The El Alamein Line is more than just a line of defense.

There is indeed only one that can be seen, but there are at least three of them.

These three lines of defense, from far to near, are the air line, the artillery line, and the trench line.

The air line of defense is about fifty kilometers from the El Alamein Line...... In fact, in order to be able to stop the German army's march, the British planes had already extended the defensive line to a hundred kilometers away.

However, the main line of defense was still within 50 kilometers, because at this distance the British Air Force was more likely to be covered by anti-aircraft fire from the ground and less to face the German anti-aircraft fire, so it was able to achieve the maximum result at the minimum cost.

The artillery line of defense is within 10 kilometers.

The British concentrated almost all the artillery they could find on the El Alamein Line.

General Auchinleck knew very well that if the El Alamein Line could not hold back the German attack, then the British army would no longer be able to hold off the Germans...... The El Alamein Line was the equivalent of the walls of the British army, a barrier.

If this wall and barrier are breached, the Germans will rush in like a tidal wave of breaching embankments and start killing.

Therefore, General Auchinleck did not even keep artillery in the important cities of Cairo and Alexandria, and more than 1,000 famous guns were all transferred to El Alamein to block the German attack.

Needless to say, the trench line was a line of defense built by the British ground forces with trenches, pillboxes and tanks.

This was the last line of defense of the British army, as it was 55 kilometers long and many British troops suffered heavy losses in the desert, which led to the fact that the British army, which had always been well-armed, was undermanned.

General Auchinlake hurriedly transferred the 11th and 12th African Divisions, a paramilitary force formed mainly by the Egyptians, to garrison them, and at the same time immediately transferred reinforcements from South Africa, India, and Australia (South African 2nd Division, Indian 29th Brigade, and Australian 9th Division).

Therefore, the most vulnerable should still be the trench defense line, the main defensive force is the Indian 4th Division with the 13th Army as a reserve force, and the rest is the remnants of the 30th Army that was defeated by the 21st Armored Division in the area of Gabshali, and the Australian 6th Infantry Division is barely able to retain its combat effectiveness.

Supposedly, this line was strong enough for General Auchinleck to be confident of holding back the German attack, but General Auchinleck, who had already been frightened by the Germans, prepared a plan B: in the event of the loss of El Alamein, the Eighth Army would withdraw to the Nile Delta, and if Cairo and the delta were not secured, then continue to retreat south to the Nile.

As a result, General Auchinleck ordered the sappers to build a defensive line in the rear and even in Cairo.

As a result, the whole of Egypt exploded into a mess...... Originally, everyone had great confidence in the British army, because they believed that the British army would be able to hold Egypt no matter how weak it was with the absolute superiority of troops and equipment.

Britain is the number one power in the world, isn't it? With the little strength of the Germans to fight the world's number one power, isn't that hitting a stone with an egg?!

Unexpectedly, the opposite was true, the British army was defeated again and again, and now the British sappers are actually building fortifications near the pyramids......

All of a sudden, the streets of Cairo were crowded with cars retreating from Alexandria and the countryside and military transports returning from the front, and the British Consulate was overwhelmed with people who had come to apply for visas to go to Palestine.

The wives and families of the British officers who remained in Cairo were told to be ready to retreat immediately, some of them to Palestine, while others were to retreat from the ships of the Suez Canal.

It wasn't just Egypt that was in turmoil, Britain was no better, and the narrative of defeat hung over the isolated island, and Churchill was strongly questioned by opposition parties and even his own party.

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister!" Councillor Milne asked: "We have more troops and equipment than the enemy, and not long ago we were attacking the Germans, but now the Germans are almost in Cairo!" You have sworn to us that Britain will prevail, do you still think so?

"Yes, of course!" Churchill replied: "We are only temporarily lost!" ”

"May I ask ...... then," Councillor Milne continued, "is this 'temporary' a hundred years or two hundred years?" ”

Congressman Milne's words caused a burst of laughter.

Councillor Winterton also sarcastically said: "We have never had a series of catastrophic failures like the present one. Your Excellency Prime Minister, do you really not think that this is a command or decision-making reason? ”

The Ventlor was clearly referring to General Auchinleck, but secretly pointed the finger at Churchill, who was the final decision-maker.

"No!" Churchill replied: "I don't think there is anything wrong with our command and decision-making, and the reason why this is the case is because we have encountered the most formidable adversary in the world." The catastrophe of war aside, Rommel was indeed an outstanding military genius! ”

Churchill did not deliberately tout his enemies, but only by elevating them could he appear to be less stupid.

A member of parliament immediately replied: "Your Excellency, if according to the tradition of the British army, if Rommel had served in the British army, he would have been a sergeant!" ”

The remark immediately provoked a burst of laughter, and Churchill blushed on the stage, speechless with embarrassment.

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister!" The councillor still refused to let him go easily, and one councillor asked reluctantly: "You have won victory after debate in the past, but you have suffered defeat after defeat on the battlefield." Does the fact that you are speechless in the debate here today mean that we are on the verge of victory? ”

Churchill did not dare to answer, because he feared that the situation would be the same as before...... As soon as the British army was about to achieve victory, news of a rout came from the front.

An angry Churchill sent two telegrams after the meeting.

A telegram was sent to General Ochinleck.

"For God's sake, stop the Germans!" Churchill said: "I don't expect victory anymore, but don't let the enemy cross the El Alamein line, not a single step!" ”

Another telegram was sent to Roosevelt.

"Mr. President!" Churchill said: "I have to tell you that the situation is so desperate that if we don't get strong aid, maybe we will lose Africa forever!" ”

"Hold on!" Roosevelt called back: "Aid will arrive in Alexandria in a few days!" ”

"No!" Churchill called back: "You'd better land in Port Said, for I'm not sure if Alexandria will still be ours in a few days!" ”