Chapter 004 Highlights of 1942

Gentlemen, I understand Stalin better than you do. Once we retreat, he will not simply remain in place to regroup. For him, the earliest recovery of the territories we occupy is the only means to restore his authority. As soon as we show even the slightest sign of retreat, he will certainly pounce on us to launch an attack, just like in the battles of Jemyansk in the spring and the offensive at Timokhin in the summer. Hofmann coldly smiled, "Moreover, our shift to a defensive position on the Eastern Front does not mean we are doing nothing. We will redirect our strategic focus to other fronts, and at that time, the British and Americans will kick his butt."

One advantage of fighting in North Africa is that we can engage the British in land battles, which they are not skilled at. Hoffman enthusiastically waved his arms, stating, "Eliminating a British soldier in the desert is much easier than eliminating one on an island"

"The two strategic focuses on the southern wing of the eastern front will lead us to neglect other areas!" Hoffman stated emphatically, "Our priority is to eliminate Stalin's heavy troop formations; oil resources are not the focus, at least not at this stage. In fact, the Caucasus is a very important strategic pivot, not only because there is oil there, but also because the British and Americans are supplying the Russians through the Caspian Sea and the Iranian corridor. We must cut off this supply line."

"I am willing to serve you, Führer!" Guderian snapped to attention, standing straight with a very excited expression—although the position of Commander of the African Group Army seemed less significant than that of the three major army groups on the Eastern Front, it was still something to look forward to if, as the Führer said, he could truly take charge on the North African front.

What does "Führer" mean? Both Guderian and Zeitzler fell into deep thought at the same time. Could it be that the Führer wants to revive the "Sea Lion" plan? However, this is an even more difficult goal to achieve

"Do your best!" He patted Guderian on the shoulder, "Rommel was awarded the marshal's baton for capturing Tobruk, and I believe your achievements will be no less than his"

Dinner soon came to an end, and it was only then that Guderian and Zeitzler realized they had once again listened to the Führer speak for over an hour. However, unlike the usual feelings of annoyance and boredom, both men felt an extraordinary sense of exhilaration—an excitement stemming from being favored.

Rommel knew that this news would surely make the Führer cheer for his wise decision. Although Guderian wore a smile on his face, the sour taste could not be concealed in any way.

"Führer, what are my operational objectives? How many reinforcements can I expect?" After the excitement, Guderian recalled the weak strength of the African Army, which currently consisted of 2 armored divisions and 1 light infantry division (all understrength), and felt somewhat uneasy

"Yes, my Führer! I will do my utmost for this." Guderian's excitement was palpable

If we fully transition to defense, Stalin may gain the breathing space he has long desired, and may even recover his strength more quickly. Guderian's choice of words is very cautious, but the anxiety is evident, "At that time, it will bring us greater pressure"

"Führer, is this true?" Guderian stood up excitedly. As a commander of an armored group, he was acutely aware of the importance of oil in warfare. Upon hearing such good news, he could no longer remain seated.

"It is not him, it is you!" Hoffman said with a beaming smile, his voice filled with temptation. "Rommel has recently been suffering from stomach ailments, and I am determined to give him a break. I would like to appoint you as the commander of the reorganized Imperial "African Group Army," with full authority to command all land operations in Africa and the Mediterranean theater. Are you willing?"

In consideration of the operational needs in desert regions, I am prepared to allocate an additional 2 armored divisions and 3 motorized infantry divisions, aiming for their arrival within one month. The specific designations will be arranged after the appointment of Zeitzler is announced tomorrow. Since the focus has shifted to a key strategic direction, Hoffman has also invested a considerable amount.

The Battle of Alam Halfa is imminent, and the U.S. military's "Torch" operation in North Africa is also just around the corner. If adjustments are not made soon, it will truly be over. Therefore, seizing the opportunity to gather information, he selected all reliable inferences and based his strategic adjustments on them

Cäitzler suddenly realized: Initially, it was thought that the Führer's new strategy for North Africa was aimed at securing a route to the Middle East for oil, and then encircling the Russians from the flanks. However, it now appears to be an entirely new comprehensive plan. If North Africa truly possesses oil as the Führer claims and the extraction is not overly difficult, then the strategic value of the southern front will be significantly enhanced, making the strategic position of Stalingrad comparatively less prominent.

"My objective is the southern front." Hoffman stood up and pointed out in the Führer's habitual tone, "In North Africa and the Mediterranean, our forces are too weak, and the poor Italians are utterly incapable, offering us no hope whatsoever. Meanwhile, we are facing the British, who outnumber us several times and are better equipped. Furthermore, intelligence indicates that the Americans are planning to land in North Africa. If we do not want to face a two-front war like in the last Great War, we must eliminate this threat as soon as possible."

Every day, various contradictory, ambiguous, and flawed pieces of intelligence are presented before the Führer. Among them, there are certainly some insightful observations, but more often than not, they consist of speculation, dogmatism, and conjecture. However, since Hoffman is a time traveler, he can naturally discern which of these are useful and which are unequivocally garbage

Cäitzler showed a difficult expression: "Respected Führer, I can find ways to supplement the institutions, personnel, and materials, but there will likely be a significant shortfall in technical weapons, especially tanks and artillery."

By the end of the year, in addition to gradually replenishing the losses from the battles, you can also continue to expect support from 2 armored divisions and 4 motorized infantry divisions, all of which will be German forces. I have a comprehensive plan for the southern front, with corresponding strategic measures in both maritime and aerial domains, and there will be appropriate coordination with the Italians, ensuring that they will not hinder your progress. However, your objectives are quite challenging, totaling two: the first is to defeat the British North African Corps and occupy Egypt; the second is to repel any potential landing attempts by the Americans. If we can achieve these two objectives, we will be able to effectively protect the North African oil fields that are about to be exploited from land-based intrusions.

"I will have Speer find a way for arms production; we must not delay the reorganization." Hoffman waved his hand, "In my name, notify that a strategic meeting will be held tomorrow night, attended by personnel at the level of army group chief of staff and above. You will elaborate on the future strategic guidelines; once the direction is determined, we must act immediately, as our enemies will not give us much time."

General Caizile, your task is also quite heavy. After assigning Guderians task, Hoffman further instructed, I am determined to reorganize or establish three front command headquarters. The Western Command will be responsible for directing the forces from Norway to France and the homeland, the Eastern Command will oversee all forces from Finland to Crimea, and the Southern Command will be in charge of Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Balkans. All previous conflicting institutional arrangements and troop affiliations will need to be readjusted

We must take advantage of the favorable opportunity presented by the Russian front transitioning to a defensive stance to complete the reorganization and replenishment of our troops, and to unify and strengthen the troop structure. At this stage, it is not advisable to form new units. The minimum standard for our army's combat effectiveness should be raised; one of our divisions should be able to overpower one of the Russian armies, and during defensive operations, it should be capable of withstanding an attack from a Russian infantry group army. By the end of this year, more than half of the 180 divisions on the Russian front should have completed their reorganization tasks, and by the spring and summer of 1943, all should be completed—by then, it will be time for us to settle accounts with Stalin.

Hoffman smiled mysteriously and said: "There is another remarkable discovery in North Africa. Libya and Algeria both have considerable oil reserves that are not difficult to extract. The British and the French had exploration records before the war, but they did not take action solely because the extraction costs were higher than in the Middle East—only the foolish and lazy Italians remain completely unaware of this."

The leader... Cätsler was somewhat anxious, "Are we also giving up the oil resources in the Caucasus? We have finally taken Rostov, opening the door to the Caucasus."