"What do you think of the telegram for help from Italy now?"

In Bucharest, Eder was also asking about the topic. However, unlike Germany, Italy also sent a telegram asking for help.

The reason is also very simple, that is, the current Romanian naval fleet is still intact, and the Italian side hopes that during the maintenance of its own warships, Romania can send its fleet to the Central Mediterranean to maintain the pressure.

Faced with the Italian demands, how could Eder decide for himself, he immediately gathered the military and government to seek their opinions.

Sure enough, when Edel asked for advice, the opinion from the government was immediately reflected.

Minister of Armaments Bardovin, without waiting for others to speak, took the lead in expressing his attitude. "Your Majesty, I think that the Italian request must be carried out only after our needs are guaranteed, and at present the Middle East still needs more than 300,000 tons of supplies and ammunition, and if there is no naval protection, then it is very likely that the transportation of materials will be delayed."

Bardovin's words immediately attracted the approval of others.

"The words of the Minister of Armaments are very good, we need to meet our own needs first before we can help others."

Prime Minister Mihalakai said this, and his words immediately attracted the approval of other senior government officials.

"The Prime Minister is right to say that our own needs must be met first."

While government officials are almost unanimous, there are other voices.

Seeing Foreign Minister Kostel, he couldn't help but ask. "How shall we respond to the request of the Italian side?"

In the face of the Foreign Secretary's sudden disturbance, a strange atmosphere immediately appeared in the air.

In fact, the opinion of the government has already been expressed, and they do not want the fleet to support. What must be guaranteed the safety of the Middle East shipping routes is empty words. At present, most of the British warships in Egypt have been transferred to the side of the Red Sea, and in the Mediterranean, except for a few frigates, there are only a few submarines.

But then again, even if the British transfer back the fleet in the Red Sea, they would still not be Romania's opponent, after all, there are only a few capital ships in the Mediterranean Fleet, and the largest warships are currently Sussex and Shropshire. These two London-class heavy cruisers, a Romanian battleship could hang them.

Faced with such a situation, Eder took the opportunity to ask. "What does the Navy think about this?"

Eder asked for the Navy's opinion. What else is there to say about the Navy, in the face of the opportunity to appear in the Western Mediterranean, Marshal Lomodan, as the Minister of the Navy, will of course seek benefits for the Navy.

I saw this seventy-year-old man, ignoring the government's gaze, and replied one by one. "The government's concerns are very valid and we appreciate their concern for our Navy. However, from the perspective of our naval expertise, it is possible to form a fleet to support the Italian side. ”

As soon as Marshal Lomodan's words fell, some people questioned them. "But after the fleet leaves, how can the safety of the transported supplies be guaranteed. You must know that the British fleet in the Red Sea is not weak, and if you know that you are leaving, then the other side will definitely harass the transport lines and delay the launch of the Middle East campaign. ”

Everyone looked at it, and the person who questioned it this time was actually Prime Minister Mihalaky.

In the face of the Prime Minister's questioning, Marshal Lomodan must give enough respect, of course, he also knows that the Prime Minister's words are easy to answer from a professional point of view, but it is not appropriate to say this now, because he does not want the relationship between the Navy and the Navy to deteriorate, so this answer must be paid attention to.

Marshal Lomodan, after much consideration, replied. "Your Excellency the Prime Minister is right, and meeting the needs of the Middle East is the first priority. We are also very much identified with the Navy. To this end, our Navy also has a plan to meet the needs of the Middle East and to provide rapid support to Italy. ”

Lomodan's words intrigued Eder, who looked at the Admiralty and asked. "Your Excellency, you can tell us about the plans of your navy."

"Actually, it's very simple," Lomodan immediately said the Navy's approach in response to Eder's inquiry. "At present, the carrying capacity of our transport vessels remains at more than 3 million tons, and there is no problem in temporarily mobilizing more than 300,000 tons."

Before Lomodan's words fell, Bardovin, who was the Minister of Armaments, retorted. "Your Excellency, Marshal, I know what you think, you intend to take advantage of the method of centralized transportation. Although the ports of Constanta and Thessaloniki are able to complete the loading task in a short time, I wonder if you have considered the unloading capacity of the port of Beirut. More than 300,000 tons of supplies, they need to unload for at least nearly ten days, and a large number of ships and supplies are piled up in the port, and the risk is too great. ”

True, Baldovin had already thought of Lomodan's plan, but he thought it was a bit risky.

However, although Bardovin considered the risk to be a bit great, Marshal Lomodan did not see it that way.

I saw him refute it. "Is the risk you are worried about the possibility of the fleet being threatened by sea and air?"

"Yes."

In the face of Lomodan's inquiry, Baldovin answered without hesitation.

At this time, the prime minister felt that he was not happy, and sure enough, as Bardovin's words fell, he saw Marshal Lomodan say with a smile. "Actually, Your Excellency's worries are unnecessary."

Then he said why.

"I'll have the fleet on this escort mission, but when I arrive in Beirut, I'll leave behind the Mircea and the two aircraft carriers, the Buck and the Gilesku, to resist the harassment of the British fleet. In addition, in order to deal with underwater threats, destroyers will be on alert in adjacent waters, and the air forces of the island of Cyprus and Beirut will increase the number of patrols in the sea areas to prevent the enemy from taking advantage of them. As for the threat of the enemy's air, at present the British air force in the Middle East has lost more than half of it, and it is no longer our opponent, as long as we are vigilant, the British fighters will not have a chance to go to Beirut at all. ”

In the face of Lomodan's rebuttal, Baldowin was not a soldier after all, and there was no way to deal with it, so he could only stop fighting.

As for Eder, it is important to ask about another beneficiary of the program, and that is the opinion of the Army. After all, the plan will affect the Army in the end, no matter what.

"Marshal Fereitt, what do you Army think about this?"

Fereitt had been prepared for the interrogation with Eder, and he had such a premonition after receiving the results of the naval battle of Cape Tunis as soon as he was the first to receive it.

"Your Majesty, we have no opinion on this from the army side. Moreover, the transportation of materials in advance will also allow Hoffman to better carry out the campaign against Suez. ”

Fereitt's words lightened the atmosphere. And with his words, Edel also made a decision about it. Generally speaking, in the face of Italy's request for help, the government side is opposed, while the navy side is supportive, and the army is indifferent. It's just that this call for help is about the navy, so the opinion of the navy is the decisive factor.

"Then do as Marshal Lomodan says."

Edel said the decisive word, but although he agreed to the Navy's request, there was still the necessary beating.

"But your navy must ensure the safety of transportation in the Middle East."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The meeting ended with a naval victory.

Then the port of Beirut became unusually busy, with a large number of ships and mountains of supplies becoming the norm at the port. For this reason, the Romanian Air Force in the Middle East has launched several operations in a row, which has made the local British Air Force, which has suffered a great loss of strength, even more exhausted, and has no time to think about Beirut at all.