Chapter 365
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Reagan's Blueprint
The vision for an Anglo-Saxon alliance was no recent fancy.
Back in the 1930s, when Korea couldn't even dream of challenging for supremacy, America had harbored dreams of an "Anglo-Saxon Federation."
The "Red Plan."
At the time, the U.S. had mulled over dismantling the British Empire by force and annexing only the core Anglo-Saxon territories.
This plan never reached the level of serious government consideration.
"With Nazis and commies across the Atlantic, you want to go to war against our Anglo-Saxon brothers? That's taking it a bit too far."
The plan was quietly shelved through World War II.
America itself no longer saw the need to topple Britain, which had risen as its number-one blood ally.
"Why the hell would we fight guys who've basically become our errand boys? That's about the dumbest thing imaginable."
With that, dreams of an Anglo-Saxon alliance seemed forgotten for a time.
The old idea resurfaced front and center as Lee Seong-jun's Korea rapidly grew in power.
Korea's explosive growth and economic bloc proposals, starting from the late 1950s, were seen as a potential threat by some American intellectuals.
It was then that political scientists in the U.S. began floating the concept of an Anglo-Saxon Federation.
"If we bind the Anglo-Saxon world together, no rival can ever surpass us."
They borrowed from Elbert Ben Dacy's 1897 idea, advocating mutual citizenship and a common market among Anglo-Saxon nations.
"So, just how far are we talking here?"
"Naturally, all the core English-speaking countries."
The core English-speaking bloc they meant was:
America, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand + Ireland.
"Ireland's Celtic, isn't it?"
"Still core English-speaking."
Combined, these nations could match the Soviet population and rival the economic size of Western Europe, the Eastern Bloc, and Korea put together.
"But is it that easy in practice?"
Politicians took interest, but the idea stayed just that—an idea.
The reason was simple.
"Why the hell should we come under America?"
Britain and the Commonwealth saw no merit in the Anglo-Saxon integration plan.
From its debut in the late 1950s through the early 1960s, the talks dragged on endlessly.
The idea gained real momentum starting in the mid-1960s.
"Korea's getting that big?"
Korea's absurd growth rate breathed new life into the Anglo-Saxon alliance push.
This time, talk shifted from mutual citizenship to a common market.
"Like the European Economic Community—let's build an Anglo-Saxon Economic Community."
Politicians found the proposal plausible.
But one problem loomed.
"We'll never give up the pound."
Britain was dead serious about the pound.
America wasn't about to ditch the dollar either.
And another issue.
"If we integrate markets, won't the big guy—us—end up footing the bill?"
Such concerns were widespread.
The Anglo-Saxon alliance plan hit these walls and ultimately ran aground.
Korea, aware of all this, paid little mind to the Anglo-Saxon economic bloc.
"As if that'll ever happen."
What changed everything was the "economic war" starting in the late 1960s.
Lee Seong-jun's economic war shook not just America but the entire Western economy.
"If we keep fighting Korea like this, we're all dead."
Anglo-Saxon nations suffered massive losses battling Korea's economy.
They threw up tariff walls, but breaking Korea's product competitiveness was a pipe dream.
To stand against them, they needed stronger bargaining power.
It was at this point that Anglo-Saxon countries acutely felt the need to unite.
But uniting wasn't as simple as talking about it.
There was plenty of static along the way.
"With Watergate and all that noise, you expect us to fuss over some market talk now?"
"Gibraltar and Hong Kong are headaches enough. Let's table those for later."
America and Britain focused on other issues instead of the Anglo-Saxon alliance.
These stalled talks leaped forward with the arrival of new President Ronald Reagan.
"This isn't the time for dithering."
Reagan urged Anglo-Saxon allies to pool their strength immediately upon taking office.
Behind the scenes, he offered Britain and others major concessions.
"We'll support allied companies operating freely in America."
"Really?"
For market-starved Anglo-Saxon allies, it was music to their ears.
Reagan's concessions worried his staff.
"Mr. President, isn't that too big a giveaway?"
"Think big picture."
Reagan saw the Anglo-Saxon alliance as akin to the German Zollverein—a union of states.
Prussia had absorbed huge deficits to lure members into that customs union.
Did Prussia lose out?
Far from it.
By integrating German states into a Prussia-centered economy, it seized leadership and achieved unification.
The emergence of a unified "Germany" was the payoff from years of deficit spending.
An Anglo-Saxon economic union would be no different.
By binding Anglo-Saxon allies closer to America, the U.S. could play the role of a second Prussia.
Of course, the political and economic costs until that vision materialized would be immense.
But toppling Korea made it a "necessary" investment.
The president overrode staff objections and fast-tracked the talks.
With America's big concessions, Britain and other Anglo-Saxon nations saw real merit in joining.
'Long-term, ditching the pound is a downside, but in this mess, we can't hold out alone.'
Even the proud British Empire could swallow its pride before harsh reality.
Economic war, depression, oil shock.
The brutal triple punch shattered British economic confidence.
With finance as their only intact industry, salvaging the scraps required binding with America—not optional, essential.
Canada agreed.
"We already do 90% of our trade with America anyway."
Not every Anglo-Saxon nation signed on easily.
"What if tighter U.S. ties hurt our Asian trade? We'd eat the losses."
Australia and New Zealand voiced concerns.
America offered assurances.
"Korea sells to our markets too. If they retaliate against you Aussies or Kiwis, we'll hit back for you."
The Anglo-Saxon economic alliance wasn't just sharing economic gains.
It was like family, pooling everything.
America's persistent persuasion paid off.
The result: the Anglo-Saxon Economic Union declaration.
"We will build an economic union for freer, more open markets."
The U.S. president's declaration lacked substance.
No bills in legislatures, no consensus on specifics.
But crucially, governments shared a common ground.
"To face Korea, we must unite as one."
Reagan quickly built on that consensus.
"How about Ireland joins our vision?"
"Us?"
"You're English-speaking too."
Better to ride with the mighty Anglo-Saxon bloc than fading Europe.
Before solidifying the core, Reagan sowed seeds for expansion.
America's sketched alliance was overwhelmingly vast.
U.S. GDP: $3.2 trillion (inflated by economic war-induced inflation)
UK GDP: $520 billion.
Canada GDP: $300 billion.
Australia GDP: $177 billion.
New Zealand GDP: $24 billion.
Total: $4.2 trillion.
Korea: ~$2.2 trillion, Republic of China (Nanjing): $0.9 trillion, Japanese Union: $0.6 trillion.
On paper, Korea matched Anglo-Saxon weight class, but per capita income told a different story.
Factoring only advanced-income nations, Korea trailed Anglo-Saxons by double.
Sure, Korea and the EA bloc were booming, so Pyongyang wasn't hopelessly behind—but Korea's growth had limits.
Buoyed by a weak dollar and strong won, Korea hit ~70% of U.S. scale, but without new engines, that was the ceiling.
Reagan targeted that weakness.
"Just as Korea checked China before, they can't fully trust allies in their own bloc."
Korea and China were economically intertwined, but lacked the blood-bonded unity of Anglo-Saxons.
Economic ties snapped when interests diverged.
Koreans knew that too—why else wouldn't they prop up China and Japan fully?
America had no such worries.
'Overwhelming top dog.'
The U.S. could afford to build up allies, secure in its dominance.
"It starts with the Anglo-Saxon economic alliance."
Washington had no intention of stopping there.
Build the bloc, revive the scattered First World camp, then court the Soviets.
Toppling Korea meant plenty more work ahead.
Reagan's blue eyes burned with fiercer resolve than ever.