On August 26, news came from Europe that Britain and Poland suddenly signed the "British-Polish Mutual Assistance Agreement" yesterday! At this time, Ayers and others were confused again.
As experienced diplomats, Ambassador Johnson and Consul General Ayres both know what it means for the two countries to sign a new agreement at this time. This must mean that both countries are aware of the threat of war from Germany, so they hope that before the war breaks out, Stop it!
Several professional military attachés believe that it is unwise for Germany to implement its own offensive plan at this time; but if it retreats under the new Anglo-Polish Agreement, its voice in Europe will be weakened. And this will instead achieve Britain’s political prestige and international influence!
In this way, the situation is confusing again!
In this regard, Li Junhao believed that the United Kingdom was at the end of its rope. If it really wanted to protect Poland, it wouldn't take more than sending 10,000 expeditionary troops to station in Poland! But it did not do this. Instead, it announced the signing of a new agreement in a high-profile manner. It looked tough, but in fact it was useless.
Several people didn't know how to refute his statement and could only continue to read.
——
After two days of silence, German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop made a proposal to the British Ambassador to Berlin Neville Henderson to "ask Poland to send a plenipotentiary envoy to Berlin" for negotiations, and asked Poland to The special envoy arrived on the 30th. The specific matter to be discussed was the plan to hold a referendum in the Danzig Corridor, and the voting rules were inclined to support Germany.
On the night of the 30th, Ribbentrop dismissed the reply note submitted by the British ambassador, and quickly read out 16 suggestions that showed that Germany was still working hard to "reasonably" solve the Polish problem until the last minute. After reading out, he called these suggestions "Outdated".
It was already the afternoon of the 31st when Ayers and others in China learned of the news. At the same time, they also received information that German troops had assembled on the eastern border.
Only then did everyone decide that the war was about to begin! And Pan Sen was right!
——
At 4:45 in the morning on September 1, the German army began to blitz Poland.
The first to be dispatched were the 1st and 4th Luftwaffe, which suddenly dispatched and attacked strategic targets such as major airports and transportation hubs in Poland. At the same time, the German ground forces quickly broke through Poland's border defenses and invaded the country. within the territory.
In the White Plan, the German army planned to use blitz tactics, with rapid corps supported by superior aviation, to carry out concentric assaults from the south and north directions, annihilating the main force of the Polish army in the area west of the Vistula and Narev rivers, and striving for speed The battle was decided quickly and Poland was wiped out in one fell swoop before Poland's western allies, Britain and France, were ready to attack.
To this end, the German invasion of Poland was organized into two army groups with a total of 67 divisions (including 7 tank divisions, 4 motorized divisions, and three Czechoslovak divisions), 1.6 million men, 2,800 tanks, 6,000 artillery pieces, and Mortars, about 2,000 aircraft.
The "North" Army Group administered the 3rd and 4th Armies, commanded by General Fedor von Bock, deployed in Pomerania and East Prussia, and supported by the 1st Air Force.
The "South" Army Group includes the 8th, 14th, and 10th Armies, commanded by General Carl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt, deployed in Silesia and Czechoslovakia, and under the responsibility of the 4th Air Force. support.
Poland attempted to contain the German army with a border defense war, cover the mobilization of the army, and buy time for Britain and France to complete their offensive preparations.
The total force that the Polish army can dispatch is about 39 infantry divisions, 11 cavalry brigades, 3 mountain infantry brigades, 2 armored motorized brigades and 80 civil defense battalions, with a total of about 1 million people; 870 light or ultra-light tanks , 4,300 artillery and mortars, and more than 400 combat aircraft; organized into 2 battle groups and 7 armies, with Marshal E. Ritz-Smiguy as the supreme commander; the main force is deployed in Pod and Potier In an area with a small border depth.
The Polish army's military thinking and most of its equipment were relatively backward. They even expected to use cavalry to deal with tanks, and also hoped for assistance from allies. In this case, facing the German army that used air strikes to open the way, armored torrent breakthroughs, and other mechanized follow-up as its combat methods, it can be said that it was defeated and could not form an effective defense line at all.
——
After the news of the German army's raid on Poland came out, the world was shocked - Poland, the European powder keg, had really been detonated!
Such important news was immediately transmitted to the Far East through submarine cables in the United States. After receiving the news, Ayers and others looked at each other and then looked at the proud Lieutenant Colonel Panson!
Li Junhao didn't have to show off at this time. The reason why he couldn't suppress his joyful expression was that this news proved that the history of his previous life would also happen in this world, and the timing of major events was exactly the same. This pair of He is extremely critical information!
Military Attaché Kelton looked at his young deputy and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: Is he really lagging behind? He has lived to be 37 years old and is not as good as the 25-year-old Panson in judging the war situation?
At this time, Ayres' thoughts turned to a previous memory, and he said: "Little Ogg, I remember that you once said that if Germany starts to attack Poland, it will only take a month to win. Now you still think so. ?"
"Of course." Li Junhao said immediately, "Your Excellency, Consul General, I have said before that Poland's military thinking and military equipment have lagged behind the times. Facing the German mechanized corps, there is no way to fight back! The German army So it took a month to occupy more than half of Poland's territory. In fact, all the time was spent on traveling and supplies..."
Ayers remembered that he had indeed said that before, and was not too surprised. Kelton on the side disagreed a little and said: "Panson, don't forget, the Polish army also has one million people." , how could it be defeated within a month?”
Now that the relationship between the two is very familiar, Li Junhao did not have to worry and said directly: "I say Rick, your war thinking should also improve, and stop using the situation in World War I to measure the current war! With backward military thinking and backward weapons and equipment, Poland would have been defeated and captured even if it had twice as many troops, let alone one million against one million six hundred thousand!"
Kelton agrees with the idea of advancing first and defeating the latter, but there are also external factors! So he added: "But Britain and France are both protectors of Poland. If they launch an attack on Germany's western front, Germany will only fail!"
Li Junhao sneered: "Then they have to really dare to fight!"
(End of chapter)
