Chapter 100: Politicians and Civil Servants
Historical nuances are normal, just as Tito's opposition was purged in history and is now alive and well, and the current error is within the normal range.
Before Alan Wilson returned to Potsdam, the British prime minister, who represented the British Empire at the Potsdam Conference, had changed.
Churchill was replaced by a new Prime Minister, Attlee, who was immediately appointed adviser and granted the right to remain in Potsdam.
Also present with the new Prime Minister Attlee was the new Foreign Secretary, Ernest Bevan, a trade union leader who organised and led the 1926 national strike.
Like many workers' supported parties of the era, Ernest Bevin, at the time of Hitler's rise, advocated that Britain should strike first against the German and Italian threats.
For a long time, the parties that were close to the workers were all war parties of the same water, according to the division of later generations.
For example, the Democratic Party of the United States before Kennedy was purely a white party.
The Australian Labor Party was the first to implement the White Australia policy. The Socialist Parties of Europe during the First World War were unwavering supporters of the war.
The parties that were close to the workers were often the decisive force in joining the war, which was unthinkable in Europe where the white left was pervasive in later generations.
The arrival of the new Prime Minister Attlee and the new Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevan made Truman a little unhappy, but Stalin was in a very good mood.
This is because both the new prime minister and the new foreign secretary are clearly pro-Soviet elements in the eyes of many people. When Britain participated in the intervention of the Russian revolution, Ernest Bevan encouraged the London dock workers to take the lead, claiming that if the military supplies on the ship "Silly George" were not removed, they would refuse to load the ship without removing the ship, which put a lot of pressure on the government.
The No. 1 and No. 2 figures of the new British government came to Potsdam with such a clearly pro-Soviet component, and one can imagine what Truman's mood was. This was the situation at the Secchienhof Palace when Alan Wilson returned to Potsdam.
The first was to report to the Secretary of the Foreign Office and the Cabinet Secretary, and to Edward Bridges asked, "Sir Edward, is my job to be concealed from the Prime Minister?" ”
Edward Bridges groaned for a moment, slowly shook his head and said, "No, this is not domestic, the international conference is still going on, and our private dealings with the Soviets cannot be hidden from the new prime minister." Because the meeting is not over yet, and the black-box operation continues, it is necessary to be honest with the new prime minister at such a time. ”
"But the former prime minister is still there." Alan Wilson scratched his head a little, and some didn't know the consequences of doing so.
"Civil servants take a friendly and neutral attitude towards the alternation of political parties." Alexander Cadogan, who was on the sidelines, interjected, "As for the handover of Mr. Churchill to the Prime Minister, that's their business. ”
"Good!" Edward Bridges spat out a word that was already obvious.
Yes...... Mr. Churchill! Alan Wilson knew in his heart that he still didn't understand what it meant to be stupid, and then asked, "I don't know what the attitude of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary is towards this meeting." ”
"Truth be told, much more conciliatory than Mr. Churchill's attitude towards the Soviet Union. Our Foreign Minister and Molotov had very good relations, and their hostility between them had diminished considerably. Edward Bridges changed his words and said, "Actually, there is no conflict between us and the Soviet Union at all, but some politicians have inexplicable hostility towards the Soviet Union. ”
"Yes, there is no conflict." Alexander Cadogan also hurriedly dissociated, "We are only implementing Mr. Churchill's policy, which does not mean that we agree with their propositions. ”
That's it? Alan Wilson thought so, but he also showed that he was moving closer to the organization, "Actually, if the Prime Minister had been involved in the negotiations, instead of Mr. Churchill here, maybe the talks would have been over." ”
"It's very likely." Alexander Cadogan spoke up in agreement, ignoring my embarrassment against myself.
When Alan Wilson was about to report on his private dealings with the Soviet Union, Alexander Cadogan followed and stopped Alan Wilson.
"Permanent Secretary, what's the matter?" Alan Wilson was puzzled and thought back to the process just now, and there was nothing wrong with it.
"Sir Edward, I don't agree with some of the perceptions of the Prime Minister. You have experience as a civil servant in British India, and if the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary ask about British India, you have to tell us. Alexander Cadogan was afraid that Alan Wilson would not understand, so he lowered his voice and said, "In the final analysis, the affairs of the Soviet Union have nothing to do with us, but British India is related to the lives of 100,000 civil servants and their families, do you understand?" ”
"Got it!" Alan Wilson's face was grim, and it seemed that the Cabinet Secretary and the new Prime Minister had disagreed on the issue of British India. As cabinet secretary, Edward Bridges saw the question of the Soviet Union far less important in the eyes of the head of the civil service than the question of British India.
The head of the civil service was concerned with nothing more than size and budget, and the 100,000 civil servants of British India were an important part of the civil service of the British Empire, close to half the size of the native civil service. If the new Prime Minister is not prepared to spend time in British India, what will happen to these civil servants?
The problem is already known, but Alan Wilson has no way to do it, so he can only pray that he is a small person, and the Prime Minister and the foreign secretary will not think of asking himself the opinion of such an insignificant character.
"It's really the style of the Conservative Party, and it's a black-box operation." Ernest Bevin, who had just become Foreign Secretary, sneered after listening to Alan Wilson's report, "I said how could Molotov be so kind and focus his attention on this kind of thing, and the real problem has not been solved, what about the belonging of Austria?" The Soviet Union has already closed the borders of Austria and Yugoslavia and said that it is not suitable to change the status quo in the short term. ”
"Honorable Foreign Secretary, this is actually a question of the Americans and the Soviets." Alan Wilson maintained his original assertion that the Yugoslavs had fled to the American-occupied zone and had nothing to do with the British Empire.
He had to speak at this time, the two new bigwigs in the province, who had no topic, really remembered to ask about British India after a while.
"Foreign Secretary, the Soviets have officially notified us that war is going to be declared on Japan." While walking on thin ice, Foreign Ministry Secretary Alexander Cadogan pushed the door in, "We have just been informed by the Soviet delegation that the Soviet Union has entered a state of war with Japan. ”