While Rudolph Jr. hung on his parachute and fell into the smoke of the battlefield, his father, Field Marshal Hersmann, was feasting on his manor with his wife, Chloe, whose belly was already high and her upper circumference was plump. He doesn't know his son crashed yet, and in those days when there were no cell phones and no internet, messaging was very slow.

The visiting party was Lieutenant General Hiroshi Oshima, who had returned to the post of Japanese ambassador to Germany, and his wife, as well as Minister Hess.

After returning to Japan, Hiroshi Oshima, a Japanese German fan, first served as the director of the War Ministry, and in January 40, after the resignation of the Abe cabinet, he was replaced by the pro-British and American Navy Admiral Mitsumasa Yonechi as prime minister. However, on April 20, he suddenly changed his fortunes and was suddenly appointed ambassador to Germany, and arrived in Berlin this afternoon.

However, it was unfortunate that Hitler, Schleicher, and Ribbentrop were not in Berlin, but went to Rome to negotiate a German-Italian alliance with Mussolini. So the minister Hess, who was in charge of receiving him, did not know what the Japanese devil had said to Hess, and in the evening Hess personally called Hessman, hoping that the latter could receive the Japanese ambassador and his wife at Tsosen's manor - he also told Hesman that this was very important for winning over Japan, because the Japanese ambassador was an admirer of Marshal Hessman......

"Ambassador Oshima," Hersman asked bluntly about Japan's "national policy" at the dinner table, "why haven't you marched on French Annam yet?" What are you waiting for? Don't you want to liberate there? ”

"Your Excellency, our empire is still a neutral country at present." Hiroshi Oshima smiled apologetically, "And ......"

"And your Prime Minister Mitsumasa Yonechi also said: The Japanese Navy was not established for war against the United States, and it is almost the same as being used against the German Navy!" As he spoke, Hersman cut the sausage with his knife and fork, looking unconcerned.

Mitsumasa's remarks were directed at the Army's proposal to the Cabinet for a German-Japanese alliance - which seemed to imply a break with Anglo-American France and the choice of a southward expansion for the Japanese Empire. However, the leaders of the Japanese army were always unwilling to give up their westward advance, and they still had the intention of containing the Soviet Union through the German-Japanese alliance to create conditions for westward expansion.

On April 10, after the Western Front in Europe was fully opened, Britain and the United States stepped up their efforts to win over Japan, and even hinted that they could support Japan's free movement on the East Asian continent. Against this background, Mitsumasa Minai openly made a statement that he would use the navy against Germany.

However, the development of events was unexpected by the Japanese, and the Germans continued to play the role of Superman, and the French Army, which was originally the object of worship of the Japanese Army, was defeated by the Germans within a week, and by the way, defeated 300,000 Belgian troops and more than 200,000 British expeditionary forces.

At this time, the Japanese Army began to go crazy again, accusing Mitsumasa Yonechi, who was born in the navy, of being a lackey of British and American imperialism and pushing the Japanese Empire into flames. Mitsumasa Yonechi, who was talking nonsense, was also dumbfounded, and hurriedly sent Hiroshi Oshima to Germany as another ambassador, and at the same time explained Japan's true position to the German side.

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister Minai is not, he does not want to be an enemy of Germany, he is only under pressure from Britain and the United States......" Hiroshi Oshima said something that sounded unconvincing.

Hersmann and Rudolph. Hess glanced at each other, and Hesman said coldly: "Japan and Germany are far away from each other, and there is no possibility of war at all. Britain and the United States want nothing more than to let you move westward in order to relieve them of pressure in the direction of the western Pacific.

As far as Germany is concerned, as long as the friendship with the socialist comrades and brothers of the Soviet Union can be maintained, there is no possibility of being defeated by Britain and the United States. Therefore, if you want to carry out the westward route, then we will inevitably provide the Soviet Union with all necessary technical assistance, which has been the consistent national policy of our country for more than 20 years. ”

The contradictions between the Soviet Union and Germany are actually very big, but in public, the two countries always appear very close. In particular, after Germany made a decisive breakthrough on the Western Front, the Soviet Union's Pravda and TASS even touted the "great victory of socialist Germany" every day, clearly characterizing Germany's victory as the decisive victory of socialism over capitalism! It was as if the two socialist countries of the Soviet Union and Germany would soon join hands to liberate all mankind.

Moreover, even if Germany had established its hegemony on the European continent after defeating France, the possibility of the Soviet Union challenging the mighty Germany in this case would be almost zero. The Soviet Union's path to the west was blocked, so it seemed inevitable that the main attention should be turned to the east.

Under these circumstances, the Japanese Army naturally had a lot of worries about moving westward and northward. And it would have been much easier to go south and seize the British and French, especially French colonies in Indochina.

"If Japan were to pursue a policy of going south," Hersmann said, putting a slice of grilled sausage into his mouth with a fork and chewing it in a few bites, "it would be better to do it quickly, because the fundamental purpose of the war between the German Empire and the French Republic was to build a strong, united, and prosperous European community." Once France is willing to work together with Germany, then French Indochina will be a dependency of the European Community! ”

Can it be like this? Hiroshi Oshima was stunned and stunned. Hersmann continued: "The French campaign will definitely be over by the end of May, and if you want French Indochina, you'd better do it at once!" ”

"But, but...... But the lifeline of my empire is currently under threat. Hiroshi Oshima looked embarrassed.

Hersman shrugged: "There is not a lot of time, you guys should make a decision as soon as possible." So saying, he looked at Rudolph. Hess at a glance. Hess immediately took over the topic and said: "Our country can play some role in diplomacy and bring about the signing of a non-aggression pact between you and the Soviet Union." ”

……

"Leader, Rome is Rome, and the European Community is the European Community," said German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop, who was also unaware that his son had been sent to a field hospital by a French bullet, and was now talking to the Italians in Rome's Palazzo Venice.

"To the north," Ribbentrop said, "the European Community includes the German Empire, the French Republic, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Kingdom of Romania, the Kingdom of Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Nordic States, and part of Yugoslavia." To the south of the Roman Empire, most of the Mediterranean coast should have been a dependency of the Roman Empire! ”

Mussolini listened to Ribbentrop and looked at the triumphant Hitler and Schleicher next to him, and felt very uncomfortable.

France was still as strong as it was on April 10, being recognized as the world's number one land power (even though Germany defeated Poland, most people still thought that France had a stronger land force than Germany), while the Italian Army was still recognized behind the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom. However, such an army power, which Italy needed to look up to, was defeated by Germany in a matter of days (by April 18 and 19, France was almost certainly defeated). By the way, Germany is not going head-to-head with France, but playing three, and there are also England and Belgium on the French side!

"A new world overlord has just been born!" Mussolini thought with some dismay, "France (counting from the Kingdom of West Francia), which had been in Europe for almost 1,000 years, collapsed and was defeated by the German monster in such a short time." Who else in the world could now go to fight a land war with Germany? ”

The Soviets may be able to do it, but looking at the performance of the Red Army in Poland and Finland, it seems that it is not very reliable. And the USSR was also a traditional ally of Germany......

The United States may also be Germany's opponent, but if the United States had fought Germany alone in the last world war, who would have believed that the United States would have won on the European continent?

As for the powerful Kingdom of Italy......

Mussolini sighed inwardly, how dare Italy stand in opposition to Germany? If Germany had defeated France and then transferred troops to attack Italy, he would have come to an end as a leader.

Although his heart was very uncomfortable, Mussolini's face was full of smiles, and when he listened to Ribbentrop's briefing, he frequently nodded in agreement - how could he dare to say nothing? Italy may still be able to bargain with Germany until France is defeated. But now, Italy had no choice but to accept Germany's offer.

"Yes, Mr. Foreign Minister, what he said is very good!" Mussolini replied, fluent in German, "I completely agree with you that the Roman Empire will develop on the shores of the Mediterranean, as it has historically been." ”

"But Provence and Corsica belong to France." Hitler this is interjecting.

"Of course, both Corsica and Provence belong to France!" Mussolini hurriedly agreed, although a few days ago he had argued that it belonged to Italy, but now the situation is completely different.

"In order to protect the French fleet concentrated in Toulon, we need to deploy fighters and bombers in Rnaya." German Defense Minister Field Marshal Schleicher added, "In addition, we hope that the Italian Navy will soon be able to take part in the operation against the British." ”

Mussolini nodded repeatedly, he didn't really want Germany to touch the Mediterranean, but there were some things that were not up to him - Italy was a peninsula, not an island.

"There is no problem at all," Mussolini said with a laugh, "and if the British Mediterranean Fleet does not leave in a hurry, then the Italian and French navies will strike together to drive them away." He paused, and then added: "In addition, my Afrika Korps is also ready to occupy it soon, no, to liberate Egypt." (To be continued.) )