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

"How many British troops are still in the city?" After the atmosphere eased a little, Rommel frowned slightly and asked again.

His voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the slightly dim tent.

Knowing yourself and your enemy will ensure victory in every battle. This is the most basic ethics for a battle-hardened military strategist like Rommel.

He knew very well that on the battlefield, any subtle piece of intelligence could become the key to turning the tide of the battle.

Who would have thought that the Italian officers looked at each other, their eyes full of hesitation and embarrassment, and no one stood up to answer.

The tent instantly fell into deathly silence, with only the occasional sound of wind from outside breaking the oppressive silence.

At this point, no matter how slow-witted Rommel was, he could clearly see that these Italian troops had no idea about the strength of the British troops in the city.

He couldn't help but feel a surge of anger in his heart, but as an excellent commander, he forced himself to suppress his emotions.

"Where is the British army's deployment map?" Rommel pursed his lips tightly, trying to suppress the anger that was about to explode in his heart, and asked again.

His eyes were as sharp as torches as he scanned the group of Italian officers in front of him, hoping to find a hint of an answer from their faces.

However, what responded to him was that the Italian officers shook their heads.

There was a hint of helplessness and guilt in their expressions. It was obvious that they also knew nothing about the British army's deployment map.

"Then how did you fight the war?" Rommel couldn't help but ask doubtfully, expressing his curiosity.

After all, in his opinion, this was really incredible.

On the battlefield, if you don't know the enemy's troop strength and deployment, it's like a blind man touching an elephant, fighting blindly.

"General, in fact, we have just taken over the position." Marshal Graziani hesitated for a moment, weighed the pros and cons in his mind, and decided to tell the truth.

His voice was a little low and contained a hint of helplessness.

Although he felt it was shameful to admit that he was not as good as the indigenous troops, the current situation did not allow him to care about his face any longer. The most urgent task was to eliminate the British troops on the periphery as soon as possible and take over the port.

Only by possessing this port can we further discuss the next battle plan and lay the foundation for subsequent actions.

"Oh? Those natives are very powerful in combat?" Rommel had some understanding of the situation here before coming here, so he naturally knew who the "natives" the other party was referring to.

But he was still very curious, are the fighting abilities of these natives really that strong?
Could it be that the Italian army is exaggerating?

He was speculating secretly in his heart.

After all, he has a certain understanding of the combat effectiveness of the armies of various countries in the world. In his opinion, the combat effectiveness of the indigenous people in North Africa should not be so outstanding.

"From a military perspective, they are indeed an excellent unit." Marshal Graziani said seriously, "But the tactics they used are human wave tactics, and they have achieved the current results entirely by piling up a large number of soldiers." He paused slightly, as if he was recalling those tragic battle scenes, and a trace of pity flashed across his face.

"Before you came here, this place was full of corpses." Marshal Graziani's voice was a little heavy, "Most of them were natives." His words seemed to carry a kind of magic, making the atmosphere in the tent even more depressing.

Hearing this, Rommel was stunned. He had never thought that this would happen.

A series of bloody scenes instantly emerged in his mind: the battlefield was littered with corpses and rivers of blood, and countless indigenous soldiers rushed to the enemy positions one after another, exchanging their lives for every inch of land.

He was silent for a long time, feeling a lot of emotions in his heart.

"So what do you think next?" Rommel slowly raised his head and looked at Marshal Graziani again, with a bit of expectation in his tone. He hoped that the Italian army could have some constructive opinions and work out an effective combat plan together.

Hearing this, Marshal Graziani fell into deep thought. His brows were furrowed, and his fingers kept tapping on the table, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

After a long while, he slowly said, "I wonder what General Rommel thinks?" There was a hint of humility in his tone. After all, Rommel was famous in the military, and he also hoped to get some valuable advice from Rommel.

Rommel narrowed his eyes slightly and quickly sorted out the information he had currently in his mind.

He knew that if he wanted to take the city, he had to first eliminate the British troops outside the city.

In order to deal with the British army, we must understand their troop deployment and combat strategies.

"The first thing we have to do is to collect intelligence as quickly as possible." Rommel said slowly, "Send out scouts to conduct all-round reconnaissance of the British army's movements. Not only do we need to understand their troop deployment, but we also need to understand their weapons and equipment, logistical supplies, and so on. Only in this way can we know ourselves and the enemy and formulate effective combat plans." His voice was firm and powerful, and every word seemed to carry an unquestionable power.

"At the same time, we must strengthen our own defense." Rommel continued, "Although we are not clear about the specific actions of the British army at present, they will certainly not sit idly by. We must set up a solid line of defense around our position and arrange firepower points to prevent sudden attacks by the British army." As he spoke, he gestured on the map, indicating the location of the defense line.

"As for those indigenous troops, we can try to cooperate with them." A cunning gleam flashed in Rommel's eyes. "Although their tactics are simple, they are very familiar with this land and fight bravely. If we can use them reasonably, they may play an unexpected role." His idea made the Italian officers present brighten up.

Marshal Graziani nodded slightly, indicating his approval of Rommel's plan.

But he still said with some concern: "But, General, those native troops have always been undisciplined. How can we cooperate with them?" His question also expressed the thoughts of other Italian officers. "This requires us to show enough sincerity and wisdom." Rommel smiled and said, "We can first send people to negotiate with their leaders and promise to give them certain benefits and respect. At the same time, we can also provide them with some advanced weapons and equipment and military training to improve their combat effectiveness. In this way, they should be willing to cooperate with us." His words were full of confidence, as if he had already seen the picture of successful cooperation with the native troops.

"Also, we have to pay attention to the British air force." Rommel continued, "According to my previous understanding, the British have a certain number of fighter planes in this area. They are likely to use their air superiority to bomb and scout us. We must establish an air defense system as soon as possible, deploy anti-aircraft artillery positions, and ensure the safety of our troops and positions." He was very thoughtful and did not miss any details.

"In addition, we must strengthen the morale and discipline of the troops." Rommel's expression became serious. "An army without morale and discipline cannot win on the battlefield. We must let the soldiers understand that our goal is to take this city and win honor for the country and the people. At the same time, we must strictly enforce military discipline and severely punish violations of discipline." His words were like a wake-up call, ringing in the hearts of every Italian officer.

In the following period, Rommel, Marshal Graziani and other Italian officers had in-depth discussions on the combat plan.

They repeatedly pondered and discussed every detail, striving to develop a perfect combat plan.

The sky outside the tent gradually darkened, and the sound of gunfire was heard from the distance from time to time, as if reminding people that the shadow of war still shrouded this land.

Inside the tent, Rommel and the Italian officers were still discussing. They all had determined looks on their faces, as if they had seen the dawn of victory.

"Want to form an alliance with us?" Wang Jun looked at the telegram in his hand, a sneer flashed across his face, that smile contained a bit of sarcasm and disdain.

At this moment, the German-Italian coalition forces had already arrived, but they came to him to form an alliance at this time. He knew the intention behind this very well. Didn't they just want to use him as cannon fodder and consume the British army's manpower?
Do you really think he is a brainless fool?

Wang Jun's fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound, and his thoughts drifted away.

He knew very well that in this volatile situation, any decision could affect the entire course of the war.

However, when his eyes fell on the conditions offered by the German army in the telegram again, a ripple of emotion still arose in his heart.

He was not coveting those conventional weapons and equipment. After all, after so many years of fighting and development, although his troops' weapons were not top-notch, they were barely sufficient.

What really excited him was the industrial equipment mentioned by the German army.

Lu Yuhua has always dreamed of building an industrial base. This dream is like a seed that took root in his heart and gradually grew into a towering tree.

Although some equipment had been acquired before, the truly advanced equipment had never been in place.

This time, the olive branch thrown out by the German-Italian coalition may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Once this industrial equipment is obtained, the construction of the industrial base will take a crucial step forward. By then, both the production and manufacturing of weapons and the supply of logistical materials will be able to achieve self-sufficiency, which is of great significance for long-term development.

Wang Jun fell into deep thought. The tent was completely silent except for the sound of his heavy breathing.

His eyes were sometimes firm, and sometimes revealed a hint of hesitation.

He knew very well that forming an alliance with the German-Italian coalition was like walking on a tightrope, and the slightest mistake would result in him being crushed to pieces.

But the temptation of benefits made it difficult for him to give up.

After weighing the pros and cons, Wang Jun felt that he could not easily reject the goodwill of the German-Italian coalition. He thought that he could talk first, negotiate at the negotiation table, and try to gain the greatest benefits for himself.

However, his plan to move south cannot be stopped. After all, the strategic significance of moving south is equally important. There are rich resources and strategic locations there. Only by taking over the south can he occupy a more advantageous position in this war.

Thinking of this, Wang Jun stood up, stretched his tense body, and his eyes glowed with determination again. He called his adjutant and ordered: "Call back the German-Italian coalition and tell them that we are willing to sit down and discuss the alliance. In addition, notify all troops to continue to move south according to the original plan and not to relax for a moment." The adjutant took the order and left. Wang Jun looked at the sky outside the tent that was red with war flames, and prayed silently in his heart, hoping that his decision was correct.

He knew that the upcoming negotiations would be a war without the smoke of gunpowder, and the journey south would be full of difficulties and obstacles, but he was ready to carve out a bloody path for himself and his troops in this complicated situation.

"Hmph, a bunch of natives, actually made so many demands?" Marshal Graziani sneered after reading the telegram in his hand. The upturned corners of his mouth showed undisguised contempt and disdain. It was obvious that he was extremely dissatisfied with the alliance conditions proposed by Wang Jun.

In his opinion, the troops led by Wang Jun were just a group of "natives" who had not received formal training. They even dared to ask for such high demands on the matter of alliance, which dealt a great blow to his self-esteem.

The atmosphere in the tent became somewhat subtle because of Marshal Graziani's cold snort, and the air seemed to have frozen.

However, Rommel on the side did not have much change in expression. He just sat there quietly, his eyes deep and calm, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

"I can agree, but the premise is that you are responsible for providing oil." Rommel said expressionlessly, his voice low and steady, as if he was just stating something very ordinary. He raised his head slightly, his eyes swept across the unhappy face of Marshal Graziani, and then fell on the map hanging in the tent, as if he was thinking about a more far-reaching strategic layout.

Marshal Graziani was slightly stunned when he heard this. He never expected that Rommel would agree to Wang Jun's conditions so easily, and even put forward such a seemingly simple yet crucial additional requirement.

He frowned, his heart full of doubts, and couldn't help asking: "General, are we just going to agree to them like this? These conditions are a bit harsh, and who can guarantee that they can really provide oil?" There was some doubt and worry in his tone.

Rommel turned his head slightly and looked at Marshal Graziani, with a hint of determination in his eyes: "The current battle situation is not optimistic for us, and we need their strength. Oil is important, but if we can use their strength to break the British defense line and take this city, the benefits we gain will far exceed the value of the oil. Moreover, we can clearly stipulate the oil supply details and breach of contract liability in the cooperation agreement to restrain them." His words were clear and every word seemed to be well thought out.

Marshal Graziani listened to Rommel's explanation and nodded thoughtfully, but a hint of worry still revealed on his face: "Having said that, there are always some risks in cooperating with these people. If they turn against us at the critical moment, we will be in trouble." He knew very well that in war, the reliability of allies is crucial, and a small mistake may lead to a complete loss.

"I have considered this as well." Rommel narrowed his eyes slightly, with a sharp look in his eyes. "So, while cooperating with them, we must also strengthen our surveillance and prevention of them. In addition, we can use this cooperation to gradually infiltrate their troops, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and prepare for future actions." (End of this chapter)