Anti-Japanese War: The whole world is a base vehicle

The atmosphere in the meeting room of the German High Command was solemn and depressing.

A huge map was hung on the wall, with flags and arrows of various colors marking the situation on the European battlefield.

Field Marshal Keitel stood in front of the map, his body straight, his cold eyes fell through his glasses on General Rommel who had just walked in.

"Rommel, you should go to North Africa." Field Marshal Keitel's voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the empty conference room.

Upon hearing this, Rommel paused, and a hint of surprise flashed in his originally sharp eyes.

He frowned slightly and looked up and down at Field Marshal Keitel, obviously full of doubts about this sudden decision.

In his opinion, the situation on the European battlefield was tense, so why was he suddenly sent to North Africa?
Field Marshal Keitel seemed to have anticipated Rommel's reaction. He sighed slightly, walked slowly to the conference table, sat down, pointed to the chair opposite, and motioned Rommel to sit down as well.

"This is the opinion discussed by the Supreme Command. After repeated consideration, we think it is more appropriate for you to go." Although Field Marshal Keitel's tone was calm, his eyes revealed an unquestionable firmness.

Rommel nodded slightly. He did not express his opinion immediately, but fell into a brief contemplation. After a moment, he raised his head, looked directly at Field Marshal Keitel, and expressed his doubts: "Who will take the command after I go there? Also, where is the combat goal?" In Rommel's view, these two questions are crucial and related to the success or failure of this mission. Without clear command, the coordination of all parties on the battlefield will inevitably be chaotic, and unclear combat objectives are like sailing in the dark without a lighthouse to guide.

Marshal Keitel nodded slightly, as if he had been prepared for Rommel's question. He crossed his hands on the table and said seriously: "According to the plan we discussed with the Italian army, you will temporarily command the German-Italian coalition. However, you must be aware that this is Italy's traditional sphere of influence, and the Italian army may not be so cooperative. Therefore, you must show your achievements as soon as possible and convince them with your strength."

Rommel's heart sank. He knew the difficulty of commanding the coalition forces. It was not easy to integrate the armies of different countries, with different military concepts and combat styles, into an efficient fighting force. But he did not back down. The sense of honor and mission of a soldier burned in his heart.

"In addition, there are oil fields. We have established good relations with the local indigenous people. This time, there will be special personnel accompanying you. Their task is to discuss with the indigenous people how to get the oil." Marshal Keitel continued, with a hint of urgency in his voice.

Rommel suddenly realized that all this was for oil.

Although Germany's blitzkrieg tactics achieved great success on the battlefield, its consumption of oil was also staggering.

There is very little oil left in pre-war storage, but the war is still going on. Various military equipment requires oil to operate, and civilian fuel supplies also rely on oil.

If oil stocks were not replenished in time, Germany's war machine would be in danger of stalling.

"I understand. I will take Alexandria as soon as possible." Rommel said firmly. Alexandria is an important port in North Africa. Controlling it will not only give us a military advantage, but also facilitate the acquisition of oil. Then he put forward his requirements: "I need at least two armored divisions and two infantry divisions, totaling more than 80,000 people, including various logistics personnel, about 100,000 people." In Rommel's view, it is unimaginable to complete such a difficult task without sufficient troops.

However, Field Marshal Keitel shook his head, his expression looking a little embarrassed: "Too many." In his opinion, the number of troops requested by Rommel was beyond Germany's current ability to bear.

"Marshal, without so many troops, how can I suppress those Italian troops?" Rommel said anxiously. He knew that once they arrived in North Africa, the number of Italian troops would likely exceed that of the German army. Without sufficient troops to back him up, his authority as the commander of the Allied forces would be seriously challenged, and he might even be unable to effectively command the battle.

"I know what you're thinking, but it's really hard for the Empire to spare so many elite troops right now. You know, the Soviets on the Eastern Front are also ready to make a move, and maybe they'll have to go to war in the future." Field Marshal Keitel said meaningfully. There was a hint of worry in his eyes. Although Germany had won a series of victories on the European battlefield, it was also facing the pressure of fighting on multiple fronts.

Rommel was shocked when he heard this.

He didn't expect that Germany actually planned to go to war with the Soviet Union.

In his view, the Soviet Union had a vast territory, a huge army and abundant resources, and it would undoubtedly be a gamble for Germany to go to war with the Soviet Union at this time.

He felt that it was too hasty and that he could wait a little longer, consolidate his influence in Europe first, and make plans after accumulating enough strength.

"Don't worry, not now, but at least a year later. So during this period, we need to store more weapons and equipment, train more soldiers, and reserve resources such as oil." Field Marshal Keitel seemed to see Rommel's worries, and he explained, "Rommel, so your mission is very important. Whether the empire can get more oil depends on you." As he said, he patted Rommel on the shoulder and spoke earnestly.

Rommel took a deep breath, realizing the heavy responsibility he shouldered.

He raised his head and looked at Field Marshal Keitel with a firm gaze: "I understand, Marshal. I will do my best to complete the task."

After leaving the Supreme Command, Rommel walked alone on the streets of Berlin.

The cold wind howled, making his coat rustle.

His mind kept replaying the conversation he had just had with Field Marshal Keitel and the upcoming North African battlefield.

He knew that a tough battle awaited him, but he was not afraid because he was Rommel.

When he got home, Rommel's wife Lucy came to greet him. Seeing her husband's serious face, she couldn't help but feel worried.

"What happened, Erwin?" Lucy asked concernedly.

Rommel gently held his wife's hand and told her that he was going to North Africa. Lucy's eyes flashed with worry, but she quickly regained her composure, knowing that her husband was a soldier and a soldier's duty was to obey orders.

"You must be careful. I'll wait for you at home." Lucy said gently.

Rommel gently hugged his wife, feeling reluctant to leave, but he knew that he had to fight for his country and honor.

In the following days, Rommel began to make intensive preparations for his trip to North Africa.

He carefully studied maps and intelligence of North Africa to understand the local terrain, climate, and the situation of the Italian army.

He also held several meetings with the officers who would follow him to North Africa to discuss battle plans and strategies.

During the preparation process, Rommel discovered that the difficulties he faced in completing this mission were far greater than he had imagined.

In addition to insufficient manpower, material supply is also a big problem.

North Africa is far away from the German mainland, and the transportation of materials requires a long sea route, and it also faces the Allied naval blockade. However, Rommel was not intimidated by these difficulties.

Relying on his outstanding military talent and strong will, he formulated a series of countermeasures.

He decided to make full use of the German army's armored advantages and adopt flexible and changeable tactics to quickly gain the initiative on the battlefield. At the same time, he also actively communicated and coordinated with the logistics department to ensure the timely supply of materials.

Finally, the day of departure arrived.

Rommel stood on the deck of the harbor, looking at the coastline in the distance, his heart filled with emotion.

He knew that his life or death was uncertain in North Africa, but he did not back down. He wanted to write his own legend in that strange desert.

With a long whistle, the warship slowly left the port and headed towards North Africa. Rommel stood at the bow, facing the sea breeze, looking into the distance with a firm gaze.

He had only one belief in his heart: for Germany and for victory, he must succeed in North Africa, obtain precious oil resources for Germany, and prepare for the coming war.

"The Germans are coming? Rommel? Who is he?" When the news of the German invasion of North Africa reached Churchill like a gust of wind, the British Prime Minister was surprisingly calm at first. Having experienced many battlefields and the vicissitudes of politics, he had long been accustomed to the sudden changes in war.

Then, curiosity surged into my heart like a tide.

At that time, Britain was also deeply troubled by oil shortages. Churchill was well aware of the key information that oil fields had appeared in North Africa. Germany would never give up this piece of "fat meat" easily.

Putting himself in Germany's shoes, he knew that if he were in Germany's situation, he would probably be more eager to control this oil producing area than the German army.

At this moment, all his doubts were focused on that unfamiliar name - Rommel.

Soon, the secretary hurriedly presented Churchill with the information about Rommel. Churchill sat in the spacious but slightly depressing office, with light shining on the desk through the gaps in the heavy curtains. He slowly opened the information and read it word by word.

At first, his expression was relatively calm, but as he read further, his brows gradually furrowed.

In his opinion, the Rommel presented in the information before him had an unremarkable resume, no particularly brilliant achievements, and no eye-catching highlights. It seemed that there was nothing worthy of special attention.

So Churchill casually put the information aside and did not have too much vigilance towards this man named Rommel. He just thought he was an ordinary one among many German generals.

Turning our attention to the North African battlefield, the news at that time was that the local rebels had been successfully defeated and the Italian army was now attacking Alexandria.

However, the Italian army's performance on the battlefield was disappointing. There was no momentum at all, the attack seemed weak and the advancement was extremely slow.

Upon hearing this, British Admiral Cunningham was full of confidence, and even said with a bit of contempt that he had absolute confidence that he could defeat the Italian army in one fell swoop. In his eyes, the Italian army was simply vulnerable.

But the situation on the battlefield is always complex and changeable, and Admiral Kan Anning had to admit that the only thorny problem at present is that the navies of the three countries at sea are still lingering in the surrounding waters and have not yet withdrawn.

These navies launched bombings on ports from time to time, causing great trouble to the defense and material transportation of Alexandria Port.

Fortunately, the navies of these three countries are not equipped with aircraft carriers. If they had aircraft carriers, with their powerful maneuverability and air strike capabilities, the ports would definitely suffer a heavier blow and the situation would become more difficult to handle.

Although Churchill did not take Rommel seriously at first, the situation on the North African battlefield was a mess and it concerned Britain.

No one had expected that Rommel, who was despised by Churchill, would create a storm in the North African desert, completely rewriting the situation on the battlefield and making Churchill pay the price for his contempt.

"Is this the result of your battle?" Rommel was a man of action and decisive action. As soon as he arrived in North Africa, he did not care about the fatigue of the journey and went straight to the Italian positions outside the port of Alexandria.

At this time, the subsequent German troops were still trying to recover. The long sea voyage made many German soldiers feel unwell, and the symptoms of seasickness had not completely subsided.

More importantly, some crucial heavy equipment, such as tanks, were still in transit and had not yet arrived at the battlefield. However, Rommel could no longer suppress his anxiety. He knew that the opportunity to fight was fleeting, so he rushed straight to the front line.

When he witnessed the Italian army's combat performance with his own eyes, he was greatly disappointed.

He had originally anticipated that the Italian army's combat effectiveness might not be satisfactory, but the scene before him was far beyond his imagination.

On the battlefield, the Italian soldiers were demoralized, slow to move, and disorganized in their attacks. They were like a group of headless flies, fighting on their own, and completely failed to demonstrate the coordinated combat capabilities that an army should have. The fortifications were also perfunctorily built, full of loopholes, and could hardly provide any effective defense.

Rommel stood on the battlefield, his face so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip out of it.

His eyes were fixed on the chaotic battlefield, his fists clenched unconsciously, his nails dug deep into his palms. He never expected that the Italian army would be so vulnerable.

In his mind, war is a rigorous art, every action should be carefully considered, and every soldier should fight bravely for a common goal. But the Italian army in front of him completely overturned his perception of an army.

"Is there no army that can fight properly?" Rommel roared in a low voice, his voice full of anger and disappointment. He turned his head and looked at the Italian commander beside him. His eyes seemed to be able to penetrate the other's body, making the Italian commander shudder.

"General, we...we have tried our best." The Italian commander explained stutteringly, with a hint of panic in his voice.

"Try your best? Is this what you call your best?" Rommel interrupted him mercilessly. "If this is your best effort, then we will definitely lose this war!"

The Italian commander lowered his head, not daring to look directly at Rommel. He knew that the Italian army's performance was indeed terrible. But he also had his own difficulties. The army's internal management was chaotic, the soldiers lacked training, and the equipment was backward compared to the British army. These problems had always troubled him, but they could never be effectively solved.

Rommel took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He knew that being angry at the moment would not solve the problem. He had to come up with a plan as soon as possible to change the unfavorable situation. He looked back at the battlefield and thought about the next battle plan in his mind. (End of this chapter)