"Marshal, I think that after the transfer of 3 armored divisions, the 1st Panzer Army is still capable of completing the combat mission to the north." "Because the 1st Panzer Army still has 4 Panzer Divisions, 3 Motorized Rifle Divisions, and 2 SS Motorized Infantry Banners (the Großdeutschesg Flag and the Reich Flag)."

In addition, we can also transfer the 1st Cavalry Division to the 1st Panzer Army. In this way, General Guderian has 8 divisions and 2 flag teams equivalent to brigades, with more than 1,300 tanks, assault artillery and more than 100,000 officers and soldiers, which is enough. ”

Due to the early merger of the Czech Republic, oil reserves were also very abundant, as well as the creation of the General Directorate of Armaments. At this time, the establishment of German armored divisions was more adequate than in history, and it could still achieve the "ideal state" envisioned by Guderian, with each armored division having one armored brigade, each armored brigade under the jurisdiction of two tank regiments, each tank regiment under the jurisdiction of two tank battalions, and each tank battalion under the jurisdiction of four tank companies. Each company had 21 tanks, so a fully equipped German panzer division had 336 tanks. 4 armored divisions alone have 1,344 tanks!

In addition, the German Panzer Division, Motorized Rifle Division, SS Motorized Rifle Banner, and the only 1st Cavalry Division had a number of self-propelled guns and assault guns. At a 100 percent good rate, the total number of tanks and assault guns (self-propelled guns) in the 8 divisions and 2 flags of the 1st Panzer Army (after the transfer of some armored divisions) was close to 1,600. However, after crossing the Ardennes Forest, the equipment has been in good condition. There are still more than 1,300 tanks and assault guns (self-propelled guns) that can be operated.

But this is also a very large number, probably no less than the total number of tanks and assault guns owned by the 7 armored divisions that have historically assaulted the English Channel.

Moreover, now the equipment of the German armored forces is also slightly better than in the same period of history. Tank No. 2 basically withdrew from the front line, and the 38t tank, tank No. 3, tank No. 4 and No. 3 assault gun became the main force.

Although the quality of the 43-fold diameter 75mm tank gun of Tank No. 4 was still not passable, the 50mm anti-tank gun of Tank No. 3 was fully mature by the end of 1939 (this was related to the early annexation of the Czech Republic by Germany, and the technology used by Skoda to produce the 47mm anti-tank gun of the 1936 model became a reference material for the development of 50mm anti-tank guns in Germany). As a result, all Tank 3 was equipped with 50mm anti-tank guns, and its firepower was greatly improved.

Therefore, it is not unreasonable that figures like Manstein and Rundstead are now in favor of splitting up the 1st Panzer Army, which is actually a bit overpowered.

Seeing that Hersmann was still hesitating, Halder continued to persuade him: "Marshal, it is very beneficial for us to carry out the 'Liberator Plan' by destroying the main force of the French army as soon as possible. If we can encircle the French army at 'Maginow' in the first phase of the operation, then we will easily reach the line of Provence in the second phase of the operation. ”

Of course, it is impossible to completely defeat France with one "Operation Scythe", so the German General Staff and the Headquarters of the Western Front have always had plans to carry out another large-scale offensive after "Operation Scythe". However, the specific offensive plan has not yet been drawn up, because no one knows what the "Operation Scythe" will look like.

Therefore, the second phase of the operation is envisaged with only two general objectives at present: first, the Paris-Brittany line; The second was to advance into Provence and, if possible, to occupy Marseille and Toulon (the home ports of the French Mediterranean fleet).

The occupation of Paris was of course necessary for a forced landing on France, while the capture of Provence was stipulated in the "Liberator Plan" - Hersmann was a "triumphant in the Mediterranean", and in his view, the seizure of control of the Mediterranean and the oil resources of the Middle East was the key to Germany's victory.

Moreover, the task of seizing control of the Mediterranean and the oil resources of the Middle East must be completed before LinkedIn is captured. Because once Britain itself falls, the British Empire will disintegrate, and the Soviet Union will most likely take advantage of the chaos to seize Iran and Iraq!

And to seize the oil resources of the Mediterranean and the Middle East, it would be better for Germany to have a naval base in the Mediterranean and a strong naval fleet - a combination of a German fleet + German naval aviation is certainly better than relying on Italy.

Therefore, the port of Toulon and the French Mediterranean fleet are very worthy targets!

"Okay, then let's follow the plan of the Western Front Headquarters!" Hersmann was persuaded by Halder - since Manstein, Rundstedd, and Halder were all on the same page, what was Hersmann worried about? After all, he is just a "political marshal" with the vision of later generations, and if he really wants to command the army to fight, he will definitely not be able to defeat the bulls like Manstein.

He thought for a moment, and then added: "Arrange a meeting for Marshal Halder, General Kesselring, and General Graeme...... Study the possibility of using bombing to block the retreat of the Anglo-French forces from the sea. ”

"Okay, I'll arrange it."

……

"Paddle hard! Paddle hard! Leave the French firepower alone, leave those ......"

The battle for the forced crossing of the Maas River had already begun, and hundreds of rubber boats carrying nearly 1,000 German soldiers, supported by aircraft artillery and tank fire, headed for the west bank of the Maas. Rudolf, son of the German Foreign Minister. Ribbentrop was also rowing now, braving all sorts of shells and bullets from the west bank of the Maas. In addition to the sound of various explosions and the whistling of planes, his ears were none other than platoon commander Gustav. Schwarzenegger's rough voice and the screams that rang out from time to time.

It was Rudolph who screamed. One of Ribbentrop's comrades-in-arms named Paul. Schultz. He was shot through the shoulder by a French bullet, leaving a lot of blood, screaming incessantly, and I don't know if he will be disabled?

"F, give him a few stitches!" Gustav. Schwarzenegger knew that the screams of the wound would affect the morale of the others, and hurriedly ordered the health guard who was bandaging the wound to Paul. How many shots did Schultz get F.

When the screaming gradually stopped, the rubber boat suddenly crashed into the river beach, and everyone's bodies rushed forward.

"It's time!" Gustav. Schwarzenegger shouted: "Rush rush, rush with me!" ”

Shouting, he raised an MP-38 submachine gun and jumped out of the rubber boat first. Rudolph. Ribbentrop glanced at Schultz, who was no longer screaming, but his face was pale, and with a silent wish of good luck in his heart, he jumped into the knee-deep river with his rifle in his hand. Before he could stand still, a huge explosion sounded in his ears, and then there was a huge column of water and waves, and he fell into the water without standing still.

"What bad luck!" Rudolph. Ribbentrop sighed inwardly, and was about to struggle to get up, when suddenly a man grabbed him from the back collar of his military uniform and lifted him out of the water as if he were a chicken. Such a powerful guy, of course, is Rudolph's platoon commander, Second Lieutenant Schwarzenegger.

"Rudolph, don't be afraid, the French have weak firepower!" Schwarzenegger patted the wet little Ribbentrop, "Rush up, kill a Frenchman, you are a man, and when you get to Paris, you can find a few French girls to have fun!" ”

Is there a necessary connection between killing a French man and sleeping with a French woman? Little Ribbentrop took his rifle and pondered the words of Second Lieutenant Schwarzenegger, then charged with his head covered.

At the same time, at 2000-3000 meters in the air, another Rudolph - Rudolph, the eldest son of Hersman. Hersman is flying his Zero Fokker chasing a French plane that is a bit like a catfish.

This is a French Bre.693 attack aircraft, although it "looks ugly", but its performance is very good, and the maximum level flight speed can reach 490 km / h (at an altitude of 5000 meters). Moreover, it also has very good low-altitude performance, which can carry out ultra-low-altitude horizontal bombing attacks. Its bomb bay generally contained eight 50-kilogram bombs, which posed a great threat to vehicles and personnel on the ground.

But in the eyes of the pilots who fly the Fokker Zero, these flying catfish are nothing more than a plate of good food. It was, after all, a clumsy twin-engine aircraft, and it wasn't as fast as the Fokker Zero. So as soon as Rudolph saw the Bre.693 emerge from the clouds, he flew the plane and pounced on it without saying a word.

"Rudolph, I'll cover, you shoot, shoot it down!" Zheng and Rudolph. Hirschmann formed a two-plane formation of Novotny and hurriedly drove the plane to cover it.

"Thank you!" Rudolph. Hersmann replied, and then concentrated on flying the plane to the Bre.693, and the French plane had also spotted two Fokker Zeros staring at him. Hurriedly began to dive to reduce the altitude, trying to escape from a low altitude.

This was supposed to be a life-saving move for fighters like the P40 and Spitfire against the Zero. However, the Bre.693 is a twin-engine attack aircraft after all, and even the dive speed is only more than 500, which is still a lot slower than the Zero.

"Da Da Da, Da Da ......"

Seeing that he could not rely on speed to shake off the Fokker Zero, the Bre.693's mechanic/self-defense shooter went crazy and fired at a 7.5mm machine gun that was located on the back of the plane and could fire backwards. However, the mechanic and self-defense machine gunner was clearly frightened, he fired too early and the bullets simply did not reach Rudolph. Hersman's plane.

It's time for the battle to be fruitful! Seeing that the other side was confused, he ran out of bullets (only 100 rounds were available), Rudolph. Hersman couldn't wait to go up and kiss the guy.

"Suddenly, suddenly, ......" Rudolph. Hersmann pressed the buttons of both the cannon and the machine gun, and the distance was very appropriate, and the ballistics of the bullet and the 20mm machine gun shell completely overlapped (because it was two caliber ammunition, the trajectory only overlapped at a certain distance), and the graceful arc crashed into the fuselage of the French plane.

Rudolph. Hersman has the first result of his life! (To be continued.) )