Reborn South Africa as a police officer

Chapter 746 Food Expenses

The students playing with models are all amateurs, and they don't know the specific extent of the military's research on aircraft carriers. Even Louis Botha doesn't know about this information. The Ministry of Defense's secrecy work is still very good .

The aircraft carrier in the propeller era is actually not that complicated. In another time and space, when countries urgently needed aircraft carriers to participate in the war during World War II, a large number of merchant ships were transformed into escort aircraft carriers. , but the advantage is that the price is cheap and the quantity is sufficient, and it is very cost-effective.

Considering the performance of aircraft during this period and Britain's colonies all over the world, Rock's enthusiasm for researching aircraft carriers is not high. Destroyers and light cruisers can fully meet the needs of southern Africa. Aircraft carriers are only technical reserves, and it will not be until the second time. Only during the World Wars can it shine.

Rock doesn't have time to pay attention to the aircraft carrier now. Just three days ago, Brett Hopkins died of his injuries in London. After Hopkins heard the news, he fell ill and was sent to the Big Veda Hospital for emergency treatment. Ke wanted to return to Pretoria to preside over the work of the Ministry of Defense, and even Louis Botha couldn't take care of it.

If you don't go, there is only one deputy minister of the Ministry of National Defense, Roque. Although this ensures the concentration of power to the greatest extent, the work tasks are also very heavy. Similar ministers are unable to handle work due to illness, and there is no one who can share it.

The institutional setup of the Ministry of Defense in Southern Africa is quite different from that of the British War Department. The six divisions under the Ministry of Defense are responsible for active duty, reserve service, logistics supplies, homeland security, budget, and veteran placement. The other divisions are easy to handle. The Fifth Division, which is in charge of the budget, is under the greatest pressure. The director, Derek Patience, is less than 40 years old and has a Mediterranean hairstyle. He looks older than a 60-year-old.

"This year we abolished two divisions. On the surface, we saved some money. In fact, the budget is more because the veterans have to be resettled. Now we have less than [-] rand left in our account. If we can't get more Money, then we won’t even be able to pay next month’s salary.” Although Derek Patience’s words were heavy, his expression was relaxed and happy, and Roque, among other things, had great ability to ask for money.

After the abolition of the two divisions, although there are only 10,000 professional soldiers left in southern Africa, there are still 110+ conscripts. Although the salaries of these conscripts are not high, they also have allowances. Calculated, the monthly expenses are not small. The Ministry of Defense goes up and down, and the monthly salary expenditure is about [-] million.

"Application to the Ministry of Finance." Rock was really depressed. The dignified Ministry of Defense had only [-] rand left in his account. It was really time for Hopkins to be ill.

"Applied, but the Ministry of Finance has no money." Derek Patience was helpless. The federal government's finances are also in deficit every year, and the budgets of all ministries are barely enough. It is only October, and the money can only be obtained. Strange.

Rock didn't talk nonsense, so he just called Bob Giles directly.

"I'm sorry my lord, but the minister is not in—" the secretary answered neatly.

Rock also hung up the phone neatly, then went out and turned left to find Ade directly.

"What about the Prime Minister?" Sidney Milner was still a good comrade.

"If you want money, you won't be able to pay next month's salary—" Rock is confident. If the other departments are okay, the consequences of the Ministry of Defense's failure to pay the salary will be serious, and the army may mutiny.

"Don't get your hopes up, you are the sixth minister to ask for money this month." Sidney Milner said truthfully.

"That's okay, you can talk to the Prime Minister." Rock was not angry, and it didn't matter if he could get the money or not, the main thing was to have a good attitude.

If it really doesn't work, Roque still has the Rand Bank as the last trump card, but the Ministry of Defense already owes a lot of money, so if it can't be borrowed, it won't be borrowed.

"That won't work either. The Prime Minister is very busy today and can't find time." Sidney Milner smiled wryly. Ade's work is much busier than Roque's, and the time of day has been arranged. If Roque comes to send Money, no matter how busy Ade is, he will be able to spare time, it’s fine if he wants money, and he can only make an appointment if he wants to see Ade.

"There is a friction on the border between Nyasaland and the Congo Free State. There is an emergency military situation." Rock didn't lie, frictions like this happen every day.

"Locke, the Prime Minister's work is already very busy—" Sidney Milner was speechless, and he could say such an excuse. He really deserved to be the biggest police officer in southern Africa.

"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and make arrangements." Rock didn't believe that Ade was so busy that he couldn't even spare a few 10 minutes. The work is endless, let alone a country, even a serious and responsible leader is busy. After finishing the work, there are leaders like Zhuge Liang who are exhausted to death, and there are leaders like Emperor Hui who why don't they eat minced meat.

Relatively speaking, Adelaide is a more diligent national leader. Although he is not to the extent of doing everything by himself, he is also doing his best for southern Africa. At this time, Sidney Milner's work is more important. Adelaide's work is by Sidney Milner arranged, if Sidney Milner arranged Adelaide's time too tightly, it would be the rhythm to exhaust Adelaide to death.

Rock hadn't seen Ade for a long time, but he didn't feel any strangeness, and was still as familiar as before.

Ade was not surprised to see Rock, leaning back comfortably on the back of the chair and posing in the most relaxed posture, his eyes were full of disgust: "Tell me, how serious is your emergency situation?"

"The Ministry of National Defense can't pay salaries, and the army will mutiny. It's not serious." Rock said boldly, and crying children have milk.

"Yes!" Ade wasn't worried. If the former colonial servants were really uncertain, and professional soldiers would mutiny at every turn, they wouldn't be professional soldiers.

"Last year's defense budget accounted for 20.00% of the federal government's total budget. Five, what else do you want?" Ade is not polite. The current arms race in Europe was initiated by those war madmen. As a result, the whole world was kidnapped and forced to participate In the arms race, relatively speaking, the national defense pressure faced by southern Africa is really not great, and the current military expenditure is indeed too much.

"So we abolished part of the army to save money for the federal government." Rock is right. Southern Africa is in financial difficulties, and Southwest Africa and Tanganyika are also in financial difficulties. Everyone is gritting their teeth and insisting, and no one dares to fall behind.

"With our current military strength, if a war breaks out, can it guarantee the security of southern Africa?" Adelaide's requirements are low, Europe is too far away, and he doesn't even want Southwest Africa and Tanganyika.

This can’t be blamed on Adelaide. The whole of the UK doesn’t have much concept of land. Canada, which is 998 million square kilometers, says no to it. Except for India, the UK really doesn’t care about other overseas colonies.

The emphasis on India is also because of India's human resources.

"Yes, if it is only to ensure the safety of southern Africa, we don't even need professional soldiers. After the outbreak of war, the temporary organization of militias is enough to ensure the safety of southern Africa." Rock said frankly, Rhodesia Northern Division and First Cavalry Division also Not for South West Africa and Tanganyika.

"Then why do we need to maintain a large army? If it's just to support Europe, then forming a few African divisions is enough." Ade really didn't understand why Rock was so persistent.

"If it's just for obligations, then it is indeed enough to form a few African divisions, but if we want to improve the status of southern Africa and strive for greater benefits after the war, then we have to make greater contributions. If it is only the number , Even if we are all soldiers, we can’t compare to India, so we can only find a way in terms of quality—” Rock will not lower the standard, and there will be adjustments in direction, and the abolition of troops is a structural adjustment.

Rock's original idea was to directly send troops composed of professional soldiers to Europe after the outbreak of the war, and then Rock found that the cost was too high. With the intensity of a world war, the value of elite troops and ordinary cannon fodder troops is actually similar, so Rock It is necessary to abolish troops, increase the air force and navy, and provide greater support to the United Kingdom at that time.

Compared with the army, the air force and navy are indeed safer.

The development of the German air force has now entered into a misunderstanding, focusing on the airship force and not paying enough attention to aircraft.

This gave Roque a chance. The airship can indeed hold more bombs and has a longer range, but in front of the plane, the airship with a length of [-] meters is a living target. It is too late for the Germans to realize this. World War I lasted just over four years. In such a short period of time, the Germans simply could not develop an aircraft that could compete with the Southern African Air Force.

The same is true for warships. Rock's position for southern African warships is to escort. The German battleships are dealt with by the British Royal Navy. After the war broke out, the German navy could not pass through the English Channel at all. Relatively safe, the escort fleet has to deal with German submarines, so there is no need for large surface warships, destroyers and light cruisers with strong anti-submarine capabilities are the focus.

"I don't care how much you struggle, the federal government will give you 20.00% of the budget next year, but that's all. If the funds are not enough, then you can find a way to solve it yourself. Don't go to Bob, Bob has no money." Ade knew Rock very well, and Rock really planned to go back to Bob Giles.

"In this case, we will have to increase the war tax." Rock was desperate. Southern Africa has not yet started to collect war taxes. The federal government alone cannot meet the current budget of the Ministry of Defense.

If you think of southern Africa as a big family, then the states are family members, all eating in one pot, and the food bills are always paid.

(End of this chapter)