September 3rd, Sunday, another sunny day. Early in the morning, the two Ar196-A1 planes carried by the "Graf Spee Admiral" began bustling like diligent bees, while this sleek and heavily armed naval attack ship reduced its speed to 8 knots.
This area belongs to the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean, over 1400 nautical miles from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, and approximately 1600 nautical miles from Rio de Janeiro, the capital of Brazil. Due to its distance from the shipping lanes of various countries in the Atlantic, this area is rarely visited by ships, making it an ideal hiding place chosen by the German Navy Command for the attack ship. Once the situation requires, it would only take two days for it to swiftly strike the busy route from Rio de Janeiro to Portsmouth or reach the colonial waters of England and France in southern Africa within a week. With the presence of supply ships like the "Altmark," the "Graf Spee Admiral" theoretically could operate at sea for an entire year without the need to cross any of the British naval blockade lines deployed in European waters.
The surveillance by the two reconnaissance planes confirmed that there were no other ships in the nearby waters. Nevertheless, the "Graf Spee Admiral" still needed to maintain a certain speed to ensure that it could react swiftly in case of encountering enemy vessels—either for attack or retreat.
"Don't be nervous, sit down and have a cup of coffee!" Zhang Hainuo greeted Lansdorf proactively. The captain, who always wore a large pair of binoculars around his neck, had just been diligently surveying the nearby sea.
"How nice it would be if we could spot a Polish cargo ship!" Lansdorf walked over leisurely, the leather boots he wore making a clinking sound on the steel floor of the command tower.
"Prepare yourself mentally, my friend!" Zhang Hainuo personally poured a cup of hot coffee for him from the silver pot, and only after he had sat down did Zhang speak again, "Our warship won't achieve any victories until the Polish conflict is over!"
"I was just worrying about that!" Lansdorf picked up the coffee cup and held it up slightly above his nose in a gesture of thanks.
"Worried about morale?" Zhang Hainuo asked.
After taking a sip of coffee, Lansdorf replied, "Yes, life at sea can be monotonous, and if nothing inspiring happens for a whole month, the sailors' patience will wear thin!"
"How could nothing happen?" Zhang Hainuo suggested, "Let's organize the information we've received about the Polish conflict and broadcast it to our crew, or compile it into a newsletter for circulation within the warship. This way, we can boost everyone's morale. Isn't that a good idea?"
"Excellent!" Lansdorf slapped his thigh, "Why didn't I think of that?"
Zhang Hainuo smiled but didn't answer. He glanced at his watch and then took out the small gold pocket watch from his pocket—it still kept time according to German time.
"On such a sunny weekend, the residents of Berlin should be vacationing in the nearby forests and lakes!"
"But General, we're at war now!" Lansdorf finally managed to detect an issue in Zhang's words, which gave him a sense of accomplishment.
"Yes, I almost forgot!" Zhang Hainuo turned to look at the deck outside the porthole, where the sailors seemed to be enjoying their Sunday even more leisurely than the residents of Berlin. Those without duty were mostly basking in the sun chatting in small groups or enjoying a cigarette, chatting about their lovely girlfriends.
"General, do you think the British haven't noticed us yet?" Lansdorf asked, looking into his cup of black coffee.
Zhang Hainuo replied optimistically, "Even if Britain joins the war immediately, their navy's top priority would be to block the two passages between the North Sea and the Atlantic! As for us, we might even be behind the mines laid by two Scharnhorst-class and minesweepers in the North Sea. If things go well, when we start our operation, they might still think we're still in Germany!"
In this respect, Lansdorf still wasn't very confident. He said indifferently, "Let's hope so!"
At this moment, in the distant eastern part of Europe, Poland, the German land, sea, and air forces had a huge advantage. The swift attack by the land and air forces shattered the Polish defenses one after another, while the navy was divided into three battle groups: small gunboats and minesweepers blockaded the Danzig Bay; destroyer fleets and torpedo boats, commanded by Vice Admiral Lütjens, intercepted Polish and neutral ships off the Polish coastline; cruiser fleets and some submarines intercepted Polish warships and civilian ships attempting to escape the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Pomerania. In addition, the battleship Schleswig-Holstein was anchored at the exit of the Danzig Canal, shelling Polish targets.
At 11:20 a.m., when the ship's chefs were preparing lunch, the communication department intercepted a plaintext telegram issued by the British government: Britain had declared war on Germany that day.
"The war has officially begun!"
Zhang Hainuo immediately announced to all 1,022 crew members through the ship's broadcast system, "It's time to settle the old scores with the British!"
This time, there were still cheers of excitement, but the number of pessimists seemed to have increased. If it was just Poland—many believed that the Führer could compel Britain and France to stay out of it, so Germany's powerful military machine could easily crush Poland. However, with Britain in the picture, the war situation, especially at sea, was much worse than in 1914. Back then, the German Navy's strength was at least two-thirds of Britain's, but now this German Navy had to contend with only 2 battlecruisers and 3 armored ships against Britain's 13 battleships and 3 battlecruisers. Additionally, the number of aircraft carriers, cruisers, and destroyers was also at a significant disadvantage, just like the Polish Navy was in front of the German fleet.
The only consolation was that the German submarine force, in terms of quantity, quality, and crew training, was superior to the British and French navies.
Later that afternoon, France also declared war on Germany after waiting for a response to their ultimatum, turning the German government's expectations of a regional war into an intercontinental conflict.
France's entry into the war heightened the concerns of some crew members. To counter this prevailing pessimism, Zhang Hainuo ordered the translators in the ship's communication department to monitor various wireless communications day and night, and compile valuable information. In the first half of the night and the afternoon, Zhang would review these documents promptly, and in the late night and morning, Captain Lansdorf would take over the task. Whenever they received important reports about the Polish front, they would announce them immediately.
In Poland, the German forces with a powerful air force and mechanized units continued to advance rapidly. The 19th Armored Army, with one armored division, two motorized divisions, and one infantry division under the command of General Guderian, cut off the retreat of the Polish Army Group in the Danzig Corridor on September 3rd. The next day, they annihilated three infantry divisions and one cavalry brigade belonging to that group, with casualties of less than a thousand of their own.
Less than a week after the war started, the Polish government evacuated Warsaw, and the southern German group heavily defeated the Polish forces and occupied the Polish industrial centers of Lodz and the second-largest city, Krakow. On September 8th, the German vanguard armored units reached the southern outskirts of Warsaw, and the northern group completely occupied the Danzig Corridor.
At sea, only a few Polish minesweepers and submarines remained in action, while most of the main Polish naval vessels were sunk, except for three destroyers that fled to England before the war.
With each successive victory, the "Graf Spee Admiral" celebrated as if it were a festival every day. After receiving instructions from Zhang Hainuo, Lansdorf even announced that each crew member would receive an extra ration of beer every day. After fluctuating morale on September 1st and 3rd, the morale of officers and sailors finally improved across the board.
By September 10th, the lone naval attack ship, which had been operating independently at sea for nine days, welcomed two new companions—U-131 and U-132 from Brazil. Both submarines were completed by the Schneider Shipyard in June, and after sea trials and adjustments, they had just been put into service.
On these two 800-ton U-boats, the young crew members were well-trained but slightly lacking in experience. Fortunately, they had two outstanding commanders—Captain Linge Klüd and Lieutenant Stomm Laisit. Both in their early thirties, they had served on submarines since the secret rebuilding of the Navy submarine force began. Linge had previously commanded U-22 and U-71, while Stomm had served as captain on U-25 for a long time.
Under the gaze of the crew, the two submarines approached the "Graf Spee Admiral," and some crew members quickly climbed up the rope ladder onto the deck. The arrival of the two captains brought Zhang Hainuo excellent news: from that day onwards, U-131 and U-132 would be part of his operational fleet. Furthermore, another 8000-ton ocean freighter, also built by the Schneider Shipyard, would arrive to join them in a week. Besides carrying a large quantity of supplies, it would also be equipped with two aircraft catapults and three Curtiss seaplanes—each painted in the standard colors of the U.S. Navy!
What made Zhang Hainuo even happier was that both U-boats under his command were equipped with small radars with surface detection ranges of up to 12 nautical miles, and were suitable for long-term patrols and operations in the Atlantic. The only regret was that the German High Command currently only allowed limited attacks by the Navy submarine force on British and French merchant ships—only military ships, armed merchant ships, and merchant ships carrying war materials could be targeted. Meanwhile, the two naval attack ships stationed in the Atlantic were still ordered to remain hidden and on standby.
"When you set off, how was the situation in Brazil?" Zhang Hainuo asked with great concern.
The two captains looked at each other, and then Captain Linge, who was slightly older, replied, "We set off from Salvador on the night of September 4th. By then, news of the British and French declaration of war on Germany had spread from Europe to Brazil. The Brazilian government has not made any official announcements regarding the war situation, but from what I know, all German submarines gathered and trained in Brazilian waters will soon sail into the open sea, and the ocean-going freighters from the Schneider Shipyard have all set sail according to prearranged plans!"
This news was neither good nor bad. In terms of influence in Brazil, Britain still held the upper hand over Germany. According to historical developments, the Brazilian government should not get involved in the war until the situation became clear, but they might still enact some policies unfavorable to German expatriates under pressure from the British government—such as regular reporting to the government on their whereabouts, undergoing counter-espionage investigations, or even restricting personal movements.
In present-day South America, it's Argentina and Chile, countries with few German expatriates, that hold sympathetic views towards Germany. However, due to the significant influence of the British and Americans on their economies and politics, they can only provide clandestine assistance to German ships. But these actions remain strictly off the record.
To deal with these potential scenarios, the German General Staff devised a strategy early on: utilizing Brazilian-flagged freighters under the control of the Schneider Shipyard as secret supply ships. On the surface, these ships continue their regular routes between Brazil and Europe or North America. However, behind the scenes, they provide assistance to German ships and submarines, offering supplies and intelligence. They could even transport materials from South American ports to neutral European countries like Portugal, Spain, or pre-war Italy, but without directly engaging in any military actions.
"As for the operational activities of U-131 and U-132, I would like to hear your opinions," Zhang Hainuo invited the two submarine commanders for coffee before continuing, "Our 'Graf Spee' is currently restricted by the directives of the High Command from directly attacking British and French maritime targets. However, U-boats are not subject to such limitations! Although your submarines are now under my command, you are still free to intercept British and French vessels on the Euro-American routes!"
After a brief exchange, Lin Ge and Shtom agreed to follow the orders of their new superior, Zhang Hainuo.
Observing Lanzdorf, who remained silent throughout, Zhang Hainuo continued, "So, the two submarines will conduct training and surveillance missions in the nearby waters until September 20th. After that, their actions will depend on the specific circumstances. I estimate that the High Command's restrictions will be lifted by the end of the month! At that time, your submarines will coordinate with the 'Graf Spee' to carry out operational missions!"
Lin Ge and Shtom promptly accepted the order, realizing that their crews needed further training and cohesion.
"In addition, I personally suggest that you select outstanding crew members from your training sessions to enjoy a few days of leave on our warship. It will help alleviate fatigue and boost morale!" Zhang Hainuo said with a benevolent smile. "Having commanded submarines since 1917 until the end of the Great War, I am well aware of the challenges of living underwater for extended periods."
The two submarine captains exchanged surprised glances before Lin Ge responded, "General, thank you for your understanding. I believe the crew members will be very pleased!"
"Excellent! It seems we'll need to replenish fuel and food supplies when we rendezvous with our new partners next week!" Zhang Hainuo looked at Lanzdorf, who was also smiling, a rare sight.
In mid-September, under the fierce onslaught of the German forces, the Polish government and military command were forced to flee across the border into Romania. Citing the "non-existence" of the Polish government, the Soviet Union declared the Soviet-Polish Non-Aggression Pact null and void, and the next day sent the Belarusian and Ukrainian Fronts across the eastern border of Poland to push westward. A few days later, German and Soviet forces met at Brest-Litovsk. By this time, the main Polish forces had ceased to exist, with only a few cities like Warsaw and Gdynia and scattered guerrilla fighters remaining.
Under pressure from the two major neighbors, Poland collapsed, and Berlin's Eastern strategy was largely realized. On one hand, the German leadership ordered the army to intensify its capture of Warsaw and other Polish cities still in resistance. On the other hand, they talked peace with the British and French, and through unofficial channels like Hess and Dalerus, attempted to contact the British to show their desire for peace - urging them to withdraw from the war. However, in private, Hitler ordered his High Command to prepare for an attack on the West, claiming that the British and French were not ready.
While maneuvering with Britain, Hitler dispatched diplomats to Moscow to negotiate a new treaty after the end of the Polish campaign. Although privately he revealed that he never believed any treaty or convention could keep the Soviets neutral for long, and the greatest guarantee for preventing a Soviet attack was to "immediately demonstrate Germany's strength."
While the air force and ground troops launched a fierce attack on Warsaw, German diplomats arrived in Moscow to negotiate with the Soviet side. Soviet leader Stalin personally proposed a plan to cede all Polish territory east of the Vistula River to Germany - which included most of the populated areas of Poland. In exchange, Germany had to support the Soviet occupation of Lithuania.
Undoubtedly, Germany did not want to hand over the last Baltic country to the Soviets, but Berlin needed a stable eastern front to avoid a repeat of 1914. Therefore, Hitler reluctantly approved all the terms of this clause. At the end of September, representatives of both Germany and the Soviet Union signed the new treaty.
At this point, perhaps hoping to intimidate the British with an offensive, or perhaps losing confidence in their attitude, a document approving attacks laid quietly on the desk of Admiral Rader, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy: The German Navy was authorized to attack British maritime routes under more relaxed restrictions and further strengthen its "Western Wall" - by deploying minefields in the North Sea to prevent British attacks and providing a protective barrier for German warships to enter and exit the Atlantic via the Norwegian Sea. Meanwhile, offensive minefields were deployed near the British coastline to threaten ships sailing near British territory.
On the last day of September, Zhang Hainuo, on the bridge of the "Graf Spee," received a telegram with a coded message: "Thunderstorms today"! From this moment on, the two long-range raiders lurking in the Atlantic for over a month finally received their attack orders. And a week earlier, U-131 and U-132 had been sent to lurk on the busiest routes between South America and Europe. Now, their radio signals were leading the "Graf Spee" towards its first prey in this war.