"Your Majesty, the Atlantic has now become a situation in which the Imperial Navy is in a confrontation with the United States. The British, though cowering in Canada, are also rebuilding their navy. However, the Canadian base is too poor, everything needs to be started from scratch, and it is already unlikely that the British want to regain a strong navy. Currently, the home port of the Imperial Navy's Atlantic Fleet is Scarpa Bay. But this is no longer quite appropriate. We need a better base to be able to use the Atlantic Fleet to its full potential. "The commander of the Atlantic Fleet of the Imperial Navy, Vice Admiral Berdick, reported.

Qin Tian nodded, although Scapa Bay is a good military port. However, the location is not so good. In other words, when the British used it as the home port of the Grand Fleet, specifically to intercept the German Navy, Scarpa Bay was very good.

Now, the Atlantic has become a confrontation between the German Navy and the American Navy, and if the Atlantic Fleet uses Scapa Bay as its home port, this is somewhat inappropriate for the German Navy's Atlantic Fleet.

"Azores, the location is really good. Although, the infrastructure is terrible, but after a few years of construction, it can become a very good military port. However, the Azores are in Portuguese hands, their most important overseas archipelago. It will be very difficult for them to hand over the Azores to us. Qin Tian said.

In another time, the Portuguese were duplicitous. On the one hand, they were afraid that Germany would invade them, so they actively approached Germany. Although he did not participate in the war, he was consistent with Germany in all aspects. On the other hand, Portugal leased the Azores to the Anglo-American allies, allowing them to use the Azores as a transit point against Germany. It is precisely for this reason that the Portuguese dictatorship was able to avoid being overthrown and continue to rule.

This time and space, after the Portuguese royal family was overthrown. The Portuguese apparently followed the same tactic. At a time when the British Empire was still the world hegemon, they maintained a very good relationship with the British Empire. However, when the British Empire was defeated, lost its homeland, and retreated to Canada, the Portuguese government actively repaired relations with Germany. However, Qin Tian believed that if Germany offered to lease the Azores, or let the Portuguese government sell the Azores to Germany, the Portuguese government would definitely not agree.

Although, Germany has a strong military strength, and with its strong military strength, it is completely possible to crush Portugal into slag. However, Germany had just re-established its image as a peace-loving country, and if it rashly invaded Portugal, it would inevitably cause the image that it had so hard to establish would be corrupted cleanly.

In addition, Portugal is a small country with a population of just over six million. However, Portugal has also had its glorious past. In the Age of Discovery, they were the first pioneers to set foot in it, and they achieved a great career. It was only after England and France joined the voyage that Portugal began to decline. Especially after their colony in the Americas, Brazil, became independent, Portugal was completely reduced to a small second-rate country.

However, it was not so easy to conquer Portugal militarily. If Portugal had been defeated so easily, Spain, who were on the Iberian Peninsula, would have conquered them long ago. After all, Spain was much more powerful than Portugal, both in terms of population and territorial size. Qin Tian didn't want the German invasion of Portugal to make it a quagmire of war. After all, although the German army was strong, the Portuguese would always resist. The Germans can't kill all the Portuguese!

"Your Majesty, can we get the Azores by lend-lease?" Admiral Reinhardt? Marshal Scheer said.

As the confrontation between Germany and the United States intensified, the German Navy became more and more hopeful of obtaining a naval base in the eastern Atlantic. In that case, it will give them more strategic depth and room to turn around. In addition, on the Azores, not only military ports can be built, but also airfields can be built and aircraft can be deployed. In this case, if the United States wants to attack the European continent, I am afraid that it will first have to find a way to pull out the nail of the Azores. Otherwise, they have to worry about their future all the time.

Qin Tian thought for a moment, then nodded: "It can be through lend-lease." However, the rent should not be too high. If the Portuguese government allows it, it is best to set the lease period at ninety-nine years! Of course, it would be best if you could buy the Azores all at once. ”

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Reinhart? Field Marshal Scheer and Lieutenant General Berdick both nodded. However, they also know that it will be very difficult for Portugal to give up the Azores.

"Vahit, it's up to you to visit Portugal and discuss this matter with the Portuguese government! It would be better to be able to get them to sell the Azores to us. If not, rent! Qin Tian said.

"Yes, Your Majesty. However, if we want to buy the Azores, how can we book the price? If you want to rent, how should the rent be calculated? Vahit asked.

"If you buy it all at once, the price will not exceed 500 million marks. If you lease it, it's 10 million marks a year! Qin Tian said.

Although Germany now has a lot of money, German money is not blown by the wind. It would have been best if the German Navy had been able to acquire the Azores at minimal cost. A one-time purchase price of 500 million marks, or 10 million marks of rent per year, is also a lot of money for Portugal.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Vahit nodded.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it would be best if we could obtain the Azores from Portugal by peaceful means. However, if Portugal rejects our offer, then we may need to take the Azores in other ways. I hope that the cabinet and the military will be able to come up with a set of plans! Qin Tian said.

Qin Tian did this, and he also hoped to be able to prepare for both. In this way, the empire will be able to get what it wants.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The military and political ministers of the empire replied one after another.

On November 2, 1918, German Foreign Minister Washitt arrived in Lisbon for an official visit to Portugal.