Post by Diarist on Jun 20, 2016 5:34:47 GMT 1
I arrived at the MoD just after 13:00 and was immediately ushered into a luxurious room. I recognized the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the CIGS with Winston Churchill then I realized that the person sitting was Emperor Haile Selassie. Secretary Churchill said, "Your Majesty, may I introduce MAJ Robert Carter. He played an important role in the planning of our campaign against Italy and Italian forces in Africa. His unit parachuted into Eritrea at the beginning of our intervention and captured the airfield at Tesseney. It was also his plan which enabled the swift capture of the port of Massawa."
The Emperor stood up, shook my hand and said, "I am very pleased to meet you Major. It appears that I am in your debt."
"Not at all, Sir. It's what for I do for a living and I am glad that your subjects no longer have to learn Italian."
"I agree and I have told Prime Minister Baldwin that Abyssinia is very grateful for the British support."
"Abyssinia should be, Sir. Britain and France left the League of Nations in order to support your nation. Without the air force and artillery we provided and without our intervention the Italian invaders would have prevailed. Their intended use of chemical weapons would have broken the brave resistance of your armed forces, Your Majesty."
He paused then, "I couldn't have described the situation better, Major. Please, be seated." I sat next to him. "I appreciate your frankness. Which course, in your opinion, should I follow next?"
"I don't know which options you have available, Sir. I'm a soldier and try to stay out of politics."
"I've been told that I can't have Eritrea."
"Did you really expect to receive it, Sir?" I said smiling.
"I was hoping for something. After all, Abyssinia was brutally attacked..."
"....and the League of Nations was no help at all," I completed the sentence. "There is a saying in English, "If you don't give, you don't get." What are you willing to offer, Your Majesty?"
"I don't fully understand."
"You stated in your own words, Sir that Abyssinia is in Britain's debt therefore you owe us something, not the other way around. So what are you offering us, Your Majesty?" It had become a little tense in the room but since Haile Selassie was smiling, so were the others.
"Do you have a suggestion? If so, I would like to hear it."
I glanced at Winston Churchill who gave a slight nod. "At the risk of annoying the Foreign Secretary, Britain has already promised India its independence in exchange for support against Italy and in the upcoming global conflict. Libya will not become a British colony but will be a sovereign nation in the not too distant future. I hope that all our colonies, and those of France, begin a transition to independent nations in a post-war world. It would also be wise to create sovereign nations with African borders as opposed to using the current colonial borders. Sudan is a fine example. An Arab Muslim north and a black African south. They don't belong together. Civil war is guaranteed."
"Are you suggesting that Abyssinia has a similar problem? The Emperor asked.
"Ogaden is not only Arabic and Islamic but the people are ethnic Somalis. It is not a question of 'if' but 'when' they demand their independence. The same would happen if Eritrea would become part of Abyssinia. Here is my proposal, and this is where I annoy Anthony Eden." He was actually smiling. "In exchange for the southern Eritrean port of Assab you allow Ogaden to be united with the two Somalias with a joint British-Abyssinian administration in Mogadishu." To my amazement everybody was quiet so I continued.
"I'm not surprising anyone when I say that Abyssinia is a poor nation. You simply don't have enough resources to develop the huge nation that it currently is. I believe it is an option which both Abyssinia and Somalia would benefit from. Possibly other nations in the region too."
"An interesting proposal." He looked towards the British leaders in the room.
Stanley Baldwin broke the silence. "Indeed, an interesting idea but we are in no hurry, Your Majesty. I believe that MAJ Carter is here for another reason."
I now received another medal. The Distinguished Military Medal of Haile Selassie the First. A newly created medal for the struggle against the Italians. I am the first foreign recipient. A few photos were taken then I was dismissed. So I went back to my office and called Sally at the Annex.
The Emperor stood up, shook my hand and said, "I am very pleased to meet you Major. It appears that I am in your debt."
"Not at all, Sir. It's what for I do for a living and I am glad that your subjects no longer have to learn Italian."
"I agree and I have told Prime Minister Baldwin that Abyssinia is very grateful for the British support."
"Abyssinia should be, Sir. Britain and France left the League of Nations in order to support your nation. Without the air force and artillery we provided and without our intervention the Italian invaders would have prevailed. Their intended use of chemical weapons would have broken the brave resistance of your armed forces, Your Majesty."
He paused then, "I couldn't have described the situation better, Major. Please, be seated." I sat next to him. "I appreciate your frankness. Which course, in your opinion, should I follow next?"
"I don't know which options you have available, Sir. I'm a soldier and try to stay out of politics."
"I've been told that I can't have Eritrea."
"Did you really expect to receive it, Sir?" I said smiling.
"I was hoping for something. After all, Abyssinia was brutally attacked..."
"....and the League of Nations was no help at all," I completed the sentence. "There is a saying in English, "If you don't give, you don't get." What are you willing to offer, Your Majesty?"
"I don't fully understand."
"You stated in your own words, Sir that Abyssinia is in Britain's debt therefore you owe us something, not the other way around. So what are you offering us, Your Majesty?" It had become a little tense in the room but since Haile Selassie was smiling, so were the others.
"Do you have a suggestion? If so, I would like to hear it."
I glanced at Winston Churchill who gave a slight nod. "At the risk of annoying the Foreign Secretary, Britain has already promised India its independence in exchange for support against Italy and in the upcoming global conflict. Libya will not become a British colony but will be a sovereign nation in the not too distant future. I hope that all our colonies, and those of France, begin a transition to independent nations in a post-war world. It would also be wise to create sovereign nations with African borders as opposed to using the current colonial borders. Sudan is a fine example. An Arab Muslim north and a black African south. They don't belong together. Civil war is guaranteed."
"Are you suggesting that Abyssinia has a similar problem? The Emperor asked.
"Ogaden is not only Arabic and Islamic but the people are ethnic Somalis. It is not a question of 'if' but 'when' they demand their independence. The same would happen if Eritrea would become part of Abyssinia. Here is my proposal, and this is where I annoy Anthony Eden." He was actually smiling. "In exchange for the southern Eritrean port of Assab you allow Ogaden to be united with the two Somalias with a joint British-Abyssinian administration in Mogadishu." To my amazement everybody was quiet so I continued.
"I'm not surprising anyone when I say that Abyssinia is a poor nation. You simply don't have enough resources to develop the huge nation that it currently is. I believe it is an option which both Abyssinia and Somalia would benefit from. Possibly other nations in the region too."
"An interesting proposal." He looked towards the British leaders in the room.
Stanley Baldwin broke the silence. "Indeed, an interesting idea but we are in no hurry, Your Majesty. I believe that MAJ Carter is here for another reason."
I now received another medal. The Distinguished Military Medal of Haile Selassie the First. A newly created medal for the struggle against the Italians. I am the first foreign recipient. A few photos were taken then I was dismissed. So I went back to my office and called Sally at the Annex.