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(Page 1 of 2) A Greater Britain? (part 1) by David Scholes
Washington, DC
Early 1945
"The USAAF strategic assessment report concludes that after the defeat of Germany and Japan there will only be two military powers of the first order, us and the Russians," said Bedell-Smith.
"The hell you say," said George Marshall "the Brits may not be able to put as many boots on the ground as the Russians or as many planes in the air as ourselves but let's not relegate them to the second order status just yet." "Any nation that can put more than 1,000 heavy bombers over Germany every night, that is about to re-take Singapore and has the equivalent of two fast carrier task forces supporting us in the Pacific has to be reckoned with" finished Marshall.
"It's the new Prime Minister Tittington that bothers me," said the less than anglophillic Admiral King "what do we know about him?" "Even his name "Cecile Tittington" sounds ___ too English like it was made up."
"He was Munitions Minister," said Eisenhower "and although he seemed to be completely overshadowed by Churchill he's gotten their war economy on a better footing than any other combatant even us!" "They say a lot of their advances in weaponry and technology in the last few years can be sheeted home to him," continued Eisenhower.
Marshall thought about that. Certainly some strange things had happened. From producing probably the lousiest tanks of any major combatant the Brits had turned things completely around with the new 105mm gun Centurion tank. Damn the thing could outfight a King Tiger or (heaven forbid) a Joseph Stalin 3 heavy tank. How did they manage that? and such a quick development phase even for wartime. Also he had thought they just didn't have the industrial muscle and resources to produce the latest generation battleships but now HMS Vanguard, Lion, and Hugh Dowding were all out seeing action. Alongside the King George V class battleships with the British Pacific Fleet. Last but not least their new jet aircraft the Gloster Meteor and the Canberra Bomber but Marshall saw those coming.
"It was almost as if this guy Tittington was from another planet," thought Marshall only half joking.
"He doesn't seem to like us very much," ventured Beddell-Smith "what is it that has so pissed him off?"
"You could start with us not cooperating on the latest atomic research," said King "and I fancy he is not at all happy about Roosevelt's approach to handling Stalin." "Call him what you will, but Tittington was very fond of Winston."
"We are coming towards the end of the war, at least the war in Europe, and so everyone's looking to the future," said Marshall "Roosevelt's suspicions about resurgent British imperialism are there and Tittington is reacting to that, rather strongly I might add." he finished.
Number 10 Downing Street
London England
A few days later
"Get them all out of there," said Tittington. "If the Americans are keeping their atomic secrets from us then I want every British scientist assisting them out of there and onto our own research at Aldermaston." "I'm going down to talk with the boffins at Aldermaston later today," he added.
Tedder, Eisenhower's Deputy Commander couldn't believe what he was hearing.
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