Chapter 436 The Future Roman Empire

On the evening of March 6, 1941, Italian leader Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci, German Marshal Hersmann and his wife Chloe boarded the Italian Navy's flagship battleship Veneto, and under the escort of several Italian cruisers and destroyers, headed for Alexandria in Egypt.

Now Rommel's African Army has advanced to the west bank of the Suez Canal, and Alexandria and Cairo have fallen into the hands of the German-Italian coalition. Mussolini's Caesar dream has finally come true, although he, as Caesar, did not conquer Egypt by his own ability, but relied on the help of the German barbarians to drive the British to the east of the Suez Canal.

In addition, there is good news from Greece. The German army has broken through the defense line of the Egyptian and British armies in the Isthmus of Corinth. The entire Peloponnese Peninsula was completely controlled by the German army, and the remnants of the British and Greek armies fled to Crete in a panic. After the main force of the British Mediterranean Fleet withdrew, the island became an isolated island, and it was only a matter of time before it was occupied.

So Mussolini will soon become the conqueror of Greece!

Although the way he conquered Egypt and Greece was ugly, the victor is not blamed, and the victor can also write history to cover up all kinds of scandals. Mussolini is now a winner with a big smile.

"Marshal, the descendants of our Roman Empire will never forget your great achievements. In order to thank you for everything you have done for the Roman Empire, I decided to give you the Medici Villa and rename it Suez Palace to commemorate your victory in the Mediterranean battlefield."

In a very elegantly decorated shipboard restaurant, the Italian dictator generously gave an expensive villa to Hessman while drinking wine.

"Prime Minister," Hessman smiled and shook his head, politely declining. "Although I like the Villa Medici very much, I can't accept such an expensive gift."

"Then..." Mussolini, who had drunk a few more glasses, scratched his bald head, and then said to Count Ciano, who was accompanying him, "Then turn the Villa Medici into a memorial hall to commemorate the great achievements of Marshal Hessmann."

Mussolini smiled at Hessmann: "You can't control this matter."

Hessmann also smiled slightly, as a response to Mussolini's kindness. However, he still doubted that the future Roman children only knew how their Mo Sun used troops like a god, and didn't know who this German marshal was.

"Prime Minister," Hessmann took a sip of wine and said with a smile, "According to the agreement you reached with Mr. Hitler before, the area west of the Suez Canal and all the North African regions in the United States are Italy's sphere of influence."

Mussolini nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, yes, the area west of Suez is ours, and the area east of Suez is Germany's."

"Then what about the Suez Canal?" Hessmann asked again.

"Canal? The canal is..." Mussolini thought for a while, "The canal should be shared by our two countries."

"Shared?" Hersman shook his head, "I think the canal belongs to Europe! Egypt is an African country, so its territory only extends to the west of the canal area. The entire canal area, including the Sinai Peninsula, belongs to Germany."

There is no need to be polite! The Suez Canal is one of the most important strategic locations in the world, and Germany should naturally take it for itself. And there is an obvious benefit of occupying the Suez Canal and the Sinai Peninsula, which is to divide the Arab world into two parts forever, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula.

In addition, the Sinai Peninsula is also a resource-rich region with rich manganese and oil resources. Among them, the Dankah Mountain Oil Field is still an oil field under development. Although the output is not very large, it is better than nothing.

"Okay, okay, I agree."

Mussolini exchanged glances with his son-in-law Ciano, and then agreed to it - it was impossible not to agree. Now Egypt is in hand, but Sudan next to Egypt and the Italian East African Empire next to Sudan are still in a mess. The British refused to leave, and the Italian army in East Africa was beaten to a pulp by the British (including Indians and Abyssinian natives) who were far fewer in number. Without the help of the German barbarians, the Roman Empire still could not defeat them.

"Cyprus should also be directly governed by Germany." Hersmann then put forward a new request.

According to his plan, Cyprus and the Sinai Peninsula will be important support points for Germany in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. These two territories will be Germany's homeland and will gradually be Germanized.

In addition, Hersmann also plans to establish two small countries belonging to the European Community on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, the State of Israel and the Republic of Lebanon.

Israel is of course dominated by Jews who migrated from Europe and occupies the entire Palestinian region on the west bank of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. The Republic of Lebanon is dominated by Christian Maronites.

As for the hundreds of thousands or millions of MSLs living in Palestine, Lebanon and the Sinai Peninsula, they will all be resettled in Iraq. Of course, Hersmann will not let Iraq accept so many MSL brothers in vain. As the price for Iraq to accept these MSLs, the oil-rich Kuwait will be incorporated into Iraq and become one of its provinces.

Moreover, the Iraqi government can also occupy a much larger share of the oil fields developed by foreign capital than during the British "protection" period. The Iraqi government will receive a large amount of Euromarks every year - of course, Middle Eastern oil must be priced and traded in Euromarks.

"Okay, the island of Cyprus can be owned by Germany." The Suez Canal has been given away, and Mussolini will naturally not care about the issue of the island of Cyprus with Germany.

"In addition, I also want to know how Italy will rule Egypt?" Hersman stopped raising new territorial claims, but turned the topic to how to govern the land that has been obtained and will be obtained.

"The King of Italy will also serve as the King of Egypt," Mussolini showed an exaggerated smile. "Italy, Albania, Greece, Egypt, the East African Empire, Libya and Nice will be ruled by one monarch, and they will be completely ruled by one monarch in the future. Merge into the Roman Empire!"

Although Italy has joined the European Customs Union, it is obvious that Mussolini has no interest in joining the European Community. His dream is still to revive the Roman Empire!

"In the future, Italy, Albania, Greece, Egypt, the East African Empire, Libya and Nice will become one country?" Hersman gently turned the wine glass in his hand. "The religious, national, cultural and social development levels of these countries will all be different." They are so different that it would be difficult to integrate them.”

Mussolini seemed to have drunk a little too much. He laughed and waved his hands: "This will not be difficult for our National Fascist Party! We will turn everyone into Romans. It is not difficult at all!"

Is it really not difficult? Hersman frowned slightly and said: "Prime Minister, we should not ignore religious and ethnic differences, especially the differences between Christians and MSL, Europeans and Arabs, whites and blacks!"

"I know, we Italians know what to do!" Mussolini said with a smile. "In the past, we turned a dozen small states into a unified Italy. That was not easy. Now we have to do "It's just an amplified movement for Italian unification, and we have the leadership of the National Fascist Party, so it's bound to succeed."

"Then I wish you success in reviving the Roman Empire," Hessmann raised his glass, "but before toasting, I have a small suggestion."

"You tell me."

Hersman emphasized: "Egyptians are Egyptians, and Arabs are Arabs. If tens of millions of residents from North Africa to the Persian Gulf all believe in one God, speak the same Arabic language, and identify themselves as Arabs. Then In the future, our two countries...the Roman Empire and the European Community will face endless troubles in the Middle East and North Africa! Maybe in 100 years, there will be neither the Roman Empire nor the European Community in the Middle East and North Africa, only one. The Arab Empire!”

…

After dinner, Hersman and his wife Chloe returned to the cabin where they lived - the original cabin of the Italian Navy fleet commander, including an office, reception room, conference room, bedroom and bathroom. Next to it was the staff cabin for Hessmann's adjutants and guards. When Hessmann walked into the outermost reception room with his wife on his arm, his adjutant, Colonel Schnetz, was already waiting for him with a copy of the latest telegram received.

"Honey, I have to take care of some official business." Hersman sent Chloe to take a sea bath first (there is no fresh water bath on the Veneto), and then went into the office with Schnetz.

"Marshal, the Soviet Red Army has entered the Khorasan region of Iran and the Kunduz region of Afghanistan."

"Just entered the Khorasan area?"

"Yes."

"Tell Marshal Guderian not to conflict with them." Hessmann ordered.

Colonel Schnetz immediately took out his notebook and wrote down Hessman's order. Then he reported: "Iraq's Prime Minister Rashid Ali Kelani has arrived in Alexandria on our plane."

Hessman nodded. Rashid Ali Kelani was the leader of the pro-German faction in Iraq. When the German army entered Iraq, he also launched a coup in Baghdad and overthrew the pro-British faction Nuri Said. , now went to Alexandria to pay homage to the dock.

"Any more news?" Hersman asked again.

"Colonel Schellenberg sent a telegram from the cruise ship Gothenburg. He has arrived safely in the Port of Liverpool, England."

Colonel Schellenberg's full name is Val T. Schellenberg. He is a senior agent of the Central Security Service. He is now going to England to meet an important person on the order of Hessmann.