Chapter 384 Churchill Can’t Afford to Lose

In a messy and stuffy small room at No. 10 Downing Street that smelled of old books and cigar butts, Donovan, the special envoy of US President Roosevelt, met the obese British Prime Minister again. Churchill's big red face looked serious and determined. He was smoking the end of his cigar and said slowly in a deep voice:

"The Italian leader is a clown who only knows how to brag. He is completely incomparable to the three real villains, Kaiser Wilhelm, Chancellor Hitler and Field Marshal Herschmann."

Donovan understood why Churchill said such things as soon as they met. This was because the whole country in Italy had been in a state of excitement for the past two days, and everyone was cheering for the victory of the invincible Fascist Navy and Fascist Air Force.

And Donovan himself came from the United States just for this matter!

"That's best, Mr. Prime Minister," Donovan said, "because it's really hard for the President to help Britain right now."

And if the Italians really did wipe out half the strength of the British Mediterranean fleet as they boasted. Then in January next year, Churchill will have to deal with President Wilkie... Because if Britain loses Egypt and the Suez Canal before November 1940, domestic public opinion in the United States will definitely change dramatically.

The anti-German sentiment aroused by France's defeat would be tempered by the prospect of British defeat. After all, the United States is a very practical country. If Britain is bound to fail before the United States is ready to fight, then it is impossible for the United States to defeat Germany and Italy alone. Without Britain as a springboard, the United States cannot even reach the European continent. How to win?

Since it is impossible for the United States to defeat Germany and Italy, why is there any need to fight? If the United States did not have to fight in a world war, then who would need a capable commander in chief? Why did Roosevelt, who had already served two terms as president, insist on being re-elected for a third term based on bad rules?

"Prime Minister," said Donovan, "Egypt and the Suez Canal must not be occupied by the Italians before the November polls!"

"Of course we will not fail!" After hearing this, Churchill said angrily, "Those are the Italians. Do you Americans think they are the same as the Germans? How could our British Empire lose to Italy? How is it possible? Such a thing happened?"

"That would be great." Donovan continued, "The President and the leaders of both parties in Congress have reached an agreement. If we can lease naval bases on British islands in the Caribbean, then they will agree to put 50 ships The mothballed destroyers were handed over to Britain.”

This is a very difficult condition to accept! Churchill frowned. It would be embarrassing for Parliament to exchange British land for ships.

At this time, Donovan smiled bitterly, "There is another condition... The president also wants a written guarantee that once Germany invades and wins, the British fleet will not surrender to Germany or escape, but must sail to an American port."

"I can't even consider this, let alone write it into an official document." Churchill was immediately annoyed and said angrily, "German warships have a lot of practical experience in escaping and surrendering. But we don't."

Roosevelt's request was actually related to Mussolini's boasting. The President of the United States consulted with some of the Navy's top generals. They all believed that an Italian victory in the Mediterranean was not only possible but natural!

Their "hunchback" aircraft is fully capable of this! In the early years, the U.S. Army purchased several civilian "Hunchbacks" (which are passenger aircraft) through private enterprises for research and found that their maximum speed exceeded 400 kilometers per hour and their maximum range could reach 3,300 kilometers. This was a 1935 model. . The "Hunchback" aircraft of the Italian Air Force must have better engines and must be a medium bomber and torpedo attack aircraft with very superior performance. If there are hundreds of them (the U.S. Navy believes that the Italians must have hundreds), then the dozen or so Spitfires of the British Mediterranean Fleet will not be able to withstand it.

The U.S. Chief of Naval Operations told Roosevelt that with reference to the Scapa Flow bombing (the United States already knew some relevant information) and the sneak attack on Toulon Port, as long as the Italian fascist air force functioned normally, it would definitely cause heavy losses to the British Mediterranean Fleet.

Moreover, several senior generals of the U.S. Navy were very surprised by Admiral Cunningham's "random command." They thought that with such a confused general commanding the British Royal Navy, Britain would probably lose... No, Britain would definitely lose! Therefore, the U.S. Navy must consider accepting the remaining ships of the British Royal Navy.

"This danger should not be great." Donovan did not insist anymore. He also knew that this question embarrassed Churchill.

"Yeah, that's not very likely," Churchill said. "I couldn't agree more," he said, finding a stack of photos and handing them to Donovan. The photos show some mighty-looking battleships and their unfurnished hulls.

"These are the fleets that the three bad guys (Kaiser Wilhelm, Hitler and Hessmann) are preparing to use to attack." Churchill said, "The 'Bismarck' class battleships have been built. There are currently two, and it looks like there are 5 Thousand tons. What has not yet been built are the 'Hindenburg' class and the 'Zeppelin' class. The former is estimated to be a 60,000-ton battleship, and the latter is said to be a 30,000-40,000-ton aircraft carrier... If the Germans conquer In North Africa and the Middle East, they can let the shipyards in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden help them build such warships!”

Winning the Middle East and North Africa means owning oil from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, cotton and grain from Egypt, and non-ferrous metals and chromite from Turkey. And it can further extend its claws to the rich India. In this way, the Germans will have enough resources to win over other European countries, and the end of Britain will not be far away.

"But this also means that Germany will not invade in the short term," Donovan looked at the photos. "The unbuilt ships on this will not be put into service until at least 1942..."

"It looks like they are preparing to invade in 1942," Churchill said. "We still have a chance."

Churchill raised his thick lower lip and looked at Donovan. "But before that we will fight back with a four-engine heavy bomber!" He handed another photo to Donovan, which showed a four-engine heavy bomber parked on the runway. "We are preparing to build a large number of such bombers and bomb Germany into chaos. If you are willing to join, victory will come faster."

"But the premise is that Egypt and the Middle East cannot be lost...that is a battlefield that cannot be lost!" Donovan put the photo on the table and said, "If the Germans have enough oil and the productivity of the entire continent, that will be Their four-engine heavy bombers leveled Britain."

"I understand!" Churchill smiled, "Don't worry, there will be no accidents in the Mediterranean and North Africa. They belong to the British Empire and no one can take them away!"

Churchill's big words were not nonsense. Before meeting Donovan, he had just approved a plan to send additional reinforcements to North Africa and the Mediterranean. Wavell and Cunningham will get everything they want!

…

"From now until 42 years, it will be a valuable period of rest and recuperation."

In a conference room at the General Staff Headquarters in Zossen, Hersmann was presiding over an armaments work meeting. France will hold a referendum in August to decide which surrender plan to accept. However, poll results indicate that France will become a member of the European Customs Union and the European Monetary Union.

Due to the "inevitable surrender" of France, Germany temporarily had no rivals on the European continent. Therefore, arms production must also be adjusted accordingly. The production of tanks, armored vehicles and artillery can be slowed down, while the production of various warships and transport ships must be accelerated.

However, Hessmann did not dare to take it lightly. After all, there was still a behemoth Soviet Union to the east of Germany!

"But after 42 years, a more intense war will come." He glanced at the members of the Armament Committee in the conference room, and then said, "So military preparations cannot be slackened at all! The large-caliber weapon used by the Panzer IV tank All development of the 75mm gun must be completed within the year. All the Panzer IV tanks of the National Defense Force must be upgraded before June 2016! All completed by June 1942."

The development of Panzer V and Panzer VI began as early as 1937 and 1938. Hersman's request at that time was that the No. 5 tank should be a 40-45 ton tank equipped with a large-caliber 75mm gun; the No. 6 tank should be a 50-55 ton tank equipped with a large-caliber 88mm gun. And both tanks must have good power systems and strong sloped armor...

"The upgrade of air force equipment must also be stepped up," Hersman continued. "The 'final solution' for high-altitude and high-speed piston fighters, the heavy-duty piston carrier-based aircraft plan, and the 'practical solution' for turbojet fighters must all be in 1941." The first test flight of the prototype will be completed within the year.”

Germany in this time and space was also the first country to manufacture jet aircraft. Moreover, under the promotion of Hirschmann, major German aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturers such as Junkers, Fokker, Heinkel, BFW, Henschel, Dornier, Mercedes-Benz and Siemens have all received military allocations. A large amount of research and development funds have been invested in the research of jet aircraft and turbojet engines. There are already several practical solutions that have entered the prototype stage.

As for the "final plan" for high-altitude and high-speed piston fighter jets and the heavy-duty piston carrier-based aircraft plan, they are being studied as replacement models of the BF-109 and Fokker Zero. The research and development tasks had been issued before September 1939. Several plans have now advanced to the prototype stage.