This is just my take, but I think that Azawad and Chad didn't complain about not getting independence immediately is because they like our investment so royal commission=more development. So the plan would see us getting a more developed ex-colony. In contrast, we just relatively recently killed a lot of Malagasy, which considering this is the Cold War meant they will never truly side with us.
Peace in Our Time! - A TRO Inspired Franco-British Union Quest
- Thread starter Fission Battery
- Start date
- Alt. History
[X] Plan How To Solve a Problem Like Algiers
nachtingale
19. On that "honk, mimimi" type beat everyday.
- Location
- Malaysia
- Pronouns
- He/They
We would still be offering them investments through the Commonwealth, it wouldn't end our colonial relationship with them eitherway, but it does make it much less aesthetically colonial and more stomachable to the wider population.
You got a point even if I don't really care about aesthetic in developing a country, as long as they eventually get their independence there won't be a revolution.
But there is still this to consider, if they stay as royal commission maybe they would seem more secure, whether that is true or not is yet to be seen.
You did make a Tuareg state, which they won't forget. You also sold Mauritania to Spain, which they also won't forget. They hope you look the other way when they rectify this mistake.
nachtingale
19. On that "honk, mimimi" type beat everyday.
- Location
- Malaysia
- Pronouns
- He/They
aesthetics matter quite a bit if we want to combat Egyptian influence, that means making the whole "locals taking control of their own affairs" angle much, much more prominent. The whole reason Egyptian influence can expand in the first place is because he can just gesture towards our royal commissions as "independence on a timetable by foreigners", it'll buy us goodwill from the local population as well.
[X] Plan: Rapid and Radical Liberalisation v2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Plan: Rapid and Radical Liberalisation v2
Well that is an optimistic outlook, let's hope this ended up like OTL Malaysia rather than Egypt.
Vote closed
1962 - Foreign Policy
===
1962 - Foreign Policy
===
The Radical Liberal Democrats were intent on maintaining the Franco-British Union's present course in international affairs. They had no desire to start conflicts that could be avoided, preferred diplomacy over military action when possible, and continued to deepen ties with the Commonwealth. There was no desire in the government to reverse the denuclearization of the military either. The FBU wouldn't possess a strategic stockpile for defense, preferring to focus on civilian applications of the atom and a well trained modestly sized conventional force. The economy has managed to survive the stresses put upon it by foreign debt to grow bit by bit, year after the year. It seems the previous decade and a half of heavy investments, aggressive export fueled growth, exploitation of natural resources, and trade agreements has paid off.
The opening up of relations with several Soviet states saw a slight uptick in trade with the continent. It was nothing compared to pre-war levels, but it was something. The real payoff was the increased integration of the Commonwealth economies. The Entente-Commonwealth Customs Union was set to become the third largest trade bloc in the world, closely tied with the EEC-MA for second place though well behind the CPS. The Franco-British Union itself had the fifth largest economy in the world, closely tied with France itself. Its soft power had been expanded greatly, at least among its allies. Networks of lobbies and cultural ambassadors established years prior worked steadily to increase Franco-British presence in numerous allies. They could not dictate foreign policy, but it did mean that London's interests were argued for in America, Australia, Canada, and India.
In the years since the landmark 1959 Commonwealth Conference the organization has only continued to grow and develop. The symbolic gestures of old have given way to concrete binding agreements and resolutions that make the international body realer every day. It has become so vital to Franco-British affairs that the decision was made to split the duties of the Commonwealth from Foreign Affairs into its own ministry. The idea had previously been floated by Labour, but it was shelved to avoid any potential disruptions to the government under Callaghan. The new ministry deals directly with the Commonwealth, freeing up the Foreign Minister to focus on everything else.
===
Foreign Relations
Debt: The FBU is paying war reparations to Japan. The payments are expected to end by 1999. Until then it is a constant strain on the government's finances. The FBU is repaying Britain and France's WW1 loans from America, in addition to Britain's WW2 loans. This is expected to be paid off by 2036. The burden remains, but it's easier to bear compared to previous years.
===
There are pressing issues that must be dealt with in addition to planks. These are not write-ins. They must be included in the plan, but do not count towards the word limit.
===
Nuclear Energy
Australia, Canada, and India have all approached the Franco-British Union with requests to help jumpstart the development of their civilian nuclear industry. They require aid with training technicians and engineers. The potential for seemingly unlimited power is very appealing to many, alongside other uses like medical research. There's also the prestige that comes from the project. Their governments have all promised to sign the non-proliferation treaty and only use the project for civilian applications.
However, a civilian program would give them the capacity to develop nuclear weapons in the future if they wanted to. It was hoped that the FBU could exert enough soft power over future governments to dissuade them from weaponizing their programs.
Must pick one option.
[ ][NUC] Agree
[ ][NUC] Refuse
===
Commonwealth Armed Forces
It had been put forward by several heads of state and the Commonwealth World Parliament that the Commonwealth required their own integrated military. It took inspiration from the LoN Peacekeepers and Britain's old BEF. CAN was a step in the right direction, but voices called to take it a step further with the creation of a Commonwealth Armed Forces. CAF would answer to a joint chief of staff drawn from national militaries and answer to the General-Secretary directly, though it'd still require permission from member states to deploy. Members of CAF would cede their seats in CAN's joint command to CAF, creating an even more unified bloc within the military alliance.
Its weaponry, tactics, and doctrine will be harmonized to produce a well trained, modern fighting force capable of being rapidly deployed anywhere in the world. The tip of the spear and sledgehammer in one that could fight other great powers in proxy conflicts. It'd also mean huge sales for the Franco-British state arms industry as member states purchased new gear, at discounted prices of course.
There were concerns raised that it was creating the British Army where Canadian, Australian, and Indian soldiers were commanded by British officers. However the proposal called for officers to be drawn from all member states and trained together alongside soldiers from all member states to avoid such issues. Left unsaid was that many of said officers had either been trained by British or French officers and served alongside them during World War Two, giving the FBU a lot of influence in the CAF. The CAF would also train the militaries of member states. That in turn would maintain FBU influence in many member state's militaries, maintaining ties between London and the officer corps of many states.
Must pick one option.
[ ][CAF] Rally support in favour of it. It passes.
[ ][CAF] Rally support against it. It fails.
===
American Membership
In a surprise to many, America has officially requested observer status in the Entente-Commonwealth Customs Union. It wants the benefits that come from lowering trade barriers between members without attaching itself too closely to the other functions of the Commonwealth. It would be a major shot in the arm for the ECCU's growth as America would be required to pay several dues to support its functions and grant all members easier access to America's vast internal market. America would be expected to abide by ECCU and ECTC regulations too, meaning that in theory it'd have to follow anti-dumping agreements and trade schemes to promote internal growth.
The flipside however is that it lets America get its foot in the door. It's a very, very big foot that may be difficult to remove if it doesn't want to do so itself. The Franco-British Union would suddenly find itself in competition for leadership over the bloc too if America sought full membership. Australia, Canada, India, and Ireland were tentatively on board with the proposal, though Canada in particular wanted guarantees that America wouldn't shut down its branch factories in the country. West Africa, Nigeria, and East Africa were neutral on the idea. They were reliant on exporting cash crops and minerals to developed markets to import finished goods, so the idea of cheaper access to American machinery and favoured status in the American market was appealing. The West Indies were against it, fearing competition from rival American companies like United Fruit destroying its banana monopoly. America could import cheap bananas produced by its puppet regimes in Central America then export them to the ECCU, undercutting West Indian exports. It needed serious guarantees that it wouldn't lose its favoured status within the ECCU.
Washington also refused to use pounds as its reserve currency, preferring to stick with its dollars. It was insistent that its currency was stronger than the pound and the only one with a shot capable of competing with the yen.
Must pick one option.
[ ][USA] Refuse to grant it observer status
[ ][USA] Agree to grant it observer status
[ ][USA] Negotiate a special trade relationship that lowers barriers, but maintains protections and favoured status for ECCU members against American goods.
===
Turkish Despair
The Baghdad Pact was pushing the line in Anatolia. Unrest on the border region got worse day by day, resulting in Turkish crackdowns against far right militias. Violence against Kurds by the far right got worse, resulting in Kurdish militias organizing to fight back. The Soviets had yet to intervene directly, fearing doing so would reflect poorly on them and undermine support for the socialist regime in Turkey. Neither has it requested military aid beyond munitions. It is keen to prove itself capable of handling its own affairs. Hashemite, Iranian, former Axis officers, and now Afghan advisors trained far right militias to overthrow the Turkish government.
Needless to say, if the conflict escalated it could mean war in the region. The Baghdad Pact officially has no plans to invade Turkey, since it would trigger a response from Moscow, but they are playing with fire. Its own military has begun slipping across the border to directly fight Turkish forces before retreating. This is a serious cause for concern for London. Grimond didn't want to risk Franco-British allies getting into a war with a Soviet ally. There's a few proposals put on the table to try to reign in their behaviour. There was also the option to sit back and let things play out, though almost nobody was in favour of that.
It was fortunate that Kefauver also wasn't interested in giving the Baghdad Pact a free hand to do whatever they wanted. That meant America would broadly follow along in disciplinary action taken by the FBU.
Must pick one option.
[ ][TUR] Cease arm sales to the Baghdad Pact immediately
[ ][TUR] Unilaterally withdrawal from the Baghdad Pact
[ ][TUR] Threaten to cut financial and military aid if they don't stop
[ ][TUR] Play dumb and let it play out
===
There's no limit on planks per plan. There's a 200 word limit for plans.
===
Please vote by plan. There is a moratorium.
===
1962 - Foreign Policy
===
The Radical Liberal Democrats were intent on maintaining the Franco-British Union's present course in international affairs. They had no desire to start conflicts that could be avoided, preferred diplomacy over military action when possible, and continued to deepen ties with the Commonwealth. There was no desire in the government to reverse the denuclearization of the military either. The FBU wouldn't possess a strategic stockpile for defense, preferring to focus on civilian applications of the atom and a well trained modestly sized conventional force. The economy has managed to survive the stresses put upon it by foreign debt to grow bit by bit, year after the year. It seems the previous decade and a half of heavy investments, aggressive export fueled growth, exploitation of natural resources, and trade agreements has paid off.
The opening up of relations with several Soviet states saw a slight uptick in trade with the continent. It was nothing compared to pre-war levels, but it was something. The real payoff was the increased integration of the Commonwealth economies. The Entente-Commonwealth Customs Union was set to become the third largest trade bloc in the world, closely tied with the EEC-MA for second place though well behind the CPS. The Franco-British Union itself had the fifth largest economy in the world, closely tied with France itself. Its soft power had been expanded greatly, at least among its allies. Networks of lobbies and cultural ambassadors established years prior worked steadily to increase Franco-British presence in numerous allies. They could not dictate foreign policy, but it did mean that London's interests were argued for in America, Australia, Canada, and India.
In the years since the landmark 1959 Commonwealth Conference the organization has only continued to grow and develop. The symbolic gestures of old have given way to concrete binding agreements and resolutions that make the international body realer every day. It has become so vital to Franco-British affairs that the decision was made to split the duties of the Commonwealth from Foreign Affairs into its own ministry. The idea had previously been floated by Labour, but it was shelved to avoid any potential disruptions to the government under Callaghan. The new ministry deals directly with the Commonwealth, freeing up the Foreign Minister to focus on everything else.
===
Foreign Relations
Debt: The FBU is paying war reparations to Japan. The payments are expected to end by 1999. Until then it is a constant strain on the government's finances. The FBU is repaying Britain and France's WW1 loans from America, in addition to Britain's WW2 loans. This is expected to be paid off by 2036. The burden remains, but it's easier to bear compared to previous years.
- Haiti's debt transferred to America in exchanged for reductions in France's debts
- FBU picked up France's debt to America
- Germany is continuing repayments to Britain
Commonwealth of Nations: Otherwise known as the Commonwealth. It is the continuation of the British, and French, Empire in all but name. The informal arrangement of dominions and colonies has given well to an organized body of free countries in association together. They're all linked together by imperialism, but they politely pretend it's a shared history and cultural values. It's gotten some real teeth to it that it didn't have five years prior, saving it from irrelevancy in global politics. That alone has saved the Franco-British Union's great power status on the world stage. London can continue to project power across the globe for a time longer.
Commonwealth World Parliament: The legislative body, appointed by the governments of member states. Seats are distributed equally regardless of population or economy. Its delegates were subject to recall by their governments and served for terms of four years.
Common Travel Area: The agreement that affirmed that every citizen of a member state had the right to travel, work, and live in any other member's territory.
Commonwealth Office of Health: The NHS of the Commonwealth. It oversaw training of specialists for member state's own healthcare services, transfer of patients that required care out of the country, and coordinated vaccine efforts. It focused on providing funding to existing healthcare services rather than directly providing care itself.
Commonwealth Board of Labour Relations: The labour board hoped to improve worker conditions across member states. It did give a body that workers could theoretically go to to appeal decisions by their own governments. It was already fighting to guarantee the right to unionize and strike in all member states.
Commonwealth Civic Foundation: The body created by private professional interests. It hoped to grow civil society in member states by providing grants to professional associations, trade schools, and newspapers. It was working to harmonize requirements for credentials.
Entente-Commonwealth Trade Commission: It's in charge of implementing the trade policy across member states, coordinating agreements within the ECCU, and regulating trade with countries outside of the ECCU. The ECTC is ready to back up any member in a trade dispute too.
Entente-Commonwealth Customs Union: It's exactly what the name entails. Countries can be members of it without being members of the Commonwealth, though at the moment there's no cases of that. Its members can still sign bilateral trade deals with non-member states.
- Members:
- Australia
- Canada
- East African Federation
- Franco-British Union
- Gabon
- India
- Ireland
- Nigerian Federation
- West African Federation
- West Indies
- South Africa (suspended)
Commonwealth World Parliament: The legislative body, appointed by the governments of member states. Seats are distributed equally regardless of population or economy. Its delegates were subject to recall by their governments and served for terms of four years.
- Chairman: The speaker of the house that oversaw parliamentary affairs. Candidates were recommended by member states and appointed directly by the Queen on the advice of the Franco-British PM.
Common Travel Area: The agreement that affirmed that every citizen of a member state had the right to travel, work, and live in any other member's territory.
Commonwealth Office of Health: The NHS of the Commonwealth. It oversaw training of specialists for member state's own healthcare services, transfer of patients that required care out of the country, and coordinated vaccine efforts. It focused on providing funding to existing healthcare services rather than directly providing care itself.
Commonwealth Board of Labour Relations: The labour board hoped to improve worker conditions across member states. It did give a body that workers could theoretically go to to appeal decisions by their own governments. It was already fighting to guarantee the right to unionize and strike in all member states.
Commonwealth Civic Foundation: The body created by private professional interests. It hoped to grow civil society in member states by providing grants to professional associations, trade schools, and newspapers. It was working to harmonize requirements for credentials.
Entente-Commonwealth Trade Commission: It's in charge of implementing the trade policy across member states, coordinating agreements within the ECCU, and regulating trade with countries outside of the ECCU. The ECTC is ready to back up any member in a trade dispute too.
Entente-Commonwealth Customs Union: It's exactly what the name entails. Countries can be members of it without being members of the Commonwealth, though at the moment there's no cases of that. Its members can still sign bilateral trade deals with non-member states.
Commonwealth Alliances of Nations: Despite its confusing name, it's not directly tied into the Commonwealth. Its merely shares almost the same members between the two. CAN has benefited greatly from America and the FBU's military modernization programs. Surplus material has been sold off to many members, while those with the industrial capacity to do so begin producing licensed copies of advanced fighter planes, tank, or rifle designs. A shared phonetic alphabet has been developed, streamlining communications across the board for all members. Most already spoke English because of their ties to the British Empire, making the process easier.
The FBU was CAN's only nuclear armed member, however it's since disarmed. America has taken its place as CAN's only member with nuclear weapons.
The FBU was CAN's only nuclear armed member, however it's since disarmed. America has taken its place as CAN's only member with nuclear weapons.
- Members:
- America
- Australia
- Canada
- East African Federation
- Franco-British Union
- Gabon
- Greece
- India
- Ireland
- Italy
- Nigerian Federation
- Norway
- Portugal
- Spain
- West African Federation
- West Indies
- Joint General Staff: America retains the position of Supreme Chief as a symbolic gesture, though it holds no extra power over their peers.
- Five Eyes: The joint intelligence sharing agency between the FBU, America, Canada, Ireland, and Australia. It has ties to numerous allied governments
Weimar Pact: The creation of the Eurasian Economic Council for Mutual Assistance (EEC-MA) has bolstered the already enormous economy of the Soviet bloc. Under Premier Ryutin planning committees from every member gather in Moscow to coordinate resources and personnel across all of Eurasia to assist in national plans. It's fortunate for the FBU then that the Soviets and French prefer détente with London for the most part, though the same courtesy does not extend to London's numerous pesky security obligations. Its attention appears to be on the Far East, Cuba, Anatolia, and Africa.
Italy and the Hellenic People's Republic continue to put pressure on their exiled reactionary counterparts. Turkey suffers from instability in its borders, fueled by Baghdad Pact support. Germany's party-state has long since cemented control, granting it re-entry into the human race even as it struggles with the legacy of Nazism. Germans mostly sleep well at night knowing the Soviets shot a lot of the bastards. It and Yugoslavia's economies grow year after year, becoming major pillars in the EEC-MA. Unseen by the FBU are the constant border skirmishes between the People's Republic of China, Mongolia, the Soviet Union and the Republic of China and Manchukuo.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's independence and the creation of the Socialist Republic of Equatorial Guinea has given the Soviet's a foothold in Africa, though neither is a member of the Weimar Pact. Cuba moves closer to Moscow everyday. Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, and Yemen are all known or suspected to be receiving aid from the EEC-MA to develop their economies and modernize their militaries.
The FBU continues to withhold recognition from several Soviet allies. Recognition was extended to Socialist Italy and the HPR following the Treaty of Paris.
Italy and the Hellenic People's Republic continue to put pressure on their exiled reactionary counterparts. Turkey suffers from instability in its borders, fueled by Baghdad Pact support. Germany's party-state has long since cemented control, granting it re-entry into the human race even as it struggles with the legacy of Nazism. Germans mostly sleep well at night knowing the Soviets shot a lot of the bastards. It and Yugoslavia's economies grow year after year, becoming major pillars in the EEC-MA. Unseen by the FBU are the constant border skirmishes between the People's Republic of China, Mongolia, the Soviet Union and the Republic of China and Manchukuo.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's independence and the creation of the Socialist Republic of Equatorial Guinea has given the Soviet's a foothold in Africa, though neither is a member of the Weimar Pact. Cuba moves closer to Moscow everyday. Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, and Yemen are all known or suspected to be receiving aid from the EEC-MA to develop their economies and modernize their militaries.
The FBU continues to withhold recognition from several Soviet allies. Recognition was extended to Socialist Italy and the HPR following the Treaty of Paris.
- Recognizes: USSR, France, Italy, Finland, Germany, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, and Scandinavia
- Doesn't: Netherlands, Poland, PRC, and Mongolia.
Co-Prosperity Sphere: Japan's star continues to rise even higher. Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda's income doubling scheme is working better than expected. Its economy grows faster and bigger than any other on the planet, though it has hit some roadblocks in the last few years. A few of its allies are suffering increased unrest, not helped by indirect American and Australian involvement in the ongoing Indonesia Civil War. The formation of SATO has limited its economic reach into South America. Nonetheless, it remains the largest economic bloc in the world. Chinese modernization has created millions of jobs and billions of dollars in trade and growth. Nanjing is eager to reap the rewards of feeding Tokyo's insatiable demands. The CPS has far too many socialist leaning members than Japan is comfortable with, but so far none have tried to breakaway from Tokyo or transition to a Soviet style command economy.
Azad Hind's economy continues to grow from Japanese investment. It remains a serious rival to India in South Asia that tests the waters with border skirmishes. Burma suffers from a fractured government, unified only in that they dislike Thailand refusing to return territory to them. The loss of disruptive border territory did remove one headache for the government. Thailand remains Japan's steadfast ally. The Philippines suffer unrest, while Indonesia is gripped by a civil war in its far flung islands. American marines are once again fighting Japanese soldiers in the South Pacific as the proxy war ramps up in intensity.
As part of Bevan's decolonization policy, London bit the bullet and recognized nearly all former colonies as independent countries. The exceptions were Azad Hind and Manchukuo. Azad Hind wasn't to appease India while Manchukuo was regarded as an illegitimate regime carved out of China by Japan. The irony that China itself recognizes Manchukuo was not lost on anyone. The end of the quasi-independence of Yunnan and Guangdong also meant the closing of any consultants or embassies in the regions.
Azad Hind's economy continues to grow from Japanese investment. It remains a serious rival to India in South Asia that tests the waters with border skirmishes. Burma suffers from a fractured government, unified only in that they dislike Thailand refusing to return territory to them. The loss of disruptive border territory did remove one headache for the government. Thailand remains Japan's steadfast ally. The Philippines suffer unrest, while Indonesia is gripped by a civil war in its far flung islands. American marines are once again fighting Japanese soldiers in the South Pacific as the proxy war ramps up in intensity.
As part of Bevan's decolonization policy, London bit the bullet and recognized nearly all former colonies as independent countries. The exceptions were Azad Hind and Manchukuo. Azad Hind wasn't to appease India while Manchukuo was regarded as an illegitimate regime carved out of China by Japan. The irony that China itself recognizes Manchukuo was not lost on anyone. The end of the quasi-independence of Yunnan and Guangdong also meant the closing of any consultants or embassies in the regions.
- Recognizes: Japan, Republic of China, Thailand, Indonesia, Burma, Union of Indochina, and the Philippines
- Doesn't: Azad Hind, Manchukuo
America: Lodge walked so Kefauver could run. The Democrats have built upon the foundations laid by the Wartime Kennedy administration and Lodge's Progressive Republican presidency. Most importantly for London that meant renewing special relations between the two countries. America has comfortably established themselves as the FBU's partner in international relations, and Washington hopes that London will continue to reciprocate the gesture. America will of course flex its own muscles, but under Kefauver care was taken not to cause any crisis for his Anglo counterpart. It will still get its money.
The postwar rift between America and the FBU has been healed. For better or worse, the two countries are in the unfolding Cold War together. They may have their own spheres and interests across the globe, but much like siblings and cousins it's expected that any differences will be put aside when it comes time to handle outside threats. At the moment, that meant pushing back Japanese control in Southeast Asia and limiting Soviet influence in Africa. They want their treaty ports back.
The giant remains fickle however. The pushback against the Democrats' hardline stance has potentially alienated centrists and motivated conservatives to organize. Its businesses flood Africa and South America in the search for new markets. Its interests always come first and foremost. At the moment it's merely being considerate, before forging its own path. Despite its previous setbacks, its economy, industry, and population remains enormous. Central America and half of South America remained closely tied to the American market.
And most importantly nuclear weapons have captured the public's imagination. The people fear and worship the bomb's destructive potential in equal measure, awed by the power of the bomb. The cat is firmly out of the bag. All London can do is attempt to coax it into behaving.
The postwar rift between America and the FBU has been healed. For better or worse, the two countries are in the unfolding Cold War together. They may have their own spheres and interests across the globe, but much like siblings and cousins it's expected that any differences will be put aside when it comes time to handle outside threats. At the moment, that meant pushing back Japanese control in Southeast Asia and limiting Soviet influence in Africa. They want their treaty ports back.
The giant remains fickle however. The pushback against the Democrats' hardline stance has potentially alienated centrists and motivated conservatives to organize. Its businesses flood Africa and South America in the search for new markets. Its interests always come first and foremost. At the moment it's merely being considerate, before forging its own path. Despite its previous setbacks, its economy, industry, and population remains enormous. Central America and half of South America remained closely tied to the American market.
And most importantly nuclear weapons have captured the public's imagination. The people fear and worship the bomb's destructive potential in equal measure, awed by the power of the bomb. The cat is firmly out of the bag. All London can do is attempt to coax it into behaving.
Union of Sovereign Latin Nations: Peron's gaggle of dictators and presidents. They range from pseudo-fascist to democratic populists. Japanese financial and industrial aid has fed their economies, granting Tokyo a foothold on the continent. Argentina has not forgotten the bombs the FBU dropped on it, though the UNSL is primarily focused on containing American influence. It may also be interested in expanding its members' borders.
- Members:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Colombia
- Dominican Republic
- Venezuela
- Japan (observer)
- Spain (observer)
South American Treaty Organization: America's pet defensive pact meant to counter Peron's influence on the continent, thereby containing Japan's own influence. They also range from dictators to legitimate presidents, opposing Argentina out of geopolitical concerns rather than deep ideological differences. If nothing else it's resulted in its members reducing trade with Japan. London has little to do with SATO.
- Members:
- Brazil
- Chile
- Peru
- America (observer)
Mediterranean Economic Community: Linking the economies of authoritarian regimes and problematic allies across the Med, the MEC has bolstered the struggling economies of its members. ENI's seen its star rise as Portugal and Spain hire it to survey for oil in Spanish Guinea and Angola. The regimes are already seeing returns on investment, feeding heartily on the blood of their victims. Under Bevan the FBU distanced its ties to MEC by reducing investments and denying several loans to Spain and Portugal.
- Members:
- Portugal
- Spain
- Italy
- Greece
- Franco-British Union (associate)
Baghdad Pact: The security arrangement with London's Middle Eastern allies. It's meant to contain Soviet influence in the region. Afghanistan has since joined to safeguard its borders.
- Members:
- Afghanistan
- Hashemite Arab Federation
- Iran
- America (observer)
- Franco-British Union (observer)
League of Nations: The League of Nations is the undisputed global forum for international politics. Anyone that's anyone wants to join it.
- The Council: The special club for great powers, at least for permanent members. It's focused on the security concerns of its members and maintaining world peace, in theory. They maintain veto power over membership and resolutions.
- Permanent Members:
- Franco-British Union
- Socialist Republic of France
- Soviet Union
- United States of America
- Permanent Members:
- International Bureau for Refugees: It's expanded its operations from its original purpose, though it remains very Euro and Anglo-centric. It works closely with the HO to help displaced peoples.
- Health Organization: Responsible for coordinating medical research and delivering medical aid between member states. It continues to cook up vaccines and cures with the help of healthcare professionals from across the globe.
- International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation: Originally meant to help scientists, artists, and educators collaborate, it's taken on the role of cataloguing and safeguarding historic sites and artifacts. Its new program of granting funds to heritage sites to maintain them has been well received. Countries across the globe are already applying for recognition
- Peacekeepers: The teeth of the organization, though somewhat untested. They're drawn from member state's standing forces to serve as an international armed force to stop conflicts by acting as mediators to keep opposing forces away from each other. They're deployed by LoN Resolution.
International Monetary Fund: It has solidified itself as a competing lender to the Bank of Japan. American and Commonwealth money poured into it has strengthened its reserves and international reach. SATO, MEC, and Baghdad Pact prefer using it because of their close ties to Washington and London. The IMF and IDB are informally referred to as the International Financial Group, since the two organizations are attached to each other.
International Development Board: If the IMF is the lender, then the IDB is the advisor and contractor. Its goal is driving economic development and eliminating poverty, on paper at least. It prescribes a program of limited Keynesian spending financed by foreign capital to develop the economy. It's no coincidence it recommends countries import Franco-British goods to achieve this goal. The IMF and IDB are informally referred to as the International Financial Group, since the two organizations are attached to each other.
International Development Board: If the IMF is the lender, then the IDB is the advisor and contractor. Its goal is driving economic development and eliminating poverty, on paper at least. It prescribes a program of limited Keynesian spending financed by foreign capital to develop the economy. It's no coincidence it recommends countries import Franco-British goods to achieve this goal. The IMF and IDB are informally referred to as the International Financial Group, since the two organizations are attached to each other.
African International Congress: The failed competitor to the African Union. It's seen as nothing more than an extension of Franco-British influence on the continent. It mostly focuses on coordinating the economies of its members and presenting a united bloc in the Commonwealth World Parliament. Azawad and Chad will likely join once independent.
- Members:
- East African Federation
- Gabon
- Nigerian Federation
- West African Federation
- Franco-British Union (observer)
===
There are pressing issues that must be dealt with in addition to planks. These are not write-ins. They must be included in the plan, but do not count towards the word limit.
===
Nuclear Energy
Australia, Canada, and India have all approached the Franco-British Union with requests to help jumpstart the development of their civilian nuclear industry. They require aid with training technicians and engineers. The potential for seemingly unlimited power is very appealing to many, alongside other uses like medical research. There's also the prestige that comes from the project. Their governments have all promised to sign the non-proliferation treaty and only use the project for civilian applications.
However, a civilian program would give them the capacity to develop nuclear weapons in the future if they wanted to. It was hoped that the FBU could exert enough soft power over future governments to dissuade them from weaponizing their programs.
Must pick one option.
[ ][NUC] Agree
[ ][NUC] Refuse
===
Commonwealth Armed Forces
It had been put forward by several heads of state and the Commonwealth World Parliament that the Commonwealth required their own integrated military. It took inspiration from the LoN Peacekeepers and Britain's old BEF. CAN was a step in the right direction, but voices called to take it a step further with the creation of a Commonwealth Armed Forces. CAF would answer to a joint chief of staff drawn from national militaries and answer to the General-Secretary directly, though it'd still require permission from member states to deploy. Members of CAF would cede their seats in CAN's joint command to CAF, creating an even more unified bloc within the military alliance.
Its weaponry, tactics, and doctrine will be harmonized to produce a well trained, modern fighting force capable of being rapidly deployed anywhere in the world. The tip of the spear and sledgehammer in one that could fight other great powers in proxy conflicts. It'd also mean huge sales for the Franco-British state arms industry as member states purchased new gear, at discounted prices of course.
There were concerns raised that it was creating the British Army where Canadian, Australian, and Indian soldiers were commanded by British officers. However the proposal called for officers to be drawn from all member states and trained together alongside soldiers from all member states to avoid such issues. Left unsaid was that many of said officers had either been trained by British or French officers and served alongside them during World War Two, giving the FBU a lot of influence in the CAF. The CAF would also train the militaries of member states. That in turn would maintain FBU influence in many member state's militaries, maintaining ties between London and the officer corps of many states.
Must pick one option.
[ ][CAF] Rally support in favour of it. It passes.
[ ][CAF] Rally support against it. It fails.
===
American Membership
In a surprise to many, America has officially requested observer status in the Entente-Commonwealth Customs Union. It wants the benefits that come from lowering trade barriers between members without attaching itself too closely to the other functions of the Commonwealth. It would be a major shot in the arm for the ECCU's growth as America would be required to pay several dues to support its functions and grant all members easier access to America's vast internal market. America would be expected to abide by ECCU and ECTC regulations too, meaning that in theory it'd have to follow anti-dumping agreements and trade schemes to promote internal growth.
The flipside however is that it lets America get its foot in the door. It's a very, very big foot that may be difficult to remove if it doesn't want to do so itself. The Franco-British Union would suddenly find itself in competition for leadership over the bloc too if America sought full membership. Australia, Canada, India, and Ireland were tentatively on board with the proposal, though Canada in particular wanted guarantees that America wouldn't shut down its branch factories in the country. West Africa, Nigeria, and East Africa were neutral on the idea. They were reliant on exporting cash crops and minerals to developed markets to import finished goods, so the idea of cheaper access to American machinery and favoured status in the American market was appealing. The West Indies were against it, fearing competition from rival American companies like United Fruit destroying its banana monopoly. America could import cheap bananas produced by its puppet regimes in Central America then export them to the ECCU, undercutting West Indian exports. It needed serious guarantees that it wouldn't lose its favoured status within the ECCU.
Washington also refused to use pounds as its reserve currency, preferring to stick with its dollars. It was insistent that its currency was stronger than the pound and the only one with a shot capable of competing with the yen.
Must pick one option.
[ ][USA] Refuse to grant it observer status
[ ][USA] Agree to grant it observer status
[ ][USA] Negotiate a special trade relationship that lowers barriers, but maintains protections and favoured status for ECCU members against American goods.
===
Turkish Despair
The Baghdad Pact was pushing the line in Anatolia. Unrest on the border region got worse day by day, resulting in Turkish crackdowns against far right militias. Violence against Kurds by the far right got worse, resulting in Kurdish militias organizing to fight back. The Soviets had yet to intervene directly, fearing doing so would reflect poorly on them and undermine support for the socialist regime in Turkey. Neither has it requested military aid beyond munitions. It is keen to prove itself capable of handling its own affairs. Hashemite, Iranian, former Axis officers, and now Afghan advisors trained far right militias to overthrow the Turkish government.
Needless to say, if the conflict escalated it could mean war in the region. The Baghdad Pact officially has no plans to invade Turkey, since it would trigger a response from Moscow, but they are playing with fire. Its own military has begun slipping across the border to directly fight Turkish forces before retreating. This is a serious cause for concern for London. Grimond didn't want to risk Franco-British allies getting into a war with a Soviet ally. There's a few proposals put on the table to try to reign in their behaviour. There was also the option to sit back and let things play out, though almost nobody was in favour of that.
It was fortunate that Kefauver also wasn't interested in giving the Baghdad Pact a free hand to do whatever they wanted. That meant America would broadly follow along in disciplinary action taken by the FBU.
Must pick one option.
[ ][TUR] Cease arm sales to the Baghdad Pact immediately
[ ][TUR] Unilaterally withdrawal from the Baghdad Pact
[ ][TUR] Threaten to cut financial and military aid if they don't stop
[ ][TUR] Play dumb and let it play out
===
There's no limit on planks per plan. There's a 200 word limit for plans.
===
Please vote by plan. There is a moratorium.
===
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Ok guys let's make sure we can not lose our influence in making America a observer state
Maybe we can recognize all the members of the Weimar Pact in exchange for anything we can get on trade or debt, even if it's small. The exile governments might be mad, but I don't think anyone would really care about them anymore, including the Tories, since it's been 15 years since the end of the war.
Ok. So, I say we let people do civvie nuclear power, push for the unified military, do the third option on the U.S. (we can cite the currency difference) and stop arms sales to the Pact. That way when they pull something we can say that we didn't help.
Otherwise, don't rock the boat. Our economy is doing well, we're in competitive stance with Japan, things are looking up.
Otherwise, don't rock the boat. Our economy is doing well, we're in competitive stance with Japan, things are looking up.
- Location
- Somewhere in the area
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
We should cease weapon sales to the Baghdad Pact immediately. If they are so confident in playing stupid games to the point of having their actual military get involved in the attacks on Turkey, obviously they don't need our support anymore.
They want the flow of weapons back? Fall back in line. Until then, American and FBU arms manufacturers will be more than content with the contracts needed to build up the CAF.
They want the flow of weapons back? Fall back in line. Until then, American and FBU arms manufacturers will be more than content with the contracts needed to build up the CAF.
On the other hand, that would give hostile powers an excuse to invade said allies if they do try for the bomb, and we might still want to stick with our allies in such a scenario.
Oh it was already mentioned that they agreed to the nonprol treaty. I say go ahead then. Basically I agree with blankmask on everything.
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[] Plan Global Peace Has Been Challenged
-[] [NUC] Agree
-[] [CAF] Rally support in favour of it. It passes.
-[] [USA] Negotiate a special trade relationship that lowers barriers, but maintains protections and favoured status for ECCU members against American goods.
-[][TUR] Cease arm sales to the Baghdad Pact immediately
-[] Change the LoN Council's membership and resolution veto to a by majority vote by the Council. If passed, invite Japan into Council if they forgive a portion of American and FBU debt.
-[] Pass a resolution to send Peacekeepers in Spanish Guinea, Turkey, Indonesia, Congo, Angola, Somalia to create conditions to start peace talks and help displaced people.
-[] Invite Norway into ECCU along with cooperation in North Sea Oil, establishing a joint company(FB-Norway Oil Company) and sovereign wealth fund to invest internationally.
-[] Secretly support Morocco claims on Rif Valley and even Western Sahara if not enough and offer great financial support if they hand over FLN and other rebels they housed, give the same offer minus the claims to Tunis.
-[] Request to join SATO as an observer or a member.
-[] Invite all relevant nations to discuss Antarctic claims while making sure Soviet or Japan don't get claims if possible, with the goal of preserving it as a demilitarized scientific zone
-[] Call an LoN Convention to establish international maritime borders.
-[] Pressure Italy to decolonize Somalia
-[] Form the International atomic energy agency to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy, supervise signees to the NPT to make sure they don't break it and oversee the building of nuclear reactors worldwide.
EDIT: If the Americans want to join our exclusive club, they should let us join theirs. Japan being in the Council and the Council being majority vote would let us drive a resolution easier past the Soviets. In a 3 way battle, the 2 that works together will win.
The OTL Antartic Treaty is signed 1959 so we are late, and I need a diplomatic win for the FBU. And if the Peacekeepers resolution passed, it would be a diplomatic coup and a great step towards international cooperation.
EDIT2: Added the international atomic energy treaty.
-[] [NUC] Agree
-[] [CAF] Rally support in favour of it. It passes.
-[] [USA] Negotiate a special trade relationship that lowers barriers, but maintains protections and favoured status for ECCU members against American goods.
-[][TUR] Cease arm sales to the Baghdad Pact immediately
-[] Change the LoN Council's membership and resolution veto to a by majority vote by the Council. If passed, invite Japan into Council if they forgive a portion of American and FBU debt.
-[] Pass a resolution to send Peacekeepers in Spanish Guinea, Turkey, Indonesia, Congo, Angola, Somalia to create conditions to start peace talks and help displaced people.
-[] Invite Norway into ECCU along with cooperation in North Sea Oil, establishing a joint company(FB-Norway Oil Company) and sovereign wealth fund to invest internationally.
-[] Secretly support Morocco claims on Rif Valley and even Western Sahara if not enough and offer great financial support if they hand over FLN and other rebels they housed, give the same offer minus the claims to Tunis.
-[] Request to join SATO as an observer or a member.
-[] Invite all relevant nations to discuss Antarctic claims while making sure Soviet or Japan don't get claims if possible, with the goal of preserving it as a demilitarized scientific zone
-[] Call an LoN Convention to establish international maritime borders.
-[] Pressure Italy to decolonize Somalia
-[] Form the International atomic energy agency to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy, supervise signees to the NPT to make sure they don't break it and oversee the building of nuclear reactors worldwide.
EDIT: If the Americans want to join our exclusive club, they should let us join theirs. Japan being in the Council and the Council being majority vote would let us drive a resolution easier past the Soviets. In a 3 way battle, the 2 that works together will win.
The OTL Antartic Treaty is signed 1959 so we are late, and I need a diplomatic win for the FBU. And if the Peacekeepers resolution passed, it would be a diplomatic coup and a great step towards international cooperation.
EDIT2: Added the international atomic energy treaty.
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- Location
- Fort Worth, TX
[X] Plan Global Peace Has Been Challenged
PrognosticHannya
Far Too Enthusiastic About Etymology
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Plan Global Peace Has Been Challenged
Something I've been wondering about as a way to deal with our unsavoury Mediterranean allies: would it be worth actively trying to encourage a brain drain of their brightest and best youth into the FBU education system with a fast track to jobs in underdeveloped areas of the Commonwealth? My idea is that if Spain, Portugal and our Italy and Greece have no interest in improving morally speaking, instead of letting their future skilled workers stay there we can funnel them into improving our Africa and India who very much want to improve their situation.
EDIT: also, if I recall the Cod Wars started around this period OTL. As such, it might be worth putting together a board with various North Atlantic countries for maintaining fish stocks and giving fish industry workers a way to resolve disputes.
EDIT: also, if I recall the Cod Wars started around this period OTL. As such, it might be worth putting together a board with various North Atlantic countries for maintaining fish stocks and giving fish industry workers a way to resolve disputes.
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- Location
- Diamond City
[X] Plan Global Peace Has Been Challenged
Guys, voting isn't open. Gotta wait another six hours.
Hahaha, if only there was some sort of scholarship program for "elite international students" that'd been proposed during the domestic phase... oh well, guess nobody was wise enough for that...
I do agree with your phrasing too, maybe we could even try to recruit established professionals. Hopefully we can get around to something like this eventually.
Hahaha, if only there was some sort of scholarship program for "elite international students" that'd been proposed during the domestic phase... oh well, guess nobody was wise enough for that...
I do agree with your phrasing too, maybe we could even try to recruit established professionals. Hopefully we can get around to something like this eventually.
Astra Myst
Do you want a wish?
- Location
- Milky Way Galaxy
[] Plan The International Order
-[] [NUC] Agree
-[] [CAF] Rally support in favour of it. It passes.
-[] [USA] Negotiate a special trade relationship that lowers barriers, but maintains protections and favoured status for ECCU members against American goods.
-[][TUR] Cease arm sales to the Baghdad Pact immediately
-[] Pass a resolution to send Peacekeepers to Spanish Guinea, Turkey, Indonesia, Congo, Angola, Somalia, creating conditions to start peace negotiations and help displaced peoples.
-[] Invite Norway into ECCU along with cooperation in North Sea Oil, establishing a joint company(FB-Norway Oil Company) and sovereign wealth fund to invest internationally.
-[] Support Morrocan claims on the Rif and Western Sahara alongside financial aid in exchange handover of rebel groups
-[] Invite all relevant nations to discuss Antarctic claims, with the goal of preserving it as a demilitarized scientific zone
-[] Call an LoN Convention to establish international maritime borders.
-[] Form the Commonwealth Institute for Research and Academics to coordinate research and academic administration within the Commonwealth
-[] Create the International Hajj Fund to provide cheap Hajjs for all Muslim citizens within the Commonwealth alongside Baghdad Pact members and Egyptians, helped by investments to the Saudi Tourism industry
-[] Support Somalian and Morrocan decolonisation
-[] Provide further shelter, training, material and financial support for rebel groups in continental SEA
-[] Shed light on the atrocities committed by the Thai government against ethnic minorities to global audiences
-[] Form a humanitarian branch of the Commonwealth Office of Health to be sent to to Africa, SEA, and Turkey
-[] [NUC] Agree
-[] [CAF] Rally support in favour of it. It passes.
-[] [USA] Negotiate a special trade relationship that lowers barriers, but maintains protections and favoured status for ECCU members against American goods.
-[][TUR] Cease arm sales to the Baghdad Pact immediately
-[] Pass a resolution to send Peacekeepers to Spanish Guinea, Turkey, Indonesia, Congo, Angola, Somalia, creating conditions to start peace negotiations and help displaced peoples.
-[] Invite Norway into ECCU along with cooperation in North Sea Oil, establishing a joint company(FB-Norway Oil Company) and sovereign wealth fund to invest internationally.
-[] Support Morrocan claims on the Rif and Western Sahara alongside financial aid in exchange handover of rebel groups
-[] Invite all relevant nations to discuss Antarctic claims, with the goal of preserving it as a demilitarized scientific zone
-[] Call an LoN Convention to establish international maritime borders.
-[] Form the Commonwealth Institute for Research and Academics to coordinate research and academic administration within the Commonwealth
-[] Create the International Hajj Fund to provide cheap Hajjs for all Muslim citizens within the Commonwealth alongside Baghdad Pact members and Egyptians, helped by investments to the Saudi Tourism industry
-[] Support Somalian and Morrocan decolonisation
-[] Provide further shelter, training, material and financial support for rebel groups in continental SEA
-[] Shed light on the atrocities committed by the Thai government against ethnic minorities to global audiences
-[] Form a humanitarian branch of the Commonwealth Office of Health to be sent to to Africa, SEA, and Turkey
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