The Rise of the Third Reich

"When will the battle against Chiro begin?" Yamamoto Isoroku immediately caught Sugiyama Gen's words and asked, "Can it begin this winter?"

"Of course it's impossible in winter," Sugiyama Gen shook his head. "The German attack on Moscow did not go smoothly. It was blocked north of Kalinin City. Since the muddy season of bare autumn is coming soon, Based on last year's experience, the Germans will wait until spring before attacking again, and it is impossible for us to attack the exposed Far East and Siberia in winter... Those are alpine regions."

The attack on Moscow by the 6th Armored Group commanded by Paulus was indeed as Hitler and Hessmann hoped, and progress was relatively slow - this was certainly not because of General Paulus's incompetence, but because of the General Staff's "attack on Moscow" The "Typhoon" plan is a steady and steady plan.

Thousands of tanks were slowly pressing towards Moscow, not seeking speed but stability. The mission is completed if you advance to the north of Kalinin City in Kalinin Region before the mud season arrives. Then dig trenches and wait for the winter...

When Japan saw Germany's slow advance, it took it for granted that the Soviet Union still had considerable strength. They did not dare to go to war with the Soviet Union in the Far East, and the Soviet Union's North Pacific route was not even cut off.

"That means that before next summer, the Army does not have to prepare fuel and aviation for the war with Chilu, right?" Yamamoto Isoroku said, "In that case, let's first lend the Kwantung Army's flying division and reserve fuel to navy.

borrow? Sugiyama Genshin said, is there still time to pay it back?

"Sugiyama-kun, you must agree to the Navy's request." Navy Commander-in-Chief Nagano Osamu said, "If the Navy does not have enough fuel and aviation to cope with the next battle, by June next year, the Army will The priority is not to attack Chilu, but to defend the homeland.”

Defend the homeland? Is it really that serious?

The senior Japanese cabinet and army officials present looked at the two navy marshals with great suspicion - when they heard Yamamoto say "the country will perish because of victory" just now, they thought he was drunk and talking nonsense, and now Nagano Shushen said that he would defend the country. Local...this is really scary!

"Isn't there still a Jie-1 battle?" Hideki Tojo looked a little angry when he spoke - now, under His Majesty the Emperor and his wise leadership, the Empire of Japan is unprecedentedly powerful, and it seems to be fighting against the European Community, New Rome and the How come the four major powers in the world, which are competing against each other, are on the verge of national subjugation?

"Isn't the battle on the Czech Republic a sure victory?" Tojo asked, "Isn't it possible for the United States to lose more than 1 million troops? Why is it necessary to defend the homeland?"

"Operation Jie-1 will not be launched for at least 2-3 months." Yamamoto Isoroku said, "But if the Americans consume 1,000 pilots and 600,000 tons of fuel in the Navy in a month, by the time Operation Jie-1 begins, ...It’s hard to say whether the combined fleet can move!”

Yamamoto's words are not without purpose. From September 24 to now, in more than half a month, half of the Japanese Navy's elites who can fly carrier-based aircraft have become gods! Moreover, fuel consumption and losses have exceeded 350,000 tons!

And now that the U.S. break-up fleet has not been wiped out, the Aleutian Islands are in danger again. If this trend continues, the Japanese Navy's aircraft carriers will not be able to find pilots until Operation Jet-1 begins, and battleships such as Yamato and Musashi will not be able to find pilots. There is not enough fuel to feed them either.

By then the combined fleet will be unable to move, and even if the shore-based aircraft and ground forces can cause heavy casualties to the US military, the Hawaiian Islands will definitely be lost.

Once the Hawaiian Islands are lost, U.S. submarines and war-breaking aircraft carriers will be 10 times more rampant than they are now. The Japanese mainland may be trapped by the U.S. war-breaking war! Why fight Lucia?

"The Army can lend 50,000 tons of aviation gasoline and 50,000 tons of heavy diesel to the Navy." Tojo Hideki was "threatened" by Yamamoto, and he had to give in and came up with 50,000 tons of aviation gasoline and 50,000 tons of heavy diesel. Heavy diesel produced by coal liquefaction (this is a low-quality diesel with high viscosity and cannot be used to drive the T-34 tanks imported from Germany, but marine heavy oil boilers can digest this fuel).

"It's not enough," Yamamoto shook his head repeatedly. "50,000 tons of heavy diesel is too little... The combined fleet will burn 15,000 tons of heavy oil a day."

"No more!" Sugiyama Gen said, "The coal liquefaction equipment ordered from Germany in the first half of the year has not been shipped yet, and the factory in Kanto Prefecture has only a little production capacity."

Japan's coal liquefaction technology is poor and its output is low. Therefore, when asking Germany for help in the first half of the year (after the Panama Battle), they made a request for assistance with coal liquefaction equipment. However, the request for assistance finally fell through due to Hessmann's conditions. The assistance became an order, and it was not given priority, so it was impossible to jump in line to get ready-made equipment (coal liquefaction equipment has always been Germany's priority production equipment, and every month (each set is delivered), I can only wait in line slowly, and I don’t know when I will get the equipment.

"Then give me some light crude oil." Yamamoto Isoroku said, "The navy's boilers can burn anything. You can also add light crude oil directly."

The distribution of oil by the Japanese Navy and Army is actually not to distribute the crude oil directly, but to refine it into refined oil and then distribute it according to needs and circumstances. Among them, heavy oil basically belongs to the Navy. The Army does not have this thing and does not need it. Since heavy oil is the residue after oil refining, its output is linked to the amount of oil refined, so it may not necessarily meet the needs of the fleet. In this case, heavy diesel or light crude oil can only be used instead.

"Okay," Tojo thought for a moment, frowned and said, "Then give the Navy an additional 100,000 tons of Nanyang light crude oil... That's all, no more."

50,000 tons of aviation gasoline, 50,000 tons of heavy diesel, and 100,000 tons of Nanyang light crude oil may seem like a lot, but for the Japanese Navy, which is an oil tiger, it is just a drop in the bucket.

"Ask Germany for some more." Yamamoto Isoroku then suggested, "Whether it's heavy oil, heavy diesel or aviation gasoline, I'll give you a little if you can."

"Try to give it a try." Tojo Hideki shook his head. Yamamoto's tone sounded similar to that of a beggar...

"I'm afraid we have to give up the rescue of Amaknak Island and Unalaska Island." Yamamoto Isoroku then proposed.

"What?" Gen Sugiyama shouted as soon as he heard this. "Isn't that the gateway guarding the North Pacific? If it is lost, wouldn't it allow American aircraft carriers and submarines to enter and leave the Western Pacific at will?"

Yamamoto Isoroku shook his head and said: "Sugiyama-kun, I only said to give up rescue, not to give up."

Is there a difference? Sugiyama Gen looked at Yamamoto stupidly.

Yamamoto said: "Just use destroyers to pick up the aviation forces on the island and hand over the defense tasks to the 48th and 49th Divisions..."

"Baga!" Sugiyama Gen said angrily: "Do you want the 23rd Army of the Imperial Army (the superior of the 48th Division and 49th Division) to be completely annihilated?"

Yamamoto Isoroku nodded seriously: "Yes, if the tens of thousands of Imperial Army soldiers of the 23rd Army are not given up, the Navy will be unable to carry out Operation Jie-1."

Yamamoto has already seen that the Americans do not want to capture Amakonak Island and Unalaska Island now. They just want to use the tens of thousands of Japanese troops on the islands as a trap to trap the Japanese Navy's combined fleet, and then slowly Slow consumption.

As long as the main force of the Japanese combined fleet goes to Amakonak Island and Unalaska Island again and again, the Americans' goal will be achieved.

"The Army's 23rd Army can hold on until the victory of the Czech No. 1 battle!" Hideki Tojo ended the problem at this time - in fact, the food in stock of the Army's 23rd Army can only last for 3 months. However, it is true that we cannot force the Navy to go to the Aleutian Islands to fight a war of attrition. Otherwise, with 15,000 tons a day, the combined fleet will have no fuel available by the time Operation Czech 1 begins.

"The 43rd Division on Christmas Island must also persist independently to the end." Isoroku Yamamoto wanted to offend the Army to the end today.

"The 43rd Division..." Sugiyama Geng asked angrily, "Do we have to give up Christmas Island too?"

"Yes." Yamamoto Isoroku said, "In the first battle of Christmas Island, more than 500 elite pilots were killed. If there is a second or third time, then the Jet-1 battle should not be fought. "

"I know." Tojo Hideki's face turned ugly, "Yamamoto-kun, what else does the Navy want to give up? Tell us all?"

"The South Pacific Islands," Yamamoto Isoroku said, "there must also be independently maintained by the Army's island defense forces. In order to ensure the victory of Operation Jet-1, we need to draw aviation forces from the South Pacific frontline... At least 100,000 troops must be deployed on the Hawaiian Islands. Arrange 2,500 shore-based aircraft.

In addition, ships need to be deployed to focus on ensuring the smooth flow of the Nanyang-Mainland and Mainland-Hawaii routes. This is also a prerequisite for victory in the Jie-1 operation. "

Originally, Yamamoto Isoroku estimated that 1,000-1,500 shore-based aircraft could be used to fight the Czech No. 1, but now it seems that it is not enough, and 2,500 aircraft are needed. And it can't be a rookie who has only flown for a few dozen hours, otherwise it will only cost you your life when you encounter an American veteran who is getting braver with each fight.

At the same time, the 19 aircraft carriers of the United Fleet also have to be staffed, and this requires hundreds of veterans.

Therefore, Yamamoto Isoroku decided to deploy pilots from the South Pacific front line, which means that the islands on the South Pacific front line may be surrounded by the US and Australian troops. Without aircraft cover routes, shipping will naturally be temporarily interrupted.

"In addition," Yamamoto Isoroku lowered his voice, "Judging from the recent sea and air battles... our empire can no longer defeat the U.S. Pacific Fleet using conventional means. Even if 2,500 shore bases are concentrated in Hawaii, There is no guarantee of victory, so extraordinary measures must be taken!”