Chapter four: battle between Soviet and German
One, "barbarossa" project, shocked the world
The devil's eyes turned east
In the summer of 1940, after Hitler's victory over France, the plan to attack the Soviet union was put on the agenda again. Hitler's idea of attacking the Soviet union has a long history. As early as the 1920s, he wrote in his autobiography mein kampf that "Germany could not be satisfied with the borders of 1914." "We need to start where we stopped 600 years ago." "We are national socialists, and we should consciously change the principles of our pre-war foreign policy. We need to eliminate Germany's long-standing goals in southern and Western Europe and focus our sights on the east... But when we speak of the New Territories of Europe today, the first thing we mean is the Soviet union and its minions."
Hitler's idea of attacking the Soviet union immediately resonated with the senior German military leadership. Both the high command and army, air and sea generals took part in discussions on the timing and manner of an attack on the Soviet union. The generals generally agree that Germany is at the height of its military power and the timing is favorable. Field marshal brauchich gave a report on the operation against the Soviet union at a meeting of the German high command on July 21. In it, he expressed optimism about the opinions of the high command of the army and suggested that the war against the Soviet union should have begun in 1940.
In order to maintain a high degree of secrecy, Hitler ordered the general staff to study the plans for the attack on the Soviet union so as to have a clear idea of the mission, time and objective. Over the next few days, Hitler received the prime ministers of Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia in Berlin and in the upper salz mountains. After learning of the Soviet union's annexation of the Baltic states and the occupation of bjorabia and northern bukovina, Hitler decided to postpone the Balkan settlement and intensify his plans to attack the Soviet union.
On July 31, Hitler convened the highest military council in berghof. At the meeting, admiral reeder first reported on the progress of the preparation of the "British landing battle preparation directive no. 16", namely the "sea lion project". Mr. Reddell said Sept. 15 would be the earliest date to begin sea lion, provided there were no "contingencies due to the weather or the enemy." Reidel explained to Hitler on this premise that the weather in the English channel and the north sea was generally bad except in the first half of October. The mist began in mid-october, and by late October it was thick. However, this is only part of the problem of weather, "only when the sea is calm can the operational plan be carried out". "Even if the first group succeeds in crossing the sea under favorable weather conditions, there is no guarantee that the second and third groups will have the same favorable weather. In fact, we must realize that a relatively large amount of material cannot be delivered for several days before some ports are available." The army would be left stranded on the beach without supplies or reinforcements. The admiral concluded his remarks by saying, "in all circumstances, the most favourable time of operation would be May 1941." Hitler spoke out, saying he disagreed with reidel's conclusion and said it could not be because of the weather
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