Beiyang reactionaries

Roosevelt spoke slowly.

Roosevelt was a statesman, he didn't understand military affairs, he didn't know how to fight a war.But he knows what can be given up and what cannot be given up.This is Roosevelt's point of view from a statesman's point of view.Australia is the springboard for the United States to enter the South China Sea, and the Hawaiian Islands are the stronghold for the United States to control the Pacific Ocean.Neither of these places can be lost and neither can be controlled by the Japanese.

Once these two places are lost, the United States will really lose Asia.Of course, losing Asia is not the most terrible thing. The most terrible thing is that the United States will lose its interests in the Pacific Ocean.The Pacific Ocean in the future may become Japan's territory, and the United States will have to look at Japan's face in the future.This is absolutely unacceptable to the ambitious Roosevelt, because it will seriously affect the interests of the United States.

"President, in the current situation, it is impossible to defend these places with the Pacific Fleet alone. Not to mention the two places of Hawaii and Australia, it is difficult for us to keep one of them. Therefore, I propose to transfer troops from the Atlantic Fleet .”

"Transferring troops from the Atlantic Fleet?"

"Yes."

Marshall suggested to Roosevelt, "President, although the current situation in Europe is very bad, it has not reached the most dangerous and irreversible point. The situation of Britain in North Africa and the Middle East is not very good, but there is no big problem. It can hold on. And at present, troops from the British mainland, Canada, and South Africa continue to support the North African battlefield. On the Soviet-German battlefield, although the Soviet army suffered more casualties, the Battle of Moscow was, after all, a Soviet victory from a strategic point of view. The arrogance of the German army was severely hit. The Moscow campaign greatly boosted the morale of the Soviet army, and the Soviet Union can now breathe a sigh of relief. So now whether it is the Soviet Union or the United Kingdom, what is most needed is not our military help, but our support Materials. As long as the UK and the Soviet Union can provide enough materials, they can still stabilize the situation. And to give them materials, we have to guard against the German aircraft and submarines. To defend against their aircraft and submarines, we do not need aircraft carriers, Battleships and these warships will go out. As long as we have enough destroyers, minesweepers, and some light cruisers, it will be enough. Therefore, I want to transfer aircraft carriers, battleships, and heavy cruisers from the Atlantic Fleet to join the Pacific Fleet.”

The U.S. Navy has a Pacific Fleet and an Atlantic Fleet.At present, the Atlantic Fleet has four aircraft carriers, eight battleships, and ten heavy cruisers.The United States did not participate in the war before, so these warships were only in the Atlantic to deter Germany.

At present, the main thing that the United States supports Europe is to deliver supplies.

And these transport ships are most afraid of German bombers and submarines.Therefore, these transport ships need the help of escort destroyers.As for large warships such as aircraft carriers, battleships, and heavy cruisers, they are actually not that necessary.

But Roosevelt still had some hesitation.

Because for the United States, Europe is far more important than Asia.As long as Europe is preserved, the US strategy can be completed.But the current situation forced Roosevelt to pay attention to Asia.

Especially the Hawaiian Islands.

Lose nothing, and you can't lose the Hawaiian Islands.Because this is the most important military base controlled by the United States in the Pacific Islands.It is precisely because the United States controls the Hawaiian Islands that it has a clear advantage in the Pacific Ocean.

If the Hawaiian Islands were controlled by Japan, then Japan could threaten the west coast of the United States at any time.

"Is there really nothing going on in Europe?"

"Yes."

Marshall replied affirmatively: "Although the German army in the North African battlefield is powerful, its numbers are too small. In addition, the British warships blockade the Mediterranean, so logistical supplies are difficult, and it is not easy to send troops there. The Italian army has a large number, but there is no battle." The will, the performance on the battlefield is not satisfactory. Although the Anglo-French coalition forces have also suffered several defeats, they are completely stable. The Anglo-French coalition forces in the Middle East battlefield can even have the upper hand because there are fewer German troops here. Now the main battlefield in Europe is The Soviet-German battlefield. Although the Soviet Union has suffered heavy losses since the outbreak of the Soviet-German War, the Soviet Union has a large area, a large population, and a large industrial scale, so there will be no problems in a short period of time. I read the report of the Moscow Battle, and the Soviet Union People’s will to fight really cannot be underestimated. Moreover, during the Battle of Moscow, the people of Moscow contributed money and effort, even women and children came out to help. It is impossible to make such a Soviet Union surrender to the current level.”

"Ah."

The European battlefield was fiercely fought.

Especially the Soviet-German battlefield, it was cruel.Even the invincible German army had more than one million casualties after the outbreak of the Soviet-German War.Not to mention the Soviet army. After the Battle of Moscow, the Soviet army suffered more than 600 million casualties, running towards the number of 700 million.Plus civilian casualties have exceeded 1000 million.

Roosevelt was very worried.

Worried that Europe will not be able to withstand the German offensive.Once Britain and the Soviet Union lost, then Europe became Germany's territory.At that time, Germany will replace Britain as the new hegemon of the world.It is completely impossible for the United States to exert influence in Europe.How could Germany let the United States come to Europe to be the boss.

It is precisely because of this that Roosevelt will pay more attention to Europe.But now the situation in Asia is urgent, especially Japan's offensive is getting more and more fierce, and it is directly poking at the weakness of the United States.This is also absolutely unacceptable to Roosevelt.

So Roosevelt thought for a while and said, "Okay, I agree with the transfer of troops from the Atlantic Fleet. But General Marshall, you must ensure that the situation in Europe will not collapse."

This is a change of decision.

The Atlantic Fleet has been transferring troops from the Pacific Fleet before, but this time for the situation in the Pacific, the Pacific Fleet will transfer troops from the Atlantic Fleet.

"President, don't worry. I will ensure that our material resources will continue to support the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, so as not to cause major problems in Europe."

"please."

"Yes."

After seeing off Marshall, Roosevelt did not speak for a long time.

Roosevelt really did not expect the situation to become so difficult, especially did not expect Japan's power to expand so fast.Germany, Japan, these countries currently have the absolute upper hand on the battlefield.It can even be described as sweeping everything.

Of course, for the United States, this is a relatively good opportunity.

If it weren't for countries like Germany, Italy, and Japan that turned the world upside down and confuse the two traditional hegemons, Britain and France, how would the late-developing countries like the United States have the opportunity to compete for the position of world hegemony.But Germany, Italy, and Japan made too much noise and their ambitions were too great, which affected the interests of the United States.

However, there is another country behind the invincibility of Germany, Italy and Japan.

Roosevelt said to his Secretary of State Cordell Hull: "Cordell, tell me where is the breakthrough in the current situation?"

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"Kordell, tell me where is the breakthrough in the current situation?"

Roosevelt believed in American strength.

Because the United States is the most industrially powerful country in the world.The industrial scale of the United States can crush European countries, Germany, Italy and Japan.With the industrial strength of the United States, as long as the United States is given time, it can produce whatever it wants.This is Roosevelt's confidence, because behind Roosevelt is a powerful American industry.It was precisely because Roosevelt saw the industrial strength of the United States that he always wanted to rush out of America.

It's just that now is the time when the United States is leaning.

The Pacific Fleet almost wiped out the Japanese army, and it is impossible to recover within a month or two.It didn't take time for the Pacific Fleet to recover.But Japan is currently aggressive and does not give the United States this opportunity at all.The result is that the United States is in an absolute weakness in the Pacific Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean will become Japan's territory if you don't pay attention to it.So now is the most difficult time for the United States.

"Where is the breakthrough, I can't say. But in terms of diplomacy, I think the most important thing now is to unite countries as soon as possible and form a consistent alliance against fascist countries such as Germany, Italy and Japan. Only by cooperation can there be hope."

US Secretary of State Cordell Hull and Roosevelt were political partners for many years.

Roosevelt served as President of the United States for nearly ten years, and Cordell Hull followed Roosevelt as Secretary of State for nearly ten years.The two have always cooperated very well, and Roosevelt also trusted Cordell Hull very much.

So after Marshall left, Roosevelt immediately discussed with Cordell Hull what to do next.

"In the current situation, we need to be united. After the war broke out, Germany, Italy and Japan were able to be invincible because they prepared for the war early and they were united. They exchanged various information and technologies with each other. , unified action, resource replacement, so the combat effectiveness shown is also very strong. Now if we want to contain the German, Italian and Japanese fascists, we also need to establish a military alliance as soon as possible, and cooperate to fight against the German, Italian and Japanese fascists.”

"Ah."

A world war, a world war, is actually a war between two military blocs.

The Triple Alliance of Germany, Italy and Japan, plus their allies and servants, has more than 20 countries.Although the main force is Germany, Italy and Japan, other allies and servants are not all dry.The troops of those allies and servants add up to several million, which is not easy to ignore.

Moreover, many neutral countries appear to be neutral countries on the surface, but there are no truly neutral countries in the world.Seeing the current invincibility of Germany, Italy and Japan, these neutral countries began to slowly fall towards the German-Italian-Japanese Alliance.If Switzerland and Sweden do not agree to some of Germany's demands, how can Germany tolerate them as neutral countries.If it really blocked the interests of Germany, Germany would have destroyed them long ago.

Including Spain, which the United Kingdom tried its best to win over, Franco saw how fierce Germany was, and wanted to share a share with Germany.It has even quietly dispatched troops to act with the German army.At present, there are Spanish troops on the Soviet-German battlefield.

But Franco is no fool.

In the current situation, it is not certain who wins and who loses.

Although at the beginning, Germany overwhelmed other countries and was invincible on the battlefield.But for now, the UK has passed the most difficult days.The British navy began to exert their strength, blockade various sea areas in Europe, and besieged Germany.

Just like the North African battlefield.

Why there are so few German troops on the North African battlefield? In addition to Germany’s holding down too many troops on other battlefields, especially the Soviet-German battlefield, another important reason is logistics and troop transportation.The British navy was too powerful and blocked the Mediterranean.Although it is impossible to completely block it, it is really not easy to transport troops from the Mediterranean to the North African battlefield.

If you don't pay attention, the German transport ship will be directly destroyed by the British Navy.

Anyway, at present, although the United Kingdom is difficult, it is not to the point of being unable to fight.Especially after the "Lease Act" of the United States, a large amount of supplies from the United States began to support the United Kingdom, and the United Kingdom was able to persist.There is also the Soviet Union. The disastrous defeat on the Soviet-German battlefield made everyone think that the Soviet Union was about to fail.However, although the victory of the Battle of Moscow did not change the current passive situation of the Soviet Union, it can be regarded as stabilizing the previous disastrous situation.

Therefore, Franco is not sure that Germany will win.So Franco's attitude was vacillating from side to side. Although he sent troops to join the battle, he was not at all ostentatious.It's not that Britain doesn't know, but it still turns a blind eye.As long as Spain does not openly defect to Germany, then Britain will not care about these.