Capítulo 273: Chapter 273
As Ferdinand was preparing to attack, the Italian battleship Caesar raised a white flag, signaling its surrender. This unexpected turn of events confused the Austro-Hungarian Navy. With the Caesar surrendering, other Italian ships also ceased their resistance. The Battle of the Adriatic Sea came to a complete end, and control of the Adriatic Sea shifted entirely to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Three main battleships of the Italian Navy had been sunk, and now with their surrender, the Austro-Hungarian Navy, which had previously engaged them in battle, began rescue and search operations for survivors in the sea.
With the threat at sea lifted, the 50,000 troops prepared in the port of Trieste were ready to set sail. They would be transported to the east coast of Italy, along with merchant ships, to open up a third battlefield. Alongside the troops of the Pope, they would aim to capture the eastern part of the Kingdom of Italy.
In Venice, the city's residents faced the harsh realities of war. The sound of artillery fire could be heard continuously, and life had become uncertain and dangerous. Aros, a merchant responsible for selling food and daily necessities, faced discontent from the citizens over the rising prices of essential goods. Aros justified the price hikes due to the shortage of food caused by the ongoing war.
The citizens questioned the fairness of the prices, particularly the higher cost of a specific brand of flour, which had been cheaper before the war. Aros defended the pricing, citing the scarcity of food in the market and the risks involved in procuring supplies.
In reality, Aros was taking advantage of the situation to maximize his profits. Various influential families and companies had monopolized control over different areas of Venice, effectively restricting the freedom of residents and profiting from their needs.
To divert blame, these powerful figures accused General Raffaele Cadorna, the supreme commander of the Italian Army, of imposing martial law and restricting residents' movement. They claimed that citizens needed government-issued passes to move freely and that obtaining these passes required either a time-consuming application process or a monetary bribe. Dissatisfied citizens had little choice but to buy passes or risk punishment.
Despite the citizens' grievances, they mostly blamed General Raffaele Cadorna's military orders for their predicament, while the city's elites profited from the war-driven scarcity.
In Florence, the Austro-Hungarian Expeditionary Force's attack had been repelled with the help of city walls and reinforcements. However, the Kingdom of Italy was in turmoil, and the presence of enemy forces near the capital was a significant concern. Emperor Emmanuel II focused on strengthening Florence's defense, with Italian-French border guards taking charge.
Meanwhile, the Austro-Hungarian Expeditionary Force, led by Lieutenant General Karl, wreaked havoc in the original Kingdom of Sardinia, which was the ancestral base of the Italian royal family. They systematically destroyed cities and factories, causing widespread devastation. Italy was unable to effectively counter the Austro-Hungarian Expeditionary Force, fearing it might be a diversion from the main conflict in Florence.
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