Anti-Japanese War: My equipment is infinitely refreshed

On the distant border, the cold wind blew across the barren plains, making sounds like the howling of ghosts and wolves.

Catherine, the general who had just been appointed commander of the Southern Army Group, was wearing a neat military uniform and inspecting his newly formed troops with a stern look.

This land is shrouded in the shadow of war, and is filled with tension and anxiety.

At this time, the German army deployed a total of 17 divisions and 1 brigade in northern Italy.

These troops originally served as reserve forces, lurking quietly in the rear, like sleeping beasts, always ready to be awakened and put into battle at the critical moment.

No one had expected that the gears of fate would turn so quickly that they would be urgently deployed at this special moment.

Strictly speaking, these troops were not the elite divisions of the German Army and had not experienced the baptism of brutal and fierce battles like those on the Eastern Front.

However, even so, their combat effectiveness is still far behind that of the Italian army.

The determined eyes of the German soldiers revealed a sense of well-trained professionalism and confidence, which was exactly what the Italian army lacked.

"Report, an urgent telegram from the headquarters!" Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence at the scene, and the communications staff officer hurried over with a panicked look on his face, holding a telegram tightly in his hand.

His forehead was covered with beads of sweat, which stood out in the cold wind.

Catherine slowly turned around and looked at the communications officer with a sharp gaze, her eyes revealing the calmness and composure of a veteran in the battlefield.

"There is a problem in Italy. Prime Minister Mussolini has been arrested by their king. He has sent people to negotiate with the Allies and plans to withdraw from the war. He even plans to deal with us." The communications staff spoke very quickly and reported the contents of the telegram almost in one breath.

After hearing this earth-shattering news, Catherine's expression was unexpectedly calm.

He did not show a look of shock and awe like the other people around him. Instead, there was a hint of indifference in his eyes, as if he had foreseen all this would happen.

In his mind, this incident was unexpected, but when he thought about it carefully, it was reasonable.

Although Catherine came from the Air Force, she has always had in-depth research and understanding of the situation in Italy.

He knew very well that Italy was full of internal contradictions, like a volcano that could erupt at any time.

In the early stages of the war, Italy achieved some superficial victories thanks to the powerful offensive of the German army, and these contradictions were therefore temporarily suppressed under the appearance of calm.

However, as the war situation changed, especially on the Eastern Front, Italian troops suffered heavy losses.

The terrible casualties and news of defeat continued to be reported back to the country, like a spark that ignited the fuse of long-hidden conflicts in Italy.

The combination of public discontent and political factional struggles has made the situation in Italy precarious.

"The Supreme Command has ordered: Enter Rome immediately. Kill anyone who resists. The Air Force will support us." The communications officer then took out another order and said in a firm tone.

After hearing this order, Catherine finally showed a hint of barely perceptible excitement on her face.

A cold light flashed in his eyes, like an enraged cheetah who finally found a chance for revenge. "Very good, I have been fed up with them for a long time, and today I have found a chance to take revenge. I will teach these pig-like teammates a lesson and let them know how powerful we are." He gritted his teeth and said, his voice full of anger and determination.

"Order all troops to assemble immediately, distribute ammunition, and set off in two hours." Catherine gave the order decisively, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

"Yes!" The communications staff officer stood at attention and saluted, then turned around and quickly conveyed the order.

For the next two hours, the entire Southern Army Group was in a state of busyness.

Under the command of the officers, the soldiers were assembling and distributing ammunition in an orderly manner. Trucks loaded with weapons and ammunition shuttled between the camps, and the roar of the engines and the shouts of the soldiers intertwined, forming a tense and powerful picture.

In a corner of the camp, soldiers from the 26th Tank Division were conducting final inspections and adjustments on their Panther tanks.

These tanks are the pride of the German army. Their huge bodies gleam with cold metallic luster in the sun, like giant steel beasts ready to pounce at any time. The crew members skillfully check the performance indicators of the tanks, from the engine to the artillery, not missing any details.

Their eyes were full of anticipation and excitement, and they were full of confidence in the upcoming battle.

Two hours later, the entire Southern Army Group was assembled.

On a vast plain, neatly arranged troops looked like a sea of ​​steel. The soldiers, dressed in black uniforms and holding weapons, quietly waited for the order to set off.

There was a determination on their faces, as if they were about to embark on a journey for justice.

Catherine stood on a command vehicle, scanning the troops in front of her.

He took a deep breath, then waved his hand and shouted loudly: "Let's go!"

In an instant, the entire army crossed the border like a surging tide and rushed towards Rome.

The 26th Tank Division took the lead. The huge tracks of the Leopard tanks pressed heavily on the cement road, making a dull sound. Every advance left a deep mark on the road, as if announcing to the world the strength and determination of the German army.

At the same time, on the border, the Italian soldiers stationed on the border were panicked when they saw such a large-scale action by the German army.

They originally thought that Germany in the north was a reliable ally and that daily defense was merely symbolic.

After all, facing Germany's powerful military force, they knew very well that if the other side really launched an attack, they would be powerless to resist.

"What is the German army going to do? Sending out so many tanks?" An Italian soldier said in horror with his eyes wide open.

His hands were tightly gripping the rifle, his body was shaking slightly, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Is it an invasion?" another soldier guessed with a puzzled look on his face, his eyes full of fear and anxiety.

"How is that possible? We are allies." Someone tried to deny this terrible idea, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"Maybe to support us?" Someone made a relatively optimistic guess.

"It's possible. After all, I heard that the war in North Africa is not going well." Others echoed.

However, as they saw the massive German army advancing in the direction of Rome, their doubts grew.

"Do you think a new war has broken out? This time it feels like there's a lot of murderous intent." An Italian soldier couldn't help but speculate again, his voice full of worry. "Is there something wrong with Rome?" Another soldier boldly expressed his thoughts.

The Italian commanders were caught in a dilemma when they learned that Catherine was leading the Southern Army Group to Rome.

On the one hand, they did not dare to easily stop the German army's actions because the German army's combat effectiveness was too strong. Once a conflict occurred, they would suffer heavy losses.

On the other hand, they were very worried about the German army's intentions and did not know what impact the German army's visit would have on Italy.

After a heated discussion, the Italian commanders finally decided to take a wait-and-see attitude and chose to open the door to let the German army pass through. They hoped that the German army would just pass through Rome and would not cause substantial damage to Italy.

In this way, the German army successfully crossed the Italian defense line without encountering any obstacles and continued to advance rapidly towards Rome.

Along the way, the German troops were like a black torrent, raising a cloud of dust wherever they went.

When the residents of the Italian villages and towns along the way saw such a large-scale German force, they hid in their homes in fear and dared not go out.

They don't know what kind of changes this war will bring to their lives, and can only wait for an unknown fate in fear and anxiety.

As the German army gradually approached Rome, the whole city fell into chaos.

The Italian government is in chaos and officials are worried about their future.

Ordinary people also felt an unprecedented crisis, and an atmosphere of panic permeated the streets.

Stores closed one after another and people began to stockpile food and daily necessities in preparation for the impending disaster.

Outside the city of Rome, Catherine stood on the command vehicle, looking at the city ahead, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

He knew that this action would completely change the fate of Italy and would have a profound impact on the situation on the entire European battlefield. But he did not hesitate at all. As a soldier, he had to resolutely execute the orders of the High Command.

"Prepare to attack!" Catherine gave the order again, her voice low and powerful.

The German troops quickly deployed into battle formations, with tanks, infantry, artillery and other arms working closely together in preparation for the final attack on Rome.

A thrilling battle is about to begin, and the fate of Italy will be rewritten at this moment.

At this moment, Rome has become a hell on earth.

Thick black smoke rose from every corner of the city like a ferocious beast, covering the sky and the sun.

The blazing flames spread wildly through the streets and alleys, illuminating this ancient and solemn city in red.

The building was raging in the fire, making crackling sounds, as if groaning in pain, and in danger of collapse at any time. The pungent smell of burning filled the air, making people suffocate.

The entire capital guard force was in serious disarray.

A considerable number of soldiers remained loyal to Mussolini.

After Mussolini announced his resignation as prime minister due to illness, they were quick to realize that there was a huge conspiracy behind this.

The officers loyal to the leader were filled with righteous indignation and led their soldiers without hesitation to launch a fierce attack on the palace. They firmly believed that the king's behavior was a betrayal of the country and Mussolini and must be stopped.

In the chaotic military camp, the commander of the 1st Guards Division was glaring at the lieutenant colonel regiment commander in front of him, with veins bulging on his face as if he would explode at any time.

"Damn it, you can't even control your own troops, what are you doing?" His voice echoed in the empty tent like thunder, full of anger and rebuke.

The lieutenant colonel's face was full of helplessness, his forehead was covered with sweat, and his eyes revealed deep anxiety and helplessness.

"Commander, I didn't expect them to rebel. I have been trying my best to maintain the stability of the troops, but who could have expected something like this to happen. Now the rebels are gathering frantically, what should we do?" His voice trembled slightly, as if he was seeking advice from the commander, but also as if he was making excuses for his dereliction of duty.

The major general division commander glared at the lieutenant colonel regiment commander fiercely. He was a decisive and ruthless man, and at this critical moment, he did not hesitate at all.

"What should we do? Gather the troops immediately and suppress this rebel group as quickly as possible! If we let them succeed, we will all be finished!" He said in a decisive tone, leaving no room for doubt.

"Yes!" The lieutenant colonel commander quickly stood at attention and saluted, then turned around and prepared to carry out the order.

However, at this moment, an officer rushed into the tent in a panic, his face as pale as paper, as if he had seen a ghost.

"General, something terrible has happened!" he said breathlessly, his voice filled with fear.

The major general division commander and the lieutenant colonel regiment commander turned their heads at the same time and looked at the officer with sharp eyes. The major general division commander's eyes revealed a trace of uneasiness, and he had a premonition that something worse might happen.

"What's the matter? Tell me quickly!" he shouted anxiously.

"German troops appear outside the city!" the officer finally caught his breath and said loudly.

Upon hearing the news, the Major General's face turned pale instantly, as if all the blood had been drained away.

His eyes widened in disbelief, and he shouted angrily, "Damn it, how did they appear in the capital? Didn't the troops along the way fight back? Is our defense line useless?"

"I don't know, General." The officer who came to report was so scared that he was sweating profusely, his legs were shaking slightly, and his speech became unclear.

"We just received news that the German troops outside the city are huge and they seem to have bad intentions."

The major general's brain went blank in an instant. He could never have imagined that when the domestic situation in Italy was so chaotic, the German army would suddenly appear outside the city of Rome.

He secretly groaned in his heart. He was already mired in the quagmire of internal rebellion, and now he was facing a huge threat from the German army. What should he do?

"Quick, alert other troops immediately and let them prepare for battle. At the same time, contact the surrounding friendly forces and ask for support." The major general division commander pretended to be calm and quickly issued a series of orders.

He knew very well that he had to remain calm at this moment, otherwise the entire city of Rome would be in irretrievable ruin.

After receiving the order, the lieutenant colonel and the officer hurried out of the tent to carry out their respective tasks.

The major general stood alone in the tent, looking at the blazing fire and the black smoke outside the tent, his heart filled with worry and despair. (End of this chapter)