Battle of the Third Reich

Munich, the capital of Bavaria, the city of the plateau.

Maybe some people will dream of going to heaven, and in Germany, everyone will dream of going to Munich, Bavaria, a paradise for Germans.

A heavy rain in the afternoon took away the heat from the August sun exposure. The ancient stone streets were washed clean and the air was filled with a fresh mud fragrance after the rain.

The Four Seasons Hotel Munich is a historic luxury hotel. The beige exterior wall is decorated with white plaster carvings, exquisite and elegant Rococo style.

On the balcony on the top floor of this beautiful building, a sturdy man carried coffee in one hand and supported the iron guardrail of the balcony, holding his famous big chin gazing at Munich after the rain.

"My leader."

A handsome young man walked quietly behind the man and whispered respectfully.

The man turned around and his face was filled with an unpleasant look. He hated people disturbing him when he was thinking, even if he was the person he trusted most in front of him.

"Ciano, is there anything?"

Mussolini, the successor of the Roman Empire, the leader of the Italian fascist party, the marshal of the empire, the Italian prime minister, and the other Italian ducái who had a large list of similar honorary titles, proudly walked down to the chair in the middle of the balcony and sat down with a chin up According to him, the steadfast gaze that only a noble emperor could possibly have looked at the respectful son-in-law in front of him.

Ziano again felt like a lobster on a plate covered with cream and cooked red. His father-in-law's sharp, powerful eyes that fully grasped the essence of the gluttons in the food stalls of the Sicilian beach made the poor Italian foreign minister suddenly feel thirsty.

"My leader, the German Foreign Ministry sent someone a telegram just now."

Ziano glanced at the mineral water on the round table while speaking.

"What is said in it, when will von Stade come to see me."

Mussolini asked impatiently. As an "international" leader, he was willing to let go of his restraint and came to this "third-rate city" to meet the German head of state who was a rookie in his eyes. He thought I am really too great, and the great is beyond his own imagination.

However, after coming here, the development of things did not proceed as he imagined. Mussolini was furious at the beginning because the other party did not rush to meet him in the first moment, and accepted the guidance of his wise, great, and unparalleled political predecessor. Then something that he could not tolerate happened. The rookie even appointed a third-class foreign secretary of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs to receive him, and did not arrange him to come to Munich before him to live in a luxurious, Italian-style, The comfortable Prince Carl’s palace, which is in line with his status as a world leader, arranged himself in this impermanent Four Seasons Hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel where the idiot Frenchman Dalladi stayed during the Munich conference.

It was an insult to him, Mussolini secretly vowed that he would let the fledgling know sooner or later what price he would pay for neglecting a powerful and fat "world-class leader".

According to Mussolini's usual temper, he should have been violently gone with such contempt and neglect.

However, he had to endure all this. He had to meet with the furry kid he didn't even bother to look at. For the benefit of Italy, he chose to be patient, and this would make him more admirable for his greatness and tolerance.

"My leader, I think it's up to you to see for yourself. I really can't comment on this."

Ziano handed the document to Mussolini respectfully, his eyes still glancing over the bottle of mineral water.

"Pour yourself, young people are thirsty."

Mussolini saw his son-in-law's attempt and waved his hand with tolerance.

"Thank you, my leader."

Ziano hurried to the table and picked up the beautiful crystal bottle to a glass of water.

"what!"

At the next moment, a roar on Ziano's long-anticipated voice broke out on the balcony.

"This arrogant and stupid Stade, what does he want to do? We signed the Steel Covenant, does he want to destroy the contract? Even his predecessor Hitler dared not treat me like this, this is an insult, an insult to me, It is an insult to the whole of Italy and to the Roman Empire. I absolutely cannot tolerate it!"

Just after reading the first few lines, Mussolini jumped up and roared loudly. The Italian leader shouted and waved the document as if it were a cavalry saber toward his fictional Lein. Hart von Stead cut off his head.

"That means war. My leader."

Ziano carefully dropped the crystal cup and said respectfully.

"Then declare war, I never fear war, the great Italian army will let the Germans learn from the stupidity of their idiot. We will surely win, Reinhardt von Steide, this stupidity Idiot, he will never know what kind of person he is offending. I am the Prime Minister of Italy, the leader of the Fascist Party, the most powerful army in the world, the bravest citizen, the richest country of Italy The only leader is his weak German head who can't afford it at all. Damn von Stadt, this Nazi party stick who knows nothing about politics, this..."

Mussolini has been irritated by the document, and the proud Italian ducái can no longer bear this contempt and humiliation. The rude request made by the German side became the camel that broke Mussolini's ability to bear. The last straw in the spine, he was spitting like a lunatic on the top floor balcony of the Four Seasons Hotel in Munich, Germany, scolding the head of Germany.

"My leader, I hope you can look at this issue sensibly. We are still at war with France. The front line is not very optimistic. I think from the current situation, we must maintain friendly relations with Germany, otherwise we You will lose all the benefits you deserve."

Ziano still kept his indifferent look respectfully.

Ziano knew that Mussolini was just emotionally out of control for a time. He knew the bad temper of his father-in-law and the political talents of this person, so he did not take Mussolini’s war intimidation as one thing at all. .

Ciano will be confident that he will calm down and think seriously about the solution to the situation before him when he vents.

"That **** stupid generals, a group of cowards, a group of cowards, useless waste!"

Although Mussolini was not smart enough, he was definitely not an idiot. He knew very well that according to the current situation, declaring war with Germany was a crazy idea.

After an unbridled vent, he finally began to calm down slowly, but when he heard Ziano talking about the French front, an unnamed fire ignited in his heart. The Italian leader suddenly transferred his indignation. To his group of heads.

The situation on the front line is not very optimistic, it is simply a mess. All frontline attacks have not achieved the expected results before the war. As the **** Bagdorio said, this is a disaster.

The Italian army lost face in front of the French. They were not worthy of being called descendants of the Roman legion. They were all a group of timid cowards.

Mussolini couldn't figure out why the French who fled in front of the German squad could stop his huge legion for so long, and showed no signs of falling down. What made him feel more depressed was that he blocked the great Italy. The army is advancing only three French infantry divisions.

Under the rapid advancement of the German team, the three French divisions have already lost all their retreats. The Germans annihilated all the reserves and logistics support systems deployed by the French Alps Army on the long back line. But it was here that Mussolini was puzzled. When the Germans did all this, they stopped behind the French. Not only did they not attack the French further, but they looked even a little bit There was no intention of launching a similar attack, and the French did not show any signs of retreat, they continued that fierce resistance.

If the German ** team continues to attack, under the German and Italian ** team's back and forth, the French Alpine Marzino defense will collapse in an instant, and Italy can attack France.

However, the Germans did not do that, which made Mussolini angry. According to the steel agreement signed with Hitler, Italy and Germany formed a military alliance. In his view, Germany has an obligation to cooperate with Italy. The Germans now have this This manifestation is clearly a betrayal of that agreement.

Mussolini had some resentment against the Germans. He believed that he was dragged into the war by the Germans. If he did not abide by the agreement, Italy would not have waged this disgraceful war.

Mussolini seems to have long forgotten that he initially rejected the Hitler invitation to war. As a result, after seeing the German victory in succession, he climbed up to the chariot with a cheap mindset and he now starts from In the bottom of my heart, all responsibilities were pushed to the German side. It seemed that he had been the victim of this war.

At the same time, he was disappointed with the performance of his generals, but he was looking for reasons for failure, perhaps because of the terrain, or the French team opposite was the elite of the entire French army, far better than The Germans were tough.

Because of this, German talents will choose to stay in place instead of attacking. They want the great Italian army to wipe out the enemies they cannot deal with for them.

Will this be the case? Mussolini tried to convince himself of this idea.

This time when he came to Munich, he sincerely wanted to discuss some issues with the new head of state of Germany.

He first wanted to allow the German team to launch an attack on the French as soon as possible, so that the Italian army could get rid of the current embarrassing situation. This is what he is most looking forward to.

In addition, he also wanted to erect his authority in front of the new head of state. In front of him, Hitler could only claim to be a descendant of the revolution. Although von Stadt had met several times, he was just a hairy head in his impression. Boy, of course I don't dare to be half ambiguous when I see myself.

And Mussolini's last and most important purpose was to discuss with Reinhardt the issue of stolen goods after the war.

This is what Mussolini is most concerned about. In his view, the young fledgling must not dare to refuse the request of the great Italian leader, and he will certainly ask for it on the issue of French compensation after the war.

However, the facts gave him a head start, and the German head of state did not greet him respectfully in Munich.

According to the German side, because Mussolini did not notify the German side to prepare in advance, and the German head of state is now commanding the final stage of the battle in Paris, France, he really can’t stand up to meet with the leader, so he has to be patient. A few days, waiting for the head of state to make time to meet him.

Speaking of which, no one can know what this von Stade is thinking?

Mussolini calmed his emotions as he gasped, looking at the document in his hand with a depressed thought.

This man is in a high position, but has always kept a low profile. His files in the Italian intelligence agency are only two thin pages. If he had played a fierce confrontation with Hitler some time ago, Mussolini would not Notice that there is such a character.

This man won, and won very beautifully, sitting on the throne of the German head of state without hindrance.

However, those national leaders like Mussolini found that they knew almost nothing about the newly entered German head of state except that he was a good general. This sounds ridiculous, but it is a fact.

"what is this?"

Mussolini, who had calmed down, continued to read the document, but his brow furrowed when he saw the second paragraph.

"They even protested that we launched an infamous sneak attack on them? Ask me to explain this? They also said that all the consequences will be borne by us! Ziano! What are the Germans talking about? When will we attack? Are they?"

Mussolini's bluish face jumped up again. It was one thing to clamor to fight with Germany. It was another matter to really open fire on the German ** team. Mussolini realized the seriousness of the problem.

"I don’t know, my leader, I have sent a telegram requesting an investigation to the Italian headquarters, and I will get a clear reply soon. I think maybe it’s just a misunderstanding, as long as you explain it and pay some compensation. Dissolve. I don’t think you have to worry about it, my leader."

Ziano said lightly without panic.

He has been dealing with Germans for many years, and believes that he knows the old Germans very well. Although they are a little paranoid, as long as you use the right way, they can be said to deal well, and if you can grasp their ideas, they Even very easy to use, at least Ziano thinks so.

In the opinion of the Italian foreign minister, this is only a minor misunderstanding, because from the terrain, the Italians can't attack the Germans at all. After all, there are three French divisions between the Germans and the Italian army. .

Perhaps an idiot pilot or a mountain infantry who launched an intersecting attack attacked the German reconnaissance unit sent to the Alps, the Foreign Minister who had been in the Italian Air Force for a few days thought so.

From the tough tone that the Germans used in this document, Ziano judged that the Germans might have suffered some losses in that conflict, so they would be angry because they could not pass the face.

From the bottom of his heart, Ziano felt that these proud Germans should be given a lesson, that the arrogant Germans should know the elite of the Italian army.

At the same time, Ciano felt that the Germans did not seem to want to make things bigger, so they only made this point in an ordinary diplomatic telegram, saying whether it was intimidation or warning, it just proved that the other party was somewhat guilty. Shortness of breath, strength and dryness.

Because if Germany really wants to hold this matter accountable and prepare to make a big fuss about it, they will not put the issue in their hands in a small diplomatic telegram.

Ziano reported his analysis and judgment to Mussolini in detail. The Italian ducái pondered for a while and then returned to his seat.

"Ziano, order them to pack their bags, we will rush to Paris tonight."

"Tonight? My leader."

Ziano looked at Mussolini in surprise.

"Well, I want to see von Sted as soon as possible."

Mussolini picked up the cup of coffee that had long been cold, frowning and raising his famous big chin.

"I always feel that something has happened, Ciano, something not so good."