Chapter 852 Another Bitter France

Having a brother country like Australia really solved a great problem for Britain. From this point of view, finding Australia’s iron ore in advance made Australia’s finances stronger and helped Britain at this time.

“In the field of security, Australia is really giving up.” Frank also couldn’t help but sigh, he also didn’t expect it to go so smoothly.

“In this field of security, you can always trust Australia, you can even count on the Australians to help you fight a nuclear war.” Alan Wilson laughed straight and gave what he thought was his highest evaluation.

“Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?” Frank let out a bitter laugh, where is there such a country?

“It’s not an exaggeration at all.” Alan Wilson smiled and shook his head, “This is what I really think in my heart.”

Eight million people mobilized out of nine hundred and fifty thousand troops, it was only ten years ago, Allen Wilson hadn’t forgotten so quickly, with this history as a reference, what to spend money on, what economic benefits, for Australia’s security were all trivial.

Britain and the United States are willing to let Australia be the knife, Australia itself is also willing to be the knife, there is such a bearable tool, it can be said to fight a nuclear war are not afraid of, really put Australia nuclear leveling, Allen Wilson does not care, as long as and the enemy with the same death on the line. This is the value of Australia.

In any case, this result is still very satisfactory, the Labor government in the military investment really stingy. Now with this military sale as a foundation, the construction of the new aircraft carrier should not be a problem.

“Military investment in this kind of thing, it is better to be early than late, the later the investment is bigger.” Alan Wilson and his colleagues said, “Our prime minister is a bit confused on this point.”

China’s forced push for high-speed rail when its economy wasn’t particularly strong was questioned at first.

But what if it had been built ten years later when the money was there? Wouldn’t that cost go sky high? Might as well push it while the cost is not too great.

Frank almost laughed out loud and opened his mouth to remind, “I know General Mountbatten’s relationship with you, but this kind of whining to the party should be said sparingly, even though we’re not a system, it’s still a nuisance.”

“Frank you misunderstand, it’s just a small problem that can still be overcome if you think about it more.” Alan Wilson corrected Frank’s suspicions, he could be very supportive of the Labor government.

Gouging is only a small problem, Britain’s military stock is here, it is difficult to maintain the current size.

The reluctance to invest in new weaponry is justifiable. Better than the Tories performing a high dive with confidence, right?

“Actually, we still have problems, like the Grudge Class, which has little potential for modification. If we sell them, again, they are over 30,000 tons aircraft carriers, so it’s not cost effective to sell fewer of them, and we may arm unfriendly countries.” Alan Wilson was also confused when he mentioned the current inventory of the Royal Navy.

Like Australia has the money and willing to pay the bill, there are not many countries in the world, if Canada is willing to receive it would be good, can not help but open his mouth and ask to Frank, has heard of similar news.

During World War II, in addition to the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union, Canada was the fourth in the world in real terms, both in terms of military power and economic strength, and had five aircraft carriers in service at the same time.

When comparing navies alone, Canada was third in the world during World War II, and now Canada has two aircraft carriers in service in its hands, which, needless to say, were naturally built by Britain during the war.

“There’s not much hope for Canada, there’s no demand for that in Canada right now. I don’t know if Argentina is interested.” Frank was also aware that the Admiralty and Foreign Office were peddling aircraft carriers around.

“Argentina? To the point it’s not impossible!” When Alan Wilson thought about it, actually selling to Argentina wasn’t too much of a problem. The main combat power of an aircraft carrier lies in its carrier planes, what good is an aircraft carrier without carrier planes?

As it happened, the hangars of the Grudge-class carriers were surprisingly specially reinforced, leading to very difficult modifications. In his opinion, the two Grudge-class aircraft carriers should be sold to a country like Argentina or India.

“It’s better to ask the Canadian side, the Grudge Class is after all a 30,000-ton aircraft carrier, quite a bit larger than what Canada is using now.” Alan Wilson still said that he would fight for it, and it would be best not to sell the Grudge Class to India.

He knew India too well as a country, and if he really sold the Grudge Class to India, he would only want a bigger one in the future.

Candidate countries is really not much, Mexico in this era of economic is very good, is still fighting with Spain for the top of the Hispanic world, have this impulse to buy. But Mexico is a neighbor of the US. If the UK sells aircraft carriers, the US would certainly not want its neighbor’s military to grow.

Similarly Spain also can not, to know Spain and Britain have Gibraltar dispute, strengthen the navy of such a country, can not pass the cabinet.

Britain to sell aircraft carriers, can only pick countries without disputes, but also to be concerned about the idea of the United States.

“On the contrary, there is another country that you have not thought of.” Frank suddenly spoke, “France, now France is at war in Algeria, to ensure the smooth flow of the Mediterranean Sea is the top priority. Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet, can’t always help the French gratuitously, blocking the routes that other countries secretly support Algeria, this matter is most important they come on their own.”

Alan Wilson clapped his hands, chagrined, “That’s right, Frank, but this matter is certain.”

“The key is for the Admiralty to have the idea. France’s needs are objective, and I’ve heard that France has begun to build its own aircraft carriers, but the construction cycle takes time, so what about France’s requirements now? Wait until five or six years later in the battlefield,” Frank said this turn of phrase, “but this matter, to maintain the unity of Britain and France, if you need to do the work of General Mountbatten, the two navies have no problem communicating, the deal can be facilitated.”

France now has five aircraft carriers in its hands, the masterpiece of which, the aircraft carrier Bayonne, was built in 1927. It was as old as Allen Wilson, but younger than the battleships in Malaya’s military harbor. Of the remaining carriers, the most battleworthy were the Giant class, which was on loan from Britain, and the rest were almost useless.

Alan Wilson got up, took out a bottle of whisky and poured it for Frank, celebrating the consensus on the matter of suffering the French, clinked a glass and said, “In fact, most of the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers have no other outlet than dismantling. The Grudge Class does suit the French as well, and it’s too much expense for us to keep. Selling them to countries like Argentina or India isn’t quite right, and those countries would be better off buying a Giant class.”

The most important thing, which Alan Wilson didn’t say, was that his wife Pamela Mountbatten’s share of the oil in North Africa was tied to French interests, and not to mention, how close is Libya to Algeria?

“I didn’t say anything.” Frank hemmed and hawed, shirking his responsibility, “Just kidding.”

“No, it wasn’t. France is worthy of a thirty thousand ton aircraft carrier. And Frank, don’t be too modest, you can certainly help, you’re in the Treasury.” Alan Wilson spoke up heartily, having already decided that he was going to call his wife over this and see if he could help.

It was a matter for the Royal Navy, and as the daughter of the First Sea Lord, shouldn’t she be more concerned?

Frank lightly sipped a mouthful of whisky and shook his head with a bitter smile, ”My so-called help is merely to give the Cabinet a calculation that it is more profitable to sell to the French. But in reality, it would take a person with connections in France to broker the deal, and I’m sorry, I wasn’t talking about your wife.”

“I guess not.” Alan Wilson evaded, feigning ignorance, before pouring another drink for his trusty colleague.

After two days in Kuala Lumpur, Frank declined Alan Wilson’s invitation to attend a rally for the forces of reaction and took his wife on a flight back to London.

This time the location chosen was Penang, the earliest British colonial stronghold in Southeast Asia. Singapore, although the location of the Far East Operations Command, was too remote, and Penang’s location was much friendlier to the major sultans.

Of course among those invited were Alan Wilson’s old friend Ali Khan, as well as a new friend, Paul the Great.

And by now, Frank, who had returned to London, with the help of Edward Bridges, clarified his report to the Cabinet.

“There should be no problem, Sir.” Frank was still a little nervous; the opportunity to help the people had arisen, and he had instead begun to suffer.

“What could go wrong then?” Edward Bridges asked curiously rhetorically, “You think the Cabinet will see it? The truth is that most cabinet ministers will only be making judgment calls and will be lucky to know right from wrong.”

“I hope so, this arms sale is important.” Frank, who wanted to go further, didn’t hide his desire to progress.

Edward Bridges, who had seen this kind of progress many times before, explained, “They were selected by their constituency party organizations, that is to say, by thirty-five men in dirty raincoats and thirty-five women in funny hats. The subsequent process of ‘selection’ is equally absurd: there are only 630 MPs in all, and a party of more than 300 MPs forms the Government – of these 300, 100 are too old and too stupid to be Ministers, and another 100 are too pathetic to be Ministers. become ministers. So the remaining one hundred MPs fill one hundred government posts. There was practically no choice.”

“Of course the Labor Party has been in office for three consecutive terms and has amassed a number of skilled political office holders, but when faced with an arms sale with huge benefits and no losses yet, there is no picking and choosing.”

With Edward Bridges’ words, Frank was much more confident and left the Treasury for the Cabinet.

Things also passed very smoothly as Edward Bridges had expected, and soon the resolution of the Cabinet was circulated on a small scale, and the resolution for the construction of the new aircraft carrier was passed.