Because of the emergence of the so-called "socialist axis", the Anti-Third International Pact, which was supposed to have appeared in 1936, did not appear, and there was no question of Italy's accession to it. Therefore, by the end of December 1939, the little cute friends of the Third Reich in history were still a happy neutral country.

Yes, a happy neutrality, not a fearful neutrality like the Netherlands and Belgium.

After all, Italy is also one of the few big hooligans in the world at the moment, the army claims to have 8 million bayonets, the navy is said to be stronger than France, and the air force also claims to be able to fight Germany. And Italy also has a great leader Mussolini who will be remembered forever by the people. Under his wise leadership, Italy has shown great fighting power by winning two wars over the past few years, defeating the Abynesian Emperor and the Spanish Republicans.

After the start of the world war, such a military power naturally became the object of competition between the warring parties.

Not only did the British, French, and German bigwigs visit Italy like a marquee, offering all sorts of happy conditions for entering the war, but even the equally neutral U.S. Secretary of Commerce Harry Murphy has made a comeback to Italy. Hopkins also came to Rome at the end of 1939.

"Leader, the possibility of Mussolini falling to England and France is non-existent, no matter what Hopkins said to him."

On January 2, 1940, on a special train to Italy, Field Marshal Hersmann told Hitler with great certainty, "This Italian leader is a wise man, and he knows how many pounds and taels his country has. He won't join either side until the outcome of the war is clear, so we don't have to offer too generous terms...... As long as we defeat France, Mussolini will naturally take our side. ”

Listening to Hersman's tone that didn't seem to care much, Adolf. Hitler frowned slightly as he ate a vegetarian dinner. He knew about the "victory line" drawn up by Hersmann and Schleicher, in which Italy played a key role!

Without Italy, it would have been very difficult for Germany to enter the Middle East. Although Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey were all relatively pro-German, these countries were only third-rate weak countries and were not real players in the world war at all. And they don't have a strong navy either!

If you want to enter the Middle East, you must have a navy that can fight the British Mediterranean Fleet! And in the Mediterranean, apart from France, only Italy has such strength. According to the plans of the Italians, by 1943 they would have 4 powerful battleships of the "Veneto" class (one has already been built). The standard displacement of the battleships of this class exceeded 41,000 tons (the lead ship "Veneto") and the firepower was powerful, with three three-link 381mm guns, which were theoretically more powerful than the four twin 380mm guns of the Bismarck-class.

If Germany planned to settle the Mediterranean theater and seize the oil-producing areas of the Middle East in 1941, it would have been inseparable from the battleship "Veneto" and the battleship "Litorio", which would be completed in 1940, as well as the two aircraft carriers "Eagle" and "Sparrowhawk", which had been converted from cruise ships.

"Marshal, when will we defeat France?" Adolph. Hitler asked, with some concern, "The Western Front now seems to have come to a standstill, and Field Marshal Hamstein submitted a report on December 30 that it would be difficult to launch an offensive in 1940...... If all the heavy artillery that could be used to destroy the Maginot line was completed, the offensive would have been postponed until 1941. ”

Field Marshal Hammestein, who is now the commander-in-chief of the Western Front, had the idea of attacking both the Belgian and Maginot lines at the same time, forming a breakthrough from the front. To this end, he put forward the requirements for the development of super-large-caliber artillery and super bombs (more than 1400 kg) that can destroy fortresses.

"No," Hersman shook his head, "we don't have to wait for the heavy artillery to be built, we'll bypass the 'Maginot Line'!" ”

"Bypass?" Hitler asked, "From Belgium?" ”

"Yes!" Hersman nodded, "The plan is already being worked out. When I return from Italy, I will go and discuss the French war with Marshal Harmannstein. ”

The plan for the attack on France was, of course, drawn up by Lieutenant General Manstein, and if nothing else, the General Staff led by Hersmann would soon come up with a copy of the Manstein Plan.

"When will France be settled?" Hitler asked with a frown.

"Before July 1940!" Hersman gives a timeline that would have been realized in the original plane.

"So ...... Italy"

"We will be an ally in six months at most," Hersman said, "and these six months will be extremely important for Italy and for us." ”

In other words, Italy only has 6 months left to prepare!

……

"Six months?" Billionaire Val T. Rathenau, who got on the train in Venice, was taken aback when he heard the timetable for "6 months to go to war".

"How is this possible? It's impossible! The big bald head of Rathenau, who is already in his 70s, shook desperately, "This is unrealistic." ”

Because of Hersmann's arrangement, Rathenau became an old friend of Mussolini very early. After Hitler came to power, his business focus shifted from Germany to Italy.

Although he had long been an honorary Aryan, he was an arrogant "big mouth" who said a lot of nonsense about the domination of Europe by Jews, and he published it in the newspapers. After the anti-Jewish Nazis came to power, it was not safe to stay in Germany, and it was better to live in the safety of Italy, which was the safest country in Europe today.

In addition, he had a good relationship with Mussolini and many fascist bigwigs. Doing business in Italy is easy. He is now the owner of Italy's largest hydroelectric power company and Italian aluminium, and is one of the top ten richest people in Italy.

Of course, a figure like him is very familiar with the economic situation in Italy and the reserves of various strategic materials (this is also the intelligence that Hersmann commissioned him to collect in Italy).

"The Abynesian and Spanish wars have emptied Italy," said Val T. Rathenau, "and now Italy has only one month of steel reserves, two months of coal, three months of iron ore, and three months of oil reserves at most ...... wartime consumption."

This figure is actually better than in history, after all, Italy is now a neutral country that "everyone loves", and no one will impose an embargo on Italy. Moreover, the envoys of Britain, the United States and France were embarrassed to come to the door empty-handed, and they would send some good things to Italy.

For example, Hopkins, who left just a few days ago, gave Italy a $10 million low-interest loan guaranteed by the U.S. government — a money that Italy could use to buy American oil and steel.

However, it was not easy to have a large-scale reserve of strategic goods, because the treasury of the Kingdom of Italy was empty, and there was not much gold and foreign exchange.

"Abinissia spent a total of 10 billion (lira) on military spending and subsequent construction and maintenance costs, and 20 or 30 billion in Spain." Val T. Rathenau continued, somewhat discouragingly, "The Italian leader spent his money where it shouldn't have been, and therefore his army was not as strong as he claimed. Italy's army does not have 8 million 10 million at all, which is the limit of what can be used, but the Italians' weapons reserves are too small (they are all used to support Spain), and they probably can't even arm 500,000 army.

As for the strength of the Italian Air Force, it is also not satisfactory. As far as I know, the Italians have slowed down the pace of development of the Air Force since the beginning of the Abynesian War. Pricolo, chief of staff of the Italian Air Force, told me that 847 of the 2,300 planes in the Italian Air Force will be dismantled because they are too old, and about 500 are not suitable for front-line operations because of their backward technical performance. There are only about 1,000 really useful aircraft. ”

Hitler may not have known what Val T. Rathenau said, but Hersmann already knew - if the navy was not counted, Italy's military strength was about the same as Poland's.

However, Italy's geographical location and its navy were extremely valuable to Germany!

"Marshal," Hitler thought for a moment, then asked Hersmann, "in six months you will be able to prepare Italy for a world war?" ”

"No, not actually," Hersman shook his head with some regret, "because I am not the Chief of the General Staff of Italy." But...... In the end, we were able to win! ”

"Or can you win?"

"Yes," said Hersmann, "the point is not whether Italy is ready for war, but whether we in Germany can take command of the Mediterranean theater!" As long as we can take command, victory in the Mediterranean and the Middle East is still within reach. ”

What Hersmann is saying now is not the best way, the best way is to keep the Italian Air Force and Army cool and send the German army directly into the field. Then before 1941, the overall situation of the Mediterranean and the Middle East was decided.

It's a pity that this is not possible! Until it suffers, Italy will not realize that it is just a bowl of "noodles" that any powerful country can bully. This time, Hersmann accompanied Hitler to visit Italy, mainly to persuade the Italian leaders to reserve a little more oil before the war.

There is nothing else, Germany can help, but there is no way to do oil. In addition, it would be ideal if the Italian leader could be persuaded to reorganize his army before entering the war and form a truly useful Afrika Korps. (To be continued.) )