Chapter 1381 The Future Is in Your Hands

There are no organized army units in the UK anymore. If more troops are sent to Europe, where will they be drawn from? Either the Far East or the Middle East. What about after deploying troops? Let America create a petrodollar!

If the Bretton Woods system existed, Britain could still rely on the earlier imperial system of preferential treatment to negotiate with the United States, and it would really become a petrodollar. It would simply mean that the countries that would be cut off would also include Britain in the future.

The calculation is loud and clear. According to Alan Wilson, the United States may already be looking for what the dollar will be pegged to after the collapse of the Bretton Woods system.

"Maria, does the Prime Minister have time? I have something to report!" Alan Wilson took the microphone and called the Prime Minister's political secretary, "Okay, thank you."

Putting down the phone, Alan Wilson got up and went directly to No. 10 Downing Street to find out what Kissinger, the presidential envoy, had said.

"It's similar to what you said. I hope that Britain and the United States will stand together, and at the same time, we hope that we will increase the number of troops stationed in Germany. Kissinger said that Washington is also interested in an armistice now and is happy to see Britain play a key role." Harold Wilson was obviously interested. I was quite satisfied with the ceasefire, and I was a little excited about the high hat Kissinger wore.

Alan Wilson frowned slightly and was noncommittal about the Prime Minister's optimism. He asked directly, "Is the United States prepared to lose South Vietnam? Is it prepared to have its influence weakened after defeat? If the United States cannot maintain the existence of South Vietnam, Why do many neutral countries believe that the ideals of freedom they insist on are worth defending? Maybe they believe that Soviet ideas are the future of mankind."

The United States can choose when the war starts. In fact, it can theoretically choose when the war ends. However, as a military power that was created, it is still the world's number one military power. If it ends in a disastrous defeat, it will not only be labeled as the number one military power. Regarding the replacement issue, in fact, since the defeat of the Vietnam War, the international community has indeed acquiesced that the Soviet Union is the world's number one military power.

As the Soviet Union's industrial indicators in various aspects have successively reached the first place in the world, the free world has experienced unprecedented frustration. This is all true.

The reason why the United States has always persisted in Vietnam and hopes that South Vietnam will remain is because it hopes to avoid this kind of future. The defeat of the Vietnam War not only lost South Vietnam. In fact, the bombing of the north was quite extensive, and also involved neighboring Cambodia and Laos. The United States lost the war and lost control of three countries at once.

The United States' influence could only be stabilized when it retreated to the Thai border. The Soviet Union took the opportunity to launch a global offensive. The United States adopted an evasive attitude for a long time and did not directly confront the Soviet Union.

The fact that oil and the U.S. dollar were linked initially failed to stabilize the value of the U.S. dollar, which is also related to the fact that the United States has lost its position as the world's largest military power. You can't fight me, so why can you protect me?

This is not the first time this has happened, nor will it be the last. Not to mention the Soviet Union’s global offensive, the United States performed a Kabul trapeze, and Russia immediately took action. Russia was trapped by Hezbollah's tactics, and NATO did not send troops, because once the United States sends troops, it will be completely unable to hold down the princes in other regions.

"The Soviet Union also hopes that the Vietnam War will end as soon as possible." Harold Wilson said uncertainly, "Koshygin has expressed this idea many times."

"In the political structure of the Soviet Union, the person who has the final say is not Kosygin, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, but Brezhnev."

Alan Wilson seriously reminded, "Anything can be judged as pending as long as Brezhnev has not made visible efforts. If I were in Brezhnev's position, I would firmly support the North Vietnam will unify the country and let the Americans go away in disgrace, instead of the so-called calm retreat."

"Of course, the Vietnam War has nothing to do with Britain. Malaya is currently relatively stable. As long as Thailand is safe, there will be no threat to the West Malaysia Peninsula. East Malaysia is an island, and the Royal Pacific Fleet is enough to repel any invasion from the sea. Threat. But from the British perspective, we must prepare for the next response.

When the Republic of Kalimantan was established two years ago, the Netherlands, while preserving its economic interests, left a military base behind and still conducted joint defense with the British army in Malaya. It can be regarded as a contribution to maintaining the stability of the East Indies. "

"The situation in the Far East is indeed worrying, and the British troops there cannot be evacuated." Harold Wilson nodded, agreeing with this view.

"The Middle East is even more important. If we withdraw our troops from the Middle East, the Arab countries will almost certainly fall to the Soviet Union. If it is accompanied by the defeat of the United States in Southeast Asia." Alan Wilson told the Prime Minister in a pessimistic tone, "And we still have to Consider this possibility."

"What's possible?" Harold Wilson was startled and looked at the head of the civil service in front of him. Why was today's conversation so full of riddles and speculation?

"Dear Prime Minister, of course I don't believe that you are a Soviet spy, as some conservatives say. But can we keep the rest of the conversation secret?" Alan Wilson said solemnly.

"Of course!" Harold Wilson replied simply, and then asked, "Is there anyone in Whitehall who thinks that my relationship with the Soviet Union is ambiguous?"

"When there are too many rumors, there will always be discussions. Conservatives always say this, and there is nothing we can do about it. But I will strictly curb the occurrence of such discussions." Alan Wilson solemnly promised not to mention the source of the discussions in Whitehall. Including him as the cabinet secretary.

"The collapse of the Bretton Woods system is imminent. The problem facing the U.S. dollar in terms of currency is that if so many U.S. dollars are overissued, once they flood into the United States, it will directly cause the United States to enter inflation. There are at least 10 U.S. dollars in the international market now. With a scale of 400 to 500 billion, the United States cannot take over the business.”

Alan Wilson paused when he said this, "Washington must want to find something to bind the value of the U.S. dollar. What is most important to modern society and that no country can do without? Oil!"

"Oil!" Harold Wilson muttered, "But there are only two countries where the United States has a foundation in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Yin Lang."

"Yes, and Arab countries are generally opposed to Israel. The UK is leaning towards Arab countries in the Palestinian-Israeli dispute. The UK is an obstacle to the United States in a sense. In fact, if the Yin Lang crisis was not a factor in the United States, we would not give in in the end. , if the United States wants to tie up oil, it will definitely find a way to swallow up our interests in the Persian Gulf. The most intuitive and simple way is to drive away our troops stationed in the Persian Gulf first. As long as our local military power disappears, many The ancillary benefits will also disappear, which is what Whitehall has been avoiding."

Alan Wilson shrugged, "The military is also very willing to strengthen its strength in Germany. Although we are facing the Soviet armored power, this cannot be premised on the withdrawal of troops stationed in the Middle East and Far East."

"It sounds like something that is very likely to happen." Harold Wilson fell into long thought. "This is not good for British interests."

"Hmm, thank you, Prime Minister." Alan Wilson snorted. It was obvious that Europe, including the United Kingdom, still had the ability to resist the Bretton Woods system. Once it entered the rhythm of petrodollars, the United Kingdom was also in the category of being contained. There is no doubt that Britain cannot protect its current interests.

Today's discussions, especially those on currency and oil, were limited to private discussions between the Cabinet Secretary and the Prime Minister, and Harold Wilson assured that only the two of them knew about it and would not spread.

The direction of the Vietnam War is actually not important to Britain. According to the Soviet camp, it is a struggle between progress and regression, truth and fallacy, light and darkness, a struggle between proletarian giants and bourgeois monsters! There was a civil war in Vietnam. There is organized excitement, leadership battles, and orderly chaos everywhere. The proletarian revolution means constantly criticizing itself.

Victory after victory; repetition again and again. Go over things that seem to have been completed again and again, do these things again, and make new improvements every time. It searches for its own weaknesses, shortcomings, and mistakes without mercy.

Britain is a bourgeois country full of money, so it is better not to care about any great ideals, and just be pragmatic and think about not falling into the trap of the United States. What we want is very simple. If the Bretton Woods system is a system in which the US dollar is the mainstay and the British pound is the supplement, then at least the next system, the British pound cannot be that, and so on.

Harold Wilson at least made one thing clear. The United States will almost certainly default during this dollar crisis. Once it defaults, it will mark the end of the Bretton Woods system. Not to mention that the United Kingdom is also a member of the run on gold. Even if it is not , Britain cannot save it.

"What do we do now?" Harold Wilson whispered, as if he was in a dilemma.

"Buy time for the run in Europe. There is no other way." Alan Wilson said without thinking, "It's okay to pretend to intervene appropriately, as long as you don't really interfere. After all, we can't stop it. European bankers, I believe that after this dollar crisis, Nixon will be ready to have a good talk. At least he will give an explanation to other countries."

Even if the Bretton Woods system holds a funeral, a sense of ceremony is still required. As for the United Kingdom, it should now be thinking about the next round of overt and covert attacks by the United States.

After Kissinger was promised to leave, Harold Wilson kept his promise and delivered a monetary speech in the House of Commons, saying that the financial chaos had attracted the attention of the government.

"The Prime Minister was just joking. Just act as your friend should." Alan Wilson turned off the TV and explained with his arms around Pamela Mountbatten.

Should I trust the Prime Minister or the Cabinet Secretary? It’s a simple multiple-choice question. Of course it’s the latter. At least the latter won’t lie to the House of Commons.