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Volume Two: My Country Five Hundred and Thirty-Five. The Biggest Challenge (Third Update)

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    Rommel's series of dazzling victories in Africa allowed him to successfully become Marshal of the German Empire and pushed his personal reputation to the highest peak.

    But this does not allow Germany to win in Africa.

    The British appointed Montgomery to command all Allied forces in Africa.  Erwin Rommel met the biggest enemy in his life!

    On August 12, 1942, General Montgomery flew to Africa and was ordered to take over command of the 8th Army.

    Montgomery has a face like an eagle, and his high-pitched voice with a strong English twang does not sound very friendly.  He was similar to Rommel in many ways.  Both of these people are withdrawn in character and have more enemies than friends around them; they are both domineering and arrogant. When they take orders from others, they are like unruly horses, but when they receive full command power, they are  They are both excellent commanders with sober minds and the most unique insights; both like sports, neither smoke nor drink hard liquor, and pay attention to maintaining good health.

    Like Rommel who always wore his famous hat with plexiglass goggles, Montgomery also wore a weird Australian bush hat with a team crest to show his difference.  In addition, both men like to select outstanding, young and handsome officers to form their own staff teams.  In terms of tactics, Rommel was good at mobile warfare, while Montgomery was never an expert in mobile warfare that swept thousands of miles; but in positional warfare that was carefully arranged in advance, he was more skilled than Rommel.  In terms of intelligence acquisition, Rommel could not compare with Montgomery.  Since Rommel lost his radio listening company, he has been able to obtain less and less information about the British army.  British intelligence agencies knew how to mislead the enemy in terms of intelligence sources, and a large amount of easily deciphered intelligence hinted to the Germans that the Italians were constantly leaking intelligence.

    Rommel was convinced of this deception, which further deepened his contempt for the Italians.  However, the British intelligence agencies continuously sent Montgomery a large amount of German intelligence they had detected, but Rommel knew nothing about it.  "Rommel was blindfolded as he was dueling Montgomery," a German military commentator said after the war.

    However, both Montgomery and Rommel also clearly understood that the outcome of mechanized warfare depends to a large extent on logistical supply.  Therefore, both of them strongly requested that their headquarters do their best to transport more combat personnel and weapons and equipment to the African battlefield.  Obviously, Montgomery has an absolute advantage in this regard.  The war machines of Britain and the United States were at full capacity, and large numbers of fleets flooded across the Mediterranean, transporting large amounts of weapons, equipment and logistical supplies to the British army.  The strength of the 8th Army is increasing day by day.  Churchill told Montgomery that the 10th Army was being formed, and 300 "Sherman" tanks were expected to be shipped from the United States to North Africa in early September.

    On August 30, Rommel finally made "the most difficult decision in his life":

    That is to attack the British army.

    This can actually be said to be the final "fight of life and death".  Because at this time the number of tanks in the Armored Corps was less than half that of the British army, and the remaining fuel was not even enough to travel 160 kilometers, and the British army still firmly controlled the air superiority.

    In the early morning, when Rommel boarded the car and headed to the command post, he told the health doctor with a heavy heart: "The attack launched today is the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life. Either we will reach the Suez Canal, or"

    It is really difficult for him to say the following words.

    The British army soon discovered the information that Rommel was about to launch an attack from the deciphered secret messages.  Although Ochinrik repeatedly hinted to Montgomery that the 8th Army should retreat to preserve its strength in the event of Rommel's all-out attack, Montgomery believed that the current British army was fully capable of defeating Rommel's attack and could take this opportunity to quickly  Launch a counterattack.  At a meeting of senior army officers, Montgomery announced to everyone the order "Never Retreat."

    At 10 o'clock that night, under the pale moonlight, the African Armored Corps advanced along the undulating sand dunes towards the British minefield.  The left wing of the Afrika Korps was the Italian tank force, and the right wing was the 90th Light Armored Division.  Under the guidance of the engineers, the soldiers shook their miniature flashlights and carefully passed through their own minefields.  Just when the troops were about to pass through their own minefield, the African Army Band played an old Prussian march that made the veterans' throats choke.  The officers and soldiers of the Armored Corps would never know that they were also stepping into the trap that the British army had already set for them.

    Late at night, the Armored Corps launched an attack on the British position at the southern end of the Alamein line of defense.  The intelligence obtained by Rommel was that the British army had no mines in this area and the defensive force was also very weak.  But when the attack began, the Germans actually broke into an extremely dense minefield.  When the African Army slowly advanced behind the engineers, suddenly, one after another, illumination bombs?There was an explosion in the air, and the dazzling flash immediately exposed the troops to the range of British fire.  The British heavy machine guns and artillery that had been ready immediately fired fiercely at the German troops in the minefield.  Tanks, armored transporters and cars were hit and set on fire. Some vehicles and soldiers stepped on landmines to avoid artillery fire.

    Suddenly, there was a loud explosion of shells, bombs and mines.  General Bismarck was struck by a mine and died. Commander Neining's command vehicle was also hit by artillery fire. Most of the officers in the vehicle were killed, and he himself was seriously injured.  Chief of Staff Colonel Bayerlein immediately transferred to another car and continued to direct the Afrika Korps to advance.  The engineers braved artillery fire and worked hard to clear the way in front, and the troops followed behind and moved forward bit by bit, and finally passed this "death zone".

    When the Afrika Korps was trapped in a minefield, Rommel even planned to cancel the attack. It was obvious that the British army had already made preparations, and the originally expected surprise attack on the British army was no longer possible.  However, when the Afrika Korps broke through the minefield and continued to advance, Rommel decided to continue the attack.

    After crossing the minefield, the African Army regrouped and prepared to attack Alam Halfa.  At this time, the Air Force sent a reconnaissance report, and Rommel couldn't help but have an ominous premonition.  The Air Force reported that the British troops had built a very strong position on this ridge, and the defenders also discovered the 44th Infantry Division, which had recently been transferred from Britain.

    By this time it was too late for the African Army to withdraw from the battle.  The Afrika Korps attacked.  At the beginning, the attack went relatively smoothly, but the subsequent Italian troops were trapped by minefields and failed to catch up in time.  Montgomery has mobilized more than 400 tanks and a large number of anti-tank guns to strengthen the troops defending the ridge.  Under the stubborn resistance of the British army, the offensive power of the African Army became increasingly weak.

    In the afternoon, a big storm blew in the desert.  Although the storm prevented British aircraft from accurately dropping bombs, it also made the African Army's advance very difficult.  During the night the storm died down.  Under the blazing light of the flares, the personnel, tanks and vehicles of the African Army all became living targets of the British army.  After dropping their bombs, some British aircraft bravely rushed towards the advancing German tanks. The violent explosions were deafening, and the flames after the explosions illuminated the night sky.  Under the attack of the British army, the African Army quickly became unable to move and had to temporarily stop the attack.

    At the same time, German attacks in other directions also encountered stubborn resistance from the British army.  The British defenses seemed impregnable.  The Italian troops responsible for transporting supplies and fuel to the front line were also attacked by British aircraft and the 7th Armored Division. They suffered heavy losses and were unable to cross the British blocking line.

    On September 1, the German frontline offensive troops were running out of fuel.  Rommel had to order to abandon all large-scale operations and continue to attack only some local important targets.  That morning, the Afrika Korps used all the strength of the 15th Armored Division to launch the final attack on Alam Halfa.  After destroying a large number of British tanks, the German tanks prepared to circle east of the ridge to surround the defending British troops and force them to abandon their positions.  At this time, the tank's gasoline and ammunition could no longer support the subsequent attack, and the German army was forced to stop.

    On September 2, British Air Force aircraft bombed the attacking German forces 12 times.  British artillery also fired back fiercely.  On the front of the 15th Armored Division alone, which was less than 3 kilometers away, the British army fired more than 10,000 artillery shells.  Tanks and vehicles that have lost their mobility have become the favorite targets of the British army.  This day was the day with the heaviest losses for the German army.

    It is no longer possible to continue to attack.  At 8:25 a.m., Rommel was forced to announce a halt to the attack and ordered the Afrika Korps to withdraw to their pre-attack position.  In order to prevent the British army from taking the opportunity to counterattack, Rommel ordered that the troops should keep the secret as much as possible during the retreat. "If the soldiers want to ask, tell them that it is a change of defense."

    Erwin Rommel suffered the most disastrous defeat in his life!

    On September 6, Rommel finally withdrew his troops to the offensive starting position.  The African Armored Corps began to shift into the preparation stage to defend against the British attack.

    The shadow of failure is hanging over the German army

    But in the middle of the night on September 6, things seemed to have changed. A figure who could turn defeat into victory for the German Afrika Korps appeared. At least, this was what all the German troops thought.

    As long as this person appears, no matter how difficult the situation is, you can get through it:

    Marshal Ernst Brahm:

    ¡ª¡ªSkeleton Baron!

    Wherever there is danger, there is the Baron!

    "Marshal!"

    "Marshal!"

    Facing the German generals who came to greet him, Marshal Ernst Brahm looked solemn:

    "Call all senior military officers for an emergency meeting, immediately!"

    A god-like figure appears, and Germany¡¯s hope emergesGot it!  The German generals eagerly hope that Marshal Ernst Brahm can create a new miracle just like he did on the Russian battlefield.

    But at least from the current point of view, the challenge faced by Marshal Ernst Brahm is too severe!  (To be continued. Please search Piaotian Literature, the novels will be better and updated faster!)
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