The Rise of Australia

Chapter 820 Entering the Rhineland

The French were naturally overjoyed by the United Kingdom of Yugoslavia's initiative to surrender.

Taken together, Yugoslavia can not only give the French an additional ally to contain Italy, but also help the French gain advantages in the Mediterranean.

After all, Yugoslavia is also a country along the Mediterranean Sea, and it happens to be able to encircle Italy from east to west with the French.

If the United Kingdom of Yugoslavia could join the Franco-Austrian Alliance, the Austrian Empire would be able to dedicate part of its army to defend Germany, and France would not face so much pressure from the German army.

The overjoyed French immediately signed a Mediterranean Defense Agreement with Yugoslavia, tying Yugoslavia to their own tanks.

The French valued the combat effectiveness of the Yugoslav Army more. The armies of the Balkan countries are very powerful, and they are basically at the first- and second-rate level in Europe.

Especially Serbia, the predecessor of Yugoslavia, once caused a great headache for the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

At that time, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was not as weak as it is now. It could punch Italy and crush the Tsarist Russia.

The news that the United Kingdom of Yugoslavia and France signed an agreement undoubtedly poured fuel on the confrontation between the two major European military blocs.

The participation of small and medium-sized countries has also allowed the two major European military groups to target other European countries.

In terms of wooing these small and medium-sized European countries, the Franco-Austrian Alliance and the German-Italian Agreement can be said to be competing for each other, like a diplomatic war.

It is worth mentioning that Spain, as a relatively powerful country among non-powerful countries in Europe, is also the target of the two major military groups competing to win over.

But the domestic order in Spain is not stable. It was only two years since the fall of the Kingdom of Spain, and the Spanish Republic that ushered in was not as beautiful as the Spaniards imagined.

Within the republic, Spanish politics is polarized. This is not just ordinary polarization. The conflict between the left and the right, as opposites, is very intense.

The Spanish left is passionate about class struggle, agrarian revolution and the promotion of local autonomy. They hoped to combat the power of the church and royalists and make Spain a truly free and democratic republic.

Spain's right-wing parties, because of their fierce conflicts with the left, have taken opposing views on all left-wing attitudes.

If the early polarization in Spain was a contradiction created by ideology, then the current polarization is a different choice created by contradiction.

Right-wing parties may not support the right, but because left-wing parties support the left, they are right-wing parties.

This is like my enemy who likes peace, so I want to start a war.

What the left thinks is right, the right thinks is wrong. What the right thinks is right, the left thinks is wrong.

In addition, there are other political forces in Spain, such as the anarchist National Workers' Union and the Iberian Anarchist Union.

There are also the Carlists who have troubled the Kingdom of Spain for a long time, and the Falangists who were born due to the influence of Germany and Italy.

If this includes the royalists who still have illusions about the monarchy, Spain is really in a mess.

It is no exaggeration to say that Spain at this time was even more chaotic than the Balkans before World War I. If the Balkans are a powder keg that can be easily exploded, then Spain at this time is like a grenade that has its tab pulled out and will explode when it touches the ground.

Unfortunately, the two major military alliances' efforts to win over small countries have created an even more chaotic situation in Spain.

Without the intervention of the great powers, it might have been some time before the Spanish bomb exploded.

But once the great powers intervene, the time of the bomb explosion will also be advanced.

At this time, the Spanish Republic was ruled by a relatively more conservative right-wing government. This is a good thing for Spain, because although the more conservative parties do not make much contribution to the country, they can at least prevent the chaos in Spain from exploding at once.

However, various demonstrations within Spain due to conflicts between the left and the right have occurred frequently, and even the discord between left-wing and right-wing members has turned from fighting to gunfights, which has already determined the final outcome of Spain, which is to move towards a civil war. .

At this time, Arthur already knew the situation in Spain well. Because the engagement ceremony of Princess Anna and Prince Juan was about to be held at the beginning of the year, Alfonso XIII and his family did not choose to leave Australasia.

During this period of time, Arthur had already gained a preliminary understanding of the current chaotic situation in Spain and the major political forces in Spain through Alfonso XIII.

During the conversation, Alfonso XIII also tentatively revealed his desire for the throne, but Arthur made no statement on this.

Alfonso XIII, who was slightly disappointed, finally understood Arthur's attitude when he heard Arthur's profound question: "Alfonso, which child is Prince Juan yours?"

Does it matter which child Prince Juan is of Alfonso XIII? This is of course important, and very important.

For ordinary people, it is difficult to achieve equal distribution, let alone a royal family with only one throne and one heir to the throne.

According to the eldest son succession system common in European countries, Prince Juan, as the third son of Alfonso XIII, does not have the right to inherit the throne.

This also means one thing, even if Arthur worked hard to help Alfonso XIII regain the throne, the heir to the Spanish throne is not the Prince Juan that Arthur wants to see.

It was precisely because of this understanding that Alfonso XIII understood that if he wanted Arthur to support his restoration, he must turn the heir to the throne into Prince Juan.

What's the most effective way to do it? Of course, the other two sons gave up their right to inherit the throne.

Although this was somewhat unfair to the other two sons, for the sake of the entire family, Alfonso XIII decided to do this in exchange for a possible chance of restoration.

However, it was impossible for Alfonso XIII to bluntly tell Arthur that he would let his two sons give up their right to inherit the throne.

This kind of thing is not glorious, and talking about it in a bright light will only make it a laughing stock. What's more, although such a result is what Arthur wants to see, it is not what Arthur wants to hear.

Therefore, Alfonso XIII could only do it quietly by himself, and he had to let Arthur know "accidentally" to prove that it had nothing to do with Arthur.

Arthur did not know the thoughts of Alfonso XIII, who was very complicated at this time. Even if he knew, Arthur didn't care too much.

After all, Australasia could not help Alfonso XIII for no reason, let alone restore the monarchy to the chaotic Spain.

In Arthur's mind, even if Alfonso XIII's plan to restore the throne was to be implemented, it would definitely be after the Spanish Civil War.

After all, the Spanish people at this time have not completely given up on the republic, and the left-wing and right-wing parties are also very powerful. There is no reason for Australasia to waste manpower and material resources on Spain.

Arthur understood that a situation like this in Spain would definitely lead to a civil war. A civil war will not only deplete the strength of left- and right-wing parties, but also disappoint the Spanish people in such a republic.

In addition, Arthur knew exactly what ideology the political parties that emerged after the civil war belonged to, and he would naturally not stop the Spanish Civil War at such a time.

Only after everything the Spaniards have gone through have they awakened to the beauty of the monarchy, will they support the restoration of Alfonso XIII.

Before Europeans could adapt to the chaotic situation, Europe became even more chaotic.

1 After careful preparation, Germany sent an army of about 30,000 people westward from the central region of Germany into the Rhineland Demilitarized Zone designated after World War I.

This has a great impact on Germany and Europe, and even on the world. The Rhineland Demilitarized Zone was one of the biggest restrictions on Germany agreed by the entire Allied Powers.

The Demilitarized Zone is located in western Germany. It is the most important industrial area in Germany and is also rich in mineral resources.

When the German army re-entered the Rhineland, it represented Germany's provocation to the world situation after World War I, and it also represented that Germany did not recognize the peace treaty signed after World War I.

No one knows what Mustache was thinking at this time, but his thoughts were definitely crazy.

Before Britain and France could react, the German Foreign Minister summoned the diplomatic ambassadors of Britain, France and Italy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and handed them a notice to abolish the Rhineland Demilitarized Zone.

Yes, this is a notice.

Especially the British and French diplomatic ambassadors. When they received this notice, German troops had been stationed in the demilitarized zone for more than two hours.

Faced with Germany's provocative behavior, the diplomatic ambassadors of Britain and France were very angry, but they were helpless.

They are just ordinary diplomatic ambassadors and do not have the right to directly declare war with Germany.

In fact, even the corresponding attitude must be decided after communicating with the country. They have no right to make arbitrary opinions on any attitude that may provoke a war.

Italy, which has relevant agreements with Germany, has obviously been aware of Germany's actions in the Rhineland Demilitarized Zone for a long time.

The Italian diplomatic ambassador openly supported Germany's action and declared that it was a legal act by Germany to exercise its country's territorial sovereignty.

Faced with the collusion between Germany and Italy, the British and French foreign ministers did not say anything and sent all the contents of this notice back to the country with anger.

Also reported back to Britain and France was a new contract proposed by the German Foreign Ministry.

This contract completely overturned the Allied restrictions on Germany after World War I and also abolished the provisions of the Rhineland Demilitarized Zone.

It can be said that according to the new contract proposed by the Germans, Germany will become a truly unrestricted power, rather than the well-known defeated country in World War I.

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