noffsinger Chapter 314 Talks
Chapter 314 Talks
Eisenhower and Matthews walked into Weimed's office. Despite Weimed's frustration, he stood up and politely invited Eisenhower and Matthews to sit in his small reception room. Seeing this, his aide hurriedly prepared tea for them. However, Eisenhower unexpectedly stopped him and asked him to make coffee for himself and Matthews.
After everyone was seated, Eisenhower spoke bluntly, "Sir, I'm sure you're unhappy with Matthews's decision to arrange the Air Force commander's personnel without your permission. If that's the case, I've brought him here. Feel free to speak directly to him if you have any questions."
Matthews knew that, despite Eisenhower's intention to send several individuals to the Army Air Force Headquarters, he had indeed overstepped his bounds by making the appointment without the Chief of Staff. He would undoubtedly be held responsible. He quickly stood up, bowed slightly, and with a sincere expression on his face, he addressed Weimade, "Chief of Staff, this is indeed my fault. I have rescinded the appointment. Fortunately, it has not yet been officially announced to the troops."
Eisenhower also needed to explain to Weimad, so he took over the conversation. "Sir, you should understand that some senior personnel are often denied promotions. Even though they haven't made any significant military achievements, denying them promotion opportunities for a long time is extremely detrimental to the stability of the military. We are currently in wartime, but we must also consider the post-war situation. Important military positions cannot be solely filled by warmongers. I think you understand what I mean."
How could Wehmad not understand this? He had served in a staff position for a long time, so how could he not be familiar with the structure of the US military? In the US military, the Chief of Staff actually has more room for promotion than the Commander of a Service. The Secretary of Defense must be a civilian, and the highest position a military officer can hold is the Chairman of the Joint Staff. In the competition for this position, the Chief of Staff clearly has the upper hand over the Commander of a Service. In other words, in the future, Wehmad's chances of becoming the highest military position in the US military will be far greater than that of Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces. Wehmad's current qualifications and performance in this war have already destined him to be the most promising candidate to succeed Marshall as Chief of Staff, which is one of the reasons why Wehmad dared to challenge Eisenhower.
What Eisenhower actually said was an important issue concerning the future balance of the U.S. military. After the war, the U.S. military will inevitably be massively reduced, and most of the generals who have emerged from the battlefield will not continue to remain in active service. In order to balance the future army, a large number of conservative people must be arranged. The war has allowed a large number of warlike generals to stand out. Now it can be seen that it will not take much time to end this epic war, and it is time to support conservative forces.
Weimade nodded involuntarily. "I understand the Commander-in-Chief's intentions very well. I fully agree with this arrangement. However, the Army Aviation Corps is only just beginning to be established, and it's being established in the name of the Allied Forces. We must consider all aspects of the situation. Let me report this to Mr. Marshall and suggest that we establish our own Army Aviation Command, independent of the Allied Forces. As for the specific personnel, I believe General Marshall will make his own arrangements."
"General, I don't recommend playing any tricks on Yang Hong. After all, we still have to act in the name of the Allies. In addition, we also need to seriously consider the British. The Soviet liaison officer, General Bao Delu, has also come to inquire about the relevant matters of the helicopter unit, so it is necessary to arrange for one or two Soviet officers to join."
"Now that the Germans have realized the formidable power of attack helicopters, I believe they will act swiftly. I have to say that the countermeasures Yang Hong proposed to me are indeed very far-sighted. He proposed classifying attack helicopters into two types: attack and ground cover, taking into account all possible future situations. Pu Zhengsong has already begun working with Martin to modify the H-1C heavy-duty helicopter to cope with the possible future German attack helicopters."
Eisenhower nodded in agreement and said with emotion, "Sir, your idea is very good. We have always lagged behind the Germans in engine technology. Once the German armed helicopters appear, they will pose a huge threat to our helicopter units and even our ground forces. It seems that strengthening the construction capacity of the Army Aviation Corps is urgent!"
Wei Maide took a deep breath and said in a serious tone, "This is exactly why I strongly advocated that Yang Hong establish the Army Aviation Command. Although the war has reached a critical moment that will determine the outcome, the cruelty of war becomes more apparent at this time. We must be prepared for greater sacrifices."
Eisenhower immediately understood Weimed's intention. He asked thoughtfully, "Sir, do you want to provide helicopters to the Soviet Union at the same time?"
"No, no, no!" Wei Made waved his hands vigorously. "Helicopters aren't a core technology. We only need to provide a few prototypes and blueprints. The key is our forward-thinking tactical thinking! I firmly believe that under the current circumstances, the Flower Growers still need us, so we must make full use of their manpower."
Eisenhower nodded slightly in agreement, then said something seemingly insignificant but profound: "After landing in France, I believe our troops will be trapped in a quagmire-like battle. Therefore, the Allied forces must advance steadily and step by step."
Weimade took over the conversation and said, "The task of liberating Italy and southern Europe should be primarily carried out by the Flower Planting Family's troops, while the US military should focus on conquering France."
"Yes, the British are certainly eager to avenge their previous defeat. In this way, the offensive in Belgium and the Netherlands can be handed over to the British army."
"What's crucial is the strategic bombers. General, this is our bottom line. Now is the time to launch a large-scale bombing raid on the German deep areas!"
In May 1946, American bomber formations, arriving from the Far East, arrived in succession over North Africa, Britain, and the Allied-occupied Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, as well as the French island of Corsica. Beginning on the 5rd, a series of fierce air battles erupted between the Allies and the Germans for control of the skies over Europe. Fighter losses on both sides grew exponentially. Soon after, Allied bomber formations shifted from nighttime bombing to continuous day and night bombing. Germany's key industrial cities suffered heavy losses, leaving them in ruins...