The federal government’s frantic shipbuilding is not only to stimulate domestic demand, but also to protect southern Africa’s overseas interests.
Nowadays, the influence of Southern Africa has long surpassed that of its surrounding areas. It has extensive interests in two oceans, one on the left and one on the right, plus the Mediterranean. Without a strong navy, Southern Africa's interests cannot be guaranteed.
Due to restrictions in the Washington Naval Treaty, southern Africa cannot build battleships and aircraft carriers, so low-cost and versatile cruisers have become the best choice.
The same is true for the UK. The UK also has extensive interests in the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, even though the UK's economy is relatively difficult now, the UK has proposed a continuous shipbuilding plan just like southern Africa. It will increase the number of British cruisers to 70 by 930.
ship.
After the completion of these 20 cruisers in Southern Africa, the number of cruisers will reach 50.
This is unacceptable to the United States.
Regardless of how tense the relationship between Southern Africa and the United Kingdom is, from the perspective of the United States, Southern Africa and the United Kingdom are of the same family. Once the two cruisers add up to 20 cruisers, the interests of the United States will be threatened.
The purpose of the United States' proposal to convene a meeting is to include cruisers within the limits of the "Washington Naval Treaty." Referring to the restrictions of the "Washington Naval Treaty," the cruisers of the United States, Britain, and Japan are also distributed in a ratio of 5:5:3.
Forget about France and Italy, they have no shipbuilding plans at all, and they have not yet fully equipped the capital ship standards stipulated in the "Washington Naval Treaty".
Britain agreed to include cruisers within the limits of the Washington Naval Treaty, but had huge differences with the United States on tonnage standards.
The United Kingdom agreed to include cruisers of more than 10,000 tons in the "Washington Naval Treaty" and can also be allocated according to the ratio of 5:5:3, but there is no restriction on cruisers of smaller tonnage. The reason is that Britain has long lines of communication. 70
A cruiser is Britain's bottom line.
In terms of overseas military bases, there is still a huge gap between the United States and the United Kingdom. Therefore, the United States does not need smaller cruisers, but larger cruisers to cooperate with the U.S. Navy in combat.
As long as Southern Africa is not involved, Patton can do anything. Anyway, the heavy cruisers in Southern Africa only have a full load displacement of 900 tons, which is barely less than 10,000 tons.
"London should restrict Southern Africa. The Commonwealth has always been a whole. Southern Africa is still an overseas autonomous territory of the British Empire. If Southern Africa is not restricted by the "Washington Naval Treaty", then the "Washington Naval Treaty" will be lost.
Meaning." U.S. Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg did not spare Southern Africa and strongly urged that Southern Africa and the United Kingdom be treated as a whole.
"Southern Africa has long broken through the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty. So what happened to the four Normandy-class battleships? If this is the case, the retired battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy do not need to be dismantled, change their identities, and sell them to the Koreans
, can it be used as part of the combined fleet?" Kijuro Shitahara was angry. He has now been promoted and is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
"Yes, southern Africa is an overseas autonomous territory of the United Kingdom. As long as the Japanese government recognizes that Korea is also an overseas autonomous territory of Japan, then you can do whatever you want."
became a Japanese colony.
Of course, Japan definitely does not understand it this way. In the Japanese understanding, after the signing of the Japan-Korea Merger Treaty, Goryeo has become a part of Japan, and its relationship is the same as that between India and the United Kingdom today.
"General Patton, watch your words. The Korean Peninsula will always be an inalienable part of the Empire of Japan. It was, is, and will be in the future!" Kijuro Shitahara immediately exploded. This is Japan's core interest.
"You can do it soon, it wasn't the case 90 years ago." Patton sneered mercilessly. Japanese people also have too much ambition and a thin life.
Japan's problem is that it cannot recognize itself.
Look at France and Italy. If they don't have the strength, they won't get involved in this matter. They only send observers to attend the meeting and say nothing during the whole process.
Japan is just talking nonsense because it has no strength. Strictly speaking, Japan is the weakest among the top five. After the economic crisis broke out, Japan's economy has worsened. Now even if the Japanese are allowed to build cruisers, they will not be able to build a few.
He is still dissing Southern Africa with a big face, and I don’t know where the confidence comes from.
"Gentlemen, let's get back to the point." Frank B. Kellogg slammed the table. He had seen through it. Patton was here to disrupt the situation. The British really all have this virtue.
Kijuro Shitahara was furious.
Barton sneered.
British Foreign Secretary Austin lowered his head and wrote quickly on a small piece of paper, and then passed the small piece of paper to Patton.
Barton took the small piece of paper, which read: Please increase your efforts!
Look at his upbringing, he never forgets to use honorifics when passing notes.
Frank B. Kellogg frowned. He also wanted to see what was written on the note.
Unfortunately, Barton burned the note directly after reading it.
"Gentlemen, there is an important issue. When the Washington Naval Conference was held, Southern Africa did not participate as an independent country. This is unfair to Southern Africa. We in Southern Africa suggest that the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty be reconsidered.
After review, Southern Africa must also receive treatment commensurate with its own strength." Patton lived up to expectations, but he used a little too much force. This was the rhythm of directly tearing up the "Washington Naval Treaty".
"What do you mean?" Frank B. Kellogg had a big head. If the "Washington Naval Treaty" is torn up, the naval holiday era will be completely over.
Kijuro Shitahara also has a big problem. The crazy construction of cruisers in southern Africa has broken the balance of power that briefly appeared after the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty. If the arms race is restarted, Japan really does not have the strength to follow the stud.
Austin is even more ambitious. With the national strength of southern Africa, it is not too much to obtain the same 525,000-ton battleship as the United Kingdom and the United States. But in that case, who will still be the boss in the Commonwealth?
Don’t forget that Southern Africa currently doesn’t even have a single capital ship in name. Based on Austin’s understanding of Rock, if we really want to loosen the restrictions on Southern Africa, then based on Southern Africa’s strength, I’m afraid there will be more than a dozen built in a short time.
battleships, filling up all the tonnage of the battleships.
Don't forget that the warships built in southern Africa are all new types of warships, not the outdated models from more than ten years ago. In this way, the balance of naval power will be completely out of control.
"There is no need to amend the Washington Naval Treaty now" Frank B. Kellogg disagrees with amending the Washington Naval Treaty.
"Is Southern Africa going to provoke an arms race again?" Kijuro Shitahara jumped up and down, immediately attracting the dissatisfied looks of Frank B. Kellogg and Austin.
The arms race is a taboo topic. Thinking about the arms race in the years before World War I, Austin's scalp feels numb.
"Southern Africa has no intention of targeting anyone. We are building cruisers just to protect the interests of Southern Africa. But if a country thinks that Southern Africa is provoking an arms race, then Southern Africa will also be forced to respond." Patton said no one wanted to do that.
Wow, building warships is a good thing, as it stimulates domestic demand.
"General Patton, is your attitude representative of Southern Africa?" Frank B. Kellogg frowned. If Southern Africa were to launch an arms race, let's not say what kind of reaction Japan would have. The United States would definitely do something.
of.
"I am sitting here, and I am the answer!" Ever since the United States began investigating the Adan Company, Barton has been holding a fire in his heart.
This Patton has little to do with Rock's personal feelings.
As a southern African soldier, being unable to protect the interests of southern African enterprises is the greatest shame for southern African soldiers.
Although Southern Africa later imposed reciprocal sanctions on the United States, in Patton's view, the United States' proactive provocation was an insult to Southern Africa.
So the key to the problem is that southern Africa is not strong enough.
At least when facing the United States, there is no overwhelming advantage.
In view of the serious differences between Britain, the United States and South Africa, no consensus was reached at the meeting.
In the evening, Austin hosted a banquet for Barton, accompanied by Neville and Young Smuts, who had not yet left London.
"Is your Lord's health okay? I haven't seen him for a long time." Neville was very enthusiastic about Barton. Everyone knew that Barton was Rock's confidant.
"My lord also misses you very much, and has entrusted me to convey his greetings to you." Barton was gentle and non-aggressive at this time.
"How was the meeting?" Yang Smuts did not attend the meeting. He has been working hard to maintain relations between southern Africa and the United Kingdom during this time.
The relationship between countries is like this. If someone plays good role, someone will play bad role. Of course, interests must be fought for, but relations cannot be completely broken.
"It's not very good. It's impossible to reach an agreement at all." Patton is not optimistic about the prospects of the meeting. In previous years, there might have been some gains, but it is definitely not possible now. In order to stimulate domestic demand, countries will definitely increase their military investment.
The arms race has become unstoppable.
"General Patton, you are acting too urgently." Austin said that Patton was not a qualified diplomat.
It wasn't originally. Patton was a soldier, not a diplomat. It was actually more appropriate for Yang Smozi to go to this occasion.
Yang Shimozi said that I would not go. It was clear that there would be no results from the meeting, so it would be useless to go there.
"The situation is a bit complicated now. The Labor Party has launched an impeachment of the current cabinet. It is very difficult for the Prime Minister to pass this test." Neville sighed, and Stanley Baldwin couldn't hold on after all.
This term of the Conservative cabinet is also unlucky. First there was a national general strike, and now there is an economic crisis. The opportunity that Ramsay Macdonald dreamed of has finally come. He has learned the lessons of the last time he was prime minister and is ready to replace the Conservative Party.
