The Third Reich in Desperation

Contrary to Churchill's focus on strategic significance, Chamberlain paid more attention to political influence.He didn't want Britain to be in a passive position in international public opinion because of war against a small neutral country.

Churchill was already annoyed because the plan was delayed again and again, but now that he heard that the plan was going to be cancelled, he immediately stood up from his seat and said, "The plan cannot be cancelled!"

Under Chamberlain's surprised eyes, Churchill plucked up his courage and continued: "Big deal, we will join France in sending troops in the name of the League of Nations. Anyway, our two countries are the only two remaining permanent members of the League of Nations. To achieve this Not impossible."

Pulling the entire League of Nations to bear the crime of invasion, Churchill's move can be regarded as an expedient measure to reduce the pressure of public opinion.At least, all the members of the main combat faction who supported him were willing to think so.

Of course, Churchill did not forget to analyze the politician Chamberlain from a military point of view: "First of all, the existence of a neutral Norway is to support Germany in disguise. Because Germany can use their ports to import Sweden through neutral Norway. Iron ore, strengthen strength."

"The strength of Germany means that our future opponents will have an increased chance of winning. Therefore, a neutral Norway is something that our country does not want to see!"

"As long as we want to fight, we can always find a hundred, 1 reasonable reasons. The question is whether it is worth fighting." Churchill launched the final statement: "When we are rigidly moralized Germans who do not obey all this have already enjoyed the benefits they need while their hands are tied. This should not be the case and cannot be the case!"

Main text Chapter 286 The country perishes upon waking up

On March 1940, 3, a day before news of Finland's peace talks with the Soviet Union had spread throughout Europe, Reinhardt launched his plans for Danish control in the most inconspicuous way possible.

First of all, Reinhardt personally sent a telegram to the King of Denmark detailing Denmark’s invasion of North Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein region during the Prussian-Danish War.

Then, he lifted Denmark out of the weak period when Germany lost World War I, and cut off the North Schleswig region that belonged to Germany before, causing huge trauma to the hearts of the German people.

In the end, Reinhardt, contrary to the generosity of the previous article, stated that as long as Denmark atones for its crimes by cooperating with Germany, the Third Reich will not interfere with Denmark’s territorial integrity or political independence, and will only take back what originally belonged to Germany. North Schleswig lost in defeat.

As for the content of the cooperation... After they disarm, it's not just what Reinhardt said.

After receiving the Reinhardt telegram at 5:[-] in the morning, the Danish cabinet immediately launched a debate on high efficiency, and finally the vast majority of members agreed to surrender.

Immediately afterwards, about three and a half hours after Hans led the rebuilt 30th Infantry Division into Denmark, King Christian of Denmark announced his surrender and asked the Danish people not to resist.

During these three and a half hours, the Danish defenders on the border basically did not resist much.Almost all defenses are useless and will collapse at the touch of a button.During the whole process, only 3 unenlightened Danish soldiers were killed because they tried to resist.

Most of the Danish troops were very optimistic. They realized that they could not win Germany anyway, and the result of resistance or resistance would be the same. It would be better to surrender quickly.

After all, Denmark is flat and there is no danger to defend.As for the German army, even the fifth largest country in Europe like Poland can be wiped out in a blitz, let alone Denmark.

Almost all Danish politicians have no psychological burden on surrender and feel at ease!

So, when the Danish people woke up after a beautiful sleep, they found that the German army appeared in the major cities.Ask carefully, damn it, will the country perish in one morning? !

"I said, wasn't it calm when I went to sleep last night? Why did I hear that we were occupied by the whole territory when I woke up? Am I still in a dream!?" A fat middle-aged man looked puzzled. Ask the neighbors you meet on the street.

"Come on, that's why you got up so late." The neighbor shook his head and sighed, "If you got up earlier, you would have heard the national announcement from His Majesty the King."

"Announcement, issued by His Majesty the King?" Not only the middle-aged man, their king generally has a very high status in the hearts of the Danish people.The proclamation issued by the king himself symbolizes the imperial decree in Denmark.

"Denmark has accepted the protection of Germany from today. His Majesty the King hopes that no one will make fearless resistance." The neighbor said slowly.

A similar scene almost happened on the streets of Denmark.At this moment, many people suspect that they have not woken up and are in an inexplicable dream......

"What?! Let's hand over the weapons to the German soldiers over there!" The commander of the remnant of the Danish Support Regiment, who had just been repatriated from Finland, looked suspiciously at the Danish government officials who received him and his party.

A few days ago they were fighting for Denmark, for the League of Nations, in a foreign land.As a result, as soon as the battle was over, after returning home, I found that I now belonged neither to Denmark nor to the League of Nations, but became a member of the German side.

What kind of joke is this? !

"After fighting for so many days, it was all for nothing in the end." The commander lowered his head in frustration, and said in a bitter tone: "Two days ago, we were serving the League of Nations and fighting for the League of Nations. Two days later, we He was forced to join the German camp that is hostile to the League of Nations.... If I knew it, I would not have signed up to fight in Finland."

"No way?" The adjutant who came back together still refused to believe it: "Isn't it our government who contacted me last night? Why was the whole territory occupied early this morning?"

"In fact, I heard that our army surrendered without resistance." The official in charge of the reception said with a wry smile: "To be honest, the number of people killed in the Great Patriotic War may be less than your number on the Finnish battlefield. …”

Of course, the attitude of the Danish government has also returned good returns. In this "war", of course, if counted as a war, the number of casualties on both sides of the entire battle was less than 50, and most of them were caused by accidents.It took a total of 3 and a half hours from the beginning to the end, and the actual firefight time was only the first few minutes.

In return, Reinhardt has treated the Danish government as preferentially as possible. Except for the house arrest of the Danish king, other high-level members of the Danish government have basically not been affected.This is also a good example for other countries in the future, encourage everyone to surrender more, and there will be preferential treatment for surrender. …

On the other hand, the news that Germany has easily achieved great success in Denmark has also made many European countries jealous.

Moscow, the Kremlin.

"I just saw the information sent by Reinhardt friendly before breakfast, saying that they launched a war of revenge against Denmark." Stalin, who believed in 'a cigarette after a meal is better than a living god', picked it up right after breakfast. He smoked a big pipe: "But I only have a meal, and you tell me that the whole of Denmark has surrendered!"

Also just ended the war with a small country, Stalin had mixed feelings when he heard the news.

It took him more than 100 days and nearly 60 troops to conquer a small country.It took only one morning for Reinhardt to conquer a small country, with just one division.

Where there is contrast, there is harm.Molotov, who was well aware of Stalin's inner distress, comforted him in a tone that was as non-irritating as possible: "General Secretary, Denmark is still far behind in national strength compared to Finland. A small country of their level, apart from surrendering, can also There is no choice."

"That's how you commented on Finland at the beginning..." Stalin replied abruptly, scaring Molotov into a cold sweat.

Rome, Palazzo Venezia.

"Reinhardt got Denmark without any effort, and expanded the coastline of their empire by a large amount." Mussolini said sullenly with unconcealed jealousy.

"Leader, there is nothing to envy." As Mussolini's son-in-law and Italian foreign minister Ciano, he immediately comforted after seeing through Mussolini's thoughts: "Under your leadership, Italy is pragmatic and not unrealistic. We don't need to pay attention to that kind of illusory expansion."

In fact, I really want to expand the sphere of influence easily like Reinhardt, but I don't have that chance!Mussolini thought to himself.

"That's what it says..." Mussolini patted Ciano's shoulder earnestly, and said in a deep voice, "But our new Roman Empire won't work if its sphere of influence is too small."

"I give you a task, find me a country that is as easy to subdue as Denmark. We Italy also need to have an easy power expansion to be decent..." The old man said in an unrealistic day Dream, once again startled Ciano sweating profusely.

The 287 chapters of the main text are all in the layout

Regarding the fall of Denmark, the biggest shock was the Kingdom of Norway in the north.

As a result, Denmark, which was originally the first buffer barrier between Germany and Norway, completely disappeared.Now the German army can use the Danish military port, annex the Danish fleet, use the Danish airport, and attack on any day they want to attack.

As the king of Norway, Haakon had to guard against the "forced passage" of the British and French allied forces on the one hand, and on the other hand he had to be careful of the "forced protection" of the German army.He had to further divide the already weak military force into two.

Part of the current Norwegian Defense Forces is fortified in the important southern ports of Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Trondheim and Narvik to guard against Germany.The other part is far away from Narvik in the north, Namsos and Åndalsnes in the center to guard against Britain.

Haakon VII was not a faint king, and the reason why he dispersed the coastal defense force was indeed to the point of no choice.Moreover, he also has a small offshore fleet that can be used to increase vigilance.Once the navy is the first to discover the traces of the enemy, the coastal defense force can prepare for the enemy in advance and be ready to go.

Although the Norwegian army is notoriously lacking in training, it is vulnerable.However, Norway's coastal defense formation is rare to have the title of the strongest coastal defense force in Northern Europe.

With the coastal defense artillery in each port, and the offshore support of patrol ships, coastal defense ships, and torpedo boats, a small number of desperately fighting troops may repel the enemy's landing forces.

In order to ensure that his unreliable army can fight more tenaciously, Haakon VII thought of a lot of means.He asked Quisling, the pro-German Defense Minister, to arrange the defense of the northwest against Britain, and then he asked the prime minister who was inclined to the British side to ensure that the preparations for the defense of the south against Germany were in place.

It's just that Haakon VII didn't know that everything he did now was actually calculated by Reinhardt early on.

Yes, Haakon VII is playing a chess layout, but Reinhardt is also making a chess layout at the same time.In Reinhardt's chess game, the whole of Norway is just a pawn.Moreover, he doesn't care how the defense work of this chess piece is arranged.

Reinhardt's real backup will not come out until the British and French allied forces break through the Norwegian coastal defense forces and penetrate deep into Norway.

"How is it? Major General Hans, are you satisfied with the source of troops and weapons I gave you as compensation?" Sitting in the meeting room of the Kingdom of Denmark, Reinhardt, enjoying the fruits of victory, recruited the commander who completed the lightning march Major General Hans.

Denmark's forced march was Reinhardt's last chance for actual combat training after rebuilding the troops for Hans.Soon, he will give Hans a task that is more than a hundred times more difficult than the Battle of Denmark.