The air battle on this day was extremely tragic. Of course, this tragedy needs to be discussed separately. The word "tragic" is the "miserable" of "tragic". This word belongs to the Germans. More than 200 fighter planes suffered nearly 500

During the siege by American and British fighter planes, no more than thirty German fighter planes out of the last two hundred or so planes escaped unscathed, and the rest were all shot down by the Allies. How could the word "tragic" be used this time? As for the "fierce",

But he was "elated" and "lie". After the war, statistics showed that the Allied air power shot down 184 enemy planes in one breath, but the price he paid was only 16 fighter planes shot down and 12 more.

The fighter planes were only damaged. Most of the pilots of these downed fighter planes also successfully parachuted out, and nine of them had successfully reunited with airborne troops or underground resistance organizations.

Therefore, after this battle, the Allied air power, whether it was the Royal Air Force or the United States Army Air Force, was full of joy. The pilots gathered together to calculate how many enemy planes they had shot down this time.

How can you brag to your parents back home?

"If you ask me, Kent is lucky. He shot down 6 fights in one day today, tying the record."

"What kind of luck? Do you understand my skills?" The pilot named Kent replied with a smile, "Sir Ron said, 'Many things that look like luck are actually manifestations of strength,' didn't you? I

The result is a complete demonstration of strength. Unfortunately, there are too few German aircraft. If I have one more aircraft, I will break the record."

"Bah! Why? Even if there is an extra fight, it will still be our turn to fight!"

"That's not necessarily true. What's wrong with me having good luck today? Are you jealous? Oh, God, how much I enjoy such eyes full of envy and jealousy!" Kent looked triumphant and in need of a beating.

"Even if you break the record, it doesn't mean anything. When we set a record of shooting down six enemy planes in an air battle, our opponents were not so bad!" said another pilot.

This sentence was approved by Kent, who nodded and said: "It's true. The level of the Germans now is really that the rookies who just came out of the aviation school are much better than them. Moreover,

I think the average level of German pilots is getting lower and lower. If this continues, we may never encounter any decent air combat in the future."

"If only the German Army were so bad, then we could go home and eat turkey for Christmas!" Another pilot said with a smile.

Ron passed by and happened to hear this sentence, and couldn't help but shook his head secretly.

The words "Go home and eat turkey for Christmas" are not auspicious words for the US military. Historically, it seems that whenever such words appear, there will always be trouble in the war situation. And Ron also knows that and have been beaten.

Compared with the air force that had its backbone broken, the German Army still had a very strong combat effectiveness. The war could not be ended on Christmas Day in 1944. However, after this battle, the Germans should have understood that it was impossible for them.

After driving the Allied forces into the sea, what will their next move be?

…

In a hospital in Paris, France, Rommel was undergoing a final examination by a doctor.

"Marshal, it's hard to believe that you recovered so quickly!" an old doctor said to Rommel.

"Ah, Doctor Müller, I must recover quickly from this situation." Rommel forced a smile and said, "Otherwise, they will even call me Rommel behind his back."

Rommel knew that during his absence, the Allied forces landed, and then during his absence due to injury, the Allied forces repelled the Germans' decisive counterattack. Now, there was no possibility of driving the Allied forces into the sea.

. The next step is to follow Lundstedt’s idea of ​​retreating step by step, organizing a line of defense, and blocking the Allies as much as possible. Unfortunately, the German armored forces failed in the previous counterattack

suffered heavy losses, which will inevitably lead to insufficient flexibility of this line of defense.

Moreover, the deployment of the German army's military strength is now very troublesome. At first, Rundstedt asked for the main force to be deployed further back, while Rommel asked for the main force to be deployed forward. In the end, Hitler made a compromise and deployed the troops not forward or backward.

.As a result, when we wanted to counterattack not long ago, the troops were too far back and couldn't attack; now when we wanted to defend, the troops were too far forward and it was difficult to withdraw safely. This is really... Rommel couldn't help but shook his head.

.Since the Battle of Moscow, the Führer has become more and more interested in directly intervening in the command of the army. Now, he has become more and more stubborn and difficult to persuade. He couldn't help but think of what some of his old subordinates mentioned to him.

Regarding the idea of ​​​​making separate peace with the United States and Britain. This idea is of course a good idea, and it is almost the only possible way for Germany to end the war with dignity. However, will the head of state agree?

But now is not the time to think about this kind of problem, the collapsed battle situation is still waiting for you to clean up.

Arriving at the headquarters, Rommel immediately made such a judgment after understanding the specific situation. Now the focus of this battle has become the Port of Cherbourg. For the Allies, they only rely on the beachhead.

The transportation capacity is absolutely unable to support large-scale offensive operations. If Cherbourg cannot be captured in time, the amount of supplies on the beach will also be affected with the arrival of the storm season. Then, I am afraid that by April of the following year, the Allied forces will

They would no longer have any decent offensive capabilities. In this way, the German army would have a chance to breathe, and it would be possible to organize a stronger and more flexible defense line in Paris and along the Seine River.

It’s just that the military strength in Cherbourg Port is very empty. With such a small number of troops, Cherbourg cannot be defended anyway. It’s just that Caen is now under siege by the British, and there is really no way to mobilize the army to Cherbourg. Maybe...

That's all it can do.

Rommel looked up from the map and said: "Order, General Schlieben, Cherbourg must immediately start destroying the port. It must ensure that the port facilities are completely and completely destroyed! At the same time, order, the surrounding areas of Cherbourg... etc."

The troops in the area abandoned their current garrison location and moved to Cherbourg, where they were included in the command line of General Schlieben. The Seventh Army was ordered to transfer all remaining coastal defense forces to Cherbourg and move its four infantry divisions

Be prepared for transfer."

After issuing these orders, Rommel said to the adjutant: "Send me a report to the Führer and ask him to approve my transfer of the four infantry divisions of the Seventh Army to the Seine River line. Well, the telegram read like this: Dear Führer

…”

…

Wolf's Den Command.

"Fuhrer," an aide put a telegram on Hitler's desk, "an urgent telegram from Field Marshal Rommel. He requested that the four infantry divisions of the Seventh Army be withdrawn to the Seine River line, and has ordered the Seventh Army's

The coastal defense forces will withdraw to Cherbourg to strengthen the defense of Cherbourg. The marshal is waiting for your approval."

"What? Rommel is also going to retreat? This is absolutely not allowed!" Hitler suddenly became excited. He stood up and grabbed Rommel's message.

"Let's see how this fearless hero of the empire explains that he actually wants to retreat and escape! Ah, 'the four infantry divisions under the Seventh Army have already suffered losses in previous battles, and their strength

The losses in equipment and equipment are very great, and it is urgent to withdraw and rest to restore combat effectiveness? I know it! They will only find such poor excuses! No! I will never agree to retreat! The current war is about the willpower of the two nations.

The confrontation. The retreating, no, the fleeing party could only be completely defeated! Back in Moscow, when the Russians made a small counterattack, those cowards in the staff thought of escaping one by one. If I hadn't given the order at that time, there would have been no one.

We are not allowed to retreat, we would have collapsed like Napoleon in the harsh Russian winter! No! We are not allowed to retreat even one step!

Ah, let me see again, what else does the brave Rommel ask for? Well, he has ordered the rest of the coastal defense forces of the Seventh Army to be transferred to Cherbourg? Who approved him to do this! 'Transfer to'? We

The marshal's rhetorical skills are good. He moved his troops from a position confronting the enemy to a position far away from the enemy. This is not a 'movement', but a retreat, but an escape! Immediately send a message to Rommel and tell him that I will not allow any

Troops, take a step back!" Hitler crumpled Rommel's message into a ball and threw it into the wastebasket.

"Yes, Führer!" The attendant raised his hand and saluted Hitler, then turned and prepared to leave the office. When he reached the door, Hitler suddenly stopped him.

"Fuhrer, do you have any other orders?" the aide turned around and faced Hitler and asked.

"Send a telegram directly to the combat troops and send them my order directly, ordering them to return to their posts immediately!"

…

Coast gun gunner Hans was installing explosives on the fixed 203mm coastal gun. They had just received the order from their superiors and immediately left their existing positions and moved closer to Cherbourg. All equipment that could not be taken away was destroyed on the spot.

The 203mm coastal gun cannot be moved at all, and of course it is to be destroyed. In fact, the Allied forces have already landed on the European continent in Normandy, and it is meaningless for them to continue to guard areas where no one can land. Being mobilized to Cherbourg is also very special.

It was a reasonable thing. His superiors had already prepared for this. So when Hans got the order to blow up the cannon, he skillfully installed explosives in various key parts of the cannon. As long as he gave the order from above, it would be ready immediately.

Blow it up.
Chapter completed!