"Damn, it's all Herman. Goering and that kid are harmful, Ethiopia is probably going to be lost in fifty days, and we can't watch the Germans waste their time there. You go to Berlin one more time as my envoy and urge the Germans to send the 15th Panzer Division to Egypt as soon as possible, and it is better for them to send another force to Africa that can be immediately put into battle, for example"

"Airborne troops, airborne troops can parachute or plane to Ethiopia, it will save a lot of time." Marshal Badoglio said.

"Airborne Forces? I almost forgot that we also had airborne troops, so we immediately sent the 185 paratrooper regiment to Ethiopia by air, and then found a way to send a batch of 90-mm anti-aircraft guns to Duke Oster, so that he must block the British. Mussolini said.

"I'll do it right away." Marshal Badogglio quickly jotted down Mussolini's orders.

A day later, Marshal Badoglio received an unusually warm welcome in Berlin, and the Chief of the General Staff of the German High Command, Field Marshal Keitel, personally greeted him at the airport, and the two men then drove straight to the Chancellery.

In the reception hall of the Chancellery, Marshal Badogglio and Hitler exchanged a few warm greetings and directly expressed their intentions.

Hitler was silent after hearing this, and Field Marshal Keitel preemptively said: "Mr. Marshal, you don't know the situation we are facing now. We have 24 divisions in the Balkans, 38 divisions in the occupied territories on the Western Front, and only seven divisions in the Middle East, but all of them are the most elite armored and motorized divisions. And the airborne divisions you need.

Most seriously, the rapid expansion of our influence in the Balkans has alarmed the Russians, whose intelligence services have detected a large-scale military movement in the eastern border areas. Needless to say, the purpose of the transfer was certainly directed against Germany.

To defend against the Russians, we used up to sixty divisions, and Germany now has no spare divisions to send to Africa, I hope you can understand. ”

Field Marshal Badoglio was slightly disappointed when he saw that Keitel repeatedly emphasized the difficulties facing Germany, but he did not give up the hope of lobbying, because Hitler had not yet taken a position.

Seeing Marshal Badoglio looking at him, his eyes were full of anticipation. Hitler cleared his throat and said sincerely: "Mr. Marshal. First of all I have Herman. I am saddened by the regret and apologies for the performance of the Göring Division, whose negligence disrupted all our battle plans. Since it was the Luftwaffe's negligence that caused the present loss, I think it is up to them to make up for it.

Here's my plan. I will have Marshal Goering send a regiment from the 7th Parachute Division to Eritrea, and I will also have the Luftwaffe deploy two anti-aircraft battalions to cooperate with the paratroopers to stabilize the situation in Eritrea first, so that the Duke of Oster can concentrate on dealing with the British troops from Kenya and Italian Somalia.

During this time, we will focus on solving the Greek problem as originally planned. After the Greek problem is resolved, we can free up at least twenty divisions for other directions, and you can also transfer part of the Albanian troops to Africa, what do you think of my proposal? ”

Marshal Badoglio immediately figured it out in his mind.

Ethiopia is a landlocked country, whereas Eritrea is a Red Sea coastal country located in the northeastern part of Ethiopia.

Much of the heavy equipment of the Italian army had to go ashore through Eritrean ports. It was then shipped to Ethiopia, where the Germans would help defend Eritrea and ensure that the port would not be lost. It seems good to be able to guarantee that the Duke of Oster will hold out in Ethiopia for a long time.

"I will convey the plan of His Excellency the Führer to Leader Mussolini, but I would like to ask your country to resolve the Greek question as soon as possible. If the Greek question can be solved, our army can send at least one armored division and six infantry divisions to Africa, and with their support, all the troubles caused by the British will be solved. Marshal Badogglio said.

"Don't worry. In two days at most, our troops could be assembled on the Greek border. Before Christmas. The Greek question will be settled, and this is my assurance, to the Alliance, that you will convey my sincerity, Mr. Leader, that he will receive the good news of victory before Christmas. Hitler said.

"Well, before Christmas, I will wait with Mr. Leader for news of victory." Marshal Badoglio said.

The three discussed the current situation again, and Hitler then invited Marshal Badogglio to lunch.

After lunch, Marshal Badoglio hurriedly bid farewell to Hitler and returned home.

No sooner had Hitler seen off Marshal Badoglio than an uninvited guest entered the reception hall of the Chancellery.

"Minister Ribbentrop, I hope you have brought me good news." Hitler said with a smile to the visitor.

German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop proudly said: "My Führer, the Foreign Office has never failed to live up to your trust, we have made a breakthrough in our work, and everything is done according to your orders." ”

After listening to Ribbentrop explain some of the details of his work, Hitler patted Ribbentrop on the shoulder cordially and said: "The Reich will remember your contribution, and I will remember it, go and get busy, and bring me greater good news before Christmas." ”

"As you wish, my Führer." Ribbentrop said proudly, holding his head high.

Seeing Ribbentrop leave, Hitler suddenly exclaimed: "Heinz was a genius, militarily, politically, and commercially.

No, he is not only a genius, but also an all-rounder, and Herman's luck is really good to be able to get such an excellent brother-in-law. ”

Pacing a few steps in the living room with his hands behind his back, Hitler suddenly said, "I wish Marguerite could do what she wants." ”

On the night of December 18, in the living room of the Palazzo Venezia in Rome, the capital of Italy.

Mussolini put down the shining crystal wine glass in his hand, crossed his arms and said: "According to Hitler's promise, the German-army will complete the mobilization today and launch an attack on Greece tomorrow."

He said to solve the Greek problem before Christmas, and now there are only six days left until Christmas, do you think they can solve Greece in six days? ”

"Since the Germans have promised to settle Greece before Christmas, I think they should have the ability to deliver on that promise." Ziano said.

"The Germans should not joke with their credibility, and I also think that they will be able to settle the Greeks in six days." Marshal Badoglio said.

Mussolini raised his right hand and held out a little thumb.

"I admit that the German Army is somewhat stronger than ours, but they are not invincible, there are large areas of mountainous territory on the border between Yugoslavia and Greece, which are not suitable for the use of armored forces, and I do not think that they will be able to deal with the Greeks before Christmas, as they boast." Mussolini said.

"One thing you have forgotten, my leader, is that even the most dangerous terrain must be defended by the army to stop the enemy. The main forces of the Greek army are now concentrated in Albania, and they are extremely empty in the rest of the defensive line, lacking sufficient troops, and I think it is because of this that the Germans must have dared to claim to settle the Greeks before Christmas. Marshal Badogglio said.

Mussolini jerked down his leg and stood up, shouting angrily, "Fortunately, I have your reminder." The Germans must have taken advantage of the fact that the main force of the Greek army was pinned down by us, and they were so cunning and insidious that they still had to pretend to be very powerful, and I really misjudged them. ”

"In any case, as long as the Germans can quickly solve the Greeks and free up our hands to solve the problems facing Africa, we should know to be satisfied, not to ask too much, after all, Greece is not where our core interests lie." Ziano said.

"I would have liked the Greeks to hold out a few more days, even if only to surrender on Christmas Day, so that we could laugh at the Germans a little bit." Mussolini said with anticipation.

"Because Herman. The Germans are already very disgraced about the Goering division, so let's stop laughing at them, it will make us look very impolite. Marshal Badoglio said with a smile.

"Yes, grace, grace, grace."

Mussolini said graciously raising his glass to toast the two of them.

At ten o'clock in the morning of the next day, Mussolini, who had not woken up from a hangover, was woken up.

Mussolini opened his eyes in confusion, stared at Ziano standing at the head of the bed, and asked sleepily, "What's the matter?" Wake me up so early? ”

Ziano sniffled, holding back the smell of wine that came to his face, and said anxiously: "The Greeks have surrendered, and the German-army is marching into Greek territory. (To be continued)

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