Chapter 1001： Visit Portugal

"Your Majesty, the Atlantic Ocean has now become a situation where the Imperial Navy is competing with the United States. Although the British are retreating in Canada, they are also rebuilding their navy. However, Canada's foundation is too poor, and everything needs to be started from scratch. The British want to regain their own. A powerful navy is no longer possible. Currently, the home port of the Imperial Navy's Atlantic Fleet is Scapa Flow. But this is no longer suitable. We need a better base to fully utilize the strength of the Atlantic Fleet ” Lieutenant General Burdick, commander of the Imperial Navy’s Atlantic Fleet, reported.

Qin Tian nodded, although Scapa Flow is a good military port. However, the location is not so good. In other words, Scapa Flow was very good when the British used it as the home port of the large fleet to intercept the German navy.

Now, the Atlantic Ocean has become a confrontation between the German Navy and the US Navy. If the Atlantic Fleet uses Scapa Flow as its home port, it will be somewhat inappropriate for the German Navy Atlantic Fleet.

"The location of the Azores is really good. Although the infrastructure is too bad, after a few years of construction, it can become a very good military port. However, the Azores are in the hands of Portugal. It is their most important overseas islands. It may be very difficult for them to hand over the Azores to us," Qin Tian said.

In another time and space, the Portuguese were two-faced. On the one hand, they are afraid that Germany will invade them, so they actively move closer to Germany. Although it did not participate in the war, it was consistent with Germany in all aspects. But on the other hand, Portugal leased the Azores to the British and American allies, allowing them to use the Azores as a transit point to attack Germany. It is precisely for this reason that the Portuguese dictatorship was able to avoid being overthrown and continue its rule.

This time and space, after the Portuguese royal family was overthrown. The Portuguese apparently adopted the same strategy. When the British Empire was still the world's hegemon, they maintained a very good relationship with the British Empire. However, when the British Empire retreated, lost its homeland, and retreated to Canada, the Portuguese government actively repaired relations with Germany. However, Qin Tian believed that if Germany proposed to lease the Azores, or let the Portuguese government sell the Azores to Germany, the Portuguese government would definitely not agree.

Although Germany has a strong military strength, with its strong military strength, it can completely crush Portugal into slag. However, Germany has just re-established its image as a peace-loving country. If it invades Portugal rashly, it will inevitably ruin the image that has been established with great difficulty.

In addition, although Portugal is a small country, it only has a population of just over 6 million. However, Portugal has also been brilliant. In the age of great voyages, they were the first pioneers to set foot in it, and achieved a great career. It's just that Portugal began to decline after Britain and France also joined the great voyage. Especially after the independence of Brazil, their colony in the Americas, Portugal was completely reduced to a second-rate small country.

However, it is not so easy to conquer Portugal militarily. If Portugal was so easily defeated, then Spain, which is also on the Iberian Peninsula, would have conquered them long ago. After all, Spain is much stronger than Portugal in terms of population and territory. Qin Tian did not hope that after the German army invaded Portugal, it would turn it into a quagmire of war. After all, although the German army is strong, the Portuguese will always resist. The German army can't kill all the Portuguese!

"Your Majesty, can we obtain the Azores through lease?" said Marshal Reinhardt Scheer, Secretary of the Navy.

As the confrontation between Germany and the United States becomes more and more intense, the German Navy is increasingly hoping to obtain a naval base in the east-central Atlantic. In that case, they will have greater strategic depth and room for maneuver. In addition, on the Azores, not only a military port can be built, but also an airport can be built to deploy aircraft. In this case, if the United States wants to attack the European continent, it may first have to find a way to remove the nail of the Azores. Otherwise, they have to worry about their own back all the time.

Qin Tian thought for a while, then nodded: "It can be leased. However, the rent cannot be too high. If the Portuguese government allows it, the lease period should be set at ninety-nine years! Of course, if it can be rented at one time It would be the best if the Azores were purchased."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Marshal Reinhard Scheer and Lieutenant General Burdick both nodded. However, they also knew that it would be very difficult for Portugal to give up the Azores.

"Wachit, it's up to you to visit Portugal and discuss this matter with the Portuguese government! It is best to let them sell the Azores to us. If not, then lease it!" Qin Tian said.

"Yes, Your Majesty. However, if we want to buy the Azores, how will the price be set? If we want to lease, how will the rent be calculated?" Wachter asked.

"If you buy it at one time, the price should not exceed 500 million marks. If you rent it, it should be 10 million marks per year!" Qin Tian said.

Although Germany is rich and powerful now, German money is not blown by strong winds. It would be best if the German Navy could obtain the Azores at the lowest cost. The one-time purchase price of 500 million marks, or the annual rent of 10 million marks, is not a small figure for Portugal.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Vashite nodded.

"Everyone, it would be best if we could obtain the Azores from Portugal through peaceful means. However, if Portugal rejects our proposal, then we may need to use other methods to obtain the Azores." Sore Islands. I hope that the cabinet and the military can come up with a plan!" Qin Tian said.

Qin Tian also hoped to be able to make two-handed preparations when he did this. Only in this way will the empire be able to get what it wants.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The military and political officials of the empire replied one after another.

On November 2, 1918, German Foreign Minister Vachter arrived in Lisbon for an official visit to Portugal.