hotmtlnovel Chapter 43 I made it up, I made it up
Chapter 43 I made it up, I made it up
"I checked the hidden timeline of this world: In December 1938, the painter secretly sent someone to Moscow. The Soviet Union demanded spheres of influence in Eastern Europe, and Germany received a promise of 'Soviet non-intervention in the German-Polish war' in return; in addition, 1938 was a mild winter, and the autumn harvest in Germany and Eastern Europe was a month earlier, meaning that military food reserves by the end of December were enough to support six months of combat. With these two preconditions met, the painter had no reason to wait until September!"
Seeing Yan Shuo frowning, not quite understanding, Xiao Zhi added a crucial point: "The core issue is that Germany still wants the Danzig Corridor, industrial resources, and a springboard for its eastward expansion from Poland—the essence hasn't changed! The 'September intelligence' you remembered can still be used with a different timestamp and some additional details. Moreover, the Military Intelligence Bureau hasn't obtained reliable firsthand information yet, so the intelligence you submit now is far more valuable!"
Next, Xiaozhi broke down each of the previous information-gathering methods, adding arguments for "why it works" for each one:
"Let's start with the café outside the German consulate. This trick will definitely work. I'm not suggesting you eavesdrop, but rather find 'information loopholes.' In this world, Germany has just occupied Poland, and the consulate is packed with incredibly busy staff: there's an economic officer responsible for compiling statistics on Polish industrial capacity, a military attaché coordinating arms trade with China, and a communications soldier relaying frontline reports. When they relax in the café, they won't be wary of a 'German-speaking businessman,' and they'll most likely be discussing things like 'just finished compiling statistics on the number of machine tools in Warsaw,' 'the 3rd Panzer Division's supplies in Posen are a bit behind schedule,' and 'the customs at Danzig haven't been fully taken over yet.' These are the details that the Military Intelligence Bureau wants most!"
"And don't think of this as 'hearing old news,' these are all things that just happened a few days ago! Germany has only occupied Poland for a little over half a month, and the supply problems at the front and the loopholes in the control of the occupied areas are constantly changing. If you piece these fragments together, for example, 'the German army has amassed three armored divisions in western Poland, relying on the railway for supplies, and two railway bridges on the Polish-German border have been blown up by Polish retreating soldiers,' isn't that fresh intelligence? It's much more valuable than macro-level news like 'Germany occupies Warsaw' that the Military Intelligence Bureau scrambles from the newspapers!"
Regarding the street posters, Xiao Zhi elaborated further: "The German posters in the concessions weren't just randomly put up; they were their 'propaganda tools.' Having just occupied Poland, Germany wanted to create momentum internationally to prove its 'justification,' so the posters would read 'German troops enter Posen to protect German residents' and 'Ganzig Free Port returns to German territory.' These posters, seemingly propaganda, actually contained crucial information: the unit numbers of the troops stationed, the specific cities occupied, and even the signature 'German Eastern Occupation Zone Command,' all excellent material for fabricating intelligence!"
After Xiao Zhi analyzed the situation, Yan Shuo had a better understanding. He contacted the news he had recently heard and the discussions among the German overseas Chinese, compiled a report, and sent it back to Shancheng.
Rear Admiral, Red Bean salutes:
The German army completed its occupation of the core western region of Poland on February 10, 1939. Currently, its focus is on controlling the occupied territories and plundering resources, and there are no signs of advancing westward into France. Its espionage activities in China have recently intensified, which may be related to adjustments in arms trade with China and requires close attention.
I. The specific deployment of the German army in the occupied territories of Poland, compiled from casual conversations among staff of the German consulate in the concession and street propaganda posters.
1. Main Force Distribution: The main German forces currently stationed in Poland consist of three armored divisions: the 3rd, 10th, and 1st Armored Divisions, and five infantry divisions. The 3rd Armored Division is stationed in Posen, responsible for controlling the Polish-German border railway hub; the 10th Armored Division is stationed in the free port of Danzig, primarily taking over port customs and shipping facilities; and the 1st Armored Division is deployed around Warsaw, responsible for security control in the occupied area. According to German officials speaking privately, the units rely on the Polish-German border railway for supplies, but recently, Polish troops destroyed two key railway bridges, causing a temporary delay in supplies, which are currently being urgently repaired.
2. Key areas of control in occupied territories: First, the plunder of industrial resources. Three large machine tool factories in the Krakow industrial zone and two munitions factories in Warsaw were taken over, and the factories were forced to resume production, with priority given to supplying German equipment repair parts. Second, population control. "Temporary control zones" were established in areas with large German populations, such as Danzig and Posen, and a pass system was implemented for local Polish residents. Street posters showed that the German army had arrested about 200 "anti-German resistance fighters". Third, transportation blockade. The land borders between Poland and Czechoslovakia and Lithuania were closed, with only the port of Danzig open for external shipping, and only German merchant ships were allowed to pass.
II. Analysis of Recent Strategic Movements of the German Army
1. No short-term westward advance plans: During a casual conversation, the German military attaché mentioned that "the western front defense is solid, and the current priority is to consolidate the gains in Poland." Considering that the main German forces are deployed in Poland and only a small number of defensive troops are left on the western front, it is judged that the German army is unlikely to launch an offensive against Western European countries such as France and Belgium in the next 3-6 months. The core task is to integrate Polish resources and replenish military food and equipment reserves.
2. A tacit understanding with the Soviet Union: According to Soviet businessmen in the concession, Soviet officials recently made a secret visit to Berlin. Combined with the fact that the German army did not advance into eastern Poland, it is speculated that Germany and the Soviet Union have reached an agreement on the division of Polish spheres of influence. The Soviet Union may have tacitly approved the German army's occupation of western Poland, and the two sides have most likely signed a secret non-aggression pact.
III. Potential Impact on Our Side
1. Sino-German arms trade may change: After occupying Poland, the German army needs to concentrate resources on the European battlefield and may reduce the scale of arms exports to China. Recently, it has been observed that arms dealers in the German concession in Shanghai have been frequently in contact with the German consulate, possibly negotiating adjustments to the subsequent arms supply list to China. It is expected that the supply of heavy equipment such as tanks and artillery will be reduced, while the supply of light weapons and ammunition may remain in small quantities.
2. Recently, suspicious German individuals have been repeatedly spotted in bars, cafes, and other places in the concessions inquiring about our military and political movements, such as the progress of the relocation of the Southwest Associated University and the transportation situation on the Burma Road. It is speculated that after the German army occupied Poland ahead of schedule, it needed to strengthen intelligence gathering in the Far East in order to assess the feasibility of adjusting its strategy towards China.
IV. Recommended Action Directions
1. Strengthen surveillance in the German concession: focus on monitoring the German consulate, arms dealers' offices, and areas where Germans live in large numbers, collect communication information on German military personnel in China, and understand their espionage network;
2. Follow up on the dynamics of Sino-German arms trade: Inquire about the details of Germany's adjustments to arms supply to China through channels such as Shanghai Chinese-owned cotton mill owners having trade relations with German businesses, so as to provide a reference for our arms procurement;
Red Bean's report is complete.