The spectacular scene of this duel between cannons was enough to shock the people present. Within two hours, the entire Mount Gibraltar was completely unrecognizable from its original appearance. Twenty cannons on Mount Gibraltar were blown up and six of them were destroyed. The German artillery also paid the price of a Karl cannon. The hit Karl cannon was transformed from a killing machine back to its original state of parts.
"It's so powerful!" Lin Wei, like most people, felt a chill in his heart after personally feeling the powerful power of modern warfare. At the same time, he had a better understanding of the cruelty of war. If possible, Lin Wei very much hopes that there will be no war in this world, but the reality is indeed so cruel. From the moment Germany prepared for war, it was doomed not to give up when things got better. Germany, which is being blocked, must either crush everything that blocks it or never start a war. Objective conditions also make it impossible for Germany to just give up when things get better. It can be said that the moment Germany attacked Poland, Germany and Lin Wei had no choice but to end the war to the end.
"The world will definitely return to the day when there was no war! But not now!" Lin Wei secretly thought, the Gangma artillery was still ravaging the plains west of the Gibraltar Fortress, and everything that could cause obstacles to the German armored forces had disappeared. Only a section of barbed wire or cement blocks left behind by the hit fortifications on the ground that was still smoking could show how tight the defense here was originally. The power of the Gangma cannon could not be resisted by ordinary fortifications. The British soldiers stationed in the fortifications and the fortifications built with them were wiped out. In many fortifications that were not directly hit, no one could be seen. Many soldiers were shocked to death in the fortifications. The seemingly safe and sound bunkers may never have the soldiers who were supposed to protect them.
Lin Wei looked at the fortress that had been kept away from strangers two hours ago, looking for obvious signs of survival after this unprecedented bombardment. However, after scanning back and forth for a long time, he gave up his thoughts. This place, at least on the surface, has become a scorched earth.
"At this level, I dare to make Germany pay a price of 100,000 people!" Lin Wei thought incessantly and glanced at the division commander Arthur Philip who was already waiting for the formation, "It's time to go out!"
At this time, after waiting for the German artillery bombardment to end, General Wei Gang also ordered the French 42nd Division to attack Mount Gibraltar. After all, Germany and France were still at war a month ago, leaving too little time between the two countries. Forcing the armies of the two countries together will only be counterproductive. Therefore, it is Lin Wei's helpless move that the German army is responsible for the east side and the French army is responsible for the mountainous areas on the west side. In this battle, the reason why Lin Wei strongly requested France to fight was to find some cannon fodder for Germany. The French Army was eager to avenge its shame. Furthermore, this was also agreed by William II. The political significance of France's participation in the war was far-reaching. In terms of military significance, the significance of Germany's doing this is to let others know that the most powerful military powers in Europe are now united.
The Gangma cannon fired the last shell, and the Prince Eugen Division, which had been waiting for a long time, immediately dispatched. Today's battles cannot rely on cannons transferred from Germany. The larger the caliber of the artillery, the generally shorter its service life will be. What's more, it's still during World War II. If they are allowed to bomb all day and night without any scruples, Lin Wei may have to consider replacing their gun barrels. Considering that the gun barrels will be specially shipped from Germany, Lin Wei can only give up this kind of bombing. Quite a tempting idea.
Immediately afterwards, the 7th Regiment of the Prince Eugen Division immediately launched an attack. Soon, the 7th Regiment of the Prince Eugen Division was divided into three groups according to battalion-level units, as straight as three sharp swords? Into the heart of the Fortress of Gibraltar. At the same time, the French 42nd Division also launched an attack. This 42nd Division was one of the few French divisions that did not suffer losses during the war. They were deployed on the border with Italy to prevent Italy from taking advantage of the situation. Facts have proved that the 42nd Division The 42nd Division did not estimate the expectations of the French, and they never took a step back from the beginning to the end.
So after the French knew that France would participate in this battle, General Wei Gang immediately thought of the six French divisions that were still fighting fiercely with Italy, and went there personally to select the troops of the two divisions. Compared with the French troops stationed in the north, The biggest difference between the French troops defending the Italian border is that they are very good at mountain warfare. The fact that he held off an Italian army three times his own was proof.
However, in this battle, Lin Wei was still more optimistic about the German army. I wonder if Lin Wei could see that murderous army in history. He couldn't help humming the military song of Prince Eugen's division, "Prince Eugen, The army of the nobles, our army of destruction, must fight the enemy to the end! Those many enemies, those many enemy girls, I will soon see them conquered---"
"Leader! What song are you singing? It seems to be about Prince Eugen's Division, but it doesn't quite look like it!" Division Commander Arthur Philip asked curiously.
"Nothing!" Lin Wei laughed. This song was something Lin Wei had heard before, and it was not the current military song of the SS. Lin Wei didn't know how to explain this, so he could only deal with Master Arthur Philip.
Fortunately, Commander Arthur Philip's attention is not here. Compared to the strange leader, Arthur Philip is now more concerned about his tree. Just as Commander Arthur Philip predicted, the 7th Armored Regiment was at the beginning They didn't foresee any decent resistance at the time, and they moved forward steadily and quickly. It seemed that the Gangma cannon really contributed, and all obstacles were eliminated by them.
"Don't these British people have a long memory at all? Why haven't they even dug anti-tank trenches? The defeat of France has not made the stubborn British people have a long memory!" Lin Wei shook his head and sighed, without even looking at himself. Regardless of his identity and the position he spoke from, Commander Arthur Phillip next to him couldn't help but feel angry. However, considering that the man in front of him was his leader, Commander Arthur Phillip suppressed the urge to go up to the mountain and slap him as if he didn't. Hear Lin Wei's words.
In fact, Lin Wei is right. In Liang Qichao's "Dedication and Joyful Industry", there is a comparison between French and British officials: "I once saw a book written by a French scholar comparing the national characteristics of Britain and France. He said : "When you go to the British official's office, you only see them immersed in writing and doing their business; when you go to the French official's office, you only see them holding cigarettes as if they were in a trance. When British people walk, their eyes are focused on the ground, as if they are concentrating all their energy on walking; when French people walk, they always look around, as if they don't take walking seriously. "
From this, we can see the national character of the two countries. The French are more casual and casual, but it is not a neglect of their work. Although Mr. Liang Qichao explained that the French do not work hard enough, but think about it if we work meticulously and nervously, the quality of work may be improved, but will this last long? If you want to achieve higher efficiency, it is better to relax your mood and face it with the attitude of "own responsibility". Instead of being afraid of losing work, it is better to get used to your best way of doing things.
In Europe, when people think of stubbornness, they usually think of Germany, and rightly so. But when stubbornness and conservatism add up, people will choose Britain without hesitation. As Germany's earliest opponent, Britain should have a good understanding of Germany's fighting methods and should figure out how to crack the German army after fighting Germany for so long. method, but until the end of the war, the British continued to be in the same state as at the beginning. This can be seen from Rommel's evaluation of the British army, and the British Marshal Montgomery who Rommel faced off against was one of the best. The author brought the stubborn and conservative aspects of Britain to the extreme.
Seeing that the British continued their poor performance in the French campaign, Lin Wei secretly shook his head. From this point of view, Lin Wei knew that there was no suspense in the Battle of Gibraltar. The only thing that needed to be debated was how much price Germany paid to conquer this place.
The 7th Armored Regiment advanced about a thousand meters, and British soldiers began to come out in twos and threes to resist, but without exception they were shot down by the machine guns on the No. 4 tanks. For the 7th Armored Regiment, their attack was only to the extent of It's just scratching, there's no harm at all, let alone casualties.
The British artillery stationed on the west side of the Gibraltar Fortress, that is, on the Gibraltar Mountain, can indeed threaten the armored forces of the Prince Eugen Division, but they have no time to pay attention to the German troops below the mountain because they are now unable to protect themselves. The French 40th The mountain camp of the Second Division is now attacking the mountains. The British here swear that they have never seen the French army so brave. The rapid attack makes the British soldiers on guard secretly complain. The French soldiers in these mountain camps can be said to have subverted the French army. image in British eyes after the defeat.
The soldiers of these French mountain camps are unique to the British in terms of firepower matching and tactical arrangements. For a long time, when it comes to mountain warfare, people usually think of Switzerland or Austria. Today, French soldiers let people know that France The mountain infantry is no inferior to any other country.
When I came to the French mountain camp on Mount Gibraltar for the first time, it seemed as if I knew the British deployment. I knew where to stop and observe, where to deploy heavy firepower, and meticulous arrangements were made in some places where soldiers might be hidden. This completely expert performance surprised the British soldiers. At the same time, the French's caution made the British soldiers on the defensive side confused. The distance between the various French units was just right, allowing them to maintain contact with neighboring troops and support each other at any time.
What the British didn't know was that these valuable experiences were learned from bloody battles with the Italian army. Now that the French had become the attacker, they naturally used what they had just learned on the battlefield to their original allies. And in terms of performance, it seems to have mastered the mountain warfare position more quickly than the Italians. So when the British and French armies just exchanged fire, the British soldiers were immediately at a disadvantage.
The smooth progress of the French army surprised Lin Wei, who had been observing the battlefield situation. As Lin Wei once said, France's failure was only due to strategic problems, not that the soldiers were not brave. In this relative situation On such a small battlefield, the French Army immediately showed jaw-dropping strength.
Both the German Army and the French Army are now progressing smoothly, but Lin Wei knows that the current situation will not last long. The British must have some trump cards that they have not yet shown. A fortress that has been working hard for hundreds of years is so simple. It was breached. Even if Lin Wei was killed, he would not believe that this would happen.
Sure enough, as if confirming Lin Wei's guess, British soldiers suddenly appeared on Mount Gibraltar, in places where it was almost impossible to hide troops. There were even many places where the French mountain camp had just inspected and determined to be absolutely safe. No one knew whence these Englishmen emerged.
"Impossible!" This idea flashed into the minds of the mountain camp soldiers who instantly realized that there were dangers all around them. However, soon, the sudden appearance of the British soldiers interrupted the mountain camp soldiers' suspicions with weapons in their hands. The soldiers were shot and fell to the ground one by one, their eyes full of unwillingness. They didn't understand why British soldiers appeared in the place they carefully inspected.
Although the soldiers in the mountain camp responded quickly, they were still caught off guard by the sudden appearance of British soldiers. After losing the initiative first, there were far more British soldiers than French soldiers, and they were all killed soon. The death of hundreds of French soldiers made General Weygand, who had been paying attention to the battle on Mount Gibraltar, very sad. His terrifying eyes declared that this old French general must be preparing some revenge plan this time, along with his last trace of feelings for the British. Also disappeared.
Lin Wei, who had been observing the expression of General Wei Gang, was finally able to confirm at this time that the hatred between Britain and France was irreconcilable, unless Britain could give France the same tolerant conditions after defeating France. Unfortunately, according to the current situation, the British style It is impossible to win.
"Where did these British people come from?" General Wei Gang asked with suppressed grief.
Lin Wei also had a sad expression and said harshly, "It seems that we still underestimated the British. It seems that the British have completely turned the entire Mount Gibraltar into a place where they can mobilize their troops as they please. We don’t know how many troop transport tunnels there are in the entire mountain, but what we can understand is that these British soldiers suddenly appeared there and must have rushed out of the tunnels inside the mountain!”
At this time, the 7th Armored Regiment was also in trouble. After rushing three thousand meters, the pressure suddenly increased greatly, which was completely different from the initial vigorous advance. The commander-in-chief of the fortress, Lord Gott, had known that Germany would definitely mobilize Heavy artillery units were engaged in combat, so only a small number of troops were symbolically deployed at the forward positions, and most of the troops were deployed in the rear. What really frightened Lord Gott was the battle on the mountain. Lord Gott, who had never taken the French army seriously, was almost caught off guard by the French mountain troops. If other troops had not been mobilized urgently, the French mountain troops might have successfully broken through the defense line on the mountain.
The soldiers of the 7th Armored Regiment immediately felt it, as if they were enemies all around, front, rear, left and right. When the 7th Armored Regiment suddenly took up a forward position, the infantry who followed up to replenish their advance were immediately suppressed by this airtight firepower network. pace. The armored troops could only be left to fight alone. There are fire points and fortresses in front of you, which is the most annoying way for armored soldiers to fight. Because once the armor loses its impact, it is not much easier than the infantry to take down such permanent fortifications.
Lin Wei also knew that the 7th Armored Regiment was exhausted and asked them to pull it down. If Lin Wei did not order it to do so, the British who had already wiped out the French mountain camp would definitely have their cannons on the mountain aimed at the bottom. Armored soldiers, then the people of the armored regiment will be in danger. After a day of fierce fighting, the Fortress of Gibraltar was still in the hands of the British. The German and French forces suffered thousands of casualties and did not move forward. In view of the huge losses suffered by the German and French forces as the attacker, both mentally and physically, Lin Wei ordered to stop the attack and prepare for the next day.
At this time, in northern France, the German army was not calm. Under the command of Guderian, the selected German soldiers were intensely training for landing operations. Three days ago, William II and the Army General Headquarters deployed troops to implement the "Blue Plan" and ordered 13 elite divisions to move to attack locations along the strait to serve as the first batch of landing troops. On the same day, the Army General Headquarters completed detailed plans for landings on a vast front line on the southern coast of England. Guderian served as the commander of the first batch of landing troops. Six infantry divisions of General Ernst Bush's Sixteenth Army took ships from the Pas de Calais to attack the beaches between Ramsgate and Bexhill. Four divisions of General Adolf Strauss's Ninth Army crossed the Channel from the Le Havre area and landed between Brighton and the Isle of Wight. A little further west, three divisions of Field Marshal Lesiri's Sixth Army set off from the Cherbourg Peninsula and would disembark at Lyme Bay between Weymouth and Lyme-Rides.
Just like the French campaign, the commander of the landing in Britain was Field Marshal von Rundstedt, commander of Army Group A. A total of 150,000 people formed the first landing force; the Army General Headquarters planned to land a total of 260,000 people by the third day. Airlift troops will land at Lyme Bay and other areas to provide reinforcements. An armored force of no less than 6 armored divisions, supported by 3 motorized divisions, will serve as the second batch. A total of 39 divisions and 2 airlift divisions were planned to be landed within a few days.