In July 1940, the "Asik Island Incident" completely exploded the contradictions between China and Britain!

In Europe, Operation Sea Lion officially began.

On May 10, 1940, the Germans launched their main offensive on the Western Front. 3 Army Group 141 divisions suddenly launched an attack on France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The Luftwaffe's strength consisted of 1,100 medium bombers, 400 Stuka dive bombers, 850 Bf109 and 350 Bf110 escort fighters, and 500 transport and glider aircraft for air replenishment and airborne missions.

The offensive was carried out in the same way as in Poland. At dawn on 10 May, German bombers and Stuka dive bomber groups first bombed enemy airfields, and then went deep behind enemy lines to strike at communications and transport targets. At the same time, the Germans parachuted several detachments by parachute and glider to capture key bridges. Despite fierce resistance and heavy losses of the Junkers Ju52 aircraft, most of the German operations were successful.

German bomber groups also bombed enemy cities: the bombing of Rotterdam on 14 May destroyed the city's core facilities, killing 1,000 civilians and leaving 70,000 homeless. Soon after the start of the war, the Germans seized air superiority over the entire front. The German Bf109 was superior in performance to the French MS406 and the British Hurricane, and the German superiority in training and tactics played a decisive role. Even if the Allied planes barely crossed the air defense line of the Luftwaffe fighters, they would have been subjected to heavy fire from ground anti-aircraft fire from the Luftwaffe anti-aircraft artillery units. On the afternoon of May 14, 37 British "combat" light bombers attacked the pontoon bridge erected by the Germans over the Maas River, and 28 were shot down.

Without fear of being attacked by enemy forces, the Luftwaffe's dive bombers were able to support the army as they pleased. Whenever the German armored units encountered resistance in the advance, the "Stuka" bombers would fly over the target within a few minutes. The mental effect of the precision attacks of the German dive bombers was considerable. By the end of the campaign, the British and French troops fled in haste almost as soon as they heard the characteristic sirens of the "Stuka" bombers. By the end of May, it seemed only a matter of time before the British Expeditionary Force had been besieged and wiped out off the coast of Dunkirk, and at this time Hitler gave the order for the armored forces to halt their advance. Goering claimed that the Air Force could solve the battle independently.

However, for the first time since the start of the war, the Luftwaffe failed to win air superiority in this battle. Over Dunkirk they encountered British Spitfires, which the Royal Air Force had left to defend Britain and not sent to the French theater. Now, German Messerschmitt fighter pilots were faced with aircraft that were at least comparable in performance. German bombers and dive bombers could no longer expect to approach their targets safely, and although they inflicted heavy losses on Allied relief forces, they also paid a terrible price. The Germans were ultimately unable to stop the Allied rescue operation: more than 300,000 British and French troops escaped.

The soldiers on the German front knew in their hearts that the RAF would be a formidable opponent for them in the coming weeks and months. ■

A massive German air attack on Britain, what Churchill called the "Battle of Britain," began on 13 August 1940.

However, as early as June 30, Goering issued the "General Instructions of the Luftwaffe on British Operations", which clearly stated that the main goal of the Luftwaffe was to destroy the British Royal Air Force, the air force airfields and their supporting industries. On 11 July, Reich Field Marshal Goering announced that Germany would attack ships in the English Channel.

When the German bombers tried to intercept the British convoy, they were attacked by the Royal Air Force, and the previously invincible "Stuka" dive bombers were particularly vulnerable and imposing. In June and July, the Luftwaffe launched small-scale attacks on Britain from airfields in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. These operations provided the RAF with an opportunity to test its defenses ahead of a major offensive in August and September. This soon became clear that although the Luftwaffe aircraft were numerous, the Royal Air Force had a clear advantage in some respects. …,

To fight against the British, Germany assembled 1,260 medium bombers, about 320 dive bombers, 800 single-engine and 280 twin-engine fighters, and hundreds of reconnaissance aircraft

The Luftwaffe was divided into 3 air groups, led by Albert Brown. The 2nd Air Force under the command of Marshal Kesselring was deployed in eastern France and in the Low Countries, under the command of Hugo. The 3rd Air Force under the command of Field Marshal Sperler was deployed in western France, while Hans-Jürgen. The 5th Air Force under the command of General Stumpf is deployed in Scandandan Navia and will fly over the North Sea to attack the British!

In order to deal with the Luftwaffe offensive, the British accordingly established a fighter command, which was headed by Air Force General Hugh. Dowding is the commander-in-chief. A fighter aviation unit is deployed in each of the UK's major regions to provide protection. Guarding the southwest is the 10th Air Force; By Keith. The 11th Air Force, commanded by Major General Parker, was responsible for guarding the southeastern sector closest to enemy forces; by Trafford. The 12th Air Force under the command of Air Rear Admiral Leigh Mallory is deployed in East and Central England; The 13th Air Force is responsible for the northern and Scottish regions. The Fighter Command has a total of 900 fighters in the main theater, of which 600 are used by Admiral Dowding for direct command operations.

The Royal Air Force was supported by a network of air defense radars distributed in a belt on the British mainland. Although the radar network is only five years old, it is capable of detecting high-flying aircraft deep in northern France. Low-flying intruders can be detected at a distance of 35 km, equivalent to the width of the Strait of Dover. Advanced ground control systems have created conditions for the UK to maximize the use of these resources. With radar warnings, the divisional console was able to direct and direct fighters to take off early and intercept Luftwaffe aircraft before they reached their targets.

Among the Luftwaffe "Messerschmitt" Bf109 fighters there was a single-seat fighter with excellent performance. The fighter was extremely fast and agile, with good climb and dive performance, and its only drawback was its short range, which made it unable to carry out escort missions in southeastern England. Even if it flies over London, it will only have a few minutes of air combat time, otherwise there will not be enough time to return to base. The "Messerschmitt" Bf110 fighter is large, fast, and has a longer range than the Bf109, and the fuselage is equipped with powerful weapons, including 4 machine guns and 2 20 mm cannons. However, this type of combat friend was not able to stand up to the British army's faster and more maneuverable "Hurricane" and "Spitfire" fighters. The Junkers Ju87 Stuka aircraft was a great winner in the Spanish Civil War, the Polish Campaign, and the French Campaign. However, in the contest with high-performance fighters, it is vulnerable.

It flew slowly, had a bulky fuselage, and was shot down by the Royal Air Force several times.

According to the plan, the German bomber aviation was the main force in the implementation of air raid warfare. And this time it couldn't get the job done. In past tactical operations, the Luftwaffe bomber wing could be said to be sharp. During these operations, the Germans suppressed enemy airfields by air strikes, and subsequently occupied them with ground forces. However, bomber units were not suitable for strategic bombing of long-range industrial centers. Before the war, the German Dornier Dc17 and Heinkel He111 bombers were considered extremely fast, but they were vulnerable to a resolute counterattack by British single-seat fighters. Although the performance of the "Junker" Ju88 combat aircraft newly introduced by the German army is quite good, it is also not comparable with the British "Spitfire" fighter.

On the British side, the RAF's main fighting force was the Spitfire and Hurricane. Both aircraft were armed with eight 7.7-mm "Browning" machine guns. Although the Hurricane is the majority in active service, the Spitfire is more powerful than the Spitfire – a direct reflection of the fact that the majority of the aircraft lost by the Royal Air Force in battle were Hurricane fighters. Therefore, in the operation, the British mainly used the faster "Spitfire" fighters against the German Bf109 escort aircraft, and attacked the German bombers with slightly slower but equally agile "Hurricane" fighters. ■

Because the RAF was fighting over home soil, British pilots who were hit but survived and were not seriously injured could be re-piloted in 24 hours or less. The downed Luftwaffe pilots were sent directly to prisoner of war camps. For those pilots who landed in the English Channel, the two sides sent high-speed motorboats and seaplanes from the British mainland and German-occupied French territory respectively, and launched a rescue and counter-rescue race.

On July 19, Hitler delivered a speech to Britain in the German Reichstag, the so-called "last appeal to reason". He said: "If we must persist in the war, it will end with the complete destruction of one of the belligerents." Perhaps, Mr. Churchill thought that it would be Germany that would be destroyed, and I knew it would be England. ”

Since Hitler's "appeal for peace" did not receive a positive response from the British government, the German army issued an order to launch a large-scale air raid on the British Royal Air Force on 12 August, that is, "Eagle Day"!