Czechoslovakia inherited heavy industry that had supplied guns and armour for the Austro-Hungarian Navy, but it lacked a coastline. That combination separated the ability to manufacture major warship components from the ability to build and operate a fleet. In the proposed alternative, Yugoslavia retains the former Austro-Hungarian fleet and continues buying Czech weapons and armour. Such an arrangement would preserve a regional supplier relationship while giving Italy a much stronger naval neighbour.
Notable Point · 3:18:13-3:19:48
Czechoslovak heavy industry and the Austro-Hungarian naval inheritance
Czechoslovakia had naval armament industries without a coastline; a hypothetical Yugoslav successor fleet could have kept buying their products.