Iron Cross

"Everyone, this is a time of war. Of course, missiles must serve the war, so the warheads are equipped with explosives. However, missiles can also work hard to develop peaceful causes and explore space in the future." Hoffman changed the topic and started again Describing the future scenario, "If we launch a high-efficiency communication device through a rocket - that is an artificial satellite, because it can continuously rotate around the earth and broadcast signals around the world while overcoming the earth's gravity, allowing all parts of the world to communicate with each other. You can listen to radio and TV simultaneously; we can also use artificial satellites to install a reconnaissance system, which can appear above the enemy at a fixed time and monitor the battlefield situation, so we don’t have to worry about arranging reconnaissance aircraft; we can also use rockets to fly out Manned flight through the atmosphere can even allow humans to land on the moon; we can also set up independent observation stations in the sky to avoid interference from ground factors, and we can also directly explore the ground from the air to help us discover minerals buried underground. ... In the past, wars were two-dimensional, with both sides fighting only on land or sea; decades ago, with the advent of aircraft and submarines, wars developed into three-dimensional ones. In the future, the width, breadth, depth, and intensity of wars will be based on new dimensions. With the expansion of the way, there is likely to be no difference between the front and the rear, and there will no longer be a gap in time and space. This is true in war, and it will be the same in peacetime. War can often promote the development of the era more than peace. We will end the war. After pioneering the world of space exploration, Germany’s future journey is to the stars and the sea!”

Hoffman spoke enthusiastically for two and a half hours, giving a brief outline of his aerospace career in the past world. Everyone in the audience was mesmerized. Everyone understood that what the Führer was describing was the future. But they are convinced that this future is not a fantasy but a process that can be gradually realized. The sentence "Germany's future journey is the stars and the sea" is firmly imprinted in their minds indelibly.

Many years later, Hoffmann's impromptu speech was touted by Propaganda Minister Goebbels as "The Führer's Speech at the Peenemünde Missile Work Symposium" and summarized the "Peenemünde Missile Research Spirit". All government agencies, universities, and scientific research organizations are required to study carefully, deeply understand, and implement it. Officials also hold special commemorative activities on every tenth anniversary day in order to pass on "this precious spiritual wealth from generation to generation." ". On the 50th anniversary, the postal department of the Third Reich also issued a special commemorative stamp. The background is the main missiles developed by the Peenemünde base during the war and the early post-war period. The one with the largest face value reproduces the scene of the Führer's speech. .

This is of course too exaggerated, but scientists who have attended the conference, especially several major chief scientists, do not dislike the tone of the propaganda agency. Instead, they will express their honor to participate in this conference in person on various occasions in the future. Dr. Braun, the chief missile authority of the Third Reich and later the director of the Greater Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the All-European Academy of Sciences, spoke highly of Hoffmann's impromptu speech in his memoirs written by himself in his later years, thinking that this speech was " "Geniusly and with great foresight", the head of state "comprehensively, scientifically and creatively" promoted the development of the Third Reich and even the human missile and rocket industry. Many of the contents of the head of state's speech at that meeting have become reality. More is about to become a reality, and even the aerospace industry of the Third Reich is developing almost in the direction guided by the head of state, without even the slightest deviation - as if the world should be like this.

"Führer, you really have so much confidence in missiles." On the way back the next day, after the enthusiasm faded, there were many people who were skeptical, but only Speer dared to raise such a question.

"Speer, listen to me. Although missiles are still inconspicuous now and seem to be a dispensable follower of traditional weapons, if you carefully review the progress of various technical weapons since the Franco-Prussian War, you will find that Whoever masters the latest technological weapons is likely to win the next war. The role of tanks and aircraft was still weak in the last war and seemed to be a burden to other equipment, but in this war they have already played a role. "We play a very important role. If we didn't have the equipment advantages and tactical advantages accumulated in this field, do you think we could quickly win the French campaign?" Hoffman emphasized, "The empire currently has unique development in the missile field. Advantage, if we do not seize this advantage and use this advantage to establish our strong military position, if there is another war, others will use our own inventions against us, and the consequences will be disastrous, you Think of tanks as an example."

Speer nodded silently: The tank was invented by the British, but it was the Germans who used it best in this war. They also developed blitzkrieg tactics and achieved results that were unimaginable in the last war.

"Developing missiles is also a helpless move based on reality. Geographically, we are separated from the United States by an ocean. They can use naval superiority to continuously oppress us, or use warships to perform blockade missions, or use sea and air superiority to carry out attacks. Amphibious landings, but we can only guard against them on the African and European continents but never be able to defeat them. The Americans may want this, but such a passive situation is definitely not my character. Of course, we can also develop a navy, but this is too expensive. It is too slow and cannot be effective in a short period of time. We must find another shortcut. I hope that in the future we can have an intercontinental missile loaded with super bombs to hit Washington directly from Berlin, or we can use submarines loaded with missiles from the middle of the Atlantic at any time. Launched to New York - We don't necessarily have to use missiles to fight the war, but we must have something reliable and powerful to deter them. Only then will the Americans really pay attention to our demands, and then we can completely establish the German nation's position in the world. Only when politicians and diplomats speak can be listened to, and our people can go out with dignity - I dare say that this moment is only 15-20 years away. If we are not prepared, we will soon fight another war. It must be us who lose.”

Speer thought for a while and nodded silently: There was exactly 20 years between the end of the First World War in 1919 and the beginning of the Polish campaign in 1939. This war might end in a few years. If there were another 20 years, it would only be I'm afraid that everything the head of state just said will come true.

After thinking about this, he looked much better and said, "I will fulfill my responsibilities, allocate all necessary resources and dispatch capable personnel to manage relevant projects."

"We have always believed that this war will be a quick decisive battle. I still held this view two years ago or even half a year ago, but the war has inevitably become protracted and may not end in another 3-4 years. All projects that appear to be dispensable because they cannot take effect quickly must be restarted or accelerated. "This is not only responsible for ourselves, but also for Germany's future."

Speer changed the subject: "I have conveyed your intention to Professor Heisenberg about the super bomb project. Obviously he has deep doubts about US intelligence, but he still promised to recalculate it. I arranged for other professors to synchronize He reluctantly accepted the verification and offered to convene an academic conference - I didn't want to hide it and make him feel unhappy afterwards. "

"This is right. We must be skeptical and respect the value of authority." Hoffmann asked, "Did he accept the 500 million mark allocation?"

"He was very surprised by this and thought that the head of state paid much more attention to this project than he imagined. This was also the motivation for him to agree to hold an academic conference. I originally thought that these funds were more than enough, but if you follow your requirements for the deployment of missile bases today , if those refining projects are handled in the same way, the budget will be greatly exceeded." Speer said with a wry smile, "I initially thought that the budget would be enough for them to use until the end of the war, so I planned to find a hidden ground factory to start."

"These two are our real strategic projects No. 1 and No. 2." Hoffman pondered for a moment, "In order to speed up the progress, the ground project will be tested first, and the underground project will be built at the same time - you can find the mountains in the south after hollowing out Use it, it’s better for air defense.”

"I'm afraid the amount of work will be huge."

"Go to Himmler, just say it's what I want." Hoffman stretched out a hand, "First prepare 500,000 people in the name of mining, and the project is still the Bowman Pipe."

"Where's the budget?"

"The paintings collected by Göring can be sold to the French and Swiss through appropriate channels. Antiques, famous paintings, and jewelry confiscated from other places will be dealt with in the same way. Other shares and real estate will be digested internally. There is no upper limit to the budget of this project. If you don't take the normal route, you can guarantee as much as you need." Hoffman suddenly laughed, "He is the one who makes the money, and he is the one who spends the money. I dare say that Comrade Bowman's future tasks will not be easy."

Speer also laughed: "You are trying to tire him out! But I can trust his character."