"Oh my God...is this true? Can't believe it!"

In an office of the British Embassy in Portugal, Vobor held a cigar in one hand and a telegram that had just been sent in the other, full of surprise and incoherent speech.

Outside the window, the Portuguese army that launched the coup had completely controlled the capital Lisbon and announced to the public that the interim committee composed of soldiers took over the state power, but the entire Portugal was not immediately under the jurisdiction of this group of soldiers. Just a few hours ago, Vobor also received the latest news from the British Foreign Office that only Lisbon's garrison troops and some garrison troops in the southern provinces of Portugal were involved. Most of the Portuguese troops did not experience any abnormal movements, nor did they issue electricity to announce their political stance. It is obvious that the situation in Portugal is in a very delicate stage, but what is not good is that the German Navy participated in the name of protecting the expatriates. About 300 land soldiers landed in Lisbon, and together with the Portuguese army participating in the coup, controlled the port and surrounding coastal defense fortresses.

In response to the Germans' actions in Portugal, the British and US governments have officially raised the most serious protest to Germany through diplomatic channels, demanding that the German team evacuate immediately and dispatch their fleets to the Portuguese waters. Based on this information, Vobor felt that the situation here still had a turning point, but the telegram just sent to him was like a bolt from the blue: the Spanish army, which held military exercises on the western Portugal border, divided troops across the border into Portugal in the name of helping neighboring countries stabilize the situation!

After losing maritime hegemony, the Spanish Empire gradually declined, and the Spanish-American War brought the tiger, which had long lost its sharp claws, back to its original form. Therefore, in a series of international affairs later, Spain was always placed in an optional position by the powerful countries. Even after the outbreak of the war, Britain and France did not take the unclear Bourbon dynasty seriously, and turned a blind eye to it on its surface, and secretly understanding Germany. During the Portuguese crisis after the war, the German government actively wooed Spain, but the rulers of Madrid were frightened by the threat of withdrawing investment from the United States and Britain and cutting off transactions. People thought that the decaying Spain had fallen to the point where it was difficult to compete with the local forces of Spanish Morocco. They never expected that this terminally ill beast would dare to enter the game when the two camps were evenly matched.

The telegram received by Vobor mentioned the time when the Spanish army crossed the border, and it was more than five hours before he received the telegram. The retired British ambassador quickly calmed down. Although Portugal was as declining as Spain, those border fortifications that had been over a hundred years had not yet weathered to the point where they could be knocked down. The Portuguese border defense forces equipped with British weapons are the most elite military force in the country. Even if the number of people is less than that of the Spanish army crossing the border, it should not be a problem to rely on the fortress for a while. Moreover, the Spanish army does not really have the courage to fire at the Portuguese army. Their role is likely to be to strengthen the Portuguese coup troops.

Like most British officials, Vobor has obviously lacked attention to the domestic situation in Spain in recent years. If they were willing to carefully observe Spain's economic and social situation, it is not difficult to find that in the ten years after the end of the war, this country had quietly undergone some changes under the rule of the young king Alfonso XIII. After the economic and trade alliance with Ireland and Austro-Hungarian Empire, Spain's economy struggled to get out of a long-term downturn, and foreign trade continued to grow. The factories in Madrid and Valencia began to replace the old steam engine with more efficient internal combustion engines. Heavy industries, mainly metallurgical casting, have grown to a certain scale under the promotion of foreign capital. With the improvement of the domestic economy, the employment and treatment of grassroots workers have improved, class contradictions have eased slightly, and the social turmoil has thus improved, and the rule of the royal family and the government has been stabilized.

On the other hand, the military operations against Spanish Morocco in 1914 once again exposed the fatal problems of insufficient training of Spanish military compulsory soldiers, low combat power, outdated cavalry and artillery tactics, and aging equipment. It also made the top leaders of the Spanish army realize the key role of infantry in mountain combat. The Spanish army, which once dominated the continent, finally began a slow and tortuous military change. In addition, the suppression of local tribes of Spanish Morocco trained a group of talented young officers for the Spanish army, who broadened their horizons in later military exchanges with Germany and Ireland. Due to the promotion role of these new forces, the appearance of the Spanish army gradually changed. By 1926, the equipment level of the Spanish army was still lagging behind that of the powerful countries, but what it reflected was undoubtedly the positive changes that occurred in the Spanish Empire.

When the British Ambassador to Portugal, Vobor and his colleagues watched the situation change with anxiety and anxiety, the Spanish new army, established in the German standing army, was advancing to cities and transportation hubs in northern, western and southern provinces with unprecedented determination. The flashy Spanish cavalry played a good role in reconnaissance and deterrence. The Portuguese soldiers were disturbed by the news of the military coup in the capital and the fall of the republican government. When they heard that the Spanish army was here to help the restoration of the old king Manuel II, many people were shaken, either handing over the fortress they guarded without a shot, or watching the Spanish army whistle past their eyes.

In this way, the two key days that determined the fate of Portugal were in Germany. Spain's shocking military adventures and the inaction of the Portuguese. The British fleet from Gibraltar to Lisbon was blocked by the Atlantic squadron deployed in advance by the Germans. The American fleet that was hurrying away was still thousands of nautical miles away. Spanish planes soared freely over Portugal, monitoring the Portuguese army, throwing leaflets everywhere, while the planes of the United States and Britain were facing the dilemma of being unable to land at the Portuguese airport.

On the third day after the coup, the city-wide blockade in Lisbon was lifted. When Vobor drove through the streets, he understood that Britain's operations in Portugal had failed, and no matter how smart a politician was, he could not change the situation here.

On this day, the German Crown Prince William and important military officials arrived in Lisbon, Germany, Portugal, and Spain signed a military alliance agreement here, which means that Portugal and Spain, two Western European countries that have been neutral for a long time, joined the allied camp on the same day. Spain promised that all soldiers entering Portugal would withdraw within the specified time and compensate for the losses caused to Portugal during their entry period. Germany promised and quickly fulfilled the economic and military aid given to the Portuguese military government. All Portugal had to do was to establish a joint defense system with Germany and Spain.

Just a few hours after the signing of the Military Alliance Agreement, the German special-mix fleet, which was led by the battlecruiser "Markensen", "Prince Frederick", "Frederick-Car", and the aircraft carrier "Zepplin", and "Hubert", arrived in the Azores. After tense negotiations between the two sides, the Portuguese Governor and commander of the garrison chose to compromise. The German fleet sailed into the Hero Port under the muzzle of the fortress on Tsera Island. More than 2,000 German Marines quickly landed on the shoreline to control the administrative sites and important facilities of the capital of the Azores, and wanted to take over the coastal defense fortress here, but under the tough boycott of the Portuguese garrison, a few German officials were allowed to enter the fortress to supervise the Portuguese army not to take any military-appropriate actions against the German fleet or destroy themselves.

As international observers expected, as the German team landed in Azores, the U.S. and British governments immediately issued an ultimatum to the German government on the grounds that Germany interfered in Portugal's internal affairs, seriously undermined the international order, and threatened the personal and property safety of the U.S. and British expatriates, requiring the German government to withdraw all landing troops within 24 hours, otherwise it would adopt severe punishment to cut off diplomatic relations, freeze German assets, and retain the power to take further action. Since the Germans have taken the lead, how could they surrender to their opponents at a critical moment? The German government ignored the U.S.-British ultimatum, and ships carrying a large number of German Marines and engineering troops arrived in Azores one after another. The Germans also quickly sent senior military officials of the Portuguese military government to Serrat, and handed over the legal power with the military and political officials appointed by the Portuguese Republic. The German team's entry had no internal resistance.

The last flag of the Portuguese Republic fell before the sun sets at sea level. At this dusk that made many people cry, a huge fleet appeared in the Azores Sea. Its strength is not comparable to that of the reconnaissance fleet that had investigated the situation nearby two days ago, but basically includes the essence of the American Atlantic Fleet and the British Ocean Fleet. The masts and clouds of sun-covering smoke show the world the terrible war machine created by modern industry. Although the US and British navies responded at the speed of their ability, the situation still changed beyond their imagination. The four Colorado-class battleships with "super turtle shells" slowed down the speed of the entire fleet, and the hesitation of the heads of state delayed them a precious day. Now, all the military fortifications on Serrat Island are in charge.

Holding in the hands of the Germans, the only airport on the island was parked with fighter jets and torpedo aircraft transported through old aircraft carriers. The limited-powered German special-mix fleet has been strengthened by the battleship formation, and has the confidence to rely on coastal fortifications and land-based fighters to fight against the main American and British fleets. In addition, there are also considerable German submarines operating in the nearby waters. Once the war begins, even if the US and British navy spare no effort, they may not be able to chew this hard bone. However, if the British local fleet and the Gibraltar fleet join the battle around the Azores before the German navy made their fortunes, the situation may have undergone unpredictable changes. Because the two British fleets have the British class battleships with a full load displacement of more than 50,000 tons, and the Glorious class heavy aircraft carrier that can carry more than 70 carrier-based aircraft.

The British class of Britain, Germany class of Germany, South Dakota class of the United States, and Kaga class of Japan are known as the most powerful naval battleships of this era. Their standard displacement is all over 40,000 tons, and they are equipped with 10 to 12 16-inch main guns, firepower, protection, speed, and fire control. Influenced by national strength and strategy, Japan has only started construction of two Kaga class and two upgraded models. The Americans seemed to have noticed the approaching atmosphere of war and built it in one breath.
Chapter completed!