"I heard that you brought back two planes of tungsten ore this time? The Japanese are so generous to you. Hoffman turned his head and asked Speer, "If we do this a few more times, will we not have to buy the high-priced black-hearted tungsten provided by Portugal and Spain before the tungsten mine in the Eastern Province is mined on a scale?" ”

"It's completely possible, the mine will be mass-produced on New Year's Day next year, and there will be no shortage of tungsten by then, but if you have it, you might as well get more, the Japanese don't take advantage of it." Speer smiled, "For Lieutenant Colonel Cole's sake, would you consider giving him a medal?" ”

"Führer, if you read this document, you will not say that Portugal and Spain are high-priced black-hearted merchants." Cole pulled out the document containing the request of the Japanese side tomorrow and handed it over.

Hoffman's face changed after reading it, but he didn't say anything immediately, but silently handed it to Speer.

"This request for assistance is a bit ...... It's a bit ......" Speer wanted to say "whimsical", but then he felt that Hoffman hadn't made a statement, so he changed the wording and said, "It's a bit too much, with so many resources, we can lay down the Middle East ourselves......"

Hoffman shook his head slightly, looking unfazed by his expression.

"Why don't you communicate with the Japanese again and see if you can get a discount?" Speer frowned, "What the Japanese paid was completely disproportionate to what they were asking for, and it wasn't they who sent it down to us, but just asked them to help provide naval support." ”

"How long can the Imperial Oil Reserve top?" Hoffman asked the question coldly, remembering that Speer had come to report on oil reserves.

"The situation is not optimistic. With a large number of new tanks and aircraft in service, coupled with the supply of fuel to the Italian side of the navy, it is expected that there will be a shortfall in fuel supply next month, and the balance of payments for the month will not be able to break even. It can only be compensated with reserves. Speer handed over a table, "According to my projections, fuel consumption is expected to increase further as the productivity of tanks and aircraft increases, and if no new sources or other reserves are obtained, the overall oil reserves will fall into the danger zone by the end of 1943......"

Hoffmann remembers vividly why Germany did not fall into an oil crisis in 1943. On the one hand, it was because of the loss of a large number of tanks and planes in the Battle of Stalingrad, and at the same time, the North African direction was also completely defeated, and there were many fewer oil-eating guys; On the other hand, it was because Germany took control of northern Italy after the surrender of Italy. From there, a large amount of oil hidden by the Italians was seized. Now that these two factors no longer exist, and the early explosion of arms supplies, the oil crisis will also occur earlier than in history.

He waved his hand and said: "There is not so much time, you must know that there has been no particularly fierce fighting on the Eastern Front in the past two months, if there are two more large-scale battles like the Typhoon." Fuel consumption will increase at an accelerated rate – a crisis that could be brought forward to the end of August or even earlier. ”

Speer understood what Hoffmann meant: after giving up the fight for the Caucasus oil fields. The oil-producing regions of the Middle East were far more important than he thought, and he asked tentatively, "What about the conditions that promised the Japanese?" Or maybe a little bit of it? ”

"I promised them, but I asked them to double the supply of gold, tungsten, chromium, tin, and lead, and in return, I provided them with an additional 10 large ground-based early warning radars and 100 ship-based radars. In addition, the two Indians ...... "Speaking of which, Hoffman was suddenly stuck."

"Indian independence leader Chandra Bowes with his main aide, Major Habi Hassan." Cole prompted.

"It's just these people, and they will be sent to the Japanese by plane immediately."

"Yes. Monarch. ”

"You go to Minister Ribbentrop as soon as possible to prepare the credentials of plenipotentiary and fly to Japan to sign." Hoffman patted Cole on the shoulder, "You've worked hard during this time. You've done a great job, and now you're a colonel, and you'll be rewarded with a Knight's Cross with oak leaves when you return. ”

"Thank you, Führer."

After Cole left, Hoffman immediately dialed the phone of Chief Adjutant Daldgs: "Inform Guderian that the Japanese side is basically done, and he can do it......"

"Yes, Führer, I was just about to report to you." "Just after the high command transferred a report on the situation of the battle, the Russian counteroffensive on the southern flank of the Eastern Front began. ”

"Stalin really couldn't stand the loneliness, it's good." Hoffmann sneered, "Let Manstein and Zeitzler deal with it, I trust them." ”

The next evening, Cole sent the revised comments to his secretary in Tokyo, and told him that he would fly to Tokyo with Chandra Bowes and others in two days.

"The news of your country is very exciting, and other amendments can be agreed, but the golden ......" Gu Zhengzhi, who came to greet him, said embarrassedly, "There are not so many ...... in our country."

Of course, Cole knew that the other side was talking nonsense, and Japan had made a lot of gold just by attacking Southeast Asia, and now he said this just to suppress the price again, he ignored the twists and turns during the period, but pretended to be surprised and said: "Your Excellency, of course, the price required to promote India's independence and national liberation cannot be completely paid by Japan, should the Indian people also bear some of this help?" I've heard that there are thousands of tons of gold hidden in India's temples......"

"Is this true?" Gu Zhengzhi didn't know whether it was true or not, so he cast his inquiring eyes on Chandra Bose.

Chandra Bose knew that whether the whole thing could be done depends on his own statement, he gritted his teeth and said: "Our people have the custom of wearing and using gold, and there is indeed a little gold in various temples through historical accumulation, but it is not as exaggerated as a few thousand tons, and there may be hundreds of tons, as long as the friends of the Axis Alliance help India to get rid of British colonial rule and provide the arms and equipment needed for armed struggle, we are willing to pay for it, and I can promise to provide no less than 200 tons of gold in the future. The gold that Germany needed was paid for by India, and the rest was used to buy Japanese arms and pay for the wounded and dead Japanese soldiers. ”

"200 tons?" Gu Zhengzhi felt dizzy, India is really a fat place, no wonder they say that the Indian subcontinent is the jewel in the crown of the British Empire, this is true. Now there is a big deal to pay. All the problems were solved, and Gu Zhengzhi was embarrassed to pretend to be any longer, so he reported to Hirohito.

"After repeated consultations with the American side through secret channels. The situation has developed to such a clear point that the amendment of Plan A and Plan A prepared by our side have completely failed, and the base camp and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have reached the point where it is necessary to adopt Plan B, and after preliminary communication, we believe that Germany and Italy have a special attitude towards Plan B, the two sides have agreed on the relevant conditions, and the leader of the Indian independence movement, Chandra Bose, has also returned, and has expressed his willingness to form a close alliance with Japan and participate in the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. At the same time, there was a promise to pay India after gaining independence. ”

When the important ministers at the meeting heard the resources and equipment promised by the Germans, they could not contain their excitement, and when they heard that the Indians had opened their mouths with 200 tons of gold and hinted that there would be other additional rewards after success, if they had not hesitated about the occasion of the Imperial Council. Many people almost jumped for joy, and Hirohito, who had always been moody, also smiled.

Even a person as calm as Tada Jun was a little stimulated and said, "In this case, what are we still doing on the battlefield in China? The Chinese are poor haha. Going to the countryside to collect food is not as much as it takes to maintain the troops. The Chinese army is not much better than calling Hanako, many soldiers have no more than 10 bullets on their bodies, the Germans don't even look at our 75 field guns, and the Chinese army captured our mortars excitedly like the New Year, they should have gone to India to rob the British......"

"Lu Xiang, you are reckless......"

Tada Jun originally thought that Hirohito did not agree with his point of view, but only reacted under the reminder of Gu Masayuki - how can the word "rob" be openly used in front of His Majesty, it should be "open up thousands of miles of waves." The country is mighty in all directions". He laughed and hurriedly said, "The minister has no words. Please punish Your Majesty. ”

On behalf of the Navy, Inoue Narumi and Shimomura also expounded on the unfavorable factors in the implementation of Plan B, such as the need to withdraw troops from some islands in the South China Sea and reduce the number of troops on the premise of ensuring the safety of the mainland and the smooth navigation routes, but on the whole, they all agreed that Plan B was "positive and constructive." It has been noted that even Yamamoto Isoroku, who has always maintained a steady attitude, has endorsed the Indian Ocean strategy as a key step for Japan to survive and turn the situation around.

Finally, Prime Minister Kazunari Ugaki concluded, "The ministers have reached a consensus on the issue of the second case, and I respectfully ask Your Majesty to ...... the Holy Judgment."

"Your Majesty has an edict," Koichi Kido, Minister of the Interior, announced Hirohito'......s point of view:

“…… With thousands of years of history and a glorious cultural tradition, India is now at the perfect time to break free from the tyrannical rule of the British. If India, in spite of this history and tradition, and not aware of its mission, continues to be deceived and driven by British sweet words and bait, I cannot help but be deeply concerned and disturbed by the fact that the Indian nation will forever lose its chance for rejuvenation......

"The ministers obey."

On November 1, 1942, the Joint Declaration of Japan, Germany and Italy on the Indian and Arab Question was formally signed and unanimously agreed to be publicly issued after the implementation of the strategy:

…… India and Arabia, although they both have glorious cultural traditions, have become the object of oppression by British imperialism and are still groaning under their shackles, which is the greatest stain on modern civilization and is also deeply regretted by Japan, Germany, and Italy, which wish all nations their own place and fight for the construction of a new world order. Britain's vast empire was due to its unparalleled hypocrisy, deception, and cunning divide-and-rule policy, as well as its military prowess, and now that Britain's military stronghold in East Asia had been completely destroyed, and its influence in Europe had long been purged by the German-Italian axis, the British Empire, unwilling to be defeated, tried to use the Indian and Arab people and their beautiful lands for a dying struggle...... Now India and Arabia are at the crossroads of becoming lackeys of the British Empire and serving them to the end, or by driving British imperialism out of India and Arabia and building a glorious India for Indians and an Arab for Arabs...... The three countries will resolutely exert their all-out efforts to defeat British imperialism, and they will not be indifferent to India and Arabia if they continue to serve as defense bases for the British Empire as it is dying.

Japan, Germany, and Italy now solemnly declare that the three countries have no ambition to replace Britain in India and Arabia, that they hope to quickly realize India for Indians and Arabs for Arabs, and that India and Arabia will soon make valuable contributions to world culture as a free people, and that they will not hesitate to provide all possible assistance if Indians and Arabs rise up and hope for assistance from the three countries in order to gain freedom.

…… At a time when the British and Arab forces in India and Arabia are about to be completely destroyed, the three countries once again hope that all the people of India and Arabia will work hard to break the bonds of Britain for many years, truly realize India for Indians and Arabs for Arabs, and forge ahead bravely for the great rejuvenation and historical rise of India and Arabia!

After the fourth volume, please look forward to the next volume, "Collision: The Battle of Steel" (to be continued. )