Mediterranean hegemon

Ps: Congratulations to the book friend "Bored Little Lion" for becoming the leader of this book. He still owes 2 extra chapters, and there are 2 guaranteed chapters today...

"Okay, I'll bear it. Let me go back and think about it!"

Albert just smiled and stopped talking: Even a fool could hear that the subtext of this sentence was that the defense forces were preparing to get benefits for themselves. He had already agreed to increase military spending, and it was impossible to bleed again. Now he is looking forward to how much tax revenue the 42 million US dollars of large purchases can bring to the government? At least 4 million, right?

In the evening, the Krupp representative called: "The conditions have been negotiated with President Albert, and the military's attitude has loosened, but we think you'd better talk to General Sickert again..."

"Master, it seems that Sickert has additional conditions."

"Today's soldiers are fighting more water than one another, and they are more cunning than one another in terms of money and benefits." Contini smiled slightly, "It's okay, I'll go see him..."

"Don't spend money anymore." Antonio grinned, "Now we are typical adults with a lot of money, industrial equipment, products are always There is still a basic number, the price will not rise much, and armaments are a bottomless pit..."

"Don't spend money, don't spend money..."

Hearing what Contini said, Antonio immediately lost his confidence and muttered: "Less, less, no more than 5 million..."

Contini laughed: "Don't spend money, maybe you can make some money."

"Make some money?" Antonio shook his head. Now less loss is profit. If it weren't for the good rise in the US stock market and the young master's big votes in German speculation, he wouldn't be so crazy!

In the evening, Salvatore, the Italian military attaché in Germany, was preparing to go to a party with a German noble lady. Suddenly, he received a call from the ambassador, asking him to accompany someone to visit General Seeckt.

"Who... Can I do it tomorrow? I have something to do today and have an appointment with someone for dinner!"

"Tomorrow is also OK, if you are not afraid of the other party getting angry."

"Who is it? If you don't get angry, who else can control me?" Salvatore thought to himself, if I didn't give you some face, I wouldn't be afraid of you getting angry.

"Mr. Ciano is here. He will meet Sickert tonight! Are you still planning to have dinner with someone?"

"Uh..." Salvatore suddenly became like a duck with its neck grabbed. He couldn't make a sound for a long time. After being silent for 10 seconds, he said, "Okay, I'll go..."

He didn't dare to say that he had made an appointment with someone, let alone that he might not be able to make an appointment with Sickert, because the other party was not an ordinary person, but the young Ciano. The outside world didn't know how embarrassed the Socialist Party, the number one princeling in Italy, was, and how the president of the Supreme Court stepped down. Wasn't it clear within the system?

It is better to offend the old Ciano than the young Ciano. This is a consensus within the system. It won't matter if you offend the old Ciano, but if you offend the young Ciano, you will have a series of troubles. This young master will not stop until he brings you down and makes you stink.

After figuring this out, Salvatore did his best to arrange everything. At 7 o'clock in the evening, Sickert would be waiting for Contini at the Defense Forces Headquarters.

Before seven o'clock, Seeckt was already in his office reviewing documents and dealing with the consequences of the Munich Rebellion. 1,500 casualties might not have been a big deal for him who had experienced the fighting on the Russian front before, but now it was a major event that broke his bones - after all, it was not the time when hundreds of thousands of troops could be mobilized. The defense force only had 100,000 people at most, and the army was even less.

In addition to the losses, Seeckt was even more touched and distressed by the tactical dilemma. It was not a real skill to use two divisions and more than 20,000 people to push over and overwhelm the National Socialist Party. After all, the other side had less than 4,000 people, and they could not even have a rifle per person, and they did not have any artillery. If it was replaced by regular troops to guard such a city defense, the loss would definitely not be 1,500, but probably 5,500 - he felt desperate about this kind of street fighting, but he could not think of a better way except to add lives.

Perhaps we should think about a brand new tactical topic? Think about the solution to urban street fighting after the trench warfare, and form a new professional street fighting unit like the Storm Commando did back then?

He put the loss report aside irritably, took off his monocle, and stared out the window, as if he could see something in the night.

He hadn't slept well recently because of the Ruhr incident. Not resisting was not what he expected, but he had to do so - for this, he almost became a traitor in the eyes of the people. Hitler lost, but no one thought he lost. This man - an Austrian who dedicated himself to Germany to this extent was more German than the Germans. Although the defense forces were able to execute orders consistently, it did not mean that there were no ideas below. The soldiers now were all former company commanders and battalion commanders. Didn't they know the inside story?

Soon his thoughts were interrupted, and Salvatore had led Contini to visit.

Compared to Sickert's tired face, Contini's face was much more cheerful. Although he was the soul of a 40-year-old uncle, his body was still 21 years old. It was quite refreshing to spend money willfully and slam the table - who didn't have a time when they were young and arrogant?

"General, I am sorry to come to visit you. This is..." Salvatore was about to introduce, but was interrupted by Sickert very rudely, "I know who he is, he knows what he wants to do, and I know what good things he has done. You don't need to say anything more, you can leave first!"

Faced with such rude words, Salvatore was stunned for a moment, and finally shrugged helplessly and left.

"Your Excellency has a deep grudge against me..." Contini sat down on the sofa carelessly, "But this is good, it shows me a general who is willful and daring, rather than a politician who is obedient and adapts to the situation. ——Can this kind of resentment be expressed in front of the French occupying forces? "

"It seems that you don't want Hitler's life anymore. If so, I suggest you talk to me politely. In this country, my words still have weight. I can let him die or let him live."

"So don't you think I made a special trip to visit? It's just this hospitality..." Contini spread his hands, "Not even a cup of coffee... If the mark depreciates, won't you be unable to even buy coffee?"

"Don't talk to me about these useless things..." Sickert got angry, "You still want coffee? See what good things you have done? Your crimes are enough for me to arrest you and shoot you!"

"Crime?" Contini said with an innocent face, "You have recognized the wrong person. It is true that I sympathize with the National Socialist Party, and it is true that I am friends with Adolf Hitler, but I did nothing? I have always been in Italy. Woolen cloth!"

"Mr. Ciano, do you think I'm a three-year-old?" Sickert picked up a pile of files and threw them on the table. "We have the whole situation. The National Socialist Party was just a small party before, not even 1,000 people. , it expanded after taking US dollar funding from you; the Munich riots had the shadow of your involvement, and many people admitted that there was a group of commandos with good combat effectiveness, and they all came back from Italy..."

"Stop!" Contini waved his hand, "I'll interrupt, there are two logical errors here. First, my money to support the National Socialist Party is not a conspiracy, but out of like-minded friendship. Don't you know that the National Socialist Party Did the Socialist Party develop under the influence of Fascism? Didn’t you know that Hitler’s idea of ​​one of the Four was developed based on the Three Flags theory I summarized? Doesn’t it violate the laws of your country?”

These words made Sickert speechless. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are a big figure to others, but only such a young man can say "get some small money"!

"Secondly, a group of people did receive training from me... There is no secret in this matter. All Italy knows that I have a military club, which provides training for the army and aviation. Oh, recently it can also train gunners and sailors. Yes, you can also send people for training - just pay. As for what the trainees do, it is beyond my control." Contini asked, "If you must care about it, I can bet you that you will be punished this time. Many of the arrested members of the National Socialist Party, including Mr. Hitler himself, were trained and served in the Second Reich, the army you once served in. Do you want to hold the Second Reich accountable?”

This sophistry was truly superb, and Contini insisted that he did not intervene - a knife seller cannot be held responsible for a murder, right?

Sickert was helpless: This guy has such a temper. He is tough-tongued and quite good at making excuses. This can be seen from the lawsuit against the Socialist Party.

"Since you have this attitude, then we have nothing to talk about..." Sickert pouted toward the door, "You can go."

"No..." Contini said with a playful smile, "I'm here to ask for a reward."

"Please give me a reward?"

"The Wehrmacht has expanded by 25,000 troops. Do you think the National Socialist Party has no credit? President Albert agreed to increase military spending. Do you think the National Socialist Party has no credit? The German people have been united. Do you think the National Socialist Party has no credit?" Kong Tiny shrugged and said, "Everyone knows that the Wehrmacht and you yourself are opposed to the Weimar government, and even more to the foreign policy of surrender. It's just that you have fulfilled your duties and been loyal to your oath, but at the same time you are afraid of being seized by the National Socialist Party's force to control the army. Right. Judging from my experience in the Italian revolution, there is no need for you to worry... After the leader came to power, the Italian Defense Forces were reorganized and improved, and the soldiers had a sense of honor and morale. I admit that the Italian Army could not defeat the German Army in the past. , now you see...

We sent troops to Corfu to teach the Greeks a lesson, and the people of all Italy were rejoicing and enthusiastic; you were disgraced by the French-Belgian forces in the Ruhr area, and the whole country was filled with complaints...General, whether the army can fight or not depends on itself, and if it can fight again What is the difference between an army that dares not go out and use force but only dares to suppress internally and a good sheep? Contini summed it up in a blabbering way, "No, there is still a difference. What you call it is a nest..."