On the first day of April 1941, in his palace, the current King of Italy, Vittorio Emmanuel III, met the man he had always wanted to see.
Unfortunately, when this man actually arrived, his identity really surprised Vittorio Emmanuel III.
"Minister Ciano, my bodyguard told me that you came to me for secret negotiations?" Vittorio Emmanuel III asked with some uncertainty.
"Yes, my respected king." Ciano, who had prepared his words a long time ago, addressed the king respectfully: "For the future of the Kingdom of Italy, and for your status, I finally made up my mind and decided to stand up for the country.
,What have you done for the royal family?"
Do something?
Vittorio Emmanuel III was in a daze.
He had always hoped that there would be someone who could help him control Mussolini, who was becoming more and more arrogant and had no regard for himself at all.
However, he did not expect that this person would be Mussolini's son-in-law, Italian Foreign Minister and Supreme Council member Ciano!
Naturally, Vittorio Emmanuel III would not believe that Ciano chose to kill his family because of his loyalty to the royal family. He wanted to get rid of his father-in-law and restore peace to the royal family.
How could a man who could betray his father-in-law and even his relatives be loyal to the king?
Furthermore, Ciano had not betrayed long ago, but waited until several of Mussolini's war operations failed one after another and Germany, a steel ally of Mussolini's government, was in trouble.
To put it nicely, this is called finding your way back from the lost path; to put it harshly, this is just a grassroots person who can adapt to the changing circumstances!
What surprised Vittorio Emmanuel III the most was that Ciano, a foreign minister, had such ambition and courage?!
It is impossible for a person to meet the king in secret alone, with only two close confidants left to guard the wind. Such a person does not have enough courage.
In Italy, Vittorio Emmanuel III really did not expect that this person was actually Ciano, who was only the Minister of Foreign Affairs and had limited power.
Although Vittorio Emmanuel III was ignored by Mussolini in every possible way, he still understood everything that was happening in the outside world.
It would not be a surprise if it were Deputy Prime Minister Rossi, or Chief of General Staff Marshal Badoglio or other prestigious figures in the military who came today.
Compared with these people, Ciano's power is really not favored by Vittorio Emmanuel III. Moreover, even the only authority Ciano has, most of it only relies on Mussolini's son-in-law
I got the title only.
"What are you doing? Why did you come to me secretly?" Vittorio Emmanuel III did not reveal his inner worries and doubts, but first asked Ciano with two questions.
"Dear King." Ciano knew that this was the King giving him the opportunity to explain and prove. As long as he did not interrupt or expel him, it meant that the King still had some expectations for him.
"Italian Prime Minister Mussolini's ambitions have become increasingly crazier. Now, he actually plans to launch a war against a scourge like the Soviet Union. If this cannot be stopped, all of us will be buried with Mussolini's madness.
!”
Vittorio Emmanuel III nodded and listened silently.
Obviously, Ciano has not said anything that satisfies him.
Mussolini's ambitions are comparable to those of Caesar, and basically no one in Italy is unaware of it. Of course, Vittorio Emmanuel III also knew that if Mussolini was allowed to continue fighting crazily, Italy would fail sooner or later.
.
However, knowing does not mean that you will stop it.
Vittorio Emmanuel III was a smart man, and he would not die because of his desperate efforts. Otherwise, he would not have lived peacefully beside Mussolini, a narrow-minded prime minister, until now.
Ciano helped him obtain the position of King of Albania, stabilizing his status and security, and he was indeed very grateful to Ciano for this.
However, this does not mean that Vittorio Emanuele III will die with Ciano. He will not express his position until he sees Ciano coming up with a plan to impress him.
"Your Majesty the King, your support is the most important." Seeing that Vittorio Emmanuel III did not speak, Ciano probably guessed some of the other person's thoughts, so he continued: "With your support
, when I mobilize the air force, I will have a name. That way, the action will be more convenient."
Mobilize the Air Force?!
Vittorio Emmanuel III suddenly became curious. He was wondering, how could Ciano, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, be able to mobilize the air force again?
"Continue." Vittorio Emmanuel III finally couldn't help but speak.
Although he only said one word, Ciano knew that the king had been slightly moved by him.
"Your Majesty the King, I once served as the commander of the Air Force bomber squadron in Pisa. Since then, I have maintained control over that bomber squadron. And recently, I have also secretly contacted a large number of Air Force generals. By then, I will only need to be in the Royal Air Force
With the tacit approval of those generals, transferring this bomber squadron to bomb Mussolini’s convoy will completely eliminate the cancer of the Italian Kingdom!”
When Ciano said this, he pretended to smile calmly and said: "What needs to be done before this is just to arrange for Mussolini's motorcade to leave the city to avoid accidental damage, and then obtain your approval from His Majesty the King.
"
In his words, Ciano clearly portrayed himself as a reliable figure in control of everything. As the king, Vittorio Emmanuel III seemed to only need to nod and support him.
But in fact, Ciano's description is full of water.
First of all, his control over the bomber squadron is actually not strong, and he is not the commander of that squadron now.
Although he used a large amount of money to bribe the new commander of the bomber squadron, and then hired many generals in the Air Force. But when it comes time to take action, others may not have the courage to listen to you and rebel.
Therefore, the support of His Majesty the King is crucial. On the basis of bribery, and with the righteousness of the King's call, we can further ensure that we can command and arrange the bombing and assassination operations.
For Ciano, this is his only choice. He has no way to intervene in the army and navy. They are full of black shirts who support Mussolini and admirals who admire Rossi.
Only with the Royal Air Force, he could use the king's name and his own management to gather it secretly.
What Ciano has to wait for now is whether the king is willing to believe in him and whether he will support him.