"You know, we're winning!" General Winter said, though his voice sounded hollow.

From the beginning, General Winter had been prepared to persuade Italy to join the Allies by arguing three key points:

Italy had longstanding conflicts of interest with Austria-Hungary, such as Austria's occupation of Italy's Trentino region.The Allies would recognize all German or Austro-Hungarian territories that Italy managed to capture during the conflict.The Central Powers were stretched thin, fighting on multiple fronts: the Western Front, Eastern Front, naval battles, and Gallipoli. They were beginning to show signs of strain.

The first two points posed no issues; Sonnino readily agreed to them.

But the third…

"We still have doubts, General Winter," Sonnino admitted frankly. "Yes, the Central Powers are fighting on multiple fronts, but they've stabilized the Western Front and hold the advantage in the East. As for Gallipoli…"

Sonnino paused, aware that Winter was the commanding officer in the Gallipoli campaign, where the Allies were currently struggling.

"Once your country joins the fight, things will change immediately," Winter assured him. "These fronts have exhausted the Central Powers' resources. According to our intelligence, Austria-Hungary has stationed fewer than 100,000 troops at your border. You could crush them with ease."

Italy could mobilize at least a million troops. One million against 100,000—how could they possibly lose?

Winter thought to himself that Italy's entry would be the first domino to topple the Central Powers.

Yet Sonnino remained hesitant. His reluctance wasn't due to a lack of confidence in the Italian military. With a tenfold advantage in manpower, they would undoubtedly win.

The problem was, if Italy succeeded on its front while the Allies lost in Gallipoli or the East, Italy would face a fierce counterattack from Germany and Austria-Hungary. This was a risk Italy couldn't afford to take.

After careful consideration, Sonnino replied, "I understand your points, but we have many factors to consider, General. I'll do my best to persuade them."

A standard diplomatic response. Winter sighed, realizing that this meant no substantial progress—they were still choosing to wait.

...

Back on the HMS Queen Elizabeth, General Winter reported the negotiations to the First Lord of the Admiralty, adding a note of frustration: "I don't understand what they're waiting for. All they need to do is join the war and secure victory. It's that simple, yet they're unwilling."

"They hesitate because they fear they might not win, General," replied the First Lord. "They want to be certain they're on the right side."

The First Lord understood the nuances of political alliances well.

"They are on the right side, surely," Winter responded. "Isn't that obvious?"

The First Lord didn't reply.

Winter's assertion was subjective. From an objective standpoint, the outcome of the war remained uncertain.

Winter sighed, resigned. "What should we do next? Continue negotiations?"

After a moment's thought, the First Lord responded, "No, more talks won't help. We need to give them a reason to believe in victory. Only then will they stop wavering and make the commitment to join us!"

"But…" Winter hesitated. "We're at a stalemate on all fronts."

Winter had to admit this reality. The Gallipoli campaign was also deadlocked.

The First Lord quickly reviewed each front in his mind:

It was unlikely that Russia would break the deadlock. They were barely holding their ground until the Dardanelles could be opened.

Gallipoli had seen little success despite continuous efforts.

At sea, they couldn't achieve decisive results. The Royal Navy's strategy remained one of blockade; an all-out assault would be too costly.

Only one front remained: the Western Front.

A flash of inspiration struck the First Lord. He immediately wired Winter: "We need Charles, General. We need him to deliver a grand, attention-grabbing victory!"

Winter understood immediately. Even a brief victory, lasting only a few days, could be enough to sway Italy to the Allied side.

...

In Berlin, Wilhelmstrasse, at the German General Staff Headquarters, Falkenhayn had also received some intelligence on Italy's actions.

"Their intentions are obvious," remarked Colonel Moritz, holding a report that documented Italy's covert dealings with the Allies. "They're secretly negotiating with the Allies and repeatedly demanding Austria-Hungary return Trentino to them."

Falkenhayn responded with a cold "Hmm."

Although Italy hadn't explicitly stated their demands, asking for Trentino at this time strongly implied, "Give us what we want, or we'll join the Allies."

It was a tricky situation.

If Trentino were under German control, Falkenhayn might consider using it to appease this "pseudo-ally."

But the problem was that Trentino was held by Austria-Hungary, and Austria was unwilling to relinquish it.

Forcing Austria to surrender the region would mean placating Italy at the cost of straining relations with Austria-Hungary. It would be sacrificing the greater for the lesser.

"We can't do that," Falkenhayn murmured to himself.

If they set such a precedent, Italy would continue making demands, claiming more and more territory until the Central Powers fractured completely.

But what could they do?

Italy hadn't been particularly helpful, but at least they hadn't joined the Allies.

After a moment of thought, Falkenhayn came to a decision. "We need a victory. A noticeable, morale-boosting victory."

Colonel Moritz grunted in agreement, initially unsure how a victory would help with this issue.

But after a moment's reflection, he understood. Italy wouldn't join a side that appeared to be losing—that would keep them aligned with the Central Powers.

"Yes, General," Colonel Moritz agreed, then hesitated. "But how are we supposed to achieve a noticeable victory?"

Falkenhayn pondered briefly before asking, "How is training progressing with our new aircraft?"

Colonel Moritz replied nervously, "The pilots have only had two weeks of training. They may not be ready for combat…"

"Prepare them for battle," Falkenhayn interrupted. "We don't have the time or the luxury to wait!"

Strategic and political imperatives required tactical compliance, no matter how difficult it might be.

"And what about the Upper Silesia?" Falkenhayn continued.

"But, General, it hasn't undergone any testing yet…"

"Then let the battlefield be its test!" Falkenhayn interrupted again. "That's where it belongs!"

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