Chapter 363
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Anglo-Saxon Alliance
If I had to name one advantage of a dictatorship, it was that I didn't need to "explain" what I was doing.
That meant I could scheme up any dangerous operation without having to justify it to the public.
My target was Islam.
"Drive a wedge between the West and Islam."
By heightening animosity on both sides, I aimed to strengthen the oil barons' aversion to petrodollars.
To pull this off, we leaked the following story to France's far-right groups.
"Sir, think about it. Europe isn't normal right now."
"What do you mean by that?"
"European birthrates are plummeting, but Muslim immigrants are popping out kids left and right. What do you think that means?"
"That is..."
"It means Muslim wombs will conquer Europe."
We scared them with rhetoric like "Eurabia," which would trend in the 21st century.
"That's absolutely unacceptable."
"That's why we need to enlighten the public."
The French far-right took our planted stories seriously.
"It's not wrong. The Muslim proportion is indeed rising—that's a fact."
This kind of work wasn't limited to the French far-right.
We quietly worked behind the scenes with far-right parties and white supremacist groups across Europe, including Germany.
Anonymous packages, individual contacts.
To avoid any hint of state involvement while scheming, we wore the "mask" of white supremacists.
How?
By using Korean Germans.
Our gloomy projections soon began appearing in newspapers through the far-right's mouths.
A novel forecasting Europe's future under Muslim majority rule was chilling enough to leave a deep impression on Europeans.
"Even so, Muslims aren't the type to get that out of hand."
People were skeptical that Muslims would go that far.
"No way."
We countered by presenting evidence of Christian suffering in Muslim-majority areas.
"The tragedies faced by Coptic Christians and Eastern Orthodox believers show what awaits Europe's Christians."
We relentlessly emphasized Islam's threat to those casting doubtful glances.
Western society didn't flip 180 degrees on this framing alone, but one thing clearly changed.
"Now I know exactly who I hate. I hate Muslims more than Asians."
Hatred breeds hatred.
Europe's Islamophobia in turn reinforced anti-European, anti-Western sentiment in Islamic nations.
But this wasn't enough.
To provoke the Islamic side further, we poked at Western society's "freedom of expression."
"These guys will do nicely."
We sent an anonymous letter to a notorious French satirical magazine with this provocative message:
"Why do you caricature Jesus Christ but show such tolerance for Islam's prophet Muhammad?"
Charlie Hebdo didn't let the provocation slide.
"Tolerant only toward Muhammad? Don't make me laugh!"
The ultimate rebel, Charlie Hebdo immediately published cartoons mocking Muhammad.
"What? The Prophet Muhammad as a pedophile? Have they lost their minds?"
Muslims everywhere erupted in outrage.
Shia, Sunni—it didn't matter.
French diplomatic missions were attacked, and French citizens assaulted.
The West was shocked by this display of Islamic violence.
"Who was it calling Islam a religion of peace?"
Hostility between both sides skyrocketed in an instant.
"We hate Europe and America too."
"Then the alternative is clear. Korea's our only option left."
Islamic nations' foreign policies didn't shift overnight, but their preference for Korea noticeably increased.
"I'd like to give this construction project to Korea first, over America or Europe."
"A wise choice. Asians should stick together."
The anti-Islam operation strengthened economic ties between Middle Eastern countries and Korea.
"Pyongyang doesn't discriminate against us just because we're Muslim."
In the same vein, Middle Eastern nations reconsidered reducing petro-won settlements.
"We need alternatives when the West keeps acting uppity."
This effectively extinguished the immediate threat of petrodollar erosion.
"You set the Mediterranean on fire and then put it out?"
"Hey, as long as my house is safe, who cares about the neighbors'?"
My priority was Korea's national interest, not world peace.
Satisfied with just defending the petro-won's status?
No chance.
I planned to use the operation's success to stick it to America even more.
"The dollar is gradually declining against the won anyway. Why cling to petrodollars?"
I periodically dispatched high-level officials to oil-producing nations to persuade them of the petro-won's merits.
America wasn't sitting idly by either.
They threatened and cajoled to defend the petrodollar's position.
I never thought a few words would topple petrodollars.
The real prize I was after lay elsewhere.
"America's shifting to a strong dollar policy?"
"The Reagan administration's stance hasn't changed yet."
'I see.'
Unlike our world, the current Ronald Reagan administration in America was pushing a weak dollar.
It was their way of securing industrial competitiveness.
But this strategy had a fatal flaw.
The oil barons' discontent.
"If the dollar weakens, there's no reason to hold it."
If the dollar occupied an unrivaled position like the won in our world, Reagan's weak dollar policy wouldn't be an issue.
But this world had a formidable rival: the won.
My machinations were, on a grand scale, maneuvers to force America into a strong dollar.
"Hold the weak dollar line."
Even so, America couldn't hold out forever in this situation.
To preserve the dollar's prestige, pivoting to a strong dollar was inevitable.
Once cornered there, I could maintain the edge in our rivalry.
The picture was clearly in my favor.
But the opponent was Ronald Reagan, one of America's iconic presidents.
Get careless against a guy like that, and he might bite you in the back.
And that prediction hit the mark soon enough.
"Anglo-Saxon Economic Alliance?"
"It's America's new proposal for a multilateral economic bloc."
Not NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement between the US, Mexico, and Canada in 1992), but a larger Anglo-Saxon economic alliance?
Of course, this was just an idea unilaterally floated by President Reagan.
It was too early to say if it would become a real economic alliance.
But the fact that a cohesive economic bloc was starting to form around America was undoubtedly a threat.
"If the Anglo-Saxon Alliance coalesces, even a united EA won't match them."
I ordered the Agency for National Security Planning and Intelligence Command to gather intel on the idea's viability.
"Director, here's what we got from intercepting New Zealand."
The Anglo-Saxon allies sharing the Echelon system had solid counterintelligence, but they weren't flawless.
New Zealand was the weak link.
By eavesdropping on New Zealand's relatively lax government and intelligence communications, we uncovered the alliance's true state.
'They've made real progress under the table. Of course—a president doesn't float ideas without groundwork.'
Surprisingly, the Anglo-Saxon Economic Alliance had advanced considerably at the working level.
Discussions had apparently started when Reagan took office.
'Looks like they were sharpening their knives early too.'
America was America, after all.
Not an opponent to lap easily.
'If an economic alliance forms, security and political alliances will follow fast.'
Wasn't that what the European Union did?
The difference? The Anglo-Saxon Alliance had the overwhelming hegemon: America.
Superpower America.
Backed by the Anglo-Saxon Alliance.
Instead of swallowing the poison of a strong dollar, America played the Anglo-Saxon common market card.
"Hey, our Anglo-Saxon Economic Alliance is this massive—gonna ditch the dollar?"
When the weight class gap becomes overwhelming, the won's stability advantage becomes meaningless.
Because you'd have to use dollars to trade with the world's largest market, the Anglo-Saxons.
Of course, this only works if Britain ditches the pound and falls under America.
"It's not easy, but showing possibility is the problem."
America was swiftly advancing toward the Anglo-Saxon Economic Alliance.
Britain's true intentions were hard to read, but on the surface, they were aligning with Washington.
'Fifty-fifty chance.'
Best if it flops, but if the common market is born, the dollar could hold its position even in "weak" mode.
Just like the US dollar against the won in our world.
"For now, let's keep a close eye on this."
"Yes."
Of course, no need for immediate countermeasures.
An Anglo-Saxon Economic Alliance wouldn't form overnight.
I decided to slowly mull over ways to counter America's move.