Chapter 165: Anglo-Soviet Friendship

“According to the itinerary it’s after the third performance, at the cultural exchange symposium between the two countries and the reception that follows.” Alan Wilson lowered his head and flipped through the itinerary, turning his head to ask the diplomat behind him, “That’s right, isn’t it?”

“That’s right, London attaches great importance to this cultural visit by the Soviet Song and Dance Troupe, which reminds us of the old days when we worked side by side.” The diplomat named by Alan Wilson spoke eloquently, taking a stance very much in line with the current general direction of Anglo-Soviet friendship.

From the Anti-French Alliance to the First World War, and the current clusterfuck against Germany, on key issues, Britain and Russia always stood together, and the two countries were natural allies.

Alan Wilson tautly agreed with this conclusion, but of course the Crimean War, as well as the successive British alliances to block Imperial Russia from gaining access to the sea, it was all a misunderstanding. Even the best of friends inevitably have a day of spats.

“This is a time of reconciliation, we look to the future, seek common ground and reach consensus. Discover each other’s strengths!” Alan Wilson told acid-to-the-teeth lies with his face as usual, and one had to admire the thickness of the skin that raced over the city walls.

Alexander Alexandrov, still essentially a soldier, does not understand the diplomatic level of words. Still, he understands not to speak when he shouldn’t, even if he has thought about the Crimean War.

So on the surface, Alan Wilson’s official statements had good results, at least he thought so himself.

The first performance of the Red Flag Opera Company was scheduled at the Royal Opera House in London, the Royal Opera House has a history of hundreds of years, the pre-war period was the Royal Opera House’s glory days, the theater’s career is growing day by day, artists of international reputation, have come to perform here, the theater is also among the world’s leading opera houses.

The French composer Debussy praised it as representing one of the best aspects of the British, not only the decoration is magnificent, and sound effects are perfect, listening to music here is a great pleasure.

Originally in accordance with the plan, the Royal Opera House in London is to start in the next year only, but since it is a foreign friend to come to London to perform, was not in the wartime damage to the Opera House, directly was inaugurated in advance, Alexandria Red Banner Opera Company, became the first performance of the group.

This has fully demonstrated the courtesy of London, to improve the relationship between Britain and the Soviet Union to the efforts made.

October 18th of the Royal Opera House in London, outside the venue has been crowded, rushed to the audience lined up to enter the theater, can accommodate 2,200 people in the opera house has been filled to capacity.

Alan Wilson was smiling, greeting Foltseva, who was attending with him, in the middle of the box, which made the future Soviet culture czar unsure, and opened his mouth to inquire, “What are you plotting again?”

“Don’t be like that you Soviets, this is London!” Alan Wilson frowned, reminding Foltseva what this place was, it wasn’t Potsdam in Soviet-occupied territory anymore. Foltseva had better show some respect when she spoke.

As for the reason why Allen Wilson was happy, it was just that he had sold a few scalped tickets, and in the grueling task of receiving the Soviets, he had made a small fortune, realizing the original purpose of the job of both public and private.

Any more than that would not have been possible, because a number of upper-class people also bought tickets, and as a sign of the importance attached to the Soviet visit, the British Prime Minister, Mr. Aldrich, and the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Ernest Bevin, pro-Soviet in the mouths of certain Conservative newspapers, were present at the Red Flag Opera Company’s first performance in the United Kingdom.

On the stage of the Royal Opera House in London, the first performance of Alexander’s Red Flag Troupe in England began. When the chorus of the Red Flag started, the Royal Opera House in London was silent.

Inside the box of Prime Minister Eardley and Foreign Minister Bevan, on the other hand, it had absolutely nothing to do with the performance at this time, and the issue discussed by the two men was still related to the current situation in Europe.

“Luxembourg is interested in joining the Brussels Conference organization as a member state.” Foreign Minister Ernest Bevin, while listening to the chorus, turned to Prime Minister Adderley to talk about the matter, “How do we respond?”

“Is Luxembourg eager? I’m sure the addition of one more country won’t attract the attention of the United States or the Soviet Union, Luxembourg is so small.” Adderley retracted his gaze on the stage and replied, “Then let the Foreign Office talk it over.”

If Alan Wilson had been in the middle of this box at this moment, he would have realized that the corrective nature of history was at work.

After the Second World War, the first military alliance in Europe was not actually the familiar North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but an organization called the Brussels Pact.

It was initiated by Britain and joined by France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. After a meeting of the foreign ministers of Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union and France failed to reach an agreement on Germany, Britain advocated a joint Western European effort to strengthen defense against the Soviet Union.

With the support of the United States, Britain began to hold negotiations with France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The foreign ministers of the five countries signed the Brussels Treaty in Brussels for a period of 50 years. Britain and France, in order “not to offend the Soviet Union and cause trouble”, stated in the preamble of the Treaty that the purpose of the alliance was to prevent the resurgence of Germany’s aggressive policy, and at the same time stipulated that the contracting parties should provide all military and other assistance in the event of an armed attack in Europe.

A Consultative Council of Foreign Ministers was established. This was followed by the establishment of a Defense Council, a Supreme Command and the appointment of Montgomery as Commander-in-Chief.

However, with the establishment of NATO, the Brussels Treaty Organization existed in name only and its military functions were incorporated into NATO. That’s why it’s not well known, but the organization has always existed.

Germany and Italy were added to the membership, as well as Spain, Portugal and Greece.

The Brussels Conference appeared two years earlier in this time because of the clarity on the colonial issue. Still, Luxembourg expressed its desire to join immediately after the Brussels Conference.

“What does the Paris side think?” Adderley thought for a moment and asked Ernest Bevan, “Actually, if de Gaulle agrees to this as well, there’s nothing more to say. It’s just that I’m afraid that the Soviet Union will have misgivings about it, knowing that the current member states are in a position to have extensive overseas interests, but Luxembourg is not. If Luxembourg were to join, would it not arouse suspicion in Moscow about Western Europe, that we are taking a containment attitude toward the Soviet Union?”

“Moscow’s attitude is indeed worth considering.” Ernest Bevan nodded his head and replied, “But with a pocket country like Luxembourg, Moscow shouldn’t make a big deal out of it… By the way, from the remarks of a portion of Moscow’s top officials, it seems that there is the idea of having all four armed countries withdraw from Germany and turn it into a neutral country, I wonder what you think?”

“This can never be agreed to! Even if we agree, the French will not agree.” Adderley refused dryly, “Once all four countries withdraw from Germany, the Soviet Union, which has the strongest ground forces, won’t lose anything, while we’ll be left to prepare to resist a possible invasion in France.”

The Soviet Union could withdraw its troops from Germany under certain conditions to unify the four occupied countries. The prerequisite was that the united Germany must be strictly neutral, and another indispensable condition was that the Western camp should pay the Soviet Union a huge offset for this.

But in 1945 this condition was that the withdrawal of Soviet troops must be accompanied by the withdrawal of American, British and French troops.

While the two men were discussing the situation in Europe, Guy Liddell, the Deputy Director General of MI5 and head of security for this reception, knocked on the door and came in to report, “Members of the Soviet visit, would like to come in to express their gratitude for London’s hospitality.”

“Let the Soviet comrades in.” Adderley replaced a gentle smile and turned to Guy Liddell.

After Guy Liddell turned to leave, gesturing at Ernest Bevan, “We’ll talk about this issue afterward, it’s not just Britain alone, there’s also France and the U.S. The more countries involved, the more complicated it becomes, there’s no consensus when there are many mouths to feed, and when there are a lot of mouths to feed but nothing to do, then naturally, there’s no result.”

“By withdrawing completely from Germany we in Britain are at a disadvantage, and right now the British Occupation has not paid off.” Ernest Bevan agreed, how could it not be until the British mainland was fully restored to its pre-war situation, and at that point then we could talk about it, and that was just that it was possible to talk about it, it didn’t say that it had to be fruitful.

On the stage of the Royal Opera House in London, the performance of the Red Banner of Alexandria was still going on, drenched in the exhilarating, thunderous singing of the chorus. The sounds of balalaikas and brass rose and fell, and the two thousand two hundred British audience from all walks of life stood breathless as the flooding chorus was heard.

Not everyone had been on the battlefield, but all the audience seemed to feel that the battlefield was close at hand, and the soul-stirring chorus of the Red Flag Singers brought all the audience in.

At the end of the stage, 200 members of the Red Flag Choir sang “God Save the Queen”, and countless audience members of the Royal Opera House in London stood up and danced to the music of the choir from the Soviet Union, Gaochang God Save the Queen!

Without a doubt, the first performance of the Red Banner Cabaret of Alexandria in London had a sensational effect.

“Thank you gentlemen for your hospitality!” Foltseva came to the Prime Minister’s box and took a glass of wine and raised it to Prime Minister Adderley and Foreign Minister Ernest Bevin, “I hope that this cultural exchange program will reduce misunderstandings between the USSR and the UK, and increase understanding between the two countries.”

“There is no animosity between Britain and the Soviet Union, and I myself am a socialist.” Adderley raised his glass while introducing Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin, “When the news of the formation of the Soviet Union came, Bevin and I both rejoiced over it, sensing that the working class had found their homeland, and for that reason we refused to help the armed forces hostile to the Soviet Union deliver aid.”

“But we hoped that the Soviet Union would show conscientious competition, which would be of great benefit to world peace.” Ernest Bevan similarly raised his glass, then drained it.

“To Anglo-Soviet friendship!”