Chapter 2: Flashing Ahead with Forward Thinking

Under the canopy of an oak tree resembling a large umbrella, two unfortunate souls, their heads wrapped up like zongzi (traditional Chinese rice dumplings), sat shoulder to shoulder on a bench.

"Hans, are you alright?" "Yeah, my head hurts a bit, and... my thoughts are a bit confused! What's happened to me? Am I being punished by the gods?" "Oh? You don't remember? Poor child!" the larger zongzi turned his head to look at the smaller one. "The car you were in was strafed by British planes on the way, the car flipped, and everyone else tragically perished, leaving only you alive! It's truly a miracle!" "Oh, it seems that way!" the smaller zongzi, Logan, thought to himself. So, the unfortunate fellow he was occupying had also been in a car accident. In that case, this guy was likely on the brink of becoming a vegetable, and Logan's crossing over just happened to take advantage of the situation?"

"The doctor says you don't have any serious injuries, just a head concussion. You'll be fine once you wake up!" This sounded quite familiar. "How about you?" Logan asked the larger zongzi. From the side, he had a rather weathered face, sporadic stubble accentuating his despondent mood, but his eagle-like sharp eyes remained clear and bright. "I'm okay too, just a bit sore when I wake up, and the doctor said I shouldn't be out in the wind for several months!" he replied slowly. "Oh, it's okay, just take some time to rest!" Logan reassured absentmindedly, but the larger zongzi gave him a strange look and sighed heavily.

"Is there anything I can share with you?" Logan asked in return, without skipping a beat. Originally just a polite remark, but the larger zongzi poured out his woes: the quality of the German paratroopers was impeccable, but this emerging branch of the military found itself in an awkward position where neither the Luftwaffe nor the Army fully appreciated them. The Luftwaffe saw them merely as infantry to be transported by planes, while the Army resented their subordination to the Luftwaffe from the start. As for the High Command, they were ecstatic about the powerful assault capabilities demonstrated by armored units on the Western Front. It was foreseeable that the tactical bombing units of the Air Force and the armored units of the Army would become the focus of the Wehrmacht's future development. Despite the commendable performance of the paratroopers in the Netherlands and Belgium, the larger zongzi pessimistically believed that the Führer would only use this branch of the military as a fire brigade! (After the Battle of Crete, the German paratroopers did indeed fall into this tragedy) The woes didn't stop at the strategic level; the larger zongzi mentioned that during the battles in the Netherlands and Belgium, the German paratroopers, while making significant contributions to victory, often faced enemy ambushes or even found themselves in dire straits due to their lack of firepower. Including the losses suffered during airborne operations, their casualty rate in capturing the Low Countries far exceeded that of other branches!

Listening to the larger zongzi's grievances, Logan's head was spinning. Who was this guy? Sporting a patriotic demeanor, did he hit his head on the way out? Moreover, Logan's first major in college was German, and his second was international finance, with no connection to the military. However, he was an unconventional guy. One summer vacation, while working at his uncle's audio-video store, he watched all the documentaries in the inventory—over 200 discs, at least a third of which were about military history, with no fewer than 20 about World War II. With a good memory, Logan fancied himself a history expert since then, able to brag in social circles, but he had encountered true history buffs twice and felt utterly embarrassed!

"Throughout the evolution of modern military history, there are some rules that no one can change: like tanks replacing artillery as the king of land warfare, aircraft supplanting airships in the sky, battleships gradually being replaced by aircraft carriers and submarines, and paratroopers, as a highly distinctive and versatile branch, will inevitably shine on the battlefield!" Logan recited the narrator's words from memory with emphasis and pauses.

The larger zongzi's gloomy face finally showed some change. While he might not understand the tragedy of battleships at this time, he had a profound understanding of the dominant rise of tanks and aircraft.

Pausing for a moment, Logan continued to search his memory for seemingly meaningless fragments, speaking slowly and steadily: "With the continuous development of aircraft technology and the improvement of the Air Force's long-range delivery capabilities, the role of paratroopers as a strategic assault force will be magnified, especially with the deployment of air-droppable combat vehicles and heavy weapons. They will easily penetrate seemingly solid defenses to strike at the weakest points of the enemy, thereby disrupting the entire enemy defensive deployment! In the era of conventional warfare, they are the perfect combination of the Air Force and the Army! A truly versatile force!"

"Do you mean... someday heavy weapons like tanks will also be air-droppable?" the larger zongzi hesitated for a moment.

Logan nodded responsibly. "Yes, it won't be long before tanks can be air-dropped or parachute-dropped! In future battlefields, paratroopers will have the ability to become the decisive force in war! From small-scale special operations involving dozens of people to large-scale airborne assaults involving tens of thousands, the tactics of deep penetration will be fully demonstrated and will be particularly effective in amphibious landing operations and disrupting enemy command, communication, and transportation hubs!"

The larger zongzi took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and pondered deeply for a while. "These are your personal ideas?"

Logan wouldn't tell this guy that he had crossed over from decades later. He nodded, assuming the posture of a prophet. "In fact, during my injury, I suddenly thought of many things. Perhaps this can be called a divine inspiration!"

"These ideas are very good, very visionary!" the larger zongzi took a deep drag on his cigarette. "If only the Führer could understand and accept such ideas!"

The Führer? Little Mustache?

Immediately, the image of the short man with a side-parted mustache appeared in Logan's mind. Would he really have the chance to get close to these famous figures from history? Would he suck up to them or play the role of a 20th-century Jing Ke?

"Ah-ha, you two are here! No wonder I couldn't find you anywhere!"

When a robust female voice came from behind the tree, both zongzi visibly flinched.

"General Studt, Lieutenant Logan, have you both forgotten the doctor's orders? Rest, you need to rest properly for your bodies to recover as soon as possible!"

Logan turned his head to see the "fortress in the air" with hands on hips, her imposing presence akin to blocking a thousand birds! However... she had just mentioned a somewhat familiar name. Studt? Kurt Student? The head of the German paratroopers? This large zongzi?

"Um... Miss Beautiful, I was just... coming out for some fresh air! I'll go back soon!" The larger zongzi casually flicked the cigarette butt to the ground, but this clearly didn't escape the gaze of the 'bombshell nurse'.

"General, the doctor said you must remember to quit smoking and drinking during this time, otherwise it won't be conducive to wound recovery! Alright, both of you, it's time for your injections, so be good and return to your positions! Or... should I bring the needles and medicine over here? Hmm, the scenery here is quite nice!"

With their faces suddenly changing, the two zongzi seemed to have collectively received a 'speed boost' from a magical wizard, swiftly disappearing through the doorway as if by some extraordinary acceleration, leaving only the nurse, whose appearance was extremely incongruous with her name, to angrily follow them back.