Chapter 161 Alamein Line

The Alamein Line is not just one line of defense.

There is only one line visible, but there are at least three.

These three lines of defense are, from far to near, the air line of defense, the artillery line of defense, and the trench line of defense.

The air line of defense is about 50 kilometers from the Alamein Line of Defense... In fact, in order to slow down the German army's marching speed, British aircraft have already extended the line of defense to 100 kilometers.

However, the main line of defense is still within 50 kilometers, because at this distance, the British Air Force is more likely to get cover from ground anti-aircraft firepower and face less German anti-aircraft firepower, so it can achieve the greatest results at the lowest cost.

The artillery line of defense is within 10 kilometers.

The British army concentrated almost all the artillery they could find on the Alamein Line of Defense.

General Auchinleck knew very well that if the Alamein Line of Defense could not stop the German attack, then the British army would never be able to stop the Germans... The Alamein Line of Defense is equivalent to the British Army's city wall, a barrier.

If this wall and barrier were breached, the Germans would rush in like a flood and start a massacre.

Therefore, General Auchinleck did not even leave artillery in important cities such as Cairo and Alexandria, and more than a thousand famous artillery pieces were all transferred to El Alamein to block the German attack.

Needless to say, the trench line was a line of defense built by British ground forces with trenches, bunkers and tanks.

This was the last line of defense of the British army, because it was 55 kilometers long and many British troops suffered heavy losses in the desert, which led to the British army, which had always been well-managed, being short of manpower.

So General Auchinleck hurriedly transferred the paramilitary forces, the 11th African Division and the 12th African Division, which were mainly formed by Egyptians, to garrison, and immediately transferred reinforcements from South Africa, India and Australia (the 2nd South African Division, the 29th Indian Brigade, and the 9th Australian Division).

Therefore, the most vulnerable part should still be the trench defense line, whose main defense force was the 4th Indian Division of the 13th Army as a reserve force. The others were the remnants of the 30th Army that suffered heavy losses in the Gabshali area by the 21st Armored Division, and the 6th Australian Infantry Division that barely retained its combat effectiveness.

In theory, this line of defense was strong enough, and General Auchinleck should have the confidence to stop the German attack, but General Auchinleck, who was already scared by the Germans, still prepared a plan B: if Alamein fell, the Eighth Army would retreat to the Nile Delta. If Cairo and the Delta were not safe, then they would continue to retreat south to the Nile.

So General Auchinleck ordered the engineers to build a defense line in the rear and even in Cairo.

As a result, the whole of Egypt was in chaos like an explosion... Originally, everyone had confidence in the British Army, because they believed that the British Army, with its absolute advantage in manpower and equipment, could defend Egypt at the worst.

Isn't Britain the world's number one power? With the limited military strength of the Germans, fighting against the world's most powerful country, isn't that like an egg hitting a rock? !

Unexpectedly, the facts were just the opposite. The British army was defeated again and again, and now the British engineers were actually building fortifications near the pyramids...

Suddenly, the streets of Cairo were crowded with cars retreating from Alexandria and the countryside and military transport vehicles returning from the front. The British consulate was surrounded by people who came to apply for visas to Palestine. The trains to Palestine were crowded. Soldiers on the front line, wounded soldiers returning from the front line, and civilians who wanted to flee Cairo were crowded together, and conflicts would arise from time to time due to certain frictions.

The wives and families of British officers who stayed in Cairo were told to prepare for immediate evacuation. Some of them were prepared to be sent to Palestine, while others were to evacuate from ships in the Suez Canal.

It was not just Egypt that was in chaos. Britain was not much better. The argument of failure enveloped this isolated island, and Churchill was strongly questioned by the opposition and even his own party.

"Mr. Prime Minister!" Senator Milne asked, "We have more troops and equipment than the enemy. Not long ago, we were even attacking the Germans, but now the Germans are almost reaching Cairo! You once vowed to us that Britain would eventually win. Do you still think so now?

"Yes, of course!" Churchill replied, "We are only temporarily defeated!"

"Then may I ask..." Senator Milne continued to ask, "Is this 'temporary' one hundred years or two hundred years?"

Milne's words caused a burst of laughter.

Senator Winterton also sarcastically said, "We have never had a series of catastrophic failures like the current one. Mr. Prime Minister, do you really not think this is due to command or decision-making?"

Senator Winterton's words were clearly about General Auchinleck, but secretly pointed the finger at Churchill, because Churchill was the final decision maker.

"No!" Churchill replied, "I don't think there is anything wrong with our command and decision-making. The reason for this situation is that we have encountered the most powerful opponent in the world. Putting aside the disaster of war, Rommel is indeed an outstanding military genius! "

Churchill did not intend to flatter his enemies, but only by elevating his enemies can he appear not so stupid.

A member of parliament immediately said: "Mr. Prime Minister, if Rommel served in the British Army according to the tradition of the British Army, he would be a sergeant at most!"

This remark immediately caused another round of laughter, and Churchill blushed on the stage, embarrassed and speechless.

"Your Excellency Prime Minister!" The members still refused to let him go easily. One member asked reluctantly: "You have won victory after victory in the past debates, but you have been attacked again and again on the battlefield. Failure. Does your silence in the debate here mean we are about to win?”

Churchill did not dare to answer because he was worried that the situation would be like before... As soon as he said that the British army was about to win, news of a rout came from the front.

A frustrated Churchill sent two telegrams after the meeting.

A telegram was sent to General Auchinleck.

"For God's sake, stop the Germans!" Churchill said: "I no longer expect victory, but don't let the enemy cross the Alamein line, not even a step!"

Another telegram was sent to Roosevelt.

"Mr. President!" Churchill said: "I have to tell you that the situation is extremely critical. If we don't get strong assistance, maybe we will lose Africa forever!"

"Hang in there!" Roosevelt called back: "Help will be arriving in Alexandria in a few days!"

"No!" Churchill called back: "You'd better land at Port Said, because I'm not sure whether Alexandria will still be ours in a few days!"