"After the First World War, Italy had fulfilled its historical mission and belonged to a role that could be thrown into the garbage. We need to build a Germanic dominated world system, and there is no longer a need for such an opportunist. And now, they actually want to take refuge in the Entente, which is just an opportunity for us to get rid of them. Prime Minister Metternich is right, a scattered Italy is the best Italy, Italy should be a geographical term and not a national title! Ferdinand looked at the silent Kaiser next to him and said with great interest, the large-scale map of Italy hanging on the strong side looked to him like a lamb to the slaughter.

"What we once paid, now we have to get back a thousand times, Venice should have been ours, and Milan can also be called a new province of the Empire." Ferdinand said after a moment's scrutiny.

"The whole of northern Italy? Without the protection of the northern mountains, the Austro-Hungarian Empire could expand south at any time, which was a good calculation. William said in his heart that he was not satisfied with his ally. A typical guy who only causes trouble and doesn't know how to end up! A guy with limited strength but great ambitions, a country that is strong on the surface, but scattered on the inside! In private, Wilhelm II complained more than once. The performance of the Austro-Hungarian army in the First World War was nothing short of clumsy! The army is at the bottom like the Italians, but the Italian navy is very combat-ready, and what about the Austro-Hungarian navy?

"Venice can belong to Austria-Hungary, but Milan? This is the birthplace of the future Italian Prime Minister. I'm afraid it's not good to take it. Wilhelm II said lightly, with an irresistible majesty in his flat tone, and William was not terrible when he was angry. What is terrible is the silent and rational William, because the former is more of a kind of emotion, while the latter is serious on the surface!

"Well, is that Mussolini? He's just a villain, a political liar. Let him be the leader of Italy? Are you kidding? Ferdinand said with a frown.

"If Tycho is willing to remain on the side of the Central Powers, then I don't mind helping him rise to the pinnacle of Italian power. He's a puppet, but he's our puppet. Do you understand? He needs to take charge of Italy instead of us, and then fight for the Allies with Italian industry and labor! And for such a puppet, we can't be too harsh. A harsh groom will have only scarred, scrawny horses under his hands, and no really good horses. Do you understand? There was already a hint of impatience in Wilhelm II's words.

"Then we want Libyan oil. Germany has Romanian oil. At the same time, we control the oil fields of Transcaucasia and the Middle East, and what do we Austria-Hungary have? It is extremely unfair that we can only import oil every year, even from the oil fields controlled by China in the Middle East. We consume millions of tonnes of fuel every year. But there is not a single big oil field. A moment later. Ferdinand said, gesturing with his hand in North Africa.

"Half for you, half for Italy. But you can choose which piece you want first! William's answer was as crisp as ever. According to the analysis of the German General Staff, after the end of this Italian Civil War, no matter who wins, some Italian cities will be in ruins, and the reconstruction and resettlement of cities will require a lot of money, and this is again necessary, otherwise Italy will turn into a quagmire. All kinds of unrest will completely ruin the country. Instead of turning it into an important base for the Allies, William had to leave some possessions to Italy. This is not for Mussolini, but for the good of Germany!

"What about East Africa? Where the Red Sea road to the Indian Ocean is guarded, we must keep them in our own hands, and there is still an Italian detachment there that must be annihilated, otherwise there is no way to let them run to India or China. Ferdinand asked again.

"Here there will be Turkey in charge, who will be tasked with destroying the Italian overseas fleet. As long as the Austro-Hungarian fleet could deal with the Italian fleet. Wilhelm II interrupted. In the next phase of the operation, Turkey will play an important role as a forward base and provide logistical support, so Germany needs to leave some benefits to Turkey. According to intelligence, the Italian fleet currently in East Africa consists of no more than 2 light cruisers and a few destroyers. The Turks should have no problem dealing with such a fleet.

"Let's just do that, don't you think it's too early to talk about how to share the fruits of victory before you have even achieved victory? I wonder what Austria-Hungary can do once the operation unfolds? Wilhelm II asked.

"We can guarantee sea supremacy in the Adriatic Sea, and cooperate with your air force to obtain air supremacy, and then we will land in Italy with your army and take Rome directly. The Italian Army is not worth mentioning. The Air Force is not good either, and is still importing aircraft engines from the UK and the US. As for the Navy? As long as they dare to enter the Adriatic, it will be their time of death! Ferdinand replied with a smile.

"It's so much to take for granted. The High Seas Fleet did not believe that the Italian Navy would just throw in the towel and enter the Adriatic Sea, but could attack the Mediterranean coast. Greece, Crete, and other places are within their range of attack, and I need to make a forced landing on the Italian navy, which will only lose half the meaning of our victory if it escapes or is sunk. We give your country a lot of benefits, and not just because you can provide front-line airports and transportation. Looking at Ferdinand, whose face was getting more and more gloomy, Wilhelm II paused and continued.

"Of course, before that, I will send a detachment to the Mediterranean to cooperate with you, and this fleet will have at least one armored aircraft carrier. At the same time, the Spanish side also pledged to blockade the Strait of Gibraltar with mines. As long as the Austro-Hungarian fleet and the German Mediterranean fleet could guarantee that the Italian fleet could be held back for a while, and when we entered the Mediterranean, then Tycho had no choice but to surrender. Do you understand? Just for a while. "Austria-Hungary did not want to enter into a head-on clash with the Italian navy, so Ferdinand was simply saying that he would guarantee sea supremacy in the Adriatic, which was easily achieved by blocking the southern exit with mines and aircraft. But Wilhelm II was clearly not satisfied with this, he needed the Austro-Hungarian Navy to be able to guarantee the security of the bases in the Mediterranean, and to hold back the Italian Navy!

"A month at most, just a month! If it doesn't work, then we will have to wait until the high seas fleet enters the Mediterranean and then deal with Italy. Looking at the hesitant Ferdinand, Wilhelm II became more and more impatient! So an ultimatum was issued, if Austria-Hungary did not want to, then you will not get anything until Germany settles Italy on its own! Of course, the biggest problem with this was that there were too many variables, and if the Allies were able to intervene in the civil war in Italy, then Germany would really have nothing to gain. So so far, Wilhelm II is still willing to "share" Italy with Austria-Hungary!

"Well, I need to think about it." Ferdinand avoided Wilhelm II's gaze and began to calculate the capital in his hands. The operation began in earnest in about 2 years, so how many fleets could Austria-Hungary have by then. In terms of aircraft carriers, Austria-Hungary will have three aircraft carriers, two of which are the 18,000-ton Bohemia and Silesia aircraft carriers, which are enlarged versions of the German Blücher-type aircraft carriers. And the Lord Loudon, which is already under construction, is modeled after the German Moltke-class aircraft carrier. And a few months later, when Germany announced the abrogation of the Beijing Naval Arms Treaty. Austria-Hungary will start construction of the No. 2 ship of the Lord Loudon, and there may be a No. 3 ship in the future, but according to the current progress, Austria-Hungary can use a maximum of three aircraft carriers, which is almost the same number as the Italian navy.

As for the battleship side. Austria-Hungary had a total tonnage of 150,000 tons of battleships, although there was still one super dreadnought after the end of World War 1, but now, this battleship has been improved to a displacement of nearly 30,000 tons, and has been renamed Victory, and in honor of the Combined Forces class battleships that were sunk in World War 1, the new class of battleships equipped with 16-inch guns was renamed the Combined Forces class. The first of these three battleships, the United Forces and the Prince Eugen, has been completed, and the third is about to be launched, so when it is time for the operation, Austria-Hungary will also be able to come up with 4 battleships. Although the tonnage is similar to that of the Italian Navy, they are all cutting-edge warships with elite combat effectiveness.

Finally, there is the cruiser side. Austria-Hungary has a total tonnage of 105,000 tons of cruisers, and has completed 2 heavy cruisers, 1 aviation cruiser, 2 light cruisers, and in the future will complete 1 aviation cruiser and 1 light cruiser. And the Italian Navy, excluding overseas fleets, was about the same as the Austro-Hungarian cruisers. Austria-Hungary did not suffer either, and if we consider the German fleet in the Mediterranean, then in the Mediterranean, the German-Austrian fleet has a certain advantage. Coupled with the superiority of aviation forces, Ferdinand really couldn't think of a reason for his defeat!

"Well, William, for the future of our two countries, for the glory of the Germanic nation. I agree with your plan, Austria-Hungary will provide all-round assistance, and from now on the Luftwaffe will have access to some of the airfields demarcated by our country. Some of the supplies and supplies needed by the German army can also be provided by us. Eventually, under the coercion and inducement of the Kaiser, Ferdinand agreed. And the outbreak of the war in the Mediterranean has finally entered the countdown!

Thanks to the little pig that the book friend is running away, zhouyu1976, and hukaikaka for the tip~~~. (To be continued......)