The Rise of the Third Reich

"Your intelligence is inaccurate. The Russians not only have 200 TB-2 heavy bombers that can bomb Tokyo, they actually have more TB-2s. Because Junkers' J.28 large transport aircraft cooperates with the Soviet Civil Aviation Administration Developed. The Soviet aircraft manufacturing plant also has a J.28 production line with a complete set of German equipment, which is very advanced!

In addition, although they cannot yet produce an 880-horsepower engine, they have already purchased 1,000 units, and have also reserved a 14-cylinder air-cooled engine that BMW will soon put into production (it has not actually been finalized yet). That engine has more than 1,200 horsepower. The strong power of horsepower can further increase the speed and bomb load of TB-2..."

In the Navy Club of Yokosuka Castle, Hersman was speaking in English to scare little Japan - the people he was scaring were both Japan's army elites and their navy elites.

There were two army officers who came to Yokosuka to greet the "German friends", one of whom was Karl Haushofer's student when he taught at the Japanese Army University. Major General Sugiyama Moto, director of the Military Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Army Ministry, has a big, square face and two small eyes. He is one of the few generals in the Japanese Army who has a deep understanding of the role of aviation. He once served as an aviation officer. Group captain and the first aviation section chief of the Military Affairs Bureau.

The other Japanese army officer was a thin man, wearing a pair of small round glasses and a mustache. He is also a famous figure, his name is Nagata Tetsuyama, and his military rank is Colonel. He is the famous leader of the ruling faction in Japanese history and the mastermind behind the 9.18 incident. This person now serves as the head of the Mobilization Section of the Army Provincial Maintenance Bureau.

The Japanese navy also sent two generals to greet Hessmann and Karl Haushofer. One of them was Rear Admiral Takahashi Sankichi, the deputy chief of the Japanese Navy's Military Command Department. He had an unattractive appearance, a bit like a humanoid mouse, and he was not very famous in history. At least he was a little-known figure compared to the decent-looking Japanese naval commander who accompanied him - the naval commander's name was Yamamoto Isoroku!

"1,200 horsepower? How could you sell such an advanced engine to the Soviet Union? Aren't you afraid of setting yourself on fire?"

Yamamoto Isoroku suddenly spoke, interrupting Hessmann's words. He was not supposed to be present at today's talks because he is currently serving as the captain of a cruiser that happens to be anchored at Yokosuka Naval Port. He witnessed a huge Do-X aircraft falling from the sky on his cruiser. Then I went to inquire about the origin of this large aircraft and learned that a delegation from the German military was visiting and might discuss technical cooperation issues. Only then did he find Major General Takahashi Sanyoshi and got the opportunity to attend the talks.

"We have to give it," Hessmann glanced at Yamamoto and smiled, "because we need the Soviet Union's oil, wood, grain and various non-ferrous metals. That's how Germany can fulfill the Keynes Plan and also allow us to key factor for economic development.”

What he said was the truth. Without raw materials from the Soviet Union, Germany would simply not be able to fulfill its obligation to deliver reparations stipulated in the Keynes Plan. Moreover, the German economy's consumption of raw materials is also increasing day by day. If the Soviet Union did not continuously provide cheap raw materials, Germany would have to use gold and foreign exchange to purchase them. This would cause a large outflow of funds from Germany - since Germany does not have the right to issue currency. The consequence of massive capital outflows will be severe deflation.

"Mr. Colonel," Nagata Tetsuzan asked with a frown, "Can I understand that your German economy is actually very dependent on the Soviet Union..."

Hessmann glanced at him and nodded seriously, "Yes!" Then he was silent for a moment and said in a helpless tone, "This is caused by the Treaty of Versailles. If the Soviet Union interrupts the supply of raw materials, the German economy will be in a state of decline in a few days." Collapse within the month.”

Strategic reserves of important raw materials have actually been carried out for a long time, but the Keynesian Plan was only implemented for more than four years. Germany was unable to carry out reserves because of a severe economic crisis. Therefore, the reserves of supplies are still too small and can only sustain consumption for 10 months during peacetime at most.

"Colonel Nagata," Hessmann continued, "so our cooperation must be acceptable to the Soviet Union! If the situation comes to a point where we have to choose between Japan and the Soviet Union, then we can only choose the Soviet Union... I will not It does not mean that Germany may go to war with Japan, but it means that we cannot have any technical exchanges and cooperation with you, and we must also provide the Soviet Union with advanced aircraft engines, aluminum alloy materials, and high-quality aviation fuel until they defeat you. "

In other words, Germany's powerful aviation industry will become the arsenal of the Soviet Union when Japan and the Soviet Union conflict!

Nagata Tetsuyama and Sugiyama Yuan both turned gloomy after hearing this. The changes taking place in China now have made Japan see the possibility of losing its interests in China. For Japanese military leaders like Nagata Tetsuzan who regard Manchuria and Mongolia as Japan's lifeline, the use of military means is almost an inevitable choice.

But the Soviet Union's current performance is unexpectedly tough! It seems that they are ready to use war methods to protect the Wuhan National Government they "supported".

Originally, the Nagata faction hoped to obtain advanced fighter jets through cooperation with Germany to combat the threat of Soviet bombers. This is not very difficult in the eyes of Nagata and others. Japan can use its gold dollars to purchase German engines and fighter designs, and then assemble fighter jets in Japan.

But no one expected that the deputy head of the military delegation sent by Germany would bluntly tell them at the beginning of the meeting that Germany would support the Soviet Union in the Japan-Soviet conflict!

This is no joke. The Soviet Union has already made it difficult for Japan to cope with it, and Germany must be added to it. That's not to say hundreds of TB-2s visit Tokyo every day to drop bombs.

"But the Soviet Union is a country of Bolshevism!" Yamamoto Isoroku said with a frown, "Will the Western world allow it to spread Bolshevism to Asia?"

"Colonel Yamamoto," Hersman smiled with a hint of irony, "you should tell the Americans. Without them, the Soviet regime would have ceased to exist long ago."

Yamamoto was speechless for a moment. He knew what Hersman was talking about - a few years ago, if the current Americans had not organized a "relief committee" to assist the Soviet Union with a large amount of food, the Bolshevik rule might have ended long ago. Moreover, while the Americans were relieving the Soviet Union, they were also putting pressure on Japan to withdraw its troops from Siberia and the Soviet Far East.

"Is there really no room for cooperation between Germany and Japan?" Rear Admiral Miyoshi Takahashi, deputy director of the Japanese Navy's Military Command Department, asked.

"Of course there is room for cooperation," Hersman grinned, emphasizing the word "yes." "As long as there is no conflict between Japan and the Soviet Union, we can export to you technologies and machinery and equipment in aviation, shipbuilding, steel, machinery, chemicals, etc. And we can also accept silk and soybeans from Northeast China as payment."

Soybeans are an important industrial raw material as well as food and feed, which Germany needs very much. Although silk is not as important as soybeans, Germany consumes a lot of it. Now Hersman allows Japan to pay bills in these two ways, mainly because of two points: first, he believes that Japan's special rights and interests in Northeast China can be maintained for a long time, because the Soviet Union's support for the Wuhan government is actually limited; second, he It is believed that there is huge space for German-Japanese cooperation, so much so that the gold and foreign exchange reserves in Japan's hands are not enough to make payments.

Nagata Tetsuyama and Yamamoto Isoroku also understood the meaning of Hirschman’s words. Nagata asked: "Mr. Colonel, do you think the troops of the Wuhan National Government will not occupy Manchuria in the short term?"

"No," Hersman replied resolutely. "But that's a matter of time! Either you decide to send more troops to Shanghai tomorrow... In that case, General Haushofer and I will go to Moscow immediately to negotiate a big deal. We will give Stalin whatever aircraft he wants! Or you Just give up the offensive plan, because as time goes by, the Wuhan government will complete the integration of 200 million people, and will also upgrade their Hanyang Iron Works and Arsenal, and the Soviet Union will help them do this. "

Hirschman is threatening the Japanese!

However, this threat is also for the sake of the Japanese. If we don't capture the vast South Asia and Australia, what can we do if we stay in East Asia and China? Moreover, the current Wuhan National Government is not the historical Nanjing National Government.

The historical Nanjing National Government not only lacked a large grassroots and was unable to carry out land reform and industrialization, but was also very isolated diplomatically. There would never be a Soviet aircraft carrier and a Soviet battleship coming from the Black Sea to support us!

If this kind of maritime force stays on the Huangpu River in Shanghai, the maritime power of any major power in the Far East except the Japanese Navy will not be enough to counter it. Moreover, Germany in this time and space had to support the Soviet Union in the event of a conflict between the Soviet Union and Japan due to its increasing demand for raw materials from the Soviet Union (which also included the storage of war preparation materials).

"Colonel, are you sure that the Wuhan National Government will not invade the North Branch in the short term?" Nagata Tieshan slowed down his tone and looked at Hersman with a burning gaze. "Is this your personal opinion, or is it the Wuhan National Government's decision through your request?" The message conveyed?”

Hersmann and Karl Haushofer next to him looked at each other. Haushofer smiled and said: "This is just a peace proposal from us... You may be able to reach an agreement with the Wuhan government for several years. An agreement that allows you to maintain peace with the Wuhan government and the Soviet Union. Based on our understanding of the Soviet Union, this kind of peace is also what they are willing to accept. In this way, cooperation between us can proceed. "

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