837 is divided

At the beginning of September, autumn has fallen in many places in the north, but the Mediterranean is still hot, and the scorching sun shines on people as if they have been thrown into a charcoal fire. 【 I want: super fast update 】

This is Marsaxlok Bay in the south of Malta, and unlike Valletta in the north, it is sparsely populated and does not have good marina facilities, but it has an excellent natural harbour, and Cape de Limara and Cape Benessa are like two arms of giants, embracing a deep blue in their arms.

After an initial survey of Malta's topography, the Royal Navy and the General Staff changed their minds and moved the base from Valletta to avoid the more populated settlements to the north, to have sufficient water depth and good conditions, and to the right side of the bay there was a large area of flat land backed by mountains, which was ideal for the construction of an air base.

The only trouble is that Marsaxlok Bay lacks good infrastructure, there are no deep-water facilities except for a few fishing docks, and it is very expensive to build from scratch, especially since the sea route from China to here is too far, so if you want to repair the base, you must rely on Austro-Hungarian or Ottoman material support, especially cement and steel.

As for manpower, there was no shortage in this era, in addition to a few thousand Indian prisoners of war, there were also thousands of captured Italian sailors, and the hard work of thousands of men made Marsaxlok Bay look like a large construction site.

With the sound of a whining whistle, three large ocean-going freighters slowly sailed into the bay under the protection of the destroyer, and because the deep-water dock had not yet been built, the large ships had to rely on small boats to connect and unload their cargo when they arrived.

Most of the necessities sent by the fleet are food and fuel, because of the need to maintain the needs of the North American theater of operations, plus to support the European battlefield, there are not many transport ships available to China at present, although the Hualun project has reached the centralized delivery period, but it is basically launched and towed away, and there is no chance to take a breath at all.

Bateman guessed correctly, in fact, Hua has been overloaded, since the start of the war, continuous operations, plus long-distance transoceanic operations, material consumption is only a lot more than Germany fighting at home, even if it started to reserve many years earlier, it can't withstand two consecutive years of deficits.

It seems to outsiders that because they have obtained the gold of the United States and the Tsar, and the acquisition of Australia, they are still plundering from the United States and other occupied territories of the world, and every day hundreds of ships bring back millions of tons of machinery, ore and supplies from California and even the Gulf of Mexico that they have controlled, not to mention the Indian Peninsula, which was once hailed as the jewel in the crown by the British, but the problem is that these things are not immediately able to equip the army when they are moved back.

For example, when you get gold, you have to put it in storage and print it into paper money, and then use it to buy shells, shells, and supplies for the army, which take time to make.

At present, domestic weapons are already developing in the direction of technological superiority, that is to say, they have begun to gradually eliminate low-tech weapons and equipment, and make every effort to manufacture a generation of weapons, but the manufacturing of these weapons requires workers to master how good the technology is, and the processing level is also very high, which will delay some time.

It's not that the empire can't afford to fight, it's not that it has no money, it's that it can't be built.

In the past, a Falcon biplane was only a thousand yuan, but now a Mustang fighter has nearly 100,000, and the work is a hundred times more complicated.

It takes enough time to convert materials and wealth into productivity, but war will not give you time, if it weren't for the emperor who began to stock up on artillery shells and other materials ten years ago, and purchased tanks, planes and artillery on a large scale in peacetime, and built a number of leading ships, now most of them can only control the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean may be able to intervene, but landing in the United States and marching into the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea is basically a dream. 【 I want: super fast update 】

In the final analysis, as the war deepened, the gap in the industrial capacity of various countries gradually emerged, and the empire that had been forcibly uplifted in this area gradually showed a decline, and if it were not for the demographic advantage, it might not have been possible to get to where it is now, if it were not for the ability and lack of manpower like Europe.

Looking at the fleet that began to unload, Gu Junhuo sighed softly.

It is precisely because the industrial manufacturing capacity has reached the limit and the need to maintain the huge consumption in the North American theater of operations that after the victory in the naval battle of the Ionian Sea, the General Staff began to take the initiative to reduce its investment in the Mediterranean, and the Seventh Fleet received a lot less replenishment.

Gu Junhuo thought about it, but he still didn't feel at ease and decided to check the progress, and it happened that the chief of staff, Zhou Cheng, also walked in, and the two walked towards the dock together.

"Hasn't the cement promised by Austria-Hungary arrived?"

Seeing that the air base has only been completed by one-third so far, and the dock and naval facilities are still basically a skeleton, Gu Junhuo was anxious in his heart, and hurriedly said: "I'll urge you later, it's already 10 days late!" ”

Because it was shipped too far from the country, the Chinese government had reached a contract with Austria-Hungary to exchange grain for engineering materials, mainly cement and other construction materials, but the speed of Austro-Hungarian Empire's supply was too uncomfortable, and it was more or less mixed with some political factors, so Gu Junhuo couldn't help but be a little anxious.

Zhou Cheng next to him didn't know how to build a Malta base. Not to mention the others, if the airport is repaired alone, the Thor bombers that take off from here can cover the Mediterranean coast of France, Greece, and Spain, basically covering the entire Mediterranean, which can well supplement the embarrassment of the continuous operation of the aircraft carrier battle group and the small bomb load of a single aircraft.

But he didn't have much to do about it, the domestic industry of Austria-Hungary was basically paralyzed, and it was difficult for cement, steel and other materials to even meet his own needs, and if he wanted to provide it to the Seventh Fleet quickly, he could only rely on God's help.

"Wait, I've sent telegrams urging me many times, but it didn't work." Zhou Cheng pursed his lips and sighed: "This old industrial country is really old. ”

"It's a pity that Italy ......."

Although Gu Junhuo didn't finish speaking, Zhou Cheng knew what he meant, Italy was much better than Austria-Hungary compared to industrial capacity, but unfortunately Italy has not completely surrendered and cannot provide material needs, although the two have repeatedly submitted reports suggesting that they send marines to land in Sicily, or simply land in the Apennines, and occupy one or two industrial areas at speed, but they have not received a reply, and the total number of troops currently stationed in Malta is only more than 5,000 people, most of which are still marines.

After Zhou Cheng took out a cigarette and lit it, he said indignantly: "I'm surprised, what do you pay attention to?" Italy is like this, the coast has been basically paralyzed after two months of continuous bombardment by us, and there is a serious food shortage, at this time there is no need for too many troops, 350,000 people from Greater Kuwait and North Africa are enough to force them to surrender, and if they do it well, they can completely overthrow the rule of Emanuele III, what are so many inkblots. ”

Gu Jun Huo faintly guessed the above thoughts, and when he saw that no one left or right, he said, "It's not that simple!" Now Malta is ours, and no one can take it away, at least until we defeat our Seventh Fleet! But the problem is that Malta is the heart of the Mediterranean, and the Tunis Strait is the only place for Europe to go to the Suez Canal, and now that we occupy it, naturally someone will be in a hurry. ”

"You mean Germany?" Zhou Cheng raised his eyebrows and asked.

"Who else could there be?" Gu Junhuo looked at the blue bay and continued: "It is impossible for Germany to be willing to be choked by our neck, and after Panama and the Suez Canal were occupied by us one after another, it is their hope to control the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic.

I don't know what the General Staff will decide on the Atlantic side, but the situation here is already clear.

If Germany wants to solve Malta's sore throat, the best way is to take Italy into its arms, so that Sicily is across the sea from us, at least we can't cover the sky with one hand.

Moreover, Italy has a certain industrial base and a relatively developed railway network, so in a bad case, it can also reach Italy by rail, and then go through the Adriatic Sea to bypass the Tunis Strait and threaten the Suez Canal. ”

"Damn, does Germany want to turn against us?" Zhou Cheng is a straight person, and when he heard this, he immediately scolded.

"It's not enough to turn the other cheek, but it's necessary to use war to seize the first opportunity, don't we do the same? Germany is a high-minded and arrogant nation, and once it wins the war, there is no reason to want to look at our breath, so they will die at the latter stage to fight for part of the initiative, although it is not a direct confrontation, but it must lay a good foundation for possible confrontation in the future. ”

"No wonder, after the Second Task Force bombarded Cape Verde, German submarines have been operating there, and I heard that a small force of troops was sent ashore, and I dare to think that this is to create a fait accompli and grab territory!"

"Hehe, grab it, grab it, on the Atlantic...... Maybe the emperor doesn't have so many ideas. Gu Junhuo smiled, but when he saw the bare airport, he frowned again: "You can contact the Greater Kuwait side in a while to see if there is any reserve of cement and steel, and it is not a way to delay it like this." ”

"Okay." After Zhou Cheng answered, he just turned around and was about to send a telegram, when suddenly a jeep drove in front of him at high speed.

"Report, telegram from within the country."

"Oh? What's up? ”

"Transferred to the Prime Minister's Office and the General Staff order that our Ministry release all Italian prisoners of war within five days. In addition, the Italian government has promised to arrive from Ancona within four days of the supplies that are missing for the construction of the Malta base. ”

"What!"

Not to mention Zhou Cheng, even Gu Junhuo straightened his eyes, could it be said that Italy surrendered? But if you surrender, you surrender, how can you still take the initiative to provide materials for the construction of the Malta base? Don't they know that once the Marsaxlok Bay base is built, the whole of Italy will be shrouded under the wings of long-range bombers?!

"Report to the Commander, the Prime Minister has reached an agreement with Germany to allow the Italian government to return to the alliance."

The staff officer took out the second confidential telegram, handed it to Gu Junhuo, and said: "This is an encrypted telegram from the General Staff, the Cairo Conference has made significant progress, and the Italian government has promised to pay our country 500 million blue coins worth gold and silver and other valuable materials as the first indemnity, and then will pay us 100 million blue coins and corresponding interest every year for the next fifteen years, and will also hand over all post-war dividends except for the colonies, which will be handled by us!" ”

Gu Junhuo and Zhou Cheng were directly dumbfounded, 500 million at a time! In the next 15 years, a total of 1.5 billion blue coins and interest will be compensated, and all the post-war dividends obtained after joining the alliance will be handed over to the empire!

Did you hear me right?!

The staff officer smiled heartily, in fact, he also had this expression just when he got the telegram, and said again: "The command orders us to immediately send warships to Vatican City, and the Italian government will deliver 230 tons of gold and 1,500 tons of silver reserves to us within ten days to offset the first batch of 500 million yuan in compensation, and the chief of staff also requires that protection work must be done."

In addition, our first convoy of grain has set sail from Bombay and will enter the Mediterranean Sea for Italy in seven days, according to intelligence, six French submarines have left the port of Marseille last night, and the military department predicts that it is very likely that France has been informed of Italy's defection, so it is ready to attack the convoy of grain convoys, and ask us to do a good job of receiving and escorting them. ”

After listening to this series of words, Zhou Cheng suddenly couldn't cry or laugh, does Italy still have colonies?

Italian Somalia is now controlled by its own side, Libya is more entangled, it is difficult to say whether the Ottomans will take the opportunity to ask for it back, leaving these two places, Italy is nothing more than small islands and Albania, how many resources can be provided there to supply the country?

Just when he was about to calculate whether Italy could afford to repay its debts, Zhou Cheng suddenly thought of a big thing, and suddenly slapped a big tuǐ: "Oh no, Li Xiuyan has just sent me a telegram, saying that he is going to bombard Venice!" ”

Under the wild rush of Chief of Staff Zhou, Li Xiuyan's shells were finally stopped.

On September 11, the Cairo Conference ended in secret, and during the six-day meeting, the Allies coordinated and deployed the accelerated end of the war, the distribution of benefits after the war, the distribution of goods to various countries, and so on, and prepared for the upcoming victory.

At the meeting, Huahe Germany finally reached an agreement on the distribution of benefits through a series of bargaining, which also ensured that the meeting could successfully complete all the topics.

The famous British newspaper The Times later described the Cairo Conference in this way.

"This is a watershed moment for the world's rising forces to replace the old empires, and it is also a dirty trade fair for the division of the world, in which we can only see guns and knives and forks, but we can't see the slightest kindness.

And heart-wrenchingly, for the first time, Great Britain was excluded from the core of the world! ”

No matter how sarcastic and sour the British Times was afterwards, Limer voluntarily gave up a lot of African and Atlantic interests, which became the impetus for the conference to go smoothly. In return, William II, who almost held Africa and the Atlantic Ocean except the Caribbean, learned about it, and also reciprocated that he would not interfere with China's acquisition of the interests of part of Africa on the Indian Ocean side after the war, and was willing to see the Royal Chinese Navy stationed in Malta to maintain peace in the Mediterranean.

At the same time, Germany will also actively cooperate with China in implementing the "policy of weakening the United States," which has achieved the goal of weakening the strength of the United States and the Entente countries for a long time.

In terms of eye-catching benefits, while China will receive 60 percent of the total post-war indemnity from the United States, Germany will also enjoy 60 percent of the post-war reparations from Britain, and the rest will be distributed by all parties according to their contributions.

On September 15, 1917, four days after the Cairo Conference, Italy reneged on the Entente and announced its membership in the League.

: I'm about to go out to catch the train, I'm very excited to go back to my hometown for the New Year, and finally have a rare long vacation, depressed is that the hippopotamus's hometown is in the mountains, and it's very inconvenient to surf the Internet, and it's not just a ticket or a purchase of medical equipment to go home for the New Year, and I've been very busy, and I don't have too many manuscripts.

The hippopotamus has set up a few chapters, and if he can find a place to surf the Internet when he returns to his hometown, he will also.

Here, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support over the past year, and wish you all a happy spring and family reunion in advance.

Hippos love you guys!

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