WesWorld

NB: This thread is for actual news-related things.

Marine
The first battleships for ten years were laid down in Trieste. The two Littorio Class will be superior to any other ship in the world once built. Mussolini used the event to illustrate how fascist Italy was pushing the boundaries back and that the rest of the world was trailing behind. Also laid down at the start of the year were two light cruisers and ten additional submarines.

Two Hercules-Class lift vessels were completed and delivered to Iberia.

Aviation
The evaluation of the new Fiat CR.35 continued throughout early 1934 with good results. The aircraft flown against the current standard CH.1 and Ca.165 types and found to be superior to both, especially in regards to speed. The aircraft was accepted by the Regia Aeronautica and an order placed for 400 examples to be delivered by 1936. Also present were Iberian observers. Iberia ordered a few aircraft for their own evaluation purposes. 6 of the preproduction aircraft were delivered to the combat air school set up by Col. Bergamini last year.

First flight of Magni RR.2 with more satisfying results. The entirely redesigned fuselage mated with the old motor improved speed and range. The first tests in 1931 with the modified sailplane were a useful proof of concept.

Other
Letter to Danish Technical College, Ostervoldgad
Sir,
A journal article recently authored by yourself was brought to my attention. The article was titled Investigation of thermal resistant alloys. I wish to contract you for a three month research period working for my company in Torino. Since 1929 we have been developing a new large 2-stroke diesel engine for marine application. However this project has been fraught with reliability problems and we are fast approaching our deadline set by SuperMarina. The letter enclosed from the project engineer will give you more details.
G. Agnelli

Dino Grandi with responsibility for foreign affairs used the PETA meeting in Milano for extensive discussions with both the French and German ministers about the emergence of NATO and the position in SEA. The need for stronger European ties was raised but the discussions were largely fruitless but will serve as basis for the future as the issue is sure to be raised again.

SuperMarina announced a large scale re-deployment of forces. The 2nd Aviation Squadron and the 5th Destroyer flotilla will deploy to Santiago de Cuba for a period of time. SuperMarina stated that the opportunity is to be used to strengthen communication between the Iberian and Italian navies and with special attention to combined operations. When asked why the change, the spokesman answered that with the ending of the war on the Arabian peninsula, Ethiopia no longer needed extra Italian assistance. Also sent west were the 55th Submarine Squadron.

Other
March 17.
Rome protocols signed by Italy and Hungary. ("Animated by a desire to contribute to the maintenance of peace and to the economic recovery of Europe upon the basis of respect for the independence and for the rights of every state, persuaded that the collaboration of the three governments toward that end may bring into existence the requisite conditions for greater cooperation with other states, undertake, in order to achieve the aforesaid purposes; To come to an understanding on all problems particularly affecting them and on problems of a general character, for the purpose of pursuing in the spirit of the existing ItaloHungarian treaty of friendship which are based upon the recognition of the existence of many common interests, a concordant policy directed toward promoting effective collaboration among the European states and particu­larly among Italy and Hungary."

Mussolini and Grandi conduct a tour of Ethiopia following a request from Haile Selassie. A number of topics were subject of talks, including the recent war in Arabia and foreign policy. In addition, a new and fairer trade agreement was decided upon following greater surveying of the country's resources. In Massawa, the command of the training cruiser Ras Dejen was formally handed over to Ethiopian Cm. Kebebe, in reality the command had been his for over a year.

SuperMarina orders a number of test pieces of Madsen's new 57mm anti-aircraft gun.

Signore Agnelli,
My colleagues and I are pleased that you wish our input into your current issue...stop
We look forward to having this opportunity to work with your organisation...stop
We await your engineers arrival....stop
For DTC, Prof Karl Peter Olafsen

18 March 1934

It is of concern to the government of the Republic of France that the Italian government has given further evidence of a casual disregard for a Treaty concluded by the Italian government. We refer to the Treaty of Trianon, of June 4 1920. The Articles applicable to the licencing of Fiat fighter aircraft in return for the supply of Hungarian arms to Italy are found below:


Treaty of Peace Between The Allied and Associated Powers and Hungary
And Protocol and Declaration, Signed at Trianon June 4, 1920

ARTICLE 108.
Every formation of troops not included in the tables annexed to this Section is forbidden Such other formations as may exist in excess of the 35,000 effectives authorised shall be suppressed within the period laid down by Article 102.

Air Force personnel are forbidden to Hungary, since such are not found on the Treaty tables.

ARTICLE 115.
The manufacture of arms, munitions and war material shall only be carried on in one single factory, which shall be controlled by and belong to the State, and whose output shall be strictly limited to the manufacture of such arms, munitions and war material as is necessary for the military forces and armaments referred to in Articles 104, 107, I13 and 114. The Principal Allied and Associated Powers may, however, authorise such manufacture, for such a period as they may think fit, in one or more other factories to be approved by the Commission of Control referred to in Article 137.

The manufacture of sporting weapons is not forbidden, provided that sporting weapons manufactured in Hungary taking ball cartridge are not of the same calibre as that of military weapons used in any European army.

Within three months from the coming into force of the present Treaty, all other establishments for the manufacture, preparation, storage or design of arms, munitions or any other war material shall be closed down or converted to purely commercial uses.

Within the same length of time, all arsenals shall also be closed down, except those to be used as depots for the authorised stocks of munitions, and their staffs discharged.


Since fighter aircraft are not found in Articles 104, 107, 113 and 114, they may not be manufactured in Hungary.

ARTICLE 118.
The importation into Hungary of arms, munitions and war material of all kinds is strictly forbidden.

The manufacture for foreign countries and the exportation of arms, munitions and war material shall also be forbidden.

The Italian transaction is a clear violation of both aspects of this Article.

ARTICLE 128.
The armed forces of Hungary must not include any military or naval air forces. No dirigible shall be kept.

This pretty much sums it up.

The Italian government have assisted the Hungarian government in violating many aspects of the Treaty of Trianon, which, unlike the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Sevres, have never been revised or superceeded. This being the case, the Treaty of Trianon remains in legal force, and a good thing too, since important leaders of the Hungarian government have continuously agitated for the revision of the trianon borders and have been involved in financing and arming terrorist groups directed against neighboring Powers.

Germany was relieved of the Versailles Treaty because her leaders demonstrated a firm committment to living at peace with her neighbors. No such committment can be observed of Hungarian leaders, so the Italian action of licensing fighter aircraft production in Hungary is of grave concern to the government of the Republic of France


OOC:
The Trianon Treaty is found here:
http://net.lib.byu.edu/~rdh7/wwi/versa/tri1.htm

Surely it's more a case that it hasn't been superceeded because no-one is playing Hungary unlike Germany......

This is getting very boring!!!!

IC: Japan has no knowledge of the existence of this Treaty of Trianon.

OOC: I have to agree with CG on that point.

I have no idea. The Rome protocol was signed by Italy, Austria and Hungary in OTL on March 17, 1934. As it would obviously be difficult to include Austria I modified it to only mention Italy and Hungary. If it is really such a problem I'll remove it. Its just something I found during my trawl through of 1934 events - some historical background helps at times.

Edit: Since Hungary has no airforce in OTL until 1938 it makes no sense to sell them aircraft. However, this isn't OTL and Hungary now is surrounded on all sides by massive power blocs.

Well, not exactly surrounded on all sides: the borders with Czechoslovakia and Germany don't border on massive power blocs, since neither Czechoslovakia nor Germany are members of any blocs. Certainly the Czechs are militarily strong now, and Germany could become that way, but those borders are open of massive bloc status. Not to mention that I don't know that I'd call the PRJ "massive".

On the Italian and Russian borders, though, those do border massive power blocs.

Quoted

IC: Japan has no knowledge of the existence of this Treaty of Trianon

An empowered representative of the Emperor of japan signed it:

HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN:
Mr. K. MATSUI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of H.M. the Emperor of Japan at Paris;

If the Honorable Mr. K. Matsui did not inform his government of the fact, that is a matter between His Imperial Majesty
Mr. K. Matsui.

Quoted

Do I hear elephants...?

OOC:

And the fact that about a year after the signing of the historical Rome Protocol the French Foreign Minister and the King of Yugoslavia were assasinated at Marseilles by Italian-financed terrorists trained in Hungary is no matter of concern for the French government?

Quoted

Mr. K. Matsui.

Quoted

Do I hear elephants...?

*the Earth begins to shake*

According to Japanese documents, Mr. K. MATSUI was killed in an automobile accident in 1915. Therefore the man who posed as Mr. K. MATSUI has to be an imposter.
(in the Wesworld that is )

Quoted

And the fact that about a year after the signing of the historical Rome Protocol the French Foreign Minister and the King of Yugoslavia were assasinated at Marseilles by Italian-financed terrorists trained in Hungary is no matter of concern for the French government?

Well, it shouldn't YET be a concern, since without a time machine the French government doesn't know that will happen. But certainly if it does happen France will have excellent reasons to be concerned.

as indicated by a few stories in the late 1920s:

http://wesworld.jk-clan.de/thread.php?threadid=2500&sid=

http://wesworld.jk-clan.de/thread.php?threadid=2514&sid=


http://wesworld.jk-clan.de/thread.php?threadid=2529&sid=


So diplomatic and arms deals between Italy and a country with large territorial claims on her neighbors is of concern to France

Mr. M: "Note to self. Support Hungarians."


Brazil meanwhile finds itself a little betwixt and between...friendly with Atlantis, historically friendly (if currently slightly strained over Bolivian initiation) with France, wants to maintain good relations with Italy (mmm, cheap arms)...

News edited to remove sale of aircraft to Hungary. It'll have to wait for the future when Hungary has an air force again.