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"The General Staff and the Admiralty, come up with a battle plan against Italy. I hope that in this battle, we will be able to achieve a quick victory and let all the countries of the West know that we are powerful. Moreover, this time the operation must be completed quickly. The empire's main energy now is still on the United States. After defeating the United States first, the Reich will have enough energy to intervene in the war in Europe! Wang Yuze said.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Chief of the General Staff Cai Yun and Navy Minister Zhang Chengdu nodded. Such a task is not very difficult for China. Although Italy is one of the world's great powers, their military power is completely incompatible with their status as a great power. China wants to strike at Italy, and there is no problem at all. However, according to the meaning of the imperial emperor Wang Yuze, it is impossible for China to invest too many troops in Italy. Then, China only needs a hearty victory.

Two days later, Cai Yun, chief of the General Staff, and Zhang Chengcheng, Minister of the Navy, jointly met with Emperor Wang Yuze and handed over the battle plan drawn up by the General Staff and the Admiralty. On the cover of the plan, the words 'Operational Plan for the Capture of Sicily' were written.

"Capture Sicily? Our military in the Middle East, is it capable of this? Wang Yuze said with a frown. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, separated from Italy by a narrow strait called the Strait of Messina, which is less than 3 kilometers at its narrowest point. Although, Italy does not have much of an army deployed on this island, the Italian naval base of Taranto is not very far from here. Also, if the squadron after the capture of Sicily. Italy will definitely try to recapture Sicily. At that time, China will inevitably have to invest a lot of troops in Sicily. Although Sicily's geographical location is very important, it is located in the middle of the Mediterranean, and if you occupy this island, you can hold the throat of the Mediterranean. But if you have to invest too many troops in this, it will be more than worth the loss.

"Your Majesty, according to the information we have received, Italy has only one division in Sicily. We plan to land in Sicily with one Marine Division. After that, about ten infantry divisions were deployed to the island one after another. Such a force is enough to hold the island. As for the Italian Navy. Although there were 6 new battleships, they were nothing more than multi-turret monsters built by the Italians, and the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Imperial Navy could have sunk these ships. In addition, after the declaration of war between Italy and Austria-Hungary, the main forces of the Italian Navy were deployed to the Adriatic. Went against the Austro-Hungarian navy. The Indian Ocean Fleet of the Imperial Navy can fully obtain sea supremacy in the Mediterranean. After mastering the sea, although the Strait of Messina was very narrow, it was not something that the Italians could swim through. In addition, we can also deploy air force or naval aviation fighters on the island, and completely turn the island into a stronghold in the Mediterranean. In this way, the empire will be able to control the Eastern Mediterranean in one fell swoop. It can also threaten the western Mediterranean, and even bomb Italy and France with warplanes! Chief of the General Staff Cai Yun explained. Of course, with the combat radius of the current fighters, it is still somewhat unrealistic to bomb important areas of northern Italy and France. But at least the Mediterranean can be divided into two parts in one fell swoop. Wait until the new fighters and bombers enter service. The empire would then be able to use Sicily as a base to threaten the entire southern part of Europe. Moreover, it was also very effective for China to exert influence in Europe after the war.

Wang Yuze looked at the large map of southern Europe hanging on the wall and fell into deep thought. Predictable. It will not be very difficult for China to capture the Italian island of Sicily. But. This will certainly lead to a series of problems. In order to recover its territory, Italy will definitely fight to the death with China. However, as long as the Chinese navy can take out the Italian navy, it will not take much effort to hold Sicily. However, Britain and France will certainly not sit idly by and watch Sicily be conquered by China. They will definitely send their navy to fight a big war in the Mediterranean and China. When the main forces of the Chinese Navy are concentrated in the eastern Pacific, if you want to hold Sicily, you can only rely on fighters. The deployment of F5B Puffin fighters, H5B Sea Harrier bombers, F5C Osprey torpedo attack planes and F5D Eagle dive bombers in Sicily will certainly be able to defend Sicily, but it will also expose the use of Chinese fighters in naval warfare. I am afraid this will have a great impact on China's strategy.

"Your Majesty, news has come from the Panama Canal that we will repair the Panama Canal in four months at most. At that time, the main forces of the Navy will be able to sail to the Atlantic and annihilate the US Navy. Even if the use of our fighters in naval warfare will be exposed, it will not have much impact! Zhang Cheng, Minister of the Navy, guessed what Wang Yuze was thinking, so he said.

Wang Yuze nodded, holding Sicily in his hands, and China had a stronghold in the Mediterranean. China could deploy a large number of warplanes on the island, which would help China control the waters. As for the outbreak of the role of fighters in naval warfare, it will not have much impact at this time. Even if the West wants to catch up, it will not be able to catch up with China.

"That's good! Just follow this plan! Wang Yuze finally made a decision.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Chief of the General Staff Cai Yun and Minister of the Navy Zhang Cheng received the order. The Chinese Navy's troops and fleets in the Middle East were immediately mobilized. In addition, the army also transferred 10 divisions of troops and began to board ships to transport them to the Middle East. These troops, originally intended for use in India and Australia, have been stationed in Singapore. But now if you want to use troops in the Mediterranean, you can only throw them into the Mediterranean theater first.

It is located in the southwest of the Apennine Peninsula and is separated from the Apennine Peninsula by the Strait of Messina, which is only 3 kilometers wide to the east. Between the 8th and 6th centuries BC, the Greeks established colonies on the eastern coast of the island, which became a province of the Roman Empire in 241 BC. After the rule of the Vandals, Byzantines, Normans, etc., it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Sicily in 1442, and soon divided again, changed to Spanish rule, and in 1861 was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy.

Sicily is mostly mountainous and has frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. Mount Etne is the highest active volcano in Europe. The only wide valley is the eastern Catania plain, where the land is fertile. It has a subtropical and Mediterranean climate. Spring and autumn are warm, summers are hot, and winters are humid. Annual rainfall is 400 to 600 mm (16 to 4 in) in plains and 200,400 mm (4,755 in) in mountains. There is abundant groundwater and spring water. Due to human influence, natural vegetation has been greatly reduced, and the forest cover is only 4%. The islands around Sicily are Ustica, Lipari Islands, Pantelleria, Egadi Islands, and Pelage Islands.

The Italian garrison in Sicily had only one infantry division. There was also a naval fleet, but after Italy declared war on the Central Powers and China, the ships of the Italian Navy were concentrated in the Adriatic Sea. Therefore, the defense of Sicily, in front of the squadron, is simply vulnerable.

Port Said, north of the Suez Canal, has become the temporary headquarters of the Chinese Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet. After the Indian Ocean Fleet had eliminated the British Navy's small fleet in India, leaving only a few light cruisers and destroyers in the Indian Ocean, the other capital ships had gathered in the eastern Mediterranean to deal with a possible threat from the British Navy. After the defeat of the German Navy's High Seas Fleet at the hands of the British Navy, more than a dozen battleships of the British Navy were enough to pose a huge threat to China in the Middle East.

On the evening of July 5, Admiral Li Haitao, commander of the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy, and Lieutenant General Wu Zhiyuan, chief of staff, received orders from the General Staff. The General Staff ordered them to depart from Port Said on the night of July 6 and go to the Ionian Sea, to seize sea supremacy in that area, to cover the landing of the 8th Marine Division in Sicily, and to provide fire support for the landing of the 8th Marine Division, while cutting off the connection between Sicily and the Apennine Peninsula. At least until reinforcements from another ten infantry divisions arrive, they are responsible for keeping the Chinese Marines and Army safe in Sicily.

At this time, the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy had a total of 8 battleships and 1 battle cruiser, and 8 'Jianghe-class' heavy cruisers, which was enough to ensure the strength of the Chinese Navy in the Mediterranean. Of course, the premise was that the British Navy would not enter the Mediterranean Sea in a big way. However, according to Chinese forecasts, the British Navy will not act rashly until the damaged battleships and battlecruisers of the British Navy are repaired. Therefore, the enemy of the Indian Ocean Fleet was nothing more than the Italian Navy. For the Italian Navy, the Indian Ocean Fleet simply did not pay attention. Although the four dreadnought battleships of the Italian Navy were relatively large in tonnage, the caliber and number of main guns were very terrifying. But the real combat power is still not comparable with the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy.

Immediately after the combat order was issued, the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy entered an operational state, and all the warships began to replenish fuel and ammunition, as well as food, etc. At the same time, the 8th Marine Division, which was originally stationed in the Suez Canal, also began to assemble troops under the order of the division commander, Vice Admiral Tang Hongtao, boarded a transport ship in the evening, and together with the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Navy, set off from Port Said on the evening of July 6 and headed for Sicily!