Chương 227: Chapter 305 Talks Break Down
After the opening of new trade routes, the world entered a modern colonial era. Western powers colonized territories worldwide, exploiting the wealth of colonies for their own development and prosperity. Therefore, the colonial plunder by the West in recent centuries was fundamentally the foundation for these countries becoming developed nations. Through colonial exploitation, they gained unprecedented wealth, accomplishing the original accumulation of capital, which is a major reason why developed countries are concentrated in the West today.
In the more than two centuries following the "Glorious Revolution," Britain participated in comprehensive colonial wars and plunder, establishing a vast colonial empire known as the "Empire on which the sun never sets."
Although the independence of the 13 North American colonies in the 18th century dealt a blow to the British colonial system, Britain did not slacken its exploitation of colonies worldwide. In the 17th century, Britain occupied Madras, Mumbai, and Calcutta in India. In the mid-18th century, Britain invaded and occupied Bengal. Subsequently, there were several colonial wars in India. By the 1830s, except for certain principalities in central and northern India, the entire subcontinent became a British colony.
From the perspective of global colonial history, India was undoubtedly the most lucrative, as Africa, the Middle East, and South America were initially desolate, especially the Americas, which were developed by Europeans, resulting in fewer benefits. Only India was an affluent region in Asia with abundant resources and a large population, creating substantial wealth and profits.
During the 200 years of British colonial rule in India, Britain acquired vast wealth. According to historical records of British colonial India, Britain gained as much as $54 trillion USD over 200 years. If distributed over these two centuries, it amounted to $270 billion USD per year. In other words, Britain annually plundered $270 billion USD of wealth from India, contributing 40% to Britain's GDP each year, firmly maintaining its status as the world's top-ranked country.
A saying circulated in Britain at the time: "As long as we rule India, we are the world's number one. If we lose India, we will become a third-rate country." This statement aptly reflected India's position in the British colonial system.
More importantly, during wars, Britain relied on colonial blood transfusions. Those darn Soviets were demanding Britain to cut its flesh!?
Cutting flesh might be tolerable, but they actually wanted to cut the heart!!
Eden suppressed his anger and said coldly, "Comrade Molotov, you aren't joking, are you? British India is an integral part of the British Empire!"
Molotov seemed a bit impatient and said coldly, "Neither this nor that. What does your side plan to use to invite us to join the war?"
The Soviet Union explicitly mentioned British India, valuing its geographical location more than its wealth.
Since the days of the old Tsarist Russia, it was believed that the Indian Ocean was the center of the world. Whoever controlled it would dominate the entire world! Now, it was the Soviet Union, not Tsarist Russia, but the old Russians' ambitions had never changed. If the Soviet Union gained control of India, then the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean would all have the Soviet Union's presence. The Soviet Union would rule the entire world.
Little did they know that in the original timeline, they perished due to this ambition.
Starting from the 1970s, the U.S.-Soviet rivalry was in a situation where the Soviets were on the offensive and the Americans were on the defensive. The Soviet Union inherited the strategic concept of the southern advance from the Tsarist era, attempting to use Afghanistan as a base for southward expansion, thereby opening a land route straight to the Indian Ocean, threatening the oil-producing regions of the Middle East, flanking Europe, and coordinating with its Pacific strategy, ultimately achieving its goal of world dominance.
Looking at the Soviet strategic layout at that time, the western part of Europe was the most important direction for the Soviet Union, and most of its forces were deployed there. In the eastern part, along the Pacific coast, the Soviet Union held an advantageous position. In the southern part, in the Pacific region, the Soviet Union, through cooperation with Vietnam, established its largest overseas military base in Cam Ranh Bay, using this base to directly deter the entire Southeast Asian region. In the southern Indian Ocean region, the Soviet Union urgently needed to open a land route to the sea, so that the three lines of the east, west, and south could advance simultaneously.
To head south into the Indian Ocean, Afghanistan needed to be occupied first.
As we all know, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, began its downhill slide, and ultimately led to its disintegration.
Although he really wanted to flip the table and leave, considering the precarious situation of his homeland, Eden had to swallow his pride and said, "Comrade Molotov, you should also be aware that our domestic situation is a bit tense at the moment, and we cannot raise enough resources in the short term. If your side can accept, we can first sign an agreement. When the war is over and we have the capacity, we will then provide what we promised to your side."
In other words, it was a proposition to issue an IOU first and fulfill the promise later.
"An agreement?" Molotov's face revealed a scornful smile. "Considering your country's recent shabby treatment of ally France, it's truly unsettling."
Eden's expression soured, about to explain, but Molotov cut him off. "So we believe it's safest to obtain real money or tangible benefits before cooperating with you. Skip these IOUs and agreements. If you want the Soviet Union to join the war, you must cede India! Whether your side abandons the entire United Kingdom or just a negligible colony, the weight of the decision should be clear to your country!"
The negotiation ended on this bitter note. Eden, fuming, returned directly to the United Kingdom, while Molotov reported the details of the discussion to Stalin.
After listening to Molotov's report, Stalin snorted coldly. "These foolish Brits think they can drag us into war with just a few words?"
Molotov hesitated for a moment and asked, "Great Comrade Stalin, what if Britain is forced into desperation and agrees to cede British India? What should we do then?" The Soviet Union's most powerful KV-1 tanks had not yet entered mass production, and more advanced fighter planes were still in development; they were not ready for a large-scale war in the short term.
Stalin took a drag from his pipe and calmly said, "That would be the best outcome. If the British want to give it, we'll take it. As for when to start the war and how far to go, that's up to us. If the Brits hand over India, we'll take it first and then decide! As for when to start and how far to go, the Soviet Union will determine that."
In Stalin's mind, the English were definitely more detestable than the Germans. He also knew very well that, given the current situation, the Soviet Union could not afford a full-scale war against Germany. Moreover, there were still several Soviet warships in German shipyards; at least they had to wait until those warships returned home before turning hostile.
After all, the Soviet Union exported so much iron ore, exchanged it for the construction of aircraft carriers, and obtained large-caliber naval guns. Although there had been some friction in between, the situation was stable for now.
During the Spanish Civil War, when Germany supported Franco and the Soviet Union supported the Spanish government, the two sides fought for a long period, but Germany still delivered the warships ordered by the Soviet Union on time, showing good credibility.
But during that time, both sides were tacitly manipulating things behind the scenes without openly tearing up their agreements. If a war broke out between them, who could guarantee that Germany would obediently hand over the completed warships? Perhaps those warships would become the ace in the hole for the German counterattack against the Soviet Union.
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