The decisive battle against the Third Reich

That afternoon, Qinchuan and the school-level officers of the First Infantry Regiment were summoned to a secret meeting.

The conference room was full of people, the officers were chatting in low voices, and there was a vague feeling that a war was about to begin.

Qin Chuan sat next to Colonel Slaine... This was what Colonel Slaine meant.

"Malta is doomed, isn't it?" said Colonel Slaine. "Or we are doomed!"

Colonel Slaine laughed as he spoke.

This made Qinchuan realize that even Colonel Slain did not know the real goal of the German army.

"Is there any problem?" Colonel Slain couldn't help but asked when he saw Qin Chuan's expression was different.

"No, no...no problem, Colonel!" Qin Chuan replied.

Due to military confidentiality reasons, Qin Chuan could not speak nonsense, not even to Colonel Slaine, although Qin Chuan knew that this might be what would be announced later.

After a while, Rommel walked into the conference room, and all the officers quickly stood up and stood at attention.

Rommel walked to the front of the conference room, ordered the officers to sit down, and then said leisurely: "Good afternoon. First of all, I would like to congratulate everyone here. You have successfully led the First Infantry Regiment to complete the parachute landing and the use of 'Iron Fist' training. But this doesn't seem to be a good thing, because you all know that having more skills and qualities means more and more dangerous tasks, so I didn't train with you!"

There was a roar of laughter in the conference room. Rommel was very good at creating an atmosphere, even though he was very harsh on the officers.

"You have been selected to carry out a highly confidential and extremely important mission!" Rommel said: "In this operation, I will directly command your actions!"

Hearing this, Colonel Slaine felt that this mission was a bit unusual, because if the attack target was to attack Malta Island as they suspected, it would not be a "highly confidential" mission, but should be It’s a task that everyone can guess.

"The mission time is exactly five o'clock tomorrow morning!" Rommel said, looking at his watch, and said: "You have fifteen hours to prepare. The transport will arrive at the airport on time at four-thirty, and boarding preparations will be completed in half an hour. , Set off on time at five o’clock!”

"But general..." An officer couldn't help but asked doubtfully: "Shouldn't we board the plane in Tripoli?"

What this officer was thinking about was obviously Malta... If he attacked Malta, of course he should board the plane in Tripoli.

"No!" Rommel replied, then stood up. His assistant spread out an enlarged aerial photo on the wall behind him and pinned it to the wall with several thumbtacks.

"This is Crete, gentlemen!" Rommel said proudly, standing next to the aerial map: "It is your goal!"

The conference room couldn't help but become chaotic. No one expected that the target was Crete.

Colonel Slain glanced at Qin Chuan, and Qin Chuan said awkwardly: "Sorry, Colonel, I can't say!"

"Was it your idea?" Colonel Slain asked.

"You can say that!" Qin Chuan replied.

"Well done!" Colonel Slaine whispered with a wry smile. "You fooled us all. Of course, that's good, because I think the British would be fooled too!"

"Let me briefly introduce the situation first!" Rommel pointed to the aerial map and said: "As you all know, our primary goal is the airport. Controlling the airport is equivalent to seizing the enemy's lifeline. So the mission of the First Infantry Regiment is The battalion was divided into three parts and airborne near the three airports in Crete and launched a surprise attack on them! "

After a pause, Rommel pointed at the map with his baton and said: "The three airports are Iraq Airport, Maleme Airport and Rethymnon Airport. Among them, Rethymnon Airport has not yet been completed, and Malemay Airport has not yet been completed. Mai Airport can only take off and land fighter jets because of its short runway, while Iraq Airport is the airport with the most complete facilities and the longest runway. It can take off and land all types of aircraft!”

So don’t think about it, Iraq Airport and Malemai Airport are the key points.

Sure enough, Rommel then said: "The campaign requires us to quickly occupy the Iraqi Airport and Malemai Airport, especially the Iraqi Airport, because once we have control over it, our transport planes can land. Only then can you get more reinforcements and supplies!”

"General!" Colonel Slain asked, "I want to know how many troops are stationed at these airports!"

"We can't get more detailed information!" Rommel said: "The reason is that we don't want to expose our strategic intentions prematurely!"

This is understandable, because if a spy is captured by the British army, even if he knows nothing and does not confess, it will at least prove that the German and Italian troops are interested in Crete.

"What we know is only a general situation!" Rommel said: "The British and Greeks stationed more troops on the coastline, and only a smaller number of troops were stationed at the airports. Among them, the Iraqi airports had the largest number, with about two A battalion of British troops and a battalion of Greek troops are jointly garrisoned. Malemai Airport is occupied by a battalion of British troops and a battalion of Greek troops. There is only one company of Greek troops in Rethymnon! "

After hearing this information, the officers couldn't help but talk a lot, because the comparison of forces was too great, especially at the Iraqi airport. One battalion of German paratroopers attacked three battalions of enemy troops stationed... And the German army suffered a serious loss of one soldier. The battalion did not even have 500 men.

"Where are their fortifications and equipment?" Major Clayman asked.

Major Clayman was the commander of Qin Chuan's battalion and had been in contact with Qin Chuan before. When Qin Chuan suggested blowing up the school, he got his permission.

Because he was almost certain that the first battalion, as the main battalion, would attack the most difficult Iraqi airport, he was more concerned about the British defenses.

"You can breathe a sigh of relief about this!" Rommel said: "The British defense of Crete is very lax. This is obviously because our deception strategy has worked...Their defense at the airport is only a simple barbed wire fence. and a wall, not even a minefield."

The officers couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. If this was the case, there would indeed be a fighting chance, because the defenders' forces were relatively scattered, while the attackers could concentrate their forces to break through at one point.

But before the officers could breathe a sigh of relief, Rommel said: "But you need to pay attention, they have tanks and armored vehicles. We also don't know the specific number. We only know that 30 tanks and 50 armored vehicles were transferred not long ago. Malta!”

Looking at the stunned officers, Rommel spread his hands and said: "This is when the 'Iron Fist' comes into play, isn't it?"