Chapter 911 Chicago

Yannick is not worried at all about the Americans' almost funny "pigeon missiles", but is a little concerned about their "Atlantic Defense Line" and "Pacific Defense Line". Although the German army today has mastered the technology of hovercraft and floating docks and only needs a flat landing point to launch landing operations, the operations in the Hawaiian Islands will definitely let the Americans know about these weapons, equipment and technical means of their own, so as to focus on defending against these useful weapons. The beach that may become a landing point will relatively increase the difficulty of our own landing operations, and I am afraid that we will have to pay a lot of casualties.

However, the miniaturization of nuclear eggs should be completed in two years. When the time comes, I will give them a few nuclear eggs to try, and I will not believe that these Americans can still stand up.

In the meantime, let's continue bombing the U.S. mainland.

"What's going on with the bomb reserves in St. Pierre and Miquelon?" Thousands of tons of napalm bombs were dropped on New York City last time, and almost all the napalm bombs in stock were used up.

"Your Highness, 2,000 tons of napalm bombs and 3,000 tons of thermite bombs have been stockpiled on the island."

Yannick nodded. "Then continue the bombing. This time the target is Chicago."

Chicago, located in the southern part of Lake Michigan in the United States, can be called a "lucky one". Since its establishment, this city has tasted the benefits of various wars. For example, during the American Civil War (1861-1865), Chicago, as a transportation hub, trade distribution center and manufacturing center, was not affected by the negative impact of the Civil War at all. The Civil War consumed a large amount of labor in the United States, which stimulated the production of agricultural machinery in Chicago. The demand and transportation of military supplies during the Civil War also made Chicago, which was located at a railway hub, very profitable.

Before and after World War I, African Americans moved north, and Chicago's population mix increased. Jazz musicians from the Mississippi Delta and New Orleans moved north, first taking root in Chicago. During Prohibition, the mayor was not very strict in enforcing the law, which resulted in little impact on the development of Chicago's entertainment industry (there was a developed bar/brothel industry at the beginning of the century, which also supported many musicians who were just starting to make their fortunes). Jazz became very popular during this period. It was called the "Jazz Age" and Chicago became a veritable entertainment capital.

In World War II, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States became involved in the Pacific War. As the saying goes, when a cannon goes off, gold comes in thousands; God takes care of Chicago again. In the northwest of the city, the Douglas Aircraft Company, which produced military transport aircraft, was established; the Pratt-Whitney Company in the southwest produced aircraft engines; and the Quartermaster Company took over the equipment in the central equipment manufacturing area and was responsible for military logistics supply. As the base of heavy industry in the United States, Chicago's wartime economy quickly brought Chicago out of the shadow of the Great Depression, and its prosperity continued into the mid-1950s.

Unfortunately, Chicago in this time and space did not have such good luck. Yannick's plain words decided the fate of this city.

Soon, 250 ME-264Ds and 10 B-36s taking off from the St. Pierre and Miquelon Islands flew toward Chicago.

Radar stations along the route also relayed the news back to Washington.

“The Germans are going to bomb Chicago?!”

The atmosphere in the conference room was a bit suffocating.

The last time the Germans bombed, almost the entire New York City was burned down, and now the Germans are eyeing Chicago. If the bombing continues like this, wouldn't the Germans burn down all the major cities in the United States? !

It's so deceiving! !

Vice President Truman looked at Commander Arnold with a gloomy expression. "Commander Arnold, how is our new fighter jet project going?"

"There hasn't been much progress in fighter development so far." Commander Arnold said with some melancholy. "On the contrary, a new heavy bomber has been developed, code-named B-29."

In World War II in the original time and space, Commander Arnold was indispensable for the advent of the B-29 bomber. Commander Arnold was a staunch follower of the "strategic air supremacy" theory of General William Mitchell, the founder of the U.S. Army Air Force. Mitchell was the first to propose the idea of ​​"strategic bombing". He believed that: large-scale bombing of key targets behind the enemy's rear would destroy them. Combat foundation and will can reduce tactical killings and reduce civilian casualties. In September 1918 during World War I, Colonel Mitchell, who served as commander of the U.S. Expeditionary Force Air Force in France, organized more than 1,500 fighter planes from Britain, France, the United States and other Allied Powers to carry out large-scale bombings against Germany, Austria and other Allied Powers, accelerating the surrender of the Allied Powers. It was the earliest strategic bombing in the history of aviation operations.

After the outbreak of World War II, Commander Arnold was keenly aware that the US military must have a true "air battleship." He believed that the new strategic bomber should have a maximum flight speed of 640 kilometers per hour, a maximum range of more than 8,500 kilometers, and a bomb load of no less than 7 tons, this was the super bomber design bidding requirement proposed by the US Army Aviation at that time. When difficulties arose in the development of the B-29, it was Commander Arnold who persuaded Congress to increase funding for the B-29 and coordinated the government to increase the B-29 production line. Although the XB-32 bomber developed by the United Company made its first flight two weeks earlier than the B-29, Commander Arnold remained unswayed and determined that the B-29 must be the Army Aviation. It can be said that without Commander Arnold’s affirmation, support and persistence, there would be no glory of the B-29. Therefore, Commander Arnold is also known as the "Father of the B-29 Bomber."

Hearing the performance data of this heavy bomber mentioned by Commander Arnold, Vice President Truman's eyes lit up. "Then can we bomb St. Pierre and Miquelon?" He did not expect this bomber to bomb the European mainland directly. First destroy the German air base in St. Pierre and Miquelon, and then destroy the air base in Greenland, so that the German bombing should be quiet for a while.

Commander Arnold sighed depressedly and shook his head. "Mr. Vice President, the B-29's range is enough to bomb St. Pierre and Miquelon and even Greenland, but our fighters are no match for the German fighters." Even the most advanced P-51 is not a match for the German FW-190 series fighters, not to mention the German jet fighters whose performance is unknown. Without the escort of fighters, even if the bombers are equipped with more self-defense weapons, they are just targets for fighters.

In the original World War II, the heavy bombers of the US military proved with their own losses that the bomber units must be escorted by fighters to penetrate deep into the enemy's territory (before the P-51D fighter was put into service, 1/3 of the Allied bombing of Berlin was without fighter escort). The bomber's own self-defense weapons alone could not guarantee its own safety. After the defeat, Goering was asked when he knew that Germany was defeated? Goering replied: When the American P-51 appeared over Berlin. Under the full escort of the P-51 fighter, the Allied bomber units finally reduced their own loss rate to an acceptable level.

"..." Hearing Commander Arnold's answer, Vice President Truman opened his mouth and spoke for a long time. "I don't mean to offend, but I want to know what is the point of continuing to produce these fighters, bombers, and battleships? Spend a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources to build them, and let the German army sink and shoot them down in vain? "(Today's chapter)