The Rise of the Third Reich

In the magnificent Oval Office of the White House. A man in a shirt, ruddy complexion, gray hair and burly figure sat lazily on a swivel chair behind his desk. He is the President of the United States of America, Franklin Roosevelt.

Two pale, elderly men in suits sat on the chairs on the other side of the President's desk. One of them was very thin and sickly, the new Secretary of Commerce Harry Hopkins. The other looked fatter and older, US Secretary of State Cold Hull.

In front of President Roosevelt, there were two secret documents brought by Secretary of State Hull himself. One of them was brought back to Washington by the US naval attaché in Berlin two days ago, about Germany's ambitions and means - US diplomats in Germany believed that Germany's ambition was to rebuild the European order during the heyday of the Holy Roman Empire. That is, the powerful German Empire would serve as the core and leader of Europe, and the whole of Europe, excluding the Soviet Union, would obey Germany's will.

Germany's route to realize its ambitions was to unify the territories of the German Second Empire and the Austrian Crown during their heyday (excluding Greater Hungary) to form a Greater Germany with a territory of more than 1 million square kilometers and a population of more than 120 million. Then, with Greater Germany as the core, promote the economic, political and diplomatic integration of Europe (excluding the Soviet Union).

Another report was given to Hull by the British ambassador to the United States. The content was the true situation of the "Atlantic Battle".

The situation was very bad, and the British Empire was on the verge of failure!

The victory of the encirclement and annihilation of the "Scharnhorst" was actually a strategic failure. The battlecruiser "Hood" was scarred! At least from the photos of the "Hood" in the dock provided by the British, this invincible battlecruiser was beaten half to death.

There were two terrible big holes below the waterline, one of which was at the stern, and the explosion affected the rudder; the other was in the middle of the ship, and seawater poured in from there and flooded a boiler room.

The damage on the deck looked even more shocking, with traces of fire everywhere. In particular, there was a trace of a terrible explosion on the starboard side of the ship. The steel was blown into a strange shape, as if it had been hit by a 406mm cannon.

According to the assessment of the British Royal Navy engineers, the "Hood" will take at least 6-8 months to repair. Before the "Hood" is repaired, the British Royal Navy has no weapons to fight against the German commerce-breaking fleet that has once again entered the Atlantic!

If the Germans send their "Gneisenau" and two aircraft carriers again to cooperate with their submarines to attack the British route. Then the British Empire will collapse within a month or two...

If the Germans are heartbroken by the loss of the "Scharnhorst" and are reluctant to send out expensive battleships again. Then the British Empire will still collapse!

Because the crazy German submarines will send all the merchant ships of the British Empire to the cold seabed within 36 months!

"Okay, I see," President Roosevelt looked at his two think tanks, "The British Empire is doomed, isn't it?"

"If we don't intervene..."

Secretary of State Cold Hull sighed and said, "And the French are in a bad situation too. They suffered heavy losses in the air battles in Alsace and Lorraine. The Germans have two very terrible aircraft, the BF-109 and the Fokker Zero. When they attack in coordination, the losses of the French Air Force will reach a heartbreaking level.

And the German bombers continue to bomb French airports, and many planes are bombed before they take off. Now the French can't produce aircraft at the speed of being destroyed.

In addition, the loss of French pilots is also very alarming and difficult to replenish. According to the current situation, in 6 to 12 months, the Germans will be able to use heavy bombing to force France to surrender."

Hersmann's "bombing Paris" seems to be working. At least now the military and government leaders of Britain and France believe that after Germany destroys the French Air Force, it will use heavy bombing to force France to surrender.

"The Germans are going to win?" President Roosevelt tilted his head and looked at the documents on his desk, "But as the President of the United States, I can't do anything!"

It's not that he can't do anything, but that what he can do is really limited.

The current President Roosevelt can't compare to Bush and Obama in later generations, who can launch wars everywhere to promote democracy and freedom. Roosevelt in 1939 didn't have such power. He couldn't even sell the advanced F2A Buffalo fighter jets that Britain urgently needed to Churchill, and he couldn't even sell steel and oil to Britain!

Because he was tied up by the Neutrality Act of 1936. According to this law, the United States cannot export war raw materials to warring countries, nor can it provide loans to warring countries. It also prohibits American citizens and companies from providing assistance to warring countries, and even prohibits American citizens from traveling abroad on ships of warring countries.

"President, we must amend the Neutrality Act of 1936 and lift the ban on arms exports to warring countries." Harry Hopkins said, "If we insist on the principles of 'self-transportation' and 'cash settlement', it will definitely be passed in Congress."

This is a big money-making business! The U.S. Congress will certainly not block the financial path of capitalists while depriving working people of their job opportunities.

"But the German submarines will still send all the weapons we sell to Britain into the depths of the ocean." Roosevelt shrugged, "If we don't solve this problem, we can't help Britain."

"The British need our escort," Hopkins said, "This is a must!"

"I know," Roosevelt glanced at Hopkins, "but the law doesn't allow me to do it."

"No," Hopkins shook his head, "the law actually does not prohibit the freedom of navigation of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet!"

"Freedom of navigation?" Roosevelt raised his eyelids and looked at his think tank.

"Yes, the U.S. Navy has the right to sail in any international waters," Harry Hopkins said, "including of course the waters where German submarines operate."

"I know," Roosevelt nodded, "but they can't use depth charges to blow up German submarines. That's an act of war."

"But they can use clear telegrams to inform the world of the location of German submarines!" Harry Hopkins said slowly.

"Use a clear telegram..." Roosevelt threw his head back and laughed, "Harry, I like this idea. You are such a genius. I think this will reduce the British losses so that they can persevere."

"President, I think we can do more." Secretary of State Hull said thoughtfully. "In order to maintain the war, the Germans also need external resources...the most important of which are Swedish iron ore and oil from the Soviet Union and Romania. . Without steel and oil, the German war machine cannot run."

"The British are going to invade Norway and Sweden?" Roosevelt frowned, and he also heard something about it.

The British Empire had a somewhat bad image in the world due to the violation of Dutch airspace and the occupation of Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

These things have now become a handle for the isolationist forces in the United States, and some people continue to call Britain the invader. The famous aviator Charles Lindbergh was giving speeches everywhere these days, declaring that the purpose of the war between Britain and France was to destroy Germany and enslave other European countries, not to save Poland. Because Poland itself had made peace with Germany and was resisting the Soviet invasion with Germany's help.

Moreover, the condition for peace between Germany and Poland is only the fulfillment of the "1918 Boundary Treaty"... This request is actually legal from the standpoint of the United States! Because the U.S. Congress voted to refuse to sign the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Since the United States does not recognize the Treaty of Versailles, the 1918 Baltic-German Treaty is reasonable and legal for the United States.

Under such circumstances, if Britain invaded Norway and Sweden again and supported British Roosevelt, it would face greater pressure from domestic isolationist forces. If he insists on having his own way, it is very likely that his pursuit of a third presidential term will be in vain.

"Britain had better seriously consider the issue of invading Norway and Sweden!" Roosevelt shook his head. "If they insist on doing so, then I cannot amend the Neutrality Act of 1936, and I cannot let the U.S. Atlantic Fleet act as an anti-submarine weapon for the British. Scout."

For Roosevelt, the third presidential term was the most important. If he stepped down, he would not be able to accomplish anything big.

"Actually, the plan to invade Norway has encountered a lot of trouble," Hull said with a smile. "Germany and Sweden have just asked Norway to expand its armaments and set up defenses at Narvik Port to deter Britain and France. The Norwegian government has agreed to Germany and Sweden. Sweden’s request also requires Germany and Sweden to provide weapons and equipment.”

"That's the right thing!" Roosevelt nodded. "We also provide some symbolic help... We can give some loans to the Norwegians to buy a few aircraft."

Harry Hopkins said: "If the British can't get the idea of ​​​​iron ore, then they can only start with oil."

"Oil?" Roosevelt paused, "That means to win over the Soviet Union... If the Soviet Union can join Britain and France, then the situation of the last world war can be repeated."

For the United States, this is undoubtedly the most beneficial!

"President, we can do something secretly," Cold Hull said.

"That's how it should be!" Roosevelt glanced at Harry Hopkins.

The U.S. Secretary of Commerce said: "President, I think I can go to Moscow... in the name of dealing with the U.S.-Soviet trade issue."