As mentioned before, one important reason Italy appeared economically better off than Japan was that Italy was a European country.
Europe, northern North America, and southern Africa—these three regions had higher lower limits than the rest of the world. Europe was developed across nearly its entire expanse; even the Balkan Peninsula and Iberian Peninsula, with their weaker economic foundations, offered living standards above those of most colonies and backward countries and regions.
In northern North America, the economic quality of the United States and Canada was no worse than Europe's. Recently, after Roosevelt took office and actively promoted the Good Neighbor Policy, life in Mexico and Cuba had also become somewhat easier.
Southern Africa was basically dominated by East Africa alone, raising the lower limit for the entire region.
As a new European great power, Italy's economic lower limit was already stronger than that of most regions and countries outside Europe. There was nothing strange about that.
But within Europe itself, Italy lagged far behind. The Austro-Hungarian Empire had once been a traditional European powerhouse; its reserves, technological accumulation, talent pool, and industrial completeness could only surpass Italy's.
Therefore, recovering East Lombardy and Venice was of tremendous significance to Italy. It could directly allow Italy to avoid some detours in its industrial development.
Ernst analyzed, "With German-Austrian unification and Italian unification, the world situation is drawing ever closer to the edge of a dangerous abyss."
"The prototype of a worldwide political-military bloc centered on Germany is rapidly taking shape, and it may directly shake the peace and stability of the entire world order."
"This political-military bloc has been greatly strengthened on the foundation of the Central Powers from the original World War."
Crown Prince Friedrich understood what Ernst meant. He followed up, "During the World War, the main forces of