The sudden outbreak of the World War not only threw the Italians' strategic plans into disarray; for Vittorio Emanuele III, it was also the beginning of a disaster.
Still dazed, he had led the Kingdom of Italy into war, and from then on, he lived every day on tenterhooks.
"Baffling and bewildering" was the truest portrayal of this war. First the Entente held the upper hand, then the Alliance did, then the Entente regained the advantage, and now it was the Alliance's turn again.
The two great blocs seemed to take turns as fortune's wheel spun, madly fraying everyone's nerves. Ordinary people could no longer make sense of where the World War was headed.
Unfortunately, Vittorio Emanuele III was no ordinary man. As King of Italy, what he knew went far deeper than what ordinary people could see.
Perhaps he could not yet determine whether the Alliance or the Entente would claim ultimate victory, but he knew that the Kingdom of Italy was already hanging by a thread.
Or rather, from the moment its navy suffered devastating losses, the Kingdom of Italy had entered a state of peril. Once the Entente seized control of the sea, they could land on the Apennine Peninsula at any time.
Whether out of hatred or for profit, King Vittorio Emanuele III chose to send troops into France, preparing to join hands with the Germans, crush the French, and win this World War.
The joint military operation by the United Kingdom, France, and Bulgaria in the Mediterranean Sea undoubtedly showed that they were preparing to strike at the Kingdom of Italy. Sardinia was merely the beginning—Rome might be their true target!
"Prime Minister, how is the situation on the Eastern Front? How much longer will the Germans need to defeat the Russians?" Vittorio Emanuele III