Chapter 1685: Defeat (ask for a monthly ticket)
United States Army Air Forces, Office of the Commander.
Army Air Corps Combat Forces Commander Delos Emmons Lieutenant General stood dejectedly at the desk of Admiral Henry Arnold.
"General, can you give me another chance? Today we caused the Germans to lose more than 300 fighter jets. The battle loss ratio has dropped to 1.7 to 1. If this continues, we will soon be able to support the Germans Don't go down." Lieutenant General Delos Emmons pleaded.
Admiral Henry Arnold shook his head: "General Emmons, I really want to give you another chance. But unfortunately, it's not that I will give you a chance now. It's that we have nothing to do. Although we shot down today The Germans lost 300 fighters. However, our losses are still more than 500. These days, we have lost more than 2,000 fighters. Not only have we suffered heavy losses, but the navy has suffered heavy losses. The British Air Force and Navy The loss is that there are not many fighters left."
"General, we still have a lot of fighter jets. They can continue to be used in combat." Lieutenant General Delos Emmons continued.
After all, the U.S. Marine Corps is much richer than it is. Even the huge losses these days have made them a little bit hurt. However, if you want to continue to hold on, it is not impossible.
However, General Henry Arnold still shook his head.
"General Emmons, we have just received the latest information. Before dark, the Germans have been supplemented. More than 500 fighter jets that took off from the German mainland have landed in Newfoundland after passing through Norway and Iceland. Island and the German aircraft carrier. Even the Germans have completed the expansion of the two airfields on Newfoundland. This allows them to deploy more fighters on Newfoundland. If we continue to launch A large-scale attack will not only not allow us to take advantage of anything, but will also cause us to pay greater losses. Our fighters are running out, and there are still more battles to be fought. It is impossible for us to lose all our fighter planes in this air battle." Admiral Henry Arnold said.
Lieutenant General Delos Emmons looked very ugly. Germany has been sending more reinforcements to Newfoundland. He is very clear about this. Otherwise, the total number of fighter planes of the Luftwaffe and the German Navy may have been lost long ago.
"General, if we don't hold back the German Air Force and Navy's carrier-based aircraft units, the British and we may find it difficult to resist the German attack." Lieutenant General Delos Emmons said.
Admiral Henry Arnold nodded: "That may happen. But we have tried our best. You know? Because of the huge losses, many pilots are already afraid of fighting the Germans. I dare say that if we continue to If the Heyi attack is launched, all the pilots will refuse to take off to fight in less than two days."
Lieutenant General Delos Emmons turned pale immediately. He knew that the pilots of the U.S. Army Air Corps were indeed frightened by the huge loss. Even though they love their country very much, if they are asked to die, many people will refuse.
"General, I understand. But even if we don't try our best to compete with the Germans for air supremacy, we have to dispatch some fighters to contain the German air power. In this way, the pressure on the Army will be less." Delos Emmons Will recommend.
"Well, I know!" General Henry Arnold replied.
However, in view of the war on Cape Breton Island, the role that the U.S. Army Air Force can play may be very small.
After the German Air Force completed the expansion of the airport on Newfoundland, it is now able to deploy almost two aviation clusters on this island. The number of fighter jets alone has risen to 720. If the aircraft carrier formation of the three major fleets of the German Navy is added, the number of fighter jets may reach about 1,500. This is already a very large number. Unless the U.S. Army Air Force dispatches all its fighters, it will simply not be able to confront the German Air Force and Navy carrier-based aircraft forces. Even, if they continue to fight and consume like this, they will not be able to hold on. Germany's production speed of fighter jets is no slower than that of the United States. Coupled with the advantages of the German army in fighter performance and pilot quality, this will give the German army a greater advantage. The U.S. military is completely at a disadvantage. Continuing to fight will be very detrimental to the US military.
In addition, on the ground battlefield of Cape Breton Island, the German Army and Marine Corps also gained an advantage. The 1st Army of the German Army and the Marine Corps surrounded and annihilated the British troops stationed here in Sydney. The 4th Armored Division of the British Army was wiped out. The rest of the infantry was also almost wiped out. This greatly weakened the strength of the British army on Cape Breton Island.
Now, the German 1st Army has launched an offensive to the south of Cape Breton Island. Even though the British army dispatched a lot of troops from the Nova Scotia peninsula for reinforcements. But I'm afraid it still can't stop the German attack.
With the German army having absolute superiority in sea and air, even though the British army was very brave, they resisted tenaciously, but they were still easily defeated by the German army.
When the overwhelming shells and bombs fell from the sky and hit the heads of the British army, even the bravest troops would suffer heavy losses. The torrent of steel formed by the German armored forces is completely capable of rampaging and wantonly tearing apart the British defense line.
The British Army has repeatedly made requests, hoping that the 1st Army of the U.S. Army can land on Cape Breton Island to assist the British Army in countering the German attack. But the U.S. Army seemed to be frightened by the Germans. They would rather take over the defense of the Nova Scotia Peninsula than land on Cape Breton Island to compete with the Germans.
The same goes for the 2nd Army of the U.S. Army that arrived on the battlefield later.
Compared to the small Cape Breton Island, the Nova Scotia Peninsula has relatively more room for maneuver. If the battle is unfavorable, they can retreat quickly. But if you go to Cape Breton Island, if the battle is unfavorable and you want to retreat, it will not be so easy.
It is for this reason that the British army could not stop the German attack on Cape Breton Island. In the end, even the British Army itself seemed to accept its fate.
On the afternoon of December 7, the remnants of the British army withdrew from Cape Breton Island and retreated to the Nova Scotia peninsula. The entire island of Cape Breton fell into German hands.