Italy's 2% Deficit
To the Duce's eyes, his homeland Italy was a nation that fell 2% short. Something was missing. The land. Civic consciousness. Factories. Farms. Everything was 2% deficient.
But now, he thought he knew what it was. What Italy lacked was none other than himself—the Duce, Italy's leader.
While Britain fretted and begged, "Please join the war for our oil dreams," and Korea pleaded, "Please share your technology," the great powers had overlooked Italy. Until now, Italy had lacked the Duce.
"Let's achieve food self-sufficiency."
Until then, Italy had been a nation importing wheat from France and Spain. Most of its territory was mountainous, after all. But the Duce decreed it, and so Italy was a land where rice grew well. He wanted his people to eat rice. That way, wheat prices wouldn't skyrocket like they did now.
Italy with him had to differ from Italy without him. So its staple crop had to change too. The Duce aimed to transform this pasta republic into a rice republic.
But there was one major problem. Separate from the Supreme Leader importing wheat seeds from Anatolia and pushing wheat farming, the Duce didn't know what seeds to plant in Italy for successful rice cultivation.
To be precise, they were already growing rice. The issue was the yield. Compared to Korea's rice, it was less than half. And to the Duce's taste, it was somehow off. Lacking stickiness, not sweet enough.
Even dumping fertilizer on it wasn't enough, and spacing out the seedlings wider still produced hollow grains. It pissed him off. Compared to Korean rice, the taste was just too lacking.
The Duce couldn't stand it. A great power like Italy inferior to Korea? Unacceptable.
Originally, Italian rice was just for making risotto. But the Duce thought differently. "If it's this tasteless, stick to risotto!" His pride was wounded.
That aside, he had to admit they were pros among pros at rice farming. So the Duce asked Korea—not for anything else, but for rice farming secrets. And Korea readily transplanted their methods.
Rice farming was outdated now, after all. From the moment chemical fertilizers appeared, rice lost its biggest advantage: needing less fertilizer because it was grown in paddies.
So Korea's paddies were shifting in real-time from rice to duck farming(?), shrimp farming(??), catfish farming(???), and such. All national projects, of course.
The Duce didn't know any of that. He just valued rice farming that worked. Honestly, because it tasted good.
Under Britain's sponsorship: Korean tractors, Korean seeds, Korean methods, Korean pesticides, Korean herbicides, and Korean fertilizers. Everything Korean was poured into Italy's rice fields. The Duce saw it as splendid.
He readily stamped approval on Korea's request for technical assistance. Italy's technology was mostly Britain's downgraded versions. Britain figured it was worth investing in a Mediterranean-locked nation like Italy.
That assessment was spot-on, in my view. Trapped in the Mediterranean, Italy had leveraged that borrowed tech to serve admirably as a junior partner in Britain's global trade chain. Britain must have made a fortune.
The only hitch? They never imagined Italy would now team up with Korea to siphon their tech. Call it a natural disaster.
If they feared Britain's retaliation, they couldn't pull it off. Only Italy—untouchable by Britain—and the Duce, unconcerned with consequences, made it possible.
Me? For now, it's fine. If they cross me, Britain would have to ally with one: France (rival colonial empire), America (hegemony contender), or Russia (maritime vs. continental rival).
And I doubt they will. They'd sooner grab Germany. Germany's wishful thinking about Britain had merit. Britain was pro-German right up until Germany built dreadnoughts.
Even after this war ends, they'll likely adopt a near-friendly neutrality toward Germany—the enemy they just fought tooth and nail. They'll cut Germany's reparations while refusing to ease France's debts, their own ally.
Beastly instinct, mechanical humanity. No humanity there. No trust or faith.
So routing Britain's advanced industrial tech through Italy? I feel zero guilt.
Who told them to invest in Italy? They're desperate to steal Korea's tech anyway—no need for fair play from me.
The issue is, short-term it's okay, but Britain will get seriously pissed. Their tech serves their interests, after all.
They're silent now thanks to my munitions and fighters. But if I stockpile and switch sides later, they'll hit back hard. Island mentality's predictable.
So we need countermeasures. Prepare for war with Britain? Dull. With their endless colonies wagging tails, when do we conquer them all and reach London?
From Britain's view, us planting flags in their colonies? Ultimate insult.
Thus, Korea and Britain are too distant for war. But that makes non-war fuckery easy anytime.
Britain loses India? Zero impact on Korea. So yeah, time to free India.
The real problem: war offers sharp options, but distance kills it. Non-war fights with Britain? We'd mostly lose, probably.
That said, Britain has yielded a lot to us. Not grateful, but gentlemanly toward Korea, at least. Partly our good behavior, but would Britain play nice just for that?
Even my hesitation on mine spam stems from it. Korea, communist yellow horde, isn't diplomatically isolated yet. Isolation now means clashing with Britain.
Germany feels isolated without Britain's hand. Same logic.
Germany could theoretically navy-rush Britain if their fleet was strong. Korea? Even with a massive navy, Britain's too far. Win a sea battle, they blow canals—what then? Round the Cape of Good Hope?
So, how to soothe Britain's bruised ego non-militarily? Not just distracting with India fires—that won't erase grudges.
Korea has stacked goodwill so far. But poaching interests? Deflating their power balloon-like, yet as foes, we'd be the world's headache—like Israel.
Sadly, I don't know their plan. Unknown is scariest. Hard to act boldly without knowing where British spies lurk.
But still. "Spend influence moderately, and even the impossible becomes possible?"
Korea has savings: an energy orb of accumulated favor. Steadily seeding anti-British forces in India.
Despite crackdowns, they've printed fake pounds, bought bullets, dreaming of rebellion. Varied visions of India, sure.
"Sell them all to Britain."
Testify that some munitions transiting via Eurasian rail through Qing and Central Asia were diverted. Fake evidence: fake pounds circulating domestically led to tracing massive munitions swaps. Location? Qing border or Afghanistan—who cares. Destination: India.
My ledgers say so; my rolls confirm it. That's truth.
Dump it all on Britain, then tip off pro-British Indians: "Your fake money op's busted—erase evidence."
They'll scramble to survive, destroying traces. Drawing Britain's predator eyes, solidifying conviction.
Timing's perfect. Indian troops: trained enough, died enough.
Something like a "Save Our Sons" movement?