nycdaug Chapter 320 Discussion on the Direction of Attack
Chapter 320 Discussion on the Direction of Attack
Eisenhower and other Allied high-ranking officials urgently convened a meeting in London. The operational thinking once again returned to the premise of air control. According to Chief of Staff Weimed, "Only by destroying the German industrial system on a large scale and eliminating the German army's war potential can we ultimately achieve the final victory over fascist Germany!"
The Soviet representative attended the meeting. His personal experience of the Allied landings and the Battle of Paris dispelled Allied concerns about a passive offensive, attempting to force the German and Soviet armies into a fight to the death. He also endorsed the Allied Chief of Staff's proposal for large-scale airstrikes. Having visited cities like Tokyo after the war, the Soviet representative praised the Allied bombing campaign against German industrial cities. He even suggested incendiary bombings of all major German-occupied European industrial cities, similar to those against Japan. This was unanimously opposed by officials from all participating countries. Ultimately, the Allies decided to conduct indiscriminate bombing of German industrial cities, while implementing targeted bombing of key industrial areas in occupied territories.
Yang Hong attended the meeting as Deputy Chief of Staff. His rank and age made him seem out of place. He was just an ordinary general in the Flower Planting Family, and the attendees were all bigwigs, ranging from political elites from various countries to five-star generals in the US Army and generals and marshals in the British Army. The presence of an unbelievably young general, with a yellow face, made some European politicians very uncomfortable.
After a small discussion, they found out the resume of this flower-growing general, especially the "Battle of Paris" that had just ended. The decision made by this young general to turn the tide made everyone dare not underestimate him.
At the behest of General Weimed, Yang Hong, on behalf of the General Staff, outlined the plan for the next phase of the operation. He boldly proposed that the Allies abandon their confrontation with the Germans on the Paris front and instead launch a proactive offensive in the Picard area, launching a flanking attack toward Belgium. He said, "The Germans used flanking tactics to break through the Maginot Line in France in the early stages of the war. The Allies could easily launch a surprise attack in this area, opening a path to Germany."
He pointed solemnly at the large floor-to-ceiling map at the front of the meeting and announced in a resonant voice, "We must concentrate our forces to launch a fierce attack on the Picard region, giving the Germans the illusion that we are heading east to attack Calais and seize the nearby coastline. We must then secretly concentrate the main force of the British Army and launch an attack on West Flanders, Belgium. We must seize ports, primarily Ostend, and then occupy all of Belgium."
"At this point, the main German forces on the Western Front had been drawn into France, leaving only the 19th Army and some garrison troops on the Belgian front. By concentrating the British 14th Army, Canada, New Zealand, and other elite troops, we were fully capable of breaking through the German defenses in one fell swoop, creating a huge gap in their defenses on the Western Front."
Weimad also stood up, his eyes revealing determination and decisiveness. He said, "If necessary, we can also organize a landing operation simultaneously. The location chosen is Calais, which has excellent port facilities. Once we successfully land, it will greatly shorten our army's transportation lines and further expand our advantage. This has always been the landing area that the Germans believe we need to capture most. If we launch another landing operation at this time, it will inevitably draw the German 19th Army in Belgium there, creating better conditions for the complete occupation of Belgium."
While everyone was whispering and discussing, Mountbatten walked up to Yang Hong, smiled, and asked in a low voice: "Deputy Chief of Staff, was this ingenious plan yours or was it the old man's (referring to Weimade) idea?"
Before Yang Hong could answer, Wei Made appeared in front of the two of them. He looked very unhappy and frowned. He said to Mountbatten dissatisfiedly: "General Mountbatten, you mean to say that if the plan was made by an old fellow like me, you would not like it, right?"
Mountbatten quickly waved his hands and explained, "No, no, no, General Weimade, I am very interested in this plan. I am just a little curious."
Yang Hong smiled slightly and replied calmly, "General Mountbatten, this plan was discussed by our colleagues in the General Staff under the guidance of General Weimar. After in-depth analysis and research, we believe that the main force of the German Western Front has been exposed in the direction of Paris. Under such circumstances, the German forces in Belgium will inevitably be relatively weak. Our Allies can completely take them by surprise, launch a surprise attack, and break through the German defenses in one fell swoop."
"Of course, any action carries a certain amount of risk, and the General Staff cannot guarantee the success of the plan 100%. However, we can combine large-scale bombing operations with feints in the French direction to attract the Germans' attention and tie down their main forces in the area around Paris, thereby increasing the probability of our action's success."
"General Mountbatten may be concerned about the British army's lack of manpower for an offensive into Belgium. The US Second Army, based in Beauvais in the Picard region, could easily launch an offensive against Clermont, encircling Paris from behind. Then, suddenly turn north, capture Rouscal, and launch a long-range assault on Saint-Quentin, opening a strategic route into the heart of Belgium."
Everyone was once again attracted by Yang Hong's explanation. Yang Hong didn't care about it and continued to explain: "These actions depend on the determination and suddenness of the British combat operations in the Pas de Calais area. As long as the British 8th Army can decisively occupy Lille at the same time as the Calais landing battle, and the US 2nd Army subsequently captures Saint-Quentin, even if the German army reacts, it will be too late. The 8th Army and the Canadian and New Zealand troops have 30 troops, and the US 2nd Army can deploy at least 8 troops. There is no problem in capturing Belgium. Once the German northwest defense line is torn apart, the German army will either withdraw more troops from the mainland or evacuate from the Paris line. Our army will achieve the goal of liberating most of France. Most importantly, Paris will avoid large-scale fighting again, which is a blessing for the whole of Europe."
Eisenhower nodded involuntarily after hearing this and added, "The Restoration France has contacted us secretly. They are worried that Paris will be destroyed in the war and have asked us to find a way to prevent Paris from being destroyed in the war. This plan of the General Staff effectively avoids this problem. As long as the Allies capture Belgium, the German army will inevitably have no choice but to abandon Paris. Otherwise, the Restoration France will desperately resist and attack the German army from the side, and the entire German group on the Western Front will be trapped in central France!"
Weimed took over the topic and said: "I believe that neither the German High Command nor the Führer himself wants to trap the troops on the Western Front in a decisive ground battle too early!"