The inability to build and use new equipment on a large scale severely constrained the size of the German landing force - and the solution was to mix the various types of ships. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

The Sea Lion Project took a pragmatic compromise approach, using older ships to attract enemy fire during the first landings, and then storming ashore with new landing craft.

On the one hand, it makes up for the lack of landing craft, and on the other hand, it can be regarded as a brave attempt to reduce casualties.

Originally, Germany did not have a suitable engine for such a small boat. However, after the exchange, Japan, which had obtained the data of American fighters and warships, finally shipped the diesel engine technology to Germany half a month ago.

Don't look at Japan's tank development level in World War II, which has always lagged behind the world's mainstream, but Japan is one of the first countries in the world to use diesel engines to equip tanks.

In addition, as a maritime power, Japan has its own experience and technology accumulation in the small diesel and gasoline engines used in landing craft and small boats.

With these technical accumulations, German engineers chose the cheapest solution to ensure the core performance of the German landing craft - cheap construction and easy production.

At the same time, in order to appease the Soviet Union and make the best use of it, Li Le once again purchased a large number of life jackets from Japan through the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Even in a hurry, most of these life jackets were Japanese stocks - one-third of the life jackets obtained by the German landing force were imported goods with Japanese written on them.

The improvements were not only in the large equipment, the Germans added self-defense machine guns on the turrets to the various tanks that landed in the UK, and also added anti-shield shields in front of the machine guns to cover the commanders and loaders who used the machine guns.

Such a thing was installed, on the one hand, to strengthen anti-aircraft fire on the beachhead of the landing force, and on the other hand, to deal with the British infantry anti-tank men in the trenches.

On the docks in Kiel, several workers are welding a dinghy using the oldest method. Recently, Germany has been in a state of doing everything to prepare for the landing of ships.

For example, Germany has almost all the civilian ships in France, and the statistical register is ready to be called at any time. At the same time, Italy was also helping to produce assault boats, which were transported by train through France to the Western Route.

In many ports, civilian ship production workers are working overtime to produce small boats, most of which are simple assault boat models.

And the dock, which got the drawings and could produce special landing craft with the front door open, was monitored and protected by the military. On the one hand, it is necessary to conceal the quantity of landing equipment, and on the other hand, it is necessary to keep the design of the landing craft secret.

A large number of ships use civilian-grade steel plates, and some don't even have decent anti-rust treatment. The purpose of this is to build quickly and to conserve military resources.

Germany is no less wealthy than the United States and is capable of building a large amount of non-combat equipment. Not to mention the large amount of auxiliary equipment that consumes resources, it also delays the production of Germany's main equipment.

In December 1940, the production of German landing ships was carried out slowly without delaying any production progress of the military and without occupying any production materials of the military.

"This kind of thing can only last for about 20 days...... "One worker commented to his colleague, looking at his welded assault boat, banging on the steel plates that were not very thick.

"That's how the indicators we were given above were built...... I heard that the ships we produce have a special function, and most of them will sink on the same day. Another worker, who was welding special parts of the assault boat, replied to his colleague.

Unlike ordinary assault boats, the assault boats they produce have brackets on both sides, and these brackets look thicker than the boat itself.

In fact, these special assault boats also had a special purpose, they had to accompany the first landing force ashore on the same day, and run aground on the beach as much as possible.

The engines of these assault boats are detachable for recycling and reducing the cost of ownership. And their important role is to be used in conjunction with the floating dock.

The sappers would sink the boats near the beach, and then have the floating docks attached to the sinking boats. Fill the floating dock's pontoons with water to make the floating dock run aground on multiple assault boats.

With the fixtures on the shore, this can make the floating dock more stable and can dock subsequent ships - mainly for quick fixation, saving time in fixing the dock.

Because of this, most of these special-purpose assault boats will not be reused, so there is no value and necessity for reuse.

As for these small-volume landing ships built in the UK, the German top brass has also repeatedly argued and discussed. After a successful landing in the UK, these ships will not be scrapped and lose their effectiveness.

In the event of the defeat of the British, these ships could be sent to the Mediterranean to be responsible for the transportation of supplies along the coast, as well as for the transportation of supplies in the direction of the Black Sea in the event of an attack on the Soviet Union.

In addition, some ships can still be responsible for the transportation of supplies and transportation between the British mainland and Germany.

So these ships will not be wasted, and it may even be that there are far from enough of them, and many more will have to be added. Being able to calculate to this point in advance shows how miserable the hard life of the German top brass is.

Throughout World War II, Germany never wasted any equipment that could have been used. From the Czech Republic to France, all the captured weapons and equipment were used in the war, and nothing was wasted.

Although this has caused some pressure on logistics and supply, it also shows the shortage of weapons and equipment in Germany. In the eyes of the German leadership, there seems to be no option to waste equipment.

"It looks like we're really going to land in the UK this time." While busy with the work in hand, the workers in the factory will not be idle.

Having worked in the shipyard all year round and built no less than thirty ships with his own hands, he knew what he was doing even with his eyes closed.

Another worker was not far behind, he was also an old boatman, and he quickly welded most of the parts that had been completed to the corresponding positions, and worked without delay for a moment during the chat.

Perhaps the most valuable thing in Germany is these experienced and skilled workers. It was with these workers that Germany fought alone in World War I, swept across Europe in World War II, and made post-war Germany stand up again and become a giant in the economic field.

Not far away, next to a completed assault boat, inspectors are busy, and it is absolutely important to make sure that the equipment is functional, at least until it needs to be sunk.

In a rigorous manner, it was already torture to let German workers build something of such inferior quality, so it seemed inevitable that the quality would exceed expectations.

……

United States, White House. Marshall's face turned slightly pale, and he told Roosevelt about the fact that Germany had just landed on Zhexi Island: "Mr. President, the Germans' landing ability is much stronger than we estimated earlier, and the Germans obviously did not use all their strength this time. ”

"Didn't use all your strength?" Roosevelt thought the statement was noteworthy, repeated it in a low voice, and looked at Marshall.

Marshall nodded and replied: "The Germans did not use paratroopers or tanks...... So I think the Germans are also testing, testing their landing capabilities through trial after attempt. ”

Although it was only heard, the Germans did carry out a small landing operation in the Mediterranean, which was much earlier and more naïve.

During the Crete operation, the actual record of the German landing operation was not exhaustive, and most of the information was speculative and hearsay.

After all, at that time, it was the Greek defenders who met the German landing force, and most of these forces had surrendered. Therefore, there is very little information transmitted back to the British mainland, and the Americans do not know in detail.

However, it can still be judged that the Germans have already carried out two landing operations, and their experience in landing operations can be said to be quite rich.

"The Germans tried landing operations in Crete, in Jersey...... They are consciously accumulating experience, which is very scary. Marshall looked Roosevelt in the eye and added.

"This situation is dangerous, which shows that the Germans had already moved to land in Britain a month ago." Roosevelt realized the seriousness of the problem and spoke to Marshall.

A month ago? If the Germans had really decided to fight the British only a month earlier, how could the German Führer Hitler suddenly lose interest in peace talks with Britain in June?

In the last two months, even high-ranking Nazi officials, who had frequent contacts, had begun to turn a blind eye to the promises of peace made by Duke Hamilton and others.

What does this mean? This shows that since June, the German top brass, under the influence of Hitler, has lost interest in being brothers and sisters with Britain. They don't have the patience to continue talking, they want to solve the problem with their fists.

June? Marshall suddenly crossed his mind an unrelated event—the United States, through its relations in France, had learned that in June, the Führer had encountered an assassination attempt that had almost succeeded.

"Could it be that it was because the British sent assassins that Hitler completely hated the British?" After struggling with this sentence in his heart, even Marshall himself felt that this idea was ridiculous.

"Find a way, try to find a way, find a reason, and send the materials and personnel we can raise to the British mainland!" Roosevelt gave instructions: "The British have little time left, and it is estimated that there is not much left." ”