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British Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston, who knows nothing about finances. Once again, Churchill walked into this cramped, stuffy little room that smelled of old books and tobacco, the office of the British Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, which was not grand enough. However, it is very compatible with the current world empire whose hegemony is crumbling.

"Winston, our German friends have once again called the current currency problem a currency war."

Prime Minister Stanley. Baldwin smoked a pipe and held a copy of The Times, which reprinted an article co-authored by German Finance Minister Dr. Schacht and General Electric General Manager Rathenau: The Pound Sterling - Europe's Last Line of Defense.

John Maynard Keynes, an economist sitting next to the chancellor, said: "The Germans have war on their minds, and they like to use war as a metaphor." However, they have basically the same view of the pound crisis as we do...... If the flow of money to the United States is not stopped, the pound will collapse in a very short time. At that time, the dollar will become the only reserve currency in the world, and the Americans will rule the world with the dollar. ”

Churchill pulled up a chair and sat down, put on half-moon glasses, took the newspaper from the prime minister's hand and read it. "A German in the newspaper proposed to form a European community that would include Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland?"

Keynes explained: "The community is first and foremost a monetary community, with currencies pegged to the pound sterling and a fixed exchange rate, and the pound pegged to gold...... In this way, the gold exchange system can be strengthened.

Secondly, the Community is also a customs community, and tariff barriers will eventually be eliminated among the countries participating in the Community. Goods, capital, and people must move freely. Strive to integrate all of Europe, excluding the Soviet Union, and its colonies into an economic community.

At last. The Community is also a military alliance. The armies of Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and other countries will fight together against any enemy who dares to threaten the common interests of Europe. ”

"These Germans are really idealists...... Churchill said in a slightly sarcastic tone, suggesting that he was not optimistic about the European community. With this 'European Community', Germany is no longer a badass bound by the Treaty of Versailles, but a European power on an equal footing with Great Britain, France, Italy and Poland. ”

"Yes. That's a problem. Keynes nodded, "But economically, the European Community is indeed viable...... It is good for the UK and can make London the financial center of the world again. ”

"But is it more good for Germany?" Churchill asked.

"I think so." Keynes said, "Germany is in the center of Europe, and it is currently the most industrially developed country in Europe, and once the European Community is formed, German goods will occupy the markets of Central and Eastern Europe." ”

Churchill shrugged, "But that's impossible!" Because the French will not agree. Not to mention that Poincaré is prime minister, even Briand can't do it when he comes to power. I know the French, they do want such a European community, but the leader of this European Community can only be France, not Britain or Germany. ”

"So do we!" Stanley. Baldwin smoked his pipe, "That's the main problem for Europe...... The formation of a community is certainly in the interest of all. But who will lead this community? Britain, France, Germany, and Italy will probably not accept themselves in a dominant position, right? ”

"Yes." Churchill said, "So the European Community is impossible." It won't appear in 10,000 years. ”

"So...... What about the pound? "Stanley. Baldwin asked. "How long can we hold on?"

"The question is pointless," Keynes replied in a mourning tone, "three months, six months...... Or is it a year, does that make sense for the British Empire? ”

"Do you think that if we lose the hegemony of the pound, the empire will cease to exist?" The British Prime Minister looked at Keynes.

"Do you need to ask?" Keynes frowned. "Monetary hegemony is the most powerful of all hegemons! Once this hegemony belongs to the United States, American paper money is capital, it is a resource, and it can buy everything they want...... If they don't have this hegemony, then how much gold reserves are there in the United States? It's only worth four or five billion dollars! ”

Four or five billion dollars is a lot. Britain now has less than $800 million in gold (while owing the United States more than $3 billion). But even four or five billion dollars of gold is only a small amount compared to the world economy in the 20s, and no one can buy the world with this money. But once it has monetary hegemony, the United States will be able to produce 10 or 20 times more paper money, and it will also make people all over the world think of it as a treasure.

What a force this is, it goes without saying!

In World War II, the countries involved in the war had to buy supplies from neutral countries on many occasions - iron ore and metal products from Sweden, chromite from Turkey, tungsten ore from Spain and Portugal, rubber from Brazil, beef from Argentina...... To get these things, the Germans had to pay real money or industrial goods of corresponding value, while the Americans only had to swipe some paper money.

"Mr. Keynes, I think you take the right to issue money too seriously," said Churchill, lighting a cigar and taking a few puffs, "the hegemony of the British Empire comes from our control of the seas, and as long as we have the seas, the pound will not be in much trouble, if not in some trouble." ”

"Yes, if we were to enter into a naval arms race with the Americans now...... Keynes followed Churchill's words, "and we would be able to get the German shipyards to help build battleships and aircraft carriers by issuing more pounds, because we would have the right to issue German money!" ”

Hearing his words, the British Prime Minister and the minister, who knew more about the navy than about finances, frowned at the same time. Prime Minister Stanley. Baldwin asked: "How can we keep the pound?" Now that the US economy is doing so well that it attracts money from all over the world, and we in the UK are currently in trouble, what else can we do to put the pound against the dollar? ”

"We can create a World Bank and issue a currency that goes beyond sovereignty!" Keynes said, "because the pound's position is no longer viable." We have to settle for the next best thing...... The United States must not be allowed to take away the right to issue the world's reserve currency! ”

This is a point put forward by Keynes in the original history in order to prevent the formation of dollar hegemony, but it was aborted because of the resolute opposition of the United States and the disunity of Europe. However, this proposal can also be seen as the origin of the euro, but unfortunately the British have always been reluctant to give up their pound......

Stanley. Baldwin asked, "Who will be at this World Bank?" ”

Keynes replied: "Britain and Germany will definitely participate, I am not sure about other countries, but I can try to fight for it." Even if it doesn't work out for the time being. It can also boost confidence in the pound. ”

……

"The World Bank is impossible, but the European Bank is possible."

Colonel Hersmann sat in the office of Major General Schleicher, Director of the Department of Defense Affairs, with a document sent from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his hand and frowned.

The Department of Ministerial Affairs was a new department created by General Grener (Schleicher's old superior) to take up the post of Minister of Defence and deal with the political and press affairs of the Army and Navy. Schleicher, on the other hand, turned the division into a bridge between the army and other ministries (government ministries) and political leaders, allowing him to coordinate the relationship between the government and the army. And after Admiral Seckert retired (and was attacked by many Republican lawmakers for letting Crown Prince William review the army), Schleicher became almost an equal to the Chief of the General Staff in the Army.

This time, he single-handedly promoted the promotion of various departments under the General Staff to the bureau, and many officers who could not be promoted for many years were promoted. This gave Schleicher more supporters in the army.

Hersmann, on the other hand, became Schleicher's main assistant because of his mastery of political, diplomatic, and economic issues - in fact, the two of them were now the number one and second men in the army's "gang force," which was dominated by officers with political, intelligence, and Baltic Wehrmacht and air force backgrounds. Not only can it influence the policy of the General Staff, but it also has a growing influence on the political situation.

In the original history, without the help of Hersman, the Intelligence Bureau, and Stasi, Schleicher manipulated the personnel arrangements of the head of the army chief (as opposed to the chief of the general staff) and the chancellor in 1930. In 1932, Schleicher even broke the restriction that soldiers were not allowed to interfere in politics and arranged for himself to become a "general chancellor".

So it is not surprising that he, a general, now asks Hersman what he thinks about the "World Bank" and the "world currency".

"European banks?" Schleucher shook his head, "Does this mean that Britain and Germany may form an alliance?" ”

It's really hard to answer! As a result of the implementation of the Keynes Plan. Relations between Britain and Germany are now much closer than they have been in the past. The Deutsche mark was pegged to the British pound and relied on British patronage to export goods to European countries.

In this case. In fact, there is a considerable common interest between Britain and Germany. But it is hard to say whether this common interest will lead to an Anglo-German alliance and European banks.

"General," said Hersmann, "if a European bank were to be established, the member states would not be only Great Britain and Germany, but the Baltic Republics, Czechoslovakia, and Austria would almost certainly join." ”

Both the Baltic Republic and Austria were predominantly German-dominated countries. Czechoslovakia also had many Germans, and the country's economy was largely manipulated by ethnic Germans.

If all three countries join the European Bank along with Germany, then it is possible that the process of integration between them and Germany will start - they will be economically integrated, and then politically!

――――

Another chapter is added to the table, in addition. Rollo's first order has reached 710, which seems to surpass the traitor's 740, and 1000 is also promising. Thank you so much, thank you.

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