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"Rommel, if I told you that in the future, tanks could reach speeds of 40 kilometers per hour, with armor thickness exceeding several millimeters, equipped with powerful cannons and mounted machine guns, would you still think that tanks have no role in future warfare?"
Rommel rested his chin on his hand, "If such a tank really exists, then tanks would indeed be of extraordinary significance in future warfare. We could use tanks to cover infantry attacks, and with such powerful firepower, tanks could even launch solo attacks against the enemy, achieving unprecedented attack speeds. But, does such a tank really exist?"
"Of course, I have such a tank right here, although it only exists on paper."
Strasser was well-prepared. As a history teacher at the university, he had also taken military theory courses and was very familiar with the tank blueprints from World War II. The textbook included designs of tanks, and Strasser quickly sketched a rough draft from memory overnight. Although it was somewhat crude, it was sufficient for his needs.
"Really? What blueprints? We would like to take a look," someone said.
At that moment, the door to the conference room opened again, and three soldiers in army uniforms entered, saluting Strasser.
"Colonel von Bock reporting to you, Mr. Gregor."
"Colonel Gerd von Rundstedt reporting to you, Mr. Gregor."
"Captain Kurt Student reporting to you, Mr. Gregor."
Strasser felt a bit anxious. "I can't bear such formalities; I'm just a mere lieutenant." Bock and the others laughed heartily.
"No, you can afford it. As long as you bring out the tank blueprints that exceed a speed of forty kilometers per hour and have armor thickness of several dozen millimeters for us to see, you will be a hero of the National Defense Forces, and heroes certainly deserve such a grand gesture from us."
"It seems I have no choice," Strasser said with feigned humor.
He took out the sketches he had drawn overnight from his bag and pinned them on the blackboard in the conference room. Rommel and the others immediately gathered around to take a look.
In 1925, tanks in Germany were still in a state of secret development, and many technologies were not yet mature. This was also the reason why Rommel scoffed at tanks; the designs they had did not meet the requirements for the later use of Blitzkrieg. Strasser presented the future famous German Panther tank.
"This tank weighs 7.2 tons, measures 4.8 meters in length, 2.2 meters in width, and 1.8 meters in height, and it carries a crew of three. The armor thickness is 30 millimeters, with a maximum speed of 40 kilometers per hour. It is also equipped with a 20-millimeter cannon and two 7.92-millimeter machine guns. What do you think? Its firepower is quite formidable, right?"
Strasser confidently introduced that the design of the Panther tank in 1925 was absolutely ahead of its time, especially since he had drawn on the advantages of later variants to reduce the shortcomings of the Panther tank.
Rommel did not rush to answer; he was clearly captivated by the tank blueprints provided by Strasser. As a future expert in armor, he had evidently conducted considerable research on tanks.
"The suspension system of this tank consists of five road wheels mounted on quarter-elliptical leaf springs. The front wheels are positioned at the front, while the idler wheels are at the rear. Although the tracks are narrow, they are very sturdy."
"This type of idler wheel is welded, allowing for very flexible braking. The maneuverability of this tank far exceeds that of the armed tractors studied by our army," Rundstedt remarked with some astonishment.
"The front part of the vehicle's armor is flat, and it has spare tracks for protection, making it less vulnerable to landmines." Bock also noticed the extraordinary features of this tank.
"Mr. Gregor, you are truly a genius. Even if you fail in the Military Simulation Games at the General Staff of the Army, I will still recommend to General Siket that you be brought into the National Defense Forces. The tank you designed is worth at least ten divisions." Rundstedt realized that the lieutenant before him was nothing short of a genius; such talent should definitely not be let go by the National Defense Forces.
"Since you all believe this tank can become a powerful weapon for future warfare, I will now share my combat philosophy." Strasser cleared his throat and noticed that the four people in front of him were all listening attentively. Feeling a bit shy, he continued speaking.
"Any country's way of warfare must be based on its own national conditions. What are the national conditions of Germany? Anglo-French will be our future enemy in war. They have vast colonies, and the British Empire can also obtain resources from the United States and Asia through shipping. Compared to them, we Germany appear to have fewer people and fewer resources. Engaging in a war of attrition with them is not advantageous. We must aim for a quick decision.
So, the suitable way of warfare for us Germany has emerged: to eliminate the enemy's combat effectiveness in the shortest time, thus breaking the enemy's armed forces. In order to achieve the above goals, we must have three elements: speed, surprise, and concentration."
Before the battle begins, we will use aircraft to heavily bombard important strategic facilities and communication centers in the area, destroy enemy aircraft at the airport, gain air superiority, paralyze the enemy's command system, and allow the air force to conduct aerial reconnaissance and provide firepower support for ground forces.
Next, we will deploy paratroopers to disrupt enemy transportation lines in the rear of the enemy forces, cut off their retreat, and engage in sabotage activities, playing a crucial role in facilitating the rapid advance of armored troops.
Then comes the main event: a large force of tanks, also known as armored troops, will be deployed to the battlefield.
Our armored troops concentrate their superior forces to quickly break through the enemy's front line, and once through, they do not stop but rely on their high-speed mobility to continue advancing into the enemy's rear area. The goal is to break through the enemy's new defensive line before it is established, while conducting a pincer attack with the support of the air force.
When the armored troops break through at two points, they converge at a certain point to form an encirclement, capturing all the enemy forces in that area. They then continue to use the mobility of the armor to disperse and divide the enemy forces, breaking the encirclement into several smaller ones.
Finally, after the armored troops encircle the enemy in the front, the enemy forces dispersed by the tanks are not eliminated or captured. At this point, the slow-moving traditional infantry units arrive on the battlefield. The infantry divisions will gradually eliminate the surrounded and desperate enemy forces that have lost their supply lines.
Strasser took a sip of water and looked at the stunned crowd. He summarized, "This mode of warfare can be applied in any country on the European continent except for the Soviet Union, and we can easily achieve victory. I call this mode—Blitzkrieg." The entire conference room fell silent as everyone quietly processed what Strasser had just said. Although all present were geniuses, such a concept that was decades ahead of its time could not be understood instantly.
"I now understand why you told General Siket that Germany alone could defeat the Anglo-French. Although I haven't fully grasped this mode of warfare, I know that what you referred to as 'Blitzkrieg' is a complete dimensional strike against smaller countries, and even the Anglo-French cannot withstand it," Rommel remarked.
"That's also the reason I called you all here. While I proposed this mode of warfare, the actual execution still relies on all of you present. I will need your help for the military chess simulation in three days," Strasser replied with a smile.
"No problem, we will study this together over the next few days and make sure those gentlemen from the General Staff of the Army are taken by surprise."
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