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Text Chapter 896 Cairo (2)

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    It¡¯s sunny and sunny in Marseille in late June.  The bustling streets, the laughing and flirting men and women, the melodious dance music and the fragrant French bread make it impossible to imagine that a month ago this country was still filled with guns and blood.  Perhaps for ordinary French people, surrender is a good choice to avoid bloodshed here. Only the gendarmes that can be seen everywhere can make people feel the traces of war.  Although the Free France led by General de Gaulle has been established in London, its appeal is obviously insufficient. At least in Marseille, there is no news or voice about him at all.

    The Renault convertible, escorted by naval guards, slowly stopped at the entrance of the Marseille Opera House.  When the owner of the opera house saw the couple getting off the car, he immediately came up to them and said, "General, thank you for your visit."

    "You're welcome, I also want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to spend time with my wife." Darlan held his wife in his hands, smiling and polite.

    In fact, he came to watch the opera this time not only to accompany his wife, but also to show his attitude and let everyone see how confident he and the new government are in restoring France's prosperity.  As cars of dignitaries parked at the door, Darlan chatted with several congressmen and then walked inside with his arms around his wife.  Not long after he entered the theater, a black unlicensed car quickly stopped at the back door of the theater. Jin Bihui, wearing a red cheongsam and carrying a small bag, also walked into the theater.

    "General."

    "Your Excellency Darlan, nice to meet you."

    "Hello, General."

    People kept saying hello to Darlan along the way. Although he looked affable with a smile, his mind was not on the opera at all.  Because he has been very troubled recently. Even though Hitler promised to keep the French navy neutral and not participate in the war, he still penetrated the navy very frequently.  Raeder also called many times, hoping that his fleet would change its original intention and join the war, and at least let the German navy use Mediterranean ports and shipbuilding facilities.

    Although Germany¡¯s coercion and inducements are frequent, what is more frequent is the United Kingdom across the Taiwan Strait.  It wasn¡¯t just Pound who called multiple times.  Even Churchill called again and again to win over, asking him repeatedly not to hand over the fleet to Germany.  There are not only a lot of exchanges at the upper levels, but also intensive contact at the lower levels.  The officers and soldiers on the two battleships and more than 60 other warships that retreated to Britain before the surrender were all ordered by the British Navy not to return home or surrender.  Even de Gaulle personally appeared in Portsmouth Harbor.  In addition to the warships that fled to Britain and were difficult to come back, what worried him the most were the six battleships and ten cruisers that had withdrawn to North Africa in advance.  You must know that North Africa is not Europe. Neither facilities nor supplies can support the long-term stationing of the large fleet.  But it¡¯s not okay to withdraw.  After all, the Germans are still watching eagerly.

    With complicated thoughts, he and his wife finally found their seats.  But just as the lights went out and the curtain opened, a slender figure suddenly squeezed in from the side and sat next to him.

    Darlan is very strange.  The seat next to him should belong to a congressman. How could he become an Oriental woman?  So he subconsciously held the pistol, looked up and looked around, seemingly looking for the congressman who should appear.  His nervousness is justified. You must know that he is the soul of the French navy, and the competition for fleet ownership is very fierce. Therefore, there have been rumors recently that Britain, Germany, and even De Gaulle's Free France will send people to assassinate him.

    Just when he looked around nervously.  A soft voice came to my ear: "General, don't be nervous. My name is Jin Bihui, and I'm from Beijing."

    Jin Bihui?  Beijing?  Darlan not only did not relax, but also raised his vigilance again.  Because he had heard about this woman, who was said to be a spy from Beijing.  But the relationship with Germany is very good.  Even his wife beside him noticed something was wrong, and her arm that hooked hard on him trembled slightly.  At this moment, the opera officially began, and the singing and beautiful dance gradually attracted the attention of the surrounding people.

    Take advantage of this opportunity.  Jin Bihui glanced at Darlan's wife with a smile, and finally his eyes rested on Darlan's face.  Then deliberately place your hands where the other person can see them.  This is undoubtedly telling others that she means no harm.  So Darlan breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Where did your votes come from? Where's Congressman Fein?"

    "Don't worry, Senator Fein is very kind." Jin Bihui settled into a comfortable posture and said with a smile: "General, it is not difficult for us to get an opera ticket from Monsignor P¨¦tain."

    Darlan was shocked. He didn¡¯t expect that the other party¡¯s ticket was actually obtained from Petain!  But this is not surprising. Just think about the personal relationship between Yue Peng and P¨¦tain, and who was in Paris when the German army attacked, and you will know that the old guy has a very deep relationship with China.  After having this idea, Darlan felt relieved and moved his hand away from the handle of the gun.  But I don¡¯t understand why this woman who is labeled as a Chinese spy would meet me in this way. China doesn¡¯t want its own fleet, right?  So he asked in a deep voice: "What's wrong with you coming to me in this way?"?

    Jin Bihui said: "I'm very sorry for meeting you in this way. I just don't want others to misunderstand me as Marshal Redel or Pound."

    Darlan knew the meaning of this sentence, and when he saw that she was still going around in circles, he was a little impatient: "Miss Jin, you don't have much time!"

    "Giggle" Taking advantage of the wonderful moment on the stage, Jin Bihui let out a string of laughter like silver bells, and clapped a little closer: "General, you are so direct. In fact, I won't say it, but you should too  You guessed my purpose. North Africa cannot afford so many capital ships. Neither Britain nor Germany will allow your fleet to exist for a long time! If one day they are forced to scuttle themselves, don¡¯t you feel it is a pity? So this time I  I am here to hope that you will consider transferring the two Dunkirk-class battleships in the Port of Oran, the two Richelieu-class battleships in Casablanca and Dakar, the heavy cruiser Algeria, the heavy cruiser Corber, and the heavy cruiser Foch.  The cruiser and the heavy cruiser Duplex were loaned to us"

    "Are you kidding me?" Darlan raised his voice, as if he heard the funniest joke in the world.  However, his voice was quickly obscured by the singing, so he did not cause any commotion around him.

    Darlan was secretly amused. He thought Jin Bihui was here to be a lobbyist and threaten him not to hand over the fleet to the Germans, but he didn't expect that he was actually taking advantage of the situation to rob the leased warship!  What a joke!  North Africa only has a total of six battleships and six heavy cruisers.  It's good for her. She has four of the best battleships and four of the best heavy cruisers at her mouth. France is not so dilapidated that it wants to sell off its fleet!  Moreover.  The navy and fleet are the largest political capital in his hands. It is currently in the preparatory stage of the new government. He also hopes to rely on the fleet to become the prime minister of the new government. How can he rent it to others?  !  But Jin Bihui did not tell a joke and said seriously: "We know that it is difficult to make such a decision! But unless your position is clear, your fleet will be caught between Britain and Germany for a long time. You should also know,  The warships bound for Portsmouth, England, are no longer able to come back, Oran and Mirskbiel, Algiers, Casablanca and Dakar. Even the West Indies Your fleet is all under surveillance! I can  Let me tell you clearly that neither Britain nor Germany will allow an independent French fleet to exist for a long time! To help you solve these troubles, we are willing to invest US$200 million to lease eight warships. And we can guarantee that when the war is over, these  The warships will be returned to the French government free of charge. If there is any loss, we will also compensate according to the price. Of course, you can rest assured that we will not use them in Europe."

    There was a trace of surprise in Darlan's eyes. He really didn't expect that Jin Bihui would ask for 200 million US dollars as soon as he opened his mouth!  If there are no other ideas, this is indeed a good way to preserve strength.  Because he did not want to hand over the fleet to Germany in the first place, and certainly would not hand it over to the perfidious Britain.  But the problem is that although Hitler promised to neutralize the French navy.  But if he rents his battleship to others, the Gestapo might be at the door tomorrow, let alone ascending to the throne of prime minister.

    " However, Jin Bihui has a special status, and since there is no hostility, he does not want to expose it.  So he pretended to watch the opera, tilted his head slightly and said: "Miss Jin, I forgive your behavior today. You go, I am not interested in any suggestions of taking the French Navy as my own. You only have twenty-four hours."  I don¡¯t mind handing you over to the Germans after the time has passed, I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t have a good impression of you.¡±

    "Okay." Surprisingly.  Jin Bihui was not annoyed at all by this attitude of being so distant. After picking up his satchel, he suddenly moved closer, pretending to be very intimate.  He bit his ear and said, "General, I have two pieces of news that may be of interest to you."

    "what news?"

    "The first news is that His Excellency Somerville, who is confronting the Japanese Navy in the Indian Ocean, has secretly transferred two Avenger-class battleships and the Formidable aircraft carrier to the Red Sea. There is also the King George V-class battleship that has just been commissioned by the Royal Navy.  , the battlecruiser HMS Hood, the battleship HMS Queen and the battleship HMS Resolution have all canceled their vacations and are replenishing combat supplies and ammunition in the harbor."

    Darlan was stunned by the two unrelated pieces of news.  But before he could figure it out, Jin Bihui had already stood up and kissed him on the cheek before leaving.  In the eyes of outsiders, it seems that the two are a very familiar boyfriend and girlfriend.  Some people even began to secretly think that this might be the lover of His Excellency the Admiral.

    "General, I never said anything, let alone been here." Jin Bihui didn't care about the looks around him, and quickly disappeared into the dark theater after finishing speaking.

    Darlan¡¯s wife was still nervous, wondering why her husband would let this woman of unknown origin go.  But at this time, Darlan's mind was completely attracted by the news just now, because he believed that Jin Bihui would not tell him these two pieces of news for no reason.

    Somerville brought two old aircraft carriers and four revenge shipsIt is not a secret that ?-class battleships are looking for opportunities in the Indian Ocean. The problem is that when the Indian Ocean is so tense, why did he dedicate half of the fleet to the Red Sea?  You know, his strength is not enough!  What goal would make Whitehall risk this decision?  As for the Hood and the newly commissioned battleship George V, they are the pillars of the Royal Navy second only to the two Nelsons. They will definitely not be used without major missions.  But now they are beginning to replenish supplies and prepare for the voyage.  Against Germany?  Darlan shook his head.  Bismarck has not yet entered service, and even if the entire German Navy's surface fleet were gathered together, they would not be able to defeat a single Hood.  Since it was not Germany, it must not be Japan, otherwise Somerville would not have divided its forces.

    Is it Italy?  That's possible.  Italy has seven battleships, even the Veneto battleship has been commissioned, and the remaining three are also stepping up construction, which has posed a serious threat to Britain's Mediterranean sea power.  But he quickly rejected the idea, because if the target was Italy, there was no need for Jin Bihui to tell him.  Since it's not Italy, it's Darlan's heart suddenly tightened!

    The only goal that allows Whitehall to risk being eaten by the Japanese navy is two battleshipsthe fourth navy in the world!  (Note 1)

    ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

    East of Seychelles, the sun flag is flying high.

    The deck of the Akagi was filled with fighter planes carrying torpedoes and bombs.  Mobile Fleet Commander Tsukahara 243 shuttled among the fleet, looking a little anxious.  It has been half a month since the attack on Ceylon, but the British fleet has not appeared as if it has disappeared.  When the French East Indies were unfavorable and the situation in the South China Sea became increasingly tense, the base camp had gradually lost patience. Even Admiral Nagano called and asked to give up the search to annihilate the British fleet and return to the Linga anchorage as soon as possible.

    "General, we are still 300 nautical miles away from the Seychelles." Mizuo Fuchida held the navigation report under his arm and walked quickly to Tsukahara: "In additionYoshi Nagasaki reported that our fuel is insufficient. At most  It can last for another day.¡±

    "I understand, send out a reconnaissance plane."

    "Hi!"

    Shortly after Mizuo Fuchida left, four Zero Fighters and six 97-ships carrying reconnaissance missions took off from the deck of the Kaga next to them.  Looking at the reconnaissance plane, Tsukahara 243 was not happy at all.  Coming to Seychelles is a gamble!  It was a decision made by Yamamoto Isoroku and him.  Because if the British fleet cannot be found here, then the First Fleet must return immediately!  Otherwise, the remaining oil would not even reach Andaman.

    In fact, by this time, Yamamoto Isoroku already knew that the British Navy did not want a decisive battle at all, and they deliberately delayed consumption in this way.  Because everyone knows that Japan has no base in the Indian Ocean and cannot get fuel replenishment.  On the contrary, Britain can easily obtain oil from the Persian Gulf. Whether it is Saudi PetroChina, China's Gulf Oil Company, or even the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, they are providing heavy oil to the British Navy. With bases all over the Indian Ocean, it can wait.  The Japanese main force took action after leaving.

    This is why Tsukahara 243 had to come to the Seychelles to gamble. If the main force of the British fleet cannot be eliminated, once the First Fleet withdraws to the Linga anchorage, the newly conquered Ceylon and Andaman Indian Ocean routes will be seriously threatened.  .

    But this time he made the right bet!

    An hour later, a reconnaissance plane reported and was intercepted by a British naval aircraft taking off from the Seychelles Port.  During the chase, a 97 ship attacker discovered the British aircraft carrier HMS Arenas and two British battleships HMS Avenger leaving the harbor!

    "Only two battleships?"

    After receiving the news, Tsukahara 243 became nervous.  Because the intelligence said there were four battleships and two aircraft carriers.  What about the remaining half?  Is he nearby, or is he hiding in a corner waiting to attack him?  "General, do you want to wait until Admiral Yamamoto's battleship arrives before taking action?"

    "No need! Akagi, Kaga and Soryu take off to attack, Hiryu is on standby." Although Tsukahara 243 didn't know why the British divided their forces, he intuitively believed that the other half of the fleet was nearby, so he decided to dispatch only three aircraft carriers to attack.  , leaving the Feilong behind to prevent sneak attacks.  But he didn't know that there was actually nothing the British Navy could do about dividing its forces.  Due to the strength of the French navy, Pound had to transfer two battleships and an aircraft carrier from Somerville's fleet.  Then let the remaining fleet temporarily cruise near the Seychelles, hoping to wear down the Japanese fleet and force it to voluntarily withdraw from the Indian Ocean.

    But Whitehall obviously did not expect that Tsukahara Tsukahara would take risks and boldly go deep into the Seychelles.

    At three o¡¯clock in the afternoon on June 24, the first Zero Fighter took off from the deck of the Akagi.

    In less than half an hour, 36 Zero Fighters, 40 99 Ship Explosives and 48 97 Ship Attacks formed two waves of attack formations, heading towards the Seychelles in a mighty manner.

    "Either succeed, or retreat."

      Looking at the fleet of aircraft, Tsukahara Er4san muttered something.

    ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

    Note 1: Ranking of major powers before 1939, Britain, France, the United States, China, the Soviet Union, Germany, Japan and Italy.  Ranking of the world's major naval powers, Britain, the United States, Japan, France, China, Italy and Germany, the Republic of China has the fourth largest navy, but lacks experience and actual combat, so it is ranked behind France.

    (To be continued)

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