The Rise of the Third Reich

"Damn, we were fooled."

After hearing Stauffenberg's report, Hessmann immediately understood what was going on. The U.S. fleet that broke through the "Atlantic blockade" before was just a feint. The purpose was to cooperate with the battleship force of the Soviet Red Navy to break through the North Atlantic blockade.

The Red Navy now has 4 Soviet-class battleships and 2 Langkastadt-class battlecruisers. Although they are all water-filled goods, their tonnage, speed and firepower are not bad, and they can definitely make up for the shortcomings of the United States' lack of new battleships.

"We also have a group of Ju288s in Bergen." Naval Aviation Commander Marshal Jeshunek said looking at the Barents Sea on the map, "Their combat radius exceeds 2,500 kilometers and can cover the Svalbard Islands. .

Moreover, we have deployed seaplanes on the Svalbard Islands, which can detect the Soviet fleet from the Barents Sea to the Norwegian Sea. "

"The Soviets will not break into the Norwegian Sea from near the Svalbard Islands." Navy Commander-in-Chief Redel immediately rejected Jeshunek's view, "It is summer, and many areas in the Arctic Ocean are navigable. I estimate that the Soviet Union People will go all the way north, bypassing the Svalbard Islands, and then meet up with the American response fleet near Greenland, and then enter the Denmark Strait together. If our aircraft carrier is still in Brest..."

"Wait a minute, do we really have no aircraft carriers available?" Hersman suddenly interrupted Marshal Redl. "Where are the escort carriers? Where are the aircraft carriers converted from cruise ships? Where are they?"

It was only the fleet aircraft carriers that were lured away from Brest, not the slower escort aircraft carriers and the "blue ribbon aircraft carriers" that were not very capable of resisting strikes.

"Bremen, Europa and Alsace form the Second Air Fleet and are currently on standby in Gibraltar." Redl replied, "As for the escort carriers, there should be a few more in Wilhelmshaven for refitting. It will take some time to gather the crew and pilot."

"Can the Second Air Fleet be dispatched now?" Hersman asked immediately, "I need the Fw-190T and Fokker Zero D of the Second Air Fleet to cooperate with the Ju288."

The American "disposable Spitfire" is of course a great threat to the Ju288, but the tactical experts of the German Air Force and Naval Aviation are not vegetarians, and they quickly have ways to deal with it. That is to launch multiple waves of saturation strikes - instead of dispatching Ju288s every time, Fw-190Ts and He219s are dispatched to "deceive the aircraft" before the Ju288s are dispatched.

Because the number of "disposable Spitfires" carried by an American fleet is definitely limited, and it will be gone after a few more sprays. Can't we just use Ju288 to blow it up when the time comes?

Although the high-altitude performance of the "disposable Spitfire" is superior, it can only bully the Ju288, which has relatively weak firepower and armor (the idea of ​​​​this aircraft is similar to that of the British Mosquito aircraft, eating at high altitudes and at high speeds). When encountering firepower and armor, The Fw-190T and He219, both of which are very powerful, are definitely not worth it.

Therefore, the Fw-190T and He219 can completely exploit the loopholes in the US shipboard radar's difficulty in distinguishing the type of enemy aircraft, penetrate from high altitudes, pretend to be Ju288, and trick the US military into launching "disposable Spitfire" aircraft.

"But the combat capabilities of the Second Air Battle are not strong," Redel said with some worry, "What if there are several Essex-class ships in the American fleet in the North Atlantic..."

The Essex class has a large number of carrier-based aircraft. If there are indeed several Essex class aircraft carriers in the US fleet that appears in the North Atlantic, then the combat effectiveness of this fleet cannot be underestimated.

“That’s what I want to happen,” Hessman said. “If there are several Essex-class ships in this U.S. fleet in the North Atlantic, then the possibility of a decisive battle between the U.S. fleet and me will be greater. I wouldn’t mind exchanging three aircraft carriers converted from cruise ships for the American Essex class, that’s a very good deal.”

…

"If we can exchange a few Casablanca-class ships for four Soviet-class ships and two Kronshtadt-class ships, we will make a profit."

Almost at the same time, US President Roosevelt was also settling accounts with General Lacey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the Oval Office of the White House.

Of course, Roosevelt would not be stupid enough to take risks with the Essex class - it was a treasure that was to be used to deal with the Japanese devils. How could it be casually sunk in the North Atlantic? However, the Casablanca class is not valuable. It is a bargain that can build 50 ships a year (one can be built in 76 days at the fastest). It does not hurt how many Roosevelts are thrown away.

Therefore, the six American aircraft carriers discovered by German reconnaissance planes were all Casablanca class. In the 22nd Task Force commanded by Vice Admiral Thomas Carson Kincaid (the fleet that appeared near Iceland), there were two other Borg-class escort aircraft carriers that had not been detected by the Germans.

In other words, the fleet has a total of 8 aircraft carriers!

These eight aircraft carriers are all equipped with fighter jets. Each aircraft carrier has 12 "disposable Spitfires" and 16 F6Fs. Although the F6F can also be equipped with bombs, its ability to attack ships is still very insufficient. Therefore, these eight escort aircraft carriers have no ability to attack ships. Their mission is air defense!

In addition to these eight escort carriers, Task Force 22 also has seven old battleships (2 Wyoming class, 2 New York class, 2 Mexico class and 1 Florida class). These battleships have been modernized, focusing on strengthening anti-aircraft firepower. Each battleship is equipped with 40 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns (4 units × 10), 48 Oerlikon 20mm machine guns (single × 44, double × 2) and 24 cannons that can fire VT fuze shells. 127mm anti-aircraft guns... These are basically 7 floating water anti-aircraft batteries!

In addition to 8 escort aircraft carriers and 7 old battleships, the 22nd Task Force also has 8 light cruisers with extremely strong anti-aircraft firepower, one of which is the newly commissioned anti-aircraft cruiser USS Oakland.

The Oakland is a light cruiser if divided by artillery and tonnage, and an air defense cruiser if divided by combat missions. Its standard displacement is only 6,000 tons, which is far less than the Cleveland class with a standard displacement of 11,800 tons. However, it has anti-aircraft firepower no less than that of the Cleveland class. It has 12 127mm high-level dual-purpose guns (which can fire VT fuzed shells), 16 Bofors anti-aircraft guns (8 twins), and 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns. 12 doors.

In the original history, because the fleet's anti-aircraft firepower was sufficient, this anti-aircraft cruiser was not built in large numbers, and only 7 were built. However, now, because of the threat from high-performance aircraft represented by Germany's Ju288, the U.S. Navy has begun to build a large number of cheap and high-quality Oakland class ships. Currently, there are as many as 30 Oakland class ships under construction.

In addition, the 22nd Task Force also has a group of Fletcher-class destroyers with equally powerful anti-aircraft firepower. This 2,100-ton standard displacement destroyer is equipped with five 127mm high-level dual-purpose guns, Bofors anti-aircraft guns (3 twins) and 10 20mm Oerlikon machine guns. Like the Oakland class, they are both cheap and high-quality anti-aircraft weapons. In this time and space, the U.S. government placed a total of 225 Fletcher-class orders, a full 50 more than in history. By 1943, this class of destroyers had begun to enter service in large numbers - according to the plan, 121 Fletcher class destroyers would be completed and put into service in 1943 alone...

Compared with the American tycoons who often build dozens or hundreds of aircraft carriers and cruisers, the European Community's "dumpling" speed is far slower.

It's not that there aren't enough shipyards, it's that there isn't enough fuel. Moreover, due to the bankruptcy of its plan to fight the United States with all its strength after negotiating peace with the Soviet Union, Germany now faces a long-term two-front war.

Compared with the Eastern Front battlefield, which is related to the unification of greater Europe and the survival of the Third Reich, the Atlantic battlefield is indeed not important enough, and naturally it cannot receive the highest priority supply.

"Everyone, now we must adjust the original combat plan and arms production plan to cope with the major changes in the situation."

At the German High Command meeting on June 25, Chief of General Staff Hessmann formally proposed changes to the combat plan and armament plan—in fact, it was to change Germany’s national policy!

Hersman said: “Defeating the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front and helping the Russian Empire establish effective rule west of the Ural Mountains will be the primary goals in the future.

The goal of the war against the United States will be to maintain control of the Atlantic Ocean for as long as possible with a smaller number of naval and air forces, ensure communication lines with South America and the west coast of Africa, and gain an exchange advantage in a protracted war of attrition. "

"A protracted war of attrition?" Hitler interrupted Hessmann's speech at this time and asked, "Is it possible to force the United States to sue for peace through victory in several decisive naval battles?"

"Mr. Chancellor," Hersman replied, "the General Staff and Naval Command will of course pursue such an outcome. But a protracted war of attrition is obviously more beneficial to the United States...The American goal is probably to defeat the Soviet Union before we can Defeat Japan. Therefore, the Atlantic battlefield is also secondary and diversionary for the United States. It is impossible for them to fight me without full assurance.

If the United States adopts a long-lasting and expendable strategy in the Atlantic, it will be difficult for us to find an opportunity for a decisive battle. Therefore, while seeking a decisive battle, we should make long-lasting preparations! "

He paused and continued: "Therefore, the General Staff recommends rearranging the armaments construction program in the next few years to adapt to the latest changes in the war situation."