Palazzo Venezia, Rome, Italy. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

It's 2 o'clock in the morning on June 1, 1942, and Mussolini, the great leader of Italy, doesn't sleep with his mistress Bertassi in his arms at night, and is still worried about the future happiness of the Italian people!

The leader, who sat at the head of a long conference table, looked a little sad, pale and a little puffy, and apparently hadn't slept for days—he certainly couldn't! Not so long ago, the war in Europe was Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia-Hungary, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Romania, Bulgaria...... And so on, a whole bunch of countries, the old British Empire. No matter how you look at it, you can't lose, so during that time Mussolini was the happiest person in Italy, happily planning the establishment of a new Roman Empire every day.

He's ready to make Vittorio. Emmanuele III was Augustus and Caesar himself - Historically, the Roman Empire had two emperors, the first emperor called Augustus, and the vice emperor called Caesar. Mussolini felt that his contribution to the Roman Empire was too great, and if he did not become a "vice emperor", the Italian people would definitely not agree.

But who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, the United States on the other side of the Atlantic and the Soviet Union, a powerful power in the East, would become the enemies of Italy! Who did Italy recruit and who did it provoke? Why is it so unlucky? Can't the Italians be allowed to restore the Roman Empire quietly?

But Mussolini also knew that he and Germany were in the same boat for a long time, and without Germany there would be no Roman Empire in Italy! And without the Roman Empire, he, the leader of Italy, would be finished, and no one would have supported him anymore.

Moreover, betraying Germany means being punished by Germany! Although the Italian Army also had 7 panzer divisions, Mussolini did not believe that they could resist the Germans. So now Mussolini has only one way to go to the dark!

Just when Mussolini was worried about his future, his son-in-law, Count Ciano, received a telegram from a senior secretary in the Venetian Palace, glanced at it, and then frowned and said: "Leader, Inigo. Admiral Campioni asked if he wanted to send the fleet as planned? ”

Inigo. The home port of the Mediterranean Fleet commanded by Admiral Campioni was in Taranto, the former home den of the Italian Navy.

The fleet has three battleships, the Caesar, Duiglio, and Doria, three heavy cruisers such as the Taranto, the Bora, and the Gorizia, as well as five escort aircraft carriers converted from transport ships (real Diao silk aircraft carriers), and an amphibious assault aircraft ship converted from an underwater aircraft carrier, Giuseppe. Milagria, as well as 15 light cruisers and 35 destroyers (including mine-strikers) and a number of auxiliary ships such as transports, oil tankers, ammunition ships, landing ships, etc.

Now the strength of the Mediterranean Fleet is not very strong, and it is not even comparable to the Indian Ocean Fleet, which is commanded by the French. But the Mediterranean Fleet has no opponents, the Mediterranean Sea is basically an inland lake of Germany, Italy and France, and the potential opponent is the Black Sea Fleet of the Soviet Union.

However, in early 1942, the Soviet Union transferred the main ships of the Black Sea Fleet, including the battleship October Revolution, the battleship Marat, and the battleship Paris Commune, to Vladivostok and joined the Pacific Fleet. In fact, this was also part of the Soviet Union's war preparations, the purpose of which was to keep the Pacific shipping route open -- of course, these three old battleships were not going to confront the Japanese Combined Fleet, Japan and the Soviet Union were "terror balancers" in the Far East, and if Japan dared to blockade the sea, the Soviet Union would send troops to Manchuria on land, so the Japanese Navy would not rob the capitalist giant ship waving the red flag.

But now the route from the Suez Canal to Malacca was passable for the Axis powers. Theoretically, the Combined European Fleet could send detachments to fight in the Pacific, and the ships of these European countries could not be used by the Soviet Union on land in the Far East.

In fact, the Italian Navy's colonial cruiser "Eritrea" and the auxiliary cruiser "Lamb II" are now in Kobe, Japan (they originally belonged to the Italian Red Sea Fleet, which broke through to Japan after Italy's entry into the war).

The commander of the Soviet Navy, Kuznetsov, who had long anticipated such risks, made a proposal to transfer the main forces of the Black Sea Fleet to the Pacific Ocean, which was approved by Stalin.

Therefore, there is only one risk of the Mediterranean Fleet entering the Black Sea operation...... It is to put Italy and the USSR at war!

"Leader, now the Soviet government has not delivered us an ultimatum...... In other words, we can continue to maintain peaceful relations with the Soviet Union. The Italian Minister of Justice and one of the "core" leaders of the National Fascist Party, Dino . Grandi. He was Mussolini's old minister when he rose to power, but now he has some disagreements with Mussolini. When Mussolini decided to follow Germany in declaring war on the United States, he expressed his opposition.

"But...... How do you explain it on the German side? Mussolini looked at his former right-hand man, "We are allies with Germany." ”

"How can we help even if we declare war?" The Italian Minister of Justice shrugged and said, "The Germans could send their own fleet to bombard Batumi, and they had a lot of large battleships available in Gibraltar." If the Germans wanted armored divisions, we could give all 7 armored divisions to the Germans, which could be counted as Italian volunteers. As for the Italian Air Force, it was now mostly used to fight Britain and defend against the United States, and few aircraft could be used on the Eastern Front. ”

Count Ziano was also in favor of Dino. Grandi's opinion, he frowned and said: "Leader, we have no claims on the territory and resources of the USSR. If we had not declared war on the USSR, there would have been a bridge of peace talks between the USSR and Germany. I don't think the Germans had the idea of destroying the USSR, and peace negotiations were quite possible. And...... After all, our Roman Empire was not a member of the European Community, and there was no need to follow the baton of the Germans. ”

Although Italy has become a little brother of Germany, it is a little brother with ideals and has not joined the European Community, which is dominated by Germany. Therefore, there is no obligation to be in full agreement with Germany diplomatically.

"That's fine!" Mussolini, who didn't really want to get involved in the Soviet-German war, was persuaded by his son-in-law, and he nodded, "We don't declare war on the Soviet Union, but we can send volunteers to the war, and 7 armored divisions can be handed over to Germany...... In addition, call back Admiral Campioni and say that the fleet is not to be dispatched for the time being. ”

……

"Arrange for me, I'm going to visit Rome......"

"Wait a minute, leader, we have enough strength and don't need Italy to go to war."

There was a hotline between the Venezia Palace and the German Chancellery, and the decision of the Italian leader reached Berlin through the hotline as soon as possible. However, Hitler was not in the Chancellery at the time, but was chaired by his secretary Martin Hitler. Bowman answered the phone. Then Baumann immediately called the conference room of the High Command and reported the news of the release of the pigeons by the Italians to Hitler.

As soon as Hitler heard the news, he immediately wanted to leave for Rome to find his good friend Mussolini, but Hersmann hurriedly stopped Hitler - Mussolini didn't want to send troops to fight the Soviet Union, which was a good thing, if he was very enthusiastic and sent a lot of noodle soldiers to the Eastern Front, Hersmann would have to ask Guderian to send German troops to protect the Italians, and if the Italians came too much, Germany's logistical pressure would also increase.

"But if the Italians don't follow us," said Hitler, shaking his head, "what will France, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, and the rest of the nations think?" Can European solidarity still be guaranteed? ”

Hersman said: "Romania has the Bessarabia issue and will definitely participate. Spain is not a member of the European Community and does not have to allow them to participate. As for Bulgaria and France...... They are the countries of the European Community and must follow us, because this war with the USSR is a war of our European Community, and we must face it together. ”

Hersmann thought for a moment and said: "Leader, the key to uniting the European Community lies in France...... If you want to visit, you should also go to Paris. ”

"France?"

"Yes," Hersmann nodded, "the core of the European Community now is actually France and Germany. ”

Since Italy is not involved, France is now the only country in the European Community that can make a slight bargain with Germany. If France had supported Germany over the declaration of war on the Soviet Union, then the EC would have acted in unison.

"What are the conditions that can attract France?" Hitler asked.

"North Africa!" "We support French rule in French North Africa and recognize French North Africa as French proper, part of Europe!" ”

French North Africa, which now includes French Algeria and French Morocco, has been French territory for many years. Moreover, the demographic structure of the area is different from that of later generations, with a large proportion of French and Catholic people (in Algeria in the 30 percent) rising and rising.

Moreover, the French have long operated French Algeria as a local business, and the long-term goal is to make Algeria part of France. If this plan is realized, France will become a great power "forever".

"There are at least 2.7 million square kilometers and millions of people there!" Hitler was well aware of the French idea, "once it becomes France proper, then France will become the largest country in the European Community in terms of territorial area, and the population will also exceed 50 million." ”

Hersmann nodded, and said, "So Petain and Darlan will not refuse, they now know very well that without our support, France is now powerless to assimilate French North Africa." Once French North Africa is Frenchized, Pétain and Darlan will be on a par with the greatest figures in French history. (To be continued.) )