Interested? What kind of interests do you have? Alan Wilson thought so in his heart, in the Dutch-Indian War in history, Britain participated in the war, and it seems that this decision was not affected, and the British army still had to participate in the war.

Sure enough, Edward Bridges said directly, "The Dutch East Indies are adjacent to British Malaya, and once a wave of independence breaks out, it will definitely affect the stability of the British colonies, so the cabinet's decision is to land on Java Island first before the Dutch army arrives, maintain the situation and wait for the arrival of the Dutch army, just like Vietnam waits for the arrival of the French army." ”

Alan Wilson sighed, what is the big brother of the colonial empire, the British Empire at this time is it. It seems that during the period of 1945, Britain still tried its best to pull these colonial empires.

It was only then that the contraction evolved into a contraction, and by the time Wilson came to power as prime minister, the colonies were almost completely lost, and considering that the independence of the Dutch East Indies might have an impact on Malaya, Britain decided to help the Netherlands, which had not yet arrived in the main force, to take the lead.

Helping France stabilize Vietnam and the Netherlands stabilizing Indonesia, Alan Wilson recalled history as if the British Empire had never been so sincere for hundreds of years.

After the war, Britain was not unaware of the danger of possible exit, nor did it fail to make efforts, just because the British Empire was the largest colonial empire on the plate, and it was inevitable that it would not be decisive enough to look forward and backward when shrinking.

Although after two world wars, Europe was seriously injured, and the United States and the Soviet Union were eyeing each other, but for the vast third world, it is still an untouchable behemoth, and it depends on whether it can make a sober choice.

While Alan Wilson thought so, Edward Bridges continued, "The Cabinet has also decided on the independence of Italian Somalia within a year, and to discuss this matter with France, after all, part of Somalia is still in the hands of the French, and we need to obtain the understanding of the French." ”

During World War II, Italy invaded British Somaliland and Abyssinia, merging it with Italian Somaliland and Eritrea, also an Italian colony, to form Italian East Africa.

After the end of the Second World War, the former Italian Somaliland was decided to be temporarily placed under British trusteeship.

Now Italian Somalia is in the hands of the British, and as for the part that belongs to France, it is actually a place called Djibouti.

First of all, Djibouti is located in the Horn of Africa, on the west coast of the Gulf of Aden, with an area of only 23,000 square kilometers. Most passing ships have to be resupplied in Djibouti.

"Independence? Isn't it too hasty? The strength of the resistance on the ground is not comparable to ours. Alexander Cadogan said with some anxiety, "There is no need to do this at all. ”

"It's the independence of Italian Somalia, not the independence of British Somalia in our hands. In this way, the Somali Peninsula could be divided into two countries when British Somalia became independent. ”

Edward Bridges unhurriedly corrected and made the cabinet's position on the whole of Greater Somalia clear, not to make the whole of Somalia independent, but to let the former Italian part of Somalia become an independent state first.

"Distinguished Cabinet Secretary, I must say that the decisions of the Cabinet meeting were very far-sighted. We can say without hesitation that once Greater Somalia becomes independent so soon, some unrealistic ideas may arise, as is the case with a group of indigenous elites in British India at present, and this dangerous thinking should be curbed. ”

When Alan Wilson heard this, he immediately gave a singing rainbow fart, thinking that this move was very far-sighted, and at the same time said that he had a little shallow opinion on the Somali issue.

"Behold, our energetic Allen also has an opinion on this matter." Reaching for a glass of whiskey, Edward Bridges chuckled and nodded, "It's about the partition of Somalia and the independence of Italian Somalia." ”

"Including, but not limited to, the Somali issue." Alan Wilson was flattered and took the cabinet secretary's glass, but he didn't expect to have his own share, and said eloquently, "The partition of Somalia is definitely a good idea, which may solve a big burden on the British Empire, we can let Italian Somalia become independent first, in this process, of course, let the local British civil servants get the share that belongs to the British Empire, and now the country needs to inject funds, I believe that the local tribal chiefs are very responsible for using some insignificant metals to buy the right to rule a place." ”

"Good." Edward Bridges nodded with satisfaction, "The partition plan is something I have recently seen from British India that Ali Jinnah and Nehru have come to me, and it seems that I have not made a decision...... Oh, the suggestion is wrong. ”

"Decisions are all a matter for politicians, we are just loyal executors, and mistakes naturally cannot fall on us. And politicians are chosen by citizens, and if politicians make mistakes, doesn't that mean that the citizens of the great British Empire make mistakes again? So there is no mistake for all. ”

Alexander Cadogan made a eloquent statement that civil servants are always an infallible group, and when they do, they are certainly the mistakes of elected politicians.

"In the process of releasing the independence of any Somalia, if the Italian Somalia are unable to develop for their own reasons and live a worse life than before independence, there is certainly no responsibility of the British Empire, and even if it is responsible, it is the responsibility of the Italians. Moreover, Haile Selassie I, the Ethiopian emperor, seemed to be able to bear the losses of the Italian plundering of Ethiopia in the Italian War. ”

Does Somalia have anything to do with Ethiopia? Of course, the Ogaden is part of the Somali State in eastern Ethiopia, with an area of about 180,000 square kilometers, also known as Ethiopian Somalia.

Once Italy becomes independent of Somalia, it is likely that war will break out if it is provoked, especially after Haile Selassie I returned to Ethiopia, which can be said to have a very high prestige in Africa.

Like many of the resistance forces in World War II, Haile Selassie I chose to go into exile in London after Ethiopia was occupied by Italy, and the British certainly had this influence on Ethiopia.

"If Ethiopia were to invade after Italian Somalia became independent, the British Empire could be burdened on a moral level." After listening to Alan Wilson's words from beginning to end, Edward Bridges said meaningfully, "Although the war between these two African countries has nothing to do with the British Empire in essence. ”

"The British Empire has given the Somalis as much freedom as possible, and people always have to learn to live independently. Everything we can teach Africans has already been taught, and if we get caught up in war, it's just Africans' own problem. Alexander Cadogan then expressed his agreement with the Cabinet Secretary.

Then what happened to Somalia after that, the natural development was that Italy became Somalia independent, and then because of the exploitation of Italy, it was impoverished and destitute, and it also caused the invasion of neighboring countries. British Somalia is like living in paradise by comparison.

Even in the distant future, British Somalia became independent, and in the course of British administration, there were mature local decision-makers who would not merge with Italian Somalia.

At the end of the report, Edward Bridges suddenly seemed to remember something, and said, "There is news from the Far East about the handling of the Japanese Navy, and the British Empire and our close allies, the Americans, have agreed on one thing, to destroy and sink all the warships above the cruiser of the Japanese Navy!" The unfinished warships and submarines were all cut by electric welding. ”

"That's a shame, a lot of warships are still powerful." Alan Wilson said with a look of regret.

"This matter is the final decision of the United Kingdom and the United States!" Alexander Cadogan saw Alan Wilson's reaction and added, "Alan, just think about it. The remaining cruisers, battleships and aircraft carriers, if retained, were to be distributed according to the scheme on the European side. The remnants of battleships and aircraft carriers of the Japanese Navy, in case the Soviets wanted it, will we give it or not? So the large warships had to be destroyed in their entirety, so that the USSR had nothing to say. ”

"Only a few thousand-ton destroyers remained, which were no threat to the Royal Navy. So it's better to destroy all the large warships of the Japanese Navy! The rest of the rags could have made a tolerant gesture and let the Soviet Union and China choose at will, and the British Empire would never object. ”

"Dear Sir Edward, Sir Alexander." Alan Wilson's heart moved, not so much that he suddenly wanted an internationalist spirit and something to fight for the Soviet Union and some of the Asian powers, but that he thought of the unfinished submarine in Hamburg, which he wanted to sell to the princely state of Junagad.

After saying this, Edward Bridges's face changed, it was not a trivial matter to complete the sale of German submarines, but the Hamburg shipyard was the wealth of the British-occupied zone, and Britain had the right to deal with this matter independently, and other countries could not interfere.

"Alan, what do you mean by Junagadh? Is it rich? Seeing that Edward Bridges didn't speak, Alexander Cadogan understood and opened his mouth to ask.

"It's not just a question of being rich or not, it's a rare kind." Alan Wilson gave a detailed introduction to the princely states of Junagadh, "The strength of the princely states of Junagadh is firmly in the top three among the princely states of British India. ”