It is not known how much of the psychological shadow this exercise left on the Ottomans, but it did have the effect it was intended to have. Not long after the exercise ended, the Italian side stopped probing Germany on the North African issue. The Italians understand the attitude they want to express behind the joint military exercises, which have far more political significance than military significance, and it would be boring to continue to test them at this time.

However, although they did not dare to act rashly under pressure from Germany, the Italians must have been unwilling to give up, and it was inevitable that they would become resentful of Germany.

As for the Italian wall-headers, Jochen has always speculated about their discipline with 100,000 malice. So in order to appease Italy, Jochen ordered the foreign secretary to visit Italy in order to deepen diplomatic relations between the two countries and continue to promote economic cooperation between the two countries.

The real purpose, of course, was to remind the Italians of their obligations under the Treaty of Alliance. Under the new treaty of alliance that had been re-signed after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, Italy entered the war as an Allied Power in the event that Germany and Hungary were attacked by France or Russia.

Although there are many reasons for Italy's betrayal in history, the core issue is still profit. Britain and France were able to offer Italy lucrative conditions for seizing a large amount of Austro-Hungarian territory after victory, and now the German Jochen could naturally give the Italians post-war control of the French North African colonies, including Tunisia and Algeria, as long as Germany did not fire the first shot of the war, in the face of such interests, it was unlikely that Italy would refuse to fulfill its obligations to the alliance.

The Italian grievances could be put aside for the time being, but the complaints of Jochen's brother-in-law had to be taken seriously.

"Jochen, the cooperation between Germany and the Ottomans for some time has made my father very worried about your attitude on the Balkan issue, and it has also made many people in our country unhappy with Germany's proximity to the Ottomans, which has put my father in an awkward position." Konstantin complained to his wife's brother.

"Konstantin, your father was born into the family of the Duke of Oldenburg-Schleswig-Holstein. You are my brother-in-law, so I have always had good intentions towards Greece. I have never been partial to the Ottomans in the contradictions between you and the Ottomans. Jochen smiled helplessly.

The effects of the joint military exercises between Germany and the Ottomans not only restrained the Italians, but also made the Balkans uneasy. Serbia and Bulgaria were now under the control of the Russians and had little to do with Germany, but Greece, which was related by marriage to the German royal family, could not sit still, so Jochen's brother-in-law Konstantin took his wife to Berlin. Let's find out what Jochen is talking about.

The Balkans were a mess, and Jochen really didn't want to get into it. Unlike Italy's outright interest in Ottoman-controlled North Africa, the relationship between Greece and the Ottomans was entangled.

Macedonia, Thrace and other regions controlled by the Ottomans were considered by the Greeks to be their own territory "since ancient times", and in the Balkans, where nationalism was rampant, under the banner of national liberation, the Greeks had always wanted to take these regions into their pockets. However, Greece, which pretended to be unable to fight in the Greco-Turkish War, not only did not rescue its compatriots in Crete, but was taught a severe lesson militarily, and was forced to cede several territories of great strategic value.

It is useless for Germany to intervene in such a chaotic situation. Even if the Greek royal family is close to Germany, the Greek government, which is politically inclined to Britain and France, will not give up its "great cause of national liberation" in this way, and the new government of the Ottoman Empire cannot accept any country's territorial claims to itself at this time.

In this case, Jochen can only say, what do you like, I am neutral, as long as the Ottoman Empire does not disintegrate, the Balkans will go with your gang.

"But the cooperation between Germany and the Ottomans greatly increased the military strength of the Ottomans, which is not impartial." Konstantin retorted. In the Greco-Turkish war. The army commanded by Konstantin was defeated at the hands of the Ottoman army, which was trained by the German military advisory group, which can be described as impressive.

"If the Greek Navy is willing to get rid of all the damn British, Germany can have the same level of military cooperation as Greece." Jochen replied angrily. Immediately choked Konstantin speechless.

The British in Jochen's mouth naturally refers to the British naval military adviser who provides guidance for the Greek Navy, and Konstantin can only smile bitterly at this, his brother-in-law's empire is now basically incompatible with the British, and Greece is economically dependent on the British, so the government's attitude is biased towards Britain and France, and the navy is under the guidance of the British. Naturally, it was impossible to carry out comprehensive and in-depth military cooperation with Germany as the Ottomans did.

Although he is emotionally more inclined to his brother-in-law, the current domestic situation in Greece does not allow to change the cooperative relationship with the United Kingdom, and Konstantin is also very helpless about this.

Seeing that he had made his brother-in-law speechless, Yoheng immediately changed his tone: "You see, sometimes things are so embarrassing. Personally, of course, I would love to be on your side. But sometimes national policies cannot be determined by our personal preferences. You will be the king of Greece in the future, you should understand that. ”

Although he is the same age as Jochen, Konstantin, who is still only the crown prince, can only nod his head in the face of the teachings of Jochen, a monarch who has been in charge of the world's top power for several years.

When Konstantin came to Berlin to probe his mouth, Jochen understood that the Balkans were about to be in turmoil again. If it weren't for the German attitude in Balkan affairs, Konstantin would not have had to make such a trip at this time, and there would be no need to choose to visit relatives now, when winter is about to begin.

Although Jochen is reluctant to stay away from the dung pit in the Balkans, Greece, a future ally that is likely to be wooed, still has to do his best to win it.

Although the Cretan Parliament, which had been governed by a consensus among the European powers during the Ottoman uprisings and allowed Crete autonomy, as it has historically done in history, seized the opportunity to declare a union with Greece, the swift Jochen immediately hinted at Germany's tacit approval of the matter.

Britain, which was at that time at a heightened conflict with Germany, immediately believed that Germany was taking the opportunity to win over its in-laws, so it made clear its support for the annexation of Crete to Greece. At this time, the Ottoman Association for Progressive Unification, which had already had a tacit understanding with Germany, took the opportunity to trumpet the feelings of the Turkish people by the actions of the British, and attributed the matter to the incompetence of the Sultan. It not only created public opinion for his subsequent coup d'état, but also provoked public reactions, laying the foundation for in-depth cooperation with Germany in the future. It can be described as killing two birds with one stone.

However, for Germany, this was a triple win, because the Anglo-German attitude made Crete no longer resistant to the annexation of Greece, and this result led to the Greek Prime Minister George, who refused to recognize the Cretan parliamentary declaration because of the attitude of the great powers. Theotokis did not step down because of this.

And the annexation of Crete to Greece without any waves avoided the coup d'état of the Military Association of Young Officers in 1909 and thus Eleftherios? Venizelos thus entered the Greek government and eventually became Prime Minister of Greece.

Eleftherios? Venizelos, who led the Cretan uprising of 1897. As a direct result of the outbreak of the Greco-Turkish War, the leader of the Cretan Freedom Party, as a member of the parliament of the Cretan Autonomous Government, was the main culprit for Greece's entry into the Entente in World War I.

Although as a good politician Eleftherios? Venizelos became Prime Minister of Greece with a series of reforms that greatly increased Greece's national power and military power, and the two Balkan wars fought by Greece as a member of the Balkan League under his auspices greatly increased the size and population of Greece.

But his pro-British stance, and under his leadership, the level of military cooperation between Greece and Britain reached a level no less than that of the present German and Ottoman military cooperation. And when Constantine wanted to remain neutral in World War I in the future, in order to join the Entente or even set up another government, and finally forced Constantine to abdicate with the help of Britain and France, and then controlled the Greek government and let his nephew declare war on him.

So now stop Eleftherios? Venizelos was in control of the Greek government, and Jochen thought there was a lot to be done to win over Greece.

"Actually, Uncle George has nothing to worry about the deepening of relations between our country and the Ottomans. Even with the support of Germany, the Ottoman economy and military power grew, but the Ottoman government itself would not make any moves in the Balkans for a long time after the massive political upheaval and the threat from the Russians. Jochen was relieved: "And the matter in Crete is a foregone conclusion, and the Ottoman government will not have any dissatisfaction or action on this matter." ”

Konstantin nodded and said, "I understand, I will convey your words to my father." That being said, Konstantin's tone was a little hesitant and hesitant

Seeing that Konstantin was about to stop talking, Jochen smiled slightly: "It seems that Uncle George is not worried about the threat to the Balkans caused by the Ottomans after receiving German support?" I think it was because I was worried about Greece's attitude and reaction to Germany's declaration of war on the Ottomans, right? ”

This sentence scared Konstantin a lot: "No. Greece was not prepared for war with the Ottomans. Konstantin flatly denied it.

In fact, Jochen's guess is not that George I himself had anything to think of Ottoman. But there are many people in Greece who have ideas about the Ottomans. The Greek constitutional monarchy was much more restrictive to the king's power than Germany was to the emperor, and George I did not have the military power of Prussia as Jochen, so the king's control over the country was really not very good.

And now the rise of nationalism throughout the Balkans, coupled with the development of capitalism, the Balkan states are driven by interests, and the Balkan countries are salivating over the land controlled by Ottoman Turkey in the Balkans. Among them, of course, is Greece. Although no one has now brokered a Balkan alliance, the Greek desire to regain the land that was stolen by the Ottomans in the Greco-Turkish War and to seize Thrace and Macedonia, the two Greek lands "since ancient times", is indeed very popular in Greece.

This was also what George I feared about if the Greek government did decide to go to war with the Ottomans, and how Germany would react at that time. (To be continued.) If you like this work, you are welcome to come to the starting point (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation and monthly pass. Your support is my biggest motivation ......)

PS: During the National Day, lazy cancer attacked, so I took radiotherapy (abandonment) (treatment), and the current condition has improved.