The Rise of the Third Reich

Is this going to break out of the Mediterranean Sea and head towards the Atlantic Ocean?

It doesn't sound real at all.

Mussolini and his son-in-law Count Ciano looked at each other, and Count Ciano said: "Your Excellency, Marshal, since we have lost two aircraft carriers, the capture of Gibraltar is currently impossible unless Spain joins us. Join the war here.”

If Gibraltar was to be captured from the sea, air cover would be essential. But Gibraltar is more than 1,200 kilometers away from the Italian island of Sardinia. Even the combat radius of the Fokker Zero is not enough to cover from Sardinia to Gibraltar, so carrier-based aircraft must be used to provide air cover.

"Then let Spain join!" Hersman said calmly, "Franco's regime was brought down with the help of our two countries, and we also have the ability to make him step down!"

Regarding Spain, Hersmann was not as easy to talk to as Hitler in history. Moreover, Germany has not prepared Barbarossa Plan. Isn’t it a piece of cake to invade Spain?

"But... Spain is our friend after all." Count Ciano said with some embarrassment.

"Spain is a friend of your Italy!" Herschmann corrected, "but not a friend of Germany. Because Spain is a fascist country, and we, Germany, are a socialist country."

There is no concept of "Fascist Germany" in this time and space, because Germany and the Soviet Union have always called each other "socialist comrades and brothers" in public. Moreover, Germany is still a socialist democratic country with a multi-party parliamentary democracy. This year, in 1941, Germany will hold an election. During this time, Hitler is preparing to run for re-election.

"Of course, we in Germany do not want to use force to force Spain. That is only a last resort." Hersman suddenly smiled and his tone softened. "Obviously we have other means to prompt Spain to join the war."

The idea of ​​using force to attack Spain was actually told to Franco through the mouths of the Italians. Because Italy played the leading role in intervening in the Spanish Civil War, the relationship between Mussolini and Franco was very close. He will definitely convey the words of "German God of War" Hessmann to Franco.

"Marshal," Count Ciano reminded in a low voice with a smile on his face, "In fact, Marshal Franco has already mentioned the conditions for participating in the war."

Hessmann was not very clear about Franco's conditions, because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was responsible for contact with Spain. But Hessmann knew the most critical condition: proving that Germany could definitely win the war!

As long as this condition is met, everything else is easy to negotiate. Because there is no risk for Spain in joining the war on the side of the winner. No matter how much the benefit is, it is better than nothing, and Spain cannot afford to offend the future world hegemon.

"I think the situation now satisfies all the conditions for Spain to enter the war."

Hessmann gritted his teeth and smiled: "Didn't we just achieve a historic and decisive victory? The British Mediterranean Fleet was defeated and lost 4 battleships and 1 aircraft carrier. Now, the control of the sea in the Mediterranean belongs to Germany And Italy. Britain will soon lose the Middle East and North Africa, and then India. Britain’s defeat is doomed, and there is no doubt about the prospects of Germany and Italy!”

If the useless Italian Navy had not lost two valuable aircraft carriers, then the victory of the "Battle of the Eastern Mediterranean" would indeed be historic and decisive. But after the Italians lost two motherships, the quality of the victory was greatly lacking.

In the Mediterranean after the "Great Battle of the Eastern Mediterranean", Britain had 4 battleships and 2 carriers, while Italy had 5 battleships but no aircraft carriers. At first glance, Italy seemed to have no advantage.

"But it's difficult for us to prove this." Count Ciano said with some embarrassment. "This cannot be done through propaganda, because the British will also do propaganda."

After a major war, it was natural for the propaganda departments of the participating countries to brag. Although Mussolini was good at bragging, Churchill's skills in this area were not weak either. It is difficult to tell the difference between Lao Mo and Fatty Qiu based on bragging.

"We can launch an advertising campaign." Hersman already has a way to deal with it.

"Advertisement...battle?" Mussolini asked with wide eyes, "Is it an advertisement or a real war?"

"Both," Hessman explained with a laugh, "advertising and campaigns are the same thing."

"One thing? How to do it?"

"Newspapers, radio broadcasts, speeches at mass meetings, and invitations to the navies of all neutral countries." Hersman said in a very serious tone. "First tell everyone where we are going to attack, and then invite naval observers and War correspondents visited the site...so that we could publicly demonstrate the strength of German and Italian naval and air power in front of the world."

Is it possible to fight like this? Mussolini was stunned again and again, "Marshal, don't we need the suddenness of battle?"

"For the side with an absolute advantage, it doesn't matter whether there is suddenness or not." Hersman replied.

Count Ciano asked with some doubt: "Do we really have an absolute advantage?"

5 Italian battleships fought against 4 British battleships and 2 British aircraft carriers. No matter how you look at it, the British side is stronger.

"Of course!" Hessman said with great certainty, "In the just-concluded 'Eastern Mediterranean Campaign', it was not the surface fleet but the aircraft that really played a decisive role. Among the 4 battleships and 1 aircraft carrier lost by Britain, Two battleships and one aircraft carrier were sunk by aircraft, and the other two battleships were also severely damaged. Moreover, it was not the carrier-based aircraft that achieved such results, but the shore-based aviation in the Eastern Mediterranean. The main force on the battlefield, and the shore-based aviation forces deployed by our two countries on the Mediterranean battlefield have overwhelming advantages.”

Hersman said: "The long-range air strike force composed of Fokker Zero, Ju88 and S.M.79 played a decisive role in the 'Battle of the Eastern Mediterranean'. And we still have many such aircraft. Currently, the Fokker Zero The monthly production has exceeded 150, and more than 50 fighter squadrons of the German Air Force and Naval Air Force are equipped with this aircraft. The monthly production of Ju88 exceeds 200, and the monthly production of your S.M.79 is more than 100. There are more than 100 aircraft produced and more than 50 squadrons are equipped. In the "Eastern Mediterranean Campaign", we actually only used a small part of our air power. In future operations, we can invest more shore-based aviation. , to ensure another defeat of the British Mediterranean Fleet in front of reporters and naval observers from various countries.”

At present, Germany's monthly production of various aircraft is approximately more than 1,250 aircraft, which translates into an annual production of 15,000 aircraft, which is 50% more than the same period in history. In fact, it is not too much. Compared with the UK, it is just shoulder to shoulder.

However, due to the high-low combination of BF-109 and Fokker Zero, the losses of aircraft and pilots were far smaller than in history. In the battles over Belgium, the North Sea and the English Channel, and the northwest waters of Ireland, the Luftwaffe and naval aviation led by a large margin. Therefore, Germany can mobilize more forces to strengthen the Mediterranean battlefield.

In addition, Italy is now gradually realizing the huge role of S.M.79 in anti-ship warfare, so it has also begun to increase the production of anti-ship S.M.79 (which existed before the war). The bomber squadrons previously equipped with S.M.79 also began to transform into torpedo squadrons under the training of German instructors.

So on the Mediterranean battlefield, the advantages of Germany and Italy are indeed overwhelming!

"Faced with our huge advantage, if the British abandon Crete without a fight," Hersman smiled sarcastically, "then everyone will realize the prospect of victory for our two countries. Spain and France will definitely be very happy. Come join us, and our chances of victory will be greater. If the British dare to reinforce Crete with their Mediterranean fleet, we will destroy them all there!"

"So where are we going to launch an advertising campaign?" Mussolini thought for a long time and felt that Hersman's opinion was more reasonable.

Hessmann is the "God of War". Even the Italian Navy can defeat the British Royal Navy in his hands! Why did Mussolini not believe in Herschmann?

"Crete!" said Hersman, "announce it today at the mass celebration. Tell everyone that we are going to attack Crete next, and we will do it in a month. Let the whole world come. See the invincible naval and air superiority of our two countries!”

…

"What? Mussolini publicly announced at a mass rally in Rome that he would attack Crete next month?"

British Prime Minister Churchill was very well-informed. He knew it the night Mussolini announced that he would attack Crete.

“Yes, Prime Minister,” Eden, who had just become foreign secretary, told Churchill, “because Mussolini said it in public, the diplomats in Rome heard it. He claimed that he had He also said that the Royal Navy had completely failed in the recent naval battle and was no longer a powerful maritime force. It was only a matter of time before it completely withdrew from the Mediterranean (Mussolini said to get out). , after Italy completely controls the Mediterranean, the German and Italian navies will attack the British mainland together..."

"This is the most ridiculous lie I have ever heard in my life!" Churchill frowned and looked at Admiral Alexander and First Sea Lord Marshal Pound. "Both of you, I think the Mediterranean fleet has the power to crush the Italian attack, right?"