"While I am not convinced that the French High Command had the courage to take a bold detour, its allies certainly did not approve of them. However, I still considered the countermeasures in this possibility. Manstein said with a relaxed expression.

Manstein circled a narrow area on the map with a telescopic pole: "If the enemy wants to break through to our southern flank, it can only be from both sides of the Maas River or between the Maas and Vaz rivers. And we just need to put pressure on this area from the beginning and crush any attempts they attempt to attack from the south. ”

"This is also the reason why when I specifically formulated the "Scythe Harvesting Plan", I emphasized that Army Group A cannot be attached to only two army groups, but must be three army groups." Manstein concluded.

In Manstein's specific plan, the German army changed from the previous single main attack of Army Group B to the two-way main attack of Army Group A and B. He expanded the single mission of Army Group A, which originally used two army groups to cover the southern flank of Army Group B, into three whole tasks!

First, to organize a defense north of the Maginot Line with an army group, and to complete the initial task of Army Group A, which was supposed to cover the flanks of all Belgian forces. Second, use another army group to cross the Maas River through southern Belgium and move north to attack the enemy forces in front of Army Group B from behind, so as to complete the encirclement. The third was to use an additional army group to maintain a southwesterly advance, so that the French could not gather forces west of the Maas River to launch a roundabout attack on the southern flank of the Germans.

"So........" Manstein curled the corners of his mouth and looked at Brauchitsch conceitedly: "Does the commander-in-chief still think there is anything wrong with the new plan........

...........

"No, I just don't think it's right anyway!" In Rome's Palazzo Venice, Italian leader Benito Mussolini was trying to convince his generals that Italy had enough strength under his leadership.

Mussolini told his generals that, as a great country, Italy had to face a struggle to restructure Europe, rather than sit idly by.

In the top four of Europe, Britain, France and Germany have all flexed their muscles in Norway, while Italy is still standing in the corner like a peacemaker, which is not in line with Mussolini's image of a new Roman Empire.

"Leader," Ziano, who was still quite conscious, hurriedly said, "it is not that we cannot participate in the struggle for world hegemony, but that our initial goal should not be to the north, but to the south. ”

Hearing his son-in-law say this, Mussolini was also a little interested. As long as he can expand, he doesn't really mind too much about going north and south.

Seeing that his father-in-law finally stopped mentioning his stupid strategy of sending troops to Norway to show his national prestige, Ziano also breathed a sigh of relief: "According to Italy's current superior external environment, we can completely stay out of the hegemonic competition of Britain, France and Germany." In essence, however, it can take advantage of the geopolitical turmoil caused by the rise of Germany to take advantage of the opportunity to avoid the Great War and achieve its own comprehensive self-improvement, and then flexibly formulate new strategic objectives according to the changes in the European situation. ”

Ziano's idea was simple, and anyone with a discerning eye could see that the Battle of Norway was the last layer of window paper between England, France and Germany. In the near future, a large-scale war should break out in these three countries.

Based on the experience of the last world war, the war between Germany and France will not be fruitful in less than a year and a half. Italy only needs to use this long time to develop itself and finally join the side that is about to win, and fight with a well-trained force to achieve the final victory.

If Germany and Britain and France want to fight, they should fight enough, and the longer they fight, the better, so that the country in front of them, which is in the midst of a golden jade, will have time to reorganize itself and prepare for war. Whether Mussolini thinks so or not, at least that's what Ziano does.

"My dear Ziano, tell me more about your strategy for going south." Mussolini said excitedly.

He could no longer stand the fact that only the German Führer was in the limelight. Obviously he was the senior, obviously he was much wiser than the admiral named Reinhardt.

"I have to say that we are far from being comparable to countries like Britain and Germany in terms of population size, national territory, natural resources, economic base, military strength, scientific research capabilities, etc........," Ziano gradually explained to Mussolini.

"Nonsense! Italy is obviously very strong, and we will surpass them in the future! Mussolini unhappily interrupted these remarks.

Finding that this method did not make sense in front of his father-in-law, Ziano skipped this ugly passage with interest, and started directly from the part that Mussolini liked to hear: "Our Italy has a superior geographical location, surrounded by the sea on three sides of the east, west and south, and the Alps in the north. In such a particularly defensible environment, it is very difficult for European countries to attack us. “

"On the other hand, under your leadership, we have built up a formidable naval force. We should make full use of this force to expand our overseas interests. Ziano inserted a sentence of flattery to Mussolini.

"Yes, you should make good use of the powerful navy I have built." Mussolini, who heard someone slapping himself on the back, was satisfied.

Ziano straightened out his thoughts and gave his father-in-law one final guide: "As a long and narrow peninsula country, the main part of Italy consists of the Apennine Peninsula, Sardinia and Sicily. The Apennine Peninsula juts out like a balcony into the middle of the Mediterranean, while Sardinia and Sicily are the first and second largest islands in the Mediterranean, respectively, giving Italy a great geographical advantage in the Mediterranean. Coupled with our powerful navy, this is almost the opportunity that God wants to give us to expand into the Mediterranean. ”

"That's exactly what I want to hear!" Mussolini applauded excitedly. It seems that his son-in-law understands his ambitions and can give him good advice.

Mussolini had always wanted to restore the glory of the Roman era, and now Ziano's strategy of moving south to seek a sphere of influence around the Mediterranean is simply a grand strategy tailored to his ideals.

"Ziano, my dear Ziano, you are simply my Lepida!" Mussolini patted Ciano on the shoulder and complimented.

This little bit of my ability is going to be a thunderbolt? Ziano smiled bitterly and thought, you yourself want to be Caesar. (Flying Fish Note: During the Roman Empire, Lepida worked faithfully for Caesar and was known as Caesar's most trusted agent.) ）