Chapter 718: Chapter 540: Mussolini

Surprisingly, it was not the defeated nations of Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire that collapsed after World War I, nor the war-torn Russia and United Kingdom that fell into chaos; rather it was Italy, who seemed to have a lesser presence, that was on the verge of collapse.

Italy's collapse was not a joke, with the situation so chaotic that even war-torn Russia found it absurd.

Before the war, Italy was a standard mid-to-low level great power. Although its financial revenue and economic situation were slightly higher than that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy lagged behind in terms of industrial and agricultural development, areas that showcased a nation's strength.

Firstly, Italy's total steel production in 1913 was about 1.42 million tons, but it was lower than that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the same period.