cicada

Chapter 1275 The Situation in 1941

Early in the morning of a certain day in late June 1941.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard in the Military Control Commission dormitory area. Gu Qi, who was on duty that night, came to the door of an official residence and knocked on it.

Zuo Chong, who was in the bedroom on the second floor, was awakened by a knock on the door. He sat up from the bed, picked up his gun, put on his coat, and walked downstairs. After making sure there was no danger, he half opened the door and saw his old partner, who was panting.

"Lao Gu, what happened?"

"Commander-in-Chief, the latest news from the Red Russian Intelligence Station is that the Germans and the Red Russians have just started a war!"

As Gucci handed over a telegram, his expression was very complicated, including excitement, shock, and a bit of gloating.

Zuo Zhong quickly checked the telegram and found that it was just as Gu Qi said. The Red Russian Station got the news of the war from a mole and took the risk to send the telegram.

A few hours ago, the German army launched a surprise attack on Red Russia with several army groups and hundreds of divisions, and the world war finally began.

"Wait a minute, I'll go back to the bureau with you." Zuo Zhong said to Gu Qi as he turned and walked upstairs.

History did not change here. The Germans still followed the "Barbarossa Plan" and rushed across the western border of Red Russia late at night in early summer, catching the Red Russians off guard.

In fact, after returning from Shanghai, Zuo Chong asked the intelligence personnel stationed in Red Russia and Germany to pay close attention to the situation in the two countries, so he was not surprised at all to receive the news of the war.

When the two returned to No. 29 Luojiawan, the office building was already bustling with people. The young spies who were temporarily recalled used various tools and channels to gather information, trying to obtain more intelligence.

For example, how much manpower and technical weapons the Germans have invested, what losses the Red Russians have suffered so far, the current progress of the war, etc.

This information determined the National Government's next foreign strategy. The phone in the attendant's office was on the line at this moment, ready to receive reports from the Military Control Commission at any time. Countless people were unable to sleep all night because of the war thousands of miles away.

However, due to the distance and the special situation of Red Russia, the tentacles of the Military Control Commission were unable to penetrate deep into the German and Red Russian high-level circles, making intelligence gathering very difficult. As the director of the intelligence department, Wu Chunyang was so anxious that he was sweating profusely and kept roaring at his subordinates.

"I don't want explanations, I just want information!"

"If there is no information from the inside, then we can inquire from other stations in the United States and Europe. I want to see a briefing in an hour."

Zuo Chong passed by the door of a large office. He had no intention of going in to say a word. He returned to his office and asked He Yijun to bring out the existing intelligence and started to look through it.

It has to be said that the Germans' strategic deception was very successful. Except for Zuo Zhong, no one thought that the German army would attack Red Russia this year.

A few weeks ago, the German army transferred a large number of troops and supplies to Yugoslavia and Greece, and the Berlin media also announced loudly that Germany's next military action target would be the Balkan Peninsula, which successfully confused intelligence agencies of various countries.

Then, Germany deliberately leaked false intelligence, suggesting that Germany's real strategic target was Britain and made many arrangements for this.

For example, the German troops stationed in France, Denmark and Norway were constantly conducting amphibious landing combat drills. Many troops received brand new maps of Britain and were equipped with English translations, making it appear that they were preparing to launch a large-scale attack on Britain.

A close comrade of a certain mustache, the German Air Force Marshal continuously sent night bombers to bomb the British mainland, and several new airborne troops were formed.

Rommel's North African Corps was not idle either. German soldiers conducted desert training in front of herdsmen more than once. Various engineering equipment was shipped from Europe to strengthen the German army's logistical supply capabilities.

According to the latest intelligence, the KMT's agents lurking on the German Western Front discovered that the German High Command concentrated its troops 4 kilometers away from the border at the rate of one division every four days, giving priority to forming the third echelon.

Afterwards, the German army assembled the second echelon at a rate of one division every day and a half, and the first echelon was the last to assemble. This was a standard echelon defense deployment.

Therefore, even with warnings from the Northwest of the Republic of China, under the various strategic deceptions of the Germans, the Red Russian high-level officials judged that although there would inevitably be a war between Russia and Germany, it would not be now.

It gradually became brighter outside the window, and the fiery red sun rose from the horizon. Zuo Chong rubbed his temple with a tired look on his face. At this time, the phone on the table rang, and Lao Dai asked him to come and see him immediately.

Zuo Zhong did not dare to be negligent when summoned by Teacher Bianyi. He quickly put away the documents and went to the director's office, while thinking about how to answer the other party's inquiries.

At this time, everyone in the government was probably waiting for news. Old Dai was under a lot of pressure. As expected, as soon as he entered the door, Dai Chunfeng couldn't wait to ask, "Shen Zhong, how is the war between Germany and Russia?"

"There is no new news for the time being, but the situation is not optimistic. The losses of the Red Russians must be huge." Zuo Zhong gave his own judgment.

"Oh?" Dai Chunfeng frowned and raised his hand to signal him to sit down: "Why? The chairman and the superiors need solid evidence. This matter is very important!"

Zuo Zhongban sat on the chair and replied respectfully: "The student said this based on the following three points: first, the successful strategic deception of the Germans, second, the combat effectiveness shown by the German army in the past, and third, the Red Russians underestimated the enemy.

But the students were still optimistic about the Red Russia's ultimate victory. The Red Russia's unique shadow army system, strict grassroots organization, highly firm beliefs, and the modern industry built in recent years were all guarantees for victory over Germany.

Even though the Red Russians are losing ground, once Moscow has a chance to catch its breath, the Germans will gradually fall behind, and the major Western powers will not allow Germany to occupy the Red Russians, which are rich in population, food, and mineral resources. " Zuo Zhong combined the existing intelligence with the information he had in his previous life and made some speculations about the German-Russian war. Old Dai nodded as he listened.

"Okay, you put what you said into written form immediately. I will take it to the official residence to meet the chairman."

After hearing the order, Dai Chunfeng's tone was filled with eagerness. If Zuo Zhong's prediction was consistent with the actual situation, then the Military Control Commission and he would have made great contributions.

As for whether the prediction was accurate, Lao Dai never doubted it. He had complete faith in Zuo Zhong's ability, a trust that had been built up over a long period of time. Since the other party dared to say it, he must be sure.

In the next few days, news from the front line confirmed some of Zuo Zhong's speculations. The poor performance of the Red Russians on the battlefield shocked everyone.

The Red Russian army was seriously unprepared when the German army launched the attack, many troops were in a state of chaos, and the command system failed to respond effectively, resulting in heavy losses.

In Belarus and Ukraine, the Red Russian Army was pinned down by the rapid advance of German armored forces and encirclement tactics, with thousands of soldiers taken prisoner and large amounts of equipment destroyed or captured.

On the first day of the war alone, Red Russia lost more than 1200 aircraft, more than 500 tanks, several armies were wiped out, and more than people were killed or wounded.

What is surprising is that more than 800 of the planes were destroyed at the airport before they took off, and more than 400 planes that were forced to take off failed to cause any substantial damage to the German Air Force.

In addition to aircraft and tanks, the Red Russians also lost various types of artillery and other heavy equipment. The exact number is difficult to count. No logistics officer would dare to count the casualties on a battlefield with millions of people. That would be courting death.

Six days later, Minsk, the capital of the Belarusian region, fell, and the commander of the Red Russian Western Front was ordered to be executed for his poor performance.

Germany's undeclared war on Red Russia shocked the world, and even its ally Japan was frightened. After the shock, facing the weak Red Russia, the Japanese ambitions that were defeated by the Red Russian army in the Battle of Nomonhan were rekindled.

Japan was in a dilemma in 1941. The battle with the Guo army in the south was stuck in a quagmire, the underground party in North China was making attacks everywhere, the Japanese army was short of logistical supplies, and the morale of the top military officials was shaken.

Under such circumstances, how could the Tokyo headquarters not be excited to see Germany defeating the Red Russian European elite as easily as cutting melons and vegetables?

The Japanese cabinet immediately convened an imperial conference to discuss the next move of the Japanese army and determine whether to support its ally Germany. As a result, the Japanese cabinet turned its attention again and prepared to go to war with Red Russia again.

The Kwantung Army was eager to take advantage of the momentum of the Russo-German War to completely resolve the threat posed by Red Russia to Manchukuo and Goryeo and avenge the defeat at Nomonhan.

Tokyo, the residence of Prime Minister Konoe Fumiya.

Sorge and Hayashi Fuichiro said goodbye at the door. One of them was a close aide and good friend of Konoe Fumiya, and the other was an important political ally of Konoe. They came to this visit at the invitation of Konoe to attend Japan's war preparation meeting against Red Russia.

After the two left, Moscow and Yamashiro received a top-secret intelligence almost at the same time. The content was the "Outline of Imperial National Policy under Changing Situations" just passed by the Japanese Cabinet, and even the corresponding military deployment.

The Kwantung Army will organize a pre-war mobilization in the name of "exercise". The mobilization will be divided into three preparation stages. It is expected to mobilize 70 people with the intention of completely eliminating the Red Russian military forces in the Far East within 6 months and occupy Outer Manchuria.

Ryosuke Hase in Shanghai and Fu Ling in Tokyo also sent back intelligence one after another, indicating that the Japanese troops stationed in the interior and on the mainland had recently undergone unusual movements.

Not only that, the double agent Xiao Qingmin found out through high-ranking Japanese military officials in Harbin and the Goryeo Restoration Organization that the Kwantung Army's ammunition depot in Goryeo had stockpiled a large amount of bullets and artillery shells, far exceeding the amount needed for daily combat preparations.

In July, the entire puppet Manchukuo was suddenly under martial law. Five garrison corps were given the task of strengthening public security, and hundreds of thousands of farmers were forced into labor.

Originally, these things were good news for the Nationalist government. The Japanese army's military action against Red Russia would inevitably reduce its investment in the battlefield of the Republic of China. However, due to the chain reaction, many things changed.

No one expected that the first industry to be affected by the war between Germany and Russia would be the international pharmaceutical industry. The new anti-inflammatory drug penicillin was in high demand, and merchants from all over the world waved their money but got nothing in return.

This led to a consequence that the affordable medicines sold by the Zuo family to the national government were repeatedly "robbed" and the warehouses were "burned" many times, causing complaints from the front line.

What is more serious is that there is reliable intelligence showing that the Japanese and Germans have set their sights on Australia's penicillin factories, hoping to steal the formula, strains and production processes.

Data shows that the emergence of penicillin has reduced the mortality rate from wound infections on the European battlefield from 20% before the war to 3%, and the mortality rate from sepsis from 50% to 10%, with extremely significant results.

For Japan and Germany, where human resources are precious, penicillin is an extremely important strategic material as it allows more veterans to return to the battlefield, enhancing the army's combat effectiveness and morale.

Blocking someone's money is like killing their parents. Zuo Chong became anxious after receiving the news, and immediately applied to take people to Australia to stop the two countries from attacking the pharmaceutical factory.

In order to maintain secrecy, the operatives will go through New Zealand and use false identities and smuggling methods to sneak into Australia in batches to minimize the risk of exposure.

Moreover, since they parted in Shanghai, Zuo Chong had not seen his family members other than Zuo Jun for many years, so this trip was a good opportunity to balance public and private matters.

Half a month later, a cruise ship departed from the port city, its destination being the Waitemata Harbour in Ackland, North Island, New Zealand. There were many more Asian faces among the passengers than in the past.

① In the Red Russian troops, a division would have two deputy division commanders, a regiment would have two deputy regiment commanders, and so on, until each platoon-level unit had two deputy platoon commanders. This system could be expanded rapidly during war.