Chapter 1,253 The Balkan Mystery 1
Chapter 1253 Balkan Mystery 1
"So what do we do next?" Jackson asked.
"Because the plan is progressing extremely smoothly, there are not many things that require the navy. We only need to provide 2 detachments of pre-dreadnoughts. The main force of the navy is the French. The landing force is handled by the army. They can at least provide The total number of troops is no less than 50,000, as well as the Japanese, who will send no less than 2 divisions of troops to participate in this operation. And the Greeks, of course, in my opinion, the Greek army will provide more logistical support than It's better to be at the front," Churchill said, lighting a cigar for himself.
At this time, the same information was also sent to the British Cabinet. Like the Navy, the cabinet members were also excited about the bomber force's results! The Spey fleet, which once brought the French fleet to the brink of collapse, severely damaged the Japanese fleet, and caused the Allied Mediterranean Fleet to withdraw from the Eastern Mediterranean for five months, was actually severely damaged like this! In the eyes of these people, without this fleet, from the moment the British and French armies set foot on the Balkan Peninsula, the Turks on the opposite side would probably tremble, right?
After several cabinet meetings, British Army Secretary Kitchener, who received the Prime Minister's signal, began to prepare the army for this Balkan campaign. As in history, he first agreed to dispatch part of the Australian and New Zealand regiments stationed in Egypt to form the Mediterranean Theater Army. As the vanguard, he later agreed to draw at least 2 divisions from the second-line troops trained locally as follow-up troops. The commander of this force is Sir Ian Hamilton. He will command all Allied armies in the entire Balkan theater, not only the British and French armies, but also the Japanese army arriving in the future! and the Greek legions.
"According to the navy, they want to penetrate the Dardanelles Strait and then cover us to board Constantinople. What do you think?" Kitchener asked.
"Although the Allied Mediterranean Fleet was severely damaged, they also wiped out the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Therefore, even if there are only two fast battleships left, we are still not optimistic about directly crossing the Dardanelles Strait because it is too narrow and too narrow. Longer. Simply using mines will probably cost our fleet a staggering price," Lord Hamilton said.
"So what do you mean?" Even Kitchener, as the Secretary of War, had great respect for this army general who had been fighting for the British Empire since 1878. (Yes, you read that right. This guy has been participating in wars since 1878. He went through the second Afghan War, the first Boer War, suppressed the Mahdi Uprising in Sudan, and participated in the third British invasion of Myanmar. During the Burmese War and the Second Anglo-Boer War, he almost became the commander of the British Expeditionary Force during World War 1... This is the man who has experienced hundreds of battles!)
"We have a huge military advantage, and Turkey only has a corner of Europe, so why don't we attack directly from Greece? Counting the Greeks, we have hundreds of thousands of troops! We can attack it openly , there is no need to cross the Dardanelles Strait.
"Lord Hamilton said. (Actually, the author doesn't know why the Allies had to go through the strait during the Battle of Dardanelles...)
"But if this is the case, the Bavarian Army may pass through Bulgaria to support Turkey, and if it enters through the Dardanelles Strait, it will be faster. Greece can remain neutral for the time being." Kitchener said.
Although Greece is already leaning towards the Entente, as a small country, Greece has its own considerations. They need to stand on the side of the winner, so when the situation is still unclear, they can show their preference, but they are unwilling to directly Take sides.
"These are not the key. No matter whether we launch an attack from the strait or from Greece, as long as the Bavarian Army is willing, they will definitely rush to the battlefield. The area of Bulgaria is definitely not vast, and it can also be transported by sea. When we attack Constantine Before Dimburg, they can definitely mobilize at least two divisions of troops to arrive in the war zone. We must be prepared to confront them head-on, otherwise, it is better not to fight this battle."
Lord Hamilton said that his idea is very simple. If there is no fight, forget it. If there is a fight, be prepared for a big fight. Adding fuel to the fire or making small fuss will not solve the problem at all. Moreover, in his opinion, simply From the perspective of killing Turkey and opening up the transportation line to Russia, it is enough for the British Army to concentrate 200,000 elite troops! When fighting a war, you look forward and backward, you want the results but don't want to invest in it. How can it be so easy?
"If we fight from the sea, we can get firepower support from the navy, dozens of battleships, hundreds of large-caliber heavy guns, and thousands of small and medium-caliber artillery. Our firepower advantage will be very large. If we can reach Constant Dinburg, you and your troops only need to go in and receive the enemy after the navy has leveled it. After all, the Allied Mediterranean Fleet is finished," Kitchener said.
Although he realized that this battle was of great significance, he was still unwilling to invest too many troops in the face of pressure from the Western Front. He brought the French, Japanese, and Greeks together in order to share the risk. Moreover, although he is the Minister of War, he also has a certain degree of superstition towards the Royal Navy. After all, he has known since he was a child that the Royal Navy is invincible...
"Yes, the Allied Mediterranean Fleet is finished, but don't forget that the Bavarian Air Force may not be able to do what we can do, and their combat distance is closer. I think you haven't forgotten that the elite of the Bavarian Army were gathered here What was the scene on the Western Front? In just a few weeks, they pushed the front nearly a hundred kilometers forward. However, at that time, I remember reading a document. At that time, our estimate of the size of the Bavarian Air Force was four figures higher. Count." Lord Hamilton sneered.
"Of course, if it were before, the Bavarian Army would not be serious in the secondary region of the Balkans, but now, if we want to take down Constantinople, guess what, the Kaiser, and the Bavarian What will the prince think? What will he do?! As long as he is not a fool, they will concentrate at least three divisions to support Turkey. And the air force will quickly concentrate nearby. Don’t forget Lieutenant General Trenchard’s attack this time The price paid by the air force. According to our estimates, they have mobilized a large air force. So your idea is not valid at all." Lord Hamilton said.
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