233

Episode 233: What we will fight for (7)

May 2, 1943

10 Downing Street, London, England

Churchill sent Eden to Turkey to gauge Türkiye's intentions.

Before the war, he would have gone straight to Turkey via Gibraltar-Malta-Egypt, but as rebels rampaged in Egypt and even France turned into an enemy of Britain, Eden had to go around the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to Turkey.

I met with Eden Inönü, who had finally arrived in Turkey, and had a three-day, two-night meeting before returning to England.

"So, do you think you found out something?"

"Inönü told me that Turkey's friendliness with Germany was intended to gain various benefits, and that it had no intention of staying away from Britain. but… … "They said they couldn't blindly follow Britain's demands."

After meeting with Inonneux, Eden delivered Churchill's personal letter to him.

The personal letter was full of all kinds of diplomatic language and was polite, but if you look behind the scenes, it was full of subtle threats.

Britain wants to be friendly with Türkiye. However, it would be very boring if Turkey continued to be closer to Germany than to Britain.

Instead, if Turkey helps Britain, he will provide Turkey with a large amount of aid in return. So think carefully about whose side you will be on.

Eden expected Inonnui to be embarrassed or angry.

However, Inonnui did not show any reaction, just folded the letter neatly and put it on the table.

It was not until the last day of the meeting that Inönü revealed his true feelings. What does Britain want Turkey to do?

Churchill thought the best thing was for Turkey to form a formal alliance with Britain and attack the Axis powers Bulgaria and Romania in case of emergency... … Even Churchill had to admit that there was no way that was realistically possible.

Eden wanted Turkey to block mineral exports to Germany and to withdraw all German troops stationed in Turkey.

To this, Inonyu responded that he wanted the northern part of Iraq occupied by Britain to be given over to Turkey and Cyprus as well.

There was also a condition that Britain would be responsible for all rearmament of the Turkish army.

"Just like the Turks! "You look down on the British Empire!"

After hearing Eden's words, Churchill became furious. Eden dissuaded Churchill in a calm voice.

"Calm down, Mr. Prime Minister."

In Eden's view, Turkey had gone over to Germany's side.

Even if Turkey remained a pro-British country despite its past resentment, there was no way it could stop Germany with just the Turkish army.

If Hitler wanted to, it would not be a stretch to conquer Turkey.

However, Hitler preferred to draw them to his side through diplomacy rather than directly defeating and conquering them with guns and swords.

Just in case, if Yugo and Christ had been a little more conscious, they would have been enjoying prosperity under the German umbrella.

It's because they ruined everything because of their useless greed for territory.

In the case of Spain, it was more than Türkiye, never less.

The snub-like Franco kept saying that he would remain neutral with Britain, but it seemed to Eden that Franco had already clearly calculated whose side he would be on.

The only benefit that Britain had gained from its efforts so far was that Spain and Turkey were firmly pro-Germany and had no intention of cooperating with Britain even if they did not go to war with Britain.

Eden's prediction soon turned out to be a reality.

***

"dismissal! dismissal!"

"What's the fuss?"

Churchill was shaving when his secretary came rushing in with a telegram.

Recently, I was so busy with work that I neglected to shave, and the beards grew rapidly and covered my chin and philtrum.

"Turkey has just declared war on Great Britain."

Churchill ended up cutting his own chin with a razor. Even as his blood was dripping, Churchill stared at his secretary with a blank expression on his face.

"… … "Is that true?"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"You damn bastards! "How dare you, how dare you!!"

May 6, 1943

Turkey declared war on Britain.

By the time Turkey's declaration of war arrived in Britain, the first wave of Turkish troops had already landed on the coast of Cyprus.

***

Prior to the Turkish army's landing, the German Air Force's He 111 and Do 217 launched a sortie and devastated the British defensive positions on the coast of Cyprus.

Royal Navy destroyers in Cyprus were also sunk or lost to the German Air Force's fierce bombardment.

"Allahu Akbar!"

"Charge in the name of God!"

Many Turkish soldiers were upset that their country was torn apart by the British in World War I and wanted revenge.

Older non-commissioned officers and officers had experience directly participating in World War I and fighting against the British army.

Therefore, the Turkish army's will to fight was extraordinary.

"from now on! from now on!"

"Brothers and comrades! "The time has come for the long-awaited revenge!"

"Death to those who do not believe in God!"

Some of the Turkish army was armed with Kar98k and MP40 provided by Germany, but most went into battle with older Gew98, M1903 and MP18, also called 'Turkish Mauser'.

British soldiers who survived the bombing fired rifles and machine guns to stop the Turkish troops from landing, but they could not stop the Turkish troops, who were already burning with fighting spirit. Despite the barrage of bullets from the British troops stationed on the coast, the Turkish troops attacked while shouting Allah.

The Turkish troops recklessly rushed towards the few remaining British garrisons and soon cut down the British troops indiscriminately with bayonets and scimitars.

Twenty minutes after the landing began, the British garrison raised a white flag.

After clearing the coast, transport ships carrying additional troops and equipment reached the coast of Cyprus.

The T-26, which had been converted to cosmetics, and the 4th Panzer, produced directly at a factory built by German engineers, entered the land of Cyprus.

The morale of the Turkish army soared as the landing was successful and the tanks, the kings of ground warfare, arrived.

"Let's go, brothers!"

"God and Atatürk are watching us!"

When the Turkish army began to advance into the interior of Cyprus, Spain, located on the other side of the Mediterranean, also began action under German orders.

The He 177 squadron, which took off from an airfield in Spain, eventually reached the skies of Gibraltar and dropped Leger.

Leger's rain pouring down from the sky dealt a huge blow to the British defense facilities stationed in Gibraltar and the Royal Navy fleet anchored in the port.

Gibraltar, with its rocky walls, was a difficult environment to build a runway for aircraft to take off and land.

Therefore, aircraft from the German and Spanish air forces freely flew over Gibraltar, dropping bombs and firing strafing guns, throwing the British army into confusion.

The power of Leger, a huge bomb weighing over 5 tons, was powerful.

The British soldiers, who thought they would be safe inside a natural cave or a bunker made of poured concrete, were buried alive with the ceiling collapsing.

Who knew that the bunker they believed would protect them from the bombs outside would become their tomb?

The Queen Elizabeth-class battleship Royal Sovereign was also hit by two Leger shots, causing its hull to tilt and sink.

It was built by Churchill to defend Gibraltar and was the only battleship to stop the German-Spanish Allied invasion of Gibraltar, but it was unable to withstand the power of the seismic bomb developed by Germany.

The damage suffered by cruisers and destroyers, which were smaller than battleships and had less defense, was indescribable.

Anti-aircraft batteries worked hard to chase away the Stukas, which were like swarms of flies, but the Stuka squadrons driven by German and Spanish pilots stuck together tenaciously and dropped their bombs.

While the Air Force bombarded Gibraltar's defenses one by one, soldiers from the German Mountain Division and the Spanish Infantry Division checked their guns for the last time and listened to their officers.

Veteran soldiers who had fought in the Spanish Civil War and even in the far-off frozen soil of Russia seemed relaxed, but new recruits, who had only fired a few shots during shooting training after enlisting, were completely frozen.

A captain from the Blue Division, who participated in the Eastern Front and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class for destroying two T-34s, concluded the event.

"Further than that! One, great and free! "Let's show the bravery of the Spaniards to those arrogant British bastards!"

"Alright, everyone forward!"

A Bf109 of the Spanish Air Force passed over the heads of soldiers heading towards the battlefield. Each soldier took a powerful step forward with their hearts puffed out.

With the powerful Germany helping Spain, there is no way they will be defeated.

The UK is already on the verge of extinction, while Germany is on the rise.

And as an ally of Germany, the new rising sun, Spain will enjoy abundance and glory in the world of the new order that will rule Europe in the future!

***

May 7, 1943

Seville, Spain

The war situation went smoothly.

The German-Spanish Combined Air Force bombed Gibraltar mercilessly, causing enormous damage to British troops stationed in Gibraltar.

The Gibraltar fleet was destroyed, and the defense force also suffered damage close to destruction.

Since more than 30 rounds of Leger were dropped on Gibraltar alone, the effect was clear.

"The Queen Elizabeth-class battleship Royal Sovereign sank two destroyers of unknown class! "One enemy light cruiser is heavily destroyed!"

"Good!"

"That's it!"

There was cheering at the news that the main force of the fleet stationed in Gibraltar, which was the biggest obstacle to the attack on Gibraltar, had been defeated.

"The strength of the Gibraltar defenders has been cut in half."

"Report from Vice Admiral Grandes. Capture of Gibraltar Fortress completed. "Currently clearing up the remaining remains."

"This might end sooner than you think, right?"

"That's right. ha ha ha."

Franco smiled broadly at the words of Senior General Ludwig Kübler, Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Expeditionary Force.

Franco, who had jumped into the risky gamble of war with Britain, believing in the compensation promised by Germany, was overjoyed when the invasion of Gibraltar went much easier than expected.

Capturing Gibraltar is the first step. In order to wear clothes neatly, you must insert the first button into the hole.

Unlike Franco, who was in a cheerful mood, Foreign Minister Jakobo Fitzhames, 17th Duke of Alba, could not hide his gloomy expression.

Although he was Spanish, he had territory in England and was friendly with members of the British upper class, so he was not happy with the current situation of war with England.

Not only Fitzhames, but many of the leaders of the Franco regime did not like the war with Britain, but once the highest authority in Spain had decided on war with Britain, there was no one who could overturn it.

With shells falling on Gibraltar and a declaration of war sent to Britain, Spain's best option was to do its best to help Germany win the war.

If Germany wins, it will be able to regain Gibraltar, the West Indies and Guiana, formerly Spanish territories, as Hitler promised.

But if you lose the war... … .

Morocco, the remaining colony, will of course have to be spit out, and the Basque Country and Catalonia may separate from Spain.

Britain shattered the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so what would happen to Spain, which was smaller and less powerful?

However, looking at the upward trend of Germany, which had never fallen since the start of the war, it seemed too early to worry about what would happen after defeat.

The fact that Turkey, on the other side of the Mediterranean, entered the war on Germany's side also alleviated some of the burden on Spain.

I hope Germany continues this momentum. Let us prove to ourselves that Spain's choice was not wrong by destroying Britain.

***

When what he had planned to do became a reality, Churchill was on fire.

Ministers and generals were summoned and an emergency meeting was held, but none of them could come up with a suitable solution.

A plan was being built in preparation for Spain and Turkey joining the war on Germany's side, but four months passed before the plan was completed.

"I, I will absolutely, no matter what happens, crush the balls of those damned Franco and Inonnu. "I'll make you pay for siding with Hitler and destroying the British Empire!"

Churchill rolled his eyes and cried out for bloody revenge against traitorous Spain and Türkiye.

Since Spain and Turkey had never been allies of Britain, the word betrayal was not a very appropriate expression, but no one complained about Churchill's words.

British forces in Gibraltar and Cyprus were fighting against the invading army, but the odds were against them.

In addition, Spain and Turkey entered the war and attacked at almost the same time, so it was necessary to decide which side to rescue first.

"Of course it's Gibraltar, right?"

Churchill chose Gibraltar as if it were a no-brainer. Cyprus is also an important strategic point, but it falls short of Gibraltar.

As U-boats spread mines in the Strait of Gibraltar, passage became very difficult, but if Gibraltar was completely taken away, passage itself would become impossible.

If Gibraltar is blocked, to enter the Mediterranean Sea, you have to go around the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, pass through the mine-filled Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, up the Red Sea, and then through the Suez Canal, which is also riddled with mines.

The opposite is also true.

Just by occupying Gibraltar, Germany would be able to completely hold back the British Mediterranean Fleet.

"Admiral Somerville. Contact Malta immediately and instruct them to save Gibraltar. At all costs! "But the Mediterranean fleet is still less powerful than the Spanish navy."

Somerville nodded silently with a face as stern as Churchill.

There is a high possibility that the Spanish Navy and French Navy will interfere on the way to Gibraltar, but the Mediterranean Fleet will be able to defeat them.

But Somerville had more to worry about than interference from the Spanish and French navies.

"Mr Prime Minister, what if Gibraltar falls before the Mediterranean Fleet arrives?"

"Are you asking me a horse? Of course we have to recapture it!"

"However, to gather all the troops and equipment needed to recapture Gibraltar and set off, it will take about a day even if we do it quickly. Even if we assume that sailors from warships are landed on land and used as ground troops."

Churchill paused at Somerville's words.

This is only the minimum amount of time, and in reality, it was likely to take longer. Two days? Maybe three days.

"But you can't give up Gibraltar like this, right? And since Gibraltar is a place that the British Empire put a lot of effort into fortifying for a long time, it will not fall that easily."

Although he received reports that the Luftwaffe's seismic bombs - was his name Leger? - had seriously damaged Gibraltar's painstakingly built fortifications and defenses, Churchill was confident that Gibraltar would not fall easily.

No matter how bad the situation is, wouldn't you be able to hold out for at least five days?

Meanwhile, reinforcements from Malta arrive and drive out the invading forces on land.

"Cyprus is next. "Right now, saving Gibraltar comes first."

In order to save Gibraltar, Cyprus had to come last.

Churchill argued that it was possible to save Gibraltar first and then Cyprus, but Somerville and naval officials doubted whether that would be possible.

No matter how Gibraltar was saved, it was obvious that the German and Spanish troops would attack again the moment the Mediterranean Fleet moved to retake Cyprus.

Somerville also pointed out this point and advised Churchill.

It is right to give up on Cyprus. The current Mediterranean fleet is not capable of protecting both Gibraltar and Cyprus.

However, Churchill was stubborn.

"Why don't we save Gibraltar and then go to Cyprus after our fleet arrives at Gibraltar? "If you give up Cyprus and the Nazis and Turks turn Cyprus into an unsinkable aircraft carrier, how will you respond?"

Churchill predicted that the reason Germany and Turkey attacked Cyprus was to make it an unsinkable aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean.

It is approximately 400 km from Cyprus to the Suez Canal. This is a sufficient distance for Germany's bombers to make a round trip.

If Germany deploys a large number of aircraft in Cyprus and launches daily attacks on the Suez Canal, Britain will have to deploy significant forces near the canal to defend the Suez Canal.

Of course, only the rebels in Egypt and Palestine are affected.

"I won't say anything. After Gibraltar, Cyprus. If we lose either of these places, we will lose the Mediterranean forever. Of course, we will be further away from victory."