Mediterranean hegemon

Late at night, the father and son discussed their future plans over a cup of fragrant Blue Mountain coffee: "What are your plans for the next year? Do you really want to transfer most of the funds to the United States? I remember you said in the telegram that you would also start a civil aviation company. company."

"Civil aviation needs to be run and stocks need to be bought, but there is no conflict. After the New Year, civil aviation's money will be settled." Contini had a confident smile on his face. He still had a short-selling position of more than 5 million US dollars.

The old Ciano knew the confidence behind the smile: France and Belgium would definitely be impatient to send troops after the New Year. As soon as soldiers from the two countries appeared in the Ruhr area, the German mark would immediately fall into the abyss. resistance? That's impossible! Since it is impossible to resist militarily, the collapse of Mark is inevitable, and speculative profits will roll in.

The total amount of U.S. dollars that have been exported from Germany is currently 10.23 million. The old Ciano took away 800,000 principal and spent more than 1 million to establish United Motorcycles. About 5 million of the funds have been transferred to the United States. Faced with this account Contini had a rough idea and said: "The United States has invested 10 million, and I plan to use the rest to start civil aviation. The teacher promised that the equipment, venues, and personnel will fully help me operate it. The Ministry of Aviation will not interfere too much. Now there is only one Question: Does United Airlines need to acquire shares from other consortiums?”

Lao Ciano was very satisfied with having Duhei as his teacher: Duhei was not a simple bureaucrat or general, he was an academic authority on air force theory, and there would be many benefits in the future from being his disciple. For Contini, getting a ministerial assistant is no big deal. As long as he communicates, he can get an assistant from any other department. But the Ministry of Aviation is a very special department, and it is on the eve of the establishment of the independent Air Force. Once you can become a veteran of the Air Force, your rise to the top will be much faster in the future. If you add the title of a disciple of an academic authority, it will be more secure. I just don’t know what Duhei is now. Why did you accept your son as a disciple? If it was just to sell yourself a face, then the situation would be much more complicated.

So old Ciano inquired in a subtle way: "How did you convince him? His temper is not easy to deal with, and he doesn't even give him the respect of the leader."

"That's because you haven't found a good way. To convince him, you have to start with theory." Contini briefly described the debate between him and Douhet. Old Ciano was dumbfounded. He really didn't see that his son Understand aviation.

"You're not bragging, are you?"

"What's there to brag about? In two days, the teacher will submit an inspection report to the cabinet. It's all your son's fault. He hasn't changed a word." Contini said with a smile, "The teacher's work also needs to be significantly revised. , to add everything I had considered and imagined, he suggested that I go to a military academy for 1-2 years of further study after graduating from college. Even if I can’t learn anything, it’s okay to become familiar with it.”

Old Ciano believed him when he said this, and after thinking for a long time, he said: "You must be mentally prepared. If the independent air force is formed, your position as teacher may not last long."

"I know, the teacher said so himself." Contini chuckled, "In fact, any discerning person can see that the leader put the teacher in this position to compete with the army. The main purpose is to build an independent air force and control it. In his own hands, he just wants to use the teacher's prestige and admiration for the Independent Air Force to achieve political goals. He does not understand the use of air military power at all. The teacher has complained many times that he may formally establish it in the Independent Air Force. After that, he will retire and focus on academics. Before that, he will take advantage of all favorable conditions to develop civil aviation.”

Old Ciano nodded. Duhei could understand this, which showed that his mind was still clear. It is no wonder that he went all out to promote the Ministry of Transport to take the lead on civil aviation issues - he will not be the Minister of Aviation in the future, so he can help students. It's better to help the successor without choosing at all.

So he refocused the topic on the composition of civil aviation shares: "This is a very good question! How much do you decide to invest? How many social shares are allowed to be absorbed? I know you have a lot of ideas in United Motorcycle, but I don't know about civil aviation. How to think about it?”

After some calculation, Contini said: "I estimate that the total profit from this speculation is 15-16 million US dollars. In addition to the investment direction that has been allocated so far, I plan to use 2 million US dollars to start United Airlines, and the remaining hundreds of thousands will be used for newspaper offices. and other living expenses, the teacher has agreed to grant me the title of Assistant to the Minister of Aviation, but I will not be paid a salary! This will be very beneficial to my future social contacts and business development. Many Italians do this!"

"If you don't pay a salary, you can still hold the title of Assistant to the Secretary of Transportation!" Old Ciano laughed, "Don't worry about the outside world, you have to be responsible when doing big things. You are my son, what's wrong with not getting paid to be an assistant? Anyway, I I won’t promote you.”

"To be honest, $2 million is more than enough to start United Airlines under the current circumstances, but I don't want to give the outside world the impression that we are eating alone and are not willing to accept other people's shares. This is a blow to my father's reputation. This is such a blow. If someone is concerned about the relationship between the Ministry of Aviation and the teacher, they will probably think more. In fact, United Airlines will not want to make a profit in five years. I think it is harming others. "

Contini finally summarized: "Can you please spread the word and say that I intend to form an airline? The share capital will be set at 30 million lire (about 1.5 million US dollars) and expanded to 100 million lire within 3 years. No dividends will be paid during this period until All accumulated losses will be smoothed out before dividends are distributed, and the maximum shareholding ratio of others cannot exceed 35%.”

This idea is quite bad: how many people can bear it if they keep adding investment but don't pay dividends? And they can't get the controlling rights, it's just spending money for others to play. This points out Contini's true thoughts: he doesn't like other people to interfere, but he will pretend to agree on the surface - if you don't care about burning money, then come on.

"How many years will it take to make a profit?"

"It will be great if we can barely break even in 10 years."

Old Ciano was shocked: "Is the civil aviation in Britain and France also so bleak?"

"My thinking is different from theirs. Civil aviation is just a chess move I put on the surface. What I really want to do is to integrate the Italian aviation industry, and at the same time make civil aviation a joint trump card in the hands of the youth league, aviation club, and radio station under my control. Why is it called the Union? It's not because the name sounds cool, but because in my imagination, this is a combination of multiple formats, a whole game of chess." Contini handed over the business plan he had written on the way.

Old Ciano quickly flipped through the book. Although he could not fully understand many ideas, it did not hinder his understanding of this grand blueprint: in the future group system, the radio stations that Italian people listen to and the newspapers they read are from United Group, the flights they take are from United Group, the aircraft used by United Airlines are produced by itself, and even the bills and settlement accounts used are carried out through the bank of United Group.

United Group has its own motorcycle, automobile, and aviation industries. If consumer credit is needed, it can be directly realized through United Bank. The media controlled by United Group will focus on publishing advertisements for other products and services produced by the group... In this system, United is a brand. When people see this brand, they will think of the strength behind it. Even if United wants to enter a new industrial field, this intangible asset accumulated in other fields will instantly open the valve of public impression.

For example, if televisions are to be produced in the future, for the Italian people, United brand and Fiat brand televisions will definitely have an advantage over other brands - this is the preemptive move of brands and formats. Of course, there is another sentence that Contini will not write in the report. Only by rapidly expanding himself and forming a super consortium, and then combining with the power of the state power, military power and industrial military industry, can his ultimate ambition be realized.

"You want to do a lot of things, can the funds bear it? If the capital chain is broken, before the so-called aggregation effect you bring into play, these industries will all collapse!"

"Things can be done step by step. After the New Year, I will be 20 years old, and I will have at least 50 years to struggle. As for the funds..." Contini smiled confidently, "The US capital market will become a continuous cash machine. Speculation can make money, and capital operation can also make money. When the business reaches a certain level, it will not be easy for me to collapse. If someone wants to destroy the Fiat Group and the Agnelli family now, even if the authorities are not interested in them, they will not let this idea go."

This is the routine of being too big to fail. Old Ciano understands it very well. Consider it carefully. After the meeting, he said, "Okay, go ahead and do it. Even if you lose everything, it's no big deal. You can just go back to where you came from. But you can use the family name, but the specific industry must be separated from the existing industry."

"Of course, this is your wealth."

"Galai, that's not what I mean." Old Ziano said earnestly, "I want to keep the last bit of capital. In case you lose everything outside, as long as you keep the family industry, you still have the capital to make a comeback! I will die sooner or later, and you are my only child. Who else can I give it to?"

"Father, I know, thank you." Contini explained quickly, "I have almost the same idea, and I also want to ask you for some support..."