Chapter 802: Approaching London (Asking for a Monthly Pass)
"Da Da Da!"
On the positions of the German 2nd Infantry Division, general-purpose machine guns and squad machine guns were roaring, and dense bullets were enveloping the British troops like a raging storm.
The attacking British soldiers had already left a thick layer of corpses in front of their lines.
In the sky, several German H1 bombers flew by, and the bombs rained down.
"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! ”
The sound of explosions sounded in the ranks of the British soldiers, and many British soldiers were blown away, and the fragile human bodies seemed to be fallen leaves.
In order to evacuate Canterbury, the British launched a fierce attack on the German lines. However, there is not one in ten who can successfully break through the German line and withdraw to London. The vast majority of the British soldiers either fell under the strong German firepower or surrendered to the Germans with their hands raised.
In the absence of any hope, for many people, saving their lives is undoubtedly the most important thing. As for the rest, it can be discarded for the time being.
When the German 3rd and 8th Corps joined forces to defeat the British 3rd and 8th Armies and join the British offensive against Canterbury, the British could no longer escape back to London. Under such circumstances, the remnants of the British army surrendered one after another, and the Battle of Canterbury came to an end.
The outcome of the Battle of Canterbury ended in a crushing defeat for the British. Of the seven armies assembled by the British in the southeastern theater, more than 1.4 million people, less than 200,000 fled back to London. The rest either died on the battlefield or went to the German prisoner of war camps. The four German corps plus five marine divisions, totaling more than 1.1 million people, were seriously wounded or killed, less than 50,000. Such losses were undoubtedly much smaller than their gains.
After the victory at the Battle of Canterbury, the Germans did not immediately attack London, but took a little rest. The British army was already in battle in London, and even if they attacked immediately at this time, there was no point in attacking at this time. It is better to let the tired soldiers rest and replenish the war materials. In particular, tanks and other technical weapons suffered heavy losses in battle. Many tanks that are lost due to technical failures can be repaired as long as replacement parts can be delivered.
The German Operational Command against Britain was also moved from Calais to Dover. Feng? Field Marshal Falkenhein, the commander, also set foot on British territory.
"Ladies and gentlemen, His Majesty the Emperor is very satisfied with the victory at the front. In this battle, we wiped out the main force of the British army at a small cost. Although, the remaining British army still has almost three million people. However, there are not many real elites left. It is impossible to resist the attack of our army! "Feng? Marshal Falkenhain had a smile on his face.
Of course, the war against Britain had only just begun. But, von? Marshal Falkenhain was confident that they would be able to build on their efforts and defeat the British in a very short time.
Several corps commanders were also very happy. The victory in the Battle of Canterbury can be regarded as a complete victory. Next, simply take London and destroy the remnants of the main force of the British army around London. Then, the war against Britain can be regarded as a victory.
"Your Excellency, when will we attack London? Although, the British gathered a million and a half million people in London. However, the elite is not as good as the south-east of England. With our current strength, taking London will be a sure thing! Admiral Crook said.
The British deployed only six armies in London, namely the 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th armies. For a long time, the only job of these million British troops was to frantically build defensive positions in and around London. Every road, every street, every house, was used as an important stronghold against the German attack. British War Secretary Richard? Haldan was determined to make London a fortress.
Richard? Hardan knew that it was almost impossible to rely on more than a million British troops to defend against a strong German army. Their only recourse was to strengthen their defenses as much as possible, and to use these fortifications to deplete the German army's vital forces. In this case, it may be possible to succeed.
Of course, after such a big war, London will inevitably be in ruins. However, no one cares anymore. If the German attack could not be resisted, the whole of Britain would fall. Rather than that, it is better to destroy London and leave a ruin to the Germans. If, God willing, they had resisted the German attack in London, perhaps the tide of the war would have turned in the favor of the British. No matter how bad it is, it is possible to achieve a decent peace at a relatively low cost. This is very necessary for the UK.
In addition, the British have completely blocked the area by deploying a large number of mines at the mouth of the Thames. So, it was no longer possible for the battleships of the German Navy to shell London. As a result, the Germans would lose an important boost when attacking London, and would have to rely on the army's own artillery and air support. In order to reduce the casualties paid during the attack on London, the Germans will definitely consume a lot of artillery shells when attacking London. So, Feng? Field Marshal Falkenhain wanted to be well prepared at the beginning of the attack.
"The attack on London, there is no hurry. London was there, and he couldn't run away. It is also clear that the British will not be able to abandon London and give it to us there. So, we can rest for a few days and then go on the offensive. The previous major war consumed a lot of combat materials for the troops. You also need to use this time to replenish it! "Feng? Marshal Falkenhein said.
Admiral Crook nodded, he also knew that the current troops did need time to rest.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the attack on London is very important. Whether we can quickly take the whole of Britain depends on whether we can destroy the last main force of the British army in London. So, I want us not only to capture London, but also to wipe out the main forces of the British army here. "Feng? Marshal Falkenhein said.
"Yes, Your Excellency Marshal!" Everyone replied.
The rest of the German army lasted a full week. Only then did the Germans begin their offensive on London.
On 12 September, the four German corps divided into four routes and marched towards London. The huge army of millions of men had the posture to eat up all the British troops gathered around London.