The Rise of the Third Reich

Joseph Patrick Kennedy crossed the Atlantic in a Fokker 36 transport plane belonging to the Brazilian Air Force and returned to the United States in an extremely depressed mood. As a successful banker and billionaire who wanted to be an official, Kennedy felt that he had failed very much in the political arena. Apart from making some achievements as chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, he had suffered a series of failures. . He became disgraced as ambassador to the United Kingdom and was eventually dismissed by the president. He went to Germany to become an ambassador and failed even more. He worked for a long time to broker an agreement to divide the world equally, but in the end he had to send an ultimatum to his good friend Mr. Hitler.

After being brought back to the United States by the Brazilians (just a routine detention and exchange), Kennedy finally understood the truth that one should not be too ambitious and should be down-to-earth. He decided to set a small goal for himself that was relatively easy to achieve - first earn his one billion U.S. dollars...

However, before he could accomplish his small goals, Kennedy had to go to the White House to report to Roosevelt. Although he was tricked by Roosevelt, Kennedy had no intention of falling out with the president. This would not be good for achieving his small personal goals.

"Mr. President, my efforts have failed."

"Failed?" U.S. Secretary of State Hull asked in surprise, sitting in a high-backed armchair in the Oval Office. "Joseph, I thought you and Hitler had reached a verbal agreement to divide the world equally."

"It's not Hitler, it's Rudolf Hess." Kennedy said, "But he can fully represent Hitler, and it is Hitler's intention to divide the world equally... But it seems impossible now."

"Why?" Roosevelt interjected.

Kennedy glanced at the knowing president. Roosevelt looked very good, with a pink face and a confident smile on his lips, as if he had defeated the most powerful German army in the world.

"Isn't it obvious?" Kennedy said, "We have declared war on Germany!"

Roosevelt picked up the coffee on his desk and took a sip. "Do you think the Germans can defeat us?"

"No, that's impossible." Kennedy shook his head quickly, "But...it's hard for us to defeat Germany. It's really difficult."

"It's not a little difficult, but very difficult," Roosevelt said with a smile. "I know very well that the United States alone cannot defeat Germany. If the British mainland falls, I will not even be able to send the U.S. Army to the land of the European continent. "

"Then why don't we agree to divide the world equally with the Germans?" Kennedy asked strangely.

"Because we still have the opportunity to lead the entire world." Roosevelt said, "If we can get it all, of course we should try our best to fight for it. If we really can't get half of it... So Joseph, your work in Germany is very successful, you are A great diplomat, he will become an even better politician in the future. I am optimistic about you.”

Really? Kennedy was praised by Roosevelt, and his old habit of being too ambitious returned. The small goal of 1 billion US dollars was instantly forgotten by him. Compared with half the world, 1 billion US dollars is really nothing.

Kennedy asked: "Mr. President, are you saying that it's still possible for us to reach some kind of agreement with the Germans to carve up the world?"

"Of course it is possible." Roosevelt affirmed, "Okay, Joseph, now I will tell you my trump card... The key to determining the ownership of world leadership is the Soviet Union. If the Soviet Union joins the war against Germany, then the United States will have a huge The opportunity to become the world leader. If the Soviet Union does not join, then we can only take half of the world - North and South America and the Pacific Rim."

Then Roosevelt looked at Kennedy very seriously and said: "My friend, do you realize how important the work you are doing now is? America cannot have only one choice."

It turns out that my work was successful! Kennedy felt better about himself.

"So, Joseph, you have to continue to work for the country," Roosevelt said, "to continue to be responsible for completely secret negotiations with the Germans."

Secretary of State Hull took over the topic and said: "Joseph, Mr. President is going to appoint you as ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, and will also authorize you to continue negotiations with Germany."

Roosevelt smiled and asked Kennedy, "My friend, I don't think you will refuse this appointment?"

"Of course not," Kennedy laughed and nodded. "I am very willing to serve my country. I will leave for Switzerland immediately to take office."

…

"I assume Stalin knew that Kennedy was a pro-German?"

As soon as Kennedy left the Oval Office with an ambitious goal and a desire to serve his country, Roosevelt asked Secretary of State Hull with a smile.

"I must know, because politicians all over Europe know that Kennedy is pro-German and anti-British." Hull shrugged with a wry smile, "We have an ambassador who is very bad at concealing his intentions. To be honest, he is really not suitable to be a diplomat. "

"Haha," Roosevelt laughed, "He is a big-mouthed and show-off rich man, but he is still the most suitable candidate."

"You're right," Hull replied with a smile, "Stalin would have been fooled."

"Being cheated?" Roosevelt sneered a few times, "I didn't mean to deceive him, because our negotiations with Germany are serious... If the Soviet Union still refuses to join the war before the fall of the British mainland. Then we will withdraw from Iceland and the Azores and make peace with Germany. Then we will focus on dealing with the damn Japanese!" "I understand, Mr. President." Hull has understood Roosevelt's intentions-everything the United States promised to the Soviet Union has now been done. The aid that should be given has been given, and the war that should be declared has been declared, so now it is time for the Soviet Union to fulfill its promise. If Stalin delays on the issue of going to war with Germany, then the United States can only consider changing its policy toward Germany. Let the Soviets face the terrible Nazis alone! Moreover, Roosevelt also wants Stalin to clearly understand the attitude and position of the United States-the Soviet Union must decide whether to defeat Germany with the United States or fight Germany alone before the fall of the British mainland? Therefore, Kennedy, who has a clear pro-German stance, is the most suitable candidate for the US ambassador to Switzerland. …

Everyone has a small goal. Kennedy’s small goal was 1 billion, Roosevelt’s small goal was to lead the world, Stalin’s small goal was socialism in one country, and as a blond, blue-eyed Nazi superman with a scar on his face, Lieutenant Otto Skorzeny now also has a small goal - to defend the salmon dock and railway bridge in the small town of Drogheda in eastern Ireland.

It turns out that superman also has a time to lose! It turned out that shortly after Lieutenant Otto Skorzeny’s Moonlight Squadron landed in Dublin in a very cool way, their airborne armored force received an order to go north to reinforce Dundalk, which was being attacked by the British army.

The original intention of Wilhelm von Sussmann, the commander of the 7th Airborne Division of the German Wehrmacht who issued the reinforcement order, was to send twelve 38t tanks to cheer up the Irish defending Dundalk and delay the pace of the British attack. In order to buy some time for the 7th Airborne Division to deploy in Dublin.

However, they encountered the British Churchill II infantry tanks and Crusader III cruiser tanks outside Dundalk, as well as British infantry that far outnumbered them. As a result, 9 of the 12 38t tanks were destroyed, and the remaining tanks and the infantry of the Moonlight Squadron could only flee southward with the defeated Irish infantry, crossing the Boyne River all the way, and only in Drogheda (divided into north and south parts by the Boyne River) did they receive some support from Dublin and barely stabilize their position.

Leading a battalion-level combat group from Dublin was Major Rudolf Witzig, who had made great contributions in the battle to capture Fort Eben-Emael. He is now the commander of the 7th Parachute Anti-Tank Battalion.

"Major, I think the key to defending the Boyne River is the salmon pier and the railway bridge." Lieutenant Otto Skorzeny arrived in the southern city of Drogheda a few hours earlier than Major Rudolf Witzig, so he naturally knew more about the situation.

He said to Major Witzig in a fishy warehouse at the Salmon Wharf: "The railway leads to Dublin. The railway north of the Boyne River is almost intact, but I have people place bombs on the railway bridge, which can be blown up at any time."

"Can it be blown up?" Major Witzig asked.

"No problem, I promise!" Lieutenant Otto Skorzeny replied, "I was a construction engineer before the war broke out."

"Okay, then I'm relieved."

"The British have no way to go south on the railway bridge, so the Salmon Wharf is the key." Lieutenant Otto Skorzeny said, "You can see this wharf, it's very large, and there are solid buildings to rely on."

Catching salmon (that is, salmon) is the pillar industry of Drogheda City, so the Salmon Wharf is built very large, and there are many aquatic product warehouses and trading places, all of which are relatively solid and can be transformed into fortifications with a little modification.

"Is there a shoal in the Boyne River for tanks to wade across?" Major Witzig asked.

"There must be some upstream, but the water level near Drogheda is too deep, so there shouldn't be any."

"If the tanks can't wade across, we should be able to hold out for a while." Major Witzig said, "Lieutenant General Sussman hopes that we can hold off the British for 48 hours, so that he has time to deploy defenses in Dublin, and the 1st Marine Division can also get to Dublin."

"I'm afraid it's difficult." Lieutenant Otto Skorzeny shook his head, "The British are very powerful, they have many tanks, and a very sturdy heavy tank. I'm afraid there will be a hard battle!"

When he said this, several violent explosions suddenly came from the distance.