Chapter 1732: Threat From The North Sea

It has been a long time since Tirpitz came to the Kaiser. Since the end of the Baltic Battle at the beginning of the year, the German High Seas Fleet has entered a long rest period. In addition to the submarine force still maintaining a high frequency of dispatch, the main fleet generally also It is to support the coastal landing activities of the Baltic Sea. The entire fleet is focused on adapting to the new sea and air situation. The training of the aircraft carrier detachment of the German High Seas Fleet is nearing completion, and the land-based air force is gradually in place. If nothing happens, when When Crown Prince Ruprecht regained control of the navy, it was the final battle between the High Seas Fleet and the British Fleet!

You can’t blame the High Seas Fleet for its inaction. From a strategic point of view, as long as the North Sea transportation line can be ensured, the lowest goal of the German High Seas Fleet has been achieved. As for the killing of the British fleet? Before the British were shrinking in the coastal waters, with the support of the Royal Navy’s air force, they just could not come out. At that time, the High Seas Fleet was not capable of withstanding bombs and squatting deadly. Therefore, maintaining a lower load on the main fleet of the High Seas Fleet was in line with the situation at the time, but when the North Sea Blockade was re-established, everything was different.

"Tirpitz, the blood vessels of the empire are once again under serious threat. The British have re-locked the passage of the North Sea. This time, they even detained Dutch, Danish and Swedish merchant ships. The British fleet and aircraft Active in the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea. Every day, the empire’s loss of materials is calculated in 10,000 tons. At this time, we need a high seas fleet. The fleet built by the empire with a lot of funds should never be an existing fleet. , We achieved a brilliant victory, and now, we have to break the British blockade again.” The Kaiser took a deep breath and said: “So, I order the fleet to attack immediately!”

"Your Majesty, this is probably very difficult. The third battleship squadron and its associated light cruiser squadron are launching an offensive in the Gulf of Finland with General Mackensen. The aircraft carrier squadron is training in the Baltic Sea, and the second battleship squadron is carrying out this year’s routine on the berth in Kiel Harbour. Maintenance, in a hurry, we can't bring the fleet together at all." Tirpitz said in shock. He thought that the German Emperor would let the fleet attack, but unexpectedly, he would demand immediate dispatch.

"An excuse! A complete excuse!" The emperor's angry roar echoed in the hall. "You cowards, you are timid, you are avoiding war!"

"Your Majesty, you can't insult the High Seas Fleet in this way. We have made efforts and blood for the strength of the empire!" Tirpitz said.

Tirpitz is very aware of the current situation in the empire. Although, in a day like Wilhelmshaven, there is not a foreign ship carrying cargo that has landed on the shore. On the second day, six more American ships arrived. Wilhelmshaven, sent at least 40,000 tons of various materials. However, it has become an indisputable fact that Germany’s material pressure has increased. In this winter, due to the collapse of Russia, due to various coincidences, Germany is simultaneously fighting the Allies on the Eastern and Western Front and even the Transcaucasus front! Especially on the Western Front, the British's desperate fight brought certain pressure to Germany. At this time, the import of materials was only about 45% of the previous amount, and the consumption was already greater than the import. How can this make the top German leaders not anxious? !

Anger does not solve the problem. After a period of wrangling, Tirpitz promised the Kaiser that he would try his best to arrange for the German High Seas Fleet to attack. In fact, although Tirpitz has the rank of marshal, it is not a front line. Generals, the real battle matters still fall on Scheer, Hipper and others!

As the commander of the German Navy’s High Seas Fleet, Scheer is not as good as Crown Prince Ruprecht, but he still pays attention to the situation in the North Sea, especially when the chains of the North Sea are getting tighter recently. Reconnaissance forces have also begun to focus on important northern areas such as the Shetland Islands!

After more than a day's voyage, the U145 submarine commanded by Captain Dunnitz finally came to the exit of the North Sea. As an ace captain, this was already the 12th attack by Dunnitz, 8 of which were through the North Sea. Traveled to Britain to enter the Atlantic hunting area. It can be said that he can fully understand the situation here, and this time, his goal is not to enter the Atlantic to hunt British merchant ships, nor is it to cooperate with camouflage cruisers to hunt down British auxiliary cruisers. Instead, it serves as a "spectator" to investigate the blockade forces around the Shetland Islands.

Don’t think that this task is simple. Since a month ago, the loss rate of German submarines from the North Sea into the Atlantic Ocean has soared. In less than a month, 8 submarines have been lost. According to the analysis of relevant departments, these The submarine should have been destroyed by a three-dimensional offensive composed of camouflaged cruisers and seaplanes. And inferred that in the Shetland Islands, the British had at least one fleet of 150 or more aircraft to cooperate with the auxiliary cruiser detachment.

Now the pressure on German submarines has increased greatly. You must know that in this era, the war zone maneuver of submarines was almost on water. Not to mention that in the first war, even in the early stage of the second war, more than 90% of the time of the German submarine was spent on the water. ~lightnovelpub.net~ And now, with the connection between the Shetland Islands and Norway as the central axis, an aviation security zone with a width of 300 kilometers makes German submarines extremely uncomfortable! Because in this area, there will be a large number of seaplanes for investigation during the day, so that the submarine dare not show up!

And if the submarine's underwater cruising speed is less than 5 knots to pass through such an area, it will definitely not work within three days! what? Is this calculation wrong? At a speed of 5 knots, how can you run 120 nautical miles a day? Please, the endurance at a speed of 5 knots is very short, and you will have to float for a few hours to charge. Of the 8 submarines lost last month, at least 5 were killed while charging!

Therefore, at present, German submarines can only sail at night if they want to pass through this area. After all, the planes at night are not capable of anti-submarine. But what the Germans can think of, how can the British not think of it? At night or in bad weather, the British will greatly increase the number of auxiliary cruisers and anti-submarine destroyers. Although the British cannot build a minefield that blocks the entire North Sea exit, it is still possible to deploy mines in some areas, so , Relying on mine nets and a large number of anti-submarine destroyers, making German submarines sailing at night becomes dangerous. Faced with this situation, the German High Seas Fleet immediately came up with a response plan.

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(End of this chapter)