As early as a few years ago, after Mussolini visited Berlin, he and Berlin formed an Axis power, and the two sides shared common interests and expanded outward together.

According to this agreement, when Germany started a war in Europe, Italy should immediately follow, but in fact, Italy did not do so.

After all, Britain and France have never lost, and in World War I, Britain and France eventually became the victors, which made Mussolini have a certain resistance in his heart, and he could not easily start a war with Britain and France.

But now, he has nothing to worry about.

With the annihilation of the main forces of the Anglo-French army, the collapse of France, just around the corner, what is there for Italy to fear in this situation?

It's time to get started!

So, Mussolini mustered up his strength and wanted to gnaw a few pieces of meat on French territory.

Fulfill the promise of the time and do it to France!

To this end, Italy dispatched more than a dozen divisions to invade France from the southern part of the border between the two countries.

If you look at the map, you can know that Italy is a long strip, and the border with France is not long, and most of the borders are shrouded in the long Alpine mountains, so if Italy wants to attack France, it must first cross these mountains!

In the German war against France, the armored forces played a strong role, and under the example of Germany, Italy also planned to concoct the same.

At the forefront of the attacking forces was Italy's 133rd Panzer Division, nicknamed "Litorio", one of Italy's five Panzer Divisions. (There is also information that Italy has only four armored divisions.) ）

The commander of this armored division was none other than Major General Giovanni Messer.

In World War II, the achievements of the Italian army are obvious to all, and even the naval guns shot down the commander of the air force happened to the Italians, and it may also be because later generations were the reason for the victory of Britain and the defeat of Italy, so the Italian army was even more slandered.

In short, in World War II, the Italian army really had nothing to do, and the Italian army lacked memorable commanders.

And now Giovanni Messer can be said to be one of the few remarkable generals in the Italian army.

Messer was born in Puglia, Italy, and began his military career in 1901. He participated in the Italian conquest of Libya and the First World War.

After World War I, Messer became a junior officer under Vittorio Emanuele III, and in 1935 he was appointed commander of a special infantry battalion and promoted to colonel.

Later, as a brigadier general at Vernona, he was assigned to command a motorized brigade.

Due to his outstanding performance in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Messer was promoted to at least general and commander of the Italian Panzer Division.

Judging from his resume, Messer is definitely a battle-tested veteran.

Even in the evaluation of later generations, he was one of the few Italian generals in the Italian army who made good use of armored forces. He also served as commander of the German-Italian coalition in North Africa and the Italian conquest of Russian forces in the Soviet-German War.

But now, Messer is not optimistic about this offensive operation.

It was too hasty, originally, they were preparing for war in North Africa, and as a result, they were temporarily transferred here! Although the defeat of the French is imminent, is there an Italian stage in this war?

Italy, inherently a mountainous country, is why Italy has always been developing light tanks, and its armored divisions are not heavy divisions in the pure sense of the word, but are composed of almost equal tanks, artillery and infantry.

For example, the current 133rd Panzer Division consists of the 3rd Bersalini Sniper Infantry Regiment, 1 Panzer Regiment, including 3 battalions of L.3 light tanks, a total of 117 tanks, and 1 artillery regiment.

The total number of the division is about 5,700.

The so-called L3 light tank is actually the original CV33 tank, this kind of weak chicken-like tank, that is, the Italian armored forces regard it as a treasure, looking at Europe, it has long been outdated.

But now, Messer had to bite the bullet and set off on Mussolini's orders, moreover, Mussolini demanded that his troops, like the German pantry divisions, attack, attack, and attack!

Do you have that ability?

Looking at the teasing little tanks around him, Messer felt that he came out this time, just to brush up on his sense of existence, and if he didn't do it, it would be counterproductive.

"Divisional commander, ahead is the Pinia Pass." Beside him, the adjutant said to him.

When Mussolini declared war on France, their army was already in motion, advancing from the border area, crossing the national border, and continuing to advance.

Along the way, no French border guards were seen.

There are two explanations for this, one is that the French constantly transferred border guards to block the Germans in the north and set up the Weigand Line, which led to a defensive vacuum in the border area here, and I am afraid that the French did not have a few battalions of troops in the entire border area here, so they immediately retreated after discovering their own invasion.

The second is that the French have laid a trap in front of them, waiting for them to drill in their own direction! If there is a trap, the Pinia Pass is the best location.

This is also what Messer has always been worried about, the first difficulty in their march is the Pinia Pass!

"Order the Bersalini sniper infantry regiment to ascend to the commanding heights of the pass first, and prepare to cover the advance of our army!" Messer said.

Panzer divisions, focusing on the strong mobility of tanks, but put it here in the Italian army, it is not established, their attack, the vanguard is not tanks, but infantry.

In the mountains, only the infantry can protect their tank units and pass normally only if they first occupy the surrounding commanding heights.

Therefore, the establishment of mountainous areas is almost all mountain infantry divisions, and there are no mountain armored divisions.

Receiving his order, the Italian soldiers of the infantry regiment, holding the Carcano M1891 rifles in their hands, began to climb up the hillside.

The hillside is not particularly steep, and there is a path of sheep intestines trodden by the shepherds, who bend their bodies and run slowly upward.

Wearing a steel helmet on their heads, and soon, sweat oozed from their foreheads, and as infantry in armored divisions, they preferred to squat on small L3 tanks and follow the tanks.

Now such a march on foot is quite uncomfortable.

Amor held his rifle and felt his legs stagger a little, but the top of the mountain was already in sight.

Keep it up!

Amor mustered up his courage and wanted to continue climbing, but at that moment, he felt a dark shadow fly by, and then, under his feet, there was another thing that was smoking.