Bismarck

The surrounding Soviet officers and soldiers had already evacuated. Yang Yongfu and the medical soldiers carried a stretcher, took advantage of the sound of machine guns and the cover of the tank body, crouched down, and crawled into a small ditch on the side of the road. With the help of the terrain, they evacuated the battlefield.

Behind them, Zoya's machine gun seemed to still be firing sporadically...

Finally, it was completely extinguished by a sudden explosion.

-----

The Kremlin.

"…Although the assault failed, a number of heroic deeds still emerged on the front line... For example, the last brigade to withdraw from Gumrak Railway Station, their brigade commander and political commissar died while maintaining the order of the retreat, but they stabilized the front line and were not completely defeated by the German counterattack... In addition, there was the female medical worker Zoya, who was doing her best to rescue the wounded on the way of retreat. When the entire unit was retreating, she was seriously injured in order to rescue the last wounded - although it was her brother - but she still used her last strength to cover the stretcher... Her medical worker partner and several other soldiers can prove that she was the last person to hold on to the front line... The General Staff recommends that the above personnel be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union to commend their heroic deeds in the war..."

Listening to the report from the Chief of the General Staff, Marshal Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov, whom he respected very much, and looking out the window at the iron-gray sky of Moscow, which was still gloomy in late winter, Stalin, who was also in a gloomy mood, took a last deep puff of his pipe, then took the pipe from his lips and placed it on the table.

Even Stalin could not help being moved by such a heroic figure!

However, as a national leader, he must suppress his emotions...

"If the merits and deeds of these people are true, I agree to submit a nomination to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet for them to be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Gold Star Medal. However..." At this point, Stalin turned around, looked at his subordinates in front of him and said, "Boris Mikhailovich (Shaposhnikov's name), what is the next judgment of the General Staff on the enemy's movements?"

"This has been determined, Comrade Stalin. ... According to comprehensive judgment from various intelligence sources, Hitler's bandits have been unable to capture Stalingrad for a long time, and the next step is likely to be an attack on Moscow - of course, the possibility of trying to bypass Stalingrad from the Gumrak railway station and directly attack Kamyshin and Saratov cannot be ruled out; there is also the possibility of attacking the Caucasus; and the possibility of attacking Leningrad cannot be ruled out. However, these places are restricted by the battlefield situation, geographical environment and logistical infrastructure, and it is unlikely to achieve major results..." Marshal Shaposhnikov closed the memorandum and concluded: "... Therefore, we believe that given the Hitler bandits' desire for a quick victory, it is most likely that they will use Moscow as the main attack direction and then conduct a flanking attack on the Kamyshin-Ryazan line. After all, according to them, if they want to destroy us, they must capture the Ural Industrial Zone, and if they want to capture the Ural Industrial Zone, they will definitely have to go around Moscow and Stalingrad - they have not taken Stalingrad yet, so now they may finally bet everything in the direction of Moscow!"

"Hmm... that sounds reasonable. So, Boris Mihajlovich, when do you think they will start the attack?"

"This is an easy answer, Comrade Stalin... They need to redeploy their troops and wait for the spring mud to end, so they will probably start the attack around May. We still have two and a half months to prepare! The General Staff's initial plan is to rely on the terrain and defense lines to fight back step by step, consume their manpower, and finally fight a decisive battle outside Moscow!"

"Well, very good! Then let's speed up the preparations! This time we must break the backbone of these fascists!" At this point, Stalin clenched his fists fiercely: "Boris Mikhailovich, I can communicate with you. ... Voznesensky's State Planning Commission reported to me the economic situation before. Except for agriculture, which may have to tighten its belt due to the harsh climate in the eastern region and insufficient land reclamation, the relocation of 1600 industrial enterprises has been basically completed. The oil fields in Baku, the coal and iron mines in the Ural, the magnesium and aluminum mines in the eastern region of our country, and other rare metal mines also have great potential to be tapped. ..."

"…In the next three years, the production capacity of coal mines alone can be increased by about 1940 million tons, and the new production capacity of magnesium-aluminum ore alone will be able to exceed the total production capacity of our country in ! In addition, in terms of industry and military technology, it can now be completely ensured that Leningrad's precision machining center, as well as the aluminum and rare metal smelting industries are basically not threatened. And according to the information forwarded by the British that fascist Germany is developing jet fighters, the engine designer Ilyushin of the Ministry of Aviation Industry is now conducting experiments on jet engines there..."

"…In short, our industry and production capacity are gradually recovering and developing, and the Germans' war potential has now been tapped to the limit!…As long as we can consume their manpower bit by bit in a long war, our great Soviet Union will surely achieve the final victory!!"

"Comrade Stalin, we promise! Under the unity of the people! Let the steel walls of Moscow! Become the grave of German fascism!!"

With a firm assurance and a still strong and powerful standing at attention, the Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Red Army, Marshal Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov, saluted Stalin solemnly.

Stalin nodded, indicating that he had received the guarantee. He looked at Marshal Shaposhnikov's back as he turned and left, picked up his pipe again and took a puff of smoke, then sat back at his desk, picked up a pen, and began to draft another document.

The title of the document clearly reads: "Regarding the possible serious reduction in agricultural production, an order requiring the State Planning Commission to implement a strict and fair rationing system, as well as to mobilize women to participate in land reclamation and potato planting, and instructing the Cheka to strictly ensure market order and crack down on speculation..."

Although the Soviet Union has not received the Western supplies promised by Britain and the United States, as an independent country, even if it does not rely on the charity of these capitalists, for the sake of its own country and its own social ideals, it must persist in this cruel era...

Stalin heard someone say in private that facing the powerful German offensive, the Soviet Union would not be able to fight without Britain and the United States.

How is this possible! He scoffed at this, the powerful Soviet Union will surely defeat all invading enemies with its own strength!

He firmly believes this.

Chapter 599: Seeking support from the mustache...

"Lütjens, I trust you so much, but you tell me that now we have to continue waiting with the British in the Indian Ocean...?!"

A report fell on the desk of the man with a mustache. Along with the man's roar, Redel, who tried his best to look loyal to his country, looked at him with a gloating look.

"...We are now fighting the Soviet Union to the death, and we don't have more power to give you! But you must find a way to achieve results! !... Kumets is in the Norwegian Sea, and he has to retreat with just one ship girl, but what about you? You are Lütjens! You have four ship girls in your hands! Four ship girls!!"

The mustache man's roar continued, but the captain, whose face was covered with spit, stood there straight and took the scolding...

Bismarck, who was waiting outside the door, was so angry that his teeth were itching!

Speaking of which, the situation in the Indian Ocean has become quite bad. Otherwise, the captain would not have brought me back with a sullen face to see Raeder's pomp and to seek support from the mustache.

Of course, he also came back with Zeppelin, who flew a fighter jet with him and flew to several Italian airports on the Red Sea several times, and had a lot of trouble escorting his plane...

If the battlefield really cannot be opened, it is okay to seek support from superiors. At least you can report the situation and strive for understanding, right?

but……

Look at the strength of the Allied Indian Ocean Fleet. You say you want to "achieve results", but how do you do that?

The content of the intelligence on the British and American Combined Fleet in the report that the little mustache man was holding in his hand and pointing at the captain was actually typed word by word by Bismarck himself on a typewriter!

Allied Indian Ocean Combined Fleet: … Jurisdiction: Indian Ocean east of Cape Town; Headquarters: in Mozambique; Commander: Admiral James Somerville of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, Deputy Commander: Rear Admiral Robert Giffen of the United States Navy…

The warships under his command: Queen Elizabeth-class battleship Valiant (British flagship/Indian Ocean Allied Fleet flagship); R-class (Revenge-class) battleships Revenge, Ramirez, and Sovereign. Colorado-class battleships Maryland (U.S. flagship), Colorado, and West Virginia; Nevada-class battleships Nevada and Oklahoma; Tennessee-class battleships Tennessee and California, a total of eleven old battleships! In addition, there are six escort aircraft carriers, plus forty or fifty cruisers and destroyers, which can be regarded as a heavy force!

Although the planes of these six escort carriers cannot defeat Zeppelin together, they can at least provide a certain amount of air cover for these old warships! In addition, they can also fill the shortage of combat radius of fighters in those island bases! - Although the Allied forces have increased their forces to nearly 500 aircraft here, the combat effectiveness of the aviation force is inversely proportional to the cube of the distance from the battlefield to the airport.

Although shore-based fighters can fight even at a distance of 300 kilometers, the fuel supply will be very tight! Add to that the difficulty of reinforcement (in the face of air battles measured in seconds, 300 kilometers takes an hour to fly), the fatigue of pilots in long-distance combat, and the pressure of finding a place to force land once the aircraft is damaged at sea... and other factors, how much combat effectiveness the air force can still exert is a big question...

Not only planes, but also the distance between warships and bases has such a relationship - except for the one-way operation of disrupting trade. But... the garrison on my side is far away on Socotra Island in the Gulf of Aden! Even the Diego Garcia Islands occupied by Japan are more than 4500 kilometers away from the British and American transportation line along the South African coastline! No matter how slowly the British and American Iron Turtle Corps drives, it is enough to intercept me!

What's more serious is that the annual transportation of the Allied Forces in the Indian Ocean is on the scale of 5 to 6 million tons. Now that it has been cut off for two months, at least 150 transport ships have been stockpiled here - nearly 800,000 tons of supplies!

Although the Mediterranean is now blocked by the Japanese and themselves, these transport ships are now unloading at various ports along the African continent while "transporting rats" to the Middle East through the primitive and harsh natural environment of the African continent - but this is based on the premise that I and my sisters are still guarding Socotra Island, and Japan continues to exist in Ceylon and Diego Garcia! Once I leave Socotra Island, there will be a huge gap in this blockade!

The British are in the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean, which are closest to the Middle East. The combat radius of fighter jets to the coast of Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula is only 2000 kilometers! If they are really far away from Socotra Island, who can guarantee that Britain and the United States will not directly use the time difference? If the troops are dispersed, they can concentrate six escort aircraft carriers and eleven iron turtles. At any cost, they can definitely transport % to % of the one million tons of supplies to Auchinleck!

Even if only 80% of the 800,000 tons of supplies are available, there are still 640,000 tons! What would it mean if so much supplies were shipped to the Middle East at once? !

The straw that broke the camel's back is not just a straw, but it is like the Alps!

Now almost all of Germany's strength is invested in the Soviet Union. Even the African Corps at the Suez Canal has been transferred to the Eastern Front. Now that the entire front line has been tense to the limit, whether these supplies are used by Auchinleck to counterattack the Suez Canal, or if even half of them are transferred to the Soviet Union, the direction of the entire battlefield situation may be directly rewritten!

（PS：根据苏联档案01929号，43年12月库兹涅佐夫上将提交的苏联海军的行动总结报告，1941年6月到1943年12月，北方舰队接收到的盟军商船一共249条，总运输量也才只有76万吨……）

Although the Italians are now also in northern Somalia, starting the landing of "Hu Hansan is back", which can be regarded as covering their flanks and logistics. However, the various forces in northern Somalia have more or less received sponsorship and enlistment from the British.

Now the Italians were in the Red Sea, not to mention patrolling, even escorting, it was too much for them, let alone controlling East Africa. For a while, they just had a "talk" with the local chiefs to stabilize the situation on the surface - how many of these people were not on the same side as the Axis powers? I'm afraid Mussolini himself didn't know!

Bismarck, curled up on the sofa waiting outside the door, thought of the captain who was thinking hard about the battle situation, and then looked inside, at the captain with the angry mustache who was still trying his best to explain his battle ideas, and Raeder who was standing aside gloating and making a few sarcastic remarks from time to time... Bismarck was so angry that his teeth itched!

Just think about it, this is definitely because Redel has been saying weird things in front of the mustache guy for a long time!

It's ok that the mustache guy doesn't understand the navy, and he's focused on the Soviet-German battlefield, so he's in a bad mood, but Raeder is really talking without any pain in his waist - what do you mean Kumets's fleet can't beat Warspite's one ship girl, and you, Lütjens, have four ship girls in your hands and you still ask for help? !

Can you think of every time you fought, you were injured and had to take a bath or be hospitalized? Do you really think that KanColle is invincible?

Don't even think about such low-level remarks. It must be you, Redel, who taught the little mustache boy bad things!

"…If you insist on saying so, then let's wait and see what you say, and plan the next step after the Japanese leave - but if anything goes wrong, Lütjens, you will take the responsibility yourself!"

In Bismarck's mind, it seemed that the man with a mustache was getting a little impatient and was ready to see him off.

Soon, the captain, who was scolded with spit on his face, followed Raeder, who looked gloating, and saluted hastily. He didn't care about Raeder's expression and turned away without returning the salute. He wiped his face and walked towards Bismarck.

Bismarck picked up the captain's briefcase, and the two of them walked out of the Chancellery together - because of "saving gasoline during wartime", the captain's official car was directly "transferred" by Raeder!

Although, even if you walk from the Prime Minister's Office back to the residential area, the distance is not far.

----

From the Chancellery with a mustache at the intersection of Vossstrasse and Goeringstrasse (now Wilhelmstrasse), it was only 1300 meters to walk along three intersections to the German Air Force Ministry on Albrechtstrasse to pick up Zeppelin. Even if you follow this road to your home on the residential street, it is only meters.

Although when I came here before, I followed the general procedure and first found Raeder at the Admiralty to report on my work, and then took a car together. But it seems that Raeder is unwilling to take this return trip, and the captain is too lazy to go back to the Admiralty on Unter den Linden. ... Well, I will just take it as a way to relax with my captain.

Bismarck, who was a little unhappy when he saw his captain being scolded, managed to calm down, and began to walk with his captain, carrying his briefcase in both hands. However, it was not so easy to calm down...

"Captain, I bet Raeder is saying something weird again!"

As they walked, Bismarck began to feel indignant.

"He said his thing, and we just do ours. Besides, this is the only best way for us to attract as much British and American troops and transportation as possible..."

Seeing that his Bismarck was a bit upset, the captain, who was originally a little depressed, answered while gently pinching the cat's ears. After petting the cat, the captain also felt that his mood was a little better.

"I know, but...if that happens, Raeder will gossip even more. What will you do, Captain..."

Bismarck, who was sucked by his own captain, still had some ideas - especially about Raeder!

Bismarck took the captain's opinion into consideration and considered it carefully for several days before holding a meeting to finalize the result. And now it seems that although the attack can only be carried out by submarine forces with the help of Japan's Diego Garcia base, it has at least attracted a large number of Allied warships and merchant ships!

The ports in North Africa have primitive equipment and harsh conditions, so there is no guarantee of unloading time. Moreover, the transportation distance and transit cycle are very long as the cargo has to cross half of the African continent. At the same time, this piecemeal transportation is very time-consuming and resource-consuming - at least it was so before the British and American completed the construction of the 2C Railway and the Hejaz Railway!

It is only mid-to-late February of 42, and the US shipbuilding industry is far from being fully mobilized, given that the war was declared forcefully! However, there are more than 2 merchant ships and more than destroyers and cruisers being held here for a long time, which puts a lot of pressure on the number of merchant ships in the Atlantic Escort Fleet!

Besides, the Allied fleets that are tied up here still need logistical support themselves - but if fifty cruisers, destroyers and six escort carriers are tied up here, the Allied transport capacity and escort forces on the North Atlantic transport line will probably be very limited!

Although Bismarck, the captain, and even several others knew that as long as the United States fully mobilized, or the 2C railway was connected, or even as long as the main force of the Japanese fleet withdrew from the Indian Ocean, the situation could be directly rewritten! But before that, a small town garrison with only four ships, five or six disguised attack ships, and twenty submarines was able to hold back so many Allied fleets and force them to invest so many resources on the African continent. In fact, it was already the limit of what could be done now...

Even in the online games of the previous life, in those scenes of mutual cooperation, compared with those simple and mindless main output, it is the control profession and the MT who attracts hatred that are more useful in many cases...

The captain knew this truth, and after the captain explained it to me and others, we also knew it. But...

The mustache guy doesn't know! And he doesn't even know the navy! Especially with that bastard Raeder whispering in his ear all day long...

"Captain, do you want me to go find Eva and ask her to whisper something to the Führer?" Bismarck, feeling a little unbalanced, began to plan to use the woman's own method to solve the problem.

But as soon as these words came out, the captain was shocked: "No, you must not go!"

"Huh? Why?" Hearing the captain's reaction, Bismarck blinked his big eyes in a daze, but his face was full of confusion.

"Think about it, idiot. Since Raeder has reported us, the Führer must have heard something by now." Looking at Bismarck, who was usually smart and studious, but lacked in life experience and interpersonal skills, the captain stretched out his hand with some anger and amusement, and rubbed the soft golden cat hair with doting: "... Think about it, Eva doesn't understand naval warfare, even if you ask her to say something good, it probably won't have any effect. But with Raeder's little report, and if you go to Eva to spread the word, maybe the Führer will think we are something."

"Then why don't I just kill Redl... Kill him and it will be over."

"You'd better not think about it..." Lütjens said with a wry smile, "I have a grudge against Redl. If he dies inexplicably, I will definitely be the most suspicious with your presence."

"Never, ever, ever solve a problem with the most brutal method... Do you understand?"

"Got it... Hey! My hair! Captain!" Bismarck, whose hair was messed up, was a little mad. The captain, whose mood had improved due to playing with the cat, laughed and began to smooth the fur of his own cat. After finally smoothing out the fur a little, Bismarck was a little annoyed, snorted, and put on his hat.

"Captain, you are so annoying...!"

"Ha ha"

But after all, it was his own captain's business, so Bismarck was still quite concerned...

"…Well, Captain, but, this is the case now. But if the situation changes and the Führer and his men ask about it, and no one helps to speak up for us, what should we do?"

"Well... I'll go back and think of a solution for the strategic situation, but..." After hearing Bismarck's question, the captain thought about it and said, "... If it really doesn't work, I can only try to find a connection."

"Captain! Aren't you just looking for someone to say something nice?"

He actually said that it was a bad idea to find someone to speak well of him, and now he said that he would find someone to speak well of him... Bismarck was so angry that he gritted his teeth: Is the captain I found a fake one?

"Of course we have to find someone, but it's wrong to ask Eva. Let me think about how to find her." The captain, who was in a good mood because of playing with the cat, smiled at his own cat: "If we want to find someone, now in the Indian Ocean, we only have submarines and disguised attack ships that have a chance to gain victory... Then we must talk to Dönitz. But I should still have some face over there."

"Dönitz... but he has a good relationship with Raeder. If something really happens, will he help?"

Bismarck certainly knew this famous Sea Wolf King, and Dönitz also knew him. But in recent years, it seems that although Raeder's ability is a mess, his influence in the navy is extremely deep-rooted, and even Dönitz often follows Raeder's lead.

"If it can improve the combat effectiveness of his submarine forces, maybe we can give it a try?" The captain thought for a moment and added, "... Well, if you think Dönitz is not reliable, then if it doesn't work, you can ask Zeppelin to go to Goering and he can help and say something good. By the way, didn't you always tell Zeppelin that future aircraft and carrier-based aircraft will be jet-powered, so you want to research steam catapults?"

"Yes, Zeppelin went to see Goering today to report this matter. Oh, right! Now I remember, don't we know someone at Krupp? Krupp is very competitive when it comes to making this kind of thing?"

Bismarck clapped his hands, and a bright little light bulb lit up above the cat's head.

"Krupp? They can have a say in front of the Führer, so this should be fine - although I don't know if the order for this kind of thing will be given to them in the end, but the idea of ​​that thing was thought up by you and Zeppelin, and I heard you say before that this large cylinder thing seems a bit like a cannon. If you can give them a draft, maybe it will be better when bidding? - By the way, there is also General Udet who is in charge of the naval aviation now! I can also go to him for a visit!"

"Yeah! You're worthy of being the captain!" Seeing that the captain was starting to "activate his brain", Bismarck's pupils narrowed into slits - it seems that the usually honest captain, now if forced by the situation, seems to have opened the door to a new world.

Come to think of it, is it that the beauty is the cause of trouble and the originally wise and powerful boss has become corrupted?

But... it's not a big problem, right? First, don't form cliques, second, don't sell out your country for personal gain, and third, these things will be useful to yourself or Germany in the future. Bismarck said to himself in his heart that he was not teaching the captain bad things, really, really just to protect himself in this cruel officialdom.

Amidst all the playfulness and imagination, the man and the cat were almost at the Air Force Headquarters on Albrecht Street, and Zeppelin was already waiting for them at the door.

Although, Bismarck has not yet told her about his active mind - he doesn't know if she will be looked down upon...

It would be bad if it affected the relationship between the sisters, but I don't want to ruin the captain's image - I've decided! For the sake of my own captain, I won't tell Zeppelin so much for the time being. As long as she tells those things to Goering and the others, that's enough!

The secretary cat, who was devoted to her supervisor, began to greet her sisters with a smile.

"Zeppelin, how's it going?"

"Not bad, the Marshal is very interested in the idea of ​​the steam catapult." Seeing the smiling Bismarck, Zeppelin seemed to be in a good mood and replied.

"Can the steam catapult issue be finalized as soon as possible?"

Because he knew the future trend and it was also related to his sister's combat effectiveness when facing a large number of dumplings in the future, Bismarck was still very concerned.

"It should be fine. After all, our naval aviation is also considered an air force... By the way, last time you told me that in order to develop gunnery and further optimize the hull resistance, you actually built a pool to conduct fluid experiments. It turned out that the convex part of the fluid had extra resistance, so it was necessary to 'tighten the waist' to reduce resistance. I also told my godfather about that. He said that this thing is very useful now. Several research institutes have reported that there will be a speed bottleneck at high speeds close to the speed of sound."

"Yes, then did you ask him for the funds for modifying the angled deck?"

"Yes, the Marshal has a good temper and gave it to me very readily." Zeppelin nodded happily. "Come to think of it, you said that I had reserved the ability to modify the angled deck when I was rushing to finish the work. Now, I just need to slightly reinforce a few places and modify the deck a little bit, and I can directly change it to an angled deck!"

"Of course! Don't you see who I am? I am the battleship Bismarck!" A certain big Xiao was very righteous and nodded complacently.

"Okay, okay, you're right~" Zeppelin was also a little annoyed when he saw Bismarck like this. The captain over there, watching his own secretary battleship and his own aircraft carrier fighting, felt better.

The three of them walked like this, playing and joking all the way, along Albrechtstraße, which, although scarred by war, was still bustling with people, heading east towards their home.