Chapter 507 Industrial Transfer Report

The Soviet Union broke the United States' nuclear monopoly, which was of course a huge achievement for the Soviet Union and its allies.

This is not good news for the remaining half of European countries. After all, the United States is far away and the Soviet Union is close at hand. The deterrent power of the two is completely different.

Even expatriate civil servants like Alan Wilson understand this, let alone these local people.

"No matter what, since we don't have nuclear bombs in our hands, we will always be the loser no matter what." Alan Wilson shook his head slightly.

"It's not appropriate for you to know about this!" Norman Brooke said ambiguously, "But the weapons testing site is also a problem. We may need to communicate with Australia."

"Regarding this matter, dear Sir, I have reservations. Australia is already an independent country. I believe that the Australian government is definitely willing to help, but I don't know what the people are like."

Follow the official account

The British mainland is small and densely populated, and there is no site for testing nuclear bombs. Historically, Britain chose Australia. In fact, Australia did cooperate with Britain in this matter and provided an atomic bomb testing site.

"Don't worry about this. We have many colonies. Which place do you think is more suitable?" Norman Brook said, "It's just a hypothetical question anyway. You can say whatever you want."

"Since it is a hypothetical question, I will say it directly. Anyway, there is no responsibility for hypothetical questions. If I want to, I have two choices. In terms of strategic status and importance, the nuclear bomb project is naturally for Deterrence, in a sense, is to demonstrate like the Soviet Union, or the United States. Considering both deterrence and strategic status, I have two candidate test sites." Alan Wilson thought as he said, "Egypt, and Kalimantan Island, both have their own benefits.”

"Go on!" Norman Brooke said expressionlessly, lighting a cigarette and waiting for Alan Wilson's explanation.

"If the test site is placed in Egypt, I suggest inviting the Egyptian military to observe it, which can have a certain deterrent effect. If we consider the environment, there are a lot of rotten land in Egypt, and there is a piece of yellow sand everywhere, so there is no need to worry about damaging the environment. , and accidental injuries, it’s not that the land is vast and the people are sparse, there are no people at all, so there is no moral burden.”

"The Suez Canal is the lifeline of the British Empire from any angle. It is completely justified to provide the necessary deterrence to the Egyptians."

"As for choosing the island of Kalimantan, there are French colonies, Portuguese colonies and Dutch colonies nearby. We chose to conduct the test on the dividing line with the Dutch island of Kalimantan, mainly to deter Indonesia. I know that Malaya is still If there are opposition forces and the nuclear bomb test, there will definitely be anti-British elements who want to see it. Let them see it."

"In short, I think that under the current technical conditions, the possibility of a nuclear war breaking out is still too low. The vehicles for transporting nuclear bombs are limited. I would rather let people in the vast backward areas see the world.

"

Norman Brooke did not speak, but this did not mean that he did not listen to what Alan Wilson said. He asked again about hanging out with McCarthy every day, and continued, "Let's not mention this matter for now. What do you think of the Far East?"

"If it's China, it's a done deal. But the country is too poor to worry about in twenty years. How easy is it to start from scratch?"

Alan Wilson said without thinking, "Thanks to the gentleman supported by the Americans, China's current foundation is far worse than India, and it is not easy to change in a short time. And to be honest, the people the United States chooses to support, The combat effectiveness is far inferior to the forces supported by the Soviet Union. This is also related to the poverty in most parts of the world. The poorer the place, the stronger the forces leaning towards the Soviet Union. There are no American allies here. Let me put it bluntly, if now When elections begin across Asia, most countries will become allies of the Soviet Union, and intervention without military means will not work."

There are many similar examples where the United States specifically looks for pig teammates. Lee Sung Wan, Ngo Dinh Diem, and Chang Gong are still better than these two people. Of course, it is true that they are not much better.

The United States only mentions democracy at home, but does not mention democracy in the current world. What it advocates is a free world. It’s really democratic. The United States can’t even protect the Philippines. In almost all countries, the proletarians make up the absolute majority. No matter what choice you make, you will lose.

Before the 1970s, the government the United States most liked to cooperate with was the military government. As for democracy, we in the free world do not mention that Soviet vocabulary.

"This is exactly the role of the British Army in Malaya. If, I mean if, you become the commissioner of Malaya, will you be able to stabilize the local situation?" Norman Brooke stared at Alan Wilson with burning eyes.

For a moment, Alan Wilson almost had the illusion that he had only been seen like this by Greta Garbo, equally aggressive.

"I'll try my best!" Alan Wilson came back to his senses and gave his answer.

"I think? Try your best? It may not be enough!" Norman Brook said in a long voice, "It should be done."

"This may have to pay a certain price, as long as there is domestic support!" Alan Wilson's heart moved. After going to Newfoundland with full hope last time, he came back this time and did not hold back on going to Malaya. There is much hope, but does it look like this now? There seems to be something going on!

"What kind of support do you want?" Norman Brook took a sip of water and asked slowly.

"I want the domestic industry to be transferred!" Seeing Norman Brook's eyes turn cold, Alan Wilson explained, "Sir, the current situation is very clear. With the 50 million local citizens, it is impossible to To compete with the United States and the Soviet Union, it is for local citizens to produce the output of the United States and the Soviet Union. We must rely on an external force to help maintain our current status, just like the former British India. "

"And there is no place with such a large population anymore, so we must be more attentive to supporting this place than before, and we must give up something to share with Malaya."

"This will cause the loss of local jobs!" Norman Brook shook his head slightly and said, "Alan, do you know how excessive your request is?"

"That's not too much. My dear sir, think about cameras in the nineteenth century? Think about cameras twenty years ago. Was there an aircraft industry in the nineteenth century? Where is it now?"

In fact, as technology advances, the durability of industrial products has been declining. When Europeans were engaged in industry, only nobles and journalists could afford cameras, so a camera could be passed down for several generations, provided there was still enough film to buy.

When Americans were engaged in industry, people in developed countries could afford cameras, and a camera could last a lifetime. When the Japanese were engaged in industry, cameras would break after ten years. It didn't matter, the new models were better and cheaper. When the Chinese were engaged in industry, what was a camera? Mobile phones are replaced every year.

Alan Wilson said firmly, "Sir, how can we rely on the textile industry to support all-round welfare? There are only those processes involved in a piece of clothing. Is the profit produced enough to be shared by the workers? If we put the textile industry in Malaya, The locals don't want welfare, they want jobs. Even if we don't promote it, retaining the textile industry will only cause local economic difficulties. Citizens will only want more and more of welfare. We can't make a piece of clothing The price is raised to a few months’ wages and then sold, but if that price cannot be raised, how can we provide benefits to textile workers?”

In some labor-intensive low-end manufacturing industries, workers do not need to have a high level of literacy, and may even be illiterate. They only need to be able to do some simple repetitive labor.

"If we transfer out some low-profit industries, not only can we quickly stabilize the situation in the colonies and reduce the cost of garrisoning, but we can also reduce costs with a low-cost advantage, so that local citizens can enjoy the same services at a lower cost. , so there is no need to increase benefits, and it can also greatly absorb provincial government expenditures, uh... it means that the expenditures can be used in more important places."

Alan Wilson used the wrong words in his excitement. It is definitely not necessary to save government expenditures. Government expenditures are necessary. It's just that these expenditures have become more visible, such as increasing the salary of civil servants and so on.

"You make a report first!" Norman Brook pointed his finger at the table. "First of all, Malaya High Commissioner Gerald Edward has done a good job. His term will not end until February next year. Will he be re-appointed? Not necessarily. Furthermore, we also need to judge the situation in the Far East and whether the new regime can be contacted. For short-term work, you should first pay attention to the negotiations in Paris, and your work will be arranged by then."

"I'll give a report right away!" Alan Wilson promised, standing up and exiting the Cabinet Secretary's office.

This is not difficult, just follow the example of Japanese painting. After the Korean War began, with the support of the United States, Japanese companies borrowed money from the United States to buy machinery and equipment and cotton, and then exported cotton textiles to the United States and used foreign exchange to repay the debt.

Japan's exports grew rapidly. Japan's share of U.S. cotton textile imports was only 17% in 1951, but increased to more than 60% five years later. In 1955, cheap Japanese-made shirts appeared in New York for only one dollar.

Of course, the first trade war between the United States and Japan will begin soon. The trade war broke out in 1956. But Alan Wilson didn't care. Britain and Malaya were, at least nominally, much closer than the United States and Japan. At least Japan was nominally an independent country, and Malaya was a colony.