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Berlin, as the political center of Germany, has seen remarkable development. Especially in the past two years of economic recovery, Berlin has entered a golden period of growth, with various companies eagerly opening their businesses in the city. Whether established companies with a long history or newly emerging firms, all are eager to secure their place in this vibrant market.
This prosperity is reflected in the emergence of large and small commercial streets in Berlin after World War I. These areas are bustling during the day, and even at night, the lights are still on. Various dance halls and taverns are lively every night, and graceful striptease dancers dance in various venues, giving people a feeling of ease.
Many foreigners who come here even exclaimed that the Weimar Republic completely recovered its economy in less than ten years, which can only be described as a miracle. Although few people care, Germany's economic recovery was built on a large amount of borrowing from British and American capital. When the bonds mature, it is still unknown how much will be left after removing the water. Also, no one knows that Berlin is actually on the road to nationalization.
At the beginning of this year, a military company called Krupp emerged, winning a large number of orders from the National Defense Forces with its advanced technology and reliable quality, directly monopolizing nearly half of Germany's military market share.
At a weapons exhibition, Krupp Company showcased a large number of new weapons to the officials of the National Defense Forces, directly shocking everyone present.
In addition to presenting improved STG-44Assault rifle and weapons such as 88mm anti-aircraft guns, they also introduced the more practical and cost-effective Kar98k rifle.
This rifle is an improved version based on the 7.92mm caliber Mauser M1898 rifle developed by the Mauser factory in Germany. The Kar98k inherits the classic Mauser-style rotating bolt-action mechanism, with a safety device at the rear of the bolt. The bullets are arranged in a staggered internal magazine, and it uses a 5-round clip to load bullets, which can also be loaded individually.
The handle of the machine has been changed from straight to downward-bending, making it easier to carry and install a sight. This type of weapon is reliable in quality, and more importantly, it does not consume as much ammunition as the STG-44 assault rifle, which is very important for resource-poor Germany. Judging whether a weapon is good or not depends not only on its firepower and destructive performance, but also on its logistical requirements and its ability to adapt to various harsh environments.
Germany What is most needed is a large quantity of reliable and practical weapons, rather than those "miracle weapons" that may look impressive but in reality have extremely low cost-effectiveness.
Here, Hitler is specifically criticized for his obsession with creating giant weapons throughout the entire period of World War II, such as the "Pak King Dora" and the "Ratte" tank. Although they may seem powerful, the cost of producing them and the damage they caused were completely disproportionate.
Using the example of the Dora supergun, the total manufacturing cost of the Dora supergun is approximately 7 million marks, not including support equipment. The cost of each Tiger tank is estimated at 321,500 marks, and the Dora supergun is equivalent to at least 21 Tiger tanks in cost. It's worth noting that Germany only produced 489 Tiger tanks throughout the entire World War II, and the casualties caused by this artillery are definitely not comparable to the five percent of total casualties inflicted by German Tiger tanks on the Allies during World War II.
Moreover, the cannon requires a significant amount of human resources; among the 1,720 personnel serving this cannon, most are top-notch engineers. The positive impact of this miraculous weapon on the German battlefield is clearly greater than its negative effects, at least from an economic perspective. However, under Strasser's directive, Germany will not take these detours anymore.
He requested that the weapons developed by Krupp Company strive to achieve a balance between quality and cost, aiming for the highest cost-performance ratio. Although Strasser's memory was not good enough to recall all the advanced weapon blueprints from World War II Germany, he still provided direction for Krupp Company. In addition to the Panther tank, which had gradually matured over the past few years and had begun mass production.
The Krupp Company is currently developing a new type of tank, which is larger in appearance than the Panther tank. Strasser has named this new tank the Four Tank.
Researchers at the Krupp Company have become accustomed to Strasser's peculiar naming convention. Some believe that this leader of the National Defense Forces has a particular fondness for even numbers, which is why he directly omitted the names of the One and Three tanks.
Strasser has not provided any explanation regarding this.
As for why the development of the third tank was not pursued, it's because the difference in function and purpose between the fourth and third tanks is not very significant. In terms of dimensions, the third tank is 5.8 meters long, 2.81 meters wide, and 2.36 meters high, while the fourth tank is 7.02 meters long, 2.88 meters wide, and 2.68 meters high.
Ignoring the height, the main difference in chassis size between the two is that the Type 4 is about 1.2 meters longer than the Type 3. A longer chassis means more even force distribution, larger space, and higher redundancy improvement.
In terms of structural layout, both adopt a rear power compartment and front-mounted drive wheels, transmitting power to the front gearbox through a long driveshaft, and then to the front drive wheels. The difference is that the Type 3 uses leaf spring suspension, while the Type 4 uses coil spring suspension (later changed to leaf spring suspension). Type 3A uses 5 large-diameter idler wheels, while B, C, and D types use 8 small-diameter idler wheels, which were later changed to 6 medium-sized idler wheels. The Type 4 has consistently adhered to eight pairs of idler wheels arranged in pairs.
From a structural perspective, the differences in the chassis of the two are not significant. The chassis of the Panzer IV is essentially an enlarged version of the Panzer III, both using Maybach series engines, with similar mobility and comparable logistical maintenance work.
The difference lies in the larger space of the Panzer IV chassis. Compared to the early Panzer III turret, which lacked even a basket, the interior space of even the early Model of the Panzer IV is quite ample.
This means that the Panzer IV has more room for upgrades, which is very important for further upgrades in the future.
After 1941, the Panzer IV chassis clearly better met the needs of the front lines. The Panzer IV equipped with a long-barreled gun had greater operational flexibility, and the modified versions such as the Panzer IV assault gun or the Panzer IV tank destroyer had stronger protection and higher survival rates.
Considering Germany's production resources during World War II, particularly in terms of steel, there was not a significant shortage most of the time. Therefore, why not concentrate efforts on producing a more powerful series of Panzer IV chassis equipment?
Historically, Germany produced two types of tanks simultaneously because they were already at war, and the demand for tanks from frontline troops was very high. Additionally, the production lines for the Panzer III and Panzer IV were completely different, making it unnecessary to eliminate one production line, as that would only reduce overall output.
However, Germany is still in a period of cautious development, which naturally allows for greater room for natural selection.
"It's a pity that the designs for the Tiger and Panther tanks were too complex for me to memorize back then; otherwise, Germany might have been able to produce heavy tanks as early as the early 1930s," Strasser said with a hint of regret.
At that moment, there was a knock on the office door.
"Come in."
"Hail to the leader!"
At the main entrance, Reinhard Heydrich walked in, standing at attention with great respect and raising his left hand to salute Strasser. Strasser looked at the tall German before him and couldn't help but admire him silently. Heydrich truly lived up to his title of "Blonde Beast"; just by his appearance, no one would believe he wasn't of Aryan descent.
Paired with a handsome vanguard uniform, it's like a living handsome guy. No wonder Heydrich has so many romantic debts. Someone once joked that every Nazi Party member sees Heydrich's face in the mirror every morning when they get up to wash. "Is there something wrong, Reinhardt?"
Strasser looked left and right, becoming increasingly satisfied with his capable subordinate.
In less than half a year since joining, Heydrich had made a remarkable impact with the intelligence agency formed from elite troops of the First Infantry Division. They not only rapidly expanded their intelligence network nationwide but also swiftly eliminated spies and traitors within Berlin, capturing dozens of espionage cases.
The power of the nobility and the bourgeoisie within the Labour Party has been completely uprooted, further purifying the party.
"Chancellor, the plan you want me to implement is now ready and can be executed at any time," Reinhardt said, maintaining his unique expression. Perhaps only Coy's poker face could compare to his, but it's unclear whether it's natural or cultivated.
"You did very well. Let's implement this plan in three days, and we'll code name it 'Telescope.'"
Strasser thought for a moment and decided to give this operation a simple and easy-to-understand name.
"Yes, Führer. Is there anything else I need to do?"
Heinrich Himmler had an advantage over others in that he thought comprehensively about issues, always paying attention to the finer details.
"By the way, there's one more thing I need you to take care of. This task may require significant manpower and resources. If necessary, you can use my orders to request personnel from the National Defense Forces."
Strasser handed a document to Himmler.
"Fuhrer, what is the task?"
Heinrich was a little curious because in the past six months, he had also carried out many so-called major tasks. However, almost all of them were completed by the personnel of the organization under his leadership. This was the first time he had seen a task that required additional personnel to be called in.
"I want you to gather the genealogies and bloodline information of all the individuals on this list. I need clear evidence that they are all Jewish people. If you can't find it, then create a document for me. I allow you to use any means necessary."
Strasser said with a smile, feeling very excited that he finally had the opportunity to turn the methods used by the bourgeoisie against themselves. This pleasurable feeling had Strasser high and unable to stop.
"Then, you need to back up this information and discreetly place it where it belongs, understood?" Strasser squinted his eyes, gesturing in a somewhat sarcastic manner. "I guarantee the mission will be accomplished! Führer."
Understanding these things was not difficult for Heidrich, he had already decided to carry out the Führer's instructions without fail.
"Hehehe, I have high hopes for you, Reinhardt. You are an outstanding young man, and when the revolution is victorious, you will also be qualified to pass through the Brandenburg Gate as a German."
With the assurance from his subordinates, Strasser was in high spirits, smiling broadly as he encouraged them.
"Leader! Reinhardt will surely follow you to the death until the day of victory arrives!"
Faced with such an obvious hint, Heydrich naturally would not forget to pledge his loyalty. He immediately saluted again, excitedly shouting "Long live Strasser!"
"Oh, right, your intelligence agency still doesn't have a name."
Remembering this, Strasser felt a bit troubled; naming things was always his biggest headache.
What should this intelligence agency be called? The Gestapo? Or the Military Intelligence Department? Strasser thought these names sounded lackluster. Since that was the case, he decided to trust the wisdom of future generations and borrow a name from East Germany.
"Stasi."
This intelligence agency is called Stasi.
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