The Rise of the Third Reich

The UK now has nearly 2 million troops, a total of more than 8,000 commonly used aircraft, and more than 3,000 commonly used tanks. In addition, Britain has also built a large number of forts along the English Channel and deployed hundreds of large-caliber coastal defense guns. Such a huge military force is used to defend the British mainland, which is theoretically foolproof.

But the problem is that Britain is, after all, an island country that cannot be self-sufficient in resources. Except for a few minerals such as coal, iron ore, and tin, most other oil and non-ferrous metals need to be imported.

In addition, the UK cannot be self-sufficient in the agricultural products needed for food and industry and needs to import them. Although under the leadership of Lord Woolton, the Minister of Agriculture in the wartime cabinet, Britain implemented a strict national food rationing system from January 8, 1940, and also vigorously promoted the production of agricultural products. This has basically solved the problem of feeding the British people, but food and agricultural products imported from overseas are still indispensable. If imports are completely interrupted, how to feed the 46 million British people will always be a problem.

Compared with eating, British industrial production and combat operations will face greater troubles - if people eat less food, they will lose weight, but can a tank run with less fuel? Can the plane fly faster if it adds less fuel? Can special steel with less non-ferrous metals still be bulletproof and resistant to high temperatures? If an aircraft does not have aluminum alloys and various rare metals that can improve the engine's high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, even if it is barely built, it will only be a living target for German aircraft.

Since the Americans had suspended the delivery of Lend-Lease supplies to the United Kingdom since mid-December, the German war effort was also fully escalated as the main force of the High Seas Fleet broke through the Denmark Strait and entered the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, in the past two months, the UK's imported supplies have been reduced to a negligible level. The British military, industrial production and the most basic people's livelihood are all guaranteed by consumable inventories.

The British mainland's strategic material inventory includes more than 10 million tons of oil, steel, food, copper, aluminum, various rare metal ores, and various other miscellaneous things. But for the consumption of a world war, it is actually not much.

The British War Cabinet made an assessment in late December 1941, if the United States could not resume the Lend-Lease Act and use Iceland as a transit point to provide supplies to the United Kingdom. The UK can only rely on inventory for 6-18 months... Most of the supplies can last for 18 months, but the reserves of aluminum, copper and various rare metals that consume huge amounts of money can only last for 6 months at most!

Therefore, as long as the United States really throws the Lend-Lease Act into the wastebasket, it will be a matter of time before the British Empire is trapped by Germany.

"Don't worry about supplies."

Prime Minister Churchill put out the cigar butt in his hand, then lit another cigar for himself, took a puff, and then said confidently: "On this issue, the Americans are more anxious than we are. The reason why President Roosevelt We will temporarily cut off aid because we know that the inventory we have on hand can last for a while.

President Roosevelt assured me that the supply disruption would only last until April, and that normalcy would return when the battleships Indiana and Massachusetts were commissioned. Because by then, the United States will have three super battleships that can fight Germany in the Atlantic.

In addition, in the direction of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the United States will not only not interrupt supplies, but will also increase support. So we don't have to worry about the United States abandoning us... because the Americans simply cannot afford the consequences of Britain's surrender. "

This is true! If Britain does surrender, the King George V class, Lion class and Vanguard class battleships currently in service or under construction will become part of the "United European Fleet". Moreover, British aviation technology and electronic technology will be used by Germany. By then, Germany will have a great technological lead over the United States in the aerospace and electronics industries. Finally, the UK is one of the world's leading industrialized countries. Coupled with British industry, Europe led by Germany is no longer at a disadvantage to the United States in terms of industrial production.

"Moreover, Moscow cannot afford the consequences of Britain's surrender!" Churchill smiled sarcastically. "If we surrender, the Soviet Union will be the only one left on the entire European continent who disobeys Berlin's will. What do Hitler and Hessmann have? Why not destroy the Soviet Union? The heir to the throne of the Russian Empire is the Crown Princess of the German Empire!”

The Prime Minister of the British Empire said firmly: "Everyone, we don't have to worry about supplies and possible landing battles now. Because that is what the United States and the Soviet Union need to worry about. They will not watch us fail. That is also the case for them. A huge disaster. If the British Empire falls now, in a year or two, the Soviet Union will fall, and then it will be the United States' turn."

British Prime Minister Churchill said he was not anxious or worried about the concentration of German troops in northern France and Belgium. But 2,500 kilometers away, Comrade Stalin, the mastermind of the Kremlin, seemed to be a little bit less anxious than the Prime Minister.

Since the Japanese army's victory in Hawaii, Stalin suspended his vacation in Sochi early. After returning to Moscow, he held enlarged meetings of the Bolshevik Party and Government Bureau for several days to discuss the latest situation of the world revolution.

"Comrades, the world revolution has reached an extremely critical moment, and the war between imperialists has entered a fever pitch. This is very beneficial to our socialist Soviet Union and the liberation cause of mankind."

Stalin spoke eloquently in front of a group of political bureau members and alternate members. Although he said that the situation was excellent, the fatherly leader's brows were furrowed tightly. It seemed that he felt that he had an extremely heavy responsibility to lead all mankind in the future. ah!

Seeing Stalin's frown, the political bureau members and alternate members present also felt the same way, and deeply realized that the burden of leading all mankind is very heavy. Nowadays, people like them have a lot to do in order to improve the Soviet Union. If they change the object of leadership to all mankind, it will be too difficult and too busy... Didn't Marx and Engels consider such practical issues back then? ?

"Although the future is bright, the process must be tortuous! Therefore, the entire party, the entire army, and all Soviet people must be determined to dedicate everything to the cause of liberation of all mankind!"

When Comrade Stalin was speaking, he glanced at the faces of everyone present with a majestic gaze. When he found that everyone had serious expressions, he nodded slightly. It seemed that these leaders of the Soviet party and country were not aware of the problems that the country was facing. We are aware of the severe external situation and are not blinded by the superficially favorable situation of the imperialist war.

"The current situation is very serious," Stalin said in a calm tone, "Although all imperialist countries have been involved in the war. But the United States and Germany, the most powerful imperialism, still maintain peace! There is a trend of capitulationism in Britain. Olga, a remnant of the Romanov reactionary dynasty, is now frequently traveling between London and Berlin. There are also rumors that peace between Britain and Germany will be reached through dynastic marriage. Germany will thus become the European hegemon.

And our socialist Soviet Union will become the only country on the European continent that does not obey Germany after Britain surrenders! Therefore, we are likely to become the next victim of Germany's aggressive expansion. In order to protect 160 million Soviets from the ravages of the German Nazis, it was necessary for the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army to adopt a preemptive strategy. Deal a devastating blow to the Nazi army before they invade! From now on, the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army must always be prepared to fight Germany. "

What? The Soviet Union is about to deal a devastating blow to the Germans? Wasn't it agreed that the United States would first go to the Soviet Union to cover it? How come the Soviet Union came first? The Germans look very powerful. Can the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army defeat them?

In case of a devastating blow by Germany, the party and country leaders will be gone...

Seeing the surprised expressions on his comrades, Stalin frowned slightly. It seemed that his comrades still had doubts about fighting Germany!

In fact, he also wanted virtue to defeat both sides first, and then the Soviet Union would liberate all mankind. But I didn’t expect that U.S. imperialism was a paper tiger and was beaten so badly by little Japan. It seems that it is impossible for the Americans to deploy their main force to Europe soon... but the Soviet Union cannot just watch Germany deal with Britain and do nothing. Because after Britain, the Soviet Union will definitely become a new victim. Therefore, the Soviet Union must take action before Germany defeats Britain, so as to have a better chance of winning.

Of course, the United States cannot completely stay out of the matter. Comrade Stalin is not that easy to talk to.

Stalin said: "Of course we are not fighting alone. We are preemptively striking to avoid fighting alone. So the United States should not stay out of it!" He glanced at Molotov, "Now there must be a binding agreement that stipulates Once Germany tries to cross the English Channel to attack Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union must go to war against Germany at the same time! Moreover, the United States must deliver the supplies promised to us as soon as possible. Without those supplies, the Soviet Union has no way to go to war with Germany. "

Molotov said: "Okay, Comrade Stalin, I will go to the United States right away and have a face-to-face meeting with President Roosevelt. I believe he will agree to all our demands."

"In addition," Stalin paused and then said, "tell Roosevelt that I do not want a two-front war. Therefore, since the Soviet Union has decided to start a war on the Western Front, it will try to maintain stability on the Eastern Front. So before we end the Western Front war, There will be no war with Japan on the Eastern Front.”