92 – Episode 92 The Road to Ganghwa (3)
The British army called in four regiments stationed in the outskirts of London to suppress the protesters. Responsibility for suppression was entrusted to Lieutenant General Walter Congreve, commander of the 13th Corps.
Congreve was reluctant to order suppression, but he also did not want to see the socialists installed.
“Let us avoid bloodshed as much as possible.”
If military forces that were not trained in suppression carried out orders to disperse protesters, bloodshed was inevitable.
Still, I wanted to end the job with as little blood as possible.
Lieutenant General Congreve gathered his troops at Hyde Park, not far from Buckingham Palace.
His goal was to move southeast from here and trample on the protesters in front of Westminster.
“Start with tear gas.”
The British army sprayed the tear gas used on the battlefield without hesitation.
“hehehe. “Keck.”
As soon as tear gas was sprayed, the protesters screamed and dispersed. The British army smoothly controlled the streets and advanced towards Westminster.
But the protesters were not usually vicious.
When he decided that he could not bear the tear gas, he wrapped his face in water-soaked clothes and then sat down on the ground and held on.
Congreve sent a messenger to the protesters and advised them to disperse.
“Disperse! Otherwise, you have no choice but to see blood.”
“You guys should just step aside.”
The warning was useless.
“I can’t help it.”
Congreve decided to deploy his cavalry.
“Cavalry, charge!”
As soon as the signal was given, the cavalry regiment that was on standby began to charge, making the sound of horses’ hooves.
The crowd was astonished by their charge.
Quite a few people were trampled by the horses’ hooves while they was hurriedly fleeing the scene.
The cavalry regiment swung butts on horses, smashed people’s heads, and kicked the protesters to the ground.
It was extremely cruel, but the ‘suppression’ by soldiers without professional training had no choice but to be like that. Soldiers were people who only learned how to ‘neutralize’ the enemy.
“Your Excellency. “The protesters are scattering.”
“Keep chasing. “Don’t skimp on tear gas.”
“Yes.”
Congreve did not slow down the suppression until the protesters were completely dispersed.
Finally, as dawn approached, the protesters were completely crushed.
It was a victory for the British army.
“Now we have finally turned a corner.”
The Prime Minister breathed a sigh of relief.
Churchill’s advice not to compromise with the communists was correct.
Belfour was confident that today’s choice was the right one.
*
Socialists were outraged.
When we verbally protested to end the war on a positive note, what did those imperialists reply?
It was a gun and knife.
“I can’t take it anymore. Was there any reason to talk to the authors in the first place?”
“That’s right. “It was the wrong way to talk to feudal rulers who deserved to be overthrown.”
“Then what are we going to do?”
Tom Bell of the Clyde Workers’ Council stood up and shouted.
“Didn’t Comrade Lenin set an example for Russia?”
Tom Bell did not completely follow Lenin, but he thought ‘Lenin’ was right about the methodology of revolution.
In order to rebuke the hypocrisy and ugliness of those heinous upper-class figures, the workers also needed to hold something in their hands.
If strikes and protests do not work, the only way is to hold a revolution.
Lenin actually defeated the bourgeoisie of the Russian Empire who tried to continue the war by taking the revolution into their hands.
British socialists also needed to follow the example of their successful comrades.
“But we don’t have that much power to mobilize the crowd.”
Unfortunately, Britain’s ‘true’ socialist forces were not very strong. This is because the Labor Party, which had taken a slight step toward socialism, was taking root throughout the working class, including labor unions.
Unless the shares were taken away, it was far away for ‘true’ socialists to take power.
“Isn’t there a navy?”
The socialists’ eyes widened at those words.
Now that I think about it, there was a navy.
The reason why the protests broke out in the first place was the strike of submarine sailors.
Although it failed, the mutiny of the Russian Navy in the Russian Revolution of 1905 had a significant impact on the development of the revolutionary situation.
If we can create a similar spark here, it would not be impossible to lead England to the right path.
“We must take control of the navy and overthrow the imperialist regime.”
Socialists were overwhelmed by his boldness.
They immediately clenched their fists as the overwhelming emotions welled up in their hearts.
“Well said.”
“We can’t just sit there and suffer.”
Socialists began to agree one by one.
Soon, almost all of those gathered in the hall decided to join in opposing the government.
A few days later, an agenda item was posted to the Navy Sailors Committee.
The content of the agenda was that the government, which had crushed peaceful protesters in London, could not just leave the navy that went on strike alone, so it should take ‘more concrete action’ to put pressure on them.
Navy officers were reluctant about this, but surprisingly, sailors tended to agree with this agenda.
The condensed milk was simple.
Disappointment with the Empire, which had shown incompetence in the war against Germany, frustration with the prolonging war, and realistic thinking that negotiations with the government were difficult were the reasons for the sailors’ spirits.
If there had been a chance of winning the war, this wouldn’t have happened.
“With this, the Sailors’ Committee declares that the agenda has been passed.”
Navy sailors no longer went on strike but began to advance into the city and wave flags.
“The government must accept our demands.
Push for peace negotiations with Germany right now.
Promise an amnesty for the sailors who started the uprising.
The incompetent Balfour cabinet must resign.”
Other than amnesty, these were demands that the British government found difficult to accept.
The British government once again prepared for suppression.
It was burdensome to touch the sailors, but I had no choice. Once you start accepting political demands, you have to make endless concessions.
“This is a problem that will end anyway if only part of it is cut out.”
This time, the British army mobilized army regiments close to each naval base.
The military authorities also carried out appeasement while preparing for suppression.
He also promised ‘lenient treatment’ to the leaders of the uprising.
But the sailors were not easily swayed.
“Why on earth won’t you listen to me?”
Although Balfour was irritated, he did not doubt that suppression would be achieved.
But things did not work out that easily. The cabinet did not know that it had underestimated the fighting power of the sailors.
“How dare you suppress us?”
On July 25, the British suppression unit was repelled at Blythe Naval Base. Dover also failed to be suppressed.
The suppression force’s failed attack infuriated the Naval Seamen’s Board.
“There is a bastard who calls us rebels and is trying to suppress us. “If the superiors think so, let’s make that bloody rebellion happen.”
The rebellion quickly began to spread like wildfire.
As the wave of rebels showed signs of spreading to London, the government also became frightened.
“War is no longer an issue, Your Excellency.”
“Contact the Germans as quickly as possible.”
Britain no longer had time to think about war. It became difficult for Balfour to remain stubborn any longer.
When Balfour decided to strengthen, the Conservative Party, which had pushed him to become Prime Minister, decided to force Balfour to resign.
Without knowing the fact, the Prime Minister, who was trying to prepare a strengthening plan, heard from his seat that the ‘no confidence motion’ had been passed.
“Did I hear wrong? How could my party comrades do that without even informing me? “This is betrayal!”
“This is a decision that the party had no choice but to make.”
Balfour decided to preserve his dignity as Prime Minister.
“Who will be my successor?”
“It seems like it hasn’t been decided yet.”
“I’ll just cut it and see.”
Balfour calmly accepted the end.
I didn’t know that maybe that was his last pride.
While Balfour closed his eyes for a moment, the time he spent as Prime Minister passed before his eyes.
It was a time when he did his best to save an empire that was on the verge of defeat.
But, it wasn’t.
Mistakes were frequent in situations where mistakes should not have been made.
Gallipoli.
Looking back, his name was always hovering near wrong decisions.
‘But it’s over for you too.’
No matter how skillful Gallipoli was, it was not easy to survive in a situation where the entire anti-German hardliners were falling.
After looking around the office, the Prime Minister walked briskly and left 10 Downing Street. The aide bowed deeply towards the prime minister one last time.
From Noble mtl dot com
It was the third departure of a prime minister during World War II.
When the prime minister, a hardliner against Germany, resigned after receiving a vote of no confidence, the rebels also stopped acting.
The National Assembly sent a message to the rebels, announced that the prime minister had resigned, and promised to quickly pursue peace negotiations. In fact, it was as if he had accepted all the conditions of the uprising army.
“We won!”
The rebels were satisfied with the Prime Minister’s resignation. Now that the government had surrendered, there was no reason to fight anymore.
“No, you’re leaving here?”
“So, are you saying we should at least march to Buckingham Palace? “Even if we are dissatisfied with the government, it is not to that extent.”
Socialists felt deeply disappointed by this ending.
“The sailors of this country do not have half as much courage as the Russian sailors. “I fell because I was weak.”
However, achieving a revolution by borrowing someone else’s military force was an impossible dream from the beginning.
“I’m sorry, but let’s wait for the next opportunity.”
Socialists began to sink below the surface, promising a future.
In the aftermath of this failed sailor mutiny, peace negotiations between Germany and Britain were able to progress rapidly.
As a result, the two countries reached the following compromise.
First, the British Empire acknowledged its partial responsibility for the war and provided financial support of 100 million pounds to the Ottoman Empire.
As can be seen from the expression ‘financial support,’ the UK completely avoided terms that could give the perception that it had lost.
Second, the British Empire transferred the Kingdom of Egypt, which it had treated as a protectorate, to the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire. However, the 20km area around the Suez Canal continues to be owned by the British Empire.
Third, the colonies of the alliance camp occupied by the negotiating countries are returned.
Although they did provide some small money, overall, the UK was not under too much pressure.
In the first place, it was not a defeated country.
Once the strengthening negotiations were concluded, both countries published this fact in the newspaper.
Everyone thought that peace had returned to Europe, but those with sense scoffed at this.
“It’s the 20th century version of the Treaty of Amiens.”
There were many potential conflicts in these negotiations.
Even putting everything else aside, it was questionable whether Japan and Thailand would easily give up the colonies they occupied.
Amid doubts and doubts, both sides entered into a ‘truce’.