It’s not that no one opposed Lin Wei’s plan to visit the Soviet Union. Both Goebbels and Goering specifically talked to Lin Wei. Gustav also expressed clear opposition. Even Germany’s current supreme ruler Wilhelm II expressed his opposition to Lin Wei. It's a risky move and I don't understand it at all. Germany's preparations for war against the Soviet Union have almost been completed. Visiting the Soviet Union at this stage is undoubtedly dangerous. If the Soviets find something and detain Lin Wei and his party, Germany will have no way to rescue them.
However, Lin Wei's curiosity about the internal situation of the Soviet Union still made Lin Wei determined to go to the Soviet Union. After the party, Lin Wei contacted Ribbentrop, who had not yet returned to Berlin, and asked him to contact the Soviet Union. Lin Wei had already thought of the reason for visiting the Soviet Union. It was not a formal visit, but a visit to the People's Commissariat of State Security in Beria, the KGB, to communicate with his Soviet colleagues.
Anyway, this is not the first time this has happened. Since the establishment of the SS, as a violent agency that has been in operation for more than 20 years, the KGB has enough background for the SS to learn from. When it was first established, the SS It is true that inspection teams were sent to the Soviet Union more than once, and even the design drawings of the concentration camps were brought from the Soviet Union. However, with the formation of the SS, there has been much less communication with the KGB in recent years.
Although there are fewer exchanges, it does not mean that the two sides have nothing to talk about. This time the SS, led by the leader, visited the People's Commissariat of State Security in Beria, which will definitely attract the attention of the Soviets, and visiting the Soviet Union at this time , which can make the Soviet Union lower its guard against Germany's current preparations. No longer believe the rhetoric that made the Soviet Union increasingly wary.
When Lin Wei was about to set off, General Rundstedt launched an attack on London. London has been besieged for several months now. It is unknown how much combat power the army in the city has left. One hundred The consumption of a city with a population of 10,000 is astonishing. Even if London had stored enough food, it would not have been expected that the German army did not attack the city immediately, but chose to besiege the city. As a result, the seemingly sufficient food was somewhat insufficient under the long-term siege of Germany. The army may be able to hold on for a long time, but the London citizens who are besieged in the city can still persist in resisting with faith for a short period of time. However, as the siege lasts longer and longer, the seemingly sufficient food in London gradually dwindles. It began to run out. With the fear of starvation, the London citizens who had vowed to resist to the end began to try to escape from the city. After learning that the people who escaped were safe, the small-scale escape immediately released the flood gates. out of hand. Someone once wanted to stop this move, but gave up amid the turbulent flow of people. These citizens were just ordinary people, and there was no reason for them to fight to the end.
At this time, the once prosperous capital, the heart of the British Empire, was no longer as prosperous as it was before. The city was full of ruins. Broken pots and jars could now be seen everywhere on the once bustling streets. If you look at it, the whole city was littered with garbage. In the baptism of war, people have given up on peacetime moral norms. If the Axis forces continue to besiege, only God knows what London will eventually become.
Although I don’t know the specific situation in London now, judging from Admiral Rundstedt’s telegram, everything is going smoothly now. The war will end in London soon. As soon as the fighting in London is over, the army will be disbanded. , Britain no longer poses the slightest threat to Germany in a short period of time. If Britain relies on its own strength to restore its economy, it will definitely not be possible in a short time. After all, Britain no longer has so many colonies for it to absorb nutrients. Without a good economy, rearmament is simply a dream. According to Lin Wei's estimation, Britain's fate is almost the same as in history. Although the British may cheer up, the loss of Britain's global influence is irreversible.
From the moment he successfully landed in the UK, Lin Wei knew that Germany would definitely win. Now that the war has come, Germany has no worries. As long as it achieves historical results in the Soviet-German war, Germany will lose even if it relies on the foundation it has laid. Difficulty, even if Germany makes a series of stupid moves, the worst result is a draw. Will Lin Wei let Germany and the Soviet Union make a draw? This is obviously impossible. Whoever is next to Russia as a country will be unlucky. It is best to let it disintegrate into many small countries without major harm so that other countries can feel safe.
Lin Wei, who has been temporarily freed from the threat of the gallows, can use his own head to think about the future. Now the only country that can pose a threat to Germany and its own destiny is the United States. As long as Germany can avoid war with the United States within two years, Concentrate on fighting the Soviet Union. The Axis Powers can win this world war. Don't think that the United States can join the war at any time if it wants to. Any country that wants to participate in a war of such a large scale needs time to prepare. Germany began to prepare slowly after the end of World War I. It got to where it is today without other countries paying attention. If the United States wanted to join the war, it would take at least a year of preparation before its powerful industry could exert its power. In this way, as long as France and Italy can withstand the United States for one year, Germany can defeat the Soviet Union. When the time comes to force the United States to withdraw from the war, this war will be over.
Moreover, with the strong military power of Germany and its allies, even if the United States wants to join the war, it will probably have to consider it, right? Lin Wei comforted himself optimistically. Unless he had to, Lin Wei had no idea of exchanging German lives for American steel. It would be best if the United States did not participate in the war. If it did, he could only hope that time would be on his side. .
When Lin Wei was preparing for his visit to the Soviet Union, there was a major event that forced Lin Wei to temporarily put aside his work to attend. That was because William II was preparing a new batch of marshals. Originally, this matter should be Hit? Lela did it, but Hit? After Le was unfortunately assassinated, the idea of being canonized as a marshal had to be postponed. How about talking to Hit? What Le experienced was different. After the Battle of France, the German army still had many combat missions and no time to hold such activities. But things are different now. Perhaps because the Battle of Britain is about to end, William II can’t wait to confer a group of marshals, because after the Barbarossa plan begins, the German Wehrmacht will be busy again. Taking advantage of this short time, William The second generation is ready to finish this matter. Another reason is that Lin Wei didn't expect it, or he didn't dare to continue thinking about it. William II was already over eighty years old. If this matter was not completed as soon as possible, there might be no chance in the future.
A total of fourteen people were promoted to marshal this time. In addition to General von Kuchler, commander of the 18th Army, and General von Manstein, the architect of Operation Scythe, they were promoted to marshal earlier than in history. There is one more person, and this person is General Guderian, the commander of the armored group who made countless people lament the unfair fate. Except for General Rundstedt and General Guderian because they could not return in time in the UK, the remaining The descendants received promotions from William II at Sanssouci Palace. As an army, they have received the highest honor in their lives, and the only thing left is to live up to this honor.
The list of these fourteen people is: Army Commander-in-Chief von Brauchitsch, Commander-in-Chief of Army Group B von Bock, Chief of Staff Keitel of the High Command, Commander of Fourth Army Kluge, Commander-in-Chief of Army Group of the Army General Reserve Von Loeb, Commander of the Twelfth Army List, Commander of Army Group A Rundstedt, Commander of the Eighteenth Army von Witzleben, the architect of Operation Sickle von Manstein, and the Director of the Air Force Milchi, Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Military Region of the Air Force Kesselring, Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force in France Speller, Commander of the Sixth Army von Reichenau, and Guderian. After the promotion of these people, there are already fifteen people in Germany with the rank of marshal.
As a general of the Armed SS, Lin Wei was fortunate enough to witness this historic scene. Although he had no part in it, Lin Wei was still very honored to be there. Not everyone can see this historic moment.
On April 6, Lin Wei took the carefully selected people and boarded the train to the Soviet Union, preparing to see with his own eyes the face of war in the Red Empire. No matter what, this was the first step to attack the Soviet Union in the future. First-hand information.
At this time, Germany's preparations for attacking Yugoslavia had been completed, and now it had a more complete excuse, that is, the new government of Yugoslavia signed a treaty of friendship and non-aggression with the Soviet Union on April 5, 1941. This was undoubtedly the case in Germany. and the Soviet Union. Now that Yugoslavia has decided to take sides, it will have to bear the consequences of being on the wrong team. By this time, both sides have nothing to say.
The mission of the German army is: to carry out multi-channel concentric assaults from Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria, invade Yugoslavia, divide and destroy the Yugoslav armed forces. The Italian army cooperated with the actions of the German army. At the same time, the tasks of Bulgaria, Greece, and Hungary were to occupy Yugoslavia and their disputed areas by division, maintain security in the occupied areas, and ensure the logistics of the German army.
The German invasion of Yugoslavia began on the night of April 5, 1941. German and Italian aviation carried out raids on Yugoslav airports, Belgrade and other cities. The divisions of the German 12th Army, under the command of List, who had just become Marshal, crossed the Bulgarian-Southern border in three sections. The German tank troops, supported by aviation, advanced 30-50 kilometers on the first day of the offensive.
Yugoslavia's military plans did not adapt to the new strategic situation. Its armies only began to deploy strategically. This army has a total of 28 infantry divisions, 3 cavalry divisions and 32 independent regiments, as well as 110 tanks and 416 aircraft. Regardless of the comparison, the Axis forces have an absolute advantage. If nothing goes wrong, Yugoslavia will soon be occupied. In fact, this was the case. In Marton, the 12th Army finally encountered the Yugoslav army. After a fierce battle, the Yugoslav army was defeated. The German army occupied Skopje, Stip and Veles. From April 8 to 10, the German army continued to advance south. At the same time, on April 8, divisions of the German 1st Tank Group launched an assault on Niš from the western area of Sofia. The German tank troops advanced almost 200 kilometers in three days and threatened Belgrade from the south.
News of the victory continued to reach Berlin from Marshal Liszt, and was also learned by Lin Wei, who was already on the train. Lin Wei just smiled at Marshal Liszt's telegram. The current position was as expected by Lin Wei. Yugoslavia's resistance was in vain. The real test for Germany is not now, but how to prevent Yugoslavia from becoming a burden to Germany.
On the rumbling train heading east, watching the surrounding scenery moving backwards, Lin Wei looked at his adjutant with a smile and asked, "Crawford, what have you seen so far?"
Crawford thought for a moment and said, "The railway tracks in the Soviet-controlled areas are different from those in Germany!"
Lin Wei's eyes flashed with admiration and he said, "Do you know why?" Seeing Crawford shaking his head, Lin Wei said, "The Soviets are afraid that Germany will use railway lines to attack the Soviet Union. This is also a way of self-protection. It’s just a means!”
"Impossible?" Crawford said in surprise, "Do the Soviets know the empire's actions now, or do they have a strong intelligence network in the empire?"
"None of them!" Lin Wei shook his head and said, "As a country, it is understandable that we instinctively maintain some vigilance in front of the empire, but I think the Soviet Union is not aware of the empire's actions yet, and thinks that there can be peace between Germany and the Soviet Union. Maintain peace for one to two years. It’s a pity that we can’t give them time to prepare. The potential of the Soviet Union is greater than ours. An early attack is beneficial to the Empire, and a late attack is beneficial to the Soviet Union!”
Crawford nodded understandingly and asked, "Leader, can we win the war?"
"It should be possible. Who knows what will happen in the future?" Lin Wei wanted to say yes, but he still gave a cautious answer.
"Colonel Skorzeny? What are you thinking?" Looking at this and Hit? A man from his hometown kept his head down and kept silent. Lin Wei couldn't help but ask. For the most dangerous man in Europe, Lin Wei maintained enough respect and even awe. After all, Otto. The actions planned by Skorzeny in history can almost be said to be perfect, but at that time Germany was already at the end of its rope and could not be saved by an individual. Otherwise, Skorzeny may have greater results. Of course, the most unexpected thing among Lin Wei is that Skorzeny is a Slav. It is really hard to imagine that a Slav would follow the Germans. Lin Wei wanted to start a war with his own nation, and after thinking for a long time, Lin Wei had no choice but to give up and figure out the reason.
The most famous operation commanded by Otto Skorzeny was the rescue of Mussolini who was overthrown and imprisoned by the Italians. Mussolini was imprisoned in a mountain hotel that was easily defended and difficult to attack, but Otto Scholz led paratroopers to parachute on a rather small air landing field and quickly disarmed the Italian army without firing a shot. , and successfully escaped with Mussolini. Another successful operation was before the Battle of the Bulge. Otto Skorzeny's troops dressed up as American troops and destroyed roads and bridges. This success caused considerable trouble to the American troops. Even Allied Commander Eisenhower was Forced to stay in his headquarters to avoid being assassinated by a surprise attack by German special forces.
"I thought, how can I escape from the pursuit of the Soviet Red Army when I am causing chaos in the rear of the Soviet Union!" Otto Skorzeny came back to his senses when Lin Wei asked, "In such a big place During the war, my troops will definitely suffer huge losses. In the long run, this is not a good idea. After all, there are not many Germans who have excellent psychological quality and are proficient in Russian. Once they suffer heavy losses, it may be possible to carry out operations on Soviet territory in the future. It will be affected!"
"You don't need to worry about this!" Lin Wei said, "Believe me, once the war starts, you will find how slow the Soviet Union's efficiency is and how inadequate their preparations are!" Thinking of the sudden attacks on the Soviet Union in history Lin Wei said confidently, but both sides deployed millions of troops on the border, but the Soviet Union still turned a blind eye. Who does it depend on? I can only use two words to evaluate it, it deserves it!
"But, leader!" Otto Skorzeny was a little skeptical of Lin Wei's words. After all, since entering the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union's huge army on the border left a deep impression on Otto Skorzeny. The huge army and complete armaments are not what Lin Wei said.
The train has been driving slowly into the Soviet Union. In a few hours, Lin Wei and the others will arrive at the first stop into the Soviet Union, Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, where Lin Wei will stay for a few days. Kiev is located in a plain, easy to attack and difficult to defend, and it is the granary of the Soviet Union. In Lin Wei's eyes, Kiev will definitely be captured by Germany as soon as the war starts. In Lin Wei's eyes, Kiev is even more attractive than Moscow. big. Kiev is the birthplace of East Slavic civilization. If it is occupied, it will definitely have a major blow to Stalin. The most important thing is that once it captures this granary of the Soviet Union, Germany will have the strength to fight a protracted war with the Soviet Union. If the Soviet Union does not have the help of the United States, , will definitely be the first to fall in the war with Germany.
On April 9, Lin Wei's train arrived in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. With a loud whistle, the train slowly arrived at the station. After the military police guarding Lin Wei slowly walked off the train for inspection, Lin Wei took Skorzeny and Crawford and strolled off the train. After a day's delay in Warsaw, Lin Wei arrived in the Soviet Union as scheduled. , possibly in order to welcome Lin Wei's arrival, the entire train station had been sealed off, with only people wearing State Security People's Commissariat uniforms patrolling back and forth vigilantly.