Iron Cross

"Sir, I'm rich!" Although it was unclear why Horikichi suddenly changed his mind and wanted to stay longer, after reading the list of aircraft and tank equipment provided by Germany, Kusaka Renyi was still overjoyed - he originally thought that Germany could only As agreed, he would provide half or even less. Unexpectedly, the other party actually expressed his willingness to complete the supply and shipment of all equipment within 45 days, which was far beyond his expectation.

"Send the list to the country and tell them that they will return to China 45 days later than originally scheduled." Horikichi thought for a while and then explained, "The reasons are three points. First, we must be prepared to receive German supplies and equipment; second, we must be prepared to receive German supplies and equipment; , the ships need to be maintained and repaired, especially the capital ships need to be equipped with electric detectors, and the Zuikaku needs repairs; thirdly, the new aircraft need time to be put on the ship for training. Please try to maintain the situation in Nanyang and wait for the combined fleet to send them better equipment. Come."

"yes."

"Germany is willing to supply all the ammunition needed for the new aircraft, and is also willing to help us repair Ruihe. It also said that it can install the hydraulic catapult system that was originally planned to be installed on the Skyhawk on Ruihe. By the way, it will also provide us with the technical information. "Reported by Jisaburo Ozawa.

"What about the conditions?"

"Help them fight Kenya."

"Why?" Horikichi asked doubtfully, "Aren't you going to fight Madagascar?"

"No! The head of state said there is no rush. If the British and American troops in Madagascar are too few, they will not be able to defend it, and if they are too many, they will not be able to attack. He plans to save them before making any further moves."

"How many troops will Germany use to fight Kenya?"

"Not a single one will come out! Use all the navy, the German and Italian fleets are also under our command, and the German navy will operate with us."

"What's the point of not landing?" Kuolu Renyi interjected, "Didn't it mean that there are no more warships in the direction of Mombasa?"

"There are no warships, but there are people! Now there are more than 100,000 British and American troops in East Africa, scattered all over the country, all relying on the port and material supply of Mombasa. As long as this port is bombed, the British and American fleets will have no choice but to catch them blind. The head of state must Use these 100,000 enemy troops to continuously attract British and American fleets to rush towards them and die." Ozawa Jisaburo drew an arrow on the map, "Then the German African Army Group went south from Sudan, entered Ethiopia and Somalia, and finally fought a decisive battle with the British and American troops. The loss will be much smaller.”

"I understand the head of state's idea. It's interesting. I'll do it! But the Germans' idea is too simple, and the conditions mentioned above are not enough." Horikichi raised two fingers, "First, add 100 carrier-based aircraft; Second, we have to give us the full set of radar technology.”

"Didn't you just arrange for the First Guerrilla Detachment to go directly to Italy? Why did you turn around and attack Mombasa again?" Kusaka Renichi asked doubtfully, "Zuikaku is injured, and the carrier-based aircraft is still old."

Horikichi shook his head: "We don't need the first guerrilla detachment to attack Mombasa, we only use the remaining three aircraft carriers, and the rest use German and Italian warships."

"Sir, there seems to be something wrong with this. If the first guerrilla detachment is not used, the other three aircraft carriers will only have more than 100 aircraft at full attack. The enemy has at least one aircraft carrier and a group of land-based aircraft in Mombasa. Without air superiority, it is impossible to gain sea control. "Yes, should we seize a support point first?" Caolu Renyi looked at the map carefully, "I think the location of the support point is Pemba Island, 120 kilometers southeast of Mombasa. We can quickly launch a landing operation. It doesn’t require a lot of troops…”

Before Kusaka Renichi could finish his words, Horikichi stopped him: "Your method is more reliable, but we don't have so much time. My plan is still based on the routine of the day when the bombardment of Guadalcanal was carried out - the purpose of the Germans is not to attack Guadalcanal." To seize Mombasa, they just want to use naval guns to destroy the port as much as possible. One day is enough. "

"I suggest you consider a compromise. If the German HNA has enough pilots who can master the skills of boarding ships, you can let Xianghe stay for them to use. Zuihe will still go to maintenance, and our pilots will go to Socotra Island to change aircraft for training. , This will not delay the aircraft replacement of the First Guerrilla Detachment and give instructions to the German HNA."

"Sir, I also think this suggestion is appropriate."

"Very good, I'll just do what you guys do. An extra warship will always be safer." Horikichi agreed in a good-natured manner.

"I am responsible for communicating the additional conditions. I think there should be no problem. 1,000 aircraft is Germany's production in less than 2 weeks." Ozawa Jisaburo said, "I am more concerned about army equipment, such as tanks."

"You said the Germans have better tanks?" Horikichi frowned, "Isn't it on the list?"

"The new tank is called the Tiger." Jisaburo Ozawa replied respectfully. "It is newly put into use by Germany. It has only been available for more than 2 months. It weighs up to 48 tons. It is equipped with an 88mm anti-aircraft gun and has an armor thickness of 100mm. The tank without allies is its opponents,"

"How much better than the best T-34 on the list?"

"One is worth ten."

"So exaggerated?" Caolu Renyi was stunned, "It's a very rare case, right?"

"No, there was an encounter on the Eastern Front. At the cost of losing 4 Tigers, two companies of Germany wiped out a full Soviet tank brigade with more than 50 T-34s in it."

"How can the Germans be willing to provide it?"

"Either buy it, or exchange it. I asked around, and the price is about 600,000 Reichsmarks if I buy it. If I exchange it, after my efforts, the Germans agreed to exchange it with the American Sherman tanks we captured, five for one. "

"Exchanging 5 cars for 1 car, what a shame they said." Caolu Renyi was indignant.

"This is because we have taken advantage of it. We can easily defeat the Sherman with one against ten." Ozawa Jizaburo hesitated, "The Germans don't use the Sherman to fight, but to use it as a service tank."

"The Germans are so wasteful!"

“How many more Shermans do we have?”

Caolu Renyi looked through the records: "More than 170 vehicles, have they all been replaced?"

"You can't replace all Tigers. I suggest replacing them with No. 4 tanks... This time the German army used No. 4 submersible tanks for landing at Matruh Port. Its combat effectiveness is exactly the same as the normal No. 4 tanks."

"The submersible tank is very much needed. We must get it." Horikichi stood up and thought for a moment, "Is there anything else that can be exchanged with the Germans?"

"Living military supplies, such as cans, rum, candies, coffee, biscuits, etc." Ozawa Jisaburo thought for a moment, "There are also things like jeeps and trucks, but I think I also need them."

"Leave one for the sailors as a souvenir of this trip to Africa to participate in the war. How much can be exchanged for the rest." Horikichi calculated silently, "Exchange for 8 Tigers and the others for submersible tanks. In addition, give The Army sent a telegram asking them if they wanted such tanks. If they wanted them, I would get them a few, but they would have to pay for it when they returned home - they had no money to give the aircraft to the Navy. "

Although the commander of the Combined Fleet does not care about the Marine Corps, Horikichi is very interested in forming an elite Marine Corps. The Japanese Marine Corps is different from the U.S. Marine Corps. The equipment level has always been inferior to that of the domestic army, and it cannot be called elite. Speaking of which, the Marines had put in a lot of effort to help tow the stranded ship this time, and they had long been greedy for the captured equipment, so he had the desire to equip it well.

After returning to China, most of the tanks will definitely be handed over to the Army, but he plans to keep the best ones for himself. At the same time, he plans to equip at least one brigade of Marines with a full set of beautiful weapons. He is not stingy at all when it comes to equipment and plans to use Garand rifles. , Thompson submachine guns, Browning heavy machine guns, jeeps, etc., and coupled with captured LSTs, American tanks and howitzers, they are basically on the same starting line as the US Marine Corps. The seizure was so rich that it was more than enough to equip a brigade. Of course, items like Tom Long-Legged would be too bulky, so they should be thrown onto the island for army defense.

"If the tank is good from Germany, then use German goods and there will be no trouble of identification and maintenance."

Ozawa Jisaburo also recorded a large amount of information that the trio learned during their stay in Germany, including aircraft engines, armored vehicles, artillery, electronic communication equipment and other equipment that Japan is extremely scarce in. He also listed all the previous inspections in Japan. I studied all the utilization data of the industrial system, technology research and development, production layout, and material supply and support after the general mobilization, which the regiment has relatively neglected. I also suggested that the army and navy should make improvements in the unification of equipment, merger of research and development, and reserve development. I started from just now I didn’t speak a word of German when I arrived in Germany, but now I can actually communicate on a daily basis.

"Ozawa-kun, you are determined. You have made great progress in the past few months. I think your future will not only be the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, but you can also be the Minister of the Navy or even the Prime Minister."

"Sir, I am afraid of being in such a low position." Ozawa Jisaburo thought for a moment and said, "Actually, when I came to Germany this time, in addition to the industrial strength and overall combat effectiveness that shocked me, Germany valued talents more than I imagined. Take the aviation force as an example. We used to treat pilots as consumables, but the Germans have taken great pains to protect pilots. Excellent pilots like Marceuil and Rudel are even more well-known heroes, with a lot of medals and awards, and movies made for them. But I never said which general or marshal I was filming for.”

"Oh, Mr. Ozawa, Japan still has a long way to go..."

After reading the various demands and reports, Horikichi and Kusaka Renichi frowned: There are so many things to buy, no money, and limited materials that can be exchanged. What should I do?

"There are only three ways." Jisaburo Ozawa gave a suggestion. "The first is to sell warships - we can sell the warships we don't want to the Germans. I think Ise and Hinata can consider it; the second is to exchange gold for - —But this will not be solved until the army conquers India; the third option is to use the main force of the fleet to continue to cooperate with Germany in military operations. According to my judgment, Germany’s next target is obvious, with Persia in the east and Malta and Gibraltar in the west. Especially once Gibraltar is captured, the Mediterranean will completely become an axis sea, and it will also cause a change in Spain's attitude. If we are willing to help, the rewards will not be small. "

"They are all good ideas, especially the first one, which is particularly pertinent." Ozawa's suggestion shocked Kusaka Renichi, but Horikichi's answer was even more unexpected.