Chapter 133
Chapter 133
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Chapter 133 - 위험한 변화 (1)
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Translator: crow
Chapter 133: Dangerous Changes (1)
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Even though power had shifted from Roosevelt to Truman, the reality that America had become a world empire remained unchanged.
If the United States wasn't going to cower back home like in the old days, it needed to solidify its position as the true sovereign of the free world.
“Mr. President. It's time to make a decision.”
Harry Truman had by now grown somewhat accustomed to the presidential seat.
‘A decision. What a heavy word.’
In truth, Truman had never dreamed he'd become president.
When Yi Seong-jun told him, he'd thought it was a joke.
Really.
Who could've imagined an inexperienced politician like him deciding such a monumental matter.
The ways of the world were truly unpredictable.
After much hesitation, Truman resolved to carry out the plan Roosevelt had prepared.
“Begin.”
To tighten the leash on Britain, the Truman administration pressured them on Lend-Lease aid.
“With Germany's reparations now finalized, we'll gradually cut off support.”
For the British Empire, which had barely scraped by postwar on American aid, this was a bolt from the blue.
“Your Excellency. Britain can't survive without aid. Please, just a little more time—a short extension.”
“Washington isn't digging up money from the ground either. To keep providing it, we need a justification we can sell to our own people.”
“A justification?”
“If it's for granting freedom to colonial subjects, our citizens will understand.”
Freedom.
That single word revealed America's true intentions to Britain.
These bastards planned to dismantle the colonial empire.
In line with Attlee's inclinations, they might have cooperated with decolonization.
Even within the empire, voices had risen to shed unprofitable, money-losing colonies and lighten the load.
But deciding on empire dissolution at this juncture would give dangerous forces like Mosley's a chance to surge, potentially dooming British democracy.
Blindly accepting American decolonization demands was too risky.
Should they just kick this outrageous demand to the curb?
But Britain couldn't dismiss Truman's brazen ultimatum.
The British Empire had fought Germany to the death while still reeling from World War I's aftermath.
Even if less devastated than the Continent, national strength had reached its limit.
Lend-Lease debts piled like mountains; without American aid, they could barely afford milk for children.
After consulting the cabinet on how far to yield, Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin entered negotiations with America.
“Very well. We'll grant independence to African colonies by 1960.”
Rather than dismantling the entire empire, Bevin proposed a phased handover.
America stepped back slightly from total dissolution when Britain suggested considering independence for India and remaining colonies once those stabilized.
‘If we demand they fully dismantle by 1960, the British will fight to the bitter end, right?’
America had no intention of cornering Britain completely.
Separate from hegemony struggles, Britain was an ally against communism.
After fierce table talks, both sides reached this accord:
America would provide further aid if London granted independence to African colonies and the Malayan Federation by 1960.
However, Britain and France would retain the Suez Canal.
Half the vast British colonial empire vanished, but Britain found it tolerable.
Africa had always been unprofitable anyway.
They'd preserved crown jewels like the Indian Empire and key shipping lanes, a trade worth enduring.
Britons thought they'd saved the empire through these talks, but the ripples shook it to its core.
“Britain promises independence for Africa and Malaya in Washington talks. What about India?”
India, quiet until now, erupted.
“We demand independence! The British Empire must honor promises made to India during the Great War against Germany. Isn't it time?”
India had supplied 2.5 million troops for this war.
Sure, few had actually fought Axis forces, but that wasn't India's concern.
“Your Excellency. Indians are in uproar. Soon other colonies will raise their voices too.”
Prime Minister Clement Attlee agonized over the issue.
Attlee prioritized rebuilding war-ravaged British lives, viewing empire preservation as secondary.
The problem was the political fallout from concessions.
Mindful of this, he ordered talks.
“Pacify the Indians gently—convince them autonomy will suffice.”
Attlee's compromise drew fierce backlash at home immediately.
His rival Churchill led the charge.
“Attlee, that lemon-sucking red, is about to sell off the country. Africa, fine—but a British Empire without India? Is that still the British Empire?”
Churchill believed India must be held at any cost.
“So we're warring with colonial subjects again?”
“If necessary, yes!”
“Hah.”
Attlee rejected such imperialists' logic.
How long could the empire last that way?
Britain lacked the strength for more war.
A nation too poor for children's milk—war?
When capacity faltered, decline must be accepted gracefully.
“Your Excellency. Indians rejected the compromise. They want no part of dominion status.”
“No persuasion worked?”
“No. They have zero desire to remain under the British Empire even nominally. They demand immediate independence.”
This was Britain's karma.
After centuries of divide-and-rule and broken promises, why trust them?
“Indians have stuck to protests so far, but escalation could spark armed rebellion.”
Thinking of dangerous figures like Chandra Bose, it wasn't hyperbole.
‘The British Empire can't wage another war. No choice.’
Attlee made the hard call.
“We'll abandon India. Offer independence by 1950 instead.”
Attlee's concession turned British politics upside down.
“Look at what these red Labor bastards are doing—tearing the British Empire apart!”
Conservatives led by Churchill couldn't contain their fury.
“So what now?”
“We join hands with Mosley.”
“With fascists entering politics?”
“Better than letting reds sell the country.”
Attlee's colonial retreats forged a bizarre conservative-fascist alliance.
Perhaps then, the British Empire crossed the Rubicon.
“Make the British Empire great again!”
They branded victory's empire a ‘de facto defeated nation’ under Attlee the traitor, vowing to punish Labor.
Mosley's black fascist banners flew over the British Empire.
“Huh?”
America hadn't sought this dismantling the empire.
“This is bad.”
The Truman administration panicked at Britain marching toward darkness.
If Britain adopted Korean-style democracy, how would the board shift?
Of course, a blackened London wouldn't ally with reds.
Reds and fascists were natural enemies.
But an unreliable ally posed problems.
How fully trust a pseudo-Korea like old times?
Well, America had plotted Red Plans and empire dissolution even when Britain was fine—hardly their place to complain, but optics mattered.
Mosley's rise in a great power rippled to France.
“De Gaulle, step down. How long will you freeload?”
General de Gaulle, ruling as provisional president, buckled under fascists led by Pierre de Leotard and communists.
The interwar scene replayed in France.
“I... will step aside.”
Unable to withstand pressure, de Gaulle retreated.
In ensuing elections, Pierre de Leotard's Golden Dawn Party triumphed.
“Make France great again!”
The presidency remained vacant, but Golden Dawn topped parliament.
“Better empower fascists than reds.”
People deemed Korean-style democracy fascists preferable to reds.
Young fascist Pierre de Leotard brandished aggressive slogans.
“France must be great again. We can't become Attlee-like losers accepting decline. We'll defend our colonial empire, built with blood and sweat, and pass glory to posterity.”
“Leotard! Leotard!”
His first step: massive communist crackdown.
“You sure about this?”
Even disarmed, communists held top party support.
Dare touch them?
“We can't repeat the folly of fearing parasites while sparing the heart. As Yi Seong-jun showed, we must decisively uproot evil seeds.”
Emulating Yi Seong-jun's line, Leotard mimicked his non-reactionary purges.
Leotard's lightning purge rocked France.
“That's right. Hit reds hard.”
“No, have they gone mad? Let's fight.”
French communists opted for legal general strikes against the government.
But it failed against Leotard.
“I'll order the military. Crush the reds now.”
Leotard deployed troops alongside police for strike suppression.
Straight from the Korean-style democracy playbook.
Diplomatically, he pivoted sharply.
“Improve ties with Spain.”
France's Leotard extended a hand to isolated fascist dictator Franco.
Alliance with the ideologically closest neighbor to bolster France's independent path.
This British-French anomaly signaled the Kremlin.
‘Britain wavers, France shows signs of leaving free world. Play right, swallow Central Europe whole.’
But Soviet direct war was absurd.
Lose, and the union crumbles.
Stalin decided to wait for clearer skies.
Yet Soviet ambition itself spelled trouble.
The world veered more dangerously than the Continent ever had.