The news of the German landing in the south of Ravenna reached Bologna as quickly as possible. In the Italian Army Headquarters, His Majesty Emanuele III and General Cardona were dumbfounded. They never expected that the enemy would actually come.
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But after all, Cardona also followed Garibaldi back then, and immediately made the wisest choice. While stopping the 10,000 recruits who were passing by train to Padua to replenish their consumption, Cardona hastily formed a division. Although this
There was a serious shortage of officers inside, but fortunately there was no shortage of officers in the base camp. The talkative staff officers were added to the front-line combat units, leading the recruits who had just put down their hoes to rush towards Ravenna as quickly as possible to meet the enemy.
Of course, Cardona himself knew that these were just used as cannon fodder, and there was no hope that they could stop the Germans. With just those armchair staff and a bunch of new recruits who had never been on the battlefield, it could be said that they were able to defeat them after a hundred battles.
The elite German army was simply a fantasy. Their mission was to delay the German army, or to put it simply, to let the Germans kill them. How could ten thousand people not be able to kill for half a day? By then reinforcements had arrived.
At the same time as these people set off, the two Italian troops on the Padua front were also ordered to withdraw from the battle immediately, quickly loaded onto the train and rushed to defend His Majesty the King and the base camp.
It should be said that this commander is still competent, and his series of arrangements are very reasonable. However, it is a pity that this veteran from the Italian Unification War era is limited by his ancient experience and has serious problems with the rapid advancement of modern technology.
Lacking intuitive understanding, he believed that no matter how forced the Germans marched, it was impossible for the Germans to reach Bologna in one day. Although the situation was critical, it was not without room for change, so the Italian army base camp did not make preparations for retreat.
The first batch of reinforcements heading south by train will arrive in four or five hours at most. By the time the German forwards arrive, even if the transportation efficiency is low, one army will be enough to transport them. Although the Germans are more capable of fighting, under His Majesty the King
Under the control of the enemy, it is still very easy to defend Bologna. As long as the first wave of German offensive is blocked, reinforcements will continue to arrive. At that time, it will not be difficult to completely annihilate this German army.
If he had known that the German forwards were racing towards Bologna at a speed of fifty kilometers per hour, he would definitely not think so.
Lieutenant General Bello knew very well that if he wanted to complete the mission, he had to be fast. The faster the better. There was no need to consider anything else, so while the landing was still in progress, he sent the first batch of landing troops to a brigade of German troops.
Enter the Chinese-made off-road truck driven out of the landing ship, and then start driving wildly along the road from Ravenna to Bologna.
Although Italian roads are not hardened, it is not stressful to drive this truck, which is actually Yang Feng's imitation of a Dodge ten-wheeler, to over fifty. In the early morning sunshine and mist, the long convoy is on the sandy road.
The yellow dragon rolled up a cloud of dust and headed straight towards Bologna. The cannon fodder unit responsible for delaying them was unfortunately, or of course, very lucky to be on the train to Ravenna. The two armies were just a short distance away from Bologna.
They passed each other only dozens of kilometers away. By the time the Italians reacted and stopped the train to block the attack, they had no choice but to follow behind the convoy.
This terrible news exploded in Bologna like a bolt from the blue. At the first moment, both Emmanuel III and Cardona were shocked into a trance, but then they realized that the Germans were running
The base camp, or the King's Majesty, is definitely not able to stop it now. Bologna only has Emanuele III's bodyguards, or guard of honor, hoping that the hundreds of silver wax spear-headed decorations will not be able to stop it.
The German army was inhabited by wolves and tigers. Those in other base camps who had some combat capabilities were all gathered into the cannon fodder unit. Even if the masses were urgently mobilized to defend Bologna, there was no practical significance. Although weapons and ammunition were piled up, the problem was that this
The city is like the whole of Italy. Anyone who can bear arms is sent to the front line. It is useless if no one has a gun.
Since he couldn't stop him, he had no choice but to escape. After understanding this, General Cardona mobilized the train like crazy and prepared to escape south to Florence, but then he was dumbfounded. In order to get rid of him as quickly as possible,
After the reinforcements were brought back, he had already transferred all the trains from Bologna to the front line in Padua. Now there was not a single train in the rear. How could we run without a train?
Fortunately, there are not only railways but also roads leading to Florence. Cardona quickly found a car, regardless of military vehicles or civilian vehicles. Even the taxis on the street were requisitioned, and Emanuele III and his base camp were requisitioned.
He put his son into the car and prepared to escape from Bologna.
At this moment, the German vanguard had arrived.
As soon as the German colonel leading the team saw the rising dust south of Bologna, he already understood that their target was fleeing. Stimulated by the great honor of capturing a king, he no longer cared about the task of destroying the railway and separated a regiment.
Attacking Bologna, blowing up the train station, and leading the remaining troops to bypass Bologna and chasing Emanuele III's ass. At this time, their vehicle advantage was fully demonstrated, and they were comparable to the Fiat produced by the Italians.
Compared with their Chinese-made off-road trucks, their speed and terrain passing ability are more than one level higher. The distance between the two dusty dragons is getting closer and closer.
There are mountains between Bologna and Florence. Because there are railways, the roads between the two places are not very high-grade. They are basically rugged mountain roads. This road condition has infinitely magnified the Germans' use of cars.
Due to the advantage in terms of performance, the two teams were soon able to see each other.
Seeing the approaching pursuers from behind, the Italians ran faster. All kinds of cars ran on the winding mountain road holding back the black smoke, especially the convertible car of Emanuele III.
He was particularly eye-catching in the team. When he saw his car with the Italian royal emblem, the German soldiers pursuing him stepped on the accelerator and pursued him.
At this time, the Italians also burst out with courage. After all, the capture of a king would be a huge shame in Italian history. Even if the king was actually just a decoration, it was still a vital decoration. Dozens of soldiers in the guard immediately
Get out of the car and rely on the narrow mountain road to shoot at the German troops behind. The driver of a German truck at the front was caught off guard and was shot in the head. The out-of-control truck hit the nearby rock and stopped.
, the soldiers in the car quickly jumped out and started shooting at the Italians.
Seeing this scene, both Emanuele III and Cardona couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief. The German car stopped in an ideal position, and it just happened to overtake the convoy behind it on the narrow mountain road.
, obviously with the blessing of God, they had escaped.
The German commander who was chasing behind him was also very upset. He jumped out of the car and kicked the car door angrily while looking at the Italians who were walking away on the winding mountain road. But at this moment, something suddenly happened in his mind, and he immediately turned toward the car behind him.
Douli shouted: "Quickly, get off the frame and shoot the cannon."
There was also an artillery battalion in his convoy, which not only had 82 artillery pieces, but also the powerful 150-pound artillery piece.
Several German soldiers jumped out in a hurry, moved down two 82-gun cannons as quickly as possible, and then quickly set them up on the roadside. They hurriedly took aim at the front of the Italian convoy, and a shell was immediately placed at the muzzle.
Then the artilleryman let go and slid down the barrel, and then flames spurted out, and a shell flew out with a roar, and soon exploded on the opposite hillside. Although it did not hit the winding mountain road, the falling rocks did.
A car driven by Emanuele III was flattened, and another car behind him didn't have time to dodge and hit it again. Immediately afterwards, the Germans' second artillery shell fell. This one hit a very special point.
It was accurate. It hit the mountain road. Although it caused no damage, it shocked Emanuele III.
At this time, the Italian convoy that was escaping had actually been forced to stop. Cars of various sizes were parked in a mess on the mountain road. The attendants, generals, staff officers, and cooks were holding guns and looking at each other in bewilderment.
The pursuers were approaching, and it was obvious that they were not sure whether to resist or surrender.
In fact, Emanuele III was also hesitant at this time. Although European monarchs did not care much about surrender, as a king, it was too embarrassing for him to raise the white flag like this. Although Savior
The Yi family has rarely won a few battles in history, but it has never had a record of a monarch being captured. Is it possible that he can break this record? He was struggling there when he heard a strange roar suddenly coming from above his head.
Then I saw a huge ball of fire exploding not far behind, and a truck and a dozen Italians around it were instantly blown away.
On the mountain road opposite them, the German six-gun 150 heavy guns were finally set up. The black muzzles were aimed at the Italian convoy. It was obvious that if they did not surrender, more shells would fall on their heads.
His Majesty the King and his Commander-in-Chief, who were sitting in the convertible car, looked at each other and couldn't help but reveal a wry smile. At this time, there was no choice. They really didn't expect that this war would be fought out of nowhere.
To the point of being a prisoner, but the matter has come to this, nothing can be said in vain, it is still more important to save one's life. His Majesty the King straightened his military cap, then walked out of his special car with a sword, and an attendant next to him asked for it very cooperatively.
A piece of white handkerchief, and then waved it at the German soldiers on the opposite side like an old man greeting guests. To be continued...