Chapter five hundred and ninety-ninth someone is available
In fact, Ciano has become increasingly disgusted with Mussolini, his father-in-law, in recent times.
In his eyes, Mussolini's ambition seemed endless and he would never know how to stop.
For Italy, after the African campaign came to an end, the war actually became relatively static.
However, Mussolini, who was still recovering in the hospital at that time, kept explaining his grand territory of the Roman Empire to Ciano and others every day.
As he was discharged from the hospital in the past few days, Mussolini even clamored to lead Italy to defeat the Red Soviet Union, surpass Germany in one fell swoop, and become the new number one in Europe!
In the past few years, Ciano has been tired of war and killing, and has long been anti-war. It is not that he loves peace, but that he has been in it and understands the turmoil inside Italy.
Inefficient.
Take the northern defense line he was responsible for building as an example. From this one project alone, Ciano embezzled wealth that ordinary people could not believe. Once Italy stops those wars that benefited little, it remains neutral.
Even if we follow the example of Spain and support Germany in the name of neutrality, it is much better than directly going into battle and working with Germany as we do now.
From Ciano's perspective, his wealth is enough. Without the risk of war, he can spend the rest of his life well in Italy.
You have money and power, what else is there to be dissatisfied about?
Perhaps, the only one who would really be dissatisfied is Mussolini, that idiot who dreams of becoming Caesar all day long.
Especially Ciano, the Italian Foreign Minister, saw that Italy's chance of withdrawing from the war was gradually becoming clear, but his bald father-in-law was actually planning a new war.
And the target of this war is the Soviet army, which even the Germans seem to be unable to withstand!
God! How can Italy stand up to this?
At this time, Ciano actually vaguely felt a sense of sacred responsibility given to him by history.
That's right, Italy today does not need a bellicose Caesar; what it needs is an anti-war leader like Ciano.
"Matthew! Oliver!" Ciano, who increasingly felt that it was time to start preparations, immediately summoned his two cronies.
In Italy, not only Prime Minister Mussolini has his own cronies.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ciano also has many people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who are closer to him than the Prime Minister.
"Commissioner, is there anything you can do?" As a senior person in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Ciano, Prime Minister Mathieu became a member of Ciano's Supreme Council.
"You two, follow me to meet the king." Ciano said confidently.
Meet the king?!
The two responsible persons suddenly lost their direction.
"Commissioner, why do we need to see the king? If there is something to report, wouldn't it be more effective to go directly to the leader to report it?" Oliver asked confused.
The leader he spoke of was, of course, Mussolini, who always regarded himself as the leader of Italy and asked others to call him how he wanted.
In the eyes of the Italian public, the current King of Italy, Vittorio Emmanuel III, does not have as much say as Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini.
In Italy today, the cabinet is entirely occupied by Mussolini's party members, and the Senate has become the legislative body under Mussolini's control.
At this time, the king seems to be no longer so important.
Especially a few years ago, Deputy Prime Minister Rossi led people to clear away the oil reserves hidden by the Italian royal family in caves in the northern mountains, which further damaged the power of the royal family.
In Italy today, the one with the greatest say is undoubtedly Mussolini, who has loyal party members in both the government and the public. And even if the person with the second greatest say is Rossi, the deputy prime minister and member of the Supreme Council.
As for the king's right to speak, even if there is some left, it is far less than the two prime ministers and deputy prime ministers in Italy today.
However, as soon as Oliver's words came out, what was waiting for him was a sneer from Ciano: "Mussolini? He is just the prime minister. In Italy, he is not our king yet."
Call Mussolini by his last name!
Oliver and Matthew couldn't help but tremble at the same time.
Vaguely, they felt an unusual aura.
Sure enough, Ciano continued: "In the final analysis, his Prime Minister was given by the King. Although His Majesty the King is now bound, it does not mean that the King is no longer a King!"
"Today's Italy has reached the brink of danger. If we cannot get Mussolini, as Prime Minister, to stop his crazy and unrealistic expansion plan, then there will be no future Italy, including us."
Good ending."
"So..." Ciano paused, looked into the eyes of his two confidants and said: "We might as well meet the king now, tell Mussolini's ambitions, and win the king's support."
"With the support of His Majesty the King, we will have a name and a slogan to overthrow Mussolini's rule in the future." Ciano said quite arrogantly.
"However, the Prime Minister... after all, he controls most of the key departments in the country, and he also personally holds the positions of several cabinet ministers, so he has strong dominance."
Oliver thought about it and finally changed his mind and did not call Mussolini leader. However, he also did not dare to call him by his first name like Ciano, so he chose to use the neutral title of "Prime Minister" to represent Mussolini.
Ni.
"Yes, the Prime Minister has taken control of most of the domestic departments. And even the remaining departments are mostly in the hands of Deputy Prime Minister Rossi. If we want to take action, the only one we can use is our Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
That's all." Matthew also imitated Oliver's tone and said on behalf of Mussolini as Prime Minister.
Looking at these two worried confidants, Ciano sighed with some disappointment.
These are the two people closest to him. That is why Ciano promoted them to senior leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his own use.
But now, even his two closest confidants dare not embark on his big plan. Ciano is very disappointed. Are Italians really as cowardly and timid as Mussolini said?
After sighing silently in his heart again, Ciano threatened the two of them coldly: "Don't give me so many reasons and excuses, I know what you are worried about!"
After their little calculation was revealed, both of them lowered their heads in embarrassment.
Indeed, the reason why they were really timid was that they were afraid of facing Mussolini's revenge if they failed.
"We are all in the same boat." Ciano said coldly without any warmth: "I have never treated you two badly when we shared money before. Now, it is time for you to repay me."
"Don't try to do anything behind my back, because our fates have already been tied together! Just the huge sums of money you and I embezzled during the construction of the northern defense line, and the deficiencies in the defense line projects, we and the Germans can't see in private.
The deal was already enough to get us shot ten times!" Ciano finally chose to threaten his two cronies.
Since you are unwilling to take the initiative to join, don't blame me for forcing you to go all the way. After all, from today on, I, Ciano, still need people in many places, and someone must be available!
