The Rise of the Third Reich

"Report, Valparaiso Bay was bombed by at least 200 German carrier-based aircraft, causing heavy losses!"

"Report, Admiral Spruance launched the first attack wave. The 4 aircraft carrier groups sent a total of 8 fighter bomber squadrons (24 F4U each squadron) and 8 dive bomber squadrons (16 SBD each squadron) ), prepare to adopt shuttle bombing tactics..."

In Panama, the atmosphere in the U.S. Navy's Pacific-Atlantic Fleet Joint Command was extremely tense at this time. Admiral Nimitz, Admiral Halsey, Lieutenant General Horatio, Lieutenant General Callahan and Lieutenant General Turner (he was the commander of the Pacific Fleet) -The commander of the landing force of the Atlantic Fleet, who was recalled to Panama after the successful landing operation at Valparaiso Bay) and others were sitting around a chart table in the Southeast Pacific, nervously listening to the staff report that had just been collected Frontline battle reports arrived.

Admiral Halsey couldn't help but shake his head when he heard that Spruance sent 8 squadrons of fighter bombers and 8 squadrons of dive bombers to attack the two German aircraft carriers discovered by the Little Mermaid submarine.

"Too few! There are only 192 F4Us in 8 bomber squadrons, and 128 SBDs in 8 dive bomber squadrons, and they are also divided into 4 assault groups, each group has only 80 aircraft. Such tactics may work at Midway Island, But there is no way to break through the German obstruction of at least 60 Fokkers and Fw190s..."

If an assault group composed of 48 F4Us and 32 SBDs goes to air attack a battle group composed of 2 Japanese aircraft carriers, the probability of success is still quite high. But dealing with two German "Zeppelin" class ships is completely insufficient in Halsey's opinion.

Because Halsey already knew that Germany's Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers adopted a "full combat bombardment configuration" in early 1944. The aircraft carriers were equipped with 80 of the latest Fokker fighters and Fw190s. These aircraft are fighter-bombers when they are hung with bombs, and they are fighter-bombers when they are dropped. They are the same as F6F and F4U, but their performance is definitely superior, and the level of pilots is also higher.

Without several times the number of aircraft, it is impossible for the American bomber group to sink the German Zeppelin-class aircraft carrier.

The dispersed formation tactics adopted by Spruance will definitely turn into a fueling tactic during the attack. The four attack groups will arrive in waves and will probably be defeated by the German Fokker 636 and Fw190!

"William," Nimitz interrupted Halsey, "the responsibility Raymond (Spruance) now bears is not an all-or-nothing battle. Because we simply cannot afford to lose eight Essex-class aircraft carriers at once. The loss, and Valparaiso Bay is already in our hands, it is impossible to take it away from the 1st Marine Division with a few German aircraft carriers."

By capturing Valparaiso Bay and attracting 6-8 German Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers, Spruance would have completed his mission. As for annihilating a few German aircraft carriers, Nimitz did not dare to think about it, and Spruance did not dare to risk the entire army to concentrate the fleet. Without centralizing the fleet, it would be difficult for the scattered fleets to form a joint force.

Nimitz said at this time: "Furthermore, Raymond's purpose in sending carrier-based aircraft to attack the two German aircraft carriers was not to sink them, but to divert the German aircraft carriers near Valparaiso Bay.

This will allow us to continue sending convoys from Panama to Valparaiso Bay to increase our ground and aviation presence there. As long as we can gain a foothold in Valparaiso Bay, it will only be a matter of time before Argentina is driven out of the war. As long as Argentina withdraws or undergoes drastic changes, we will win! "

Having said this, Nimitz already seemed a little proud. If he sends Halsey to command the 56th Task Force, then that beast will most likely choose to fight 6-8 German aircraft carriers in a decisive battle.

But Spruance will not do this. He will carefully test and use the 8 aircraft carriers in his hand to catch the same number of German aircraft carriers - this is a small victory for the United States.

Because too many carrier-based aircraft pilots were lost in the previous attrition war in the Hawaiian Islands, and the F4U and F6F were at a performance disadvantage when facing the Fw190T and Fokker 636. Therefore, the actual combat effectiveness of the eight Essex-class ships may not even be comparable to that of the four Zeppelin-class ships.

And Valparaiso Bay is still in the hands of the United States after all! As long as we don't lose it and continue to increase our military strength there, sooner or later we can use strategic bombing to force Argentina out of the war.

However, the counterattack led by Nimitz is not limited to Chile, the counterattack will also be launched on the other side of the South American continent.

The attack launched on the east coast of the South American continent requires a brave general who dares to fight and charge.

"William!" Nimitz glanced at Halsey, who was already a little eager to try. "Now it is certain that a large number of German aircraft carriers have arrived in the Pacific, so the German forces in the Atlantic will become thin. So we should launch 'Operation Liberty'."

"Operation Liberty God" is one of the many combat plans formulated by the US military to counterattack Guyana. The plan was not complicated. It was to use Trinidad's shore-based aircraft to cover the landing fleet and move south along the coastline of the South American continent to attack Georgetown in British Guiana and Paramaribo in Dutch Guiana.

Since Georgetown is less than 500 kilometers away from Trinidad, it is completely within the combat radius of shore-based aviation. If the German army were to attack the Caribbean, Georgetown would be an indispensable forward base. The combat radius of the German shore-based aircraft deployed there completely covered the entire island of Trinidad.

Therefore, the US military has always wanted to remove this fatal nail in the coffin of Georgetown, but it has no chance to do so. But now, the opportunity to take action seems to have appeared.

"Sir, let me personally command the fleet to attack!" Halsey stood up, "Four 'Iowa' class ships, four 'Soviet class' ships plus the USS Washington will go, a total of 9 super battleships will be dispatched! In addition, we will dispatch 9 super battleships!" , and dispatching the USS Enterprise and 15-20 escort aircraft carriers to provide air cover should ensure victory."

Nimitz nodded and said: "Very good, that's it!" He glanced at Lieutenant General Turner again, "Richmond, you will still be in charge of the landing operation. This time, the 5th Amphibious Corps will be dispatched. Liberate British Guiana from German oppression!”

…

"Marshal of the Empire, the 10th Task Force has just suffered four rounds of air attacks."

In the Joint Operations Command Center of the National Defense Forces General Staff Headquarters, Hersman suddenly became a little nervous when he heard the staff report. He quickly asked: "Is the aircraft carrier damaged?"

"The Redel and the Mackensen were each hit by two 500-pound bombs, but they were not serious. The heavy cruiser Algeria was also hit by a 500-pound bomb and lost one of its main gun turrets, but it was able to continue. Fight." The staff officer said as he handed the latest battle report to Hessman.

Hessman lowered his head and looked at it carefully before letting out a breath. It seems that Helmut Heyer is lucky. The American fleet is a bit far away from his 10th Task Force, so the carrier-based aircraft cannot attack with full bombs and cannot carry 1,000 pounds (454 kg) of bombs. They can only A 500-pound (227-kilogram) bomb was attached. Otherwise, the Redel and Mackensen were likely to be severely damaged.

Because the armor thickness of the B41 aircraft carrier's armored flight deck is only 60mm (not full coverage, but covering about 160 meters of deck between the front and rear elevators), it is very difficult to withstand a 1,000-pound aerial bomb.

However, the Americans also paid a very heavy price for these five 500-pound bombs. 41 SBDs, 42 TBFs and 28 F4Us were shot down in 4 rounds of air strikes!

Especially when the fourth round of air strikes was launched, the Fokker 636s and Fw190s that had dropped bombs in Valparaiso Bay were returning. As a result, the number of Fokker 636s and Fw190s in the sky was dozens more than the number of American air raid groups, and they were able to defeat the opponent. Almost the entire army was wiped out!

After reading the battle report, Hersman handed it to Admiral Redl, who also read it carefully and immediately came up with more information: "The Americans have at least 8 large aircraft carriers off the coast of northern Chile. , in order to avoid being caught all by us, they adopted a dispersed formation deployment method, and they were at least 700 nautical miles away from the 10th Task Force, so they adopted shuttle bombing and reduced bomb load tactics... The battle report said that after the bombing was completed. The planes all flew to Valparaiso Bay.”

"At least 700 nautical miles away from the 10th Task Force?" Marshal Kesselring, who was also in the joint operations command center at this time, listened to Redel's analysis and immediately frowned, "We are deployed in Buenos Aire I’m afraid Me264 nearby can’t reach them, right?”

"It's definitely out of reach." Hessman shook his head. "The Americans are not stupid. They must have calculated the distance before deploying the fleet."

"And they also used several aircraft carriers and up to 20,000 landing troops to tie our three task forces in the Pacific." Kesselring nodded, and continued Hessmann's words, "If our fleet If we leave, the Americans will be able to massively increase their troops to Chile and deploy long-range bombers to bomb Buenos Aires. If our fleet does not leave, the Americans will probably launch a counterattack on the east coast of South America... …However, the Americans may not be determined to fight us in the waters near Guyana. If we show strong strength, they will probably retreat to the Caribbean.”

Hersman smiled: "So the Americans should be allowed to sink deeper."

At this moment, the staff report sounded again: "Sir, I received a report from the Submarine Command that the U.S. fleet anchored in Port of Spain is leaving!"