He traveled back in time to Germany over a century ago, where he carved out a place for himself through wisdom, insight, diligence, and perseverance. He pioneered amphibious landing tactics and conquered small European island nations; with extraordinary courage and determination, he climbed step by step to the pinnacle of his life. Crowned with the sacred aura of a savior, he listened to the cheers of the masses: “Long live Joachim!”
Chapter 186: Return to the Mediterranean (Part 2) In the pouring rain, a Ju-101 twin engine transport plane painted by the German Imperial Air Force arrived at Malpensa Airport outside Milan. Compared to the special plane used by the Hohenzollern royal family, this transport plane in front of us neither incorporates innovative aviation technology nor sprays the domineering black eagle emblem. However, it still caused the Italian government, which was deeply embroiled in turmoil, to hold a grand welcoming ceremony. The newly appointed Italian Prime Minister, Count Capri, and a group of officials lined up to wait. At the moment he stepped out of the cabin, German Ernst von Weitzsek showed a meaningful smile. This middle-aged man, who comes from a diplomatic family and has been sent abroad as a diplomatic ambassador for more than ten times, now holds the position of President of the United Nations Security Council. He chose to fly to Italy on a German Air Force plane not only for security reasons. Stepping down the gangway, von Weitzzek shook hands with Count Capri with a relieved expression and said, "Long time no see, my friend! My family often says, when will you come to visit Facing this old acquaintance, Count Capri, who is nearly sixty years old, managed to squeeze out a smile and said, "Ah, I've been so busy these past few years. I'm really sorry! I'm very sorry! Once I have time, I will definitely go and pay my respects Feng Weitzzek put on a happy expression and said, "That's settled Next, Count Capri introduced to him one by one the military and political officials who came to pick him up. These usually arrogant and powerful figures are now like frosty eggplants, not pulling a few of them one by one. Occasionally, those with normal expressions are just trying to boost their spirits. Of course, von Weitzsek was well aware that Italy was currently facing internal and external troubles, with many people rebelling and the military on the brink of losing control. The royal regime was already on the brink of collapse. At this moment, the help from the League of Nations, even if it is just righteous support, is as valuable as a rain after a long drought. After a brief welcoming ceremony, the Germans did not rush to pay their respects to His Majesty King Emmanuel III and Crown Prince Umberto of Italy. Instead, they had an informal meeting with military and political officials led by Count Capri in the airport lounge. Feng Weitzzek told the Italians that the ceasefire agreement signed between New Austria and Italy was legal and valid. Although the League of Nations Security Council suggested that the New United Kingdom and Austria Hungary partially exempt the Kingdom of Italy from war reparations on the grounds of political turmoil in Italy, the suggestion was only a suggestion. If the New United Kingdom and Austria Hungary did not accept the suggestion, the League of Nations Security Council could not impose any form of restraint or punishment on them. After delivering the bad news that left Italians deeply disappointed, von Weitzsek changed the subject and stated that no European country would want to see Italy go through a civil war due to a so-called revolution, just as people in a house do not want to see a furnace overheating and exploding. In recent days, he has been tirelessly visiting leaders of major powers such as the German Emperor, the Austro Hungarian Emperor, the King of the New United Kingdom, and the President of France, actively seeking their understanding and support, and achieving breakthrough progress. As soon as they heard this, all the Italians present, even the attendant officials who served tea and water, seemed to have grabbed the life-saving straw and turned their gaze to von Weitzzek. Von Weitzsek then said in a gentle tone, "The Austro Hungarian Empire and the New United Kingdom... both agreed to withdraw their troops from Italian territory and territories, on the condition that they could obtain some form of guarantee to ensure that the Italian government paid war reparations in accordance with the ceasefire agreement Italian officials looked at each other in confusion. If they could provide guarantees, would they still need to force the coalition forces to re-enter Italy? Feng Weitzzek continued calmly, "I have sought the opinions of the German Emperor and the French President, but they both expressed that they cannot guarantee Italy. When I left Paris, I was deeply frustrated and felt that the great ideal of maintaining world peace had been hit by an unprecedented blow. Just as the plane took off, I suddenly thought, since there is no single country that can guarantee Italy, what about in the name of the League of Nations Why can't we guarantee Italy in the name of the League of Nations? As long as we can quell public grievances and resolve this crisis of turmoil, why not Everyone hesitated for a moment, then collectively stood up and applauded, applauding for the sudden inspiration of the President of the United Nations Security Council and for the resurgence of Italy's turning point. Feng Weitzzek waved his hand, gesturing for everyone to listen and continue speaking. I have arranged for an emergency meeting of the Security Council, but before the meeting can be held, I must obtain a clear opinion from the Italian government: whether you accept or reject the League of Nations' guarantee Count Capri thought for a moment and said, 'What reason do we have to refuse?' Of course there is a reason, "von Weitzsek replied." After all, the League of Nations is not a country, and all funds come from member states' dues and donations, with specific purposes. If the Italian government is unable to fulfill its obligations for some reason, the League of Nations cannot advance compensation on its behalf. If we guarantee the Italian government in the name of the League of Nations or the League of Nations Security Council, then we also need to obtain some form of pledge from the Italian government, such as territory and territories under administration Count Capri widened his eyes and said, "Your Excellency, do you mean... that the League of Nations peacekeeping force will replace the Austrian and Irish armies and continue to take over and occupy the five northern Italian cities and Malta Feng Weitzzek looked at the Italian Prime Minister calmly, neither affirming nor denying. All of you present are experts who have been working in the military and political circles for many years. Just thinking about it, you can understand the essence of this transaction. Pie doesn't fall out of thin air from the sky. There is no such thing as a free lunch in the world. Since modern times - to be precise, since regaining its independence as a sovereign state - Italy has often given the impression of conquering the East and the West, expanding its territory, finding opportunities on both sides, and thriving. They invaded East Africa in 1885 and occupied Massawa, thus beginning the decades long history of colonial warfare in East Africa, plundering nearly a million square kilometers of vast land (although they were violently attacked by indigenous African armies several times during this period);In 1911, the war against Ottoman Türkiye was launched, and the North African colony covering an area of more than one million square kilometers was established (although the war damage ratio on the battlefield was terrible);In 1915, after the decisive victory of the Allied Powers over the Allied Powers, he joined the war effort and gained control of French North Africa and French Somaliland with his status as a war power after the war. He also expanded his sphere of influence to Egypt and the Middle East (although he was heavily attacked by remnants of the French army on the Italian French border at the end of the war);In 1933, as the Allies were on the verge of winning the Battle of Azores, they once again joined the battle group. This bet helped Italy win the strategically important strongholds of Malta and Cyprus (although the Italian Navy suffered almost unnecessary losses of many ships in the later stages of the Battle of Azores) In addition to directly initiating or joining wars, Italians were also skilled at reselling weapons during wartime. In 1914, they sold military weapons to Britain and Tsarist Russia, earning profits equivalent to three years of government revenue in six months;In 1932, they produced firearms and ammunition for the Germans, and the net profit they earned in one year made the government worry free for ten years;In 1938, they sold half of their air force to Japan and used the recovered funds and materials to build a batch of cutting-edge ships, consolidating their maritime strategic advantage over Austria Hungary, Spain, and France in the Mediterranean;In the 1940s, they competed with the Austro Hungarian Empire to provide military technology to Japan, and many new weapons were handed over to the Japanese without even equipping the Italian army, in exchange for a large amount of foreign exchange and hard currency The sudden wealth of unscrupulous merchants has long attracted the covetousness of strong neighbors, but various warnings from knowledgeable people in the country, well intentioned reminders from foreign high-level celebrities, and various warnings obtained through intelligence channels have never alerted or restrained the Italian government. Instead, they continue to arrogantly engage in various high-risk, high return transactions, ultimately causing trouble When Italian officials were digesting this impactful suggestion, von Weitzsek pretended to be lenient and said, "The deployment of peacekeeping forces can not only relieve the public criticism of the Italian government, but also reduce the pressure of maintaining local social order. Moreover, the peacekeeping forces have never charged any garrison fees in any name wherever they go After pondering for a moment, Count Capri asked disappointedly, "Maintaining order in a city requires at least thousands of troops. If you take over the five northern cities and the island of Malta, you will inevitably need to use a large number of peacekeeping forces. Have you already finalized the source of troops for forming this batch of peacekeeping forces during your previous meetings with heads of state? If the troops include the Austrian and Irish armies, why don't the occupying forces even need to withdraw and change their names The issue that His Excellency the Prime Minister is concerned about is also an aspect that I have been very concerned about before. Fortunately, the German Emperor has promised that all the troops needed for this peacekeeping force can be provided by Germany, and most of the officers and non commissioned officers have participated in the League of Nations' peace breaking actions, and their discipline and sense of justice are trustworthy. In addition... "Feng Weitzzek said," The five northern cities should be considered one of the wealthiest regions in Italy. If peacekeeping forces are stationed there, it will more or less affect the local economic recovery. If Malta, Sicily, and Sardinia are temporarily placed under the management of peacekeeping forces, the negative impact on the Italian economy should be controlled within a relatively ideal range. Degree The finance minister of Count Capri's cabinet, a refined middle-aged man, spoke coldly: "With Italy's pre war tax level, it would take 24 years to pay off war reparations, but given Italy's current situation, paying off war reparations may take 50 or 100 years. Does it mean that the League of Nations peacekeeping forces plan to station in Malta, Sicily, and Sardinia for 50 or 100 years? Such a long time is enough to cause substantial division in Italy Feng Weitzzek did not get angry at all, but responded in a straight voice, "The purpose of the League of Nations is to maintain international order within the framework of international law and ensure that the legitimate sovereignty of every country is respected. And I am here, sitting in front of you, not to divide Italy, on the contrary, to find ways to maintain its integrity and unity Malta is not an inherent territory of Italy and has never been incorporated into Italy's national territory. Its jurisdiction has fallen into the hands of other countries, and from a legal and substantive perspective, it has not damaged Italy's integrity and unity. As for the populous islands of Sicily and Sardinia, the Germans have no interest in occupying them for a long time, nor do they need to use them to gain and maintain military control over the Mediterranean region. Therefore, von Weitzsek's grandiose words are not lies, but a relatively clever political tactic. Among the Italians present, there were many experts who played with power. At this point, they naturally understood who the President of the League of Nations Security Council was speaking for. As the saying goes, when a tiger falls, Pingyang is bullied by a dog. If they still want to maintain their prominent positions in the military and government, it is best to be a fool at this time.
