Chapter 363 We Need a Victory

"You know, we're winning!" General Winter said, but his voice sounded hollow.

From the beginning, General Winter was prepared to persuade Italy to join the Allies in three directions:

1. Italy has conflicts of interest with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. For example, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has always occupied the Italian province of Trentino.

2. The Allies will recognize all German or Austro-Hungarian lands captured by Italy in battle.

3. The Allies are fighting on multiple fronts, including the Western Front, the Eastern Front, the sea, and Gallipoli, which slightly reveals their state of disarray and defeat.

There is no problem with the first two points, and Sanrino agreed generously.

But the third point...

"We still have doubts about this, General Winter." Sanrino did not conceal his worries: "The Allies did fight on multiple fronts, but they stabilized the Western Front and gained the upper hand on the Eastern Front. As for Gallipoli direction……"

Sanrino kept his mouth shut. He knew that General Winter was the front-line commander of the Gallipoli campaign, and that it was in trouble at this time.

"Once your country joins the war, things will change immediately." General Winter said confidently: "These directions have exhausted the Allied forces. According to our intelligence, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has only deployed With less than 100,000 troops, you can easily defeat them and collapse them."

Italy can at least mobilize millions of troops, and if 1 million fights 100,000, how can there be any reason to be invincible?

General Winter thought, this would be the first domino to topple the Allies!

But Sanrino still hesitated. This was not because Sanrino had no confidence in the Italian army.

No matter how confident you are, a 10-fold strength advantage will not be a problem.

The problem is that if Italy wins and Gallipoli or the Eastern Front loses, Italy will suffer a crazy counterattack from Germany and Austria-Hungary for joining the Allies, which is not what Italy wants to see.

After thinking again and again, Sanrino replied: "I agree with what you said, but we need to consider many issues, General. I will try my best to convince them."

Typical diplomatic rhetoric, General Winter sighed inwardly, which meant that there was still no substantial progress, and they still decided to wait and see.

…

After returning to the "Queen Elizabeth", General Winter truthfully reported the progress of the negotiations to the Lord of the Admiralty.

He couldn't help complaining in the telegram: "I don't understand what they are waiting for. It's so simple to join the war and win, but they just don't want to."

"Precisely because they are worried about not being able to win, Admiral," the Admiralty replied: "They want to know that they are not on the wrong side."

The Lord of the Admiralty was well aware of this political interest.

"Of course they're on the wrong side," General Winter replied, "Isn't it obvious?"

The Lord Admiralty made no answer.

General Winter's words are subjective. From an objective perspective, the outcome is still unknown at this time.

Finally, General Winter sighed helplessly and asked for instructions: "What should we do next? Continue to negotiate with them?"

The Admiralty thought for a while and replied: "No, negotiations will not work. We must let them see the hope of victory. Only in this way can they give up their swing and make up their mind to join us!"

"But..." General Winter said in embarrassment: "We are in a stalemate in all directions."

General Winter had to admit this, and so did Gallipoli.

The Minister of the Navy quickly went through all the fronts in his mind:

It is impossible to expect Russia to break the deadlock. Before the transportation channel of the Dardanelles Strait is opened, it would be good for them to protect themselves.

Gallipoli kept trying but with little success.

It is impossible to achieve a decisive victory at sea. The Royal Navy's strategy is still to block, and an active attack is likely to suffer heavy losses.

Then there is only one way: the Western Front.

The Lord Admiralty had an idea and immediately called General Winter back: "We need Charles, General, and we need him to win a massive and impressive victory!"

General Winter understood instantly that this victory, even if it was just a few days, might win Italy for the Allies.

…

Falkenhayn, at the General Staff headquarters in Berlin's Wilhelmstrasse, also received some news about Italy.

"Their intentions are obvious." Colonel Moritz held documents in his hand, which recorded a secret investigation of Italy: "They secretly contacted the military personnel of the Allied Powers and repeatedly demanded that the Austro-Hungarian Empire return Trentino."

Falkenhayn said coldly, "Yeah."

Although Italy did not say it explicitly, the implicit meaning of demanding the return of Trentino at this time is: If you don't give me some benefits, don't blame me for joining the Allies!

This is a tough question.

If Trentino is in German hands, Falkenhayn may choose to use it to stabilize this "false ally."

The problem was that it was in the hands of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Austria-Hungary was unwilling.

If the Austro-Hungarian Empire is forced to hand it over, the result will only be to win over Italy but hurt the feelings of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This is tantamount to giving up the greater for the smaller.

"We can't do this," Falkenhayn muttered.

Once this precedent was set, Italy would continue to ask for territory again and again until the Allies fell apart.

However, what can be done now?

Although Italy did not play a role, at least it did not join the Allies!

After thinking for a moment, Falkenhayn made his decision: "We need a win, a spectacular win."

Colonel Moritz groaned. He didn't understand what victory had to do with this at first.

But after a little thought, he understood that Italy would not be stupid enough to join the failing Allied Powers. This would stabilize it.

"Yes, General." Colonel Moritz agreed, but then asked in embarrassment: "But how can we achieve a remarkable victory?"

Falkenhayn pondered for a moment and asked: "How is the training of our new fighter planes going?"

Colonel Moritz replied in panic: "The pilots have only been trained for two weeks, which may not be enough to participate in the war..."

"Let them prepare for battle." Falkenhayn interrupted him: "We don't have time or conditions to wait!"

This is the demand of political and strategic direction, and tactics must be obeyed unconditionally, even if it is difficult.

"And 'Upper Silesia'." Falkenhayn said.

"But General, it hasn't been tested yet..."

"Let the battlefield test it!" Falkenhayn interrupted Colonel Moritz again: "That's where it belongs!"

(The picture above shows the light tank "Upper Silesia" designed by Germany at the end of World War I. Unfortunately, Germany went in the wrong direction in tanks in history. She insisted on producing super-heavy tanks, so this type of tank did not go on the battlefield until the end of the war)