The decisive battle against the Third Reich

Hearing this, Rommel couldn't help but nodded: "We can use the 90th Light Division as the main offensive force. In addition, Italy has also prepared offensive troops and ships, and they have even completed training to seize the island!"

This was before the 24th Air Wing was transferred to the Soviet Union. At that time, Mussolini had already recruited fishermen for the fishing boats necessary to seize the island, and prepared at least three divisions of infantry for training.

"The Italians still have an airborne division!" Qin Chuan reminded: "We can move it to Tripoli and be ready!"

"That's right!" Rommel agreed: "The 185th Paratrooper Division, they are called the 'Lightning' Division by the Italians. It is said that this unit's combat effectiveness is quite good, but... you know, we can't hold too much hope for them. Great hope!”

"But we can dedicate part of the 90th Light Division to conduct parachute training!" Qin Chuan said: "Then let them parachute to Malta Island to fight with the Italian Paratrooper Division!"

"What a great idea!" Rommel agreed.

Then Rommel seemed to make up his mind about it.

"Gentlemen!" Rommel said: "We have always considered seizing the island of Malta, but every time it was shelved for one reason or another. Now, it is urgent to seize the island of Malta, otherwise, as the second lieutenant said, We will eventually fail! We have no choice but to do this!”

Since Rommel said so, the officers had no objections, and then entered the stage of discussing the detailed attack and dispatch plan.

It was busy until the evening, when the officers and staff dispersed, leaving only General Rommel and Strike.

Rommel poured everyone a glass of port wine. After a small drink, he leaned on his chair and asked Qin Chuan: "Tell me, Second Lieutenant, what are you planning?"

General Strike couldn't help but look at Rommel and Qinchuan in confusion after hearing this. He didn't understand what Rommel meant.

"What the general said is..." Qin Chuan was pretending to be stupid. He knew that Rommel had already figured it out.

"Please, Lieutenant!" Rommel said: "If you really wanted to attack Malta, would you discuss this plan in front of so many people?"

After a pause, Rommel said: "And you also know that the possibility of us successfully capturing Malta Island is very small, right?"

"Yes, general!" Qin Chuan exchanged a drink with Rommel from a distance.

"So..." General Strike said, "What we just discussed was all false?"

"Of course it's false, General Strike!" Rommel replied: "The British currently only have more than a hundred fighters in Malta. We have transferred the 27th Air Wing to Tripoli and the Italian Air Force can indeed fight with They fight. But the problem is... the British may have three hundred or more fighter planes in front of us. If we transfer the fighter planes to Tripoli, can't the British transfer the fighter planes to Malta? "

General Strike couldn't help but nodded when he heard this.

Therefore, if this plan really unfolds, it will not be a matter of a German aviation wing and the Italian Air Force attacking more than 100 British fighter planes, but a problem of more than 400 or even 500 British fighter planes.

The result can be imagined. The British army will have an absolute advantage over Malta. The German and Italian troops seizing the island will be ruthlessly massacred and bombed. Even the airborne troops may not have reached the sky over Malta. Just got shot down.

Qinchuan knew that Rommel saw the problem the moment he agreed to attack Malta... It was impossible for Rommel to agree to attack Malta. This was not only because the 24th Air Wing was transferred to seize the island. It became an unrealistic option, especially because Rommel was the "culprit" who firmly opposed and even sabotaged the plan to seize the island.

The attack on Malta was the "C3 Plan". Just when this "C3 Plan" was about to be launched, Rommel hoped to continue attacking the British army on the North African battlefield.

The German air force in Italy and North Africa was insufficient, and it would be impossible to implement the "C3 Plan" if it covered Rommel's attack. For this reason, Kesselring personally flew to Tobruk in the hope of persuading Rommel, but Rommel did not listen. He even exaggerated his favorable situation and reported it to Hitler, making Hitler believe that Rommel could quickly win the victory in the North African battlefield, so the attack on Malta Island became irrelevant.

In this context, if Rommel told Hitler that he would attack Malta... he would undoubtedly be slapping himself in the mouth.

Although this was indeed the only option strategically speaking, the arrogant and conceited Rommel would not bow his head. He would rather wait for death with the African Army here than admit this mistake and try to attack Malta Island.

"My intention is to transfer British fighter planes to Malta Island!" Qin Chuan said.

"Hmm!" General Strike said: "Then what? Attack Port Said? You have to know that this is not easy. Port Said cannot be captured in a day or two, because there are many things before us. A British defense line, and we don’t have many tanks to use for the attack! On the other hand, it may only take half a day to get all the fighter planes transferred to Malta!”

"No, my goal is not Port Said!" Qin Chuan replied.

General Strike was right, aircraft could be mobilized at short notice, and there would be no point in moving British airpower to Maltese Island if it was just to attack Port Said.

"Then what are you doing for?" General Strike was a little curious.

Qin Chuan pointed to a point on the map and said, "My goal is this, Crete!"

"Crete?" General Strike couldn't help but look at Qinchuan in surprise: "But it is much larger than Malta, and there are more troops stationed there. There is one division of British troops and two divisions. Greek Army!”

There are three divisions with a total strength of nearly 40,000 people. This scale is indeed scary.

"But those two divisions of the Greek army are newly formed!" Qin Chuan said: "They don't have much combat effectiveness, and their equipment is also very poor!"

"But what's the point?" General Strike said: "I mean to improve our supplies!"

"Of course it makes sense, General Strike!" Rommel said: "This is another supply route for us!"

"Another supply route?" General Strike was a little confused.

"Look at this..." Rommel pointed to Greece on the map and said: "Greece has surrendered. We can transport the materials to Greece first, and then across the Mediterranean to Alexandria under the cover of the Cretan Air Force. . By then, the British fighter planes on Malta will be completely useless!"