91

July 1, 1940

Treviso, Italy

"Welcome to Treviso, Minister Ciano."

"······long time no see."

Count Ciano stared with cold eyes at Ribbentrop, who slyly greeted him after getting off the SM.79 transport plane.

However, Ribbentrop only grew a smile on his face, as if he found Ciano's gaze rather amusing.

Treviso was an Italian city, but was now in German hands.

To emphasize that fact, Ribbentrop greeted Ciano with a welcome to Treviso and succeeded in cheering up Ciano, who had been looking down on him.

Italy wanted Switzerland as the location for the armistice talks, but Germany refused, so Treviso was chosen as the location. There were two main reasons why Germany insisted on Treviso as the meeting location.

This was to make Italy realize that they were in charge of the talks and to make the Italian negotiating team feel despair by showing them their destroyed city.

Although it was comparable to Warsaw, which suffered serious damage from intense street fighting, artillery bombing, and air raids, Treviso also suffered considerable damage.

The Italian negotiating team was left speechless by the sight of buildings with their walls blackened by fire.

Ribbentrop sent a derisive look at the Italian negotiators, who were looking around in shock, and led them to the meeting room.

The conference venue was a magnificent luxury mansion that was used as the headquarters of the National Fascist Party in Treviso.

By chance, the fascist party suffered little damage during the air raids and subsequent battles, and after being taken over by the Germans, it was used as a conference hall.

The meeting proceeded without delay. The German side, which had won the war, did not pay attention to the circumstances of the Italian diplomats who came to beg for negotiations and cornered them.

"As a condition of the truce, you agreed to cede Trentino-Alto Adige... is that all?"

At Ribbentrop's words, Ciano nodded with a stern expression. Immediately a sigh mixed with ridicule came.

"No, did you think we would be satisfied with just this much for your return?"

No way.

Ciano, who had worked as a diplomat before Ribbentrop, knew that Germany would never be satisfied with this level.

It was a fact known to everyone except the king, but since the king's orders were absolute, they sent an armistice proposal to Germany with terms that were absurd even in their view.

As a result, what came back was ridicule and sarcasm from the other party.

"I don't know if you know how angry the President was. He did not mean to stop the war, but to continue it."

Ciano wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. He said in a hushed voice.

"······what do you want? "Tell me honestly."

Ribbentrop let out a bitter laugh and listed Germany's demands in a somewhat arrogant voice.

"We will cede all of the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire that Italy has usurped, immediately make Albania and Ethiopia independent, and pay 4 billion marks in compensation to Germany. Lastly, some of the ships owned by the Italian Navy will be handed over to the German Navy. "That's it."

After Ribbentrop finished speaking, Ciano just blinked as if he was at a loss for words.

The Italian negotiating team members present were also astonished upon hearing Germany's demands.

This was in contrast to the faint smiles of the German personnel watching them.

"No, does that make sense!? "It's no different from telling Italy to just die!"

"Isn't it natural that you started the war and lost the war? And because of the President's magnanimity, he decided to leave Libya, Eritrea, and Somaliland behind, and he also said he would not block rearmament. "Do you think this is a generous enough condition?"

Ribbentrop continued speaking rapidly to Ciano, who was so embarrassed that he could not speak.

"It is your freedom to negotiate or not. Instead, it comes with a certain amount of responsibility. If the war continues, our demands will grow and never decrease. "Please keep that fact in mind."

"W-what are you saying..."

"It looks like you still don't understand the situation. Do you want to see northern Italy become German territory, or to see the country divided into North and South again less than 100 years after unification? "I don't want to see that happen, so use your own judgment."

***

The meeting ended about 30 minutes after it started. Neither side could accept the conditions presented to each other.

When the meeting broke down, Ribbentrop immediately called Berlin. And he informed the Fuhrer of the news of the breakdown in negotiations.

-Even if I give them a chance, they end up digging their own grave. They are like a bunch of foolish people.

"What do you plan to do now?"

-What are you asking even though you know? They say they don't want to live, so there's no need to keep them alive.

After hearing the Fuhrer's words, Ribbentrop automatically thought of Richthofen. The sight of him emphasizing the necessity and legitimacy of the bombing of Rome in front of the Fuhrer.

Rome will become warmer for the first time in a while. It's so warm that I want to die.

***

July 3, 1940

Rome, Italy

Marisa Perdro was washing her hair when the air raid alarm went off. She always had a habit of washing her hair before going to sleep.

At first, I thought it was air raid preparation training.

As the war intensified, Roman citizens were exposed to frequent training. In addition to her Marisa, numerous Roman citizens thought she was training like her.

However, when an urgent voice came out of the loudspeaker announcing that the situation was real, people rushed out of the house all at once.

The air raid alarm went off at 2 a.m.

It was the time when most people were lying in bed. The German army targeted that moment and launched an air raid on Rome.

Marisa hurriedly put on her clothes and left the house, carrying a bag containing valuables that she always carries with her in case of emergency.

The 25cm x 25cm bag contained a gold ring, necklace, and small accessories that she had inherited from her mother.

Marisa arrived in the basement of a residential area used as a bomb shelter, opened the door and went inside.

Soon, a couple holding the hands of their three children arrived, and a Spanish man who worked as a street vendor in front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore entered the basement.

Marisa, who works as a waitress at a restaurant, knew the Spanish man because she often bought Bocadillo (Spanish sandwich) and Gazpacho (Spanish cold soup) from him.

Actually, the Spanish man didn't seem to remember her.

In addition, there is a middle-aged pot-bellied man who works as a locksmith and his wife who is as fat as her husband, a 22-year-old young man who was exempt from conscription because he is a college student, a 17-year-old girl and her two younger sisters who work at a flower shop, and finally, a former sergeant who lost his right arm on the battlefield in Ethiopia. I entered this basement.

The narrow basement quickly filled with people.

"Close the door!"

Because the basement was already full, people locked the door. After closing the door, I heard a knock on the door. Then, an urgent cry to open the door was also heard.

Marisa felt as if her heart was being squeezed.

However, the basement was so narrow that even she felt cramped because of the crowds, so she couldn't bring herself to open the door.

The man begged for the door to be opened and then swore harshly.

Immediately after the man's voice was no longer heard, the first explosion of alcohol was heard.

"The bombing has begun."

The locksmith standing next to Marisa muttered. The binge drinking continued.

When the children sniffled, the couple consoled them and comforted them. A 5-year-old child holding her older sister's hand asked in an innocent voice.

"Sister, what are we doing now?"

"I'm hiding to avoid bad people."

"bad people?"

"huh."

"Who are those people?"

"Of course they are Germans."

This time, a disabled soldier without a right arm received the horse instead.

"You're hiding like this because the Germans are dropping bombs, kid."

"germany? Why are they dropping bombs?"

A child who didn't know much about the world yet didn't even know what Germany was. The former sergeant spoke through gritted teeth.

"That's because they want to kill us."

"Why do you want to kill us?"

"Because the Germans are barbarians. They only have white skin, but in reality, they are no different from niggers. "You bastards."

"What are you saying to the child?"

The repairman's wife spoke to the sergeant in an argument. The sergeant shrugged his shoulders.

"Did I say something I couldn't do? It's because of someone that we're going through all this trouble right now. "It's not all because of the damn Germans."

The sergeant rolled up his sleeve to show the cut of his right arm.

"I lost my right arm because they gave weapons to niggers. "I still get shivers when I think about that incident."

"Let's stop. "The kids will be scared."

As the repairman stepped forward to stop the men, the sergeant lowered his sleeves.

At that time, a much louder explosion than before was heard.

A huge vibration was felt, enough to shake the shelter.

The children, who had barely been comforted, burst into tears. The sergeant looked at the ceiling and muttered.

"It looks like it landed pretty close this time."

The Spanish man closed his eyes and muttered something. Marissa thought the man was reciting a prayer.

It seems like a lot of time has passed, but the binge drinking hasn't stopped. The occasional sound of anti-aircraft guns suddenly became inaudible, but the heavy drinking showed no signs of stopping. Marisa felt her legs starting to hurt.

"How long do I have to stay like this?"

It would have been much better if I had been able to smoke. I was in such a hurry that I didn't even think about smoking.

I glanced around and saw how many people other than myself seemed to want to smoke.

A man who was barely able to comfort a whimpering child did this, and a sergeant who cursed a German soldier did this.

The sergeant who was staring at the ceiling took out a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth.

However, even after smoking a cigarette, he rummaged through his pockets for a long time and soon showed a frustrated expression. It seemed like he had forgotten the matchstick.

"Miss, is there a fire?"

"Unfortunately, there isn't any."

Marisa shook her head. If she had any matches she would have asked her to light them too, but she didn't have any.

"It's crazy. The Germans are dropping bombs above, and you can't even smoke here... It's a really bad day. "Damn it."

"Mussolini, if you hadn't believed what that clown said, none of this would have happened."

The college student who had been quietly standing in the corner up until now started to think. Then the sergeant's face distorted.

"San over there? "What did you just say?"

"I said that if it weren't for Mussolini, things like this wouldn't have happened."

"You communist bastard, what dare you say to the person who has dignity!!!"

The sergeant's face turned red and he screamed, as if his parents had been insulted. The sound was so loud that you couldn't hear the explosion.

The children burst into tears, and the younger sisters grabbed the hem of their older sister's skirts.

As the sergeant raised his fist, the repairman and his wife blocked his path.

"Why are you doing this!"

"Vicky show! "Because I can't stand it without turning that damn commie's face into a mug!"

The college student had a small physique and arms as thin as wooden sticks, but he did not back down at all against the sergeant.

"If you have brains, think about it! Your arm was blown off not because the Germans sold weapons to Ethiopia, but because Mussolini sent you to battle! Still don't get it? How long are you going to live deceiving yourself?"

"This bastard wants to see you, really!"

"Stop it!"

Marisa, who could not help but step forward, intervened between the two.

The moment the sergeant, who had shaken off the repairman and his wife and ran forward, was about to swing his fist, a tremendous tremor struck the basement.

It was such a big shock that everyone in the basement fell.

"Aaaah!"

"Ugh!"

In an instant, screams and moans flowed from the mouths of the people entangled together.

Marisa, who hit her elbow on the floor when she fell, barely managed to stop the hexagon from coming out of her mouth and stood up.

And the water poured out.

The basement wall collapsed due to the impact of the bomb, and water from a broken water pipe poured through the collapsed wall. The water rose to thigh height in less than 30 seconds.

Marisa hurried to the doorway. The binge drinking was still in full swing outside, but if she stayed in the basement, she would become a water demon without moving.

"uh···? uh!?"

I turned the door handle, but the door did not open.

How did this happen? Even when I turned the handle again, the door did not open.

Meanwhile, the water rose beyond my thighs and up to my chest.

A Spanish man who was reciting a prayer ran up, pushed Marisa, who was struggling with the handle, and turned the handle.

As expected, it did not open.

"What are you doing! "You're not opening the door!?"

"Wha, the door won't open!"

"what?!"

People came and turned the doorknob, but the door did not open as if it were completely connected to the wall. The panicked sergeant kicked the door, but it didn't even make a scratch.

When the wall collapsed, the door frame was also crushed and the door was completely crushed.

Before I knew it, the water had reached my uvula. The door still showed no sign of opening.

"no! no!!!"

"Mommy!!!"

People in despair pounded on the door with their fists. The steel door didn't even budge.

As the water rose to the ceiling, people could no longer even scream. Marisa felt her lungs burning. Sensing that she was on the verge of death, her body was desperately crying out for oxygen.

The door opened a full day after Marisa's struggles had stopped.

***

July 4, 1940

New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany

'Rome is burning.'

The contents of the report Richthofen sent me were concise and clear. As a result of bombing Rome with 120 FW 200 and He 177 heavy bombers, Rome burned all night long.

Only three bombers were shot down in this air raid. There are 14 bombers damaged by anti-aircraft fire and enemy aircraft, and only those that can be put back into service once repairs are completed.

"What about the damage to Italy?"

"We are still checking, but we believe that at least 6,000 people have died."

"Six thousand people. "It's an incredible waterway."

Instead of showing such unnecessary pride, we should have surrendered a long time ago like France. This is what happens because you drag out time by bragging about something that doesn't work.

I sent a threat to Italy that I would bomb Rome again if they refused to surrender.

Mobilize more bombers next time!

There was no reply from Italy, but it was clear that they had peed their pants.

They must be really worried by now. Will you surrender and become a dog, or will the entire country become a sea of ​​fire?

In addition to Rome, cities such as Florence, Ravenna, and Bologna were also being bombed, and bomb factories throughout Germany and the occupied territories were operating day and night.

Thanks to the efforts of Todt and Speer, bomb production was smooth, but Todt said that the bomb consumption was too high and suggested that bombing of small cities should be stopped for the time being and only focus on bombing large cities.

I thought it was a fairly reasonable opinion, so I called Göring, Weber, Milch, Kesselring, and Richthofen together to talk about it, and there was immediate opposition.

"Absolutely not, Mr. President! "We've just broken the Italians' nose, and that will give the enemy time to recover from the damage!"

Richthofen was the first to express opposition, and Weber and Milch supported Richthofen. Göring and Kesselring supported Todt's opinion.

"Is it really necessary? I heard that small cities such as Carpi, Fidenza, and Cremona have suffered so much damage that there are no more targets left to bomb. If you keep hitting an area that has already been destroyed, you're just wasting the bomb. "I think it would be more reasonable to conserve bombs and attack major cities like Genoa additionally."

Richthofen could hardly refute Göring's point, and in the end, Todt's argument was accepted and it was concluded that only large cities would be bombed for a month.

Now that the Air Force issue has been resolved, it's the Army's turn next.

Reichenau explained that the friendly forces had reached the Po River basin and the Italians were forming a defensive line to resist.

"How long do you think it will take to cross the Po River?"

"Two days. "It is believed that we will be able to break through the Po River defense line within five days at the latest."

If it's obvious, is it obvious?

The Italian army is defending itself with all its might, but it cannot stop the German army at this level.

The French, who prided themselves on being the strongest in Europe, have also broken, so how can the Italians stop them?

Lastly, Reichenau announced that the Italian troops defending the Istrian Peninsula disarmed and surrendered today.

"After hearing the news of the Italian army's surrender, the Yugoslav army attempted to advance, but was repulsed by the Italian army. "After fighting with the Yugoslav army, the Italian troops surrendered as soon as our troops arrived."

"Haha, Italian guys. "I kept my pride."

Yugoslavia has proposed that we jointly manage the Istrian peninsula, as if we have learned nothing from this incident or if something has been wrong.

Although it is not a formal alliance, it is said that it is a de facto alliance because they have a common enemy, Italy.

I flatly rejected Yugoslavia's begging disguised as an offer.

It's like they're trying to get their hands on the spoon in some way, even though they were fighting against the army that was half-baked after being beaten by their own troops. I'm speechless because it's the same.

"The Istrian Peninsula was the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In other words, it is the unique territory of the Germanic people. We can't just hand over such precious land to Yugoslav beggars. "Am I wrong?"

"That is a very wise statement. "The Germanic people should own the Germanic land."

Prince Pavle, the current de facto ruler of Yugoslavia, seems to want to be friendly with Germany, but unfortunately I have no intention of doing so.

Even in actual history, although Hitler tried to be friendly with them first, it was the Yugoslav people (Serbs, to be exact) who fiercely opposed the alliance with Germany, even causing riots.

The people of that country hate us in the first place, so why should I be friendly with them? That doesn't mean we should start a war, but there was no need to scrape and make a mess.

The relationship between Germany and Yugoslavia was at its most appropriate now. Between neither allies nor enemies, there is nothing.

That would be the better choice for both of our futures.