"Throughout the magnificent naval engagements of the Second World War, we must remember the name of one person, and he was Field Marshal Raeder, Chief of the General Staff of the German High Seas Fleet, when the war had just begun, the world was still speculating about who would have struck the first blow of the German High Seas Fleet, whether it was Count Spee, who had been the commander of the Allied Indian Ocean Fleet in the First World War, or Count Luknall, who had defeated the Iranian fleet in the Iranian War, a man who had been unknown in the First World War, And those who are gradually forgotten come out of the dust of history! With his actions, he announced to the world that the glory of the German High Seas Fleet in the Schell-Hipperer era had not been dissipated! His heir has the same abilities as his predecessors! And Marshal Raeder also took advantage of this large-scale combat operation to completely establish his maritime pattern at the beginning of World War 2! Let the situation of the three carriages inside the German High Seas Fleet finally take shape! —Excerpt from "Documentary of the Atlantic Theater of World War II"

In the ensuing exchange, Count Luknall had to praise Raeder's language art and meticulous organization. Although the former has a lot of opinions, it can't find any breakthrough under the almost strict logic of the other party. The power of language arts is on full display at this moment! Raeder first analyzed the battlefield situation and basic tasks of the two sides.

"The Entente are now massing their fleet. On the whole, the other side has a great advantage in terms of fleet size, and if we fight hard, then we will probably have to pay a considerable price for winning in time, although there is no need for a decisive battle between the two sides now. But as we complete our combat missions in the Mediterranean, sooner or later we will sail out of the Mediterranean and engage the Entente fleet in the Atlantic. In order to create a better situation for the future battle of the Atlantic, I want to take the initiative! Use a small number of troops to contain a large number of warships of the Entente, so that they cannot concentrate the superior fleet in the decisive battle. ”

"We have a surplus of troops at this stage, so we should concentrate some of our forces to attack the sea lines of communication of the Entente countries, of course, the attack intensity in the original plan is no longer enough to meet our requirements, and the Entente countries have optimized their escort system and routes. This greatly reduces the combat efficiency of our simple small fleet, and if we don't get it right, we will fall into the encirclement of the other side. ”

"The Americans even designed a small, slow-moving aircraft carrier for the escort fleet, which the Americans called a Jeep carrier, which was no more than 20 knots. But an aircraft carrier that can carry more than 30 aircraft is already comparable to an aviation cruiser in terms of attack power, and its cost is very low. Perhaps in one engagement, the air cruiser could win a battle in a one-on-one battle with better defense, but it would never win the second. If you want to completely defeat the opponent's escort system, then you must clean up all these annoying gadgets! ”

"The Entente's routes were divided into two main parts. One part is the naval route, and there are two routes in this part, one is the east coast of the United States to Europe, let's not think about this route, there is the most powerful fleet force of the Entente here. In addition to the fact that submarines can achieve some results. Sending other small fleets would not be worth the cost. The other is from the west coast of the United States through the Panama Canal and then north along Central America to join the North Atlantic route. I don't have much idea about this route, the Americans have deployed a lot of airfields along the coast of Central America, and these maritime patrol aircraft make this area almost transparent to the Americans. We're going there and we're going to be found out and killed very quickly, so none of that is an option for us. ”

"The real option is the second type of route, the civil transport lines of the Entente. Some of these routes overlap with military routes, but they will be large in length, and they will have two, the first of which is from the west coast of the United States, bypassing the Strait of Magellan and heading north to the Atlantic route. The Panama Canal is a waterbridge-type canal with a limited amount of traffic. With the exception of the army and scarce supplies, the vast majority of supplies had to be detoured through the Strait of Magellan. The other route is across the Indian Ocean. Once you reach the Cape of Good Hope, you want to sail northwest and join the first route. These two routes pass through neutrals, the shore-based aviation of the Entente is very vulnerable, and it is very far from the main fleet of the opposing side, and if we fight in the South Atlantic, we will certainly be in a very good position in the initial stages of the campaign, and with the help of aviation cruisers, we can destroy a large number of transport ships with naval guns, torpedoes and bombs. Raeder finished speaking and looked at Count Lucknar and asked him to digest it slowly.

"Then the Americans will send those cheap Jeep aircraft carriers to the south, and the environment for our broken diplomatic relations will deteriorate rapidly. And then what? You're going to send a fleet of fleet carriers you've prepared south to attack these jeep carriers? It's a bit like eating big and eating small in poker. Using an aviation cruiser as a decoy to attract the attention of the opponent, and then the main force taking the opportunity to knock a muffler in the back, this tactic is simple. The feasibility is also okay, after all, if you want to completely destroy an aviation cruiser. Taking into account a number of issues such as the efficiency of hits and interceptions, as well as the search for reconnaissance aircraft needed by the adversary, escort aircraft carriers in groups of at least 2 units. Moreover, the escort aircraft carrier carrying out this task must also have a certain quality, at least the speed must be more than 30 knots, and the number of aircraft on board must also be guaranteed. Count Luknall said.

He also knows the American fleet well. The U.S. escort aircraft carriers are also divided into several types, including low-speed, thin-skinned aircraft carriers converted from merchant ships. The protection of these battleships was almost zero, and the speed did not exceed 20 knots. The number of carrier-based aircraft is also less than 30 aircraft. Aircraft carriers of this class are mainly used for anti-submarine purposes. The standard displacement generally does not exceed 10,000 tons, although this type of aircraft carrier has enough aircraft, but other characteristics are very tragic, obviously not suitable for hunting opponents in the ocean, the flight deck is too small, the number of aircraft ejected at one time is too small, the speed is too low to catch up with the opponent, and the lack of various reconnaissance means allows them to only deal with submarines.

Another type of warship with the name of a jeep aircraft carrier, although also known as an escort carrier, is not too large in tonnage, but it is essentially very different from those bargains, these escort aircraft carriers are called light aircraft carriers within the US Navy, which is represented by CVL. The Germans, on the other hand, figuratively referred to it as a fighter aircraft carrier. This type of aircraft carrier is generally improved with a light cruiser hull or a high-speed merchant ship, and can reach a speed of more than 30 knots, with an extended range. And there is a certain armor protection in the core part. It can block 250KG armor-piercing shells or 500KG high-explosive shells. Moreover, there are more than 30 carrier-based aircraft, and a wave of attack can take off and land about 20 or so aircraft of various kinds, although the combat effectiveness and defense of such an aircraft carrier cannot be compared with the regular fleet aircraft carriers, but the combat effectiveness has surpassed that of aviation cruisers. And the hunt team made by Count Luckner was formed with such warships.

"If the target is the opponent's CVL, then it is really worth the main aircraft carrier." Count Luknall said. High performance means high cost. Although such a warship is not as valuable as a fleet aircraft carrier, it is also a valuable strategic resource. Not comparable to those simple Jeep carriers. The number of such aircraft carriers in the American fleet is also small. No more than 6 are currently known. The British had almost nothing, and if the German fleet sent two aviation cruisers, then the Americans needed at least 4 light aircraft carriers to hunt down. These ships don't increase much of their attack power against aircraft carrier battle groups. But it is a reliable defensive force. If they are killed, it will be of great help to the future Atlantic Fleet decisive battle.

"If the other side is 2 light aircraft carriers in a group, then there will be almost 70 aircraft of various types, and one fleet aircraft carrier is difficult to deal with, then we need two fleet aircraft carriers. It is impossible for the Americans to put together 3 light aircraft carriers, in this case, they will not even be able to put together two search fleets. If you send two regular fleet aircraft carriers, plus the required cruisers and destroyers. We can also bear this cost. But the point is, what if the Americans find out about this and also send the main fleet aircraft carriers to participate in this hunt? If the information is leaked, the two fleet aircraft carriers hanging overseas are a great temptation. Then we will be stuck in an endless loop, with both sides investing more and more troops on the ocean, and the fists that would have been gathered together are scattered, and the slightest mistake can lead to serious consequences. "Count Lucknar was astute in pointing out the biggest problem with Raeder's plan.

Raeder's plan may lead to early contact between the main fleets of the two sides, which is contrary to the initial plan of the navy, and the navy only needs to do one thing well. After gaining a foothold in southern France, the fleet could consider moving to Portugal and Spain, and then fighting in the western seas of France with the support of land-based air forces, and at the right time a major battle with the Allied fleet, completely expelling the Allied fleet from the French coast and cutting off the sea supply to the western part of France. It doesn't matter if you simply send an aviation cruiser, or send 2 fleet carriers, but this is likely to evolve into a bottomless pit. It doesn't matter that 2 armored aircraft carriers are out. If the situation changes and two more ships go out, then the German and Austro-Hungarian fleets may be somewhat weak. And even if you succeed, if you knock out 2 light aircraft carriers. So what's next? It was just a tactical victory. What's left to do?

"If we maintain a strong power in the South Atlantic for a long time, what would you do if you were an American?" Raeder did not answer the Count's question directly, but asked rhetorically.

"This is impossible, we cannot maintain a strong fleet in the South Atlantic while maintaining the task of suppressing the French coast. We are facing the land-based air forces and fleets of the Entente, and we are also under a lot of pressure, and to maintain a fleet of regular fleet aircraft carriers in the South Pacific is only to break diplomatic relations. The cost is too high, it has a great impact on the overall situation, if the main fleets of the two sides are at war, and we have one less aircraft carrier squadron, then the result could be fatal, I don't agree with you, the teacher and the top brass of the Navy agree and will not agree. Count Luknal flatly refused.

"We just need to make a gesture that when our armored aircraft carriers appear in the South Atlantic, whether the Entente knows about our plans or not, they will have to send their main fleet to encircle and suppress them. The dependence of Britain and France on maritime transport makes our fleet as deadly as a knife in each other's throats! And as soon as the American fleet enters the South Atlantic, then the task of our fleet aircraft carriers will be completed. We can quickly return to our homeland and join the main fleet for the west coast of France! In this plan, in addition to severely damaging the opponent's fighter aircraft carriers, the most important role of the fleet aircraft carrier is to disperse the opponent's forces! Taking into account the lag of information, we can completely pin down the other side with 2 fleet aircraft carriers by 3 or more! When we return to Spain, the US fleet carriers may still be hanging out on the oceans! This created an extremely favorable condition for us to fight in France, and the Entente fleet had only two options, either to fight us in a decisive battle with a disadvantage in numbers, or to watch us complete the landing and a strong attack on the ports off the coast of France! In any case, we are strategically profitable! Raeder said confidently.

Raeder accurately grasped the biggest loophole in the Allied naval system, first using aviation cruisers as bait to attract Allied light aircraft carriers to the south, and then using the fleet's aircraft carriers to suddenly attack again to provoke the obvious nerve of Allied maritime transportation. When the Entente thought that the other side wanted to compete with them in the South Atlantic, the Allies immediately reduced their forces and concentrated on attacking France, so that the Allies had accumulated a lot of advantages invisibly!

This will create a power vacuum of nearly a month, after the withdrawal of the main German aircraft carriers, it will take some time for the Americans to confirm the news, and even if they immediately discover the plans of the Germans after confirmation, it will take quite a long time for the fleet aircraft carriers scattered overseas to return to Europe, they need to replenish fuel and ammunition, and return to the port for repairs in case of battle damage. By the time all these preparations were completed, the Germans might have cut off aid from the west coast of France. The strategic goal has been accomplished, and of course, from the depths of Raeder's heart, he still hopes to use this opportunity to solve the problem once and for all!

Thanks to the book friend zhouyu1976 for the reward~~~, as well as the book friend I kill me, the 1st Tank Guards Brigade, the old student, the lazy George, and the unchanging star for the monthly ticket support ~~~. (To be continued.) )