gnovel Chapter 91 Sean and de Gaulle discuss Crete, predicting the crisis facing the Naslavic Kingdom.
Chapter 91 Sean and de Gaulle discuss Crete, predicting the crisis facing the Naslavic Kingdom.
Chapter 92 Sean and de Gaulle discuss Crete, predicting the crisis facing the Naslavic Kingdom.
Hanni returned to Sean's side, lowering her voice and acting mysteriously.
"Marshal Göring will personally oversee the recruitment process."
"What did you say? Say it again!"
Sean looked incredulous, thinking Hannie was secretly recruiting people using her connections, but that wasn't the case.
Air Force Marshal, Mao Sui recommended himself.
Yes, Hanni couldn't operate secretly. Although the Shadow Office wielded considerable power, those companies were not insignificant in Germany.
There will definitely be huge resistance. As an Air Force Marshal, it would be much easier for Göring to pay attention to aircraft companies.
"Are you serious? You can't be serious, we're an American company."
"I took it very seriously, and Marshal Göring thought it was excellent; he was happy to serve."
He was actually quite happy about it?
Are you sure he's not mentally ill? We're not from the same country, and we might even become enemies in the future. He's helping American companies poach people?
"His head must have been caught in a door, he must have been caught in a door." Sean really couldn't believe that Goring could be so ruthless.
"Field Marshal Göring had great hope and enthusiasm for the future of the air force, and he had a very broad vision."
So you're helping me poach talent? Helping me build airplanes? That's quite a grand vision.
Sean didn't know how to complain.
"Should I thank him?" Sean joked.
"It's all part of his job," Hanni said matter-of-factly. "Without your guidance, the German Air Force wouldn't have achieved what it has today."
Sean covered his forehead, his head hurting. "Say whatever you want, as long as you don't give me a medal."
Why do I feel like laughing so much? Sean picked up his water glass and drank, feeling both amused and exasperated.
"Oh, right." Hanni brushed the hair behind her ear and tucked the curls behind her ear.
"Sir, the entire Air Force Special Operations Battalion also accompanied us with the formula this time."
"Are you guys crazy?" Sean was truly stunned by Goring's words.
"They've already retired, just like Hyde, and the team leader is Major Forman. I've already arranged for them to go to the San Diego National Guard base. They've all practiced gun handling and CQB, so training those rookie paratroopers in the US won't be a problem for them."
"You're so capable."
"Thank you." Hanni was beaming, her skin practically glowing, after being praised for the first time.
Sean lay on the sofa, reading a book out of boredom.
"Sir, I'm going to buy groceries to prepare dinner."
"Go."
Watching the woman leave, Sean pursed his lips, lost in thought. "Am I being too lazy? Should I be making money? There's still a huge funding gap."
Why do other people live more and more freely, while I live poorer and poorer?
December 1940, 7.
In Luisplatz, Berlin, there is a Baroque palace, which is also the largest surviving palace of the Hohenzollern dynasty.
On the second floor facing the square, a window is open, and a pair of weary eyes cast a complex gaze.
General Papagos, commander-in-chief of the Greek armed forces, looked downstairs.
The sun shines brightly, the castle and palace are magnificent, yet he is a prisoner locked in this exquisite prison.
stab.
He slipped a copy of The Observer under the door.
Looking at the newspaper, Papagos had mixed feelings.
He walked toward the newspaper, but his steps kept pausing.
Everything he was afraid to see.
He struggled to pick up the newspaper from the ground.
The Greek commander-in-chief sat down weakly on the carpet.
[Air Force Vine Assault Division armored units, in coordination with Adolf's 1st Motorized Brigade, captured Mytsoung in half a day]
Has Mai Tso-wong been lost?
That would mean that the German army had opened the way to the Bandus Mountains.
How should Greece's 200,000 troops cope with being attacked from both sides?
Looking at the message, Papagos closed his eyes and swallowed hard.
Marshal List's 12th Army Group, 18th Corps, entered the heart of Greece, while the 5th and 6th Mountain Divisions moved toward Bandus.
The newly formed 5th Parachute Division and 7th Airborne Division, in conjunction with the elite forces of the 2nd Armored Division, occupied the Epirus line.
Omg.
How many Jaeger units did the German Air Force deploy?
Papagos put down the newspaper and left the room.
King George and Queen Elizabeth are dining in the restaurant.
"I want to see the head of state."
Papagos's unexpected remark aroused King George.
Although he had no real power, he was the nominal supreme ruler of Greece.
"Papagos, what do you want to do?" The king, who had put down his cutlery, was filled with anger. He was not stupid, otherwise he would not have been able to deal with the other party under Giannis's rule.
"I want to send a telegram to Army Group Center at the Sula Pass."
"You want them to surrender, is that it?" George stepped forward and angrily grabbed the veteran's collar.
"I only want to preserve the flame of the Greek army. Do you want two hundred thousand soldiers to die?" Papagos shouted, swatting away the other man's hand.
"Once we surrender, Greece will be defeated, and they will treat us the same way they treated France. Greece will no longer be the Greece it once was."
puppet.
Papages understood, of course, but this was the only thing he could do, to leave behind the seeds of hope and the day when the sun and rain would come. If he did not do this, he would not be able to face the spirits of his ancestors.
"Your Majesty, I am the supreme commander of the three armies. You have no right to interfere with my decisions. If a sinner is needed, let me be the only one nailed to the pillar of historical shame."
"You bastard!" King George sat down in a chair in anguish.
"I want to see the head of state."
"Papagos".
Hearing the king's weak shouts, the old general resolutely turned around.
"His Majesty."
"Thanks a lot."
Papagos's shoulders trembled.
The SS soldiers standing near the restaurant smiled. "I'll report immediately."
He received a telegram from Papagos.
The morale of the Greek army plummeted.
Major General George Tsolagru looked in the direction of Mytsoung and felt despair.
"I am willing to surrender to the German army, but not as an Italian. Soldiers must be disarmed and go home unconditionally instead of becoming prisoners of war. Officers can keep their weapons. This is our last vestige of dignity."
If you do not accept this, we will fight to the last man.
Upon hearing the telegram from the Greek army, Marshal List simply replied with a single sentence.
"I accept your surrender."
The German High Command was jubilant.
Manstein looked at the map and patted the location of the Balkans.
The sound attracted everyone's attention.
"It seems we should revise the Marita plan as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, all the army generals and commanders smiled in unison.
The Marita Project was a precursor to the Barbarossa Project.
"I didn't expect us to arrive so far ahead of schedule." Longstein showed a surprised expression for the first time.
Albanian official residence.
Upon receiving the news, Old Mo snapped the pen in his hand with a bang.
"The Germans actually accepted the Greeks' surrender unilaterally. Where is the respect? They didn't even inform me."
Yes, that's what the little painter said when you attacked Greece, but Zenoa didn't want to add fuel to the fire. The logic is that you each take one hit to even things out, but you can't say it like that.
"Your Excellency, we are about to win the victory and gain a large amount of land resources and people."
Old Mo got angry just hearing that.
"We also became the laughingstock of the whole world."
This seems to have become a major concern for Lao Mo.
The moment the Greek army surrendered en masse, Europeans were no longer surprised.
They looked at the newspaper and simply grunted in response.
"Greece held out for quite a while, about a month."
"Yes, France only lasted a month as well."
In contrast, Greece surprisingly received positive reviews from the majority of Europeans.
Los Angeles, USA.
Outside the NBC television studio.
Sean Wayne was adjusting his clothes; he was here today to earn money by appearing on the show.
The host, Dorothy, a familiar face, handed Sean a glass bottle of Coke.
"Thank you, I'm not thirsty."
"Coca-Cola is sponsoring this program. Our TV station will be producing a talk show called 'War Perspective,' and today is its premiere."
"Is this GG?"
"Yes, all you have to do is drink a little Coke from the bottle while you're doing the show."
My goodness, Coca-Cola's thinking is quite ahead of its time.
"I see."
"Coca-Cola also paid for this $4,000 fee. Don't forget to point the sign at the camera."
Host Dorothy reminded the critics again.
"Know."
Time flew by, and with a reminder from the staff, Sean entered the studio.
The venue was similar to the last time, and he was already used to it.
However, this time it wasn't just one guest.
Seeing another middle-aged man sitting in the chair, Sean looked at him curiously.
The middle-aged man's gaze was complex upon seeing Sean, a mixture of hatred and admiration.
"Sean, sit down, the show is about to start."
When he heard Dorothy call him, Sean pulled out the chair on his right. He noticed that the arrangement was quite clever; the middle-aged man was sitting in the middle, so the man's identity must be extraordinary.
The program started soon.
Dorothy adjusted her expression and put on a smile.
"Hello everyone, welcome to War Perspective. I'm Dorothy. Today we have two special guests. One of them is an old friend that everyone knows, Sean Wayne."
"Hello everyone." Sean nodded slightly to the camera.
"The other one was General de Gaulle, who led Free France."
What?
Sean suddenly turned his head. The man next to him was De Gaulle.
"Hello everyone, I am Charles de Gaulle." De Gaulle's smile was somewhat unnatural, after all, he was not there to appear on a show, but to seek help in Washington.
He participated in the show to expand his influence in the United States because Sean Wayne has a huge following.
De Gaulle felt a mix of emotions upon seeing the young man beside him, for this man's curse had fallen upon his own country.
France was defeated just as Sean had predicted.
The production team is very savvy; they even brought in their rivals to enhance the show's appeal.
Sean composed himself and took a sip of his Coca-Cola.
"General de Gaulle, you come from Europe. What are your thoughts on the recent Greek campaign?"
"Although Greece lost most of its troops and Germany and Italy were victorious, the Italian navy suffered a defeat, and Britain still controlled the sea routes in the Mediterranean."
Controlling the Mediterranean and the Middle East's swing states—Iran, Afghanistan, and even Türkiye—will ensure continued neutrality.
The Ionian Islands and Crete remain under the control of the Allied forces; these are key strategic locations.
De Gaulle was quite right.
Sean didn't intend to refute it.
"Sean, what do you think? I heard that the German airborne forces were established based on your theories, and you are known as the father of the German airborne divisions. You are the most qualified to speak on this."
Dorothy seems to be suspected of starting a war.
"Germany's occupation of southern Greece, including Athens, made an airborne raid on Crete the most likely course of action. The German Air Force, compared to the Royal Air Force, was closer to Crete and had absolute air superiority."
Yes, Germany also did this historically, only it was a Pyrrhic victory, which even led the young artist to stop using airborne tactics and instead convert air force paratroopers into air-dropped ground troops.
The Battle of Crete is known as the graveyard of the German jab.
As soon as Sean finished speaking, de Gaulle frowned.
He took over the conversation before Dorothy, the host, could speak.
"There were tens of thousands of troops on Crete, including British expeditionary forces and some Greek troops from the mainland."
There are three airfields on the island. Because its area is much smaller than that of the mainland, the deployment of troops would be very dense. If Germany were to use airborne troops, it would likely fail.
Crete at this moment is like a hedgehog.
After speaking, de Gaulle gave Sean a provocative look.
Dorothy was a little embarrassed.
Looking at the director not far away, the director excitedly made a prohibition gesture to the host.
This is an effect that NBC is happy to see.
Oh dear, are you trying to provoke me?
However, Sean wasn't angry; the French legend was quite right.
"That's true."
Sean surprisingly agreed with de Gaulle's answer, leaving the French general feeling like he'd punched empty air. He had intended to cause trouble for Sean and vent his anger, but the young man displayed extraordinary composure.
"Do you think so too?"
Dorothy seemed very curious about Sean's answer.
"Yes, I think so too."
The scene fell silent. Since Sean had said that, then de Gaulle's statement was quite insightful.
But the director didn't want this outcome; NBC wanted entertainment, not battlefield analysis.
He winked at Dorothy.
"Sean, what would you do if it were you?" This is where everyone has their own opinion.
I?
How the hell should I know? History has changed!
Sean gave a forced smile. "If it were me, I definitely wouldn't parachute in. Instead, I would use the air force's advantage to bomb and attack supply ships continuously, putting pressure on the enemy 24 hours a day."
"Just bombing?" Dorothy found the answer rather strange.
"Maintaining prolonged bombing, although inefficient, results in minimal losses. Continuous bombing will tire the defenders, increase their fear and anxiety, and strain their psychological defenses."
Furthermore, Crete, being overseas, faced a natural disadvantage in terms of supplies.
"You mean to force the enemy to surrender through bombing?"
"You could say that."
This is how the British and Germans were dealt with historically.
Sean didn't see anything wrong with it.
Of course, Crete could not compare with England either.
"Hehe." De Gaulle chuckled.
"General de Gaulle seems to have a different view."
"Yes, simply bombing is a foolish act. It will not only consume a lot of resources, but also prolong the battle and generate huge costs. As long as Britain controls the shipping lanes, the German Luftwaffe will not be able to effectively stop the resupply."
Yes, the process was exactly the same as the attack on Britain.
Sean smiled indifferently, not taking de Gaulle's sarcasm to heart.
But the group got excited, which was a foolish act.
Haha.
The director nodded towards Dorothy.
"So, Sean, what's your opinion?"
I?
You guys did this on purpose, didn't you?
Sean picked up a map.
Pointing to the location of the Balkans.
"You don't actually think Germany sent an entire army group just to defeat Greece, do you?"
Yes, historically the Balkan and Greek campaigns took place around the same time.
Since List has gone to Greece with six divisions, including three armored divisions and several motorized brigades, such a strong mechanized force, just to defeat Greece? How is that possible?
The Air Force lost three paratrooper divisions and tens of thousands of soldiers in one fell swoop.
Currently, nine German divisions, four brigades, and other SS units, totaling over 100,000 troops, are concentrated in southern Greece.
He has no reason not to play against Serbia.
This matter was known only to Sean and a limited number of people in Germany.
Since the Greek campaign was brought forward, given Manstein's genius, it was impossible for him to leave the Yugoslav kingdoms in the Balkans unattended.
To complete Operation Barbarossa, the first step is to take over the entire Balkans and eliminate any potential threats from the rear.
"You mean they'll attack the Kingdom of Yugoslavia?"
Sean made a surprising statement.
Everyone was shocked.
The German consul, who was watching a TV program, spat out a mouthful of coffee and kept wiping his mouth.
The messenger beside me was sending telegrams at lightning speed.
The German High Command received a statement from Sean's program.
The entire command headquarters fell silent.
Manstein was both amused and exasperated.
"Gentlemen, our Marita Project is once again no longer a secret."
"Alright, now the whole world knows." Longstein felt powerless and helpless.
Bock said sternly, "What else can we do? Notify Lister to launch an attack ahead of time. That way we can launch a surprise attack, and even if the enemy knows, they won't be able to prepare properly."
Most of the Army's generals agreed.
Lister's 5th and 6th Mountain Divisions accepted the surrender of Greece within Albania.
Going up there leads to Montenegro and Kosovo, directly towards Serbia.
The two Bulgarian armored divisions did not move at the time, only the 2nd Armored Division was sent to attack Epirus. These two armored divisions were the reserves that Lister deliberately left in Bulgaria.
Manstein pointed to the map and ordered the two armored divisions of the 12th Army to launch an assault on Sofia!
Attack southern Serbia from two directions.
William Carraris added, "Our intelligence agency and foreign military department have already been in contact with Croatians and Slovenes. We will support their independence, and we should not encounter resistance. They may even help us."
"Order the Second Army stationed in Hungary to prepare for an attack."
The members of the Supreme Command smiled wryly.
"That's settled then."
"Lord Sean truly lives up to his reputation as a scourge of war. Because of him, we were forced to launch our attack prematurely, and we were even unprepared," Guderian remarked with some emotion.
Himm glared at him. "How dare you speak like that? Is Lord Sean wrong?"
The discussion continues in Germany, and the program continues.
Hearing Sean's bizarre remarks.
De Gaulle laughed. "The Kingdom of Yugoslavia is inclined towards Germany." His meaning was clear: Germany had no need to attack Serbia; it only needed to bring it into the Axis powers.
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Germany did not sign the Tripartite Pact in 1940.
Historically, although Peter II did not support the Axis powers after his coup with British assistance, he did not openly withdraw from the Tripartite Pact, and Germany still invaded the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in April 1941.
It is clear that whether or not Germany was pro-German or not, whether or not there was a treaty, was completely irrelevant. In order to attack the north, Germany would inevitably take over the entire Balkans.
"Greece is also pro-German."
These words made De Gaulle blush instantly.
This is a blatant slap in the face.
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