Mediterranean hegemon

After a few casual remarks here, Mussolini suddenly said: "Calais, are you free now? Can you come to the Prime Minister's Office? The Navy has a business that they want to discuss with you, oh, Your father is here too."

Although he asked if he was free, Contini knew that this sentence was not a discussion, but an order - he had to go even if he was not free. So he said: "Okay, I'll be there soon."

When I went to Mussolini's office, I saw that Mussolini, Navy Minister Paolo Tone di Leifer and the old Ciano were all there. Although the old Ciano is now the Minister of Transport and Leifer is an equal Yes, but because he was only a colonel during the war, and Leifer was about to be promoted to marshal, he was more polite in front of the other party, and even spoke to the former navy.

"Calais, the situation is like this. The Greeks are ready to surrender and will provide 17 million US dollars. Judging from the mobilization, the leader believes that the army still has many shortcomings and needs to be improved faster. He plans to use 15 million of the 17 million. The other 2 million will be allocated to the Army and Navy to make up for the government's losses in other situations." Old Ciano's tone was very calm. "Although the Army and Navy can both receive 7.5 million US dollars, relatively speaking, the Navy has a more urgent need for funds. A few years ago, due to financial constraints, we even demolished the unfinished Caracciolo-class battleships...?"

After some explanations, Contini understood that in order to avoid worsening the situation in the Mediterranean, the British, after persuading Greece to make concessions, also required Italy not to trade warships with Turkey in addition to the agreements already reached. Of course, Mussolini Approval. However, now that the idea of ​​scrapping these third-rate battleships was already in place, the navy could no longer contain its thoughts, so the British opened their mouths. Originally, according to the "Washington Naval Treaty", Italy would not be allowed to start building new battleships until 1927. However, due to Italy's dissatisfaction with its own tonnage and early retirement, the British were prepared to allow the Italians to start construction in January 1925 - a full two years in advance, but the restriction standards remained unchanged.

This opening is not so much to take care of Italy as it is a damaging move by the British to balance the excessive power of France. At the same time, the British also intend to agree to Germany's request and allow Germany to expand the Wehrmacht from 100,000 to 125,000 (originally the British said 15 Ten thousand, France refused to accept it, and finally put it at 125,000), which means adding one infantry division and one cavalry division.

Contini was stunned. He didn't expect that he would cause so many troubles with all these tricks: the Germans had more soldiers, and Italian warships could be built in advance... This is really dumbfounding. What's even more strange is that France didn't object. France must have benefited from it, but Mussolini just didn't have it.

He pondered for a long time and asked: "I understand all this. The question is, what does it have to do with the United Group? Although we have a shipyard, it is full of waste and has not even been expanded."

"The Navy wants to sell the other three warships to United Group."

"Sell?" Contini smiled bitterly, "I bought it for no use... Besides, I also have other projects to build with my money, so I can't just use it to save the country."

Mussolini smiled: "The United Group's business has just started, and we understand this, so I thought of a way. Didn't you donate 20 million lire to the military? In return, the government decided to invest 5 million in you. U.S. dollar preferred shares, the conditions are the same as those of the Holy See, and you use the money to buy warships.”

Contini understood: On the surface, the country gave 5 million U.S. dollars, but in fact it immediately used three broken warships to get the money back, and the United Group had to pay an additional 300,000 U.S. dollars in interest every year - equal to the government's use of Three warships that the United Group did not need were purchased for 5 million preferred shares. This was a really good idea.

Leifer smiled and said: "Calais, for your father's sake, the Navy has already given you a discount. We originally asked for 3 warships for 5.8 million U.S. dollars, but we can package them together and sell them to you for only 5 million!"

Contini thought to himself: Go ahead and fool the devil. The 5.8 million was just used to deceive the Turks. Only a devil can imagine that it is worth 5 million. However, with these 5 million and some other adjustments, the Navy can indeed start building a ship. New warships.

He looked at Mussolini, who had an eager face, and then looked at his father, who had an embarrassed face. Leifer, who was the only one doing business, was calm, as if he was convinced. If you think about it more carefully, you will understand that Mussolini has reached out to the Army through the Black Shirts, and controlled the Air Force through Balbo. Facing the self-contained Navy, of course he also wanted to get involved; and the old Ciano because Being from the Navy, he had no room to refuse this matter, so he could only cooperate with the Navy Department to deceive his son.

Since ancient times, there have been people who cheated on their fathers, but I have never seen anyone cheating on their sons! Contini looked indignant, but refusing was not an option - a prime minister and two ministers, this was something he couldn't refuse. How did he know that this method was thought of by Mussolini for him? According to the Navy's opinion, since the United Group has received an investment of 30 million US dollars from the Holy See, it should directly spend it to purchase it!

He said tactfully: "Well, if you buy an airplane, you can convert it into a civilian aircraft, but if you buy a warship, it's useless, right?"

Leifer smiled: "Why is it useless? The United Group has experience in dismantling warships, and can also harvest various information such as boilers, hull designs, materials, etc., which cannot be bought with money. Besides, Well, the navy will build new ships in the future. With the current package deal, will it be more convenient for me to speak for the United Group? "

These reasons really made Contini unable to refute. He thought for a moment and said, "It's not impossible for the United Group to buy the ship, but I have a few conditions that I would like you to consider."

"You said..."

"First, I should be allowed to sell it after the purchase, and the government of the sales object should not interfere. Of course, I must sell it in the form of a used ship."

Leifer nodded: "Of course there is no problem. Except for Turkey, you can sell it to other places."

"Second, if the ship arrives at the United Group and cannot be sold for a while, the warships will need people for normal maintenance, and these people will be transferred to the United Group."

This time it was Mussolini who spoke up: "The Youth Volunteer Army can be expanded to a regiment of about 2,500 people. The navy warships do not need to be fully staffed, and they can be coordinated and solved within this establishment."

"Third, 5 million is too high. I can only pay 4.7 million. The other 300,000 will be paid as the first year's dividend in advance, and the preferred stock dividend will be paid in the last month of each year."

Leifer thought: Isn't this equivalent to collecting one year's dividend? He looked at Mussolini and saw him nod, so he smiled and said, "Okay, this time the United Group has donated money and created momentum, helping the navy a lot, so this little money can be given!"

So a happy trade was reached, and the three Queen-class obsolete battleships will soon become the property of the United Group, and the public name to the outside world is - scrapped ships.

After saying goodbye to the Prime Minister's Office, old Ciano said to his son embarrassedly: "Galai, there is really no way to deal with this matter. Leffel first found the leader, and then found me..."

"Father, you don't need to explain more, this is really the only way to do it." Contini smiled, "It is the obligation of every citizen to share the country's worries and difficulties, and the United Group is naturally no exception. Besides, I still have a career in the future?"

The first half of the sentence is fine, but old Ciano dare not continue the second half: his son's tone clearly said that he would take over in the future, and only with this idea would he not care about the current behavior of suffering a loss - when he becomes prime minister, isn't it just a transfer from the left pocket to the right pocket? It's not a big deal...

"What are you going to do next?"

"Sell one to the Bulgarians at a low price, find another customer for one, and the other..." Contini smiled, "I plan to play with it and then dismantle it..."

"Play with it and then dismantle it?"

A warship worth $1.6 million is played with and then dismantled?

Old Ciano was stunned: "Are you telling the truth?"

"The truth!" Contini smiled, "Didn't you hear the leader expand the establishment to 2,400? I will deal with it as soon as possible, and all the personnel can become volunteers. Then, what is the most common thing on the warship?"

"What is it? Steel?" Old Ciano muttered subconsciously.

"No, it's the artillery." Contini smiled, "After these artillery pieces are disassembled, the Volunteers can practice how to use artillery. Do you dare to underestimate this regiment in the future?"

Old Ziano shook his head helplessly: "I don't care about other things. I just say one thing: no matter what you want to do, you must get the leader's consent! You must never do anything without his approval. This is the bottom line!"

Ps: It will be available on the 1st. The update rhythm will be accelerated after it is available. Students who have votes remember to leave some for me when the time comes...