Chapter 797 Roosevelt's Plan
The Germans' attempt to win over Brazil and Argentina could not be concealed from the United States. After all, the United States has been operating in South America for more than a hundred years and has long been deeply rooted. The political economy of many South American countries is under the control of the United States.
Moreover, the United States is also the place where various warlords, politicians, corrupt officials, profiteers, and landlords in South America store their dirty money, and most of these people's children are educated in the United States. Once the various wealthy and powerful villains in South America lose power in their own country, they will generally flee to the United States to enjoy their old age.
Therefore, although there are many big figures in South America who are anti-American in words, they are actually the parents of the American people. Once these people lose power, they will run to the United States, and their descendants will most likely become American people.
Parents generally love their children, so anyone with a little status in South America will have a few American children they love. With such a close relationship, it is very difficult for Germany to fool South American powers such as Brazil and Argentina into turning against them with some empty promises. If Germany wants them to surrender, it must show real evidence to prove that the United States will not be able to maintain its dominance in South America, and Germany will definitely replace it - in this way, all kinds of great men in South America will become the parents of future Germans.
And the most real evidence, of course, is that the German army beat the Americans on the land of South America and the nearby sea!
Before, the German army took advantage of the United States' inattention and extended its hand to Guyana, which could not be regarded as beating the Americans, because it was originally the last stronghold of Europeans in South America - whether it was British, Dutch or French Guiana, they were all European colonies.
Therefore, Guyana's control by Germany is not enough to prove that Germany will replace the United States as the master of South America. Although many South American great men will make friends with Germany and even put on a pro-German face. But if they want them to follow Germany to fight the United States, then Germany must first really beat the United States. Otherwise, these South American great men will not casually bet their lives and the happiness of their descendants on the new German boss. If they bet on the wrong treasure, the American boss will settle accounts later, and then they will die ugly. President Roosevelt certainly knew the unspoken rules in South American politics.
"We can't start a war in South America easily," Roosevelt shook his big head, "If we suffer a disastrous defeat in South America or the ocean near South America, all the bigwigs in South America will turn to Germany.
Otherwise... they can only bet on both sides, and I don't worry about them betting on both sides, which doesn't hurt us much. Anyway, we still have a lot of materials and gold to exchange for South American resources. Moreover, Venezuela, the most strategically valuable country in South America, is still under our firm control!"
Roosevelt smiled coldly and said, "So, let the Germans attack, and we will be responsible for defense."
Venezuela's current oil production is similar to that of the Soviet Union, and its strategic value is very huge. If Venezuela is controlled by Germany, then Germany's oil production (including synthetic gasoline and shale oil) will be close to 80 million tons. Although it is still not as good as the 200 million tons of the United States, it will still greatly enhance the power of Germany's military machine.
So after Germany entered Guyana, Roosevelt immediately ordered the US Army to enter Venezuela, and also stationed a large number of troops and aircraft on the Caribbean islands near Venezuela.
In Trinidad and Tobago (also close to Venezuela), which controls the southern entrance to the Caribbean Sea, the United States has established as many as 225 military bases (there have been so many in history)!
Since the United States controls Venezuela militarily, Venezuela's oil is now also under the control of the United States. If we count the oil of Mexico, which is next to the United States (Mexico is also a major oil producer at this time), the United States now controls more than 260 million tons of oil.
At the same time, the entire European Community currently controls only more than 40 million tons of oil production capacity, and Japan controls even less oil, less than 8 million tons.
The advantage in the amount of oil will be converted into an advantage in the number of commonly used aircraft. The production of aircraft is not a problem for the European Community, Japan, the Soviet Union and the United States, but pilots have to be fed with gasoline. The United States has at least a 5-fold advantage in the amount of oil compared to Japan and Europe. If it can be fully converted into an advantage in the number of commonly used aircraft, then the United States will be invincible.
Therefore, the battle for Venezuela can, to some extent, determine the course of the war. The United States has a great advantage in Venezuela. It not only controls Venezuela's territory, but also controls all the important islands in the Caribbean.
In addition, Venezuela's oil fields are currently concentrated around Lake Maracaibo (known as the Oil Lake) in the west of the country, near Colombia and the Caribbean Sea, and the straight-line distance from the German-controlled Guyana border is nearly 1,200 kilometers. And there are not many transportation facilities along the way. Like all South American countries, Venezuela's transportation is mainly based on sea transportation at this time. And the shipping route is firmly blocked by a series of Caribbean islands controlled by the United States, with Trinidad and Tobago as the core!
"Mr. President," Admiral Lacey, Chief of Naval Operations Ernest King, and Army Chief of Staff Marshall exchanged glances, and then said, "I understand. We are on the defensive in South America, waiting for the Germans to attack, and at the same time taking the offensive in the Pacific."
"Yes, that's it!" Roosevelt nodded and said in a serious tone, "But one thing you must remember is that the oil lake area cannot be lost, otherwise we may lose the war... If necessary, you can Deploy 1 million troops and 10,000 tanks there!”
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"Albert, this battle in Venezuela is very difficult to win."
Zossen, General Staff of the German Wehrmacht. At this time, Hessmann was discussing the Venezuelan campaign with his old friend, Marshal Kesselring.
"I understand, but I am the most suitable candidate." Marshal Kesselring crossed his arms and looked at a large map of South America and said, "The Venezuelan campaign must be a collaboration between the sea, land and air forces. A commander with experience in this field must We are the two of us...but you have better ways to deal with the Russians than I do, so you should be the chief of general staff."
It turned out that after the victory of the Battle of Britain, the Venezuelan campaign was already on the agenda. The Venezuelan campaign is related to the ownership of South American hegemony! If the German army could drive the Americans out of Venezuela, then all of South America would surrender to Germany. But if Germany is defeated in Venezuela, then South American countries will continue to obey the command of the United States. And once the German army suffers heavy losses in Venezuela, even Guyana may be lost! In this way, the plan to trap the United States in North America will completely fail.
Therefore, after discussing with Kesselring, Raeder, Weaver and others, Hersmann decided to establish the South American Front after the Western Front was withdrawn. Unified command of the land, sea and air forces operating in South America and the Caribbean. Among the current German Wehrmacht, there are only two commanders with this ability: Kesselring and Hessmann.
However, Hessmann does not want to leave Berlin and go to South America, not only because he is also unsure about the war in Venezuela, but he is also unwilling to leave Berlin as the center.
In addition, after the Western Front Headquarters is disbanded, Marshal Schleicher, who "conquered Britain", will be promoted to Marshal of the Reich and then retire from active service. However, he will not just retire, but wants to return to serve as defense minister again. So Hessmann planned to take over the position of chief of general staff again after Kesselring went to South America.
"So, Albert," Hessmann then asked, "do you think the Japanese's Operation Yamaha is guaranteed to succeed?"
"I don't know," Marshal Kesselring shook his head, "Now the U.S. war machine is at full capacity. Not only have aircraft carriers begun to be launched in large numbers, but many new aircraft with excellent performance have been put into production. Moreover, they have a huge advantage in oil production. This means they can train more pilots and equip more aircraft, which is extremely detrimental to Japan and us.
Therefore, their idea of "Operation Mountain" is correct. The United States must not be allowed to concentrate its absolutely superior naval and air forces, otherwise the Hawaiian Islands will not be able to defend it. However, whether their plan can be realized, or how far it can be realized, probably depends on whether the latest Type Zero 52 can maintain its performance advantage over American carrier-based aircraft? Because this issue will directly determine the strength of both sides' combat capabilities. "
The Type Zero 52 Kesselring mentioned was the latest Type Zero carrier-based fighter developed in October 1942 after receiving engine technology provided by BMW. It is not the same type as the Type 52 in history.
After absorbing the technology of the BMW 301 series engines provided by Germany, Japan's Nakajima Company came up with the Rong 31 model with 1,350 horsepower.
This engine is 100 horsepower less than the maximum output of the BMW 301D. This is because the Japanese need to install a supercharger injection combustion system on the Rong 31 model to improve the aircraft's mid-to-high-altitude performance. In order to control the weight and volume of the engine (the Zero aircraft was too small and light to accommodate a large and heavy engine), the cylinder had to be slightly reduced, so the horsepower of the Rong 31 was smaller than that of the BMW 301D.
However, according to the report of a German pilot who flew the Zero 52 (actually little Hersman), he believed that this aircraft has better hovering performance and mid-to-high altitude performance than the Fokker Zero D, but it only has armor, firepower and dive. Performance is slightly worse.
The speed of the two is similar, but the maximum level flight speed of the two is at different altitudes. The maximum level flight speed of the Fokker Zero D is at an altitude of 4,000 meters, while the maximum level flight speed of the Zero 52 is at an altitude of 4,000 meters. 6000 meters.