Cosenz has a bigger stage to display his ambitions.
For the whole of Europe, even ordinary people can see the dark clouds of war.
Although the Moroccan crisis has been resolved, the war preparations of various countries have reached a new level.
The British Empire, which provoked France to force Germany on the Moroccan issue, announced at the beginning of the year that it would start building seven large battleships this year, five of which will be new battleships equipped with 380 mm main guns. In addition, the British Empire
The empire is also dissatisfied with its small army and announced that it will expand the army to 238,000 this year.
The British Empire's preparations for war also affected one of its allies, Russia. The Russians announced that they would build three super-dreadnought battleships equipped with 13.5 inches (343 mm) to cope with the current complex situation.
Different from the 305mm main gun equipped by the Queen Maria class in history, in this time and space, due to the pressure from Britain and France on German and Italian shipbuilding, the British decided to share their 343mm main gun with their allies. As for the British move,
France and Russia are of course very happy. Russia also received the support of the British 343mm main gun, so it decided to use this main gun for its next-level battleship.
In addition to the expansion of the navy, Russia is also expanding its huge army. The Russians announced that they will expand the total strength of the Russian army from 940,000 to 1.024 million this year.
The actions of Britain and Russia made the Allies unable to sit still. Needless to say, Italy. Germany decided to expand its army from 571,000 to 653,000, while Austria-Hungary expanded its army from 254,000 to 314,000.
All major European countries are gearing up and glaring at each other in different camps.
Here we seem to have forgotten that there is another country, that is France.
Speaking of which, in this time and space, the pressure on France's national defense is no less than that of Germany. The pressure from the Germans on the border alone is enough for the French, and with Italy also eyeing the south, the pressure on France's national defense cannot be reduced at all.
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In addition to pressure on land, the French are also under great pressure at sea.
Although the alliance with the United Kingdom allows France to rely on the British Empire's navy at sea, this is only limited to the German Navy in the North Sea. In the Mediterranean, the British Empire's Mediterranean Fleet is based in Alexandria, Egypt.
If you look at the map of the Mediterranean Sea, you will find that Egypt and France are more than two thousand kilometers apart, not to mention that they are separated by Italy.
At best, the French Navy and the British Mediterranean Fleet can form a pincer attack on the Italian Navy. But at worst, they are very easy to be defeated by the Italian Navy. The change depends entirely on the strength comparison between the two parties.
At present, the strength of France and Britain in the Mediterranean is likely to be the latter.
In fact, Britain and France are well aware of the current situation in the Mediterranean, but it is not easy at all to solve this problem.
In fact, it cannot be said that it is not easy. There is a way to do it, and that is for the two countries to improve their naval strength in the Mediterranean to a point where they can compete with the Italian Navy. So that they cannot solve either party in a short time. If they cannot do it,
It is barely enough to severely damage his vitality.
Because as long as Italy does not have the protection of the navy, the advantage of a long coastline will immediately turn into a disadvantage. At that time, relying solely on the navy will make the Italians sit on pins and needles and end their hot-headed actions.
However, it is too difficult to achieve this. France is currently struggling to build four Guba-class ships. However, under the constant urging of its ally Britain, it has gritted its teeth and persisted in spending money to build three more Breton-class ships.
Wanting to continue to follow in the footsteps of the Italians can no longer be described as suffering.
The French Navy can't follow up, so what about the British Empire?
Sorry, although the British Empire's dockyards are filled with various warships, it is also impossible to suppress the navies of Germany and Italy.
Moreover, the British Empire also needs to ensure the security of its homeland and the task of suppressing the German fleet in the North Sea. Then the strength of the fleet remaining on the homeland must be higher than that of Germany's High Seas Fleet.
Therefore, there cannot be too many warships left for the Mediterranean Fleet.
As for the idea of uniting the British and French fleets in the Mediterranean, it was only discussed once by the two countries and then shelved.
Although this will allow the British and French fleets to have the strength to compete with the Italian Navy, there is a key problem that the two countries cannot solve.
Where should this fleet be stationed?
Is it the Port of Toulon in France or the Port of Alexandria in Egypt?
To put it another way, should we abandon the coastal cities in southern France or abandon the Suez Canal?
No one dares to make this decision, and no one can make this decision.
In this regard, the two countries can only continue to expand their naval strength in the Mediterranean while negotiating how to cooperate.
The problem of how to suppress the Italian Navy left the British and French navies somewhat helpless.
However, some smart people soon thought that since it is difficult to solve the problem at the naval level, it would be much easier to find another way. And this method is not complicated, that is, since it is difficult to solve, then draw them over and become allies. Now
Wouldn't the problem between the two countries in the Mediterranean be solved, and this would also relieve the pressure on France's land.
Of course, it is not an easy task for the two countries to pull them over, or to break up the alliance between Germany and Italy.
You must know that France has discovered this problem a few years ago and has always wanted to improve its tense relations with Italy. Subsequently, it has made various goodwill moves in an endless stream. Its biggest goodwill move was during the first Moroccan crisis.
, half of the Tunisian colony was given to Italy.
Although Tunisia in the south is basically a desert and the Gobi is very desolate. Its population is less than 100,000, and it has no economic value. But it is still a half-colony, and valuable minerals may be discovered at some point, like in Italy.
Same as the Libyan province.
But it's a pity that the Italians are not interested in the goodwill that the French are constantly releasing. They will eat up the benefits and give you no chance of reconciliation.
Although they are angry at the shameless behavior of the Italians, considering the situation they are facing, the proud French can only continue to express their goodwill in order to impress Italy.
Of course, the possibility of relying on words alone is not high, but in view of the current extremely tense situation in Europe, the French decided to offer a gift that the other party could not refuse. And the requirements were not high, they only needed that the other party could be able to deal with it when war broke out with Germany.
Just be neutral.
So what makes the French think that Italy cannot refuse, and that is the remaining northern Tunisian colony.
Needless to say about the geographical location, if Italy occupies Tunisia, the entire Tunis Strait will be in its hands. Every ship passing through the Mediterranean needs to look at the Italians. The reason why France occupied Tunisia first was because of this aspect
This concern is of course also recognized by other countries.
In addition, northern Tunisia is also its essence. There is a large amount of cultivated land and grassland here, and a large amount of olive oil exported by Tunisia is in northern Tunisia.
And according to French calculations, Tunisia has 9 million hectares of arable land, which is enough to feed a large population. For Italy, which has a lot of people and little land, it is an irresistible temptation.
Since such a generous gift was given, of course it cannot be taken by a few diplomats to talk to the Italians. This time the French side sent the No. 3 figure, Parliament President Ribes, to talk to the Italians.
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
Today's second chapter, everyone voted enthusiastically to let the steamed buns continue to explode
