Bismarck

But... cats are very sensitive... Especially in this unsafe environment, sensitivity has almost become Bismarck's instinct...

The Balkans are generally martial, even though Slovenia is a small place. The people here are not the kind of people who dare not speak out as he saw in France and Crete. In Bismarck's own perception, it can be said that there are almost everywhere where people pull out their guns and fight without saying a word... Even if you don't deliberately open your perception, the perception of a cat is like instinct...

In Bismarck's perception, whether it was because of ethnicity, religion, ideology, or personal hatred, or even outright murder and robbery... it happened every now and then in visible or invisible places...

A chaotic scene of hell on earth.

In France, in Greece, and even in North Africa... although he had seen the tragedy of war before, Bismarck had never seen a place as chaotic as this.

Bismarck almost escaped by jumping onto the returning transport boat and fled from this hellish place...

Damn it, she shouldn't have come out, or shouldn't have worn this dress. This dress has isolated her from normal things.

I'm feeling a little down, what should I do?

Come to think of it, in history, it was Germany that was defeated and surrendered, right?

Germany has committed so many sins by launching the war, so what will be the outcome for itself?

Thinking about the historical results, she remembered the looks of the people just now, and felt very uncomfortable.

Historically, grapes were sunk by the British in tallboys, then dismantled and melted down to be made into table knives and auctioned off everywhere...

Prince Eugen was dragged away by the Americans and was hit by two atomic bombs in Bikini Atoll...

The worst was the Zeppelin. Historically, it seemed that she was abandoned by the Germans until the end of the war, but... in the end, it seemed that she was dragged back by the Soviets, shot at - fished out - shot at again - fished out again... until she was beaten to a pile of scrap metal.

As for the officers and soldiers of the German army, whether on the Soviet side or the Allied side...it seems that there were more than one or two people who were sentenced or even hanged on the gallows.

And the most important captain...

Although she knew very well that both she and the captain were innocent, if they really lost the battle, there was an idiom that said they would be at the mercy of others...

Bismarck suddenly felt like he had fallen into an ice hole, and broke out in a cold sweat...

I just want to quickly escape back to the battleship Tirpitz, and escape back to my captain's side, as if only in that way can I feel a little safe...

Although it's the captain's side, I don't know what will happen...

After all, no one really knows how this future, which has already changed, will develop...

Chapter 545: Do you want a fox scarf?

When the Persian cat was depressed, Rommel in North Africa was also depressed...

Since the victory of the Battle of Alexandria at the end of September, the African Corps, after a slight reorganization, has been attacking all the way from here. The western front has reached the Sphinx Airport in the northwest corner of Cairo, while the eastern front has reached the outlet of another branch of the Nile River, Damietta, which is also the city named after this branch river!

But this time, Rommel had to stop again!

But this time it’s not that there’s not enough supplies, but that there’s not enough troops…

Alexandria is only 200 kilometers away from Cairo, and the infrastructure is relatively good. Some areas can even be built into alternate airports, so there is no problem with the supply of the African Corps.

In the previous Battle of Alexandria, not only did they eat up three Allied infantry divisions, but the four Allied armored divisions in the south were also crippled. The three Allied mechanized infantry divisions that attacked Alexandria were also in front of the two cavalry brigades of the African Corps, and they had to leave behind the 10th Indian Division to cover their retreat. But even these Indians could not hold out for long, and then they kept retreating under the pursuit of the African Corps. Facts have proved that it is impossible to rely on Indians to fight. The only thing the Indians can do is grab curry and dance - dance for the Germans? Sorry, they don't watch.

However, even so, Rommel's situation was still not very optimistic.

Now, our troops have been dispersed to the desert west of Cairo, along the Damietta Diversion all the way to the Damietta estuary! The total length has reached 270 kilometers!

In particular, the troops in many places were Italians with relatively inferior equipment!

Poor equipment + Italians =???

Sorry, only God knows.

Although Rommel knew very well that Italy did have a group of elite troops, such as the Areate Armored Division, Littorio Armored Division, Trento Infantry Division, Trieste Infantry Division, and Fogel Parachute "Division" under his command, although it was indeed a first-class elite, its actual strength was only 3600 people, which was only equivalent to a brigade, the Savoy Cavalry Regiment, the Gelati Heavy Artillery Regiment, the San Marco Marines... and so on.

But even if he added the 15th Armored Division, the 21st Armored Division, the 90nd Parachute Brigade, the SS Cavalry Brigade, the 164th Light Division and the th (Lightweight) Infantry Division, the flank forces were still not enough...

Four armored divisions - by German standards, Italy's two could only be considered light armored divisions, four light infantry divisions, two parachute brigades, two cavalry brigades, and a Marine Corps of at most 1200 people... a total of 230 people, and the main heavy weapons, including weapons captured on the battlefield, included a total of 400 tanks, 314 light tanks and armored vehicles, 210 artillery pieces, 164 anti-tank guns, and anti-aircraft guns of various types.

The number of people and weapons seemed high, but the battle line from Damietta to Cairo was more than 270 kilometers! After deducting the armored forces that had to be concentrated as a fist, and the cavalry as a mobile force for combat in the swamp, the remaining four divisions of people - including non-combat troops and logistics departments - were scattered on a -kilometer battle line, with an average of only one company of troops per kilometer!

Not to mention that on one side is the big city of Cairo, and on the other side is the Damietta River...how can this be possible!

And the British on the other side...

Although Li Teqi was defeated repeatedly in his hands, the terrain of the Nile Delta was really disgusting! The water network swamps, rivers, ponds, paddy fields and muddy fields were everywhere. The population density was also terrifying - there was an average of one village every 1500 meters! Many times, in order to ensure the speed of the march and to prevent sneak attacks from people in the village, he even had to order the use of anti-aircraft machine guns to flatten the houses - of course, smashing the people inside together. He could only hope that there was probably no one inside. Even if he knew that it would bring resistance organizations, he could not do anything. After all, it was a special period and there was no choice.

Moreover, this is the core area of ​​Egypt. The British have built quite a large infrastructure here. Although the village roads between villages are not of high standard with only two lanes, they are well built. Not to mention, there are villages and woods on the opposite side, every 1,500 meters on average, which can fully cover the assembly and deployment of troops. Even if there are airplanes, I am afraid they can't see anything.

The British should now have four armored divisions and one Indian infantry division in a disabled state, but even so, the Axis powers have no way to continue the attack. Both sides are like two wounded beasts, and both are close to their limits. However, the Allies still have some advantages. As long as they can concentrate an elite division with enhanced water network combat capabilities and launch an assault, they can completely break through Rommel's poor defense line - now is the dry season, and Damietta can't block much in front of the engineers!

After all, fighting a war is never about how many troops there are in total, but only about how many troops can be concentrated at the main attack point.

If the defense line is breached, the British will have the advantage of taking the initiative, because their troops along the line are scattered and it will take time to regroup - but will the British give themselves this time? !

No matter how mediocre Li Teqi is, he is not a fool after all.

Even though the British did suffer heavy losses in the previous Battle of Alexandria, and even though the British can only draw troops from Ethiopia to reinforce them, even if the reinforcements have not arrived yet, the total number of troops in Litchi's hands is still not much less than his own!

And if the British reinforcements, Alan Cunningham's British Eighth Army arrived - let alone, a month later, even though Ethiopia is 2,500 kilometers away, they should have arrived almost there.

It's really hard to make up your mind about how to fight this battle.

It seems that everyone has been infected with headaches recently, including Rommel. He even hopes that Miss Bismarck will give him a blow on the head...

While ordering all troops to stop attacking and organize defense on the spot, Fox's heart was silently in pain...

"It's already October 26th, why haven't the reinforcements arrived yet... Without reinforcements, I can't fight anymore..."

--------The fox is eagerly waiting for reinforcements ing----

Just as the Fox was waiting for reinforcements, at the exit of the Suez Canal in North Africa, outside the Port of Suez, a huge transport fleet slowly entered the port!

And now, Lieutenant General Litchi, the acting commander of the Middle East-North Africa theater, was standing on the dock with a group of staff and aides, watching the transport ships slowly approach the shore, lower the bridge planks, open the hatches, and one tank, artillery, car after another... was lifted out by crane.

These are the troops urgently transferred from Ethiopia - the British Eighth Army!

Lieutenant General Alan Cunningham, commander of the British Eighth Army, arrived at the battlefield with troops that had just been urgently transferred back from Ethiopia after dealing with the Italian invasion of Ethiopia.

Watching the ship unloading troops and weapons, Li Teqi turned his head and started chatting with a British officer next to him who also held the rank of lieutenant general.

"Alan, you guys came at the perfect time! We have even had to withdraw some men from the canal garrison to reinforce the front line... Rommel's battle line has now expanded to 270 kilometers, and he probably doesn't have many reserves. You have more than 40,000 fresh troops here, which is just enough to launch a counterattack!"

"Haha, you're too kind... Because the troops came in a hurry, many of the equipment was not fully staffed. But now our army also has the British 160th Armored Division, the South African 162nd Division, and the reorganized and restored Indian 40th Division. There are a total of people, tanks, light tanks, more than artillery pieces, more than anti-tank guns, and more than mm anti-aircraft guns... We are waiting for your order at any time and can go to the battlefield at any time..."

"Well, it is indeed a force that cannot be underestimated! I guess if Rommel is unlucky, he must be having a headache now, right?"

But things are not that simple. Canning soon told him some bad news about the entire battlefield situation.

"...General Litchi, I have to tell you a piece of news...When I came here, my superiors asked me to tell you that we might be the last batch of reinforcements in the next few months...There is intelligence in the Far East that those Japanese dwarfs are planning to make some big news. The preliminary judgment is that they will be on high alert starting next month, that is, November...The Prime Minister has already said that the next batch of reinforcements will go to Southeast Asia..."

"What?!" Li Teqi was also surprised, but looking at the battlefield where he was now in a great advantage, he didn't care much: "...Well, in this case, we have to eliminate this fox before the African Corps receives reinforcements!"

"At your command, General!" Alan Cunningham pretended to be serious and saluted hurriedly like a new recruit, which made the annoyed Litchi punch him in the chest. Then the two looked at each other and laughed.

It was as if a fox was already in their pocket and they could catch it at any time and skin it to make a scarf...

Chapter 545: Crusade

At dawn on November 8, Rommel's reinforcements still hadn't arrived...

The fox has been looking forward to it, but it is of no use.

However, Litchi and Alan Cunningham had already secretly gathered the troops that were scheduled to start the counterattack, relying on the well-developed transportation lines and villages all over the Nile Delta, quietly, even secretly, under the cover of night, under the noses of the Axis forces opposite the Damietta tributary...

In the British headquarters, telegraphs ticked and staff officers came and went. In the middle of the command center, Litchi and Alan Cunningham stood in front of a huge sand table, looking relaxed and talking and laughing.

Until an officer came over, saluted, and reported the situation:

"Report! All troops have been assembled and are ready to attack at any time!"

"Oh? Are you done?" Litchi and Alan Cunningham turned around and asked in unison.

"Yes, all the troops are in place. We can launch an attack at any time!" the officer answered affirmatively.

"That's good... let's do this." Litchi and Alan Cunningham looked at each other and looked at their watches together: six o'clock local time in Cairo.

Li Teqi picked up the phone and spoke directly into the receiver: "I am Li Teqi, and now the order is - Operation Crusade, start immediately!"

Along with Litchi's command and the roar and whistle of the large aircraft group, nearly 200 heavy artillery pieces and more than 400 field artillery pieces on the British army's position roared towards the German position opposite. At this moment, the sun in the east finally rose above the horizon.

Under the brilliant morning sun, artillery fire from the British Empire fell from the sky...

------

For this battle known as Operation Crusade, Li Teqi took out all the assets he could and stuffed them into the front-line troops.

Except for a small number of light tanks reserved as a backup, the remaining tanks, light tanks and artillery of the previously crippled Free French 1st Armoured Division, the British 1st Armoured Division and the British 7th Armoured Division were almost all incorporated into the Royal Guards Armoured Division, which had also suffered heavy losses before, as well as the South African 2nd Division and the Indian 4th Division as fresh forces.

The British attack was divided into two directions. One of them was the Royal Guards Armored Division and the British 10th Armored Division, which set out from Cairo and attacked the Sphinx Airport. They quickly broke through the German defenses on the flank road. Even though the Sphinx Airport was already surrounded by the 10th Armored Division, which was flanking and relying on the Germans' strong hangars, anti-tank guns and tank bunkers...

On the other side, on the Damietta tributary, the South African 2nd Division and the Indian 4th Division took the lead. The three Allied divisions behind them, although suffering heavy losses, still maintained a certain combat effectiveness - the Australian 6th Division, the British 44th Division and the 50th Division, also launched attacks on the opposite Axis forces positions on their own fronts.

The Australian 6th Division, in particular, followed the South African 2nd Division and the Indian 4th Division, and on the 30-kilometer-wide battlefield from Benha to Zifta, relying on the main roads and railways, they directly killed Damietta and rushed towards Tanta, the only way to Alexandria. The British 44th and 50th Divisions also began to attack the city of Mansoura on Damietta and the fork between the Nile River and Damietta.

Mansoura is an important ferry, and at the fork of the Nile and Damietta there is a railway bridge from Cairo to Alexandria, both of which are very important places.

By sunset, a comprehensive battle report had been sent back: the British assault was quite successful.

Except for Mansoura, Tanta, an airport north of Benha and Sphinx Airport, most of the first step has been completed. In addition to these support points, including the British 50th Division at the fork of the Nile, the defense strength of the Axis forces on the front is not strong. Although relying on the village to resist, it is ultimately futile under the overwhelming heavy firepower demolition and well-trained tactical coordination.

Although the only exception was the air force… Even with electronic interference, the air force’s assault did not completely paralyze the German air force on the runway due to the counterattack of fighter planes that took off after the German radar station discovered something was wrong and issued an air raid alarm. However, even so, the British air force on that day also gained a certain advantage by relying on the long-planned full-scale deployment.

"Oh, Rommel, just wait and see. I want to see what you will do this time!"

Looking at the victory report in his hand, Li Teqi couldn't help but feel a little proud. He glanced at the sky that was about to set, and began to think about how to catch foxes and make leather.

----

In the dark night, near Tanta, in a British-style "Mammoth" command vehicle painted with an Iron Cross, a group of staff officers were busy sending and receiving telegrams and marking maps.

In the face of the terrible battle situation, no one dared to even breathe...

"Commander... The British armored division at the Sphinx Airport has already rushed to our original defense line... The 90th Light Division defending the airport and the Italian Trieste Division's remaining troops at Benha Airport have been surrounded... Tanta's 164th Division is also under great pressure now... The st Paratrooper Brigade at the river fork has also retreated... The British have occupied a place there, and sent people across the Nile to establish contact with the two British armored divisions... Now only the Trento Division and the Vogel Paratrooper Division in Mansoura are doing better..."

The combat staff was sweating profusely as they reported the battle situation to Rommel, and although the fox had a gloomy face, he was not anxious.

"Commander, the situation is not good now... If we let them continue to attack like this, our four armored divisions and two cavalry brigades in the rear will be exposed..." Next to Rommel, the Chief of Staff of the African Corps, Nehring, frowned anxiously and suggested.

But before he could finish, Rommel interrupted him with a wave of his hand:

"Can't move!"

Facing everyone's doubts, he continued, "It's still far from the point where the British have lost their combat potential. There are many small roads here, but there are only a few main roads..." The gloomy-faced fox suddenly turned his head and looked at Nelin: "... Tell the Air Force to use free hunting and harassment bombing to consume the British air force and bomb their bridges. In addition... In my name, give a death order to all troops: tell them that whether their defense can consume the British combat effectiveness as much as possible is the key to this battle - so, except for Benha Airport, which can be broken through, you must hold it to the death. At least for three days!"

“But…” Nelin hesitated.

"I know this mission is difficult, but half a month ago I had them strengthen the fortifications at those key points as much as possible. They have stockpiled at least a week's worth of ammunition, food, and firepower at each support point. I also issued instructions for them to conduct active harassment and mobile defense to delay time as much as possible. Even if the British bring the 234mm railway guns guarding the Suez Canal, I believe they can hold out for three days. As long as they hold out for three days, we can fight back."

"I know everyone has suffered heavy losses, but you are all soldiers. You must fight to the death when it's time to fight. The British reinforcements have already arrived on the battlefield. If we can't use up their last bit of attack power, we will never be able to win! So you have to hold on even if you have to grit your teeth. Do you understand?"

Rommel stood up directly from his chair, glanced at his staff officers, and finally fixed his gaze on Nehring, and spoke in a decisive tone.

Seeing Rommel's decisive statement, everyone in the command vehicle looked at each other, but could not say anything...

----The three days of blood and fire are finally over----------

"Alan, what's the situation now?"

Li Techie was looking at the map with a depressed look on his face, while talking on the phone with a hoarse and rude voice to Alan Cunningham at the front line.

Although they had advanced 30 kilometers the first day, two days had passed and there were still a lot of nails that had not been pulled out. Litchi, who was already so angry that his eyes were bloodshot, had no time to be polite to Alan Cunningham...

"Well... the 44th Division that was holding back Mansora in the north had no way of defeating Damietta. According to the prisoners of war, they had at least the Trento Division and the Fogel Paratrooper Division... I don't know why, General, the combat effectiveness of these two Italian armies is completely different from the Italians we have seen before. Although the losses of the 44th Division were not great, even if I had transferred the Indian th Division from the center to attack them from the flank, there was no way to shake their defense... It was as if... they were well prepared..."

Alan Cunningham on the other end of the phone carefully considered his words while reporting the latest battle report from the front to Litchi...

"What about the middle lane?"

"The middle road... You know, the middle road is a swamp, and the deployment of heavy weapons is restricted... Although the Australian 20th Division has advanced to the Nile River crossing, neither the city of Tanta nor the airport behind Tanta has surrendered... The most hateful thing is that the Germans are equipped with heavy artillery here. The artillery range can cover each other and control the roads and railways leading to the Nile River crossing. The South African 50nd Division must withdraw troops to watch them. The loss rate here has reached more than 50%... The only good thing is that the enemy paratrooper brigade opposite the 20th Division, which is a little further south, has also withdrawn across the Nile River, but they still control the main river crossing. There are too many water networks here, and the th Division was not fully staffed. Now the loss is close to %... So now they have no way to cross the Nile River..."

"I see... I understand. It's okay for now... See you later."

After hanging up the phone with some effort, Li Teqi slumped down on the sofa - the current battle situation was so weird that he had to hold his forehead with his hand.

After all, the northern and central lines were not opened, so he didn't need to ask about the southern line - he was in charge of it himself.

The Sphinx Airport was only about ten kilometers away from the German second line of defense, and it happened to block the main traffic line. In the face of the heavy artillery that could provide artillery support between the airport and the defense line, the 10th Armored Division and the Royal Guards Armored Division fought for three days but failed to capture the airport - let alone bypass the airport to penetrate the second line of defense, they would definitely be taught a lesson by the German heavy artillery in the airport.

Even though the 20th Division in the center attacked from the fork of the Nile-Damietta and reached the Nile River, which was the flank of the German southern line, it could not move forward. And the loss rate reached an alarming % ​​in just three days!

In fact, the Germans set up several strongholds, either in cities, at intersections or at ferry crossings, and they could almost all support each other. Outside these strongholds, the Germans used their anti-tank guns and mobile teams to frequently conduct mobile defenses of fighting and retreating, which also slowed down their offensive speed.