At the time of the death of the Polish leader Pilswooski, the handsome Italian press and propaganda minister, Galai Azo, the son-in-law of the Italian leader Mussolini. Ziano was in Paris, France, and he had come to Paris as an envoy of his father-in-law.

Italy was now a loyal ally of France, and on January 7, 1935, Mussolini signed the Italian-French Treaty with French Foreign Minister Reival. The treaty was against Germany, and France made it a condition for acquiescing in Italy's invasion of Abynesia (Ethiopia) in exchange for Italy and France joining forces to curb Germany's ambitions to expand southward and annex Austria.

In contrast to the historical situation, Austria is still ruled by the Christian socialist dictator Engelbert. Taulfis. The kidnapping and murder on July 24, 1934 did not take place. Because Schleicher and Hersmann now controlled the pace of German expansion, they would not be able to take a hard line when the conditions were not ripe.

Moreover, in the timetable of Schleicher and Hersmann, the restoration of the Hohenzollern dynasty must have preceded the annexation of Austria.

Still, Stasi's Foreign Intelligence Service supported the Austrian National Socialist Workers' Party, which had been infiltrated by Stasi since its founding. The party's line has always been to unite Germany and Austria to form a Greater German Empire, hoping to allow Austria to join the German Empire through a referendum.

However, Austria's democratic system came to an end in March 1933, when Tauerfes dissolved the parliament and ruled the country by emergency decree. and then banned the Bolshevik Party, the Austrian Nazi Party, and other opposition parties – whose activities were forced underground, and a legitimate referendum could not be held – and at the same time he pushed for a military alliance with Italy and Hungary against Germany's annexation of Austria.

But within Austria, there were always forces in favor of Greater Germany's unification. Germany's economy has grown rapidly since 1931. The fact that unemployment has been reduced to almost zero has also attracted the middle and lower classes of Austria.

The news that the abdicated German emperor Wilhelm had left the Netherlands for Tallinn in the Baltic Republic and lived in the Tombea Palace gave hope to a part of the Austrian upper class to restore the monarchy - the Austrian revolution in 1918 was not complete, but only overthrew the Habsburg dynasty. But it did not touch the roots of the monarchist aristocracy.

These Habsburg supporters expected Austria to become a subordinate state of the German Empire as the Kingdom of Bavaria, or to have their crown prince Otto ascend to the Hungarian throne.

This situation made the rule of Austria's petty dictator Taulfis even more precarious, because the middle and lower classes of Austria were not his supporters, and the upper echelons of Austria, which had supported him, were divided.

In this case, Calais Azo. Ziano had arrived in Paris from Rome in early May, and had been meeting with the French government for the rest of the day to discuss the establishment of a coalition of France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary to guarantee Austrian independence.

"Your Excellency, France understands Italy's demands in the conflict between Italian Somalia and Abynesia on the border. This is completely reasonable. "At the Marting Palace, French Prime Minister Etienne Flandi, who is about to leave for Poland, is meeting with Ziano.

The French Prime Minister went on to say: "France will not intervene in Italian action in East Africa, and I believe that neither will Great Britain, because the main problem facing Britain at the present time is the same as that of France, which is to contain the growing tendency of German expansion." We hope to conclude an agreement on the southern front, involving France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Austria, to jointly safeguard Austria.

At the same time, we hope that Italy will participate in the Treaty of the East, and work with France and the Soviet Union to protect the western borders of the Polish Confederation from being violated by Germany. At the same time opposed to the merger of Germany and the Baltic republics. The result was a grand alliance that included France, Great Britain, Italy, the Soviet Union, Poland, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Austria to contain Germany. ”

The French fantasized about a "German encirclement". Mussolini's beautiful son-in-law, with the most graceful smile on his face, nodded frequently as the French prime minister spoke. But in my heart, I was thinking: the French never mentioned the question of securing the eastern border of Poland. At present Germany's demand for Poland was nothing more than the return of the Free City of Danzig, which was not Polish territory in the first place. And the Soviet Union's demand for Poland was at least right-bank Ukraine......

"Okay, our leader completely agrees with the French proposition!" "If France wishes to form an alliance to contain Germany," Ziano said, "Italy must participate." ”

Now that the Italian army is marching to East Africa in large numbers, the Italian leader is preparing to conquer the Abynesian Empire with an army of 300,000. However, the Abynesian Empire was a member of the League of Nations and was theoretically protected. Italy's invasion of Abynesia is likely to be sanctioned by the League of Nations......

"So." Ziano seemed a little uneasy about the French assurances, "If Italy had declared war on Abinicia after June 1935, would France have intervened?" ”

He asked because France had just held another general election and a change of government was due on June 1, 1935.

"No!" French Prime Minister Etienne Flandi said, "I and Mr. Reival, who is about to become Prime Minister, are friends of Italy. France and Italy will always be friends! ”

……

"I heard that you held a large-scale military exercise in early May, in the Baltic Republic."

At the Warsaw railway station, Hitler and Hersmann met with the Polish Army Inspector-General Edward. Rez Himigwe. As soon as the three of them met, Reitz-Shimigvi directly asked about the "Iron Fist-1935" military exercises.

"Your Excellency Chief Inspector, this exercise is defensive," Hirschmann said, "to test the ability of the Germans to rescue the Baltic Republic in the event of a Soviet invasion." ”

Reitz-Khimigvi pondered for a while and said: "Poland can stand with Germany and guarantee the independence and territorial integrity of the Baltic Republic." I think this is more effective than Germany alone guaranteeing the security of the Baltic, because Poland has the second army in the world after France. ”

Poland was originally a military power in Eastern Europe supported by Britain and France, and once possessed the armed forces of "peace and independence". After the rise of Germany and the Soviet Union, Poland also strengthened its armament. The Polish army now has a standing army of 1.5 million men, which is 50% more than the German and Baltic armies combined.

And the equipment of the Polish Army does not look bad either, the number of artillery pieces is no less than that of Germany, which currently has 4500 cannons or heavy mortars, 2000 anti-tank guns and 3000 anti-aircraft guns. Light tanks of the TKS series have been massively equipped with troops, and each Polish infantry division has a tank company (equipped with TKS tanks).

In addition, the Polish Army has a powerful "mobile force", including 20 cavalry brigades and 3 motorized brigades, ready to conduct large-scale mobile operations on flat territory.

In addition, since the Soviet-Polish War, Poland in this time and space has begun to build the Pilsudski Line in the territory of right-bank Ukraine in the east and western Belarus to resist a possible Soviet invasion.

So in the eyes of most Poles -- including Edward. Reitz-Shimigvi - Their homeland is a military power, with an army strength that surpasses that of the Soviet Union and Germany, and is second only to France in the world.

And in Hersmann's eyes, the Polish Army was actually stronger than the French Army, because in history Poland resisted for 37 days, while France resisted only 35 days under the German blitzkrieg. Moreover, Poland collapsed under the joint Soviet-German offensive.

"The Baltic Republic will become part of the German Empire in the near future!"

Adolph. Hitler said to Reitz-Himigvi with some displeasure: "This is a matter between Germany and the Baltic Republics, and it is also in accordance with the principle of national self-determination." ”

Reitz-Shimigvi shrugged his shoulders and said, "But that's not how the international community thinks so!" According to the British-German-Baltic Agreement signed in 1920, the Baltic Republic could not be united with Germany under any circumstances. Moreover, the Treaty of Versailles also provided for the borders of Germany...... These treaties and agreements are the cornerstone of peace and stability in Europe, and Germany should not adopt a policy of unilateral change if it wants to be a responsible member of the international community. ”

Hitler took a breath, his face slightly ugly, but he quickly disguised it, and now was not the time to turn his face with the Poles - and besides, the Polo could be swallowed at any time, and it was almost a part of Germany.

"We will not seek unilateral change, and the change will inevitably be approved by the international community," he said. This has been the policy of the German government all along...... I guarantee that such a thing as the restoration of military service and stationing in the Rhine will not reappear in the Baltic Republic. ”

"Well, Poland appreciates such a statement," said the Inspector-General of the Polish Army, to Hitler in the tone of a great power leader, "and that Poland is willing to continue to fulfil its obligations under the Declaration of Non-Aggression as long as Germany complies with its international obligations." ”

Poland has retreated from its original policy towards Germany! Hersmann thought to himself that Pilsudski might still have a Polish-German alliance while he was alive, but once he died, there was no one left in Poland to push for an alliance.

So Poland's policy must inevitably shift from drawing closer to Germany to containing Germany! (To be continued.) )