The Rise of the Third Reich

Chapter 459 Informal Declaration of War

The declaration that angered the Germans was the Atlantic Charter, which was actually an unofficial declaration of war by the United States of America on Germany!

Now the draft of the declaration was in the hands of British Prime Minister Churchill. Fatty Qiu took out his reading glasses, put them on, and began to study the contents of the declaration word by word.

The first article of the Declaration was to the effect that Britain and the United States would not seek any territorial or other expansion. This is of course a half-truth. The expansion of the British Empire has long come to an end, so it naturally does not seek expansion. The United States only has no major expansion plans in terms of territory. It wants to expand greatly in other aspects. Otherwise, will it start a world war?

The second article of the declaration is that Britain and the United States do not want to see any territorial changes that are inconsistent with the freely expressed opinions of the people concerned - such changes have just happened in the Khorasan region of Iran, and are likely to happen in Afghanistan next. , and earlier also occurred on the soil of Finland, Poland and Romania. However, these changes have not been seen by Britain and the United States...

The third article of the declaration, which Churchill did not like very much, was that Britain and the United States respected the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they wished to live; Britain and the United States wanted to see peoples who had been deprived of their sovereignty and autonomy by force regain their sovereignty and autonomy. .

The Prime Minister frowned. This article is clearly harming the British Empire! It seems to have the same meaning as the "Liberator's Proclamation" that was worked out by the Soviet Union and Germany. They all want to tear the British Empire apart!

Articles 4 and 5 of the declaration are about free trade and international economic cooperation, which seem to have little meaning in the current world. Churchill didn't pay much attention, but when he saw Article 6 of the Declaration, his eyes immediately widened, and there was an expression of disbelief on his fat face.

"After the final elimination of Nazi tyranny, Britain and the United States desire to establish a peace which will enable all nations to exist within their borders and ensure that all men, everywhere, can live out their lives in freedom from fear and want. ..." Churchill read a paragraph from the draft declaration loudly, "President, do you really want to write something like the elimination of Nazi tyranny in the declaration?"

Publicly declaring to eliminate Nazi tyranny is almost a declaration of war on Germany! Because the word "Nazi" is the abbreviation of National Socialism (National Socialism), and Germany uses National Socialism (National Socialism) as its national guiding principle. Claiming to eliminate Nazi tyranny is equivalent to claiming to eliminate the German Third Reich!

If such language appeared openly in the Atlantic Charter, the declaration would be an unofficial declaration of war.

"Of course it must be written in the declaration!" Roosevelt nodded and said with a smile: "Maybe Hitler and Hersman will immediately declare war on us after seeing this declaration, which will save us a lot of trouble. "

"I'm afraid it's very difficult." Prime Minister Churchill shook his head and said, "Hitler just looks crazy, but in fact he is very rational. And Marshal Hessmann... that is a cunning guy! He is extremely bad, but absolutely Calm, very composed, and will not be angered by a declaration.”

Politicians with some brains around the world now know that Roosevelt wanted the United States to participate in the world war, but he was restrained by the isolationism in the United States. Although most Americans now agree to help Britain, they are also willing to help Britain in the future. When to join the war. But they did not agree to join the war immediately to fight the terrible Germans.

Therefore, if Roosevelt went to Congress with a motion to declare war on Germany and asked for a vote, he would definitely not be able to pass it... But if Germany was willing to take the initiative to declare war, then Roosevelt would be able to free up his hands and do something big.

"I also know that things are not that easy," Roosevelt said with a smile, "so there are other ways for us to join the war."

"What is the other way?" Churchill asked, "What is it?"

"The Atlantic Fleet will send a squadron to Iceland," Roosevelt said. "The order has been given and the fleet will depart soon."

"What types of ships will this American fleet include?" Churchill asked.

U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Stark, who accompanied President Roosevelt to the talks, took over the question and said: "It will include 1 battleship, 1 heavy cruiser, 2 light cruisers and several destroyers... and maybe 1 aircraft carrier!"

Iceland is only more than 800 kilometers away from the British mainland. If there is a hostile American fleet including battleships, heavy cruisers and aircraft carriers, wandering around Iceland, they will release seaplanes from time to time to conduct reconnaissance, and then use radar to shine east and west. Look, if we report all the reconnaissance to our British friends, how can the Germans still fight?

If the Germans can't bear it anymore and directly beat up the arrogant American fleet, then the United States will join the war. If the Germans continue to be patient, then when their fleet goes to sea to fight in the future, American ships with free navigation will follow them all the way. Not only will they tell the British every move of the German fleet, but they may also launch a sudden attack. !

"In addition," Roosevelt said with some pride, "we are still putting pressure on Japan, Germany's ally. Recently we have just deployed B-17 bombers and submarines in the Philippines, and also deployed Catalina submarines in the Philippines and Guam. aircraft, and strive to complete the setting up of a 300-nautical-mile patrol circle as soon as possible, and we will also deploy Dauntless dive bombers and Destroyer torpedo attack aircraft in the Philippines and Guam as soon as possible. In addition, we have also started to build several large airports in the Philippines to prepare for the war in 1942. The total number of combat aircraft stationed in the Philippines will increase to more than 1,200 by June next year, and the number of aircraft in Guam will also increase to 300. "

"A total of 1,500!?" First Sea Lord Pound, who followed Churchill, was shocked by this number.

If there are really 1,500 shore-based aircraft deployed in the Philippines and Guam, it will be very dangerous for the Japanese to go south again.

"Don't we have to solve the European problem first?" Churchill frowned and asked, "If the United States deploys 1,500 fighter planes in Southeast Asia, does it mean that its investment in Europe will be reduced?"

"Europe first" is the focus of the war that has been set long ago between Britain and the United States, that is, to concentrate on defeating Germany and Italy first, and then to deal with enemies elsewhere.

"Haha," Roosevelt raised his head and laughed, "there will be no 1,500 aircraft deployed to Southeast Asia. It is just a bluff to scare the Japanese. We will also make the Japanese believe that by the end of 1942, we will deploy in the Philippines and Guam The total number of combat aircraft will exceed 2,000. In addition, at least 200 submarines of various types will be deployed to the Philippines!”

If so many scary planes and submarines really arrive in Southeast Asia, then Japan will have to be constantly on guard against sneak attacks by the Americans if it wants to go south!

Churchill became worried again at this time. He asked: "If the Japanese launch an attack on the Philippines and Singapore in the near future, will the United States' power there be able to withstand it?"

"We are continuously strengthening our forces in the Philippines," Admiral Stark said. "Although there will not be more than 1,000 aircraft deployed there, there will still be 300 aircraft, which will also include sea attacks. The highly capable SBD Dauntless dive bomber and TBD Destroyer torpedo bomber.”

Currently, the United States does not have twin-engine dive (shallow dive) bombers like the Ju88. Therefore, the U.S. Navy plans to deploy two carrier-based aircraft, SBD and TBD, to the Philippines for use as shore-based aircraft.

"That puts me at ease." Churchill nodded and turned the topic back to Europe. "Mr. President, how should we defeat the Germans?"

"I think this requires a grand plan," Roosevelt said with a smile. "Hundreds of ships of all kinds, tens of thousands of aircraft, tens of thousands of tanks, and millions of men... We The Army Staff and the Naval Operations Department have jointly formulated some plans, and now our military experts from both sides can work together to formulate combat plans. As long as our two countries can unite, we will surely lead the world together in the future."

Churchill nodded and said: "Our two countries should unite. Only in this way can we ensure that the future still belongs to us white English-speaking people."

Just when Roosevelt and Churchill met at Ajinsha Bay to discuss how to defeat Germany, a major event occurred in Germany. This may be encouraging news for Britain, which is struggling.

The old emperor Wilhelm II of the German Empire who launched two world wars suddenly fell ill, and he couldn't even get sick!

After expert consultation, it was determined that Old William had a very dangerous disease, acute pulmonary embolism! This was almost fatal for an 82-year-old man, and there were no effective treatments in the 1940s.

In other words, William II will soon go to see God. This was undoubtedly a minor mental blow to Germany, which was engaged in a world war and had not yet achieved final victory.

On June 4, 1941, after battling the illness for two days, Wilhelm II, Emperor of the German Empire and Head of the European Community (Chief Elder of the European Senate), passed away and left the empire and people he loved forever.

On the day William II passed away, when the entire German Empire was in mourning, the United States and Britain officially announced the Atlantic Charter. The United States unofficially declared war on the German Empire and the European Community it led!

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