10 Downing Street, Cabinet Room.

Winston. Churchill spoke to War Secretary Eden as he walked slowly into the conference room with his cane. He had a cigar cigarette in his mouth, and his face was not very good-looking. Clearly, Aiden's efforts to woo Turkey have failed once again. Although Italy suffered crushing defeats in North Africa and Greece, Britain's defeat of Italy was not enough to shake Turkey's neutrality. Unless Britain can prove that it has the ability to defeat Germany!

Now, an opportunity to prove the capabilities of the British Empire was in front of Churchill. British intelligence reported that Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini had just visited Germany and asked for help, announcing in the last public joint statement that a joint command in the Mediterranean theater would be established!

Moreover, according to information received from Italy by British intelligence, the commander-in-chief of the German-Italian Joint Command in the Mediterranean Theater will be Field Marshal Hersmann, Chief of the General Staff of the German Wehrmacht.

This is very bad news that the Germans took the Mediterranean theater very seriously! And they sent their chief of general staff to serve as commander-in-chief of the German-Italian forces.

Considering that the Germans have no signs of attacking the British mainland or the Soviet Union, it is very likely that the Germans will devote an unprecedented number of troops to the Mediterranean theater, both land and air!

"The Germans at least have no way to send their fleet to the Mediterranean," Churchill burst out laughing after informing all the cabinet members of the bad news, "and we already have eight battleships and three aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean!" Moreover, all three aircraft carriers are equipped with the latest SeaSpitfire fighters, which are very powerful enough to compete with the Fokker Zero. With their presence, our fleet will not be defeated by an enemy from the air. ”

Aware of the Italian Air Force's potential anti-ship capabilities, the Royal Navy has rapidly adjusted the configuration of carrier-based aircraft over the past few months. All the Big Gull fighter-bombers and F2A carrier-based fighters were eliminated and replaced with the Sea-Spitfire, which had superior performance, while also increasing the proportion of carrier-based fighters.

In addition, the Mediterranean Fleet has replaced all the old Swordfish planes on aircraft carriers with relatively new "Mackerel" torpedo bombers. However, Cunningham did not expect to use the "big mackerel" against the Italian fleet now.

After the three German air regiments moved to Sicily in early October 1940 and radar stations were established in Sicily, the Calabrian Peninsula and the port of Taranto, Cunningham called off the planned surprise attack on the port of Taranto.

"In addition to the strengthening of our maritime forces in the Mediterranean, our army and air force there will also be further strengthened."

Churchill went on to say: "The 3rd and 1st Panzer Divisions, which have just been replenished, will board ships as soon as possible and make a detour through Africa to Egypt." We will also draw troops from India, Australia and New Zealand. Efforts are made to increase the number of ground forces to 25-300,000 by the end of March next year, and the number of tanks will exceed 1,000. The number of shore-based and seaplanes of all kinds will exceed 1,500! ”

25-300,000 ground forces, 1000 tanks, 8 battleships and 3 aircraft carriers, as well as 1500 shore-based and seaplanes. For the current British Empire, it is really a bloody investment to come up with such power.

According to the plan of the British High Command, the British Mediterranean Fleet had to fight in France's two super battleships, the Richelieu and Jean. Defeat the Italian Navy before the Barr is repaired and built! Because once Richelieu and Jean. The Barr joined the German-Italian coalition, which would have four brand-new super-battleships in the Mediterranean, while the British could not produce even one in the Mediterranean.

In fact, by March 1941, the entire Royal Navy could only produce two completed new super-battleships, the King George V and the Prince of Wales. In addition, the old and sturdy "Hood" and the small ships "Nelson" and "Rodney" are the real backbone of the British Royal Navy. However, not all of these ships could be used in the Mediterranean, because in the North Sea and in the direction of the English Channel, two powerful German battleships "Bismarck" and "Tirpitz" were eyeing each other.

Once these two super-battleships, accompanied by two aircraft carriers, force their way through the Danish Strait, Britain's maritime lifeline will be in unprecedented danger. Therefore, the British Royal Navy could only leave the "Hood", "Nelson" and "King George V" in the home fleet, ready to use them at any time to fight against the two "Bismarck" classes that broke through.

Moreover, according to reconnaissance by British intelligence, at least two German battleships larger than the Bismarck class are currently being outfitted, and it is estimated that they will be commissioned by the end of 1941.

At that time, the British Royal Navy will only get one more "King George V" class at most - in addition to the "King George V" class, Britain currently has two "Lion" class battleships under construction, but these two battleships were stopped for 10 months due to the shortage of raw materials after the outbreak of World War II, until the discovery of the outfitting H-class was rushed to resume. However, the delay could not be recovered, and the two "Lion" class ships, which were originally scheduled to enter service in 1942, were not allowed to enter service until 1943, which could only be done when the supply of raw materials was sufficient.

As a result, the British Royal Navy had to plan to recall most of its battleships to the mainland by the end of 1941 to use numerical superiority against four or more German super battleships (as well as two O-class battlecruisers "Barbarossa" and "Sliefen", which were unknown to the British).

Therefore, the British Mediterranean Fleet had to completely crush the Italian Navy by the end of June 1941.

"James, I'm looking forward to you!"

Inside Alexandria, on the battleship "Rodney", the flagship of the H Fleet, Admiral Cunningham and James Brown. Vice Admiral Somerville shook his hand and said with a smile: "How is it, is the state of the ships okay?" How much time does it take to maintain? ”

Because the German planes deployed in Sicily were so terrible, the H fleet did not dare to force its way into the Strait of Tness, so it had to go around 11,000 nautical miles from Africa. After running such a long way, the large and small warships of the H fleet are naturally indispensable for maintenance.

"A month," James. Vice Admiral Somerville replied with a smile, "In a month, I guarantee that all warships will be as good as new." ”

"It's about as I expected," said Admiral Cunningham, smiling with satisfaction, as he walked with Vice Admiral Somerville into the Rodney's conning tower and paused in front of the charting table, "I have a plan for a decisive battle with the Italian Navy next February, in the waters between Benghazi and Crete." ”

Cunningham's chosen sea area is more than 600 kilometers away from Sicily, where German aircraft are stationed, and although it is still within the combat radius of the Fokker Zero, Ju88 and He-115, the distance of more than 600 kilometers will limit their use.

In addition, the British army has now deployed P-39 Flying Serpent fighters (American cargo) with a large range on Crete, Mosquito reconnaissance bombers, and Blenheim torpedo bombers. They will be able to provide strong air support to the British fleet in the event of an engagement between the two fleets.

"But why are the Italians fighting us there?" James. Vice Admiral Somerville asked, "I think they should be well aware that we [referring to the H Fleet] have arrived." ”

"Because of Benghazi!" Admiral Cunningham said, "The Army's 'Operation Compass' was a surprise victory, with two divisions defeating 150,000 Italians and now invading Libya." According to my request, the army would drive the Italians to Benghazi, their most important stronghold in Libya, and then surround them. And if the Italians want to rescue the troops in Benghazi, they can only send the navy to fight a decisive battle with us. ”

His plan was very simple, that is, "encirclement and reinforcement". Encircle the point with the army and send reinforcements with the navy. Since there are nearly 1,000 kilometers of land communication between Benghazi and Tripoli, another large port in Libya, the Italians can only send their navy to the rescue once the main Italian army is surrounded in Benghazi.

Cunningham continued, "I think they're going to do it, because they now have two super battleships and four modernized old battleships, and two aircraft carriers, which are on par with us." ”

Because the Battle of Taranto did not happen, the current Italian Navy can be said to be strong, not only 6 battleships and 2 aircraft carriers can be ready to fight at any time, but also the German-aided sea beat radar is in place. All of the Italian Navy's battleships and heavy cruisers (13 in total), as well as seven light cruisers, were equipped with radars, giving them the ability to compete with the British fleet at night.

In addition, at the repeated request of the General Command of the German Southern Front, the Italian Air Force finally got the hang of it.

Beginning in October 1940, ten torpedo bomber squadrons were formed, equipped with 120 S.M.79 torpedo bombers, and under the supervision of German instructors, they underwent fairly rigorous training. At the same time, the Italian Air Force also used 50 Fokker Zeros provided by Germany to form four "long-range fighter squadrons", which were specially responsible for escorting S.M.79 torpedo bombers.

In short, as Cunningham said, the Italian Navy today can definitely fight a decisive battle with the strengthened British Mediterranean Fleet! But the Royal Navy has never been afraid of evenly matched opponents! (To be continued.) )