Survive as a World War II Soldier - Chapter 127



Only Noblemtl

#127

“We must involve Italy in order to prevent America from running wild.”

“Opening a front in France as the United States claims is the worst thing that can happen.”

Churchill narrowed his eyes at the Foreign Office’s analysis.

“Then we must definitely attack the Italian mainland.”

“Yes. The best option would be to bring in both American and German troops to create a second front.”

“Hmm. What are the opinions from the field?”

In response to Churchill’s question, General Henry M. Wilson spoke.

“At this rate, landing on the British mainland will not be difficult.”

“is it so?”

“Yes. The capabilities of the US military during the occupation of Sicily were much better than expected. In particular, the new tanks and anti-tank guns they brought this time were···.”

“New electronics?”

“Yes. We brought a heavy tank developed as a successor to the M3 Sherman, and it is comparable to the German Tiger…”

Churchill snapped his fingers at Wilson’s words.

Churchill muttered with a look of triumph on his face.

“But you’re saying that you’re not giving us those good weapons and are just using them for yourself?”

I didn’t hear any explanations like it hasn’t been properly mass-produced yet.

“I think it would be perfect to pick on this and put pressure on the US military. What do you think?”

“Not bad.”

“Well then, let’s see, we just need one more offensive strategy that they can’t oppose.”

So, what the British came up with under Churchill’s command was Operation Giant, the Rome Airlift.

“Should we send airborne troops to Rome?”

“That’s right. We have already received word from within the Kingdom of Italy that they are joining hands with our Allied Forces.”

“is it so?”

“Yes, if we go to Rome and just set the mood, the Italian army will immediately join the Allied forces and give the German army a tough fight…”

“Even if I try to force them, they’re just pasta guys.”

“no···.”

Are these guys crazy?

Even to the point of deploying our airborne troops as the main force in that ridiculous operation.

I was able to experience firsthand that when a person is so absurd, they become speechless.

Fortunately, it was Ridgeway who started to step on the British bastards for me, who was too shocked to even respond. He had been bright and intelligent since his days in Washington, and he still is.

Ridgeway, who was in charge of the airborne unit, beat up the British with facts and tricks.

“It doesn’t matter if the Italian proposal is true and they will join our Allied forces. What matters is whether they are really ready to face the Germans.”

Yes. We parachuted into Rome. But if the Italians don’t respond properly, what can our kids do in the middle of enemy territory?

Ridgeway hit the nail on the head.

“If we cannot verify the readiness of the Italian military, we cannot participate in that operation.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s check it out.”

But the British confidently asked to check Ridgeway’s words.

I was honestly a bit excited because they even said we could try it ourselves.

Rome.

Just looking at the location, it was exactly like Seoul on the Korean Peninsula. So, there was an expectation that if it was successful, it would produce results comparable to the Incheon Landing Operation during the Korean War.

Of course, if it had been such a great operation, I would have remembered it, but for a moment I thought about it, because there were so many butterfly effects.

Wouldn’t it be possible for those Tommy guys to become a little smarter and more capable?

But I guess that was just my excessive expectations.

“We are not prepared at all. Sending our children there is not suicide, no, it’s not even suicide. It’s just suicide.”

The airborne operation was immediately canceled following a report from Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor of the 82nd Airborne Division, who had returned from a reconnaissance mission.

“The airborne operation was canceled, but the advance on Rome itself was worth it···.”

But the British were persistent.

Even Churchill,

“I heard that only the US military uses the new weapon?”

“This is a real test. You can’t just throw away an unfinished weapon, right?”

“Hey, you’re not jealous of us establishing our majors, are you?”

He pounced on us, nitpicking and picking on ridiculous things.

“Oh, oh. You thought so? That’s interesting. I was thinking the same thing as you, Prime Minister.”

“What, what?”

I threw a report at Churchill, who was glaring fiercely.

It was none other than a report on the tragedy that had befallen the 52nd Transport Squadron and the 82nd Airborne Division aboard it during the previous invasion of Sicily.

“I couldn’t tell the bereaved family that he died on the battlefield without firing a single shot because of friendly fire, so I couldn’t reveal the truth.”

I personally wrote the obituaries of the soldiers who died at that time.

Ridgeway said it was his job, but he couldn’t have his subordinates lie to him when they had already lost their men.

-The airborne unit led by Brigadier General Kirans is the most elite special forces unit in the US Army. It is not something that anyone can do to parachute from the air and drop into enemy territory with their bare body, and thanks to their dedicated and heroic efforts, our US Army was able to win the difficult landing operation… Omitted –

The battlefield where they were deployed after receiving rigorous airborne training.

How can you say that you died a dog’s death without even being able to properly respond to the friendly fire, not to mention the enemy’s?

That’s why I buried this matter thoroughly.

The surviving members of the unit also kept their mouths shut when I told them that it was for the sake of the bereaved families and the honor of the dead.

The British guys must be stupid to be talking about their own mistakes.

Churchill, who found out today thanks to this, had a very embarrassed look on his face.

“I don’t care what kind of stupid things the British do. As long as they don’t hurt us. But we and the British are allied forces. Every time the British do something stupid, our soldiers bleed. So how can I just stand by and watch? Huh? I’m not going to Italy. If you want to go, the British go alone.”

“but···.”

But in fact, this alone was not enough to silence Churchill.

To be precise, we were more eager to cover this up than the British.

Wasn’t it for him that I wrote the obituaries of the dead paratroopers in the first place?

So that when the truth comes out, I can take responsibility for covering it up and not shift the blame to Ridgeway.

Churchill, too, seemed to know him well, and soon began to regain his composure.

But there was still something left for me to prepare.

“Oh, and by the way, I heard that Washington did some precise calculations regarding supply.”

The calculation was that it would be difficult to support the second front, considering that the Pacific theater also had to be maintained, and that Operation Overlord was coming up, that is, the landing in France.

“The whole world is looking at us, America. Even though we are the arsenal of democracy, don’t we have limits?”

Above all, everyone agreed with my argument that the best way to end the war quickly was to land in France and strike Germany hard, rather than divert our forces to the wrong places and let them be taken away.

Then came the cancellation of the Roman Airlift, the Royal Navy’s own goal, and finally Washington’s decision, and Churchill’s tantrum was for naught.

Even,

“Wouldn’t the pressure on us be reduced if a proper front is opened?”

“It is only natural that France would be next.”

Not only the Soviet Union, but even France supported us.

And Britain created another evil bond with none other than Italy.

“Didn’t you say you would help us!!!”

Britain, having decided that it could not continue the offensive against Italy on its own, threw away its secret agreement with the Kingdom of Italy.

The Kingdom of Italy, which had distanced itself from Germany and waited for the Allied advance on Britain’s promise, had to pay a heavy price for its betrayal.

Hitler and the Germans had bad feelings towards Italy to begin with. To be honest, Mussolini’s Italy had been of no help to Hitler and Germany since the Dogs.

“Instead of helping, you just kept holding us back and watching us hang on. What? Betrayal?”

“We can’t leave it like this.”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

In the face of Hitler’s wrath, King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy tried to somehow resolve the situation.

“I will step down, taking full responsibility.”

He announced that everything was his responsibility and handed the throne over to his son. However, the Italian people’s anger towards the royal family did not easily subside.

“It’s all because of the incompetent royal family.”

“Let us abolish the monarchy and go to a republic.”

In the end, Umberto II was forced to abdicate after only one month.

The problem is that the German military played a significant role in the process.

“Italy, like our Germany, will be reborn as a republic.”

The tyranny of the German army, which surrounded and oppressed the royal palace, and the subsequent proclamation of the Republic.

“Damn. At least Mussolini didn’t do anything crazy like this.”

“Fucking Germans”

The one who struck the final blow was Umberto II. The Italian royal family, who had fled to Portugal as if they were fleeing from the original history, declared a desperate resistance, saying that they would die in their homeland even if it meant dying.

And this had unexpected results.

There is something like that. Even if you hate someone so much that you want to kill them, if it is someone else who is cursing at you, you want to put aside your past feelings and take their side.

Such were the feelings of the Italian people towards the House of Savoy.

The brutal exploitation and massacre that followed in German-occupied northern Italy.

Here, the southern Italians, terrified, rallied around Umberto II and began to fight against the Germans.

“They say even a mouse will bite a cat when cornered.”

“I never thought Italy would hold out like that.”

The problem was that the Italian royal family had a strong hatred for Britain for abandoning them.

“They say they would rather die than receive help from Britain.”

In this way, Britain and Italy became irrevocably estranged.

Well, now it wasn’t really a surprising result.

Fortunately, like Free France in the past, the Italian royal family did not cut ties with us, the United States.

“If you really don’t intend to join hands and die in peace, you can’t refuse our aid.”

“We can’t send troops.”

“Yes, Italy doesn’t want that either. They say that air support for air superiority, weapons, and food support are enough.”

Italy, which had only recently realized how dangerous it was to invite foreign powers into its territory, had no particular desire for ground support.

With Italy now firmly in check, I could focus on Operation Overlord.

Doolittle’s report on the air force made me smile for the first time in a long time.

“The Luftwaffe has certainly lost its power.”

“It has been confirmed that pilots’ skills have clearly declined recently.”

“okay?”

“Yes. This has been confirmed by Soviet intelligence. They are also reporting that the quality of the Luftwaffe has declined.”

“Good.”

In a situation where you are preparing for a large-scale bombing operation, what could be more joyful than hearing that your opponent has been weakened?

“What matters is the time and place of landing.”

“It will be September soon.”

“Considering the fighting power of the soldiers immediately after landing, we need to set a date as soon as possible···.”

“If you rush things and make mistakes, it’s a bigger problem.”

The French and Soviets were desperate to hasten the operation date by any means necessary, citing the weather as an excuse, while the British were still in a sullen mood.

“Well, let’s see what kind of great operational plan you’re coming up with.”

The image of England, with its arms folded as if it was watching you closely with both eyes open, is of how well you do.

“It’s just right.”

“Yes. I feel a bit bored because they don’t know what to do, but the progress is going well.”

But Bradley seemed quite worried about the sight of those British bastards.

“But what if, after all these plans are made, the British really insist that they can’t do it?”

“I won’t stretch it out.”

“yes?”

It was because I knew the secret behind why they were so docile.

“Even Britain would not be able to easily think about what would happen if the French landing operation itself was overturned.”

“That is true.”

“So even if I try to stretch it out, the best I can do is to just find some minor nitpicks so that this operation doesn’t fall apart.”

“But I still feel uneasy. I think they might cause a major accident if they keep doing that.”

That’s because when kids are quiet, they tend to get into trouble.

But don’t worry, I know what they’re going to do.

Bradley’s face turned pale when he heard about the original Market Garden operation from me.

“Hmm. That sounds very plausible. No, it’s so obvious it’s going to happen, it’s giving me goosebumps.”

“Right? Okay, then let’s come up with a plan.”

“yes?”

Landing operation. That was a predetermined ending anyway.

The key is how much sacrifice can be reduced in the process.

For the minor details of the landing operation, whose outcome had already been decided, it was sufficient to support the constructive opinions of Ridgeway and other capable subordinates and appropriately dismiss the retarded opinions.

First of all, my role was more than enough to get rid of the biggest bastard, the British.

Then shouldn’t I look further ahead and draw a bigger picture?

Now it was time to prepare for the aftermath of the landing.

Still, something that doesn’t change