บท 173: 173
Episode 173: Operation Barbarossa (9)
July 22, 1942
Kummersdorf test site, Germany
Waiting for me when I returned to Germany after inspecting the Eastern Front was an excited Guderian.
"How do you feel, Mr. President?"
Unlike the researchers at the Weapons Bureau, whose faces were somewhat stiff due to tension, Guderian waited for my evaluation with a triumphant expression on his face.
"This… ."
And my answer is -
"I passed, I passed!"
My score for the new heavy tank Tiger II and Panzer V Jaktpanther was 100 out of 100.
In all aspects, including maneuvering, shooting, etc., both tanks showed sufficient performance to receive a passing grade.
"A heavy tank with heavier armor and more firepower than the Tiger. "Isn't it the best?"
"Yes, Mr. President."
"I'm already looking forward to seeing them put into action, hahaha!"
As all five candidates - Keitel, Brauchitsch, Reichenau, Todt, and Speer - passed the test, mass production of the Tiger II and Jagdpanther was finally approved.
However, although the Yacht Panther was manufactured according to the design, it was not the Tiger II.
As the armor increased, the weight increased to 59 tons, and as the development of the 105mm gun was delayed, an 88mm 71 caliber gun was installed as a temporary measure.
The actual Tiger II was also equipped with the same main gun, and since there was no tank in 1942 that could defend the main gun from the front, it was not a problem.
The purpose of developing the two vehicles was to break through the Stalin Line, but the Stalin Line had already become a waste even before development was completed.
Even though I thought I was getting excited for no reason, it could not be said to be a wasted effort because the Panther and Tiger alone were not enough to deal with the heavy tanks that the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom would develop in the future.
"Since the Koenigstiger has also appeared, how about discontinuing production of the Tiger?"
"No, Mr. President."
Guderian flatly rejected my proposal to discontinue the Tiger and replace the entire production line with the Tiger II.
The reason is that the Tiger, which is 11 tons lighter than the Tiger II, which has many difficulties in operation due to its weight of close to 59 tons, is easier to operate than the Tiger II, and the war situation is not so urgent that the Tiger's production line must be replaced with the Tiger II immediately. It was.
Guderian argued that it would be right to end production of the Tiger once the production of the Tiger II stabilizes, but it was still too early, and Lutz, Todt, and Speer also actively supported Guderian's opinion.
Ultimately, it was decided that production of the Tiger would continue until at least the end of 1943.
As the Tiger II was developed as the next heavy tank to succeed the Tiger, the development of the '5 Tank Type B Panther II', the next medium tank to replace the Panther, also began.
It was decided that the Panther II would be a version of the existing Panther with reinforced armor of 100 mm on the front and 60 mm on the sides, and would be equipped with the same KwK 43 tank gun as that mounted on the Tiger II and Yakht Panther.
In addition to prototypes of the Tiger II and Jagdpanther, the Kummersdorf test site also had British-made Valentine tanks and American-made M3 Stuart, M3 Lee, and M4 Sherman tanks.
Dozens of tanks were stored at the Coomersdorf test site, having been loaded onto a British cargo ship recently captured by our forces.
Performance tests of these tanks were also conducted in conjunction with tests of the Tiger II and Jagd Panther. The Valentine and M3 Stuart were well received for their thick armor and decent firepower for a light tank, but the M3 Lee was evaluated as neither good nor bad due to its ambiguous performance. received.
The overall height was so high that it was easy to see, and because it was riveted rather than cast, its defense power was low, and the 75mm main gun mounted on the hull had a limited blind spot, so to deal with enemies on the side, the turret's 37mm gun had to be used or the hull had to be turned one by one.
The two machine guns mounted on the bottom of the car body for the driver were a laughing matter.
The driver would be busy controlling it anyway, so why did they put this on? Even the machine gun is fixed straight and can only fire forward.
It was truly a culmination of ignorance and waste.
The M4 Sherman received much better reviews than the previous three.
Its out-of-field driving ability, good mobility, and spacious interior space, which were superior to those of the Panzer 4, were well received by Ordnance Bureau researchers, armored personnel carriers, and officers.
Like the M3 Lee, its shortcomings were that it was difficult to camouflage and that it had a high total height and high ground pressure that could cause it to overturn, but even taking these into account, everyone agreed that the Sherman's performance was on par with the 4th Panzer.
The Sherman had better defense, but the Panzer 4 was superior in firepower and range.
To put it bluntly, whoever shoots and hits first wins.
"Still, I'm relieved that it's not as good as Panther. "As long as we don't catch the flanks, there's no way this side will get hit."
"No. 4 has the upper hand in the main gun's penetration and range, so it's sufficient."
"That is correct. But don't be complacent. Donating hundreds of tanks with performance equivalent to the 4th Panzer to allies means that there is an overabundance of them even after their own military uses them. No matter how excellent the performance of Panther and Tiger is, there is no business when it comes to volume. "You haven't already forgotten why Germany lost the war yesterday, right?"
As a realistic warning was issued, a look of nervousness passed across the generals' faces.
It was clear that he was reminded of America's enormous supply, which was the decisive reason why World War I ended in victory for the Allies.
The amount of meat distributed to one U.S. military division was greater than the total amount of meat and potatoes distributed to the entire German army.
When the German army suffered from starvation, the American soldiers did something 'crazy' by wallpapering the bottom of the trench with cans to avoid getting their boots wet with muddy water.
No matter how elite the German soldiers were and the best German-made weapons in the world, the generals knew without saying anything that they would have a hard time dealing with an overwhelming quantity that far exceeded common sense.
what… . Having said this, Germany was not the only one at a disadvantage.
In fact, when compared to history, there were many points in which Germany was ahead of the United States.
The Tiger and Panther, which were put into service only in late 1942 and mid-1943, were already in operation at the front in large numbers in 1942, and we even developed the Tiger II, which appeared only in 1944.
It will take at least two more years for the United States to field the M26 Pershing, which has performance that overwhelms the Panther and Tiger, and the Soviet Union will also need at least a year to release the IS-2.
The T-34/85, which is known to be currently under development, is only better than the T-34/76, but is still one step below Panther and Tiger.
We can guarantee that we will not be unilaterally pushed back even if a war breaks out with Britain and the US tomorrow, as we are superior to the UK, US and Soviet Union in terms of not only tanks but also fighter jet performance.
The problem is the navy. Although the navy has also strengthened its power compared to its original history, it has not changed in that it is lagging behind the US and British navies.
Fortunately, there was no time to worry about this right now due to the spy disclosure.
It would be nice if the current situation remained like this until the end of the war... .
"Mr. President, rest assured."
Kaitel said with a cheerful smile, as if to put aside his worries.
"Unless both Churchill and Roosevelt are quite crazy, would they go crazy and declare war on Germany while the whole country is in an uproar over the espionage issue?"
"As long as they are politicians, they will sit there like dead rats for a while. "If I do something for no reason, I will be kicked out of my current position by the people."
Reichenau, like Keitel, firmly believed that Churchill and Roosevelt would not be able to participate in the war even if they wanted to because of public opinion.
If, as they said, the two decided to attack Germany without a valid reason, there was a high probability that they would be impeached.
The White House and 10 Downing Street might burn down before he is impeached.
Unlike totalitarian countries such as Germany and the Soviet Union, the United States and the United Kingdom are strictly democratic countries.
"but. It seems like my enemies are worried about my performance, as they said. I guess I can live a little more comfortably. "Let's go get something to eat."
***
July 23, 1942
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
'It wasn't like this.'
Emma Glynn thought.
What he wanted was not this.
The IRA, which aims for independence for Northern Ireland, did not consider an alliance with Germany even after its enemy, Britain, declared war on Germany.
This is because Britain signed the peace treaty and withdrew from the war even before discussions began within the IRA about joining hands with Germany or using the IRA in Germany.
However, when Halifax resigned and Churchill, the immortal trawler of the British Empire, came to power, Britain and Germany again found themselves in an uneasy relationship.
The IRA's weapons smuggling incident, which occurred 'by chance' after Churchill came to power, promoted a secret alliance between the Third Reich and the IRA, which treated each other like chickens and cows.
"If we want to make the fucking British bastards, we have to borrow the power of Germany."
"If war with England breaks out, we need people to kick their ass for us."
The IRA took revenge on Britain, which had used them as a shield in its self-made drama, and for the liberation of Northern Ireland.
Germany prepares for war with Britain.
The two joined hands in the face of a common enemy called Britain.
Germany provided weapons and funds to arm the IRA and dispatched instructors to train the IRA members.
The moment the Anglo-German War broke out, they were planning to wield the blades they had honed for a long time to their heart's content and ruthlessly tear open the bellies of the British pigs who had discriminated and oppressed them.
however,
"this… ..Things are going strange?"
"What happens to us now?"
"How can I do it? "It's an indefinite standby."
"atmosphere? Are you kidding me?"
As the Cambridge Five incident was exposed, public opinion within Britain became extremely confused.
Public opinion, which was divided into those who said we should fight Germany immediately or not, shouted with one mind and one voice, "Let's beat down the communists."
Churchill, who was sending supplies to the Soviet Union under the pretext of helping China, became embarrassed.
Rumors circulated among the public that the reason Churchill's cabinet wanted to go to war with Germany was to help the Soviet Union, and eventually some even said that Churchill was a communist who was acting under Stalin's orders.
The rumor that he was a communist was infuriating to Churchill, who was an anti-communist and imperialist to his core.
However, if he told the truth, it would become a problem, and he had no choice but to remain silent for the time being, as he had never dreamed that a Soviet spy would have infiltrated deep into the heart of England.
If he continued to insist on joining the war when public opinion was extremely negative like now, he might be caught by the people and dragged through the streets like a dog.
No matter how important it was to defeat Germany and use Hitler's balls as a dartboard, it was not more important than the immediate position of chancellor.
As public opinion on the war within the UK declined, the IRA became a barley sack.
As the threat of war with Britain diminished, Germany urged the IRA, which it was funding, not to cause unnecessary friction with Britain.
The IRA was naturally dissatisfied with Germany's instructions, but it did not dare to refuse Germany's instructions because the money it received from Berlin allowed it to feed and sleep its bloody members and give them pistols in their hands.
However, in any organization, there are bound to be one or two people who are dissatisfied with the group's orders.
Emma Glynn was one of the leading malcontents.
As a child, her parents were beaten and she herself was searched naked for complaining about a random check by the British military. Emma joined the IRA in the belief that she would prevent tragedies like hers from happening to her children.
She succeeded in several small operations by taking advantage of the fact that women would catch the enemy off guard.
The number of British people she has killed or caused to die so far is at least 10.
As an activist who was well-known among the IRA members, she did not like the leadership's response to the telegram sent from Berlin.
"We joined hands with the Germans, not just like them!"
"That's right!"
"The Irish must follow their own path! "What do you know about the Germans' orders?"
She established her own strategy with like-minded comrades.
An act that will serve as a wake-up call to the lazy and arrogant Nazis and the leadership who forgot their duties because of the taste of money they give them, and to instill hope in the compatriots suffering from British oppression and fear in the British.
The mission proceeded steadily.
They stole bombs to be used in the rebellion, obtained information and maps from a British guy they bribed, and told the leadership that it was routine spying.
Now all we have to do is the day of the memorial service... .
"Hands up!"
"If you move, I'll shoot!"
Emma and her colleagues, who were heading to the meeting place for a final meeting with the British guy they had bribed, were surrounded by dozens of British soldiers.
I never dreamed that the corrupt police officer I thought I had bribed was actually an MI5 agent hiding his identity.
What should I do now? The moment he saw the muzzle of the gun, his hair turned white and he couldn't think of anything.
I've killed people many times, but this was the first time I've had a gun pointed at someone.
But is it the result of long training?
The moment she saw the muzzle of the gun, her hand reflexively went to the revolver she had at her waist.
The moment my hand grasped the revolver handle, sparks flew out of the muzzle.
This wasn't it.
I never meant to do this.
***
July 26, 1942
10 Downing Street, London, England
"Yes, this is God's will!"
Churchill hasn't been in a very good mood lately.
If you, a loyalist who would willingly sell your soul to the devil for the glory of the British Empire, are arrogantly insulted and insulted by calling you a communist pretending to be a patriot or a lackey of Stalin, then you are just a crazy person.
However, because the public's anti-Soviet and anti-communist public opinion was so surprising that even he, an anti-communist, Churchill had no choice but to remain silent despite all the insults.
If you go out of your way to avoid the situation, it's obvious that you'll end up getting all the insults and even more dishonorable epithets.
He was heartbroken as he watched the German army march toward Moscow.
Whether those damn communists go bankrupt or not is none of my business. Rather, Stalin dancing on the gallows is a welcome sight.
but,
But not now.
At least while Hitler is alive and breathing, the Soviet Union cannot be destroyed.
Damn communists, but the Soviet Union was the only country in Europe other than Britain that could suppress Germany.
The fall of the Soviet Union meant that the vast Russian continent would soon fall into German hands, which meant that there would be no country left in Europe to help Britain and keep Germany in check.
It would be better to have a neighbor who pretends to be a gentleman on the outside, but behind the scenes, a serial killer whose hobby is killing people.
That was Churchill's theory.
That's why he couldn't give up his desire to participate in the war even when the Cambridge Incident broke out and he called the Soviet ambassador and slapped him in the face.
Training of soldiers continued under the pretext of preparing for the German invasion.
Although the landing operation was not suitable for defending the homeland from a German invasion, the soldiers devoted themselves to training every day.
While waiting for the war with Germany to happen someday.
But by chance, an opportunity presented itself.
British troops kill IRA members who were planning a bombing in Belfast.
The bombs and weapons they planned to use for terrorism were all German-made.
What this meant was so easy and clear that even a 6-year-old could guess.
-Ira bombing that ended in failure
-Germany is behind the terrorism?
-Does Hitler dream of conquering England?
The fact that the IRA members who were planning the bombing were killed, and that the bombs and weapons they were planning to use were German-made, was published and read in every newspaper published by every media company in Britain.
Public opinion flipped again.
"Let's show the Germans an example!"
"You need to kick Hitler's balls!" "You damn bastard!"
"Wait, wait."
"?"
"Isn't it strange that something happened suddenly? "Maybe it's the government's own work-"
"what? "You bastard, whose side are you taking now?"
"Are you a Nazi spy?"
"You traitor! die!"
British people who had been swearing at the Soviet Union started swearing at the Nazis again, and the demonstrators' signs condemning the Soviet Union were changed to signs condemning Germany.
It was truly the best moment for Churchill, who dreamed of war with Germany.
Hitler, you probably didn't expect this.
"You've laughed so hard up until now, now it's our turn to laugh."
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