Chapter 5

"Leader..." Zeitzler said anxiously, "Are we also giving up the oil resources in the Caucasus? We finally took Rostov and opened the gateway to the Caucasus."

"The two strategic priorities on the southern wing of the Eastern Front will make us lose focus!" Hoffman said firmly, "Our priority is to eliminate Stalin's main forces. Oil resources are not the priority, at least not at this stage. In fact, the Caucasus is a very important strategic pivot, not only because of the oil, but also because the British and Americans are supplying the Russians through the Caspian Sea and the Iranian corridor. We must cut off this line."

"If we switch to defense on the entire front, Stalin might get the respite he has been dreaming of, and he might recover even faster," Guderian said cautiously, but his anxiety was evident, "This will bring us greater pressure later."

"Gentlemen, I understand Stalin better than you do. Once we retreat, he won't sit idly by and rest. For him, the only way to restore his authority is to recapture the land we have occupied. As soon as we show any sign of retreating, he will attack us, just like in the Demyansk Pocket and the Timoshenko Offensive this summer," Hoffman said with a cold smile. "Moreover, switching to defense on the Eastern Front does not mean we will be inactive. We will shift our strategic focus to other directions, and the British and Americans will kick his ass then."

"What does the Leader mean?" Guderian and Zeitzler fell into deep thought simultaneously. Could the Leader be thinking of reviving the 'Sealion' plan? But that would be an even more difficult goal to achieve.

"My goal is the southern front," Hoffman stood up and pointed, using the Leader's habitual tone, "In North Africa and the Mediterranean, our forces are too weak, and the poor Italians are no help at all. We face British forces that outnumber us several times over and are better equipped. Moreover, intelligence shows that the Americans are planning to land in North Africa. If we don't want to face a two-front war like in the last great war, we must eliminate this threat as soon as possible."

Every day, all kinds of contradictory, vague, and flawed intelligence are presented to the Leader. While there are certainly insightful pieces, most are mere speculation, assumptions, and fantasies. However, since Hoffman is a穿越者 (time traveler), he can easily distinguish the useful from the worthless. The Battle of El Alamein is imminent, and the American 'Torch' operation in North Africa is just around the corner. If we don't adjust now, it will be too late. So, he used this opportunity to gather all the reliable intelligence and make strategic adjustments based on it.

Hoffman smiled mysteriously, "There is another significant gain in North Africa. There are substantial and easily exploitable oil fields in Libya and Algeria. The British and French had exploration records before the war but didn't proceed because the extraction costs were higher than in the Middle East—only the slow and lazy Italians were unaware."

"Leader, is this true?" Guderian stood up excitedly. As an armored group commander, he knew all too well the importance of oil for combat. Hearing such good news, he couldn't sit still.

Zeitzler suddenly understood: He had thought the Leader's new North African strategy was to secure the oil route to the Middle East and then encircle the Russians from the side. Now it seemed to be a comprehensive plan. If North Africa really had oil and it was easy to extract, the strategic value of the southern front would be greatly enhanced, making the Stalingrad direction less significant.

"Another advantage of fighting in North Africa is that we can fight the British in a type of warfare they are not good at," Hoffman said enthusiastically, waving his arms, "It's much easier to eliminate a British soldier in the desert than on an island."

"Rommel will be overjoyed at the Leader's wise decision," Guderian said with a smile, but the sour taste was hard to hide.

"Not him, but you!" Hoffman smiled warmly, his voice full of诱惑 (enticement), "Rommel has been suffering from stomach problems recently, and I have decided to give him a break. I want to appoint you as the commander of the reorganized 'Afrika Korps,' with full authority over all land operations in Africa and the Mediterranean. Are you willing?"

"I am honored to serve you, Leader!" Guderian snapped to attention, standing straight and looking very excited—although the position of Afrika Korps commander might not be as prestigious as one of the three army group commanders on the Eastern Front, if he could truly take charge of the North African front as the Leader suggested, it would be equally promising.

"Leader, what are my objectives? How much reinforcement can I expect?" After the excitement, Guderian remembered the current weak strength of the Afrika Korps—two armored divisions and one light infantry division (all undermanned), and felt some unease.

"Considering the needs of desert warfare, I plan to send you two more armored divisions and three motorized infantry divisions, to be in place within a month. The specific units will be determined after Zeitzler's appointment is issued tomorrow," Hoffman said, since this was now a key strategic direction, he was willing to invest heavily, "By the end of the year, in addition to gradually replenishing combat losses, you can also expect two more armored divisions and four motorized infantry divisions, all German units. I have a comprehensive plan for the southern front, with corresponding strategic measures at sea and in the air, and coordination with the Italians to ensure they don't drag you down. However, your objectives are also challenging. There are two: first, defeat the British North African Army and occupy Egypt; second, repel any possible American landing attempts. If these two goals are achieved, we can effectively protect the North African oil fields from land invasion."

"Work hard!" Hoffman patted Guderian on the shoulder, "Rommel received the marshal's baton for capturing Tobruk. I believe your achievements will not be less than his."

"Yes, Leader! I will do my utmost," Guderian's excitement was evident.

"General Zeitzler, your task is also heavy," after assigning Guderian's task, Hoffman instructed, "I have decided to adjust or reorganize three theater headquarters. The Western Front Headquarters will command forces from Norway to France and the homeland. The Eastern Front will command forces from Finland to the Crimea. The Southern Front will be responsible for Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Balkans. All conflicting organizational structures and unit affiliations must be reorganized. We will use the favorable opportunity of the Russian front switching to offensive defense to complete the reorganization and replenishment of our forces and unify and strengthen our unit structures. At this stage, it is not advisable to form new units. After the reorganization, the minimum standard of our combat effectiveness should be raised. One of our divisions should be able to overwhelm a Russian army, and in defensive operations, it should be able to resist the attack of a Russian infantry army. By the end of this year, more than half of the 180 divisions on the Russian front should complete the reorganization, and by the spring and summer of 1943, all should be completed—then it will be time to settle accounts with Stalin."

Zeitzler looked troubled, "Respected Leader, I can find ways to complete the organizational, personnel, and material replenishment, but there will be a significant shortfall in technical equipment, especially tanks and artillery."

"I will have Speer find a way to increase production. We cannot delay the reorganization," Hoffman waved his hand, "In my name, notify a strategic meeting for tomorrow evening, with all corps and above staff officers attending. You will outline the future strategic guidelines, and once the direction is determined, we must act immediately. Our enemies will not give us much time."

Dinner ended quickly, and Guderian and Zeitzler realized they had listened to the Leader speak for over an hour. Unlike the usual boredom and annoyance, both felt incredibly invigorated—excited by the prospect of being entrusted with important tasks.

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