Chapter 478 – Domino Effect

“It’s nothing, I’m very happy to see a few gentlemen being so cordial.” Allen Wilson had a gentle smile on his face, indicating that he really didn’t want to, to disturb the beautiful vision in front of him, in reality it was just that he didn’t listen to anything, and didn’t know where to start even if he wanted to speak.

Regarding Newfoundland and Malaya being able to build on each other’s strengths, Allen Wilson was of course happy to see it happen. Indeed that was the purpose for which the commissioners of the respective colonies had been recalled.

On the books, despite the loss of more than four million square kilometers of colonies in British India, Burma and Ceylon. But the colonies that remain in Britain’s hands now are still nearly ten million square kilometers, and are still very valuable if they can be properly integrated.

Alan Wilson of course knows that the wave of independence will come sooner or later, expect to clutch these colonies is unlikely to last forever.

But the United Kingdom can still be salvaged and salvaged, now is far from the time to recognize the fate.

A bit of politeness to ease the embarrassment, and listened to a few conversations, Allen Wilson is considered to join in the free flow of conversation.

Thinking about whether or not it is time to talk to Mountbatten, the son-in-law still need to establish a little affection between them.

The only question now was whether there was still time, the two Malta class carriers, to make improvements, and first he now had to find the man who had applied the angled deck, Dennis. Campbell.

He also knew that the steam catapult was first invented and used in England, but he hadn’t found any records of it in the past few days, which meant that it hadn’t been introduced yet.

Simply put, a steam catapult consists of a very long action tube with a slot cut into the top of the tube, level with the carrier’s flight deck, and the slot seam sealed with a catapult cover inside the action tube. One end of a rope is fastened to a free-moving shuttle and the other end is attached to the aircraft being catapulted.

High-pressure steam from the carrier’s boiler was injected into the action tube which in turn drove the piston, causing it to move through the tube at a very high speed. An elastic cover allows the rope to move along the length of the barrel, and once the piston and rope pass a certain point, the high pressure of the steam seals the elastic cover again.

The end of the action barrel is open, and the shuttle can then be ejected out of the barrel. The rope can also break away from the accelerating airplane, and the shuttle rushes out to sea while the airplane goes straight into the clouds.

World War II aircraft catapults were used in a variety of ways, such as through hydraulics or compressed air, but these did not work on jet fighters, the increased weight of the aircraft and the fast stalling speed made it very difficult to give the aircraft sufficient acceleration over a short distance through hydraulics or bomb catapults.

There are still three inches of nails in a rotten ship, and the Royal Navy, which has dominated the world for hundreds of years, is still not bad at naval utilization. The problem is that the country’s power is failing, and when aircraft carriers are mentioned decades later, people think of the United States. Few people know that many of the standards for modern aircraft carriers were set by the UK, but all of them have been carried forward by the US.

On the subject of the Navy, he could only turn to Mountbatten, who was the only person he knew who had a say in the Navy.

Although past experience showed that most of this father-in-law’s advice was unreliable. But now it is different, Alan Wilson has never seen pork has seen a pig run.

The most crucial thing is that past unreliability has never delayed Mountbatten’s career, if we refer to it according to history, next year, that is, before the outbreak of the Korean War, Mountbatten is going to return home to serve as the fourth minister of the Navy.

The Secretary of the Navy is elected, so Mountbatten that fourth secretary of the Navy can be considered the Navy’s number three. Considering again the central position of the Royal Navy in the British military, it can be judged that by next year at the latest, Mountbatten can be promoted to the big man of the British military.

Since the end of the war, the Malta-class aircraft carriers, although ultimately retained, but the schedule has also been affected, according to the original plan in the next year is an unknown.

However, compared to the historical fate of being dismantled, it is already a blessing to be able to retain two heavy carriers.

With the addition of the two Eagle-class carriers, the Royal Navy will have four heavy carriers at its disposal for at least the next two decades, a far better hand of cards than at the same time in history.

After completing the accompanying work, Alan Wilson went to send a telegram to Mountbatten, can not be because his fiancée is not around, ignore the feelings of his father-in-law, otherwise it will seem too utilitarian.

In the telegraph exchange, Mountbatten leaked a message, that is, the Crown Prince’s husband Prince Philip, will be in the Mediterranean fleet service after this visit.

Allen Wilson then called back, “This can not be a good job, I once met Prince Philip, this person is not like the surface so easy to get along with, I do not know if it is not after the big wedding. The general still has to have some mental preparation.”

Prince Philip before the marriage was, at best, an exiled noble, not to mention not being the top ranked heir of Greece, even if he was, he would have to behave with his tail between his legs in England.

But after the marriage is different, now Prince Philip will still be like the former so respect Mountbatten, is still an unknown.

Of course the noble Crown Prince couple, is not the focus of Alan Wilson, he gave his father-in-law recommended a person, that is, in the war time has carried out the application of angled deck Dennis. Campbell, I wonder if this involves abuse of power.

But as far as General Mountbatten’s reaction was concerned, the Great British Dragon Pride didn’t think so, and felt that it wasn’t a big deal.

Alan Wilson then made a call to the already met Dennis . Campbell and confirmed the fact that the other party was about to be transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet.

As for getting along with General Mountbatten himself, just remember to report the good news and not the bad. Alan Wilson reminded Dennis Campbell that his own father-in-law was in the Mediterranean. Campbell that his own father-in-law was a man with an absolutely adventurous spirit, and that Dennis . Campbell’s hopes of being able to contribute to the Royal Navy lay with Mountbatten.

All the major colonial commissioners had left London to set up nationalized enterprises. But this does not include the Malayan High Commissioner Gerald Edward, the enterprises involved in the export of tin ore and rubber are themselves an important source of finance for Britain at the moment and do not need to be reorganized at all.

So the setting up of nationalized enterprises was not to include Malaya, and Sir Barron also left, as the current Israel had been formally elected, with its own prime minister and parliament, and Sir Barron had to go off to plan for the arms race.

Alan Wilson also had his own business, as all three campaigns had been fought, and with regard to the changes in the East and the fact that there was about to be a pro-Soviet state, the London decision-making circle needed someone who knew more about the East, in fact, it was Alan Wilson.

“Recently there have been voices in Washington wanting to form a military organization to defend against a Soviet invasion.” Norman Brooke, having asked about China, inquired of Alan Wilson, “What do you make of this, if you were in Boston you would be the one to report on it, not me to tell you. Of course this is not an accusation, but what do you think of this matter.”

NATO? The word flashed through Alan Wilson’s mind all of a sudden, and as he thought about it, he said, “As of right now, the Soviet Union’s power is clearly moving further into Asia, so if a military organization is formed, will it intensify the conflicts in Europe? And we’ve already concluded that the Soviet Union is practically incapable of launching a large-scale invasion because of its huge losses in manpower.”

“That’s also the Prime Minister’s opinion!” Norman Brooke nodded and said, indicating that this was how Prime Minister Adderley currently saw it.

Alan Wilson let out a soft breath and pressed on, it seemed that 1949 was still a year of chaos and confusion.

Norman Brooke immediately proved that Alan Wilson was right, “We have already decided to sign the Coal and Iron Community Treaty with France, as well as the merger of the three occupied territories, the Americans mean to hope that we will not be so stubborn as the French. Only by merging the occupation zones can we better defend ourselves against the Soviet Union.”

“Regarding the matter of merging the occupation zones and the military alliance treaty, we can only agree to one.” Alan Wilson said softly, “Now the United States obviously wants greater benefits, which is completely inconsistent with the Yalta Conference and in the Potsdam Conference, the divided benefits, the most crucial thing is that the Americans called for confrontation against the Soviet Union, that take away is all our share. British-occupied areas for the promotion of domestic, even if I do not say, Whitehall up and down is also clear, can not be the Americans as soon as the mouth says take away. If it’s agreed without compensation?”

“On this matter, of course, I am well aware of the role of the British-occupied zone. For this reason some suggestions were also made. With regard to the loans in the middle of the Marshall Plan, will the Americans agree to give them away without compensation?” Norman Brooke pondered for a moment and said, “If the Americans agree, there is something to talk about in this matter. But also try to fight for the interests belonging to Britain. Alan what are your thoughts!”

“After the merger, I believe Germany will have a centralized government, and the seat of government must be in the British-occupied zone.” Alan Wilson thought for a moment and said, “The Board of Trade must not be abolished for the time being, to ensure that the German central government operates under the supervision of the British forces in Germany.”

Norman Brooke laughed, “And you want to make the three occupation zones, serve the homeland? The Americans shouldn’t be so stupid as to agree to such conditions.”

“Then continue with the status quo, the French are actually very reluctant to reunite Germany and think that the current situation is just fine.” Alan Wilson let out a light laugh, “This is a matter where the United States would probably not succeed if it pressured Paris alone.”

It seems that for the time being, the law that triangles have stability is also present in the current issue of the German occupation.

“If it can be delayed, perhaps the United States and the Soviet Union will confront each other over in Asia, and it will be much better for us.” Alan Wilson shook his head.

In the final analysis, each stage has its own ideas, and historically Britain desperately needed economic aid and security guarantees from the United States, so naturally it was only led by the nose.

At present it was different, Britain’s short-term debt had been cleared, unless the US tore up the agreement and began to call in the debt. Otherwise the UK will not be under economic stress. More crucially, the London decision-making circle simply does not believe that the Soviet Union has the capacity to start a war, at least not in the near future.

Since it did not believe that the Soviet Union had the capacity to start a world war, naturally it was not so enamored of the military alliance. With the two main factors of having to ask for something gone, naturally there was little thought of forming any kind of NATO.

The key thing was that there was already the Brussels Treaty Organization (BTO), and Britain was doing pretty well as a talking head in the BTO.

Under the premise that the Soviet Union will not invade, of course, the United Kingdom has no incentive to take the initiative to pull the European countries to set up a taiwanese in their own heads, the environment has changed the idea has changed, the emergence of NATO may also need some time to brew.

Norman Brooke’s heart moved, he also knew that Prime Minister Adderley was actually very reluctant to confront the Soviet Union so soon.

“In the final analysis, we don’t have nukes in our hands, and we’re a head shorter than whoever we’re negotiating with right now.” Alan Wilson stated that this was the most crucial factor.

Norman Brooke, who already knew that the Adderley Cabinet was secretly restarting the Alloy Tube program since he had become Cabinet Secretary, asked, seemingly unintentionally, “You mean that only having a nuclear bomb in our hands will allow the Americans to talk to us on a relatively equal footing.”

“That is of course, honorable Sir Norman.” Alan Wilson smiled bitterly, “Right now we still have to rely on the United States to resist the Soviet Union’s ground forces, if we have nuclear bombs in our hands, do we still need to be afraid of the Soviet Union’s land forces? Just bury nuclear mines directly into Germany’s territory, it’s just the right time to wipe out Germany and the Soviet Union together, it’s not a loss for Britain.”

The most fundamental reason Britain is now talking just not hard, even if the situation is much better than in history, the face of the United States in the hands of nuclear bombs, the momentum is unconsciously a head shorter.

“That’s what Alan thinks!” Norman Brooke, who arrived at the prime minister’s office, repeated the words of Allen Wilson Bibi, “Although he started talking about China, I actually agree with some of his remarks, if we have a nuclear bomb in our hands, it will be much easier to talk to the United States again about the merger of the occupied territories, as well as the military alliance treaty.”

“The progress of the nukes is still not something Alan’s rank is suited to know. I’m more concerned about the change of heart in the Far East, Alan definitely doesn’t mean the end but the beginning?” Prime Minister Airdrie frowned, “Can it be utilized?”

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to say, it’s Alan’s plan.” Norman Brooke took out a report, this one was simply the domino theory, after the Chinese civil war had an end, the neighboring countries would be affected one after another, including the Korean Peninsula and Vietnam where the French army was located.

“If the outcome stated in this one report succeeds and is able to divert the attention of the United States and the Soviet Union to the Far East, it will buy time for our nukes to appear.” Adderley looked at this one report and schemed, “The key is the American judgment on things, and we don’t really know Washington’s attitude particularly well yet.”

Norman Brooke was prepared and brought out another report, again abbreviated by Alan Wilson, on the differences between Republican and Democratic views of China.

Prime Minister Adderley looked surprised, obviously by report after report, and while reading it and verifying it with the current situation, finally said, “It looks like it’s better to stall as long as possible before our nukes show up.”