Chapter 385 Britain and France Are Allies

France has always hoped to annex the Saarland region, but it cannot be done by itself.

Therefore, we have been seeking support from the United Kingdom and the United States, and at least ensuring that one of the United Kingdom and the United States supports us.

For a period after the war, Britain actually supported, or at least understood, France's annexation of the Saarland. But the United States has always opposed it!

There are several external conditions for this Paris Conference. Currently, both the French Communist Party and the Italian Communist Party are the largest parties in the country. Among single parties, France is supported by 25% of French voters. The Italian Communist Party is stronger, with more than one-third of voters supporting it.

Because the winter of 1946 to 1947 was relatively cold, food shortages and material shortages occurred across Europe. So the current situation in Europe is indeed not optimistic.

But this does not include the United Kingdom, because both wings are flying together. In British India, the original intention of not having famine for three consecutive years has been maintained, and the British domestic food supply has been maintained. It also supports the other wing of the German-British-occupied area, which is flying together. .

At this time, producing materials was more effective than money, which also caused many people in the US-occupied and Soviet-occupied areas to flee to the British-occupied areas.

It can be said that the cold winter from the end of last year to the beginning of this year actually distanced the British-occupied areas from other occupied areas.

In 1947, the GDP of the US-occupied areas was 34% of the pre-war level, and this was the result of US money.

The British-occupied area has exceeded 80% of the pre-war level. Regardless of whether it was because Britain opened up British India or whether it took away all the surplus value of the more than 20 million Germans in the British-occupied areas, anyway, the British Empire had colonies to take over.

In fact, in a sense, Britain's two-wing plan is a moneyless version of the Marshall Plan.

All the surplus value of German industry in the British-occupied areas was taken away, and prices were lowered in exchange for raw materials from British India. The British mainland mediated and allowed the industry in the British-occupied areas to recover while taking a breath of the other surrounding occupied areas.

Although the Germans in the British-occupied areas had worked in vain for a year and had nothing left, at least they were not hungry.

The same cannot be said for the Germans in other occupied areas. The Americans spreading dollars in the US-occupied areas will not equal the pre-war total industrial value of the US-occupied areas at 34% and the British-occupied area at 84%. the gap in total industrial value.

The British-occupied area was originally the richest part of Germany. In addition to the development gap between the east and the west, there was also a gap between the north and the south. Historically, the north of Germany was overtaken by the south, which happened around the time of the oil crisis in the 1970s.

At this point in time, the gap between southern and northern Germany is still quite obvious. Furthermore, northern Germany is a plain.

The south is mountainous, and the agricultural conditions in the north are stronger than in the south.

Otherwise, there is no reason why the United States was thinking about replacing occupied areas with Britain before the end of the war.

So after getting economic data from the Ministry of Finance, and getting the idea from the Prime Minister to use the French to annex the Saarland, Alan Wilson took the opportunity to formulate a plan.

This plan can be called the British-French Coal Community. The British-occupied areas have an industrial base, and the French-occupied areas including the Saarland have important resources for industrial production. Britain and France can share Germany's coal and iron resources.

In fact, this was the original intention of France to form a community in history. After the failure to annex the Saarland region, it used a framework to legally allow Germany's coal and iron resources to serve France.

The Saarland is the largest industrial area in Germany's remaining territory after the Ruhr area. If the United States must impose additional harsh conditions on Britain, the planned follow-up step is to merge the British and French occupied areas.

At the Moscow Conference in the spring, the French raised the issue of the status of the Saarland. France once again proposed a plan for the disposal of German territory, advocating for separate citizenship rights for the residents of the Saarland. The internal affairs of the Saarland were returned to the French High Commissioner. Responsible, diplomatically represented by France.

As for the Ruhr area, it should be separated from Germany and handed over to the four major powers and the three lowland countries. Regarding this proposition, the Soviets expressed their opposition to the Saar part but agreed with the Ruhr part.

Marshall of the United States expressed support for France's Saarland plan and opposed the disposal of the Ruhr area, that is, the political separation of the Saarland from Germany, the integration of the Saarland into the French economic system and fiscal system through the monetary union and the customs union, and the territory of the Saarland "No longer under the control and protection of an international body."

At the Moscow Conference in the spring, the attitudes of the United States and the Soviet Union were simply put. The Soviet Union opposed France's annexation of the Saarland, but the Ruhr area could be transformed from a British-occupied area into a condominium area. The Soviet Union came against Britain.

The attitude of the United States is to support the Saarland area plan, but oppose the condominium management of the Ruhr area.

As for the French's unsuccessful plan to betray Britain, some of its goals were finally achieved. For example, in order to preserve the Ruhr area, the United States gave a certain degree of acquiescence to France's annexation of the Saarland, which it had been fiercely opposed to.

In May after the Moscow Conference, France formulated the Saarland Constitution, which was officially launched in October. Just before the wedding of Crown Prince Elisabeth, the Saarland Parliament approved the Saarland Constitution, which stipulated that the Saarland region would be politically independent from Germany, tariffs and currency. The system is integrated into the French economic system, and France is responsible for diplomacy and defense.

The French Commissioner in the Saarland was given great powers to prohibit any legislation that would jeopardize the constitution or the customs union between France and the Saarland. The franc also became the legal currency of the Saarland. Tariff barriers were removed between France and the Saarland, but were erected between Germany and the Saarland.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reviewed the disputes surrounding the Saarland region in the past six months and the original historical diplomatic trends. Alan Wilson looked for the insertion point. He knew that this was the closest France had come to annexing the Saarland. It could be said that it was just one step away.

If Britain once again expresses its willingness to understand France's claim to the Saarland as it did in 1945 and 1946, there is at least a half chance of success.

So in simple terms, this plan means that France must stand with Britain at the Paris Conference.

With the current situation in Western Europe, it can be said that a whole country has been brought to its knees. The UK itself has recovered far beyond the same period in history. Under such circumstances, it stands out even more.

If France can stand firmly with the United Kingdom and prevent the United States from imposing numerous additional conditions on its economic assistance to Europe, then the United Kingdom will not be unable to support France's claim to the Saarland, but France must also provide a guarantee that all Once the goal is not achieved, the French-occupied area must be immediately merged with the British-occupied area.

In addition to this merger plan as a record, there is no common language for negotiation with the Americans. It must be the Soviet Union. At this point in time, Eastern Europe is actually recovering much faster than Western Europe.

At a time when everyone is having a hard time and the landlord’s family has no surplus food, it’s fairer than anyone else. Obviously from this perspective, the Soviet system is obviously fairer than the old imperialism and the United States, which represents the new imperialism.

Britain also resolutely implemented the rationing system, and supplemented it with colonies, which led to the current situation.

Britain, which has recovered, also needs assistance from the United States, but this assistance can be requested for another reason, that is, Britain can help the United States stabilize the situation in Western European countries and prevent revolutions from breaking out in these countries.

In other words, the British Empire now has 800,000 troops, and the world's second largest navy is here.

It can play a role in maintaining European stability. Accepting assistance this time is not a request, but a help, serving as an auxiliary force to help the United States stabilize the situation in Europe.

Since it is not a request but a favor, Britain does not owe the United States anything to maintain European stability on the basis of cooperation.

After formulating the plan, Alan Wilson went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the plan. In the subsequent time, he answered and answered questions from the Permanent Under Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin.

In the final analysis, the biggest problem in the UK now is not any problem in production. Industrial indicators have fully recovered. The biggest problem is the debt incurred during the war, especially the debt of the United States.

If the United States did not press for debt, there would be no problems with the British economy now. We can talk about using some of the aid to buy American goods, but we cannot talk about opening up the exchange rate controls on the pound. Although there is no problem economically, the power of the dollar is already greater than that of the pound. too much.

"Talking to the French about the Saarland? To make the United States treat Britain more fairly?" Ernest Bevin still seemed a little energetic because of a previous illness, and he was also weak when asking questions.

"France once failed to sell out our Ruhr area. Now it can use the Saarland area to whet the appetite of the French and get the French to side with us." Alan Wilson replied calmly, "The Saarland area The soldiers in the Saar region are only on the last step. After the Moscow Conference, the attitude of the Americans has softened. As long as we provide support, the French dare to do this. Use the support of the Saar region issue to ensure that assistance from the United States this time Stand with us on the issue."

"Of course we have to look at the conditions offered by the Americans, if the aid issue is not so harsh. There can be another solution to the Saarland problem, and that is the establishment of the Anglo-French Coal and Iron Community, where the two countries share Germany's As for coal and iron resources, since Germany’s industrial zones are in the British-occupied areas, we still have the advantage.”

Ernest Bevin breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out that he did not really support the French in annexing the Saarland. "If you promise the French in the beginning, how will it end?"

"The Americans bribed us to oppose the French annexation of the Saarland." Alan Wilson said without thinking, "We in the UK were originally going to refuse, but the Americans gave us too much money."

"You are indeed very suitable to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." Ernest Bevin nodded. "The draft of joint French negotiations with the Americans has been finalized. As for the Coal and Iron Community, it will be used as a record to appease France in the future."

"Yes, minister." Alan Wilson nodded, "Then I want to go to the British-occupied area to collect some materials to prepare for negotiations. I will arrive in Paris before the meeting starts."

"Of course, but don't keep our French allies waiting." Ernest Bevin smiled.