"Your Excellency, are we really going to take Shetland Islands or are we just launching a feint?"

The Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Field Marshal Raeder, still did not seem to understand Hersmann's intentions, saying: "Now that the Americans have taken control of Iceland from the British, there is also information that the United States is pushing to turn Iceland into its overseas possessions." Once www.biquge.info U.S. Congress and the Icelandic Parliament pass a resolution, supplies destined for Iceland will no longer be subject to the Neutrality Act. Iceland will become a transit base for American supplies to the UK.

In the future, British ships will only be responsible for transporting the Iceland-Scotland route. This section of the route was only more than 500 nautical miles long, and the strength of the British home fleet was sufficient to carry out a tight escort. At that time, the submarine operation will not be able to carry out. ”

Raeder frowned and continued: "If we also want to fight Britain with a naval blockade and breaking engagements, then the Shetland Islands and the Faroe Islands must be occupied. ”

The presence of the Americans in Iceland was a brinkmanship in order to force Germany to attack first. And if Germany did not dare to take action, then the United States would turn Iceland into a large forward base to support Britain. In the future, supplies destined for the UK will be transshipped through Iceland. As a result, the threat of German submarines to the British lifeline at sea would have been significantly reduced or even ceased to play any role.

And the occupation of Shetland and Faroe became the best and only way to effectively blockade Britain.

"In addition," Raeder continued, "the UK now has a large number of shore-based aircraft deployed in northern Scotland, the Faroe Islands and the Shetland Islands. The United States has also deployed aircraft and a detachment in Iceland. It would be very difficult for the High Seas Fleet to break through the blockade and enter the Atlantic to join the Franco-Italian fleet, unless it chose to break through during the Arctic Polar Night. Otherwise, the Shetland and Faroe peninsulas would have to be occupied. ”

It is clear that Marshal Raeder is inclined to occupy Shetland! He had always had this idea, but because the airfields of the German shore-based air forces were too far from the Shetland Islands to provide effective air support for the attack fleet. So the occupation of Shetland is just a matter of thinking.

But now Norway was soon to join the German side in the war, and with Bergen and Stavanger, two bases close to Shetland, German shore-based aviation could set up the Shetland Islands.

"The primary objective was to attract the British home fleet and to create favorable conditions for the Battle of Gibraltar;" Hersman mused, "The second target is the British aircraft carrier; Finally, the Shetland Islands were occupied. ”

After a pause, Hersman added: "Considering the importance of the Shetland Islands and the fact that it is just over 200 kilometres from the British mainland. Therefore, the seizure of the archipelago is bound to be difficult and long, and there will be repeated contentions. Therefore, this operation can also be seen as the beginning of the seizure of Shetland Islands. The battle to capture Shetland will be a long war of attrition. The German High Seas Fleet must be mentally prepared for a long and arduous battle! ”

As air power had begun to dominate naval warfare, the suppression of British shore-based air forces around the Shetland Islands became key to the seizure of the islands. In order to achieve the goal of suppressing the British shore-based aviation, it was necessary to carry out repeated see-saw and attrition, so the Battle of Shetland was bound to be very long.

……

"On behalf of His Majesty the Head of the European Community and Kaiser of Germany, I welcome the Kingdom of Norway as a member of the European Community, Mr. Quisling."

While Hersmann and the leaders of the German Navy were discussing the battle in the Shetland Islands, German Chancellor Adolf Murphy was discussing the battle in Shetland Islands. Hitler was in the capital of the European Community, in Alsace at Europaburg (formerly Strasbourg), to receive visiting Norwegian Prime Minister Widkon. Quisling.

Widkon. Quisling's Norwegian National Unionist Party (SNP) recently staged a bloodless coup d'état, forcing the Norwegian parliament to pass a special enabling law that gave the Quisling government legislative powers.

In other words, the Quisling government is now ready to ask Norway to join the European Community.

Joining the European Community is an attractive event for Norwegians today. Because the North Sea oil fields have not yet been discovered, Norway is not a rich country with high welfare, but a poor country in Europe. The economic power and the standard of living of the people are far inferior to those of the rich European countries such as Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Membership in the European Community can therefore be supported by the majority of Norwegians. But now joining the European Community means participating in a war led by Germany! It means a war with Great Britain and the possibility of a war with the powerful United States.

So before the Battle of the Mediterranean, although Quisling had become the prime minister of Norway, there was still no way to drag Norway onto the German chariot.

However, after the Battle of the Mediterranean, the situation has changed dramatically. Most Norwegians now believe that the British Empire is coming to an end and that now is the time to join the European Community. If we don't join now, when Britain is defeated, the European Community may not be willing to accept Norway, a poor country......

"Leader," said Gisling to Hitler, "we have built six regimental airfields at Bergen and Stavanger, ready to be stationed at any time six aviation regiments and six anti-aircraft artillery regiments. The ports and shore forts of Bergen and Stavanger were renovated and the German High Seas Fleet was ready to be stationed. In addition, the 20,000-strong Viking division is ready to fight for victory in Europe! ”

Although Norway did not participate in the war for more than a year, it did not waste time, but followed Germany's instructions and used the funds provided by Germany to prepare for war. Six large airfields were built, the ports of Bergen and Stavanger were repaired, and a 20,000-strong Viking division (the Viking Legion) was formed.

"Thank you very much Norway for everything you do for European solidarity," said Adolf. Hitler smiled and said, "Germany and the rest of the European Community will not forget Norway's contribution, and we will certainly help Norway develop its economy after the war is over." Also, in order to ensure the security of Norway, you should not announce this news for the time being, and let our troops be stationed in Bergen, Stavanger, Jan Mayen and Svalbard. ”

Jan Mayen and Svalbard are both Norwegian territories, one in the Norwegian Sea near Greenland (about 500 km away); The other is in the Barents Sea near the Arctic Ocean. Although it is not a strategic location, Germany can set up meteorological observation stations there. If the USSR and Germany went to war, then Svalbard could also exist as a supply depot for submarines.

……

Prime Minister of Norway Widkon. News of Guisling's visit to Europaburg soon reached London by the pro-British faction in Norway. The first reaction of the cabinet during the war was that the big tiger of the German High Seas Fleet was about to be released!

The blockade of the island chain, which Britain operates on the airports in northern Scotland, the Faroe Islands, the Shetland Islands and the Orkney Islands (where Scarpa Bay is located), will soon be put to the toughest test.

"News from Oslo that the government in Gisling will hand over the ports and airports of Bergen and Stavanger to Germany."

Foreign Secretary Aiden reported in a low tone the bad news he had just received.

"Is there a way to stop Quisling?" The Chief of the General Staff, Admiral Deere, said, "It would be good to delay it for a while, so that we could concentrate on fighting the Germans in Gibraltar." ”

"There is no way," Aiden said, "is the aftermath of our failure in the Mediterranean." Now the pro-British faction in Norway is afraid to speak, and some have changed their position. ”

The so-called pro-British faction is not preparing to go to hell with the British Empire, they are simply turning to Britain out of profit. But now that Britain looks like it is failing, pro-British politicians are naturally alienating from Britain.

There was silence in the conference room of the Cabinet Headquarters during the war, and everyone turned their eyes to Churchill, waiting for the Prime Minister to come up with an idea - this idea is not easy to take, and the British Home Fleet has this strength, and Gibraltar cannot control the Norwegian Sea.

"If the main force of the fleet goes to support Gibraltar, is it possible for Germany to occupy the Shetland Islands?" Churchill asked.

"There is no such possibility for the time being," replied First Sea Lord Pound, "because our defence in Shetland, Onique, and Faroe is quite strong. If you count the aircraft deployed in the north of Scotland, we have more than 1000 combat aircraft there. These included 20 squadrons of Bristol 'Beaufort' torpedo bombers and 20 squadrons of 'Wellington' heavy bombers. They would use the same tactics as the Germans and Italians, attacking in large groups to bomb the German fleet trying to approach the Shetland Islands. ”

Now the British have also learned the trick of saturation attacks in large fleets, but they still lack a long-range dive bomber similar to the JU88, so they can only use the "Wellington" bomber to make up the number, and use horizontal bombing and torpedo attacks to deal with the German surface fleet.

"What about the escort fighters?" Churchill asked, "What planes do we use to escort us?" The Germans could have two aircraft carriers. ”

"If the distance is closer, you can use the Spitfire," Marshal Pound replied with a frown, "if it is farther away, you can only use the P-51 supplied by the Americans." ”

"So...... What if the German surface fleet broke through from the Norwegian Sea - the Danish Strait? After the arrival of German planes in Norway, this possibility has increased a lot, right? ”

Marshal Pound thought for a moment and replied: "We can leave the 'Hood', the 'Prince of Wales', the 'King George V' and the 'Nelson' at anchorage in the north-west of Scotland just in case. ”

Churchill nodded: "Okay, let's do it...... We will fight in 2 directions at the same time! (To be continued.) )