Hitler's calculations were very loud. He hoped to defeat the Soviet Union within a month or two and occupy Eastern Europe in three months. At this moment, Germany would own the entire Europe. I am afraid that there will not be many such a huge empire in human history.
Moreover, the unprecedented strategic depth can ensure the absolute security of Germany. Even if China and the United States still want to confront Germany, they must weigh their own weight.
After Germany defeated the Soviet Union and calmly dealt with Britain, Germany was truly at the top of the world. In order to realize this strategic plan, Hitler secretly assembled troops on the Soviet-German border and organized the troops into three groups: South, Center and North.
A group army group, with jurisdiction over 7 armies, 4 armored groups, a total of 152 divisions and three brigades, totaling 3.05 million people, accounting for about 95% of the German field army strength. The German army prepared 3,350 tanks and combat aircraft for the attack on the Soviet Union
3275 aircraft and 7146 artillery pieces.
In addition, Italy, Finland, Romania and other countries also joined the German side to jointly deal with the Soviet Union, forming an unprecedented army force. The Soviet Union also deployed nearly three million strong troops on the western border.
In this time and space, due to the failure of the Soviet Union in the war with China, Stalin attached great importance to the construction of armored forces. Even during the Great Purge, the Russian armored forces continued to strengthen and did detailed intelligence work on Germany. Stalin had
It was judged that Germany was bound to attack the Soviet Union.
Therefore, Stalin made detailed war preparations on the western border. All soldiers were in a high state of combat readiness and could go into war at any time. In addition, the Soviet Union built a large number of in-depth defenses in an attempt to hold Germany back at the border.
outside.
However, Germany's offensive capabilities were still beyond Stalin's expectations. When the German tanks began to run over, the border defense line that Stalin was proud of turned into paper. In less than a month, Germany had reached its furthest point.
It broke into the Soviet Union to a depth of 600 kilometers, and more than half of the Soviet divisions were wiped out.
The door to the Western Front was opened, and the German army was approaching Kiev. The whole world was shocked for a while!
The Soviet Union, which had been in a wait-and-see state, was the first to be dragged into the water, and seemed to be drowned immediately. How could other countries in the world not be shocked? Of course, some people were happy, and that was Churchill. The Soviet-German war broke out, and Britain had a strong ally.
, Britain is finally no longer alone.
Therefore, Churchill immediately delivered a speech in Parliament: "In the past 25 years, no one has opposed [***] as consistently as I have. I don't want to take back what I said, but all this is unfolding before our eyes again.
In comparison, it all pales in comparison...Any individual or country that fights against the Third Reich will receive our assistance. Any individual or country that follows Hitler is our enemy."
Of course, the current Britain is still in trouble and does not have much ability to help the Soviet Union. This kind of slogan can only be lip service, but at most it just expresses its attitude.
The two countries that can really play a decisive role in the Soviet Union are the United States and China. Due to its geographical location, China can provide more convenient and comprehensive assistance.
At the beginning of Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union, Qiao Yu announced in Congress that the Lend-Lease Act applied to the Soviet Union and that China was willing to work with the Soviet Union to oppose fascist forces.
Regarding Qiao Yu's statement, Stalin was skeptical. Russia's wary of China has not been eliminated. He even said that before the rise of Germany, the Soviet Union's biggest enemy was China. Moreover, the two countries have complicated histories and real grievances, especially China's relationship with the Soviet Union.
When it was first established, it sent troops to the Northeast to support the Far Eastern Republic and put Russia's hundreds of years of colonial management in vain.
Stalin insisted that China would continue to attack the Soviet Union. China's ultimate goal was to drive Russia out of Asia. Therefore, the Soviet Union stationed a large number of troops in the Far East all year round. Now that Germany is attacking the Soviet Union, Stalin's biggest worry is whether China will take advantage of it!
The Soviet Union's worries are reasonable, because the Soviet Union itself did this just over a year ago, carving up Poland with Germany. Even though China is opposed to Germany now, once the Soviet Union shows signs of decline, China may not take advantage of it.
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Of course, this is because the Russians have a guilty conscience. Qiao Yu will not make such a short-sighted mistake. The most important enemy at the moment is Germany. Before Germany is eliminated, China will definitely cooperate with the Soviet Union.
However, Qiao Yu would not give up this opportunity, so the Chinese government formulated an opinion on how to deal with the Sino-Soviet history and border issues, which included redefining the permanent border, ensuring the full legal status of the Far Eastern Republic, and participating in international organizations.
No troops will be deployed within 100 kilometers of the border, and both sides conduct trade based on the principle of equality and mutual benefit.
The purpose of these conditions is very simple, which is to completely stabilize the Sino-Soviet border and avoid the outbreak of war between the two countries. Of course, it is obviously beneficial to China to determine the border at this time, but it will not exceed the bottom line of the Soviet Union. The timing and intensity are determined.
Just right.
After Stalin received China's opinions, he was also in a dilemma. He also knew that the Soviet Union would suffer a lot if he accepted China's opinions. However, the German army had already entered the hinterland of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union urgently needed to ease its relations with China and even gain access to China.
support, China’s conditions are already pretty good.
Just when Stalin was hesitating, Japan could not sit still. A month ago, Japan launched two more aircraft carriers, the Taiho and the Shinano. So far, Japan has six large aircraft carriers and three light aircraft carriers.
, two other light aircraft carriers are under construction.
In recent years, the Japanese Navy has continuously expanded its strength, trained more pilots, and also developed new carrier-based aircraft. All naval aviation units have been re-equipped. After years of squeezing the country and plundering Southeast Asia, all the wealth gained has been transformed into
With this new combined fleet, Japan's entire hope lies in this.
Just after Germany launched a war of aggression against the Soviet Union, the leaders of the United States and Britain jointly signed the Atlantic Charter. China was also actively coordinating its relations with the Soviet Union. Soon a powerful alliance against fascist countries would emerge, and Japan would also follow Germany's lead.
A quick victory, deal with the United States first, and then China.
Japan began planning how to destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet a year ago. Now the time has finally arrived. However, the Japanese also want to strategically deceive the United States. They sent their special envoy Lacey Saburo to the United States to discuss Pacific peace issues and asked China to do so.
Participate together.
At this time, US President Roosevelt was also in a conflict. He eagerly hoped that the United States could participate in the war to prevent Germany from becoming bigger. He was also full of hostility towards Japan, but he did not want the scale of the war to be uncontrollable. After all, how powerful the United States was.
It is very difficult to support two battlefields.
Therefore, Roosevelt accepted Japan's proposal for peace talks, but China was dismissive of these. Qiao Yu had learned through secret channels that Japan was secretly training naval aviation in Kagoshima. The terrain here is relatively similar to Oahu, Hawaii.
, it can be seen that Japan’s imaginary enemy is the US Pacific Fleet, after which the Japanese aircraft carriers gathered to the north.
Over the years, Qiao Yu has invested huge financial and material resources in operating an intelligence network in Japan, so he can master comprehensive intelligence. Japan's various actions have proven that they are preparing a sneak attack on the United States.
Japan still chooses the United States as its first target, which is definitely a great thing for China. If this disaster is going to harm the United States, China can continue to sit back and watch the fight between tigers and tigers.
Therefore, Qiao Yu will never share intelligence with the United States. If the United States is not unlucky, how will China get what it wants?
However, Qiao Yu also knew that China must not be careless, so he ordered all the eastern theaters to enter the first level of combat readiness equipment, and the aircraft carrier formation was also prepared to deal with emergencies. Who knows whether Japan will sneak attack on China first like a convulsion.
At this time, in the North Pacific, a powerful fleet with six aircraft carriers as its core was cutting through the waves, heading towards Pearl Harbor. The commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Yamamoto Isoroku, was looking at the vast ocean on the deck. In his heart
It is also like the sea, with its ups and downs and its difficulty in calming down.
Among the three countries of China, the United States, and Japan, the United States has twelve aircraft carriers, China has ten, and Japan has only six. The difference in numbers is like a big stone weighing on Japan's heart, regardless of the numbers on the books.
, the gap in war potential between Japan and China and the United States is even more astonishing.
There have been many examples of the weak defeating the strong since ancient times, but Yamamoto Isoroku had no idea that he wanted to deal with two powerful enemies at the same time. Even if a temporary victory could be achieved, would Japan be able to survive the rest of the war?
!
Yamamoto Isoroku was in a nervous mood. After a week of sailing, the Japanese combined fleet finally successfully approached Pearl Harbor. At dawn the next day, Japan's long-awaited offensive finally began. The first wave of 14
More than a dozen carrier-based aircraft took off and roared towards Pearl Harbor.
This sneak attack was more than two months earlier than in history. The United States did not believe that Japan dared to attack Pearl Harbor. Before this, both Roosevelt and the United States firmly believed that Japan's first target was China.
The United States increased its troops at Pearl Harbor just to create pressure on Japan.
If Japan attacks China first, the U.S. Pacific Fleet will act as a savior to help China fight, but the actual situation completely exceeds the United States' expectations.
Japan was the first to attack Pearl Harbor, and the first target of Japan's bombing was beyond the imagination of all Americans. It turned out to be an oil depot! An oil depot that stored a full 4.5 million tons of heavy oil! This first target was
Isoroku Yamamoto chose it. In fact, Japan originally wanted to attack the aircraft carrier. However, Yamamoto Isoroku was inspired by China's bombing of Keelung Port that year and attacked the oil depot, causing a big fire. The effect was much better than direct bombing.
The Americans were completely unprepared. In an instant, the oil depot burned under the Japanese bombing, and the entire Pearl Harbor turned into a mountain of fire.