"Can't you hold on anymore?" Rundstedt held the latest battle report that had just been delivered to him, his brows tightly knitted together, with worry and helplessness in his eyes as he read the shocking lines of content in the battle report. , while muttering to himself. After the last military meeting, he received arrangements specifically for matters related to the British Isles. He originally wanted to rely on the existing strength of the German army to make a good plan and try to stabilize the situation. At that time, he was planning to slowly withdraw the German soldiers in the British Isles. After all, judging from all aspects of the situation, it was becoming more and more difficult to continue to hold on. It was also a good idea to evacuate in a timely manner and preserve the vitality. A wise choice. result? Before his plan could be implemented, the British army suddenly launched a fierce counterattack, as if they had understood their intentions in advance. For a time, the British Isles fell into chaos as if a cauldron had exploded, and the German army suffered heavy losses. Among them, the main reason is the gradual loss of air control. Originally, the German army could compete with the Allied forces back and forth in the air. With the cover of the air force, the operations of the ground troops were relatively smooth. However, as the situation changed, the Allied air power became more and more difficult. Strong, the German army was gradually at a disadvantage. Later, air supremacy was gradually taken away by the Allies. Without the cover of the air force, the German ground troops in the British Isles were like children without a protective umbrella. They were completely exposed to the Allied firepower and could only be passively bombed. The bombs roared from the sky. It exploded on the German position. The soldiers were staggered by the explosion, and all kinds of equipment were also blown to pieces. The losses were heavy. Over the next few days, the German army was beaten back steadily. Some of the positions it originally occupied were constantly lost. The morale of the troops was also greatly affected, and the whole situation became worse and worse. "Marshal, if the air force can support five hundred fighters, we still have great hope." The adjutant stood aside, looking at the unfavorable battle situation in front of him, and said with some reluctance.
There was a trace of expectation in his eyes, as if as long as these five hundred fighters could join the battle, the situation could be turned around in an instant. After all, the German army had managed to achieve such a good situation in the British Isles before. It would be really unacceptable to withdraw in such a dejected manner, so he thought that if the Air Force could provide strong air support, maybe You can still fight hard and regain your advantage. "Five hundred?" Rundstedt turned his head and looked at his adjutant, thinking to himself, this guy really dares to think about it. He knew very well that dispatching fighter planes might seem relatively easy on the surface, but the key point was that it was not that easy to get the pilots together. You know, the ace pilots trained by the Air Force have suffered heavy losses in a series of previous air battles and battles. Now most of the remaining ones are rookie pilots with less than fifty hours of flying time. Although these novice pilots have undergone certain training, their flying experience and adaptability in actual combat are far inferior to those ace pilots. Let them go to the battlefield now to face the Allies. Those experienced pilots and powerful aerial firepower, aren't they going to die? Faced with this situation, how could Rundstedt agree to such a request? He couldn't just watch those young pilots die in vain, so he could only shake his head helplessly and continue to think about how to deal with this next step. The situation is getting more and more difficult. What's more, even if he agreed to deploy 500 fighter planes, Goering of the Air Force would not agree. In the current strategic layout of the entire German army, compared with the situation on the British Isles, the situation on the eastern front is obviously more important and more critical. The intensity of the Soviet counterattack launched in winter was indeed far beyond their imagination. More than two million troops were actually assembled. At a glance, Soviet soldiers were all over the mountains and plains. The lineup was so huge that when the German officer corps saw it, they couldn't help but be shocked and started to tremble in their hearts. After playing the drum, I realized that I was in big trouble now. If there is no way to stop this fierce Soviet counterattack, I am afraid that the German army's defense line on the Eastern Front will be completely torn apart. When the Soviet army advances straight in, the German army will really be in a desperate situation and face the danger of being completely defeated. , the consequences are simply unimaginable. However, after the German army took a careful inventory of its own assets, it sadly discovered that it seemed that it was really difficult to sustain itself with its existing troops and equipment, whether it was the reserves of weapons and ammunition or the actual combat effectiveness of the troops. Compared with the huge counterattack force of the Soviet army, it seemed a little powerless. This is why Rundstedt feels so embarrassed. He knew very well that it would be a pity to give up the good situation that he had finally achieved in the British Isles. He had invested so much troops, material resources, and a lot of effort in the past, but now he had to waste all his efforts and be left alone. Anyone would feel unwilling to do so. But in the current situation, there really seems to be no good solution except giving up. After all, we have to consider the overall situation of the life and death of the entire German army. If we abandon the Eastern Front for the sake of the British Isles, it will be like picking up sesame seeds and throwing them away. If you lose watermelon, you will lose more than you gain. "Let the troops on the island retreat." After thinking for a long time, Rundstedt finally gritted his teeth and made this difficult decision with a look of helplessness. Although there was a lot of reluctance and unwillingness in his heart, at this moment he could only That's it. "Yes." When the adjutant heard this order, he also knew that the matter had reached this point and could not be changed. He could only reluctantly agree, and then went to convey the order and arrange for the German troops in the British Isles to retreat in an orderly manner. On the other side, Montgomery was sitting in the headquarters, looking at the battle report that had just been sent. After taking a few glances, he couldn't help but feel surprised, and then a look of joy appeared on his face. He never expected that the German army would retreat on its own initiative. He originally thought of continuing to fight hard with the German army and then find a way to drive them out completely. But this time, the German army withdrew first. This would be a big blow to the Allies. Said that it was an unexpected surprise. It meant that the Allies could regain control of the British Isles without much effort. It could also further stabilize the defense line here and create a more favorable environment for subsequent combat operations. condition.
..."The decline of the German army has become apparent." Not long after, Cun Yunsheng also received the news that the German army had withdrawn from the British Isles. He stood there, raising his head slightly, looking into the distance, his face full of emotion, and he couldn't help but Said softly. At first, when he learned that the German army had sent a small force to land on the British Isles, he was really shocked. In his original expectation, although he knew that the German military operations were always bold and sudden, he never expected that they would dare to attack the British Isles directly. Moreover, looking at the posture of the German army at that time, it seemed possible. There was a big commotion in the British Isles, so I couldn't be more surprised at the time. He really didn't expect that he just made some seemingly insignificant advances in certain aspects, just like a few gentle flapping of wings in the long river of history, and actually triggered such a big change. Originally, based on the momentum that the German army had just shown in the British Isles, he thought that this time the German army could really take over the British Isles completely. If that were the case, I am afraid that at that time, facing such a powerful German offensive and the British With the fall of the Three Islands, the British Empire should have chosen to surrender. After all, the British Isles are an important foundation for the United Kingdom. Once lost, the consequences would be disastrous. It would be too difficult for the United Kingdom to continue to resist. Who would have known that the situation would change faster than he imagined. One moment, the German army was still aggressive, as if victory was in sight. But in the blink of an eye, the German army was forced to retreat again. This reversal was beyond his expectation. But thinking about it carefully, it seems that it was within his expectations. After all, the strength of the Allied forces cannot be underestimated. Once it is stimulated, the explosive potential is really too great. Take this time as an example. The Allies were able to support thousands of fighter planes to the British Isles in one breath. The scene was spectacular just thinking about it. Cun Yunsheng couldn't help but think of the Chinese battlefield where he was. If these thousands of fighter planes were directly dropped on the Chinese battlefield, the Japanese army would have been blown up and lost. You know, on the Chinese battlefield, the Japanese army relied on air superiority to cause trouble for us. If we had the help of thousands of fighter planes, the situation would be very different. We would be able to fight against them in the air. The Japanese army formed a strong suppression, and their ground troops and military strongholds were always in danger of being bombed. Moreover, this is just a fighter jet, and does not include the B-17 bomber behind it. The power of the B-17 bomber cannot be underestimated. It has a strong bomb load and a long range. If so many different types of fighter planes are combined If we go out and fight together, even if The Japanese army, which has always been arrogant and domineering, will definitely not be able to bear it. They will probably be beaten into a panic. They can only shrink the defense line and be beaten passively. It is a pity that the Chinese battlefield does not currently have such sufficient air support. Thinking of this, Cun Yunsheng I couldn't help but feel emotional again. It can only be said that the ultimate goal of the US military is Europe. It can be seen from the strategy of "Europe first, Asia first" that they have always adhered to. This strategy has not changed for such a long time. They regard the European battlefield as their top priority and invest most of their energy and resources there first. The reason for giving some support to China is simply to let the Chinese army help contain the Japanese army, so that the Japanese army cannot mobilize more troops to support other battlefields, especially the European battlefield, so that they can be there in Europe. Carry out combat operations more smoothly and obtain more benefits. After they have reaped enough benefits in Europe and stabilized the situation there according to their own wishes, they will consider the issues in the Far East and increase their support for China and other Far East regions. Thinking of this, Cun Yunsheng became more and more anxious, eager to get more things as soon as possible so that the situation on the Chinese battlefield could be improved as soon as possible. In other words, he is even more greedy for the German army's industrial heritage. The German army's strong industrial base can continuously produce a variety of advanced weapons and equipment. If these industrial resources can be used for their own use, it will be even more powerful for the Chinese army, and it can also fight against the Japanese army. I feel more confident and powerful. "Chief, what should we do?" Mi Long, who has been in charge of logistics, asked with a worried look on his face. Now, all the logistics work of the entire expeditionary force is in the hands of this guy Mi Long. On weekdays, he always looks careless and unreliable. He sometimes speaks and acts very casually, and he also makes trouble from time to time. Make some jokes. But when it comes to a critical moment, it's different. He can always show his reliable side and take care of all logistical matters in an orderly manner. More importantly, he is loyal to Cun Yunsheng. No matter what situation he encounters, he always stands firmly on the side of the leader, obeys the command, and never has second thoughts. This is what Cun Yunsheng admires most about him. place, so Cun Yunsheng also has great trust in him, and many important things will be left to him with confidence. "What else can we do? Just fight slowly and steadily. It's not that easy to completely defeat the German army. Even if the Allies land, what can we do?" Cun Yunsheng sneered, with a hint of seeing through everything on his face, and slowly said. He knew very well that the German army was not that easy to deal with. Although the Allied forces seemed to be in full swing now, if they were to have a head-on battle with the German army, it was still unclear who would win. In other words, he has already guessed the general plan of the Allies. That is to land directly, transport the troops to the area controlled by the German army through sea transportation, and start a head-on confrontation with the German army from the land. Originally, the Allied forces planned to land in Italy from North Africa, thinking of starting with Italy, a relatively weak link, to tear apart the German defense line in southern Europe, and then gradually advance northward to expand the results. But now it seems that there is little hope of implementing this plan. After all, the situation in Italy has become more and more complicated. The German army has definitely strengthened its defense in that area. Coupled with the influence of various geographical, logistical support and other factors, landing in Italy from North Africa will face too many difficulties and obstacles. Much more. It is estimated that the Allied forces will eventually land from the British Isles. After all, in the British Isles, the Allied forces have prepared a huge amount of supplies. The mountains of supplies are all prepared for subsequent combat operations. If they are just idle and not used, wouldn't they be wasted, and the British The geographical location of the three islands is also relatively suitable. A springboard, crossing the English Channel, can directly reach the German-controlled areas on the European continent, which is relatively more convenient for the assembly and movement of large Allied forces. However, such a landing operation is also full of risks, and the German army will inevitably be ready to wait. To give the Allies a head-on blow. (End of chapter)