Commander of the German Afrika Army, Erwin. Admiral Rommel was summoned from Benghazi to Rome the day after Pope Pius XII's ascension. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

The situation in North Africa is not the same as it was historically, and although the Italian Army is still vulnerable, the speed of the British Army's offensive has also been severely affected by the defeat of the British Mediterranean Fleet in previous naval battles. Although the British Army captured the port of Tubruk in January, the port changed hands and could not be used as a supply port for the British army.

Without supplies from the port of Tubruk, the British army would have to drag six or seven hundred kilometers of logistics lines to get supplies from Alexandria. Although they have more trucks than Italians, the nearly 1,400-kilometre journey still consumes a lot of gasoline, and in order to carry this gasoline, the trucks have to carry a lot less cargo, which greatly reduces the efficiency of transportation.

As a result, as the British continued their advance west of Tubruk, logistical pressures became increasingly apparent. Moreover, there is also the possibility that the German and Italian troops will land in the port of Tubruk from the sea and cut off the rear route of the British army.

So after Wavell's defeat in the naval battle, he canceled the plan to outflank and attack Benghazi in order to cut off the retreat of the Italian 10th Army. Instead, the 7th Panzer Division and the 6th Australian Division were ordered to pursue the Italian army, and after driving the 100,000 Italians who had abandoned their baggage and weapons to Benghazi, Wavell ordered his troops to retreat to Tubruk and began to build fortifications there in preparation for a long time.

And just when the British retreated to Tubruk and the Italians retreated to Benghazi, General Rommel, who had just been appointed commander of the German Afrika Army, led his staff team and the vanguard of the African Army to Benghazi on an Italian transport ship and began to investigate the North African battlefield.

"Erwin, do you know about the Pope's ascension?" Hersmann personally greeted Rommel at the door of the main building of the Medici villa. Rommel was a year older than Hersmann, and although they did not graduate from the same military school, the two met at an early age (in Romania during World War I) and had a good relationship.

"I already know," Rommel nodded, "it's a terrible atrocity." The Italians in Benghazi are crying for the Pope, but all they can do is shed tears, and nothing else can really be counted on. ”

The two men walked together to Rychsman's office in Headquarters, a very spacious room filled with maps. There is also a sand table in the middle of the room, which shows the topography of the Eastern Mediterranean. Wooden models of tanks, warships and infantry were also placed on the sand table. Around Benghazi, around Tubrick and on the island of Crete on the sand table, various models are densely arranged.

"Can't count on it?" Hersman held the edge of the sand table with his hand and shook his head with a wry smile, "But without the strength of the Italians, you dare to push the battle line to Tubruk immediately?" ”

"Tubruk?" Rommel was stunned, "Didn't you hit Crete first?" ”

"Now that's changed." Hersman said.

He had studied Cunningham's possible tactics with Yamamoto Isoroku and Kuroshima Kameto last night, and decided that it would be better to take the risk. Although the strength of the Italian fleet on paper was not weak. However, their performance on the battlefield is really unreassuring. It's good to have overwhelming air superiority in broad daylight, but if you want to fight a fleet-to-fleet night battle, forget it.

"It's better to take the port of Tubruk first, and then take Crete." Hersman pondered. "It is also possible to ignore Crete, attack Egypt directly, and close the gates of the Suez Canal. It depends on our ability to use the port of Tubruk to send supplies and reinforcements. ”

"I think it's better to attack Egypt directly from Tubruk," Rommel said, "or it could bypass Tubruk and go straight to Alexandria." ”

"Bypass Tubruk?" Hersmann knew that this was a tactic used by Rommel in history, but due to the difficulty of logistical supply, he lost at Alexander's gate.

"What about supplies?" Hersman asked. "It's nearly 1,000 kilometers from Benghazi to Alexandria, and there are only a few very small ports along the North African coast that can't be resupplied on a large scale."

"The British may hold on to Tubruk with their main forces," Rommel said, "and perhaps a battle will break out west of Tubruk." If the British were defeated, they would retreat into Tubruk's defensive positions and hold on. Then my men could push all the way to Alexandria, about 600 kilometers away.

As long as there are no major battles along the way, the use of mechanized troops to advance for 6-7 days will be able to drive the troops to the vicinity of Alexandria. Rations, fresh water and fuel should be sufficient, as well as supplies through beachheads and small and medium-sized ports, as well as the port of Messai Matroux in northwestern Egypt. If it doesn't work, you can still use airdrop to replenish supplies, and there are many large airfields and military airfields around Benghazi that can be used, and you can even organize an airborne operation behind enemy lines. ”

Although Rommel's vision was risky, there was still a possibility of realization. According to Hersmann's information, the British army was now divided into forces to hold the Peloponnese, Crete, and the port of Tubruk, and the forces near Alexandria appeared empty. If Rommel had adopted the strategy of bypassing Tubruk and going straight to Alexander, it would be very likely that he would have played a closed-door situation.

Moreover, the problem of supply is not unsolvable, and the sea and air supremacy in the Mediterranean region are basically on the German and Italian side.

"How many troops have arrived in Benghazi now?" Hersman asked.

"The 21st Panzer Division arrived at the 5th Tank Regiment, the 104th Panzer Transport Regiment, the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion. The 15th Panzer Division arrived at the 115th Panzer Transport Regiment and the 33rd Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment. The 90th Light Division reached the 200th Infantry Regiment and the 900th Mechanized Infantry Battalion. ”

The three divisions assigned to the Afrika Army are now only partially reached, and the bits and pieces add up to a little more than a lightly armored division.

However, the 5th Tank Regiment was very good, equipped with No. 4G tanks with 43 times the diameter of 75mm guns, which was enough to deal with the British Matilda tank.

"The Große Deutsche Flag has also sailed to Italy," Hersmann said after a moment's thought, "and I told them to get on board at once, and they could be deployed within a week." ”

The Großdeutsche Flag was now enlarged to the size of a brigade, and was well equipped and on par with a motorized rifle division.

"In addition, the 7th Airborne Division and the 185th Lightning Division of Italy are also allocated to you." "It can be flown to Benghazi and it can be delivered in a week." ”

Both divisions were lightly armed, but they were made up of elite infantry, including the 185th Lightning Division, which was also a rare elite in the Italian army.

"That's great," Rommel laughed, "with nearly four divisions, enough to keep the British in check." And Benghazi also has 130,000 Italian troops, which should be used to encircle Tubruk. ”

Hersman nodded, "Alright, Erwin, you can draw up a battle plan immediately, codenamed 'Desert Tiger'." ”

……

"Why did you blow up the Pope? Why didn't God bless him......"

10 Downing Street, Winston. Churchill shook his head repeatedly in the cabinet room, and it was troublesome to blow up the Pope, especially when the environment was not favorable to Britain. France and Spain are both Catholic countries, and the death of the Pope by the British would certainly increase their dissatisfaction with Britain. And the newly elected Pope is likely to be an anti-British!

But it was not the death of the Pope that annoyed Churchill the most, but the fact that the bombing of Rome did not seem to have had a deterrent effect - because not many people were killed.

"Prime Minister," said Sir Deere, Chief of Staff present at the meeting, frowning, as he reported, "Crete and Tubruk were bombed by hundreds of sorties this morning, and the losses were very heavy...... Admiral Wavell suggested abandoning Crete, Greece, and Tubruk and concentrating on the defense of Egypt. ”

"Abandoning Greece and Tubruk?" Churchill took a few puffs of his cigar and looked a little irritated, "We can hold Egypt after giving up there?" ”

Sir Dill did not answer, for he was not at all certain that he would give an affirmative answer. If Germany and Italy had taken control of Tubruk and Crete, then their JU88, S.M79 and Fokker Zero would have been able to fly to Alexandria and the Suez Canal every day, and Egypt would have been able to hold out for as long as Egypt could have in this case.

"Prime Minister," said Sir Pound, First Sea Lord, took up the question, "Admiral Cunningham believes that the key to the Eastern Mediterranean is still ...... at sea."

"How is he going to fight?" Churchill asked immediately.

"The admiral intends to dispatch battleships to seek a decisive battle at night after the enemy has landed on Crete."

Cunningham's choice is exactly the same as Yamamoto fifty-six guessed! He was also ready to withdraw from the aircraft carrier and then use the battleship to make a last-ditch effort. If it works, the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean will be saved, and if not, there will be no way.

"But what if the enemy does not attack Crete, but from the land, Tubruk?" Churchill asked.

"Then withdraw the Greek army and concentrate on holding Egypt with all your might." "If Egypt fails to defend itself, we can destroy Iraqi and Iranian oil facilities, and set up defenses on the islands of Aden, Muscat and Socotra to block the shipping lanes of the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea."

Finally, we should also consider the decisive battle against the Germans, Italians, Spaniards and perhaps the French in Gibraltar! ”

Churchill took a cigar in his mouth and said, "We must hold Egypt, we must hold it!" (To be continued.) )