mediterranean. Wavell and Cunningham will get everything they want!

…

"From now until 42 years, it will be a valuable period of rest."

In a conference room at the General Staff Headquarters in Zossen, Hersmann was presiding over an armaments work meeting. France will hold a referendum in August to decide which surrender plan to accept. However, poll results indicate that France will become a member of the European Customs Union and the European Monetary Union.

Due to the "inevitable surrender" of France, Germany temporarily had no rivals on the European continent. Therefore, arms production must also be adjusted accordingly. The production of tanks, armored vehicles and artillery can be slowed down, while the production of various warships and transport ships must be accelerated.

However, Hessmann did not dare to take it lightly. After all, there was still a behemoth Soviet Union to the east of Germany!

"But after 42 years, a more intense war will come." He glanced at the members of the Armament Committee in the conference room, and then said, "So military preparations cannot be slackened at all! The large-caliber weapon used by the Panzer IV tank All development of the 75mm gun must be completed within the year, and all Panzer IV tanks of the National Defense Force must be upgraded before June 2019! All completed before June 1942."

The development of Panzer V and Panzer VI began as early as 1937 and 1938. Hersman's request at that time was that the No. 5 tank should be a 40-45 ton tank equipped with a large-caliber 75mm gun; the No. 6 tank should be a 50-55 ton tank equipped with a large-caliber 88mm gun. And both tanks must have good power systems and strong sloped armor...

"The upgrade of air force equipment must also be stepped up," Hersman continued. "The 'final solution' for high-altitude and high-speed piston fighters, the heavy-duty piston carrier-based aircraft plan, and the 'practical solution' for turbojet fighters must all be in 1941." The first test flight of the prototype will be completed within the year.”

Germany in this time and space was also the first country to manufacture jet aircraft. Moreover, under the promotion of Hirschmann, major German aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturers such as Junkers, Fokker, Heinkel, BFW, Henschel, Dornier, Mercedes-Benz and Siemens have all received military allocations. A large amount of research and development funds have been invested in the research of jet aircraft and turbojet engines. There are already several practical solutions that have entered the prototype stage.

As for the "final plan" for high-altitude and high-speed piston fighter jets and the heavy-duty piston carrier-based aircraft plan, they are being studied as replacement models of the BF-109 and Fokker Zero. The research and development tasks had been issued before September 1939. Several plans have now advanced to the prototype stage.