Reborn South Africa as a police officer

Chapter 1579 War Guidance
It's funny to say that the British in the six northern counties of Ireland are actually not so determined to stay in the Commonwealth.

The reason is very simple. If the British government wants to win over the six northern counties, it has to make appropriate trade-offs in terms of interests, such as collecting less tax, higher prices when buying potatoes, and more welfare payments, and so on.

After repeated visits, the six northern counties are not stupid. Only maintaining the status quo is in the best interest of the six northern counties. Once an agreement is reached between the United Kingdom and the Irish Free State, all the privileges enjoyed by the six northern counties will disappear.

The current situation is that the United Kingdom hopes that the six northern counties will remain in the Commonwealth, and the Irish Free State hopes that Ireland will be completely unified. The six northern counties are swinging back and forth between London and Dublin. that side.

Note that it is just a "inclination", not a complete inversion. There is a difference between the two.

Rock's attitude is very clear. There is no such thing as being both right and left. The six northern counties must have a clear attitude so that the problem can be solved in the shortest possible time.

Winston thought about Roque's words seriously, and then slowly shook his head for a long time.

"impossible--"

"Why is it impossible?" Rock was not surprised. If the British could make up their minds, the problems of the six northern counties would not remain unresolved until the 21st century.

"The British in the six northern counties are simply unable to fight against the Irish Free State composed of 26 counties. If we do this, we will only push the six northern counties to the Irish." However, the enemy is in the British Parliament, and the British government is also tied.

"I said, I fully support it. Didn't the Ministry of War set up a military intelligence department and send the military intelligence department there—" Rock didn't want to solve the problem at the political level. What are you doing in Africa? It's pure nonsense.

For the Military Intelligence Department, Winston did not have much hope. At this time, the British government had not yet found the correct way to use the Military Intelligence Department.

At the Imperial Conference the next day, Valera's attitude softened. He agreed that the Irish Free State would remain in the Commonwealth, but asked the British government to hand over the six northern counties to the Irish Free State.

This is changing the soup without changing the medicine. As long as the Irish Free State gets the six northern counties, it will dare to announce its secession from the Commonwealth tomorrow. At that time, the British government will have nothing to do.

Don't forget that according to Rock's proposal, the Commonwealth is a free and loose union. "Freedom" means that you can withdraw at any time. Once the British government recognizes the jurisdiction of the Irish Free State over the six northern counties, the Irish Free State will withdraw from the Commonwealth. At that time, the six northern counties will definitely not be returned to the United Kingdom.

"Eamon, most people in the six northern counties agree to stay in the UK. This is the choice of the six northern counties themselves, and there is no room for change." Stanley Baldwin refused to budge on the issue of the six northern counties.

"Then referendum, let the people of the six northern counties decide the fate of the six northern counties themselves." Valeratu looked at him poorly. When he said "referendum", Stanley Baldwin was expressionless, but Earl Lytton was eager to try.

If the six northern counties can vote in a referendum, then it seems that India can also vote in a referendum. In this way, haha.

Rock didn't speak, and exchanged a tacit look with William King.

The matter of "referendum" is taboo for the British Empire.

At the end of the world war, the [-] points put forward by US President Woodrow Wilson included the content related to the "referendum".

The fundamental purpose of Woodrow Wilson's fourteen points is to break the colonial system established by Britain and France, not the so-called "world peace".

It was precisely because of the wolfish ambitions of the Americans that the United States could not even join the League of Nations after the Paris Peace Conference.

It’s not that the U.S. Congress didn’t approve it, but that the U.S. couldn’t get what it wanted in the League of Nations, so the Americans didn’t join. If the League of Nations agrees to the Americans’ request, it’s up to the U.S. Congress to approve it.

"The six northern counties belong not only to the six northern counties, but also to all British people." Stanley Baldwin directly refused, and this opening must not be opened.

For the next week, around the six northern counties, Stanley Baldwin and Valera quarreled, and the meeting went nowhere.

Rock didn't quarrel. After attending the Imperial Conference, he took time to go to France and had a meal with French President Gaston Dumegue, accompanied by French Minister of War Andre Maginot.

This Maginot is the Maginot of the "Maginot Line".

André Maginot was a civil servant. In 1913, he served as the Deputy Minister of the French Ministry of War. Since then, he has successively served as the Minister of Colonies, the Minister of Pensions, and the Minister of the Army. Build a line of defense that can prevent Germany from attacking France. This is the so-called "Maginot Line".

The Maginot Line of Defense is hundreds of kilometers long and completely covers the French-German border. The total cost of the project is as high as 50 billion francs. Inside the line of defense are various cannons, trenches, forts, kitchens, power stations, hospitals, factories, etc., and the passages extend in all directions. There is also a tramway in the large fortifications.

When Roque came to Paris, the French Ministry of War had completed the design of the Maginot Line, and construction had begun in Metz in northeastern France.

Metz is the provincial capital of Lorraine. After the World War, it was placed under the jurisdiction of France together with Alsace.

As the commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force during the World War, Roque still has a great status in the hearts of European generals.

It can be seen that Andre Maginot is very confident in the "Maginot Line of Defense" he designed, and even dismisses Rock's suggestion to the point of dismissal.

"—A total of about 5800 permanent fortifications of various purposes have been constructed along the entire line of defense, with a density of 15 per kilometer of frontage—the roof and walls of the strongest reinforced concrete fortifications are as thick as 3.5 meters, and the armor thickness of the armored tower Up to 300 mm, can resist the direct hit of two 420 mm mortar shells - in order to prevent the attack of German tanks, we built anti-tank trenches, cliffs, cliffs and metal and concrete piles, and supplemented by ubiquitous There are minefields, and electrified barbed wire has been set up in some areas, as long as the Germans dare to attack, we can burn them all to coke!" Andre Maginot was a civil servant, and he didn't know where his confidence came from.

"If 50 billion francs are used to build troops, wouldn't it be better to replace equipment?" Roque never put his hopes on defense, and offense is the best defense.

"Five billion francs are used to form troops to build a few, and it is used to build a line of defense that can never be breached, which is once and for all." Even if André Maginot doesn't understand, there are always people in France who understand, Andre Lie Machino had no choice but to make this choice.

If you have money, you need talent.

France is now simply unable to form an army of one million people. The so-called "Maginot Line of Defense" is actually doing its best to know its destiny.

"Then why not extend the Maginot Line to both sides to completely protect France?" Rock still hoped that once the world war broke out, France could last longer.

"Why do you want to extend to both sides? The French-Belgian border is the Ardennes Highlands. During the World War, my lord, you also commanded troops to fight in the Ardennes Highlands. The German army would not choose to break through the Ardennes Highlands. Even if a small number of German troops broke into France, they would not Will be surrounded by our troops." André Maginot contradicted himself, and he had just said that the war should be prevented from outside France.

"And our relationship with Belgium does not allow us to build the Maginot Line on the Franco-Belgian border." Gaston Dumegue is also lucky, and the French thought so before the outbreak of the last world war.

As a result, Germany broke through the French defense line at that time from the place the French thought was the least likely to break through.

It has only been a few years since the World War, and the French have completely forgotten their experience and lessons.

"What did Marshal Foch say?" Rock can only hope that someone in France will take the initiative to stand up, and Foch is a good candidate.

Foch's attitude towards Germany has always been very firm. When the "Contract of Versailles" was signed, Foch asserted that it was a 20-year armistice agreement.

The year before last, France brazenly sent troops to occupy the Ruhr Industrial Zone in Germany on the pretext that Germany did not pay reparations, which was also planned and implemented by Foch.

It's a pity that the Americans later proposed the "Dawes Plan", and France was forced to withdraw its troops.

But Foch is not easy to mess with. When the French retreated, they sorted out the Ruhr industrial area again like robbers. Everything that could be moved was gone, and everything that could not be moved was destroyed. What was left to the Germans was only ruins everywhere. .

"Marshal Foch is not in good health, he is recuperating in the Pyrenees." Gaston Dumegue's expression was normal, and he didn't look too sad.

Also, Foch, who was born in 1851, is now 74 years old. He, Kitchener and Adelaide’s generation have all withdrawn from the stage of history. forget.

The Pyrenees is Foch's hometown, and the relationship between Roque and Foch is good. During the World War, Foch was one of the few French generals who performed well. As for Joffre, Roque didn't even want to ask.

What Roque couldn't accept was that an outstanding general like Foch was now recuperating in his hometown of Pyrenees.

And Joffre is still active in Paris, serving as the chairman of the French National Defense Council.

Probably Gaston Dumegue also knew that the relationship between Rock and Joffre was not good, so he didn't invite Joffre to attend.

Before leaving France, Roque did not forget to visit Foch in the Pyrenees.

Foch's physical condition is indeed not very good. When he saw Roque, Foch even needed someone to help him.

For the sake of Foch's health, Roque did not stay in Foch's house for too long. When he left Foch's house, Foch gave Roque his "War Guidance" as a souvenir.

guide!

Look at the pattern of others.

(End of this chapter)