The news that Spain sent 11 divisions of volunteers spread quickly, causing shock to countries all over the world.
Many countries were surprised that Franco, who had always been a man of both sides, would actually send 11 army divisions abroad to assist the German army in fighting. At the same time, they could not help but feel a little sad for the Soviet Union.
If the Soviet army had been able to attack a few years earlier, it would have faced only a Germany that had caused public outrage in Europe. Even the Kingdom of Italy at that time would not necessarily have helped Germany because of Mussolini's personal reasons.
Combat.
But now, all European countries have been basically integrated by Reinhardt. Countries that are willing to join the military alliance can join the Iron Allies camp founded by Germany and Italy. Countries that are only willing to enter the political circle can also join the reconstructed League of Nations led by Germany.
The combination of military and political forces allowed Germany to integrate a large number of forces from European countries, which could be used to compete with the Soviet Union.
In addition to Spain's Franco's unexpected large-scale deployment of troops, what is even more shocking is the attitude of Italy's new Prime Minister Rossi.
Under Rossi's leadership, the Italian-Russian Expeditionary Force Air Force Task Force was established in Tuodulan, a city on the border between Romania and the Soviet Union, and has now joined the Soviet-German air war.
The air force sent by Italy is equipped with 82 "Lightning" fighter jets, 8 "Bat" medium-sized transport aircraft and 8 Ca.133 logistics military transport aircraft, 52 "Mistral" multi-purpose reconnaissance aircraft and 4 "Kangaroo" large-scale
bomber.
This is already the largest expeditionary combat capability that the Italian Air Force can produce after years of reform, and its sincerity is even touching.
In addition to the air force, Rossi also sent more expeditionary troops than the Spanish volunteers for the German high command to mobilize.
The Italian-Russian Expeditionary Force sent by Rossi included the 9th Pasubio Semi-Motorized Division, the 52nd Turin Semi-Motorized Division, the 3rd Rapid Division and the 1st, 2nd and 4th Black Shirt Divisions.
There are three main black-shirt army regiments. In addition, there is an Italian light armored division, and a total of three main infantry divisions, the 27th, 29th, and 33rd of the Italian Army.
If one roughly calculates the main force of the Italian Blackshirt Army into two main Italian divisions, then the army sent by Italy this time is equivalent to 13 divisions, equipped with 170 L3 light tanks.
It was much more troops and tanks than the Spanish sent.
Moreover, Italy also dispatched a powerful air force and nearly 70% of the domestic transport fleet to accompany the expeditionary force. These additional supports besides pure military strength are of immeasurable value.
In the eyes of outsiders, the Kingdom of Italy has already regarded this war with the Soviet Union as Italy's own main war.
Italy, which is so dedicated, is no longer equivalent to being an ally of Germany, but should be called a part of Germany, as if it is integrated with Germany and regards the interests of the Third Reich as its own.
Rossi did this naturally because he was a die-hard loyalist of Reinhardt and was originally doing things for Reinhardt. However, he happened to achieve the incredible high position of Italian dictator and became a status in history.
The supreme "super spy".
However, this does not mean that Italy is full of fools. It cannot be seen that Rossi's efforts are not proportional to his gains.
The reason why the Italian top brass followed Rossi's lead and allowed him to fully support the war between Germany and the Soviet Union was also due to the fact that Rossi's family was the dominant one and Ciano's body was still cold.
In Italy today, the Mussolini faction must have collapsed, and Mussolini's mantle has been inherited by Rossi. And the ambitious Ciano has become a victim of the king's command, and he died
Very ugly.
After killing Ciano, the King of Italy, who had exposed his strength, was completely suppressed by Rossi, who had been recuperating before. In Italy, all three armies of the sea, land and air force became supporters of Rossi. Only the King of Italy, who had the royal guard,
Don't dare to provoke Rossi, the new dictator.
The reason why Rossi worked so hard for Germany, in the eyes of many senior Italian officials, was that he was trying to gain access to Reinhardt's golden thigh and use the external force of the Third Reich to consolidate his position in Italy.
Rossi was originally a well-known pro-Germany faction in Italy, which was no secret. In addition, since the more famous example of Norwegian Quisling was in front of him, it was naturally not easy for Italian senior officials to suspect that Rossi was a German spy.
Thinking about it from another angle, if an ordinary person is to suspect that the highest de facto leader of his country is actually a spy ambushed by another country. No matter how imaginative a person is, it is probably difficult for him to think of such a whimsical and bizarre idea.
the truth.
As far as the nature of the country of Italy is concerned, their unification is not as magnificent and earth-shaking as the rise of Germany in iron blood. Even if it finally relied on the power of Prussia to complete the unification of the north through the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War, it would not be the same.
It adds too much national pride and strong national consciousness to Italians.
This led to the fact that even though they knew that Prime Minister Rossi was excessively supporting the Germans and was not in Italy's best interests, most Italian senior officials still believed that this was excusable and did not stop Rossi's behavior.
(Please refresh the content after ten minutes)
The reason why Rossi worked so hard for Germany, in the eyes of many senior Italian officials, was that he was trying to gain access to Reinhardt's golden thigh and use the external force of the Third Reich to consolidate his position in Italy.
Rossi was originally a well-known pro-Germany faction in Italy, which was no secret. In addition, since the more famous example of Norwegian Quisling was in front of him, it was naturally not easy for Italian senior officials to suspect that Rossi was a German spy.
Thinking about it from another angle, if an ordinary person is to suspect that the highest de facto leader of his country is actually a spy ambushed by another country. No matter how imaginative a person is, it is probably difficult to think of such a whimsical and bizarre idea.
the truth.
As far as the nature of the country of Italy is concerned, their unification is not as magnificent and earth-shaking as the rise of Germany in iron blood. Even if it finally relied on the power of Prussia to complete the unification of the north through the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War, it would not be the same.
It adds too much national pride and strong national consciousness to Italians.
This led to the fact that even though they knew that Prime Minister Rossi was excessively supporting the Germans and was not in Italy's best interests, most Italian senior officials still believed that this was excusable and did not stop Rossi's behavior.
