Iron Cross

Ps: Come up with a joke for everyone to enjoy - a bunch of Germans drove warships snatched from France, pretending to be the Greek fleet to visit Bulgaria, and then passed through the strait and flew the Romanian flag to fight against the Soviets. May I ask Turkey, the supervisor of the strait? How big is the area of ​​​​people's psychological shadow? What responsibility do the Germans have?

In the afternoon, the Anglo-American Joint Chiefs of Staff (the highest joint military command body of the United Kingdom and the United States established in Washington in early 1942) held an emergency meeting at Roosevelt's request. The atmosphere of the meeting was very dull, because before the meeting, another letter from the United Kingdom was received. According to the report, the British landing fleet in the Mediterranean direction was also ambushed by submarines. The losses were slightly smaller than those of the United States, but more than 1,000 people were killed. 11 transport ships carrying supplies and arms were sunk. British warships The losses were not significant, with only two escort aircraft carriers, the Avenger and the Adventurer, sunk by torpedoes. But secret news came from Italy that the Italian fleet was preparing for an emergency dispatch, and the number of German and Italian aircraft deployed on Sicily had increased to 600 (this was of course the news released by Hoffman to bluff people, the real number was less than 260 ).

"There are various signs that Operation Torch has encountered a severe test, and now it is time for us to face a decision..." Out of national dignity, Roosevelt did not want to talk about the failure of the South Pacific Campaign right away.

"Prime Minister Churchill provided two suggestions. First, continue the landing operation after eliminating interference from the German and Italian submarine forces; second, adjust the landing direction and transfer the landing destination to Egypt." British Admiral Charles Little (Charles-Little, actually translated as 小小点tiaodiao) said, "If the second plan is implemented, considering the fleet supply problem, a short stopover in South Africa can be made midway."

"It will definitely not work to continue the landing." Marshall said with a stern face. "It is extremely unwise to continue to hit the guns when the Germans are prepared. It will be a bigger Battle of Dieppe, but there are Isn’t it possible to land directly in France?”

British Field Marshal John Dill shook his head and said: "After the Pétain regime completely fell to the Germans, the French mainland and colonies were no longer defensed against the German army, and the fleet transfer speed could not be as fast as Germany's. The speed at which men move troops by rail.”

"There is another way..." U.S. Secretary of War Smith Timson said slowly, "First bring the troops back to Britain, and then consider the next move."

This is of course safer and more stable, but it is obviously a bit negative. All generals with military background are not optimistic about it: after spending countless efforts, preparing for several months, and deploying such a huge force and fleet, now just because of a few things The German submarine retreated due to threats? Not to mention that the leaders of the two countries cannot afford to lose this person, how to inform and convey it to the soldiers below is also very difficult.

"Unless we can find a way to get the French and Germans to fight first, and then we take the opportunity to land, it will be difficult to land in the French-controlled area." Lieutenant General Harris (A-T-Harris), the representative of the British Navy, knew that the United States has been doing something in North Africa The high-level work has placed high hopes on this and is very eager to receive relevant assistance. But he believes that this is obviously impossible. The North African military has not stated its stance on future wars at all, let alone siding with Britain and the United States to fight the Germans. Of course, there is a reason that everyone knows but no one is willing to say it out loud - for the French, the Americans alone are less resistant, and with the British as a troublemaker, even simple problems will be complicated.

"There is new news from France. Hitler is releasing prisoners of war faster than the French expected. Most of the first batch of 500,000 prisoners will be released by November 15. The Pétain regime is already re-preparing to use the prisoners to organize To train 5-7 divisions, in addition to deploying 2-3 divisions in France, 4 divisions must be deployed in North Africa, and even the only armored division must be placed in North Africa." Marshall sighed, "Theirs. It is obvious, Vichy France, oh, no, it can no longer be called Vichy, because the Pétain government has moved the capital back to Paris. Their next move will be more thought-provoking, and may even conflict. Go to Dakar (Britain and the United States joined forces with the Free French to seize French West African colonies)."

Everyone at the meeting frowned. They thought that at least the French colonial authorities would stand on the side of Britain and the United States, but now it seems that they need to think deeply about the signal sent by the French. The reconciliation between France and Germany is much faster than the reconciliation between Britain and France. Once the North African colonies were occupied by the Germans, it would be even more difficult to clear them out. The North African army's counterattack against Free France in Central and West Africa must be something that Germany would like to see.

"In addition, Belgium and the Netherlands have accepted the olive branches sent by the Germans, and various industrial groups, especially those closely related to the military industry, have received orders from the Germans. And as long as they are obedient, the release of prisoners of war can be "Compared with the French approach," Marshall said with a worried look, "Hitler's military pressure on them has been greatly weakened, but the political coercion has further deepened. The Belgian and Dutch authorities attach great importance to this, and the people are also looking forward to being captured. The atmosphere is not conducive to the early return of our loved ones.”

The dialogue reached an impasse: turning around and attacking France was obviously unanimously rejected by both parties, because the landing operation involved specific preparations, and the landing could not be reorganized immediately by changing the direction, not to mention what would happen after the landing, nor did France and the Netherlands What is Belgium's attitude towards the United Kingdom and the United States? It is still unclear which port or beach on the European continent can be landed; the proposal to return to the country (whether to the United Kingdom or the United States) was also rejected by the soldiers because it would damage the morale of the troops. , shifting the target when they first set off can also tell that this is the reason for the temporary adjustment of the army's strategy. Now it is estimated that the army officers have already issued clear goals on the landing area, landing objectives and steps, and more senior officers have even mobilized the young men. I've spoken, and if I say retreat, I'm afraid it will make people dissatisfied.

"There is another way..." Admiral Jin said with a gloomy face, "Go to Australia and Southeast Asia...where we have suffered setbacks and are in urgent need of support."

Admiral Kim did not try to cover up the failure of the South Pacific Campaign. Instead, he introduced the details. Out of concern about the development of the war situation in Asia, 3 out of 4 American generals agreed to use the troops planned to be used in North Africa to support the Asian direction. , the remaining one also expressed willingness to increase support after landing in North Africa. But all the British were opposed to this. Although the reasons given were all kinds of strange, Roosevelt heard clearly: The other party tried his best to explain all kinds of difficulties and had only one purpose. The British did not want to follow the United States and invest more in Southeast Asia - -In the British mind, the Asian battlefield is contracted by the Americans, and the British can just wait for the harvest - at least they do not want to invest until victory is achieved in Europe. Although Australia and New Zealand are British Dominions, the British are sure that the United States will not easily abandon this counterattack base and are not prepared to pay more.

Roosevelt did not take a position because he knew that if the debate continued, it would lead to a general review of the "Europe first, Asia later" strategy: In the United States, including the Navy, many members of both houses of Congress, and some army generals (such as MacArthur) who had feelings for Asia, they were determined Those who oppose the "Europe first, Asia later" strategy have very simple and simple reasons and ideas - the Germans did not do anything to the Americans, and the Japanese not only attacked Pearl Harbor but also took away the Philippines from the Americans. Japan is the fundamental enemy of the United States, so Japan must be defeated first. As for Europe, let the British and Russians deal with it first. The worst that the United States can do is send some arms - the more Europeans die, the better!

Before the South Pacific Battle, the army and navy were optimistic about the development of the war and believed that Japan was no longer a concern. It would be okay if the president was willing to invest more power in Europe. But now the Navy's Pacific Fleet was so badly beaten by the Japanese that overnight, The three fleets TF16, 17, and 64 were lost, as well as the 1st Marine Division. This kind of battle situation not only makes people angry, but also makes people worry-will the Japanese make further attacks on Australia and New Zealand? And the super battleship - all the survivors who saw the Yamato told about their deep impression of this giant ship: 18-inch guns, a displacement of at least 60,000 tons, impenetrable defenses (the surviving shipboard The pilots of the aircraft reported to the country that the Yamato had been attacked by at least three waves and had eaten 12 torpedoes and more than 20 500-pound bombs. The result was that it was unscathed and the speed was steadily running above 25 knots.) What kind of damage would it cause. Based on this judgment, everyone agreed that the power invested in Asia was too little and must be increased. If necessary, it could be diverted from Europe.

"Our USS Iowa will have to wait a few months to enter service, but even this level is still difficult to deal with the Japanese super battleship, so support is urgently needed, otherwise Australia and New Zealand will also be under the threat of Japan." What Admiral Kim did not say was that due to the stimulation of Yamato, the Navy has requested that the originally mothballed "Montana" class battleship plan be re-implemented. President Roosevelt has basically expressed his approval and instructed to build at least 4 (Because the hull is too wide to pass through the canal, we prepare two ships each for the Atlantic and Pacific oceans).

"In view of the weak power of the German navy, it has been hiding in the port and not daring to go out." The British representatives exchanged glances. They knew that the Americans were making conditions, so they expressed their stance calmly, "We are willing to send a fleet to the Far East. Assist American friends in encircling and suppressing this giant ship - just like we did against the Bismarck."

"What fleet does your country plan to invest in?"

"Considering the defense and firepower of Japan's super battleships, we are prepared to invest in four George V-class battleships. In addition, considering that your country has no aircraft carriers available for the time being, we are willing to lease three Tejas-class aircraft carriers to your navy (Tejas) HMS Victory, HMS Formidable), but the relevant carrier-based aircraft need to be resolved by your country. "

The British are indeed the troublemakers in international politics for many years. Not only are their ability to grasp the overall situation first-rate, but the price they proposed has obviously scratched the itch of the Americans.

"Okay!" Admiral Jin stood up excitedly. One George V will definitely not be able to deal with the Japanese super battleship, but there are 4 George V in hand, plus the United States' own 3 South Dakota-class battleships and the North Carolina The battleships have firmly secured the lineup of the Japanese Yamato plus two Nagato-class battleships. In addition, the other party is willing to provide three aircraft carriers. Although the aircraft carriers of this level have a little less aircraft capacity, they are at least regular aircraft carriers and have a heavy weight. The armored defense finally solved the navy's urgent need.

After General Kim said "yes", the military leaders of the United Kingdom and the United States laughed heartily. In fact, Roosevelt had anticipated that Churchill would make a request to land in Egypt before the meeting, and he also expressed his agreement. The delay in agreeing is just to gain some benefits. Since the British are so smart now, he is happy to go along with the situation.

Sure enough, Smith, who understood Roosevelt's mind, said: "If this is the case, I think we can also consider landing in the direction of Egypt, but some technical problems need to be solved first."

The so-called solution to technical problems is the rhythm of expressing agreement. The British representatives showed "deep understanding" and waited for the Americans to speak.

After arguing for most of the afternoon, the two sides finally reached an agreement: in view of the major changes in the enemy situation, both sides agreed to temporarily postpone the "Torch Plan", but the work against the French continued to be strengthened; the fleet originally planned to be used in the direction of North Africa moved south, Prepare to arrive in South Africa before November 28, and then rest and replenish in South Africa; then the fleet will leave South Africa around December 10 and head north, striving to land in Egypt through the Suez Canal before January 1, 1943, by strengthening the military strength in North Africa and equipment to eliminate the Guderian Group in one fell swoop. The joint chiefs of staff meeting of both sides will use this month and a half to discuss follow-up combat plans.

The British generously stated that in order to confuse the German and Italian Mediterranean fleets and aircraft as much as possible, the British fleet currently in the Mediterranean will only retreat slightly, but will not leave until the American fleet passes through West Africa. They can then move if the opportunity is right. Waiting for an opportunity to eliminate part of the German and Italian navy and air force. At the same time, they promised that the troops supporting the US Navy would set off as soon as possible and strive to set off within three days.

After receiving the report from the submarine force that the U.S. fleet was turning south, Hoffman wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "What a danger, I finally succeeded in deterring the torch from lighting up..." In fact, Hoffman reported to The troops sent to North Africa are the last reserve and mobile troops he has in hand. If there are any mistakes on other fronts at this moment, he will not be able to get the troops to deal with them. However, the Americans were more afraid of death than he thought, so they rushed over without any hesitation.

As for the British and American warships turning around and heading south, he could guess with his toes what they were planning to do. Wasn't it just to rely on his own naval superiority to land in Egypt to strengthen Montgomery's troops? Don't be crazy, I asked for help - the United Fleet is coming soon!