Chapter 99

"Indeed, the strength of Germany alone is insufficient to defeat the British Navy. However, we have two allies who can significantly assist us," Qing Ying said, glancing at Wilhelm.

Wilhelm sneered, "You mean the Austrians and the Italians. These two countries are only second-rate in Europe, with no advantages compared to France and Russia. The Austro-Hungarian Empire might be in a slightly better situation, as they are the second-largest country in Europe by area and have the second-largest population after Russia and us. Their war potential is barely acceptable. As for Italy, they were merely brought in to bolster our numbers when we were fighting the French. Now, I am beginning to doubt the necessity of our alliance with Italy!"

At this point, Wilhelm snorted, his words filled with disdain and contempt: "As a white nation and one of the seven world powers, they couldn't even defeat the African natives of Ethiopia, instead suffering a defeat at Adowa and paying 400,000 pounds in war reparations to these Africans! An industrialized nation making reparations to a group of primitive natives! In the European colonial world over the past hundred years, when has such an unbelievable thing ever happened? What use are such allies, who are even more foolish than pigs?"

Hearing Wilhelm's unvarnished contempt for Italy, Qing Ying's face twitched. He had thought that Wilhelm, as a monarch with access to a wealth of firsthand information, would place particular importance on the relationship with Italy. However, he was surprised to find that this monarch held such an attitude toward Italy, a member of the Triple Alliance! In Qing Ying's plan to change the fate of the German Empire, apart from altering the German Army's strategy and rebuilding the High Seas Fleet, Italy was the most critical link!

Mentioning Italy, any military enthusiast with even a passing knowledge of world military history would have a playful smile on their face. Since the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, its poor performance in foreign wars has been a source of amusement. As a white nation, they not only failed to conquer Ethiopia in 1896 but were also decisively defeated by the local natives. In the end, Italy was forced to recognize Ethiopia's independence and pay 10 million lire (approximately 400,000 pounds) in reparations, much to the amusement of Belgium, Portugal, and other third-rate European countries that had successfully colonized Africa. As a European power, Italy's attempt to lease the Sanmen Bay in 1899 was firmly rejected by the Qing government, which had previously been submissive. This marked the only time a European power had been rebuffed by the weak Qing. In both World Wars, their military performance was even more bizarre: not only did they repeatedly allow the weaker side to achieve miraculous victories, but they even managed to shoot down their own marshal from the sky! Such a peculiar army is likely unique in the world.

However, despite the widespread criticism of Italy's military capabilities and the bizarre rumor that "protecting this ally requires an additional 40 divisions," anyone with a basic understanding of military affairs would realize that this is merely a joke. Among the world powers, Italy is a significant industrialized nation with a large army. Even if this ally is useless, having one more ally is always better than having one more enemy. Moreover, the infamous incidents in Italy's military history were primarily the fault of the army, while the navy has always performed competently and has not disgraced the nation.

Therefore, Qing Ying's attitude toward Italy is to bind them firmly to the Central Powers' war effort and use their formidable navy to open up the Mediterranean for the Central Powers!

During World War I, although the main battlefront was the Western Front with its artillery and trenches, the outcome in the Mediterranean directly influenced the land battles in Central Europe. For the Allies, controlling the Mediterranean meant they were in an unbeatable position. With control of the Mediterranean, supplies from India, Malaysia, and other Far Eastern colonies could flow through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean. These ships, laden with food and raw materials, could either head north through the Strait of Gibraltar to Britain or unload directly at French ports on the Mediterranean. The raw materials would be processed into war supplies in British and French factories, greatly supporting the Allies' war effort.

If the Mediterranean became an internal lake of the Central Powers, everything would change fundamentally. Ships from the Far East and Australia would have to take the long route around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 8,000 to 10,000 kilometers to their journey. Supplies and troops from India, Southeast Asia, and Australia would have to travel halfway around the world, significantly impacting the Allies' war potential. Most crucially, the Central Powers could deploy forces to the African continent, which was almost entirely colonized by Britain and France. With minimal military presence in these colonies, the arrival of Austro-Hungarian or Turkish forces would sweep through British and French colonies in East and Central Africa, cutting off a vital source of support for Britain and France.

How could the Central Powers control the Mediterranean? During World War I, there were no heavily fortified islands like Malta in World War II. Whoever controlled the Mediterranean's sea lanes would control this 2.5 million square kilometer region. Since the late 19th century, the navies of Britain, France, Italy, and Austro-Hungary dominated the Mediterranean. To gain a naval advantage over the Allies, Italy was an indispensable force.

On the eve of World War I, with Britain's elite forces deployed to the home front to face Germany, only pre-dreadnoughts remained in the Mediterranean. In this power vacuum, France, Italy, and Austro-Hungary became the core naval powers in the Mediterranean. At the outbreak of war, France had four Colossus-class dreadnoughts with a standard displacement of 22,189 tons, along with several pre-dreadnoughts, making them the dominant fleet in the Mediterranean. Italy had one Dante-class dreadnought of 19,552 tons and two Conte di Cavour-class dreadnoughts of 23,000 tons, giving them a strong second position. Although Austro-Hungary's navy was weaker than France and Italy, they had three Tegetthoff-class dreadnoughts of 20,000 tons, making them a formidable force.

Among these three countries, France and Austro-Hungary belonged to the opposing camps, making them mortal enemies. Italy, as a member of the Triple Alliance, had only a defensive pact with Germany and Austro-Hungary, meaning they would only join the Central Powers if Germany and Austro-Hungary were attacked by Britain, France, and Russia. Since the war was triggered by Austro-Hungary's invasion of Serbia, Italy did not immediately declare war on the Allies but instead declared neutrality. Subsequently, due to government changes, historical grievances with Austro-Hungary, and the Central Powers' failures on the land, Italy was unwilling to join Germany and Austro-Hungary. The Allies, recognizing Italy's potential, actively courted them with promises of significant benefits. Ultimately, Italy betrayed the Triple Alliance and joined the Allies, opposing Germany and Austro-Hungary.

After Italy joined the Allies, although they provided no significant land support, their navy played a crucial role. Combined with the French navy, they formed an overwhelming force against the Austro-Hungarian navy, confining it to the narrow Adriatic Sea. The Turkish Goeben, damaged and unable to be repaired, posed no threat. Thus, the Allies gained complete control of the Mediterranean, ensuring a steady flow of supplies from the colonies to Britain and France, laying a solid material foundation for their eventual victory over Germany and Austro-Hungary.

If Germany could strengthen its relationship with Italy and bring Austro-Hungary and Italy to a mutual understanding, binding them firmly to the Central Powers, the Mediterranean would be a different story. With Italy on the Central Powers' side, the formidable Austro-Hungarian fleet could break out of the Adriatic and join the Italian fleet on the high seas. Together with the Turkish fleet, they would form an overwhelming force against the French navy.

With this in mind, Qing Ying said, "Italy's army may indeed be unsuitable for war, but their navy is a reliable force. We must use their navy to help us achieve our goals. Currently, Italy's navy is on par with France's. If they firmly ally with us, along with our Austro-Hungarian allies, we will form a powerful force in the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean is vital to Britain. This will force the British to deploy more forces to the Mediterranean, reducing the number of British warships we face in the North Sea. This is the role Italy can play for us. If Italy were to join the Allies, they could confine the Austro-Hungarian navy to the Adriatic, and the British would have no concerns, increasing the pressure on us in the North Sea."

Hearing this, a glint of understanding flashed in Wilhelm's eyes. He paused for a moment and then said, "You are right. Due to its geographical location, the coastal areas of Austro-Hungary are far from the core of the Mediterranean. To involve them in the Mediterranean conflict, we must pass through the heel of Italy's boot. Although we don't know if the Italian navy is as unreliable as their army, their size is significant. Once we go to war with Britain, the combined fleets of Italy and Austro-Hungary can tie down a large number of British warships, creating a favorable situation for us to challenge the British home fleet."

"Additionally, we should strengthen our relationship with the Ottoman Empire. Although this 'sick man of Europe' is in decline, their finances are still barely adequate. If they truly want to build a navy, they can afford to purchase warships. If we can bring them into our fold, we can lock the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the Black Sea and add significant weight to our naval forces in the Mediterranean," Qing Ying reminded him. Historically, the Ottoman Empire demonstrated that a dying camel is still larger than a horse. After being severely beaten by the Greek navy, they quickly passed a massive naval expansion budget, planning to purchase three first-class battleships from abroad. The two ships seized by the British, the "Irresistible" and the "Barbaros Hayreddin," cost 2.5 million and 2.725 million pounds, respectively. This shows that while the Turks are not wealthy, their pockets can be squeezed to produce the necessary funds.

"You don't need to teach me that. The Ottoman Empire, located in the Middle East, has always been a target for German diplomacy. I know what to do," Wilhelm said, giving him a look. "Remember what I said. I don't want to see you upgrade my backup before you turn 16!" Qing Ying felt a bit embarrassed and was about to nod in agreement when a light, crisp sound of footsteps came from the spiral staircase. Turning his head, he saw a beautiful blonde girl ascending the stairs. It could be none other than Sonya.

"Stupid, let's go back and continue?" Sonya purred, rushing into Qing Ying's arms. Sensing no expected response from the young man, she was puzzled. Lifting her head, she followed Qing Ying's gaze and saw Wilhelm standing nearby. She let out a startled scream and jumped out of Qing Ying's arms as if electrocuted.

"U... Uncle... Your Majesty," Sonya bowed her head, her fingers entwined, and whispered, "I just wanted him to accompany me to the banquet... the banquet, yes..."

Wilhelm closed his eyes, his jaw clenched, and a vein throbbed on his forehead. His good hand clenched into a fist, and the sound of his knuckles cracking could be heard. After a moment, he sighed deeply, turned around, and gazed into the distance. The sound of footsteps faded, and a gentle evening breeze blew, rustling Wilhelm's clothes and the discarded quilt.

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