"According to the itinerary, it was after the third performance, at the cultural exchange symposium between the two countries and at the subsequent reception." Alan Wilson looked through the itinerary with his head down, turned his head and asked the diplomat behind him, "Is that so?" ”

"Yes, London took this cultural visit of the Soviet Song and Dance Troupe very seriously, which reminds us of the years when we fought side by side." The diplomats named by Alan Wilson spoke eloquently and expressed their views very much in line with the general direction of the current Anglo-Soviet friendship.

From the anti-French alliance to the First World War, and this round of mass attacks on Germany, Britain and Russia have always stood together on key issues, and the two countries are natural allies.

Alan Wilson agreed with this conclusion with a stiff face, of course, the Crimean War, and the successive British alliances that prevented Imperial Russia from gaining access to the sea, were all misunderstandings. Even if you are a good friend, you will inevitably have a quarrel one day.

"This is an era of reconciliation, where we look to the future, seek common ground while reserving differences, and reach consensus. Discover the best in each other! Alan Wilson told the sour lie, his face was as usual, and he had to admire the thickness of his skin and race over the city walls.

Alexander Aleksandrov, who was essentially a military man, did not understand the rhetoric of diplomacy. But he still understands that he doesn't say when he shouldn't, even if he already remembers the Crimean War.

So on the surface, Alan Wilson's official statement worked out well, at least he himself thought so.

The first performance of the Red Flag Song and Dance Troupe is scheduled for the Royal Opera House in London, which has a history of hundreds of years, and the pre-war period was the glory period of the Royal Opera House, the theater's career is flourishing, artists with international reputation, have come to perform here, and the theater has become one of the world's leading opera houses.

The great French composer Debussy once praised it as representing the best aspects of the British, not only the decoration is magnificent, but also the sound is perfect, listening to music here is a great pleasure.

Originally, according to the plan, the Royal Opera House in London was to be opened next year, but since foreign friends were going to come to London to perform, the opera house, which was not damaged during the war, was directly opened in advance, and the Alexander Red Banner Song and Dance Troupe became the first performance group.

This has been fully demonstrated by the courtesy of London and the efforts made to improve relations between Britain and the Soviet Union.

On October 18, the Royal Opera House in London was already full of people, and the audience lined up to enter the theater, and the opera house, which can accommodate 2,200 people, was already full.

Alan Wilson smiled and greeted Fortseva in the box, which made the future Tsar of Soviet culture wonder why, and asked, "What is your plot?" ”

"You Soviets don't want that, this is London!" Alan Wilson frowned, reminding Fortseva that this was the place, and that it wasn't Potsdam in Soviet-occupied territory anymore. It's better for Fortseva to be respectful when she speaks.

As for the reason why Alan Wilson was happy, it was nothing more than selling a few scalper tickets, and in the arduous task of receiving the Soviets, he made a lot of money and realized the original intention of both public and private work.

As a sign of the importance attached to the visit to the Soviet Union, Prime Minister Attlee of the British Empire, Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevan, and pro-Soviet elements in the mouth of some conservative newspapers also attended the first performance of the Red Banner Song and Dance Troupe in Britain.

On the stage of the Royal Opera House in London, the first performance of the Alexander Red Banner Song and Dance Troupe in the UK officially began. When the chorus of the Red Flag Song and Dance Troupe began, the crowd of the Royal Opera House in London fell silent.

In the box of Prime Minister Attlee and Foreign Secretary Bevan, it had nothing to do with the performance at this time, and the issues discussed by the two were still related to the current situation in Europe.

"Luxembourg intends to participate in the organization of the Brussels conference and become a member of it." Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevan, while listening to the chorus, turned to Prime Minister Attlee about the matter, "How do we respond? ”

"Is Luxembourg's attitude eager? I believe that joining one more country will not attract the attention of the United States and the Soviet Union, Luxembourg is so small. Attlee retracted his gaze from the stage and replied, "Then let the Ministry of Foreign Affairs talk about it." ”

If Alan Wilson had been in this box at this time, he would have seen that the corrective nature of history was at work.

After World War II, Europe's first military alliance was not actually known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but an organization called the Brussels Treaty.

Initiated by the United Kingdom, with the participation of France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. After the meeting of the foreign ministers of Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and France failed to reach an agreement on the German question, Britain advocated a joint defense strengthening of Western Europe to deal with the Soviet Union.

With the support of the United States, Britain began to hold talks with France, Belgium, the Benelux, and other countries. In the preamble to the Treaty of Brussels, signed by the Foreign Ministers of the five countries for a period of fifty years, Britain and France, in order to "provoke the Soviet Union and cause trouble," affirmed in the preamble the purpose of the alliance to prevent the resurgence of German aggression and provided that in the event of an armed attack in Europe, the High Contracting Parties should provide all military and other assistance.

Establishment of the Consultative Council of Foreign Ministers. Later, the National Defense Council was established, the Supreme Command was established, and Montgomery was appointed Commander-in-Chief.

However, with the establishment of NATO, the Brussels Treaty Organization existed in name only, and the military functions were merged into NATO. That's why it's not well known, but this organization has always existed.

Member States added Germany, Italy, as well as Spain, Portugal and Greece.

Because of the clarity of the colonial question, the Brussels Conference came two years earlier. However, immediately after the Brussels meeting, Luxembourg expressed its desire to join.

"What do you think of Paris?" Attlee thought for a moment and asked Ernest Bevan, "Actually, if de Gaulle agrees with this, there is nothing to say." It's just that I am afraid that the Soviet Union will have doubts about this, and you must know that the current member states are in a wide range of overseas interests, but Luxembourg does not. If Luxembourg joins, will it arouse Moscow's suspicion of Western Europe that we are taking a containment attitude towards the Soviet Union? ”

"Moscow's attitude is really worth considering." Ernest Beven nodded and replied, "But in a pocket country like Luxembourg, Moscow should not make a big fuss, by the way, from the remarks of some high-ranking officials in Moscow, it seems that there is an idea of letting the four countries withdraw from Germany and turn Germany into a neutral country, I don't know what you think?" ”

"This absolutely cannot be agreed! Even if we agree, the French will not agree. Attlee simply refused, "Once all four countries withdraw from Germany, the Soviet Union, which has the strongest ground power, will have nothing to lose, but we can only prepare to resist a possible invasion in France." ”

The Soviet Union could withdraw its troops from Germany under certain conditions and unify the occupied territories of the four countries. The premise was that a united Germany must be strictly neutral, and another indispensable condition was that the Western bloc should pay a huge amount of compensation to the Soviet Union for this.

However, in 1945, this condition was that at the same time as the Soviet Union withdrew its troops, the United States, Britain, and France must also withdraw their troops.

While the two were discussing the situation in Europe, Guy Liddell, the deputy director general of MI5 and the head of security for the reception, knocked on the door and came in to report, "The members of the Soviet visit would like to come in and thank London for their hospitality." ”

"Let the Soviet comrades in." Attlee put on a gentle smile and said to Guy Liddell.

After Guy Liddell turned to leave, he motioned to Ernest Bevan, "We will talk about this issue later, it is not just a matter of Britain alone, but also France and the United States, the more countries involved, the more complicated it is, there is no consensus when there are many people, there is a lot of saliva but nothing to do, then naturally there is no result." ”

"It is a loss for us to completely withdraw from Germany, and now there is no return in the British-occupied zone." Ernest Bevan agrees that it is only necessary for Britain to fully return to the pre-war situation, and if it is discussed at that time, it will only be negotiable, not that the result must be discussed.

On the stage of the Royal Opera House in London, the Alexandria Red Banner Song and Dance Ensemble is still performing, immersed in the exhilarating and thunderous singing of the choir. The sound of balalaika and brass came and went, and the 2,200 British audience from all walks of life stood with bated breath, and the loud chorus was heard in their ears.

Not all of them have entered the battlefield, but all the audience seems to feel that the battlefield is close in front of them, and the chorus of the Red Flag Song and Dance Troupe that hits the soul brings all the audience in.

At the end of the stage, 200 members of the Red Flag Choir sang "God Save the Queen", and countless audiences at the Royal Opera House in London stood up and danced to the music of the choir from the Soviet Union.

There is no doubt that the first performance of the Alexander Red Banner Song and Dance Troupe in London had a sensational effect.

"Thank you gentlemen for your warm hospitality!" Fortseva came to the Prime Minister's box and raised her glass to Prime Minister Attlee and Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevan, "I hope that this cultural exchange activity can reduce the misunderstanding between the Soviet Union and Britain and enhance the understanding between the two countries." ”

"There was no animosity between Britain and the USSR, and I myself am a socialist." Attlee raised his glass and introduced Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevan, saying, "When the news of the Soviet Union came, Bevan and I rejoiced that the working class had found their homeland, and for that we refused to help the Soviet militants to deliver aid." ”

"But we hope that the Soviet Union will show a competition of conscience, which will be of great benefit to world peace." Ernest Bevan raised his glass as well, and drank the wine from the glass.

"Cheers to Anglo-Soviet friendship!"