The last time the United States attacked Romania, in order to better coordinate and dispatch large-scale flight formations, it adopted a daytime bombing mode. Although the visual condition is good during the day, and there are fighter escorts, the disadvantages are also very obvious. Enemy fighters can easily take off and intercept, and the same good visibility is easy to command.

Therefore, the United States summed up the root cause of the failure of the Romanian air raid, the most important point is that the German fighter force is too powerful, and it is easy to suffer heavy losses when attacking in the enemy's advantageous environment, and it is impossible to complete the attack plan.

After summing up the lessons of the failure, the US Army Air Corps began to focus on training for night bombing, trying to use this method to evade the strong German fighter units during the day and complete their bombing missions. This time, the United States felt that the training was ripe and decided to adopt the method of night bombing to reduce losses and achieve the purpose of bombing.

Of course, another reason for the United States and Britain to resolutely decide to adopt the night bombing mode was the assistance of the Norwegian underground resistance. The rebels promised that on the night of the operation, they would light torches to point out targets for the Allied bombing.

With so many convenient conditions, it is only natural that the US bomber unit has chosen the relatively safe tactic of night bombing. At least in their minds, fighters that take off at night are still legendary weapons. They were convinced that the Germans, even if they had such night fighters, would not have too many of them, and that in places like Norway, they would be deployed even less.

......

Germany, Berlin, Wehrmacht Intelligence Headquarters.

After saluting the visiting Accardo, Gascoll hurriedly reported to the Führer that the Allies might have strengthened the Icelandic bomber force: "My Führer, I think it is appropriate to send a reconnaissance plane to conduct a strategic reconnaissance of Iceland...... Confirm the size of the Allied forces there so that contingency measures can be prepared. ”

Accardo had received a phone call from Reinhardt a few dozen minutes earlier, and had also reported to him in an anxious tone about the Allied deployment in Iceland. That's why he rushed to the Wehrmacht Intelligence Headquarters so freely to listen to Gascol's opinion.

After all, all this is just speculation by the intelligence services, and no one dares to mobilize Luftwaffe units on the basis of these unfounded speculations. So everyone thought that the target of the air attack should be Norway, but they didn't know how to deal with it for a while. If the Americans perceive something and do not continue to act, who will be responsible for this massive wasteful act?

In view of this situation, everyone chose to leave decision-making power to the Führer, after all, the great Führer had not made a mistake in decision-making - God's gift was not a wasted name, but a myth that every German believed in.

"Mobilize all the air forces you can muster and rush to the airfields in Norway to stand by! Tighten the security around all the factories and put Kleist on full alert to catch anyone suspicious. As Accardo took a step towards Gascoll's intelligence analysis hall, he gave the order to mobilize troops: "The air defense units stationed in Germany can be transferred as well!"

"But, my Führer...... In that case, there will be holes in the defenses over the mainland...... "An officer of the air defense unit, who followed Gascoll, reminded in a whisper.

"I know what you're worried about, and I know it's going to put Berlin in a dangerous situation...... But if the enemy really bombs Berlin, we are just taken aback, and if the enemy bombs Norway, what can I use to compensate for the loss of production capacity in terms of steel?"

The lack of resources in Germany is well known. At present, the competition for Norwegian iron ore is still fierce among the troops of the three armed forces and the livelihood department. For the sake of such a little steel capacity distribution, I can't wait to change my wife for iron. At this time, even if the iron ore production is reduced by one percent, it will directly affect the strategic deployment of the German army.

This lack of steel will eventually be passed on directly to all combat units, who will have dozens of tanks, dozens of aircraft, one aircraft carrier, and hundreds of thousands of fewer bullets...... This is the precursor to losing the war, this is the beginning of all disasters, isn't it?

So Accardo preferred to risk Berlin running naked, and felt that Norway should be armed to the teeth. Now there are not many strategic bombing outposts in the United States, and as long as Norway is watched, then it seems that all German resource points will be safe. Accardo felt that he could afford it, and that it was worth the investment.

"Are the results of the analysis out? If the Americans attack, will they attack during the day or bomb at night?" Accardo walked forward and asked Gascoll, who was following closely behind, "You have the top intelligence analysis experts in Germany here, so you must have a conclusion?"

"The activities of Norwegian saboteurs have been somewhat frequent lately...... We suspect that they have made contact with British spies. So there is reason to believe that this time the actions of the American bombers were assisted by Norwegian saboteurs. Gascoll gave a summary report on the intelligence.

"In the Romanian air raid operation, the Americans suffered a big loss during the daytime bombing, so the air defense command concluded that this time the Americans bombed at night more than 75%, and during the day no more than 25%, or even less. Gaskol added the officer of the air defense department further behind.

Accardo nodded, walked to the edge of the large sand table in the center of the intelligence department's hall, and carefully looked at the vast sea area between Iceland and Norway. The sorties of the aircraft carrier fleet are of little use, because most of the German carrier-based aircraft are air-cooled FW-190s, and their high-altitude combat capabilities are not ideal. It is too late to temporarily replace the liquid-cooled fighter planes into battle, and now the only thing that can be counted on is the land-based fighter units that have been transferred to the past.

"Order Denmark and the night fighter units of Germany to assemble in the direction of Norway as well. Accardo only thought for a few seconds before giving the order for the night fighter unit to move to Norway at the same time: "How's the fuel reserve over there?

"The reserve fuel can still be handled, mainly because these fighters carry local reserve fuel after the transfer, but if they want to return, the reserves on the Norwegian side will be a little tight. "The general of the strategic resources department still knows a lot about his family, after all, he has to struggle with such a bunch of numbers every day.

"Save money. After saying this one word, Accardo issued an even more surprising order: "Let the butcher bombers stationed on the Eastern Front be transferred to the British occupation zone." Defense is not the way to go, since they are using Iceland to make trouble for us, then we will blow up Iceland completely!"

"My Führer...... The strategic reserves of crude oil were already tight two months ago, and strategic bombers were used at this time...... Isn't it too wasteful?" The people who can discuss such a major battle plan in this hall are military officials who know a lot of inside information. Everyone is aware of the problem of fuel shortage at the front, and now the Führer has ordered the use of strategic bomber units like oil tigers, which has shocked everyone.

Accardo propped his hands on the edge of the huge sand table, stared at Norway and said, "Blind defense consumes more fuel, and the danger you need to bear is also greater. Not only do we lack fuel, but we also lack iron ore produced in Norway...... Using a part of the fuel to protect the safe production of iron ore is also a cost-effective business in itself......"

In order to keep these resources, the German military generals had no choice but to devise an almost flawless "operation to protect the production areas of resources" with a limited number of troops.

After hearing Accardo say this, everyone couldn't help but close their mouths. People are accustomed to the steady production of Norwegian steel, but they forget what a catastrophic impact it would have on the empire if this production were cut. It's terrible to have no oil, but it's just as terrible to have no steel.

"Well, if there is no doubt. Just go ahead and carry it out!" Accardo coldly ordered: "Norway's iron ore production must not be affected!"

"Long live Führer Accardo, Rudolph!" everyone replied with their right hands raised.

......

"Uh......h Woo ......" The terrible emergency assembly alarm sounded in the base of the German air defense forces, and the pilots in leather jackets and carrying all kinds of bits and pieces of equipment with the help of ground crews rushed to their planes, and next to the Ta-152 fighters that had been refueled, the staff who hung the auxiliary fuel tanks shouted all kinds of passwords loudly.

"The Americans have invaded?" one of the pilots joked to the ground-based airfield commander next to him, who looked serious.

"Yes, Mr. Sergeant, check all the instruments on your plane, you're going to fly a long distance to resist the Yankees' planes. Stop any of their actions, understand?" replied the officer solemnly, without the slightest hint of joking.

The pilot was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly got into the cockpit of his plane, and while checking whether the instruments in front of him were working properly, he whispered: "My God, it turned out to be not a drill...... No. 54 is ready! ready to take off!"

In the sky, more than a dozen JU-88 night fighter engines stationed in the area south of the Kiel military port roared past the anti-aircraft gun positions near the port, and those 88mm cannons pointed high into the sky stood like a forest, watching the night sky Grim Reaper with majestic momentum, flying towards the distant horizon.