After Zhang Zizhong returned to the Ministry of National Defense, he immediately convened a meeting of ministers of the four armed forces, including the new military four giants, Cai E, the new Navy minister Chen Ce, the new Air Force minister Liu Hang, and the new Sky Army minister Gao Fei and others attended the meeting.

The meeting is top secret, and except for Zhang Zizhong and the four ministers, everyone including the secretary, the adjutant and others are not allowed to attend.

At such a confidential meeting, the four ministers felt that the matter was extraordinary and quickly guessed that the meeting must be related to the imperial government's participation in the war.

Zhang Zizhong straightforwardly conveyed the opinions and plans of the emperor and the prince of the Eastern Palace to everyone. After hearing this, the four ministers were extremely excited and were ready to fight for the first achievement.

"According to the instructions of His Highness the Prince, the first battle will be handed over to the Navy submarine force to implement the Arctic Ocean combat plan."

Chen Ce suddenly burst into laughter excitedly, while the other three ministers sighed in anger, congratulating the Navy on obtaining the first battle mission and casting envious eyes at Chen Ce.

"Please rest assured that the Navy will do its best to ensure the completion of the task!"

Zhang Zizhong nodded and asked, "Do you have any ideas?"

Chen Ce was about to say something, but suddenly looked at Cai E, Liu Hang, Gao Fei and the other two, and wanted to speak but stopped.

Cai E suddenly said sourly: "What! I have given you my first achievements. We are not allowed to listen to it. Can we be envious?"

"Mr. Cai is so serious!" Chen Ce smiled and said, "Please give me some advice!"

"cut!"

Cai E, Liu Hang and Gao Fei immediately gave Chen Ce a angrily glance.

Zhang Zizhong smiled and said, "Just say it! What are your thoughts?"

Chen Ce paused, and said: "Since we want to destroy the trade routes between the United States and Germany, we cannot let the United States and Germany catch our handle. It is easy to be recognized when dispatching surface warships and aircraft (referring to carrier-based aircraft) to attack US and German merchant ships and warships. That will put huge public pressure on the empire, and the anti-war sentiment of the empire's citizens may rise, which is not conducive to the implementation of the imperial government's plan to participate in the war."

Zhang Zizhong nodded and said, "Very good! You directly mentioned the most critical point of the problem, continue!"

"Yes!" Chen Ce continued: "So I will send the most elite submarine force of the Empire to enter the Arctic Ocean to carry out attack missions. The submarines are hidden underwater and are difficult to be discovered by the enemy. After the attack is successful, the United States and Germany will also think that it was done by the Soviet submarines. The United States and Germany will definitely send a large number of anti-submarine fleets into the Arctic Ocean route. In a few months, they will definitely find that the submarines that attacked them are far more powerful than the Soviet submarines, so that they will suspect the Empire, but they have no evidence to directly accuse us. On the one hand, we use submarines to give fatal blows to the allies' maritime routes, cutting off the channels for complementary resources between the United States and Germany. On the other hand, we also force Germany to attack us first or declare war, so that the Empire can participate in the war naturally."

Cai E suddenly said: "It seems that the plan is seamless, but how do you ensure that the navy's submarines will not be seen through by the German anti-submarine fleet, and how can you ensure that our submarines will definitely be able to deal a heavy blow to the German Arctic Ocean route. As far as I know, the imperial submarines have also exported a lot to Germany, and the German submarines and anti-submarine capabilities are also very strong."

Zhang Zizhong looked at Chen Ce and asked, "This is indeed very important. If the virtues seize the handle, the empire will be very passive!"

"That won't happen!" Chen Ce said confidently: "What the Empire exported to Germany is an old-fashioned submarine that the Imperial Navy submarine has been retired for more than ten years. It is incomparable to the most advanced Song-class submarines currently equipped by the Imperial Navy, and is even worse than the newly entered Yuan-class attack nuclear submarine."

"What? The Yuan-class nuclear submarine has been put into service?"

The Yuan-class nuclear submarine, which was only started construction last fall, was completed and put into service in less than a year. Cai E and Liu Hang immediately showed surprise.

Zhang Zizhong added: "Due to the sudden change in the international situation, all nuclear plans have been advanced! The nuclear reactor of the nuclear submarine Nautilus was already completed before construction started, so it was built very quickly."

Chen Ce also explained: "Due to the great progress of the empire in machining and welding technology, our Navy General Administration adopted advanced shipbuilding technology in segments and finally assembled together. Originally, a ship would take two years to build on the ship platform as a whole. After adopting the new technology, the hull was divided into several parts and built separately, which saved nearly half of the time. In a state of war, it could save two-thirds of the time."

Cai E immediately said enviously: "Your navy is so happy, nuclear-powered battleships, nuclear-powered submarines, and there will be nuclear-powered cruisers in the future!"

"Your army may have nuclear-powered combat vehicles at any time!" Chen Ce joked immediately.

Everyone burst into laughter.

After Zhang Zizhong laughed, he immediately said: "Don't go off topic!"

Chen Ce then continued: "Our Song-class submarine has been tested for many years and proved that its title of ocean black hole is well deserved. At present, our Song-class submarines have entered the territorial waters of the United States, Germany, Britain, France and other countries many times to track their warships and submarines, but have not been discovered because the noise of our Song-class submarines is very close to the noise of the ocean itself, and it is difficult to distinguish the enemy's sonar system. We can use this advantage to carry out secret attack missions on the Arctic Ocean route."

Zhang Zizhong nodded immediately and said, "Very good! Since I have this ability to not be discovered by the enemy, I can hand it over to your navy this time of Arctic Ocean combat mission!"

Chen Ce hurriedly said: "Finish the task resolutely!"

At this time, Air Force Minister Liu Hang suddenly asked: "Even if the Song-class submarine claims that the oceanic black hole is not detected by the enemy, it must surface and breathe! Even if it is not discovered by the United States and German ships, their planes are not blind! I don't think so, how can our Air Force escort you? If we help you kill the enemy reconnaissance planes in the sky, you will get twice the result with half the effort!"

Chen Ce knew very well that this was an excuse for Liu Hang to get in and wanted to make a contribution, so he explained: "I have considered this. Our Song-class submarine has been underwater diving for fifteen days. After performing combat missions, it has enough ability to get rid of the tracking of enemy ships. In addition, I plan to combine the trial sailing plan of the Nautilus nuclear submarine with this Arctic Ocean plan."

Zhang Zizhong asked: "How to combine it?"

Chen Ce explained: "Nuclear submarines have long range capabilities that no submarine can match. The Navy plans to allow the Nautilus to carry out the Arctic Ocean polar ice submarine. Once the plan is successfully completed, the Imperial Navy's submarine fleet will be able to enter the Arctic Ocean directly from the Pacific Ocean. The sudden appearance on the Barents Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean will pose a fatal threat to the US and German navy. Its strategic significance is no less than that of the Imperial nuclear weapons developed successfully."

Everyone was shocked. Chen Ce’s plan was bold, but if it was successful, it would definitely be an unprecedented strategic victory.

Gao Fei asked: "The entire Arctic is covered with ice and snow. Although the glaciers are under the ocean, the thickness of the ice is different. How can a submarine pass through?"

Chen Ce smiled and said, "Grandman Gao is not sure about the performance of our Nautilus nuclear submarine. The Nautilus can propel at a speed of 28 knots at a depth of 400 meters underwater. It is equipped with the Empire's most advanced radar and sonar detection and navigation system. It can avoid any underwater obstacles."

Zhang Zizhong was immediately overjoyed and said: "This plan is worth a try. Once the undersea channel below the Arctic is opened, our submarines can quickly enter the North Atlantic from the North Pacific Ocean, saving two-thirds of the range, which is of great strategic value."

Cai E found a map of the Arctic, gestured for a while and said: "Maybe the long self-sustaining power of a nuclear submarine can pass through the waters below the Arctic, but the self-sustaining power of a conventional submarine is probably not enough."

Zhang Zizhong suddenly felt worried, but Chen Ce smiled mysteriously and said, "Our Admiralty Department has considered this."

Everyone showed surprise again.

After Zhang Zizhong caught everyone's appetite, he explained: "The Imperial Navy has found three anchorages suitable for berthing submarines in the northern border near the Arctic!"

Liu Hang immediately laughed and said, "It's more reliable to brag. Who doesn't know that the Arctic is close to it is basically frozen all year round, not even a bay, let alone a submarine anchorage!"

Chen Ce smiled and said, "That's right! The Arctic is covered with ice and snow all year round. There is no bay!"

Everyone looked at Chen Ce in shock, and Zhang Zizhong said unhappily: "Don't keep it aside, quickly explain what's going on?"

Chen Ce smiled slightly and said, "Although the bay near the Arctic is covered with ice and snow all year round, we unexpectedly found that the ice layer in several places is very thin. The ice layer can be chiseled with corresponding ice breakers. Even when the submarine reaches a nearby area, the floating force can also spread the ice layer. We can use these places to replenish conventional submarines, or do not need to be replenished, as long as it can meet the air replacement required for submarines to float."

Zhang Zizhong understood what Chen Ce meant, so he asked: "What do you mean is to build a submarine frog jump supply station close to the Arctic? Use relay to complete the mission of crossing the Arctic Ocean?"

"Yes!" Chen Ce nodded and said, "The supply station is not the focus! The tonnage of the Song-class submarine is very large, and the food and water supply supply when crossing the Arctic Ocean is basically not needed. The only thing that needs to be floated is that it consumes a lot of air by using diesel-electric opportunities, so it has to float air."

Since some anchorages that allow submarines to float on, conventional submarines can cross the Arctic Ocean one by one by one through leapfrogs.

Fortunately, the Chinese Empire controlled most of the Arctic proximity (Siberia), so it could provide help and protection for the submarine frog to jump forward, allowing this strategy to be realized.

However, the so-called Arctic Ocean traveling in conventional submarines is only near high latitudes, that is, near the coastline of the northern border and the outskirts of the Arctic Circle. Only nuclear submarines that can truly navigate within the Arctic Circle have the ability. At the same time, nuclear submarines only need to survive underwater for more than ten days directly passing through the Arctic Ocean from the Arctic. Currently, the maximum submarine scuba is no more than seven days, so it is impossible to get directly closer to the road and can only sail along the Arctic Ocean coastline.

It can be said that the huge advantages of nuclear submarines were fully demonstrated at this moment, but since the Chinese Empire had not approved the construction of multiple nuclear submarines before, it was far from enough to have only one Nautilus nuclear submarine. Faced with the Arctic Ocean route from the United States, the Chinese Empire could only dispatch a large number of conventional submarines to perform combat missions.

After all the problems were solved, Zhang Zizhong personally named the plan the Arctic Ocean black hole, which means to create a submarine black hole for the Arctic Ocean route of the United States and Germany's allies, devouring their merchant ships and ships, thereby achieving the strategic purpose of attacking the United States and Germany's allies and supporting the Soviet Union.

According to the plan of the Imperial Navy, the Nautilus nuclear submarine will launch a mission to cross the Arctic Ocean in July. Once the Nautilus completes the mission to cross the Arctic Ocean, the Chinese Empire will have an Arctic route map that directly enters the North Atlantic by the Pacific Ocean. At that time, the Nautilus will perform combat missions to attack U.S. and German ships, and on the other hand, it will be responsible for helping conventional submarines explore safe waterways.

According to Chen Ce's estimate, the Imperial Navy will complete all the detection missions of the Arctic Ocean underwater routes in the winter of Guanghua forty-two, and begin the experiment of conventional submarines passing through the Arctic Ocean. Once the conventional submarine is also successful, the entire Arctic Ocean black hole plan will be announced to be completed.

However, before that, the Imperial Navy sent 120 Song-class submarines into the North Atlantic and Barents Seas to attack German merchant ships and warships.

Zhang Zizhong then reported to Congress. The huge role of Chen's nuclear submarines is irreplaceable to conventional submarines, and he asked Congress to approve funds to build multiple nuclear submarines. Zhang Zizhong's move was strongly supported by the imperial emperor Chenhao.

Soon, the Imperial Congress approved the proposal to build four more Yuan-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, allocating 352 million dragon coins, and requiring the four nuclear-powered submarines to be completed within three years. But in fact, the Imperial Navy was impatient to obtain these nuclear submarines, so it misappropriated other shipbuilding costs and accelerated the completion of the construction of four new nuclear submarines. In the end, the four Yuan-class nuclear submarines were completed one after another at the end of Guanghua's 43rd year. They were cn-ssn-702 Sharp Shark, and c

n-ssn-703, cn-ssn-704, and cn-ssn-705, the tonnage of the Great White Shark. When No. 704 and 705 were built, their tonnage had exceeded 10,000 tons, the submarine time exceeded 84 days, the safety diving depth exceeded 500 meters, and the submarine speed reached 30 knots. Basically, all coefficients far exceed that of the Nautilus. They can be classified as another first-class nuclear submarine, but the Emperor* side still classified as the Yuan-class.

Just as the Chinese Navy was preparing to calculate the Arctic Ocean route to Germany, a great war broke out again on the European battlefield. After destroying France, Germany moved eastward and launched a full-scale attack on the Soviet Union. Hitler once again clamored to destroy the Soviet Union for three months and avenge the defeat of the last Battle of Moscow.

However, the German army still failed to solve the problem of fuel and water tank anti-freeze in the northern Soviet Union. Therefore, although Hitler clamored to attack Moscow again, it was just a smokescreen to confuse the Soviet Union. The German army focused on the warmer southern Soviet Union in winter.

According to Hitler's request, the German Supreme Command formulated a southern combat plan for the autumn and winter of 1942, code-named "Operation Blue". Its main content is: Lister Group Group took the Kleister 1st Armored Army as the left wing, and the 17th Army as the right wing, attacked from the south of Kharkov and north of Taganrog to the east and southeast respectively, occupied Rostov in the lower reaches of the Don River and marched south to control the oil fields in the Caucasus region; Baoke B Army Group Group Group took the Hot 4th Armored Army and Weix 2nd Army as the left wing, and Paulus 6th Army as the right wing, assaulted from the south of Kursk and north of Kharkov to the east and southeast respectively, occupied Voronezh in the upper reaches of the Don River and marched towards Stalingrad.

The Supreme Soviet Army Command was also stepping up preparations for the Autumn and Winter Battle of 1942. Stalin and the Supreme Soviet Army Command judged that with the fall of France, the main forces of the allies were all transferred to the Soviet battlefield on the Eastern Front. In order to avenge Moscow's defeat, the German army had a great possibility of occupying Moscow in one fell swoop. Because in this direction, the German army still had more than 130 divisions and more than 2.1 million people. Therefore, the Supreme Soviet Army Command decided to concentrate most of the reserve forces in the direction of Moscow.

The Soviet army's strategic intention is to carry out active strategic defense in the near future, but at the same time, it must carry out a series of offensive battles in Crimea, Kharkov, Ligov-Kursk, Smolensk, and Leningrad and Demiansk areas.

When discussing the specific combat plan, Stalin was very interested in the southwest attack plan proposed by the commander-in-chief of the southwest and fully supported it. However, the Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Army, Marshal Shaboshnikov, said that the General Staff did not agree with the plan, and said that the base camp could not and there were not enough reserves to provide it to the southwest. This opinion was rejected by Stalin.

Finally, Stalin approved the plan to implement the Kharkov offensive campaign with troops southwest direction. The plan stipulates that centripetal attacks were carried out from the Volchansk region and Balvinko, to capture Kharkov in one fell swoop and create conditions for the liberation of Donbas.

Before the main forces of the German army and even the Alliance ** team were transferred from the Western Front to the Eastern Front, on May 8, 1942, the 11th German Army commanded by General Manstein first launched an offensive in Crimea. A week later, it occupied the Kerch Peninsula and captured 170,000 Soviet troops. On June 4, nearly 100,000 Soviet troops guarding the Sevastopol Fortress were forced to surrender to the German army, and the German army occupied the entire Crimea.

On May 12, when the Kerch Peninsula was in fierce battle, Marshal Temuxingo commanded the Southwest Front and the Southern Front, a total of about 45 divisions, launching an attack on Kharkov from the northeast and southeastern sides of Kharkov.

The attack began to develop smoothly, breaking through the German defense, and advancing 25-50 kilometers in three days and nights. Stalin was very happy and condemned the General Staff based on this, saying that such a smooth battle was almost cancelled because of the General Staff's stubbornness.

But Stalin was not happy for long. On May 17, with the support of the 17th and 6th armies, the German Kleister 1st Panzer Army launched a counterattack from the south of Kharkov to the Soviet flanks, and on May 23, they surrounded the 9th and 57th armies of the Southern Jiangsu Front, the 6th armies of the Southwest Front and the Bobkin Battle Cluster. By May 29, most of the besieged Soviet troops were wiped out. Lieutenant General Kosgenko, deputy commander of the Southwest Front, Lieutenant General Podras, commander of the 57th Army, Lieutenant General Gorodejanis, commander of the 9th Army, and Major General Bobkin, commander of the Battle Cluster. A total of 250,000 Soviet troops were captured, and 1,249 tanks and 2,026 artillery pieces were lost. (To be continued)

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