Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Mediterranean Theater (1)
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As Korea's domestic situation settled into a lull, Britain and Germany clashed.
"Lend-Lease violates wartime neutrality! Stop it!"
A German battleship moved to block head-on the British convoy advancing through the Arctic Ocean, creating a standoff.
This confrontation escalated into a week-long war of nerves, with naval forces from both sides deploying.
Watching this unfold, Il Duce rolled the dice.
"How about we take advantage of Britain and Germany locking horns to expand our territory?"
Italy was already locked in a brutal war for survival against guerrillas, with a million troops deployed in Yugoslavia.
Everyone was stunned by Il Duce's idea, but Mussolini's mind was made up.
"Germany might be struggling against the Soviets right now, but it's obvious they'll win in the end. If we want our share of the spoils in this war, we need to stick our fork in the meat ahead of time."
The target Il Duce had in mind was Turkey.
Not fellow Axis member Greece, nor the formidable Britain.
Italy was simply going to reclaim the "unrecovered territories" in Anatolia promised to it after World War I.
Il Duce believed his logic was perfectly justified.
"Il Duce! We can't do that."
Turkey might be a weak nation, but it had a modernized army.
Even ignoring its 26 active divisions, its population could muster at least two million reservists.
How could they possibly subdue that?
"My mind is set."
Il Duce immediately began fabricating a pretext against Turkey.
"Italy was robbed of territories guaranteed under the Treaty of Sèvres by Turkey's 'illegal' actions. Rome, as a victorious power, has the right to claim compensation for the blood it shed."
Of course, Mussolini wasn't accelerating blindly without reason.
Il Duce wasn't manic-depressive or insane.
Politicians always had their own logic and rationale.
"Mussolini, that bastard was bragging about expanding into Yugoslavia, but when's he going to subdue those Yugoslavs?"
"That guy's done for now."
The public no longer cheered or offered support for the endless bloodshed in the occupation of Yugoslavia.
On top of that, massive occupation costs and military spending accumulated since 1935 were strangling Italy's economy.
For Il Duce, this was a chance to regain popularity and find a scapegoat to redirect the blame.
Turkey was that opponent.
Turkey was caught off guard by Mussolini's pretext.
"What era are you living in? The Treaty of Lausanne ended your claims after the Turkish War of Independence."
"That was under duress!"
As Mussolini showed signs of flooring the accelerator, even Hitler panicked.
"Turkey is someone we need to bring into the Axis alliance in the long term."
"Führer, think about it. It's me, Mussolini. You still remember my promise to repay the favor for turning a blind eye to the Anschluss of Austria, right?"
Hitler had no choice but to tacitly approve Rome's actions in the face of Mussolini's "it's me or Turkey" ultimatum.
He could call it repaying the debt from before.
"Führer! This is insane. Do you think Britain will just sit back and watch Turkey get swallowed whole?"
It was the kind of issue that could draw British intervention if mishandled.
Hearing that soured the Führer's mood.
"What, can't we? The British are openly rubbing us the wrong way by funneling weapons to the Soviets. We can do something to annoy them too."
With the Führer's tacit approval, on June 3, 1942, Italian forces invaded Turkey.
Britain, watching in disbelief, was shocked.
"Look at this! We let the Axis run wild, and now they're stirring up the whole world. If we keep letting them do as they please, our influence in the Mediterranean will vanish completely."
Even without Churchill pushing to "correct" Italy's actions, Britain's establishment was deeply rattled.
The Bosphorus-Dardanelles straits, vital to the British Empire's interests, were already irksome enough with a major power trying to seize them.
And Turkey itself was a strategic linchpin.
If Italy gained control of a nation that could project power into both the Balkans and the Middle East, the Empire's Middle Eastern holdings would be directly threatened.
That was absolutely unacceptable.
The Suez Canal was a lifeline that could never be threatened under any circumstances.
"Now is the time for us to get tough. How long are we going to cower from past defeats?"
"But we have a treaty with Germany."
"Are the Germans honoring that treaty?"
Hawkish voices rose louder than ever in Parliament.
Churchill didn't miss the moment.
"With hardliners gaining ground, we need to join the push to crush the Axis. Only as victors can we claim our share."
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden agreed with Churchill's logic.
"Then how? The Prime Minister will never approve restarting war with Germany."
"How about provoking the easier target, Italy?"
"How?"
"Have you forgotten? We're already sending Lend-Lease to the Soviets too."
Lend-Lease!
Anthony Eden's mind cleared at the words.
Could Mussolini stomach the British Empire openly sending Lend-Lease?
It was worth testing.
Whether the British schemed or not, Turkey—under direct Italian attack—was in a panic.
Italy alone was burdensome enough, but that wasn't all.
Rome was part of the "Axis alliance."
What if Germany or the Balkan states intervened?
President Mustafa İsmet İnönü desperately scanned for allies to counter the Axis.
"Your Excellency, there's only two countries on Earth that will fight the Axis for us."
Korea and the Soviet Union.
İnönü hurriedly sent letters to both.
In response to Turkey's plea, Korean Prime Minister Lee Seong-jun replied:
"The Korean government recognizes that the Turkish people have been swept into an unjust war. However, we are too distant from Turkey and lack the capacity to provide meaningful aid. We send modest funds and wish you victory."
Korea politely declined support.
Fair enough—Korea had no real ties to the Middle East.
İnönü turned to Moscow.
This one gave him pause.
Korea was an authoritarian capitalist state, but the Soviets were different.
A communist nation was ideologically opposed to Turkey.
They even had territorial disputes.
Diplomatic reconciliation had occurred, but resentment lingered.
Moscow wasn't an easy partner for Ankara to approach.
But better than letting the country fall.
'Atatürk said Hitler would lose.'
If Hitler fell, wouldn't that mean certain Soviet victory?
Thinking of the postwar order, cozying up to the Soviets now didn't seem so bad.
İnönü dispatched War Minister Ali Rıza Arıunkal to Moscow.
When the Turkish envoy arrived, Molotov personally greeted him at the airport.
"The General Secretary is waiting."
Arıunkal explained Turkey's plight to Stalin and asked if the Soviets could provide support.
"Of course, we can."
Stalin had no intention of rejecting Turkey's plea from the start.
Why refuse when controlling the Bosphorus and Dardanelles would trap Axis navies in the Black Sea like fish in a barrel and open the path for the Soviet Navy into the Mediterranean?
Stalin treated Arıunkal with utmost courtesy, promising immediate supplies to arm ten divisions.
Arıunkal was stunned that the Soviets would commit vast materiel even amid their own life-or-death war.
He became convinced that allying with the Soviets—even at the cost of provoking Germany—was the right choice.
The next day, the two nations signed a formal defense cooperation treaty, allowing Soviet troops to garrison parts of postwar Turkish territory as compensation for aid.
This shocking treaty stunned the world.
"The Reds have opened the door to the Mediterranean."
And who had handed them the key?
Italy.
Italy was ravaging the British Empire's backyard with impunity.
Could they let this outrage stand?
Calls began to rise for Lend-Lease to Turkey as well.
Italy didn't stay silent.
"If you send even a single rifle or bullet to Turkey, we won't let it slide."
Having tasted blood once from the anti-fascist volunteers in Yugoslavia, Italy had no intention of repeating the mistake.
Rome's fierce backlash provoked an equally fierce British response.
"Try it!"
Two weeks after Italy's invasion of Turkey, Britain launched a Lend-Lease convoy.
"How dare they! How dare they!"
Il Duce was furious but lacked the guts to block the convoy outright.
To stand against the British, he desperately needed Hitler's support.
Mussolini dragged his reluctant feet to Hitler.
"Führer, Italy needs Germany's backing and aid."
Now, seriously?
Italy started the mess, and Germany had to clean it up.
Already swamped with the Eastern Front, Hitler rejected the demand.
"Handle it in Rome."
A miscommunication arose.
Mussolini interpreted "handle it yourselves" as a blank check endorsing Italy's actions.
"Then there's nothing to fear."
Italy resolved to confront Britain with full force.