Chapter 149: 149
May 27, 1942
Presidential Residence in Helsinki, Finland
"Wow, the sky is so indifferent."
Foreign Minister Baijnö Tanner and Chancellor Johann Wilhelm Rangel bowed their heads in response to the complaints of Risto Rüti, who became the president of Finland in place of the deceased Kjösti Kallio.
As the situation began to turn urgently, with the Soviet Union attacking Germany and Norway declaring its participation in the war to help Germany, it was expected that something would happen to Finland sooner or later.
Sure enough, following the German-Norwegian Air Force's bombing of Murmansk, Soviet bombers that had launched retaliatory bombings were either shot down over Finland or shot down by Finnish anti-aircraft artillery.
Finland, which did not want to get involved in a whale fight, declared neutrality when the war broke out and made every effort to avoid war, such as notifying that it would repatriate Soviet pilots who had fallen on its territory to the Soviet Union without delay.
However, despite Finland's efforts, the Soviet Union sent Finland a telegram that was close to a threat.
Withdraw all German instructors staying in Finland and open the borders to allow the Red Army to enter the territory so that they can punish Norway.
If this is refused, the Soviet Union will judge that Finland has hostile intentions toward the Soviet Union and will take necessary measures.
"Disgusting communist bastards. "Isn't this actually a declaration of war!?"
Ryti cried out in anger, crumpling the Soviet telegram. Tanner and Rangel also sympathized with his angry shouting.
But Finland does not have the power to stand up to the Soviet Union.
Although they began to strengthen their military power by importing weapons through Germany and inviting instructors, the size of the Finnish army was still too small to confront the Soviet Red Army, and the border it had to protect was too wide.
"The Swedish government just declared war on the Soviet Union, Mr. President."
When Tanner said that even Sweden was involved in the German-German war, Ryti hit her forehead with her palm. Oh my, my head.
The Soviet Union was demanding that Norway be cleared for the attack, but now that even Sweden has intervened, the Soviet Union's demands will become even stronger.
They may demand that all railways and roads, not only in northern Finland but also in central Finland, be provided.
If Stalin was that greedy, that would have been okay.
However, if the Soviet Union's demands were rejected, it was obvious that war would break out. How to solve this difficult problem... ..
"Marshal Mannerheim."
Ryti, unable to come to a conclusion, looked at Mannerheim, who was sitting with his hands clasped together.
Although Mannerheim was below the president in terms of rank, he had a powerful title and power as Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Army and had no hesitation in front of Rüti.
At Ryti's call, Mannerheim slightly turned his head and looked into the eyes of the president, who was 22 years younger than him and was almost as old as his son.
Lyti felt overwhelmed by Mannerheim's gaze.
"What do you say, Your Excellency?"
"Can our military power fight against the Soviet army?"
Mannerheim's eyes narrowed at Ryti's question.
"If His Excellency orders us to fight the Soviet army, our army will follow that order and fight with all its might. "Just like it was two years ago."
"Hmm… ."
Mannerheim's words gave Ryti some encouragement, but he still could not reach a conclusion. At this time, Rangel spoke.
"Your Excellency, since the Soviet Union is at war with Germany, the main force of the Soviet army will also be in Germany. Even if they attack Finland, since their main force is already in Germany, there will inevitably be limits to the troops and materials they can mobilize."
"yes."
"While the Soviet Union's situation is worse than before, our military's strength has been greatly strengthened compared to two years ago. Additionally, since Sweden and Norway have officially declared war on the Soviet Union, they will not be as passive in their support as before. This means that the situation is completely different from two years ago. Therefore, even if the Soviet army invades, we can sufficiently block it."
Hearing Rangel's confident words, Ryti looked at Mannerheim with eyes filled with anticipation. He also did not deny the Prime Minister's words.
"If Finland were to fight the Soviet Union on its own, there would be no chance of winning, but it would certainly be different in the current situation."
With the support of Germany and neighboring countries, the Finnish military not only recovered from the damage suffered in the Winter War, but also made great strides.
Unlike the past, when proper armored equipment was rare and had to be used against Soviet tanks with firebombs, the Finnish army today is armed with excellent equipment such as Panzer 4, Hatcher, Bf109, and Stuka imported from Germany, and has been built with great care along the border. There is also one line of defense.
It's still unfinished, but it's better than nothing.
I don't like the fact that the season is summer and not winter, but this was enough to give it a try.
Although if a war breaks out, many people will die and the people will suffer again, wouldn't it be better than giving way helplessly without even firing a single gun?
"okay. "It's been over 20 years since we became independent, but we can't live as slaves to the Russians forever."
Ruti made up her mind and faced Tanner.
"Write a reply to Moscow. We cannot meet your demands. And if your country intends to go to war, we will fight."
"All right."
***
"There is a young lady living in my hometown.
Her name is Erica.
This girl is my little treasure, my hope
Erica is my happiness... ."
"You might die soon, but are you able to sing well?"
Captain Friedrich Weissmann turned his head to the words of his co-pilot, Lieutenant Ulrich Hoeker.
"Who dies? If I was going to die, I would have died long ago. Look at me. "You're alive and well so far, right?"
Lieutenant Hoeker shook his head at Weissmann's confident words.
Either way, Weissmann's humming continued. It was his own way of relieving tension that he had acquired in Spain.
Others may not know, but at least this method worked for him.
"… .In my hometown, a young lady is crying because of you.
"She's called Erica."
After the song ended, the Fw 200 piloted by Weissmann had just passed Iran and entered Soviet airspace.
"We will soon arrive at our destination. Everyone, please stay alert."
"Yes, Captain!"
When Weissmann made an announcement to the passengers on board, enthusiastic responses came back. There were no morale issues for all passengers, and visibility was good.
It was truly a perfect day for bombing.
Weissmann recalled a time when he was flying over Warsaw. The day was clear then too.
The Polish Air Force had long ago been destroyed, and there was not a single enemy plane in the sky. Only anti-aircraft guns on the ground interfered with the bombing.
Personnel from the Luftwaffe's 4th Air Fleet arrived at Batman Air Force Base in eastern Turkey and began intensive training under the guidance of Turkish Air Force pilots until the outbreak of war with the Soviet Union.
The mission of the 4th Air Fleet was to bomb the Soviet Union's Baku oil fields in the event of war with the Soviet Union.
The Baku oil field, which produced more oil than the United States before oil fields were discovered in Texas, was still responsible for 80% of the Soviet Union's crude oil alone.
It would be great if the Baku oil fields could be completely burned down, but even if they were shut down for a few months, it would be a huge disaster for the entire Soviet Union.
Germany, aiming for this advantage, planned to bomb the Baku oil fields.
To do this, a bomb different from existing bombs was needed. A much bigger, more powerful bomb.
The seismic bomb Reger, completed after months of hard work by German scientists and engineers, was a weapon perfectly suited for this type of mission.
The problem is that flying a Léger that weighs well over 5 tons would be impossible with any decent bomber.
With great power comes great responsibility, and heavy bombs required big bombers.
Fortunately, Germany had outstanding bombers such as the Fw 200 and He 177.
156 Fw 200s and 140 He 177s were mobilized in Operation Penguin. A total of 296 bombers and 180 bombs, or 95% of Germany's total Leger stock to date, were sent to Turkey for a single mission.
Hitler strongly insisted that all of Leger's resources be poured into a single bombing raid.
If it fails this time, the Soviet Union will interfere with the bombing with more thorough preparations during the next bombing, and the success rate of the mission will naturally go down.
Therefore, you must think of it as your first and last time and succeed at it at once without failure. certainly!
Before the sortie, Marshal Hugo Sperle gave a short speech to encourage the pilots going to bomb the Baku oil fields.
The bombs you will drop on the heart of the Bullsheviks were made with the blood, taxes and sweat of the German people.
Not everyone can succeed, but be careful about what you throw with the belief that you will definitely succeed. The fate of our country is in your hands... ..
Weismann pondered Sperle's last words. The fate of his country is in his own hands.
How can there be words that are so heart-warming and yet so thrilling at the same time?
As the importance of the Baku oil field is unusual, the area around the oil field will be covered with Soviet anti-aircraft guns and fighter jets.
The pilots involved in the operation were also aware of this. It was a much more difficult and dangerous mission than the ones they had experienced before, but no one backed out because they were afraid of the mission.
Such cowards couldn't even become pilots in the first place.
Anyone who wants to fly must be prepared to fall. Only those with such determination can fly.
"emergency! Bisaang!!"
"The Germanskis are coming!"
"Start shooting!"
The Soviet military, spotting hundreds of German planes approaching the oil fields, quickly dispatched fighter planes.
However, the Soviet Air Force's Yak-1s and MiG-3s never came close to the bombers.
This is because the Ta152s escorting the bombers rushed at them like bloodthirsty beasts, with Yaks and MiGs clearly visible, barraging them with strafing guns.
Not only was it good in performance, but the Ta152 had a range of 2,000 km, which was more than twice that of the Bf109, making it ideal as a bomber escort aircraft.
"9 o'clock!"
A MiG broke through the escort of Ta152s and rushed towards the Fw 200 piloted by Weissmann.
The machine gun turret on the top of the fuselage rotated and fired 13mm bullets at the MiG.
The 12.7mm bullet fired by the MiG hit the fuselage of the Fw 200, but even though it was a fighter, it was not powerful enough to shoot down a bomber.
On the other hand, the MiG, which took the brunt of the 13mm bullets, spewed out smoke and plummeted.
"Good!"
Corporal Karl Han, who shot down the enemy plane, shouted "Hurrah!" I had dealt with enemy planes with bomber-mounted machine guns several times before, but this was the first time I had shot down an enemy plane directly.
Carol, who was able to shoot down something for the first time in her life, was so happy that she didn't know what to do. Weissmann also praised him.
"Well done, Carol. "When I get back, I'll buy you a glass of schnapps."
"What is a glass if not a bottle?"
"Hoeker, you can pay for me or you can just keep quiet."
Next to the fighter planes were anti-aircraft guns. Soviet troops on the ground greeted the Germanic visitors with spectacular anti-aircraft fire.
As the Baku oil field was of extraordinary value, the Soviet military gathered and deployed all available anti-aircraft guns to protect the oil field.
The clear blue sky was soon polluted by fierce anti-aircraft fire.
"Roskes, it looks like they prepared hard for something else?"
"They also know that heredity is important."
Weissmann opened the bomb bay and prepared to drop Leger. It had to be dropped more carefully to avoid causing greater damage to the oil field.
"Is it now?"
"no! Not yet! "Wait a little longer!"
Aeons have passed where each second feels like a minute. Weismann waited patiently to ensure he could release from the optimal location.
Lieutenant Hoeker, who was riding with him, looked like he wanted to drop the gun immediately, but he knew Weissmann's stubbornness, so he stayed silent.
"… ..just now!"
Finally, Leger fell towards the ground. After dropping the 5.2-ton super-large bomb, the aircraft became surprisingly light.
116 bombers not equipped with Leger dropped incendiary bombs on the ground.
When the demons of death came down to earth, Baku turned into hell.
Hell in the literal sense, not figurative.
The Leger dropped by Weissmann landed in the middle of an oil field. With a few seconds difference between him and him, Leger, who was 180 feet tall, fell and exploded his own body, pouring a huge amount of fire energy onto the ground.
The storm of flames spread out in all directions, burning everything it touched.
The anti-aircraft artillerymen who fired anti-aircraft guns at German bombers, the workers who took refuge in air raid shelters, the supervisors, soldiers, and nurses who supervised them all.
"It's a success!!!"
Weismann was shaking his fist in joy as he watched the orange flames spread in all directions.
Lieutenant Hoeker, who usually did not show his emotions well, could not hide his joy.
So far, he has flown more than 50 sorties and completed the mission each time.
This mission was fundamentally no different from previous missions, but considering its importance, no mission could even compare to this one.
Therefore, the pleasure that Weissmann felt was on a different level from previous pleasures.
It feels like the whole world is spinning around you. Who can know this pleasure?
After successfully completing their mission, the eagles turned around and headed straight back to Türkiye.
Even after they all left, the fire in the oil field showed no sign of going out.
The fire shot a huge plume of smoke from the ground into the sky and sent up the souls of all the creatures it had swallowed.
Residents living in a small mountain village in the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, dozens of kilometers away from Baku, could also see smoke rising from Baku.
To them, the smoke pillar looked like a huge passage connecting the earth and the sky.
***
With a crackling sound, the cork was thrown into the air and champagne bubbles poured into the entrance.
Two days after the war broke out, I popped champagne.
You might say it was too early, but honestly, I thought it was polite to do this on a day like today.
"Let us raise a toast to the proud Air Force of our great Germany! Sieg Heil!"
"Sieg Heil!"
The faces of the generals who tasted champagne during the meeting glowed as brightly as a new light bulb that had just been replaced.
Among these, the faces of the Air Force generals, who can be said to be the leading figures of the day, were even brighter.
Goering's mouth was already curled up in his ears and he showed no sign of coming down.
"Marshal Weber, please take a drink."
"Oh my, Mr. President."
In particular, the person who was most happy about this moment was Air Force Chief of Staff, Marshal Walter Weber.
In history, he alone preached the importance of strategic bombing and the justification for the development of strategic bombers. He was an unfortunate figure who died in an airplane crash in 1936, but here he can see with his own eyes the enormous achievements achieved by the strategic bomber he recreated. I got to see it.
Now that the whole world knows that what he said was right, what could be happier than this?
"I don't think I will have any time left even if I die now. I never thought a day like this would come in my life... ."
"Don't say things like that. The war is still raging, where can I go? "Now, don't hesitate and get another drink."
"Hehehe!"
The Baku oil field raid was a huge success.
As a result of taking the gamble of going all-in on this mission with 95% of the Legers produced so far in Germany, we succeeded in obtaining comparable results.
We will only find out as time goes by and detailed reports come in, but the success of this airstrike meant that the Baku oil fields could not be used for at least five months.
For a whopping 5 months!
There is a way to import oil from the United States or the United Kingdom, but it takes time to import it, and considering the proportion of oil produced from the Baku oil field to the Soviet Union's civilian, industrial, and military sectors, this is a huge loss.
Even if the oil fields were finally restored to an operable state, the Soviet Union would have no choice but to invest enormous power in the Baku area to protect the oil fields.
We were hit by an airstrike once, but there's no law preventing a second airstrike. Rather, it would be foolish to think that there would only be one air raid.
As the manpower and materials needed to restore and protect the Baku oil field will be reduced, the burden on the front-line defense forces will be reduced, and the movement of the Soviet military will also be restricted.
Because without oil, tanks and trucks cannot run.
We are already in a situation where we are blocked by the defense line built by Manstein and are only heading every time, and if we run out of oil... .?
No matter how crazy Stalin was about war, wouldn't strengthening be necessary at this point?
If he were a great person who gave up and threw the game, he wouldn't have started the war in the first place.
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