The performance of the German Nazi Superman on the battlefield in Ireland shattered Golikov's common sense about mechanized warfare - a powerful armored cluster does not necessarily crush the infantry easily! At least it was impossible to crush the defenses of the German infantry. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

On the contrary, a group of armor, which seemed to Golikov to be very formidable, could have been crushed by the defenses of the German infantry, which was few in number, and had no strong fortifications and favorable terrain to rely on.

Golikov, who had been watching the battle for three days on the front lines of the town of Trim, suddenly discovered a fact that had been ignored for the past three years: it was not the tanks of the German army that were really awesome, but the German army itself, and with or without tanks, these damn Nazis were supermen who were very difficult to eliminate!

During the three-day onslaught on 17 May, 18 May and 19 May, the British deployed two armoured brigades, two mechanized infantry brigades, two infantry brigades and six artillery regiments, as well as hundreds of aircraft to provide air support. At first, the 19th Paratrooper Regiment, the 1st Battalion of the 20th Paratrooper Regiment, the 1st Battalion of the 1st Marine Regiment and the 2nd Marine Regiment, the 7th Artillery Regiment and the 7th Anti-Tank Battalion of the Paratroopers were stationed in Trim, with a total strength of no more than 4,000 men.

Later, it was reinforced with 1 regiment of the Italian 185th Lightning Division, 1 tank battalion (88 Type 4H tanks), 1 anti-tank battalion (18 75mm anti-tank guns) and 1 self-propelled artillery battalion (18 Wasp self-propelled guns) of the German Panzer Division, and 1 regimental combat group of the 135th Italian Panzer Division (including 22 Type 4G tanks, 22 Italian M15 medium tanks, and 22 Italian P26 heavy tanks).

When all German and Italian reinforcements arrived in Triem, the British quickly moved from the offensive to the defensive.

Elsewhere in the central Irish theater, the British attacks were also fruitless, and were easily crushed by the German Supermen, who were far outnumbered by them. From 22 May, the British were on the defensive, and it seemed that the 22 divisions they had committed to Ireland were still too few.

On the 22nd, Churchill ordered 20 more divisions to be sent to Ireland in preparation for another counteroffensive in mid-June. According to Churchill's expectations, the Germans should not have taken care of Ireland by then, because the Soviet Red Army would deal the heaviest blow to the Germans on the Eastern Front!

"The Germans were so good at infantry?"

Zhukov, who was driving from the airport to the Kremlin, was in a car, and after listening to Golikov, who had just gotten off the plane, dictate the situation on the battlefield in Ireland, he was first taken aback, and then he was silent for a while.

"Where's their tank?" Zhukov asked, "Is it still No. 3 and No. 4?" ”

"Yes, the best tank on the battlefield in Ireland is the No. 4. However, it is the latest model, and its main gun can penetrate the frontal armor of a Churchill tank at a distance of 1000 meters. ”

Zhukov frowned and asked again: "What is the thickness of the armor of the Churchill infantry tank?" ”

"102mm, this is definitive data, a little thinner than our KV-1." "I estimate that the main gun of the latest tank No. 4 will be able to penetrate the frontal armor of the KV-1 within 900 meters...... However, the KV-1 used an F-34 76.2mm tank gun, and at this distance it is likely that it would not be able to penetrate the frontal armor of Tank 4. ”

In fact, Golikov still does not know what the thickness of the frontal armor of the No. 4H tank is. He knew, however, that the Germans had upgraded their No. 4 tank, as the original Model G had been sold to the Italians in large quantities. The Italians used these Type 4G and their own M15 tanks and P26 tanks to form six Panzer Divisions, including the 131st "Centauri" Panzer Division, the 132nd "Ram" Panzer Division, the 133rd "Litorio" Panzer Division, the 134th "Arrow" Panzer Division, the 135th "Victory" Panzer Division, and the 136th "Fascist Youth" Panzer Division.

With the help of internationalist fighters lurking in the Italian army, Golikov's intelligence bureau obtained the approximate data of the Type 4G and came to the conclusion that the KV-1 tank could easily defeat the Type 4G tank - at that time, of course, Golikov would not say that the KV-1 tank could not defeat the latest German tank No. 4, after all, the KV-1 tank was designed by Comrade Voroshilov's son-in-law......

But now that it was a real fight, Golikov did not dare to conceal the latest information he had heard in Ireland.

……

The Kremlin, the office of Comrade Stalin.

Stalin, the leader of the fathers, quietly listened to Golikov's report, but did not show much surprise.

He pondered in silence for a moment, then asked: "Comrade Golikov, how long do you think the fighting on the island of Ireland will continue?" ”

"It's hard to say......" Golikov frowned, "the general secretary rules, as far as I can see, the Germans repelled the British attack very easily, and I think they have the strength to attack if they want to." ”

"Have the strength to attack but not attack?" Stalin looked at Zhukov.

"Comrade General Secretary, the Germans are most likely planning to fight a war of mass annihilation on the island of Ireland."

"A war of mass annihilation?"

"Yes." Although Zhukov was not the chief of the general staff of the British army, he studied the German Army more than the British Viscount Brooke. "The Germans, who were adept at fighting a war of mass annihilation, probably conceived of drawing the main forces of the British Army to the island of Ireland and then gathering and annihilating them, so that Britain itself would have to submit to German force...... This is more effective than forcing Britain to submit through a blockade. ”

Kesselring and Schleicher's intentions did not hide from the Soviet god of war - the German General Staff knew that there were still a large number of strategic materials on British soil, and even if it was blockaded, it would be able to hold out for more than a year. And during this time, the situation may change adversely.

Therefore, in the "Sea Lion Plan", the first plan is to fight a decisive battle in Ireland to defeat the British Army, and at the same time to destroy the confidence of British resistance, only in this way can all British Island be taken.

"When will the decisive battle break out?" Stalin took a puff on his cigarette and continued to ask.

"June or July." Golikov replied, "Churchill has ordered another increase in troops, and between June and July the British may concentrate 40-45 divisions on the island of Ireland, while the Germans may deploy 20 divisions on the island of Ireland." ”

Golikov had accurately estimated the strength of the British army, but he had overestimated the strength of the German army in Ireland.

At present, the Germans sent only 7 divisions and 2 brigades to the island of Ireland -- the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions, the 3rd Wehrmacht Panzer Division, the 7th and 22nd Airborne Divisions, the Italian 132nd "Ram" Panzer Division, the 185th "Lightning" Airborne Division, the Waffen-SS German Brigade, and Adolf. Hitler's Brigade. There are not many troops, but they are all elite, and even 2 Italian divisions are no exception, and they are also Italian fascist supermen.

And because of the tense situation on the Eastern Front, the Western Front Headquarters now has no plans for a major increase in troops, but is preparing to expand five Irish divisions, and at the same time expand two more SS brigades into Panzergrenadier divisions (expansion plans are underway).

In addition, Schleicher and Kesselring were preparing to mobilize a Spanish division (the 250th "Blue" Division) and the famous French Foreign Legion (6 infantry regiments and 2 cavalry regiments) to fight on the island of Ireland.

"That is, if we don't go to war," Stalin smoked a cigarette and was silent for a while, "Britain will collapse in August or September!" ”

Zhukov and Golikov looked at each other, then nodded at the same time.

Stalin said: "Then the United States will make peace with Germany, and we will fight Germany alone...... Do you think you can win? ”

Both Zhukov and Golikov bowed their heads and remained silent. They do not dare to say that they cannot fight, but they also cannot say in good conscience that they can win the war -- the Soviet Union is very powerful, with a population of 180 million, a territory of more than 20 million square kilometers, abundant resources, and the third largest industrial strength in the world. However, after defeating Britain and making peace with the United States, Germany ruled the whole of Europe except the territory of the Soviet Union, controlled more than 300 million people, controlled almost the same industrial strength as the United States, more than twice as much output as the Soviet Union, and was far ahead in science and technology.

Moreover, once Germany defeated the British, their army would be a battle-hardened lion with incomparable combat experience and could exert its combat effectiveness to the extreme. Although the Soviet Red Army was numerous, most of them did not smell the smoke of the battlefield. Both in combat experience and morale will be at a disadvantage.

Under these circumstances, as long as the Germans did not make any big mistakes and dealt with the Soviet Union steadily, the possibility of victory in the end was very high.

Stalin shrugged his shoulders and said: "Then there is nothing to discuss, the plan for a thunderstorm must be implemented...... Even if we were not able to achieve all of our objectives, it would be better to fight Germany alone after the fall of Britain proper. ”

Looking at the chief and deputy chief of staff of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, Stalin said: "But we should be prepared for the worst...... Maybe the thunderstorm plan will not succeed, in this case, how should we fight it? How to defeat a strong enemy and achieve final victory in a long-term world revolutionary war. ”

Hearing Stalin's order, both Zhukov and Golikov breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts. Stalin's red heart, which wanted to liberate all mankind, was now prepared in two ways, and then the General Staff of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army would be able to draw up several plans for a protracted war that were a little more reliable than the plan for a great thunderstorm. Once the thunderstorm plan failed, the Red Army could methodically move to a protracted defense, and wear down Germany along with Britain and the United States...... (To be continued.) )