The decisive battle against the Third Reich

In the end, the quarrel was settled under Eisenhower's coordination.

As a civilian with little combat experience, Eisenhower became the commander-in-chief of the Allied Forces. His most important task was actually this... coordinating the relationship between Britain, the United States and even France.

"Gentlemen!" Eisenhower's voice was a little helpless and bored: "Obviously, if we keep arguing like this, things will not make any progress unless you can go to the front line and scold the enemy to death!"

After waiting for a while, when the conference room finally calmed down, Eilinghower sat back on the chair tiredly and said: "What I need is a plan, a plan that can break through the German defense line!"

Patton blurted out: "As long as you give me 400,000 gallons of gasoline, I promise to bring the army into Germany within two days!"

"This is nonsense!" Montgomery objected: "No one can make such a guarantee!"

"I can!" Patton replied: "You also know that I can, so you don't dare give me gasoline!"

Patton obviously meant what he said. He actually didn't really think that he could break through the German defense line in two days, but the problem was... Montgomery emptied the 3rd Army of fuel in order to prepare for the "Market Garden" attack. , which made Patton's 3rd Army unable to fight at all.

"The fuel consumption of each vehicle in combat is 18 gallons!" Patton said: "An armored division needs 100,000 gallons of fuel every day, but do you know? The 3rd Army only has 32,000 gallons of fuel... If the Germans attack We attacked and, oh, that was great, and we had to surrender because our tanks couldn't move!"

In fact, everyone knew that Montgomery had motives for targeting Patton. He was worried that Patton would continue to steal his limelight, so he used his command power for public benefit.

Of course, Montgomery would never admit this.

"Watch your words, General Patton!" Montgomery said: "This is for combat needs!"

"Oh, really?" Patton asked, "What is the result of the battle?"

"Enough!" Eisenhower said with a straight face: "It seems that we need to say it one by one. This will be good for all of us!"

After a pause, Eisenhower turned his attention to Patton and asked, "General Patton, what do you think?"

Although Eisenhower had always been dissatisfied with Patton's unscrupulous remarks, one thing he had to admit was that Patton always excelled in combat.

General Patton stood up with a smile of victory, took the baton from Eisenhower, pulled it open as if pulling out a rifle, stood majestically in front of the map, and said: "Gentlemen "Our ultimate goal is undoubtedly Berlin, because it is the political center of Germany, but a more realistic goal is the enemy's industrial center in the Ruhr Valley!"

The officers nodded, and even Montgomery could not deny this, since his Operation Market Garden was targeted at the Ruhr industrial area.

"We know that two-thirds of Germany's steel and more than half of its coal come from the Ruhr area!" Patton continued: "If we can capture this area, the Germans' production of artillery shells and explosives will drop by 40%. This means our opponents will have no more artillery shells to use!”

"Tell us something we don't know, General Patton!" Montgomery joked.

A group of British generals laughed in unison.

Eisenhower said with an unhappy face: "Marshal Montgomery, now is General Patton's time!"

"Sorry!" Montgomery nodded gracefully.

"Whatever!" Barton said with a smile: "I know what you are thinking, Mr. Marshal, you want to disrupt my thinking, I think you may be disappointed..."

"Get to the point, General Patton!" Eisenhower reminded.

This was obviously not a harmonious meeting, because it had to be carried out under Eisenhower's order or threat.

"Okay!" General Patton pointed to the map and said: "We have four roads into the Ruhr area, but only two of them are suitable for large-scale mechanized troops: one road is located in the northern Ardennes, which is Operation Market Garden. In the direction of Route 69, passing through Belgium and the Netherlands, and then to the Ruhr, Field Marshal Montgomery's attack on this road had failed."

At this point, General Patton paused intentionally, and the American officers also laughed a little in cooperation.

"The other one is located in the south of the Ardennes!" Barton continued: "We only need to pass through the Metz Pass to reach the Ruhr area without passing through the Netherlands!"

"But General Patton..." Montgomery objected: "South means away from the coastline. Do you know what that means?"

"Of course!" Patton replied: "The north is closer to the coastline, and it is easier for us to get supplies and naval fire support."

"Not only that!" Montgomery said: "You have to know that as the troops advance, we will go around the back of the German 'Atlantic Wall', so that the navy and army can attack the 'Atlantic Wall' and easily capture coastal ports. And these coastal ports will become our new supply bases! This is why I chose Route 69!”

"I know, Marshal!" Patton replied.

"So, do you still plan to attack from the 'Metz Pass' in the south?" Montgomery's tone was sarcastic.

"I didn't say that, Marshal!" Patton replied calmly.

"Oh, good!" Montgomery laughed: "So, you said so much just to tell us that we have only one choice... Then attack along Route 69 like me?"

The British officer couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"I didn't say that, Your Majesty Marshal!" Patton replied, his expression unchanged, and a trace of mockery in his eyes.

Montgomery seemed to understand what Patton meant, so he stopped talking.

Eisenhower asked doubtfully: "Qiao, what do you want to say?"

"We should attack from two directions at the same time!" Patton said: "That is to say, punch two fists at the enemy, two fists that support each other and may reinforce each other. This will not only stretch the enemy's defense wider and disperse With their strength, the two armies can also cover each other's flanks!"

After a pause, Patton continued: "More importantly, by attacking from the south, we will also threaten Germany's Saar Valley, which is the industrial center in western Germany after the Ruhr area!"