The Rise of the Third Reich

"When will those guys invited to the theater by Mussolini get to Rome?"

When the Imperial Chief of Staff Sir Dill and the First Lord of the Admiralty Sir Pound came to No. 10 Downing Street to report on the battle plan, Winston Churchill suddenly asked when the "audience" would arrive.

Because the "Battle of Crete" has now become an international political struggle. In this struggle, the gains and losses in Crete are not the most important. The most important thing is the views of European countries, including Turkey, on the future of the war.

If everyone thinks that the British Empire is going to end, then the British Empire is really going to end, and even holding Crete is useless. Because as long as Turkey falls to Germany, hundreds of thousands of German troops will be able to march into the Middle East through Turkish railways. Wavell's army will definitely not be able to resist it.

If everyone thinks that the British Empire will not fall all of a sudden, then the British Empire can continue to maintain its situation, even if it loses Crete.

"February 10th to 15th," Sir Dill, the Imperial Chief of Staff, was well prepared and immediately replied, "According to the intelligence we have, most of the observation groups will arrive before the 15th of next month."

"So when will the B-17 bombers and Lancaster bombers be ready?" Churchill asked again.

Preparing heavy bombers would naturally mean a slap in the face, although Mussolini was shameless and not afraid of a slap at all. But as long as the military observer groups from various countries arriving in Rome can see what will happen if they anger the British Empire, then the goal will be achieved.

But the problem is that there are not many B-17 bombers and Lancaster bombers ready now. The United States has just begun to equip B-17 bombers. Boeing has officially delivered the B-17C to the military (the first type equipped with a turbocharger). There are only 37 B-17 models with compressed engines. President Roosevelt and General Marshall issued a death order, forcing the U.S. Army Air Force to hand over 20 of them to the British.

The Lancaster bomber has just entered the trial production stage and is equipped with only one bomber squadron (12 aircraft). Moreover, this four-engine heavy bomber produced by the British is not a high-altitude bomber, and its service ceiling is only 5,793 meters. So I could only slap Mussolini in the face at night while he was sleeping, and the effect would not be very good.

Therefore, all Churchill could really count on were 20 B-17C bombers, which could fly very high and avoid ground artillery and most fighters. However, this aircraft has just been delivered to the British. Although the Royal Air Force has deployed its most experienced crew members to train under the guidance of American instructors, it is still a bit difficult to fully master the B-17C in less than one month. Difficult.

"Twenty B-17s and 12 Lancasters will be ready by February 15th," Sir Dill replied. "In addition, there will be 10 squadrons of Wellington bombers and 3 squadrons of Blenheim bombers." Night fighters can be dispatched from Greece."

Wellington bombers, Blenheim night fighters, and Lancaster heavy bombers, all could only use night raids to bomb Rome.

"Then start air strikes on the Italian capital from February 15th. This should let the French and Spanish know how powerful it is."

Paris and Madrid are relatively close to the British mainland, so they can be frightened by bombing. However, Türkiye is too far away, more than 2,500 kilometers away, and existing bombers will definitely not be able to reach it.

Churchill took a few puffs on his cigar and then asked: "If we fail in Crete or Tobruk, can we still prevent the Germans from rushing into the Middle East?"

"It's difficult," Sir Dill sighed, "Admiral Wavell and Admiral Cunningham will definitely try their best to fight. If they cannot win, then the fleet must withdraw from the Mediterranean, and then the army and the Royal Air Force will be responsible for defending Egypt and The Suez Canal Mission.”

"What if we fail again?"

"Then we will lose the Middle East." Sir Deere said helplessly, "And the Germans will have enough crude oil, France, Turkey, and Spain will all turn to Germany... Gibraltar may not be protected, and then Italy and France The fleet will rush out of the Mediterranean!"

Sir Dill will not say what will happen after breaking out of the Mediterranean Sea... Everyone knows this very well. If the Mediterranean Sea is completely defeated, the British Empire should sue for peace. If you fight for surrender, you will lose half of it. From now on, more than 40 million British people will have to live a peaceful life guarding the other half of the empire.

"Sir," Churchill said calmly, puffing on his cigar, "if we lose the Middle East, who will get it?"

"Germany, of course," Sir Dill replied.

"Why not the Soviet Union?" Churchill's words surprised both Sir Dill and Sir Pound.

Churchill thought to himself and said: "At least the Soviet Union should be allowed to obtain the entire oil-producing areas of Iran and Iraq. This is very good for us."

what is the benefit? Will the Soviet Union go to war with Germany just because it gets Iran and Iraq? This is obviously impossible. The Soviet Union would only negotiate with Germany, and it would be a little oily. It was impossible for the Soviet Union to risk its life for the Middle East oil production areas that it could not hold...

"This is good for us, very good!" Churchill was still talking to himself. "Losing the Mediterranean is not the end of the British Empire. We can still fight... We must not let Germany become the hegemon of the world. This is not allowed. Not only would I not agree, but neither would Roosevelt or Stalin. If we lose in the Mediterranean, it’s time for them to join in!”

…

"General Yamamoto, welcome to Europe!"

Yamamoto Isoroku really came, taking his "Fairy Advisor" Kurojima Kameto Colonel on a Zero transport aircraft produced by Japan's Nakajima Aircraft Company (a Japanese copycat version of the American DC-3), from Wujun Port Departing, passing through China, the Soviet Union, and Germany, we flew to Rome, the capital of Italy, on the morning of February 15.

At the airport, General Yamamoto met Marshal Hessmann who came to greet him. Yamamoto and Hirschmann had met more than ten years ago, when Hirschmann went to Japan to promote Japanese-German technical cooperation, and Yamamoto happened to be able to participate in the meeting.

"Marshal Your Excellency, it is a great honor to meet you again in Europe." Yamamoto Isoroku shook hands with Hessman very politely and said with a smile on his face. "I am in Japan during this time, and I am studying the naval battle in the Eastern Mediterranean under your command every day. This is an epic victory!"

Hessman smiled and said: "It's only halftime. It would be fine if we didn't lose those two aircraft carriers."

"Your Excellency, Marshal, even if those two motherships are lost, the Great Battle of the Eastern Mediterranean is still a victory that changes history!" Kurojima Kameto, who was following Yamamoto Isoroku, interrupted at this time, "This is the British Royal Navy The worst defeat ever and a decisive one!”

"This is Captain Kurojima Kameto, the chief staff officer of the combined fleet." Yamamoto Isoroku quickly introduced his confidant to Hessman.

"Oh, I've heard of you." Hessman nodded and shook hands with him, "You are also welcome to come to Europe... Let's go, let's go to the Medici Villa first. My headquarters is there, you guys You can also live there, it’s a big place and beautiful. ”

A general of Yamamoto Isoroku's level would naturally not risk going to the front line to watch the battle. This opportunity belonged to Kuroshima Kameto and several other staff officers. Hersman's invitation to Yamamoto to stay at the Medici Villa was considered to be a front-line understanding of the progress of the Mediterranean war.

Of course, Hersman did this not to facilitate Yamamoto's visit to the war, but to discuss future wars against the United States with him.

…

The Medici Villa is located in the center of Rome. It was built by the Medici family, the ruling family in Florence's history. It occupies a large area and is more than enough to accommodate the entire Mediterranean German-Italian Allied Forces Command.

Although the coalition headquarters is a high-level military organization, it does not have the aura of being heavily guarded. There are only two Italian black-shirted soldiers standing upright at the door. Hessmann's motorcade stopped at the gate. The adjutant, Colonel Schnetz, showed his ID in accordance with the regulations, and then the motorcade drove directly in and stopped at the entrance of the villa building.

When Hessmann and Yamamoto walked into the villa talking and laughing together, Deputy Chief of Staff General Hans Jeshunek suddenly walked out of a war room belonging to the Air Force (including Naval Aviation) in a hurry. Seeing Hessmann with two Eastern soldiers, he winked at him and seemed a little anxious.

"Hans, what happened?" Hersman didn't mean to avoid Yamamoto Isoroku and asked directly in English.

"Marshal, our radar station on Sardinia reported that we found at least 10 aircraft flying from the southwest, heading towards Rome."

"Southwest?" Hessman frowned, "Gibraltar? Or took off from an aircraft carrier?"

"It should be Gibraltar." Hans Jeshunek said.

"How can I see it?"

"Because the flight altitude of the aircraft remains above 9,000 meters!"

"Above 9,000 meters?" Hersman was stunned and suddenly laughed, "This is a B-17. I thought they were going to bomb Berlin, but I didn't expect that they flew to Rome to cause trouble."

In this era, there are not many aircraft that can fly long distances at an altitude of 9,000 meters. Even if many aircraft can fly up, they will not stay there for long. So Hessman immediately thought of the B-17, a high-altitude heavy bomber that the Americans leased to Britain.

"Marshal, we don't have fighter jets that can fly that high near Rome." Hans Jeshunek said anxiously, "The nearest BF-109H squadron is in Cologne, and there is no way we can get there..."

"Nothing," Hessmann waved his hand indifferently, "It's just 2-30 B-17s at most. They can't carry many bombs. They can't blow up Rome... Hans, you call Marshal Kesselring immediately and ask him to He allocated five squadrons of BF-109Hs to Italy."

As he spoke, Hersman turned to Yamamoto Isoroku and smiled, saying: "Neither the United Kingdom nor the United States are invincible opponents. If you want to participate in the war, you must also be prepared for Tokyo to be bombed! However, Don’t worry, we will provide you with the necessary air defense technical equipment, including radar and high-altitude interceptors.”