Spitfire

In the United Kingdom, within the confines of a modest-sized conference room adjacent to the Prime Minister's office, a gathering of the nation's most influential figures was underway. Under the stern gaze of a large portrait of the King of England, a minister, his hand firmly pressed against the conference table, initiated the discussion with a provocative statement. "France and Germany are at war—precisely the scenario we've always hoped for, isn't it?"

Another suited politician responded with a tone of reluctance, "Indeed, that may be true. However, what we fear more is a strong Soviet Union moving westward, overpowering a weakened France and Germany."

"We need, at least for now, a somewhat stronger Germany to guard the eastern gateway of Europe, correct?" he added, seeking affirmation.

"The special envoy from Merkel assured us that they are gearing up for a confrontation with the Soviet Union and that the German forces need time to bolster their numbers and equipment," another voice chimed in.

Churchill, with a snort of disdain, interjected, "God! How much more manpower and equipment do they need to expand? I wager they now have at least 2 million troops, double our own. You still dare take their assurances at face value, after all the lies their head of state has told!"

"You are the Minister of the Navy; you know best the threat Germany poses to us! The last time their navy ventured out, they were quickly repelled by our fleet," an optimistic minister countered.

"Indeed, Germany did deliver the two massive battleships we commissioned, and the quality was satisfactory. At least in terms of naval cooperation, our countries have set a positive precedent," he added.

"You can say that to the German high seas fleet," Churchill retorted angrily. "They aren't building battleships because their leader has bet everything on aircraft carriers. Our intelligence at the Kiel Military Port discovered they're constructing two more carriers. If those are already in the water, the Germans must be planning to build at least six aircraft carriers. This is troubling news for us!"

Churchill's concerns were echoed by another senior minister, "Churchill's worries are valid. I propose we accelerate our naval aviation technology. We can't allow Luftwaffe fighters to dominate the skies over Europe unchallenged."

"This must be addressed with urgency," the old minister agreed.

"The Army and Navy have different technical challenges with their fighter programs. The Navy prefers the Dapeng fighters with rotating turrets, whereas the Army finds the same design in the Fearless fighters unsatisfactory," a technology officer explained.

Churchill, visibly frustrated, continued, "I'm well aware of naval issues, but our knowledge of the German FW-190D fighters, which were deployed in Poland, is concerning. The performance of this single-seat fighter is exceptional, far surpassing our own aircraft."

"We've managed to smuggle two ME-109C fighters from Germany, via Spain. This model is highly advanced, leading me to recommend large-scale replication by our departments. However, due to combat recognition and other factors, many ministers and technical departments are advocating for the development of our own fighters," the technical lead reported.

"Thus, we initiated the 'Spitfire' project, a new fighter development endeavor," he added.

The British had started developing new fighters as early as 1936, stimulated by the Spanish Civil War. Initially, they opted for the Fearless and Dapeng fighters, featuring unique turret designs. However, many military personnel felt these aircraft were not as formidable as the German single-seat ME-109C. In response, in early 1937, the British Rolls-Royce company provided a more powerful aero-engine, and concurrently, the Spitfire project commenced. This single-seat jet was designed to match the speed and combat prowess of the German fighters. Despite its complex wings making it costly, the aircraft had virtually no other disadvantages. The British, contrasting with the Germans, equipped their fighter with a 12.7 mm caliber machine gun as the primary weapon, after determining that the German fighter's 30 mm caliber nose-mounted gun and 20 mm caliber wing cannons carried insufficient ammunition for prolonged combat.

The German aircraft family design, championed by their head of state and led by Akado, had divided the FW-190D fighter series into two basic models from the outset: one equipped with a liquid-cooled, high-altitude interceptor with large-caliber cannons for targeting bombers, and another air-cooled, low-altitude fighter outfitted with a 30-millimeter machine gun and four 13-mm machine guns. It was apparent that British intelligence had only observed the German high-altitude interceptor FW-190D, leading them to believe that the German Air Force's fighters were under-armed. In reality, Luftwaffe pilots generally preferred the four-machine gun configuration, which allowed them to stay airborne longer without needing frequent returns to base for ammunition resupply.

The British military was highly satisfied with the design of their new fighter, having placed an order for 1,500 units. However, the project was progressing slowly due to a shortage of senior designers and had suffered a setback during a test flight a few months prior. This delay provided the Spitfire with ample time before it could be deployed, during which the UK had to rely on the Fearless and Dapeng fighters against the German FW-190D.

Churchill, ever curious, inquired, "Now I'm eager to know when this new Spitfire, which has just undergone testing, will be ready for service?"

"If the test flights proceed smoothly and the military continues its financial support, it should be operational by early 1939," came the reply.

A minister added, "His Majesty's technical advisor recommends that until 1939, it's best for us not to engage directly in armed conflict with Germany to avoid unnecessary losses to the Royal Army and Royal Air Force."

"And both His Majesty the King and the Prime Minister are more inclined to lure Germany to the east," another minister noted.

"But now, the head of state has mobilized the army for a full-scale war with France, which is not in the fundamental interests of capitalist countries," the British Chancellor of the Exchequer lamented.

"I suggest we contact Merkel immediately. We need him to find a way to convince the leader residing in Germany to hold off and abandon this mad pursuit against France," he proposed.

"Will that head of state easily relent? After all, the French forces have launched a full-scale offensive. No one can easily tolerate such an assault," the Foreign Secretary skeptically remarked, doubting the feasibility of such a plan given the strong sentiments of sovereignty and nationalism held by the extremist German leader.

Churchill, clearing his throat, added, "It's even harder to persuade them now. The French have suffered heavily this time, losing at least 2,000 men in the attack. They won't easily abandon their desire for revenge."

"We've both threatened and compensated in an attempt to execute the plan of His Majesty the King and the Prime Minister," the Chancellor of the Exchequer explained after some thought. "We've imposed sanctions on the French economy and then promised the French the mobilization of 10 army divisions, which should bring them to the negotiating table. On the other hand, we've used the navy to blockade Wilhelmshaven while promising the Germans a shipment of rubber and steel."

"Then there's no need for panic. They will always compromise when we do this. The European continent won't bleed and sacrifice when the Soviet Union attacks Poland," an aged minister stated hoarsely.

"This time, it was the French who acted alone, a very ominous sign. We might as well favor the Germans this time," he suggested.

Indeed, the Germans did not relent this time. Head of State Akado issued a comprehensive mobilization order, announcing that by 1939, Germany would have completed extensive war preparations and expanded its army to 3.5 million. Akado delivered another speech, accusing France of trivializing important issues and clandestinely supporting a communist *subjective* invasion of Europe.

However, British diplomatic envoys, in contact with personnel from Germany's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey, managed to secure a promise from Merkel to provide Germany with steel, rubber, and oil, asking Germany to cancel the war mobilization order and abandon its plans to attack France.

Conversely, the French attitude provided some relief to British diplomats. The French commander-in-chief assured the British that no additional troops would be sent to provoke Germany and that they were willing to facilitate the good offices of the British government. The French troops stationed in Luxembourg retreated 10 kilometers as a gesture of goodwill.

This de-escalation at the rear of the French lines eased tensions on the Western Front, and the Germans did not pursue their advantage. They halted at the border area, not crossing into French territory or breaching the Maginot Line. This restraint was clearly in deference to the British government.

On the same day, a smuggling ship flagged by the Turkish government departed from a Mediterranean port under the watchful eyes of a German diplomat, heading for Wilhelmshaven, Germany, laden with rubber.

Head of State Akado's strategy once again proved effective. Germany's original goal of maintaining the Western Front in 1938 was achieved with the assistance of the British government. The army general led by Brahich breathed a sigh of relief, and Naval Commander Ryder, stationed at the William Junction, even wept with joy, now fully convinced of Akado's pivotal role in the German Navy.

A potential Western Front battle thus dissipated. The Poles, who had hoped for a German-French conflict, finally accepted the bitter reality of their betrayal. The French had somewhat fulfilled their obligations as allies but ultimately withdrew at the last moment. Warsaw found itself isolated and vulnerable, and the Soviet Union broke through the Soviet-Poor border unopposed. A surge of Polish refugees flooded into the German-occupied area, as the Soviet Red Army from the East proved far more formidable than the Germans.

Meanwhile, Akado focused on the expanded paratrooper units in Studen. He reorganized the original divisions, creating five new paratrooper divisions. These troops were now rigorously training in the foothills of the Alps, honing their skills for future shocking endeavors.