Germany does not seek survival

As the Italian left wing collapsed, the troops that had originally besieged Trento also retreated hastily to support the left wing, and the Wehrmacht defenders in Trento immediately launched a counterattack.

The assault was a large-scale hand-to-hand combat. The Wehrmacht soldiers chased the Italians with bayonets in hand. After a while, they chased the Italians all over the snowy fields.

Tito picked up a pair of binoculars in an abandoned Italian position. He looked to the west and saw a large number of gray figures advancing. He immediately smiled and said, "Comrade Faust is here."

A few kilometers away, Prince Filiberto could clearly see the German army attacking him. It seemed that the Germans were preparing to encircle the Italian army from the left wing and launch a major annihilation battle.

Prince Filiberto saw it clearly, but he could do nothing because his reserve troops had been used up, and the remaining combat troops were entangled by Tito and Scherna's troops on the Trento front.

"We can only resist resolutely until the last bullet and the last soldier are left!"

Prince Filiberto summoned the headquarters' cooks, bakers, and clerks to fight back with revolvers and grenades, but the prince himself, in his own words, wanted to avoid the shame of a member of the Italian royal family being captured, and had already gotten into a car to escape.

It was absurd to suffer such a great defeat and so many casualties on the last day of a world war.

Prince Filiberto was even prepared for not being able to escape. He was thinking, if he was really captured, how would he get along with the Germans?

But on the battlefield, at this moment, just before the Italians were about to be defeated, silence suddenly fell again.

"Have the Germans stopped their attack?"

Prince Filiberto was a little confused, because the momentum of the Italian army's collapse was very obvious. If the German army took another hit, the Italian army would definitely be finished. It would be a very unwise choice to stop the attack at this time.

The Wehrmacht's artillery fire also fell silent, and Prince Filiberto was puzzled as to why.

Soon, a convoy with a white flag drove towards Prince Filiberto's headquarters.

The people sitting in the car were several Italian officers captured by the German army. Judging from their military ranks, the highest-ranking one was a major general.

"The Germans are asking for an armistice. They don't want to fight anymore and just want to make peace with us."

Prince Filiberto was surprised, but he quickly came to his senses. Indeed, the Germans had already lost the entire war, and even if they won this small battle, it would not change the overall situation.

However, at nine o'clock in the morning on November 8, 1918, in Trento, it was still the Germans who had the upper hand and dominated the negotiations.

Prince Filiberto and his entourage were taken into a train carriage buried in snow in Trento. There was a large table in the carriage. On one side of the table was a row of chairs with German flags, and on the other side was a row of chairs with Italian flags.

Faust stood behind a chair with the German flag on it. It seemed that the Germans had already made full preparations for the armistice negotiations.

"Please take a seat, Your Highness."

Faust waved his hand, and after a brief introduction and a polite bow, the two sat down opposite each other. Faust said in his not-so-fluent Italian:

"Your Highness, we are here to propose a naval, land, and air ceasefire with Italy."

Chapter 151 The End of an Era

When Italy heard the word "suggestion", there was a commotion in the stadium, and many people were indignant: "Italy won the war, there is no suggestion now."

Prince Filiberto was calmer. After all, the Italian army had lost the Battle of Trento. He had to use negotiations to buy time and wait for the Italian army to transfer troops. Moreover, the Italian central government might not want to fight another "continued war" with Germany for Trento.

It would be great if the problem could be resolved through negotiations. The Italians still need to focus their main energy on competing with the Yugoslavs for Fiume.

The mountain city of Trento is very important to the Tyrolean Revolutionary Republic regime, but to Italy, it is a bit useless. Its economic value is almost negligible, and its strategic value cannot be compared with the two major port cities of Trieste and Fiume.

Faust was not affected by the arrogance of the Italian generals. He just stood up, as if he was about to leave and give up the negotiations.

Prince Filiberto, seeing this, quickly leaned over from the other side of the table and said, "General, this is a serious moment. There is really no need to dwell on such trivial matters as wording. Let us discuss the specific issues."

Faust said rudely, "Your Highness, please don't call me General. In the German army, I am a colonel."

"Okay, Colonel."

Faust continued, "As you know, Your Highness, we Germans have decided to accept the Fourteen Points proposed by US President Wilson and the proposal for national self-determination. We are willing to hold a referendum in South Tyrol and Istria after the armistice. A fair and just referendum on national self-determination, supervised by your country, will determine the future of South Tyrol and Istria."

The entire South Tyrol region has a population of about 400,000, and Italians account for a large proportion of the population in Trento. Because this city is separated from the core area of ​​Tyrol by mountains, it has historically had closer cultural and economic ties with Italy. The residents are closer to mainland Italy in terms of culture and customs. In terms of population composition, the Italian population accounts for more than 80%.

In the two major port cities of Trieste and Fiume, Italians account for a considerable proportion of the urban area and dominate the two port cities in terms of business and culture. For example, 60% of the urban residents in Trieste are Italians, and 50% of the urban residents in Fiume are Italians.

However, the suburban and rural population situation in Trieste and Fiume is different.

In the suburbs and rural areas of Trieste, Slovenes make up 90 percent of the population, while Croats are the absolute majority in the rural areas around Fiume.

As for the Germans, German has been the bureaucratic language of Trento, Trieste and Fiume since the Austrian rule. Therefore, although the German population is relatively small, it has a dominant position in the city's administrative management and some commercial activities.

In other words, if a fair and just referendum on national self-determination is held, Italy will most likely win the referendum in Trento. However, for Trieste and Fiume, which are the most coveted cities by Italians, the Italians only have an advantage in the urban areas. In the referendum that includes suburbs and rural areas, they are at a disadvantage and are likely to lose to the two Yugoslav ethnic groups, Slovenes and Croats.

Faust presented the German position, saying, "We believe that the German and Italian armies should immediately cease fire along the lines of engagement. The question of Trento can be decided by a referendum after the war. As for Trieste and Fiume, given that both cities are important ports, we advocate holding referendums first in the Trieste and Fiume ports, followed by a second referendum in other rural areas of the Istrian peninsula."

At first glance, the conditions Faust offered to Italy were very tempting.

If Trento organizes a referendum immediately, Italy will most likely be able to obtain Trento through the referendum. If Trieste and Fiume regions give priority to organizing referendums in urban areas, Italy will also have a great chance of winning.

Once Italy wins the referendums in Trieste and Fiume, it will have more bargaining chips even if it loses the suburban and rural referendums in Istria with a high probability.

Prince Filiberto hesitated. "I need to get approval from the General Staff before signing the armistice agreement. This may take a day or two..."

Faust said decisively, "Your Highness, do not wait another day or two. End this war today. Both our countries have suffered greatly from the turmoil of war. Every day the war continues, while we discuss the terms of the armistice, will result in more Germans and Italians dying."

Faust had Hitler hand the text of the armistice agreement drafted by the National Socialist Party to Prince Filiberto: "Our staff has drafted the specific details of the agreement. Please review it."

In the armistice agreement proposed by the National Socialist Party, both sides will cease fire on the spot along the current control line and immediately exchange prisoners. At the same time, the armistice agreement also clearly stipulates that Germany must issue a statement supporting the national self-determination referendum plan just mentioned by Faust.

This agreement is very beneficial to Italy. The Italians want Trento, Trieste, Fiume...

According to this agreement, all the money can be included in the account, which is much better than the current attitude of Britain, the United States and France. Britain, the United States and France favor Yugoslavia and obviously intend to let Yugoslavia occupy Trieste and Fiume to balance Italy.

Prince Filiberto was tempted. The troops under his command had been severely damaged by the Wehrmacht in the Battle of Trento. If the armistice negotiations failed and the two sides continued to fight, although there were still a large number of troops in the Italian rear, Prince Filiberto himself would be defeated.

And not just a defeat, but a humiliating defeat on the last day of the war.

Prince Filiberto did not want to bear such a bad reputation that would last forever. The conditions offered by Faust were indeed very tempting. The only problem was:

The domestic situation in Germany is turbulent. Can the Germans really fulfill the terms stipulated in the Trento Armistice Agreement in the future?

Faust did not use the name of the Tyrolean Revolutionary Republic in the armistice agreement, and the signature was still the 11th Army of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In other words, legally speaking, this armistice agreement was actually a temporary agreement signed between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy.

The binding force is very weak.

Prince Filiberto thought about it carefully again. No matter what, the Italian army could not defeat the Germans on the battlefield, and an armistice was inevitable. Even if the Germans did not fulfill the agreement in the end, just asking them to issue a statement on the referendum plan would be very beneficial for Italy's future competition for the ports of Di and Fu.

After much deliberation, Prince Filiberto felt that he had no choice but to accept Faust's advice.

Prince Filiberto briefly discussed the specific terms of the armistice with Faustus, and then he said: "As long as peace can be achieved, Italy will accept your army's conditions without delay and in full."

In this carriage in Trento covered in heavy snow, Prince Filiberto signed immediately. Faust appeared calm on the surface, but he only breathed a sigh of relief when the Italian signed.

Because as long as the Italians were still besieging Trento, it would be difficult for the Wehrmacht to withdraw from the South Tyrol Pass. Once the National Socialist Party missed this most critical window period in November 1918, it would be difficult for it to step onto the center stage of world history.

"Finally... everything is over."

Prince Filiberto sighed, then he asked an Italian military reporter to come out and point his camera at the German and Italian negotiators in this carriage.

This reporter, of course, was Mussolini, who accompanied Prince Filiberto to record this important historical moment.

Mussolini wiped his hands nervously, then took off his soft hat, revealing a shiny round bald head.

Hitler, who was sitting next to Faust, couldn't help laughing when he saw this scene.

Hitler told Mussolini, "Mr. Journalist, please pay attention to the composition of your shot. This photo you took will be passed down through the ages."

Mussolini smiled awkwardly and said: "Okay, General, please sit down and everyone stand. I want to take pictures."

Faust and Prince Filiberto are located in the center of the picture, looking at the camera together. Next to Faust are Hitler and Rommel in military uniforms, and Tito in casual clothes.

The spotlight flashed, and with a "pop", the camera in Mussolini's hand recorded the historic moment of the signing of the Trento Armistice Agreement.

This is the end of an era. The long nineteenth century finally ended, and the twentieth century sounded the clarion call to modern times.

Chapter 152: The Salzburg Rebellion

After the negotiations in Trento ended, the Italian side cordially invited Faust to a dinner. Faust didn't want to waste too much time there, so he refused directly with a tough attitude. He still had to rush back to Innsbruck and lead the Wehrmacht to march north to Munich as soon as possible!

But Prince Filiberto was very humble. Seeing this, he said that since the Germans were short on time, the dinner should be changed into a lunchtime banquet.

Since the Italians had said so, Faust could no longer refuse, so they held a banquet in Trento. At the banquet, Prince Filiberto personally performed equestrianism. A common game was to ride at full speed while bending down to pick up a hat on the ground.

Skilled European riders were able to curl up on the side of their horses to avoid bullets, and some could even cling to the horses' bellies. They were able to adjust their posture in the saddle, turning from facing forward to facing backward, while at the same time controlling their horses as they galloped at full speed.

Faust had not learned horse riding systematically, but Prince Filiberto had already performed riding skills on stage, so Faust did not want to be outdone. He also led the military horse, controlled the reins and leaped, imitating Prince Filiberto's appearance on the spot, showing exactly the same riding skills, which immediately attracted cheers from all the German and Italian officers present.

Afterwards, officers and soldiers of the two armies drank beer together to celebrate the end of the war.

Such a peaceful and joyful scene was difficult to appear, whether on the Eastern Front or the Western Front, probably because during the four years of war, the Italians always ran into obstacles at the hands of the Austrian army, and the Germans did not have a blood feud with the Italians.

In the Armistice of Trento, Faust proposed a number of clauses that were very favorable to Italy. In return, the Italian army's attitude towards the Germans changed from wartime hostility to a friendly one.

Even Prince Filiberto, after drinking thirty glasses of wine, said with a red face: "My German friends, oh friends, oh friends, compared to the barbarians of Yugoslavia, Germany and Italy have a friendship that spans thousands of years!"

Faust thought that if the thousand-year friendship between Germany and Italy was to be traced back, it would probably have to be traced back to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I "Barbarossa".

Don't forget, "Barbarossa" means red beard in Italian.

The origin of this word is that during Frederick I's conquest of Italy, he carried out many massacres and bloodshed, which made the Italians shout "Barbarossa" in fear.

After the banquet, Prince Filiberto presented Faust with a royal dagger, and Mussolini quickly took several photos of them.

Faust accepted the Italians' gift and wasted no time thereafter. After the German army again declined the invitation to the dinner, Faust led the Wehrmacht to withdraw to Trento and Merano.

When the German army retreated from the Merano Snow Mountain to Tyrol, Faust also rode past the Merano Military Hospital. This hospital was the largest military hospital of the Austrian army on the front line. It covered a large area and had a large number of staff. Nurses in white gauze were coming in and out, busy as a whistle.

Before leading his troops back to Innsbruck, Faust took half an hour to visit the Merano Military Hospital.

The hospital was full of wounded soldiers from the Battle of Trento. The two grenadier divisions of the Wehrmacht suffered very few casualties during the counterattack phase, but the German army still suffered heavy losses while Tito and Scherner held the city of Trento with their weak forces.

The hospital was filled with the smell of disinfectant, and stretchers of the wounded were carried in and out like a stream. The doctors and nurses were so tired that they did not have the energy to show excitement when they saw the famous Faust.

Faust took off his military cap, thanked the wounded, and thanked the medical staff in the Merano Military Hospital. Then, with Faust's keen eyesight, he immediately saw a familiar figure among the large number of nurses.

A petite female nurse, holding a medical lamp, was standing in the corner.

Although she was wearing a veiled hat and her hair was tied up in a very mature bun, her red and golden hair color and a pair of clear and pure eyes immediately reminded Faust that this was Lala, the maid who took care of his daily life when he stayed in Berlin.

Lala was obviously surprised to meet her old friend again on the battlefield. Faust nodded and smiled at her faintly. He was really busy and had no extra time to be alone with the little maid. He had endless things to deal with every day. After dealing with the Italian army in Trento, Faust would focus his main energy on planning the grand cause of Munich.

The little maid Lala behaved relatively calmly this time. Judging from her expression, she was obviously very happy after seeing Faust. But perhaps it was the training she had received during her time in the front-line field hospital, where she had personally experienced the world war and seen countless people disabled and dead. Lala's eyes were much firmer than when she was in Berlin.

But Faust didn't know whether Lala's blind love for the German Empire had faded a little.

Faust waved to Lala and smiled, "My friend, who would have thought that we would meet here? I don't know where we will meet again."

The doctors and nurses in the hospital all focused on Lala in surprise.

No one expected that this little Sorbian nurse was actually a friend of the war hero Faust.

Lala didn't say much. She just pursed her lips and nodded stubbornly. When Faust was about to leave the hospital, Lala seemed to remember something. She quickly caught up with Faust and stuffed a small cross into Faust's hand.

"Sir! Although I don't know what your future career will be, I have heard from people around me that you are really doing something important that will affect the future destiny of Germany."

Lala bit her lip and said, "I can't help you in any way. I can only pray to the Savior with all my heart. I hope, I hope, your journey will be smooth sailing."

Faust laughed and reached out to touch Lala's head. "Thank you for your prayers. Next time, if there is a next time, I hope we can meet again in Berlin."

After saying this, Faust turned around and left, surrounded by guards.

Lala watched Faust's back as he left, and secretly clenched her hands. She was not a particularly devout believer. From the announcements issued by the Tyrol Revolutionary Republic in the past few days, she had basically understood the attitudes of revolutionaries like Faust towards Christianity, but Lala still wanted to continue praying for Faust.

"God, please bless Germany, bless someone who can save Germany..."

Shortly after Faust rode away from the Merano Military Hospital and was still on his way back to Innsbruck, Faust's guard Vasily ran back with a telegram.

Vasily rolled and crawled on the snow, stepping through it with one foot deep and one foot shallow, and quickly handed the telegram to Faust: "Your Excellency, new news, important news from Salzburg."

"Salzburg?"

Salzburg was where the Vienna Provisional Government placed members of the Habsburg royal family under house arrest. Logically, in order to ensure the stability of the new government, all members of the Habsburg family should be closely monitored.

But the situation is now turbulent, and the Vienna Provisional Government does not even know how long it can survive. Of course, its supervision of members of the Habsburg family is only superficial.

Amid the chaos, Queen Mother Josephine was rumored to have escaped from her house arrest, and royalists might be planning a rebellion against the provisional government in Salzburg.

Faust looked at Vasily and suspected that Vasily was also connected with the royalists of the Habsburg family. Vasily quickly shook his head.

Faust smiled and said, "This is an opportunity to contain the Vienna Provisional Government. Comrade Vasily, I will leave this task to you. Contact the Habsburgs. Innsbruck can provide them with some help and weapons. Let the royalists and the bourgeois government of Vienna fight each other."

Vasily was a little bit unconvinced: "Can we really do this?"

Faust was not afraid to do something Machiavellian. There were two prerequisites for the Wehrmacht to march north to Munich. One was to stop the Italian army in the south from attacking, and the other was to prevent the Vienna Provisional Government in the east from taking advantage of the chaos to attack Innsbruck.

The first premise has now been realized by Faust, and the second premise can be realized with the help of the royalists.

"For centuries, Christians had looked to the Holy Roman Empire under the Habsburgs as a shield against the apocalypse; as long as the empire existed, the world would not end."

"But today, the European continent is in turmoil. Empires are crumbling, monarchies are disintegrating. This is the era of socialism, in which people firmly believe that the oppressed classes of the late feudal era will usher in a new beginning. This is the era of nations, in which people firmly believe that all nations will emerge from the dark past of imperial oppression into the bright future of national independence. This is the era of freedom, in which people firmly believe that the new republic will create the conditions for lasting peace in Europe and the world..."