Chapter 734 – The Tough Philippines

Outwardly obsequious and inwardly rejecting, it might have been a long time before any progress would have been made if a normal country had been negotiating with them.

Alan Wilson believed, however, that Europe and the United States would not generally eat this up, and Australia and New Zealand were also culturally European and American, and would not have a pedantic mindset towards the former enemy nation that was once going south to pose a threat to their own existence.

Unless a country of the same culture pressures the two countries, but as of now, the US isn’t necessarily going to do that either. For the U.S., it was certainly true that Japan was on the front line of the blockade of the Soviet Union, but how could the other side of the negotiating table not be a close ally of the U.S.?

The result of this day’s talks, the superficial engineering of the Japanese, had been judged by Allen Wilson as Japan’s uselessness.

In fact, this is also true, the Japanese did not make any commitment, the other countries also only stated their own position, basically can be concluded as each talking to themselves.

Formal talks tend to be very boring, just a bunch of talking points rehashed.

“It’s actually negotiations like the Munich Conference that are interesting.” Alan Wilson had a sense of humor and playfully said to his wife, “That’s what brings out the essence of diplomacy, the underdog.”

Pamela Mountbatten bristled, truly unable to do anything about her husband who was reminiscing about the glory of imperialism, and whispered, “It’s a shame there’s no environment for you to play in now, you should have been born fifty years earlier.”

“A hundred years, but then I wouldn’t be able to touch you, there are always regrets in life, you can’t take advantage of all the good things.” Alan Wilson took the opportunity to pounce on his wife, mentioning that their relationship was comparable to the glory of the Sunset Empire.

Imperial civil servants licked the merit of no one below, some sweet words to Pamela Mountbatten get Pamela Mountbatten’s heart in a blaze of glory, and it was hard to collect the laughter, “Just know that the good news.”

Although the words are so, but she ate this set, what wealth is certainly important, but the husband’s care is more important.

Claims against Japan essentially and Alan Wilson has nothing to do, he came here, but is just a hilarious psychological seizure, after all, I was present at the Potsdam Conference, the more this kind of famous scene encountered the better, even if it is not the accumulation of seniority, but also to meet the psychology of pretend.

Many people think that the essence of diplomacy is to pull the skin, this is a very superficial understanding, pulling the skin is only the manifestation of the appearance. The essence of diplomacy is, of course, the exchange of benefits, the weak and the strong.

President Quirino was indeed a strong advocate of Japanese reparations, but after hearing the figure demanded by President Quirino, Allen Wilson could not help but feel that it was unrealistic.

The Philippines demanded that Japan pay eight billion dollars in compensation. Allen Wilson didn’t know what Yuto Ikeda really thought in his heart when he heard this figure, and he certainly wouldn’t have agreed to it if he had been in his place.

In 1953, Japan’s national output in dollar terms was just over twenty billion dollars. The Philippines asked for a figure that was nearly half of Japan’s national output, a figure that could make Japan think about how to restart the war.

What would be the response if someone asked China to pay six trillion dollars in reparations? I guess China would build a hundred aircraft carriers, 100,000 tanks, 10,000 nukes and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on.

As for switching to the USSR, that’s not a hypothetical, the USSR would have done it for sure.

Just because Japan has a $20 billion dollar economy doesn’t mean it has $20 billion in cash, and even if the Japanese were all cracked open and squeezed for oil, they wouldn’t be able to come up with that kind of money.

The reasoning is simple: having a million dollars worth of assets and being able to come up with a million dollars in cash are two different things.

When inviting Van Dijk, the Governor of Dutch Kalimantan, Alan Wilson did not hesitate to express this point, “The Japanese government just can’t come up with this amount of money even if they let women come to the South Seas to prostitute themselves, and with a figure of eight billion dollars, Japan will be damned if they can agree to it, and the Americans won’t agree to it, after all, Japan has only been stabilized for a few years.”

This is an unaffordable figure for even the UK, the size of the UK’s entire economy could not possibly come up with this amount of money in one go. In an era when the gold standard was still very firmly in place, the country’s statistics weren’t decades away.

“I also think the figure is too high, as was evident at the talks today.” Van Dijk said with a bitter smile, the size of the Dutch economy on the mainland was less than that, selling the whole of Holland wouldn’t be able to get it out.

“Just realize in your heart that this is just a blackmail figure. Take out a result is good, the Americans will not allow you to take by force, after all, Japan’s blockade of the Soviet Union is very significant.” Allen Wilson wanted to say something, he wanted to discuss the Japanese bottom line with Van Dijk, but in the end he kept his mouth shut.

Words to the side of the mouth Allen Wilson came to his senses, he is not really worthy of the six countries of the seal, like this kind of thing effort is not pleasing to the eye, some of the creation of favorable conditions to help okay, deeply involved in the words will not necessarily be thanked, on the contrary, may also be complained.

This kind of reparation is actually good enough, if not for the Philippines has been headstrong demand for reparation, there will not be a chance to see the needle, because after the war the United States on the issue of reparations to make clear the bottom line.

There were two basic principles set by the Allied Powers after World War II, or the United States to be precise, for Japan’s war reparations: Japan was not required to pay reparations, but only to seek in-kind compensation in the form of industrial equipment or resources; and Japan’s post-war economy should maintain a reasonable standard of living for its people.

If the Philippines had not been so disobedient as to keep pursuing reparations until today, and Japan had indeed recovered beyond its pre-war standard of living, it would not have attracted the attention of Allen Wilson again.

As long as characters like the Philippines existed, the rest was much easier for countries like Australia to follow.

Allen Wilson had always said that the Philippines was far more reliable than Australia in the matter of Japanese reparations.

Even Van Dijk thought that the Philippines’ demand was a joke, if the Philippines wanted eight billion dollars, then the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, which were much more powerful, would only be able to pay more than that, and Japan as a whole didn’t have that kind of money.

The four countries together wouldn’t get eight billion dollars, let alone the Philippines itself.

In fact Isao Ikeda immediately traveled to the U.S. Embassy in Australia for help, as the figure was too insolent and unrealistic for Japan to come up with that kind of money.

And at the same time, Alan Wilson invited Philippine President Quirino, what with Australia and New Zealand being untrustworthy in the matter, only the Philippines scripted the head iron basis.

“Although the United Kingdom is not among the claims, but from watching from the sidelines I can also see that the success of the claims lies in the position of the Philippines. That was the consensus of the allies.” Allen Wilson, while not saying so explicitly, did imply that Britain felt that the Philippine claim was reasonable.

But immediately he turned the tables and stated that the figure of eight billion dollars was unrealistic, “I’m not against the figure, in fact it’s all too small, and no amount of money will make up for the crimes and the damage done by the Japanese. But it depends on how the Americans look at it, and in fact by now Mr. President’s attitude has been astonishing. We had thought that with a word from Washington, Manila would be out of the way.”

“The Philippines has become independent, and the matter cannot be done just because Washington says so.” As soon as President Quirino heard this, he said in a deep voice, “Mr. Wilson, I hear you, Britain actually supports the Commonwealth and the European countries, but it’s not good to support them explicitly, so it wants the Philippines to take on a bigger share of the responsibility.”

“See through it without saying it! This is good for everyone.” Alan Wilson smiled heartily and teasingly said, “Making the Japanese work harder isn’t a bad thing is it? It’s not like we’re letting them die!”

In fact, comparing the current standard of living, British Malaya’s standard of living is actually a little bit better than Japan. But the total amount is really too far off, after all, Japan’s population size, British Malaya can’t even catch up even if they are exhausted.

“As long as it can achieve its goal, the Philippines doesn’t care if it offends Japan, the two countries have a grudge anyway.” President Quirino sort of made it official, willing to be used as a gun as long as he could get reparations.

“Then I’ll help liaise when other countries’ support is needed.” Allen Wilson nodded his head, and also gave President Kirino a promise that the issue of common ground was something he was willing to help from.

Since the Japanese could seek help from the Americans, it was reasonable for the Philippines to seek support from the UK.

In fact, this is considered Allen Wilson initiative to help, there is no way, who let him good heart it, always from time to time on the heart of the sense of justice outbreak, want to pursue the pursuit of the feeling of justice.

There is the Philippines this die-hard punch head, other countries have more leeway, to deal with this time the claims group, we have to deal with the Philippines, and the Philippines is not at all moved, the previous figures of President Quirino also know that it is impossible, but still not ready to give up, can get a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece of a piece.

In the face of Japan will need such a talent, hiding in Canberra on vacation Alan Wilson, with great enthusiasm, focusing on each day of the negotiations, the number of claims also in the repeated sawing among the decline.

Isamu Ikeda ran to the U.S. Embassy at the end of almost every meeting, and Alan Wilson even thought that even in the face of his teacher, Shigeru Yoshida, Isamu Ikeda was not so enthusiastic, what an excellent lapdog of the Servant State.

Washington is finally taking a stand, and at the same time pressurizing the claimant countries, saying that the compensation figure demanded is too high for Japan to come up with.

“I have a great deal of respect for Washington and even remember the retreat of American troops from the Philippines in the first place. How much the Filipino people believed at the time that the American troops would protect the Philippines, but unfortunately it turned out to be a mistake.”

President Quirino, faced with pressure from the U.S. ambassador, started with the emotional card, pointing out the U.S. security commitment to the Philippines.

“Quickly tell the Filipinos about the President’s statement!” Alan Wilson said to his wife as soon as he found out, “What he needs most at this time is public opinion.”