Post by Diarist on Jan 10, 2017 8:58:09 GMT 1
To my surprise Wallis jumped at the idea although we did have to suggest a change of dress. We had a good time at Chartwell House. Also present were Sir Philip, Duff Cooper and the CIGS with their wives. I spent some time in his library and wasn't too surprised to learn that Winston is a great fan of H.G. Wells. He appears to have most if not all of his works. He later confided that he's missing a lot of his writings, not all are novels.
"I wish I had room for a library at home," I told him. "I have a lot of books but they are stored in boxes."
"You can afford a larger home, Bob."
"True but I want the next move to be my last one. We moved twice this year so moving is on hold for a while. Probably until the war in Europe is over. I don't want it bombed."
Duff joined us in the library and the other two weren't far behind. Winston told them about our conversation.
"You no longer want to be the Lord Protector of the Oktoberfest?"
"That will be my late summer job."
"What else did you say to Daladier, Bob?"
"That's work, Winston! Shame on you. That'll cost you another round of Cognac but not for you. Nothing else. Daladier did say that after the Germans trigger a response from us we are entering 'unchartered waters'. His words. I replied that we've already ordered lifebelts in England." After a taste of Cognac I continued. "It's true, Think about it! France and Germany at war and no shot's are fired! Those two are archenemies."
"And that's the unchartered waters. Well phrased," Duff said.
"And that should be the first decisive moment for the Germans. They have to sign a peace treaty relinquishing The Saar and who knows what in the north. Punishment for breaking the Locarno Treaties."
"In the north?"
"The Belgians get Aix-la-Chapelle and if the Dutch join in they should be rewarded too. That's just the beginning. Before being offered more from us they have to agree to nullify all the anti-Semitic laws, compensate those who have suffered under these policies. Then they have to dismantle the NSDAP apparatus including executing all the SS as well as others with blood on their hands. Ban all former Nazis from public office in any capacity. There's more before they can become an equal partner in Europe."
"Quite a catalogue but we do have to reverse what the Nazis did in Germany."
"I agree, Philip," Winston said. "What about their military?"
"Well, they can build as many U-Boats as they want so long as they are for the Royal Navy."
He stole my line. "That's exactly what I'm proposing. Are you reading my mind, Duff?"
"Great minds think alike, Bob."
"If they become a partner then we should welcome their expansion. To defeat the Soviet Union we'll need up to 300 divisions and maybe 10,000 aircraft. We should ideally have a joint production plan."
"If they are not a partner?"
"I'll be proposing that we dismantle Germany but we may have to bash them into submission first then make a German Federation a junior ally in an Anglo-French whatever. We two nations will still have an agenda around the world to take care of. Back to reality the first few days after a German move will decide Germany's role in Europe and the world and we need to agree upon a plan how to charter the waters. Once we've passed these first few days and we know whether Germany will be a partner or dismantled then it will be pretty much straight forward."
"The first few days are crucial. I agree, Bob."
"Yes, Winston. And the Germans will be the ones deciding which path they go down."
"Similar to your Middle East proposals in many ways."
"There is a similarity by allowing the other side to determine our response but in Europe there is a totally different magnitude. I'm proposing peace under our terms or war under our terms. With the former they win; the latter they lose."
Sir Philip now got involved. "You make it look so simple, Bob"
"It is, Philip." Winston replied before I could. "That's what I like about Bob's proposals. He condenses a problem down to its basics."
"Essentials," I whispered.
"To its essentials."
"The other day I heard an engineer saying that you need to keep the design simple and stupid. He was so right! Why unnecessarily complicate things, like diplomats do. The Foreign Office will hate this idea because the diplomats will all fear for their jobs. Five years of potential diplomacy condensed into one simple question. Do you want Peace or War?"
"I look forward to your draft on Monday but please, keep it simple and stupid."
We toasted, "Simple an stupid".
"I wish I had room for a library at home," I told him. "I have a lot of books but they are stored in boxes."
"You can afford a larger home, Bob."
"True but I want the next move to be my last one. We moved twice this year so moving is on hold for a while. Probably until the war in Europe is over. I don't want it bombed."
Duff joined us in the library and the other two weren't far behind. Winston told them about our conversation.
"You no longer want to be the Lord Protector of the Oktoberfest?"
"That will be my late summer job."
"What else did you say to Daladier, Bob?"
"That's work, Winston! Shame on you. That'll cost you another round of Cognac but not for you. Nothing else. Daladier did say that after the Germans trigger a response from us we are entering 'unchartered waters'. His words. I replied that we've already ordered lifebelts in England." After a taste of Cognac I continued. "It's true, Think about it! France and Germany at war and no shot's are fired! Those two are archenemies."
"And that's the unchartered waters. Well phrased," Duff said.
"And that should be the first decisive moment for the Germans. They have to sign a peace treaty relinquishing The Saar and who knows what in the north. Punishment for breaking the Locarno Treaties."
"In the north?"
"The Belgians get Aix-la-Chapelle and if the Dutch join in they should be rewarded too. That's just the beginning. Before being offered more from us they have to agree to nullify all the anti-Semitic laws, compensate those who have suffered under these policies. Then they have to dismantle the NSDAP apparatus including executing all the SS as well as others with blood on their hands. Ban all former Nazis from public office in any capacity. There's more before they can become an equal partner in Europe."
"Quite a catalogue but we do have to reverse what the Nazis did in Germany."
"I agree, Philip," Winston said. "What about their military?"
"Well, they can build as many U-Boats as they want so long as they are for the Royal Navy."
He stole my line. "That's exactly what I'm proposing. Are you reading my mind, Duff?"
"Great minds think alike, Bob."
"If they become a partner then we should welcome their expansion. To defeat the Soviet Union we'll need up to 300 divisions and maybe 10,000 aircraft. We should ideally have a joint production plan."
"If they are not a partner?"
"I'll be proposing that we dismantle Germany but we may have to bash them into submission first then make a German Federation a junior ally in an Anglo-French whatever. We two nations will still have an agenda around the world to take care of. Back to reality the first few days after a German move will decide Germany's role in Europe and the world and we need to agree upon a plan how to charter the waters. Once we've passed these first few days and we know whether Germany will be a partner or dismantled then it will be pretty much straight forward."
"The first few days are crucial. I agree, Bob."
"Yes, Winston. And the Germans will be the ones deciding which path they go down."
"Similar to your Middle East proposals in many ways."
"There is a similarity by allowing the other side to determine our response but in Europe there is a totally different magnitude. I'm proposing peace under our terms or war under our terms. With the former they win; the latter they lose."
Sir Philip now got involved. "You make it look so simple, Bob"
"It is, Philip." Winston replied before I could. "That's what I like about Bob's proposals. He condenses a problem down to its basics."
"Essentials," I whispered.
"To its essentials."
"The other day I heard an engineer saying that you need to keep the design simple and stupid. He was so right! Why unnecessarily complicate things, like diplomats do. The Foreign Office will hate this idea because the diplomats will all fear for their jobs. Five years of potential diplomacy condensed into one simple question. Do you want Peace or War?"
"I look forward to your draft on Monday but please, keep it simple and stupid."
We toasted, "Simple an stupid".