Bismarck

"What's the matter? What telegram?"

"This is a special encrypted telegram from the Navy Department. You have to decipher it yourself!" Bismarck handed over a stack of telegram papers. It was not a telegram like a normal telegram, but a cipher composed of groups of numbers and letters. Lütjens took a quick look and stood up and walked towards his room.

"It looks like a top-level code. I'll have to decipher it myself... Wait here for me."

As he was talking, the captain had already walked into his room and locked the door with a click.

Bismarck curled her lips as she looked at his back. He was still carrying her in this state, so what if she looked at him?

Bismarck, who had followed his captain for many years, knew that this was the highest-level strategic code used by the German army under the current code standards. There was a safe embedded in the wall in the captain's office, and among the most confidential documents contained in it, there were several of the highest-level code books.

Of course, this code book was only kept secret from others and was of no use to Bismarck, because the code book was kept inside her body...she could read it whenever she wanted.

Bismarck knew when he was studying the Navy's confidentiality regulations that, under the premise of relative reference, as long as a certain number of telegrams are accumulated, the code will no longer be safe - whether it is a widely used code like Enigma, or those with a high level of secrecy that are not easily used under normal circumstances but once used means that a major event is about to happen, that is, clues can be found in the general direction, which is enough to decipher the code by comparing the telegrams - all of them are like this.

Therefore, the validity period of the password is not only limited in time, but also limited in number of times. Therefore, the security level of this password is also graded - and this graded use is also to control the number of times used to achieve confidentiality.

The codes used by the grassroots units of the German Army are basic tactical codes, because most of the units using tactical codes are tactical units (such as a regiment or a submarine).

There are quite a lot of such units, and the number of communications is also quite complicated; and if they are long-term activities, their activity cycles are not certain (such as submarines); at the same time, the decryption value of these intelligence is relatively limited - although there is a saying that a thousand-mile dam is destroyed by an ant hole, even if such a "small matter" is leaked, it is actually possible to cause disastrous consequences. Therefore, whenever possible, all distribution units should be strictly controlled in terms of the number of times they are used!

In fact, Bismarck had heard in "later generations" that an important part of the German intelligence work on the Eastern Front was to infer the Soviet troop movements and material dispatches after deciphering the Soviet army's basic codes, and thus infer where the Soviet army might launch the main attack.

Although the Soviet army had actually paid great attention to keeping secrets, and at the grassroots level, they still spared no expense to produce millions of irregular one-time code books and replaced them every one or two days, but because the number of grassroots units communicating was so large, if you looked carefully, you could always find some clues - even when you really couldn't decipher the code, at least you could infer which unit the Soviet radio operator belonged to by monitoring the rhythm of the Soviet radio operator's hand speed when sending messages...

(PS: In fact, the Soviet Union was one of the countries with the best confidentiality - after all, the Cheka was a historical intelligence organization. The confidentiality and one-time pad of the Soviet Union's highest-level strategic codes were very thorough, and because the encryption rules of the one-time pad codes were completely random, neither Germany nor the Allies had any record of deciphering them. In fact, it was because of the inability to decipher the Soviet strategic codes that the German Eastern Front Intelligence Department could only infer the Soviet troop numbers and troop movements by deciphering grassroots codes and even relying on monitoring the Soviet telegraph operators' hand speed of sending messages...)

Above the tactical code is the campaign code, which is roughly the scope of an army group or a fleet and is used to coordinate military operations over a relatively long period of time and within a relatively large area. Therefore, compared with the basic tactical code, this code is more important and its use and management are more strict.

In addition to tactical codes and campaign codes, there are also special strategic codes for strategic-level naval units, such as Lütjens, who is an exile but can be regarded as a leader in the Indian Ocean. It is conceivable that the status and significance of this code book are very important, so the strictness of its use and management can be imagined.

In particular, in some of the most important moments, in order to keep secrets, the most important content will be protected with the highest level of passwords. This type of password is basically a one-time password that will be forcibly invalidated after being used once. The purpose of this password is to ensure the most important intelligence and the most critical communication in an emergency.

Bismarck knew that in the hands of his captain, there were several books of the highest-level one-time pad codes! And according to regulations, only the captain himself could manage and access codes of this level!

Even though she was a ship girl who would never commit treason and was also his secretary ship, she was not allowed to access these highest-level codes.

Of course, she herself has no interest in it, otherwise she could play however she wants.

Bismarck knew Lütjens very well, and he had a bottom line on such matters, so she would not be blind and would restrain herself from trying to understand the code.

In fact, perhaps because they were too confident in Enigma, the German Navy's code was not very strict. She even heard Dönitz complain to his own captain several times, saying that although the U-boat captains under his command were all talented, they cared less about the confidentiality of communications than each other - even these people often used Enigma as a chat room in history!

Even in Dönitz's headquarters in the Atlantic port of Brest, one could often hear these daring sea wolves sending each other spam messages using Enigma, such as "The weather is great today, let's meet up for a drink after we return to the port"...

But fortunately, that is now in the past.

After the Battle of Newcastle, Bismarck told the captain about the top secret, and eventually the issue of password security shocked the entire German top brass, including the mustache. The German army now manages and distributes passwords more reasonably - if Bismarck heard it from his "previous life", this is called information security...

This is generally a good thing...

--------

While Bismarck was daydreaming about the code, Lütjens had already deciphered the code by referring to the code book.

only……

"Has Redel changed his gender?"

It was this translated telegram in his hand, with the sender clearly signed as the Commander-in-Chief of the German Navy, Admiral Erich Raeder. Lütjens was completely confused after reading it...

The content of the telegram was very simple, so simple that it made people wonder whether the sun was rising from the west: first of all, he said that the telegram he sent after the victory of the Cape of Good Hope assault had been received, and that the Führer, the Imperial Marshal and other senior officials had already known about his situation and were very concerned about his breakout.

Then it was reported that the United States' four newly commissioned South Dakota-class battleships had arrived in Britain and joined the British Home Fleet - a total of one Vengeance-class armored aircraft carrier, four Goliath-class light aircraft carriers, two King George V-class battleships and four South Dakota-class battleships.

But... then Raeder expressed his hope to put aside his old wishes, unite in solidarity, and face the outside world in unison... In addition to preparing to send several supply ships loaded with replenishment of carrier-based fighters, 50mm anti-aircraft shells and fuel to pick him up - and also declaring that these ships were guaranteed to go to sea as early as the day after tomorrow - he also ordered Kumets' Arctic Fleet to be ready to go out in full force at any time to pick him up on his return trip.

Even more, Raeder repeatedly vowed that whether he returned to Brest or took the Norwegian route back to his homeland with the (promised) cooperation of Kumets, it was all up to him and he did not need to report!

Finally, Raeder also said that in order to "solve Bismarck's firepower problem", after reporting to the Führer, the Imperial Marshal and other high-level imperial officials, he has now prepared a large number of modification kits including sixteen SKC34/406mm main gun barrels, and has specially adjusted four large docks in several large shipyards in the Baltic Sea, far away from the combat radius of British bombers.

He promised that whenever he returned to China, as long as his shipgirls were willing, they could be modernized immediately. Moreover, whether it was the plan to return to the mainland or the transformation of the shipgirls, he said when reporting to the head of state that everything would be completely up to him, and that they would be united, united against the outside world, fully cooperate, and would never lag behind...

Such treatment... Such a good thing... Such a great autonomy...

WTF, what is going on in this world?

Lütjens, who was confused by the telegram, blinked his eyes and rubbed them vigorously. Then he read the telegram again and again... Lütjens, who was afraid of making mistakes, read the telegram over and over again three or four times, took out his glasses and the code book, and translated the original text of the telegram again.

However, no matter how you look at it, the content of the telegram is still the same...

This is really unbelievable...

Everyone knew about the disagreement between him and Raeder. Moreover, based on Lütjens's understanding of this admiral who had complete control over the navy over the years, he knew that this man was not only power-hungry and stubborn, but also vindictive. Whether he had concealed the issue of the ship girl from him at the beginning, or had repeatedly overshadowed the master with his achievements... Now the relationship between him and Raeder could be described as irreconcilable.

Although he was dissatisfied with Raeder, he did not want to confront him. His idea was to avoid him. Even if it was sent to the Indian Ocean, Lütjens felt relatively relaxed.

But this time...

Will send supply ships to themselves...

He would consider that Britain and the United States might intercept him in the Bay of Biscay and suggest that Kumets cover him and return directly to the mainland...

He will promise to upgrade his shipgirls based on their wishes...

The most important thing is that they actually offered to use the head of state and the imperial marshal as a guarantee, and they would also put aside their old wishes and unite sincerely...

Finally, he gave me full authority to make the final decision on these things, and even allowed me to compress the decision-making time to the last moment...

No matter how you look at it, it looks like he is being authorized to control everything, and he is trying his best to express his sincerity and avoid "wild thoughts"...

Is there some ghost...

But...even if there really is a ghost, he has no way to confirm it...

After all, his fleet belonged to the German Navy, and he had to use the Navy's communication system and code to report. Even if he sent a telegram to confirm, it would still be sent to Raeder in the end...

But... all the contents of the telegram itself are flawless...

Although, if there really is any small action.

Lütjens, who considered himself a qualified soldier and was neither familiar with nor interested in political struggles, was really confused...

Lütjens pinched his nose, grabbed the telegram and walked out, and went straight to find a secretary cat who was standing in a daze at the door of his room:

"Bismarck, stop being in a daze. Inform Bonte, Lindemann, Top, and your three sisters to come to the meeting right now... Redl sent something over, and let everyone discuss it together - by the way, you must keep this telegram well after the meeting! If something really happens to Jiang Lai, and they want to investigate Ze Ren, we can rely on this telegram to prove our innocence..."

"Eh?!"

Seeing his own captain looking confused, Bismarck, who had just come out of his daze and still had no idea what was going on, could only look stunned...

Chapter 685: Plots and Tactics

It is not Children's Day yet, June 1st, in Raeder's office in the Admiralty building in Berlin...

"…So, Marshal, my mission this time is to fully cooperate with Lütjens? To cover his return home?"

After listening to Redel's task assignment, the white-faced, beardless Kumets scratched his head in confusion.

This doesn't fit the script. Shouldn't a villain like him always fight against others? Why does he still help Lütjens?

Not to mention Lütjens, even I myself was confused: When did the Marshal become so easy to talk to?

However, Redel, who was sitting opposite Kumets, rolled his eyes speechlessly when he saw Kumets asking such a stupid question with a confused look on his face...

When did I say I would forgive Lütjens? The only four ship girls in the German Navy were all kidnapped by him! Not only did I become a single admiral, but even the hat on my head that changed color is already three feet high!

Raindrops fell on the green grassland! He wanted to gallop on his horse!

but……

Not to mention the strength of those ship girls and Lütjens's ability, it is a question whether I can kill Lütjens. If I force him into a corner, he might even shoot him, and he wouldn't even know how he died.

Even if it is for the sake of the thousands of ships being built in docks across the Atlantic Ocean in the United States, I can only do this...

"Tsk, it's all because of that bastard Hitler, who insisted on 'national rejuvenation' and 'recovering lost territory', and in the end he made Britain and France declare war on us..."

He spat silently in his heart, but the political and rigid face of the veteran military politician in his seventies showed no expression - although, this idea was really very "peace-loving" and very officer corps.

After all, his disciple Kumets, who was really not something he could be proud of, was still standing here, waiting for his instructions.

After thinking it over several times in his mind, Redel glanced at Kumets who was still confused. He took a sip of water and said calmly: "Kumets, what do you think you should do in this battle?"

"Well... first, when Lütjens goes to meet up with the supply ship, I will feint an attack on the GIUK defense line to draw the attention of Britain and the United States. Then... I will decide my next step based on the movements of the British and American navies. If the British and American navies go after Lütjens or wait and see, then I will advance to the North Atlantic and cooperate with submarines to attack their shipping lines;"

"If the British and American navies launch an attack on my fleet, I will wait in the waters northeast of Iceland, put pressure on the enemy, cover Lütjens' return, and then head to Brest..."

"Stop! Stop talking!"

Before Kumets could finish his words, Redel interrupted him impatiently: "Kumets, I asked you to express your ideas, not to listen to you recite the battle plan!"

"...I am a stupid person, please guide me, Your Excellency Marshal!"

Kumets lowered his head and blurted out these words.

Seeing Kumets sincerely saying that he didn't know, Redel couldn't help but roll his eyes again.

Kumets is a guy who is obedient and has a good foundation as a general. However, he is not good enough to be a general who can lead troops on his own! Whether it is the depth of understanding of the strategic situation, the vision of new technologies and new tactics, or even the leadership qualities such as perseverance, courage, and tolerance...

No matter which aspect, there is really no comparison between Kumets and Lütjens...

Take Kumets’ previous answer for example. It was in line with the operational plan, but it was obvious that his thinking was only on the operational plan, without any deeper thinking…

Fortunately, the four ship girls are all on Lütjens' side...

Raeder couldn't help but feel a little relieved: Lütjens's abduction of four ship girls alone left a bad impression in the minds of himself and the mainstream navy under him. Even in the eyes of the Führer, who was experienced in political calculations, even if he did nothing, he could see that the Führer had more or less been afraid of factional separatism!

After all, as a battleship, the ship girl should belong to the German Navy, not to Lütjens...

He knew that even if Hitler didn't say it, he must be afraid of Lütjens in his heart, especially when he learned that the ship girls could be invisible - if they were used by someone with ulterior motives, or if Lütjens was not a pure soldier, then the entire German political landscape would change dramatically - nothing could be easier than physically destroying the enemy, and these ship girls were simply perfect assassination weapons.

Raeder was certain that such a Lütjens might have made great military achievements, or he might have no political ambitions at all. But no matter what, given the mainstream opinion within the German Navy and the Führer's slight fear, Lütjens had no hope of becoming the Admiral of the Navy.

Hitler was afraid that once Lütjens became a marshal, he might set his sights on the throne of the Führer, so the position of marshal would always hang over Lütjens' head.

But... the more I compare them, the more I feel that Kumets is a bit of a coward...

What a weakling!

Redel sighed silently in his heart.

For the stability of the navy - although in fact it is also for the continued stability of one's own power in the navy, the checks and balances of the three major factions within the German Navy must be maintained.

But that’s the problem…

The German Navy now has three major factions: Lütjens's Fleet, Kumetz's Arctic Fleet, and Dönitz's submarine faction...

Needless to say, Lütjens, who had made great military achievements, almost single-handedly destroyed the entire Royal Navy. If it were not for political reasons, he would have been awarded the rank of marshal long ago. Although he had the smallest number of troops, his combat effectiveness was undoubtedly the strongest. If he fell, the navy would basically collapse and would have surrendered without having to face the Americans.

Even if it is Dönitz's submarine, although Dönitz is basically living in the submarine bunker in Brest and lying on a camp bed, not showing off, but the submarines under his command are also the overlord of the North Atlantic!

Britain and the United States now have an average of 500,000 tons of tonnage in the Atlantic every month, which is devoured by these sea wolves, adding one record and medal after another to their sinking records.

Those two have impressive military achievements and abilities, but you, Kumets, have nothing to show for yourself except that you are relatively obedient in front of me, can flatter me, and will try to climb up the ladder when you get a chance!

Raeder knew very well that the shipgirls were just weapons after all, and the real command ability still depended on the commander's level. Lütjens could break through the Cape of Good Hope fortress head-on with just two shipgirls! And what about you, Kumetz? You had an Eugen under your command, but not only did you not use it well, but you also made a joke of selling your head to Tovey's reputation with your absolute superior force. In the end, you even drove Top and the shipgirl away alive!

Even if you were given the command of the four ship girls of the Lütjens fleet, would you be able to command them? Could you cripple the Royal Navy, which was one of the top three in the world, from a lean camel to a bigger horse?

When Redel thought of this guy's incompetence, he became more and more angry and almost had a fit. But before he got angry, he raised his eyes inexplicably and saw Kumets in front of him, who was terrified and waiting for his instructions. Redel smacked his lips and inexplicably felt that he could not continue to scold him.

Even though Redel knew that this old guy looked silly and cute, he was probably just pretending!

This ability to be immune to scolding and to take advantage of others, can it be considered an ability...

I have a headache...

Redel held his forehead helplessly, and after glancing at Kumets with his gloomy eyes, he asked in an emotionless tone: "Do you know why your destination is Brest, instead of returning to Norway?"

"Is this...Is it because I am so stupid...that there is no war to fight in the Arctic Ocean?"

"Nonsense, but...what next?" Redel's mouth twitched slightly.

"Then... we cooperate with Dönitz's submarines in Brest, and at the same time... we should also put more pressure on the Atlantic escort fleet?" Kumets thought for a while and said weakly.

"Hmph, not so stupid!" Raeder snorted with a little dissatisfaction, and said: "Lütjens's military achievements are too great, and he also has the help of the ship girl; Dönitz's submarines are not very impressive, but the monthly record in the Atlantic has never been less than 500,000 tons in the past six months! Your Kumetz's Arctic Fleet is obviously at the bottom of the navy! If you don't perform well, are you waiting for others to step on you?"

"Your Excellency the Marshal is right!" Kumets' eyes regained some spirit and he nodded repeatedly. However, Redel didn't care much about his little fame and continued to speak:

"Since you want to improve your record, you have to pay more attention to it!"

"...The British and American forces will definitely not be dispersed, and now you and Lütjens are in a two-pronged attack! In other words, no matter what, you have the opportunity to break into the Atlantic! - Unless Lütjens goes back to Brest Port directly, you will definitely have the opportunity to break into the Atlantic!" Having said that, Raeder slammed the table, stared at Kumets with a stern face and shouted:

"…After you enter the Atlantic, I will provide you with intelligence support and decision-making support! Your real mission is to work with Dönitz to attack the British and American escort fleets with all our strength! Now there are an average of 30 British and American fleets operating in the Atlantic every month, and there are as many as five or six escort fleets on the route every day!"

"I have already instructed Dönitz to share the intelligence of the submarine forces with you. Now Lütjens is distracting and involving their attention. This is your best chance to gain military achievements! If you can't even fight this kind of battle well, then don't come back!"