Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good

lordroel
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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 5, 2018 14:57:48 GMT

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Post by lordroel on Aug 5, 2018 14:57:48 GMT

Aug 5, 2018 14:54:53 GMT simon darkshade said:

1961 Defence White Paper

1. Introduction
Britain's defence policy requires substantial revision to respond to current and emerging threats and developments with flexibility. This is a necessity on economic, international, military and technological grounds.

2. Effect on Economy
(a) The British Empire’s security and position as a world superpower are dependent on the continued strength of her economy and industry and the maintenance of a primary role in world trade. The relationship between economic and military power is a symbiotic one and neither can survive without the other. A strong defence requires a prosperous country with a sound financial position.
(b) Presently, a fifth of the nation’s science and engineering graduates, and approximately 5 per cent of the working population are engaged in defence-related employment. The medium and long term strength of the British economy would be improved by a gradual reduction of this proportion.
(c) British exports remain competitive in a large number of overseas markets and the system of Imperial Preference supplies considerable strength to the sterling zone, but the medium and long term health of industry would benefit from modernisation and the greater availability of capital. The productive capacity of Britain will need to expand over the course of the 1960s to maintain current growth and prosperity and it is a direct necessity that defence expenditure be reduced as a portion of national spending to a sustainable level to support this objective.

3. Scientific Advances
(a) The advance in military technology since 1945 has been dramatic and the introduction of new and terrible weapons has proceeded at a great pace.
(b) Hydrogen bombs and intercontinental rockets capable of ranges of up to 10,000 miles have revolutionised modern warfare and fundamentally altered the basis of global strategy.
(c) Parallel with this, the evolution of guided missiles has provided the means of defence against both rocket attacks and the bomber. The introduction of anti-ballistic rockets will occur before the decade is out and sensational advances in the development of heat rays provide further prospects for the strengthening of strategic defence.
(d) Significant advantages lie in the assertion of control of the high ground of near Earth space, which brings with it complex issues of expense, international relations and technological challenges.

4. Military Alliances
(a)The problem of defence has been complicated by ongoing tensions in Europe and the Far East and the post-1956 security situation in the Middle East. Weighed against this is the improved situation in Western Europe thanks to the expansion and renewal of the Atlantic Alliance.
(b) The effect of these international developments is that Britain can rely on the guaranteed support of allied countries in Europe, the Middle East, and, as such, need not be prepared to fight and win a major war relying on the resources of the Commonwealth and Empire alone. In determining the necessary size and composition of the armed forces, this face must lie at the centre of calculations.

5. Long-Term Planning
(a) A consistent approach to defence policy is required to provide long-term stability and maximal efficiency.
(b) The rapidity of scientific change and the unpredictable nature of international relations make it extremely difficult to accurately forecast future military requirements with great certainty, but it is necessary to maintain a flexible structure for long-term planning and preparation.
(c) This fundamental objective of this long-term plan should be the provision of the most modern and effective weapons for the armed forces whilst operating within the scope of our means.

6. Tasks of Armed Forces
(a) The global strategy for the defence of the British Empire must be based on a clear definition of the military tasks and missions it involved. It is founded on the interlinked considerations of national and Imperial security, as the safety and success of Britain is indissolubly involved with those of the Commonwealth realms and the Empire.
(b) Britain’s armed forces have three principal roles:
(i) to prevent war and resist aggression alone or in conjunction with other powers;
(ii) to defend, and preserve order in, British crown colonies and protected territories; and
(iii) to take action to protect British interests around the world.
(c) Britain requires forces which are self-sufficient and well-balanced to successfully carry out these tasks.

7. Nuclear Deterrent
(a) The aircraft, rockets and surface to air guided weapons of Fighter Command of the Royal Air Force would, in the event of a war with Russia, be able to inflict devastating losses on Soviet bombers, although a small proportion may penetrate some of the multiple layers of defence. The consequences of even half a dozen aircraft succeeding in striking Britain with hydrogen bombs would inflict extensive destruction, making the issue of maximising defensive capability and firepower a vital one. Modernisation of the fighter force and its weaponry are of paramount importance in the provision of an effective air defence of Great Britain.
(b) Equally, the prevention of war through strategic deterrence is a key tenet of military policy and the best means of preventing nuclear aggression is the possession of the means of swift and certain retaliation.
(c) British and Commonwealth nuclear power stands as one of the key guarantors of the protection of the free world and will continue to grow in response to the threats that are faced.
(d) The British atomic arsenal is centred on the megaton weapons delivered by the strategic V-bombers, guided missiles and ballistic rockets of RAF Bomber Command and the Royal Navy. Joint fielding of the Blue Streak intercontinental missile by the Commonwealth Dominions provides an additional level of deterrence and strategic protection.

8. Defence of Deterrent
(a) Maintenance of peace depends on the protection of the strategic and rocket bases and it is vital that any potential aggressor could not damage or knock them out. The defence of great cities against nuclear attack is at this time limited, but the protection of smaller targets such as airfields is considerably more comprehensive. The fighter defences of Great Britain currently have the ability to engage and interfere with enemy bombers sufficiently for the short time necessary for the launch of the retaliatory force.
(b) The Government have consequently given the modernisation of the air defence of the nuclear deterrent the highest level of priority, followed by the fielding of fighter forces for the protection of urban centres and industrial targets. Increased numbers of guided missile systems are to be deployed for the protection of these targets in such an order of priority.
(c) Parallel research and development work on anti-ballistic missile defences has also been accorded increased priority in the light of emerging threats from foreign powers.

9. Forces in Europe
(a) The prospect of atomic retaliation cannot prevent war without the accompanying capacity to react to threats and provocations with appropriate conventional forces and the protection of British frontiers and those of the entire free world is a mission of fundamental importance. Deterrence must include the strategic, tactical and conventional levels to be credible.
(b) This defence must be sufficiently powerful to engage aggression with the aid of the Commonwealth and Empire, backed by the ultimate retaliatory capacity of nuclear weapons possessed by Britain and its allies.
(c) Britain, by virtue of her size and industrial and economic strength, must provide a large share of the armed forces required in these contingencies. However, this cannot be a disproportionately large contribution in every aspect. The defence expenditure of this country as a portion of national income remains higher than other individual states of comparable size and measures must be taken to control the growth of this spending.
(d) These measures of economy must not detract from the ability of the armed forces of the British Empire to carry out defensive operations throughout the world, to confront aggression wherever it threatens British possessions, allies and interests and to preserve the balance of power.
(e) Her Majesty’s Government have therefore decided, after due consultation with the governments of allied powers and the Commonwealth dominions, to re-establish the British Army of the Rhine to control forward deployed land forces in France, Germany and the Low Countries and to reinforce this current contingent by a further 55,000 personnel to a strength of 125,000, organised in four divisions . The firepower of this force will be greatly augmented by guided missile artillery and long range rockets. It is to operate alongside Commonwealth contingents under the command of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.
(f) The First and Second Tactical Air Forces will be deployed to the Continent under the operational control of a new command, Royal Air Force Germany. Their total numbers of aircraft will be slightly reduced to 1000 aircraft as newer tactical aircraft replaced older types. The Light Bomber Force in England will be assigned to the control of the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
(g) These forces will be reinforced in the event of conflict by the eight regular divisions of the British First Army and the twelve Territorial Army divisions of the Second Army. The remaining forces of the Territorial Army will be assigned to home defence and will be trained and equipped for that primary purpose.
(h) Additional home based rapid deployment forces will be assigned to a new British Mobile Force command for the reinforcement of Northern and Southern Europe.

10. Middle East
(a) Outside of the European, Atlantic and Mediterranean theatres, Britain’s most vital interests lie in three other theatres, the Middle East, India and the Orient. The former is vitally important due to the presence of the main artery of the British Empire at Suez and as the gateway to the African continent.
(b) In the Middle East, Britain has three major commitments. The first is in Egypt, where forces of the British Army and Royal Air Force are based for the protection of the Suez Canal and Nile Delta under the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty. They are supported by naval vessels of the Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet and forward deployed strategic bombers of RAF Bomber Command. The vital importance of Egypt to the global strategy of the British Empire makes any reduction in forces impossible at this time.
(c) The second is in the Arabian Peninsula, where British sea, land and air forces are maintained for the defence of Aden, Kuwait and the protected states on the Persian Gulf.
(d) Britain’s membership of the Baghdad Pact gives her an obligation to co-operate in the defence of the other signatory states from external aggression and Communist encroachment and subversion. In the event of crisis, all British forces in the area would be made available to support the alliance. They would consist of regional garrisons, the Arab Legion and medium and heavy bomber squadrons capable of delivering a devastating counter-blow with atomic bombs.
(e) The Commonwealth Middle East Strategic Reserve in Egypt and the Israeli Armed Forces act to support these deployments in peacetime.

11. India
(a) Britain contributes land, sea and air forces to the defence of India and this will continue following full Indian independence in 1965. The strength of the British Army in India will be reduced from 89,000 to 64,000 by this date.
(b) RAF India will be reduced to approximately 200 aircraft as the capabilities and size of the Royal Indian Air Force rise.

12. Orient
(a) In the Far East, apart from her responsibility for the defence and security of her colonies, Britain has an international commitment as a member of Pacific Treaty Organisation to maintain stability and defend against the extension of Communist power in Asia.
(b) British land forces maintained in this theatre consist of the two divisions of Far East Command and the Commonwealth Far Eastern Strategic Reserve in Malaya, the garrisons of Hong Kong and Borneo, the Royal Marine brigade in Japan and the United Kingdom contribution of three battalions to the Commonwealth Division in Korea. Substantial naval and air forces in the form of the Far East Fleet and Far East Air Force will also be maintained there.
(c) Contributions from India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and New Avalon provide an increasing share of forces for the defence of this vital area.

13. Imperial Garrisons
(a) Britain has the responsibility for providing numerous garrisons for
her colonies and protected territories. This is making considerable demands on
military manpower.
(b) In some circumstances where threats are low, these forces can be reduced. Colonial forces are playing an increasingly greater role in the provision of internal security and can be reinforced rapidly in the event of an emergency.

14. Imperial Strategic Reserve
(a) Maintenance of a strong, effective Imperial Strategic Reserve in Britain enables reinforcements to be despatched to any location in the world on short notice.
(b) An extensive fleet of long range transport aircraft is operated by R.A.F. Transport Command to give the Imperial Strategic Reserve the means of rapid mobility. It is composed mainly of Voyagers, Belfasts, Britannias and Ashtons. Service transport aeroplanes can be supplemented, when necessary, by appropriate civil aircraft of Imperial Airways and the East India Company.
(c) Naval resources in the form of Atlantic transport aircraft and Princess and Duchess flying boats are also essential for this purpose.

15. Naval Power
(a) Due to its size and mobility, the Royal Navy can rapidly bring sea power, air power and Royal Marine forces to bear in peacetime and hostilities. As new, long range naval strike aircraft and missile enter service, the role of the aircraft carrier and battleship becomes increasingly significant.
(b) The main striking power of the Royal Navy is currently based around aircraft carrier groups and the battlefleet, supported by smaller cruisers and destroyers. Two further atomic powered carriers are to be ordered to replace the five oldest carriers currently in service, the Illustrious class, which are to be decommissioned by 1964. The Malta class carriers will be reconstructed to operate a full range of modern strike aircraft and the ten current light aircraft carriers are to be decommissioned and replaced by a new class of light anti-submarine warfare carriers to enter service in the latter half of the decade.
(c) Upon the commissioning of the atomic-powered guided missile super battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth, two battleships will be placed in reserve.
(d) Orders for further Leander and County class guided missile cruisers and battlecruisers are to be placed as the numbers of older cruisers are reduced. The remaining Town, Crown Colony and Dido class cruisers are to be retired in the next five years and the four pocket battleships now in reserve are to be sold. Reductions are also to be made in the various classes of smaller escorts.
(e) The role of naval forces in total war is a major one, as ballistic missile submarines, battleships and carrier aircraft play a substantial role in the strategic nuclear deterrent and naval operations to neutralize enemy counterpart forces are essential to an effective national defence. Russia’s large fleet of oceanic submarines represent a formidable threat to control of the seas and protection of the British
Empire’s Atlantic and Mediterranean life-lines. Should any war be protracted, the Royal Navy will prove to be this country’s most important weapon.
(f) The strength of the Royal Marines is to be fixed at 165,000 personnel. The amphibious fleet will be modernised and older warbuilt vessels replaced with smaller numbers of more effective ships.

16. Civil Defence
(a) Passive preparations for the danger of nuclear war must naturally take second place to active measures of prevention, but plans for the protection and survival of organised society are to be expanded.
(b) Civil defence services are to be maintained and the important work of strengthening vital communications will continue with great priority.

17. Reduction in the Size of Forces
(a) As Britain’s armed forces assume new roles, it will be important to reduce those elements which do not contribute directly to fighting strength and capacity.
(b) This is to be accompanied by a reduction in the size of military and civilian staffs and an intense drive to reduce administrative overheads within the Service Departments and Ministry of Supply. Duplication between the forces is to be cut where unnecessary.
(c) Civilianisation of the establishments of the Service Departments is to be emphasised wherever possible to reduce the number of uniformed personnel engaged in such duties as store-keeping, accounting, catering and maintenance.
(d) Regular forces assigned to Anti-Aircraft Command are to be reduced as it shifts to a missile armed force and overall Army manpower is to fall by 10 percent to 1,125,000 personnel by 1965. The Royal Air Force is to be reduced by 100,000 personnel over the same period as obsolescent aircraft are replaced and units are assigned to new roles and the Royal Navy is to be reduced by 80,000 personnel due to the decommissioning of older ships.

18. Expenditure
(a) The Defence Estimates for the year 1960/61 amounted to £10,978 million. Had the planned programme continued unchanged, the figure for 1961/62 would have risen to £11,375 million.
(b) However, as a result of extensive efforts to effect economy, it has been possible to keep defence estimates down to £10,825 million. This substantial saving has been secured by the reduction in the overall strength of the armed forces, the reorganization of production orders and a decrease in administrative costs.
(c) Whilst it is not possible to forecast the exact level of expenditure in later years, it is expected that the overall defence budget as a share of national income will drop from 12.5 percent to 10 percent over the next three years, despite the increasing cost of modern weapons systems, both strategic and conventional. The reduction of the burden on the economy will permit Britain to continue to play her central role in the world economy and global security.

19. Conclusion
(a) The Government have adopted this new defence plan and strategy in the firm belief that it will benefit the national economy and provide the highest quality armed forces required to defend the British Empire and her allies and respond to a range of threats and contingencies.
(b) All three Services will be armed with the newest and most advanced weapons in the world and will be capable of successfully engaging in conventional and strategic warfare. The Royal Navy will field an increasing number of missile-armed warships; the Army will be equipped with guided missiles and given the highest degree of strategic mobility; the Royal Air Force will be supplied with a new generation of advanced fighters, bombers and rockets; and Britain will be protected by a new and formidable missile defence shield.
(c) Whether deployed in allied and Commonwealth formations in Europe, the Middle East or Far East or engaged in the defence of Britain and the Empire, the armed forces will continue to enjoy their well-deserved rank as the world’s finest.

Another good update simon darkshade and i think stevep will agree with me.

This is my mod color, when its this color, you know

simon darkshade Inspector-General Member is Online Posts: 4,976 Likes: 5,840	Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 5, 2018 15:19:47 GMT via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by simon darkshade on Aug 5, 2018 15:19:47 GMT Hopefully it provides some context to the discussions they Sam and Simon have over coming chapters. It is certainly different in several areas from the 1957 White Paper.

lordroel
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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 5, 2018 15:35:25 GMT

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Post by lordroel on Aug 5, 2018 15:35:25 GMT

Aug 5, 2018 14:54:53 GMT simon darkshade said:

1961 Defence White Paper

(a) Britain contributes land, sea and air forces to the defence of India and this will continue following full Indian independence in 1965. The strength of the British Army in India will be reduced from 89,000 to 64,000 by this date.

Deos this mean in 1965 India will get the same status as Canada,Australia, South Africa and New Zeeland.

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stevep
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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 5, 2018 16:47:04 GMT

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Post by stevep on Aug 5, 2018 16:47:04 GMT

Aug 5, 2018 14:57:48 GMT lordroel said:

Aug 5, 2018 14:54:53 GMT simon darkshade said:

1961 Defence White Paper

1. Introduction
Britain's defence policy requires substantial revision to respond to current and emerging threats and developments with flexibility. This is a necessity on economic, international, military and technological grounds.

2. Effect on Economy
(a) The British Empire’s security and position as a world superpower are dependent on the continued strength of her economy and industry and the maintenance of a primary role in world trade. The relationship between economic and military power is a symbiotic one and neither can survive without the other. A strong defence requires a prosperous country with a sound financial position.
(b) Presently, a fifth of the nation’s science and engineering graduates, and approximately 5 per cent of the working population are engaged in defence-related employment. The medium and long term strength of the British economy would be improved by a gradual reduction of this proportion.
(c) British exports remain competitive in a large number of overseas markets and the system of Imperial Preference supplies considerable strength to the sterling zone, but the medium and long term health of industry would benefit from modernisation and the greater availability of capital. The productive capacity of Britain will need to expand over the course of the 1960s to maintain current growth and prosperity and it is a direct necessity that defence expenditure be reduced as a portion of national spending to a sustainable level to support this objective.

3. Scientific Advances
(a) The advance in military technology since 1945 has been dramatic and the introduction of new and terrible weapons has proceeded at a great pace.
(b) Hydrogen bombs and intercontinental rockets capable of ranges of up to 10,000 miles have revolutionised modern warfare and fundamentally altered the basis of global strategy.
(c) Parallel with this, the evolution of guided missiles has provided the means of defence against both rocket attacks and the bomber. The introduction of anti-ballistic rockets will occur before the decade is out and sensational advances in the development of heat rays provide further prospects for the strengthening of strategic defence.
(d) Significant advantages lie in the assertion of control of the high ground of near Earth space, which brings with it complex issues of expense, international relations and technological challenges.

4. Military Alliances
(a)The problem of defence has been complicated by ongoing tensions in Europe and the Far East and the post-1956 security situation in the Middle East. Weighed against this is the improved situation in Western Europe thanks to the expansion and renewal of the Atlantic Alliance.
(b) The effect of these international developments is that Britain can rely on the guaranteed support of allied countries in Europe, the Middle East, and, as such, need not be prepared to fight and win a major war relying on the resources of the Commonwealth and Empire alone. In determining the necessary size and composition of the armed forces, this face must lie at the centre of calculations.

5. Long-Term Planning
(a) A consistent approach to defence policy is required to provide long-term stability and maximal efficiency.
(b) The rapidity of scientific change and the unpredictable nature of international relations make it extremely difficult to accurately forecast future military requirements with great certainty, but it is necessary to maintain a flexible structure for long-term planning and preparation.
(c) This fundamental objective of this long-term plan should be the provision of the most modern and effective weapons for the armed forces whilst operating within the scope of our means.

6. Tasks of Armed Forces
(a) The global strategy for the defence of the British Empire must be based on a clear definition of the military tasks and missions it involved. It is founded on the interlinked considerations of national and Imperial security, as the safety and success of Britain is indissolubly involved with those of the Commonwealth realms and the Empire.
(b) Britain’s armed forces have three principal roles:
(i) to prevent war and resist aggression alone or in conjunction with other powers;
(ii) to defend, and preserve order in, British crown colonies and protected territories; and
(iii) to take action to protect British interests around the world.
(c) Britain requires forces which are self-sufficient and well-balanced to successfully carry out these tasks.

7. Nuclear Deterrent
(a) The aircraft, rockets and surface to air guided weapons of Fighter Command of the Royal Air Force would, in the event of a war with Russia, be able to inflict devastating losses on Soviet bombers, although a small proportion may penetrate some of the multiple layers of defence. The consequences of even half a dozen aircraft succeeding in striking Britain with hydrogen bombs would inflict extensive destruction, making the issue of maximising defensive capability and firepower a vital one. Modernisation of the fighter force and its weaponry are of paramount importance in the provision of an effective air defence of Great Britain.
(b) Equally, the prevention of war through strategic deterrence is a key tenet of military policy and the best means of preventing nuclear aggression is the possession of the means of swift and certain retaliation.
(c) British and Commonwealth nuclear power stands as one of the key guarantors of the protection of the free world and will continue to grow in response to the threats that are faced.
(d) The British atomic arsenal is centred on the megaton weapons delivered by the strategic V-bombers, guided missiles and ballistic rockets of RAF Bomber Command and the Royal Navy. Joint fielding of the Blue Streak intercontinental missile by the Commonwealth Dominions provides an additional level of deterrence and strategic protection.

8. Defence of Deterrent
(a) Maintenance of peace depends on the protection of the strategic and rocket bases and it is vital that any potential aggressor could not damage or knock them out. The defence of great cities against nuclear attack is at this time limited, but the protection of smaller targets such as airfields is considerably more comprehensive. The fighter defences of Great Britain currently have the ability to engage and interfere with enemy bombers sufficiently for the short time necessary for the launch of the retaliatory force.
(b) The Government have consequently given the modernisation of the air defence of the nuclear deterrent the highest level of priority, followed by the fielding of fighter forces for the protection of urban centres and industrial targets. Increased numbers of guided missile systems are to be deployed for the protection of these targets in such an order of priority.
(c) Parallel research and development work on anti-ballistic missile defences has also been accorded increased priority in the light of emerging threats from foreign powers.

9. Forces in Europe
(a) The prospect of atomic retaliation cannot prevent war without the accompanying capacity to react to threats and provocations with appropriate conventional forces and the protection of British frontiers and those of the entire free world is a mission of fundamental importance. Deterrence must include the strategic, tactical and conventional levels to be credible.
(b) This defence must be sufficiently powerful to engage aggression with the aid of the Commonwealth and Empire, backed by the ultimate retaliatory capacity of nuclear weapons possessed by Britain and its allies.
(c) Britain, by virtue of her size and industrial and economic strength, must provide a large share of the armed forces required in these contingencies. However, this cannot be a disproportionately large contribution in every aspect. The defence expenditure of this country as a portion of national income remains higher than other individual states of comparable size and measures must be taken to control the growth of this spending.
(d) These measures of economy must not detract from the ability of the armed forces of the British Empire to carry out defensive operations throughout the world, to confront aggression wherever it threatens British possessions, allies and interests and to preserve the balance of power.
(e) Her Majesty’s Government have therefore decided, after due consultation with the governments of allied powers and the Commonwealth dominions, to re-establish the British Army of the Rhine to control forward deployed land forces in France, Germany and the Low Countries and to reinforce this current contingent by a further 55,000 personnel to a strength of 125,000, organised in four divisions . The firepower of this force will be greatly augmented by guided missile artillery and long range rockets. It is to operate alongside Commonwealth contingents under the command of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.
(f) The First and Second Tactical Air Forces will be deployed to the Continent under the operational control of a new command, Royal Air Force Germany. Their total numbers of aircraft will be slightly reduced to 1000 aircraft as newer tactical aircraft replaced older types. The Light Bomber Force in England will be assigned to the control of the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
(g) These forces will be reinforced in the event of conflict by the eight regular divisions of the British First Army and the twelve Territorial Army divisions of the Second Army. The remaining forces of the Territorial Army will be assigned to home defence and will be trained and equipped for that primary purpose.
(h) Additional home based rapid deployment forces will be assigned to a new British Mobile Force command for the reinforcement of Northern and Southern Europe.

10. Middle East
(a) Outside of the European, Atlantic and Mediterranean theatres, Britain’s most vital interests lie in three other theatres, the Middle East, India and the Orient. The former is vitally important due to the presence of the main artery of the British Empire at Suez and as the gateway to the African continent.
(b) In the Middle East, Britain has three major commitments. The first is in Egypt, where forces of the British Army and Royal Air Force are based for the protection of the Suez Canal and Nile Delta under the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty. They are supported by naval vessels of the Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet and forward deployed strategic bombers of RAF Bomber Command. The vital importance of Egypt to the global strategy of the British Empire makes any reduction in forces impossible at this time.
(c) The second is in the Arabian Peninsula, where British sea, land and air forces are maintained for the defence of Aden, Kuwait and the protected states on the Persian Gulf.
(d) Britain’s membership of the Baghdad Pact gives her an obligation to co-operate in the defence of the other signatory states from external aggression and Communist encroachment and subversion. In the event of crisis, all British forces in the area would be made available to support the alliance. They would consist of regional garrisons, the Arab Legion and medium and heavy bomber squadrons capable of delivering a devastating counter-blow with atomic bombs.
(e) The Commonwealth Middle East Strategic Reserve in Egypt and the Israeli Armed Forces act to support these deployments in peacetime.

11. India
(a) Britain contributes land, sea and air forces to the defence of India and this will continue following full Indian independence in 1965. The strength of the British Army in India will be reduced from 89,000 to 64,000 by this date.
(b) RAF India will be reduced to approximately 200 aircraft as the capabilities and size of the Royal Indian Air Force rise.

12. Orient
(a) In the Far East, apart from her responsibility for the defence and security of her colonies, Britain has an international commitment as a member of Pacific Treaty Organisation to maintain stability and defend against the extension of Communist power in Asia.
(b) British land forces maintained in this theatre consist of the two divisions of Far East Command and the Commonwealth Far Eastern Strategic Reserve in Malaya, the garrisons of Hong Kong and Borneo, the Royal Marine brigade in Japan and the United Kingdom contribution of three battalions to the Commonwealth Division in Korea. Substantial naval and air forces in the form of the Far East Fleet and Far East Air Force will also be maintained there.
(c) Contributions from India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and New Avalon provide an increasing share of forces for the defence of this vital area.

13. Imperial Garrisons
(a) Britain has the responsibility for providing numerous garrisons for
her colonies and protected territories. This is making considerable demands on
military manpower.
(b) In some circumstances where threats are low, these forces can be reduced. Colonial forces are playing an increasingly greater role in the provision of internal security and can be reinforced rapidly in the event of an emergency.

14. Imperial Strategic Reserve
(a) Maintenance of a strong, effective Imperial Strategic Reserve in Britain enables reinforcements to be despatched to any location in the world on short notice.
(b) An extensive fleet of long range transport aircraft is operated by R.A.F. Transport Command to give the Imperial Strategic Reserve the means of rapid mobility. It is composed mainly of Voyagers, Belfasts, Britannias and Ashtons. Service transport aeroplanes can be supplemented, when necessary, by appropriate civil aircraft of Imperial Airways and the East India Company.
(c) Naval resources in the form of Atlantic transport aircraft and Princess and Duchess flying boats are also essential for this purpose.

15. Naval Power
(a) Due to its size and mobility, the Royal Navy can rapidly bring sea power, air power and Royal Marine forces to bear in peacetime and hostilities. As new, long range naval strike aircraft and missile enter service, the role of the aircraft carrier and battleship becomes increasingly significant.
(b) The main striking power of the Royal Navy is currently based around aircraft carrier groups and the battlefleet, supported by smaller cruisers and destroyers. Two further atomic powered carriers are to be ordered to replace the five oldest carriers currently in service, the Illustrious class, which are to be decommissioned by 1964. The Malta class carriers will be reconstructed to operate a full range of modern strike aircraft and the ten current light aircraft carriers are to be decommissioned and replaced by a new class of light anti-submarine warfare carriers to enter service in the latter half of the decade.
(c) Upon the commissioning of the atomic-powered guided missile super battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth, two battleships will be placed in reserve.
(d) Orders for further Leander and County class guided missile cruisers and battlecruisers are to be placed as the numbers of older cruisers are reduced. The remaining Town, Crown Colony and Dido class cruisers are to be retired in the next five years and the four pocket battleships now in reserve are to be sold. Reductions are also to be made in the various classes of smaller escorts.
(e) The role of naval forces in total war is a major one, as ballistic missile submarines, battleships and carrier aircraft play a substantial role in the strategic nuclear deterrent and naval operations to neutralize enemy counterpart forces are essential to an effective national defence. Russia’s large fleet of oceanic submarines represent a formidable threat to control of the seas and protection of the British
Empire’s Atlantic and Mediterranean life-lines. Should any war be protracted, the Royal Navy will prove to be this country’s most important weapon.
(f) The strength of the Royal Marines is to be fixed at 165,000 personnel. The amphibious fleet will be modernised and older warbuilt vessels replaced with smaller numbers of more effective ships.

16. Civil Defence
(a) Passive preparations for the danger of nuclear war must naturally take second place to active measures of prevention, but plans for the protection and survival of organised society are to be expanded.
(b) Civil defence services are to be maintained and the important work of strengthening vital communications will continue with great priority.

17. Reduction in the Size of Forces
(a) As Britain’s armed forces assume new roles, it will be important to reduce those elements which do not contribute directly to fighting strength and capacity.
(b) This is to be accompanied by a reduction in the size of military and civilian staffs and an intense drive to reduce administrative overheads within the Service Departments and Ministry of Supply. Duplication between the forces is to be cut where unnecessary.
(c) Civilianisation of the establishments of the Service Departments is to be emphasised wherever possible to reduce the number of uniformed personnel engaged in such duties as store-keeping, accounting, catering and maintenance.
(d) Regular forces assigned to Anti-Aircraft Command are to be reduced as it shifts to a missile armed force and overall Army manpower is to fall by 10 percent to 1,125,000 personnel by 1965. The Royal Air Force is to be reduced by 100,000 personnel over the same period as obsolescent aircraft are replaced and units are assigned to new roles and the Royal Navy is to be reduced by 80,000 personnel due to the decommissioning of older ships.

18. Expenditure
(a) The Defence Estimates for the year 1960/61 amounted to £10,978 million. Had the planned programme continued unchanged, the figure for 1961/62 would have risen to £11,375 million.
(b) However, as a result of extensive efforts to effect economy, it has been possible to keep defence estimates down to £10,825 million. This substantial saving has been secured by the reduction in the overall strength of the armed forces, the reorganization of production orders and a decrease in administrative costs.
(c) Whilst it is not possible to forecast the exact level of expenditure in later years, it is expected that the overall defence budget as a share of national income will drop from 12.5 percent to 10 percent over the next three years, despite the increasing cost of modern weapons systems, both strategic and conventional. The reduction of the burden on the economy will permit Britain to continue to play her central role in the world economy and global security.

19. Conclusion
(a) The Government have adopted this new defence plan and strategy in the firm belief that it will benefit the national economy and provide the highest quality armed forces required to defend the British Empire and her allies and respond to a range of threats and contingencies.
(b) All three Services will be armed with the newest and most advanced weapons in the world and will be capable of successfully engaging in conventional and strategic warfare. The Royal Navy will field an increasing number of missile-armed warships; the Army will be equipped with guided missiles and given the highest degree of strategic mobility; the Royal Air Force will be supplied with a new generation of advanced fighters, bombers and rockets; and Britain will be protected by a new and formidable missile defence shield.
(c) Whether deployed in allied and Commonwealth formations in Europe, the Middle East or Far East or engaged in the defence of Britain and the Empire, the armed forces will continue to enjoy their well-deserved rank as the world’s finest.

Another good update simon darkshade and i think stevep will agree with me.

Agree a massively detailed summary and it shows how big a military Britain is maintaining. Sounds like it is substantially increasing its commitment in central Europe as well, which will be costly. Coupled with the massive continued deployments across the formal and informal empire. With the additional burdens of the space race and interplanetary commitments plus the growing threat of nuclear weapons delivered by missile. In the darkverse, especially with the more developed access to space defence against ballistic missiles might even be practical, although there will always be potential tricks an enemy can play to nullify such defences. However this adds another huge expense to the defence budget.

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 6, 2018 2:37:33 GMT

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Post by simon darkshade on Aug 6, 2018 2:37:33 GMT

Britain is maintaining a large military and it is costly; such is the price of superpower status. The situation is only slightly ameliorated by contributions from other Commonwealth members, colonial incomes and the like.

The move to European forces comes at the cost of cutting back many Imperial deployments, ending large scale military deployments to India (which can well and truly stand on its own feet). Space forces and funding has a separate budget line, as well as being funded by the territories on Mars and Venus, but this is starting to be unsustainable.

Steve is quite correct that the expenses of missile defence will be eye wateringly large, which further pushes the need for economies in other areas, on top of the 10% manpower cuts and the 5-10% budget reductions/savings outlined in the White Paper.

Lordroel, that is correct. As of 1965, India will be a fully independent Dominion with all that entails.

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 6, 2018 11:42:21 GMT lordroel and stevep like this

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Post by simon darkshade on Aug 6, 2018 11:42:21 GMT

Never Had it So Good Part 14

It was mid-afternoon by the time that Sam walked outside the village museum, having supped his fill of the Librarium. The sun shone down upon him with renewed heat as the pleasantly cool weather of the early morn had given way to a warm afternoon. He stood silently, looking out at the quiet leafy backstreets and neat houses of Ashford, the sounds of the laughter, conversation and festivities in the village square ringing out from nearby. The smell of roasting meat wafted by on the gentle breeze, melding seamlessly into the more distant aromas of fresh grass and fragrant flowers before it passed him by on its journey up into the green hills. It seemed as deceptively peaceful and familiar as ever, but now he was extremely cognisant that this was indeed a different world. For every similar aspect, and there were many, there were discordant notes that jarred with the history and culture he had imbibed since childhood.

After his industrial peregrination, he had delved further into this strange, deeper England and noticed even more subtle and more direct differences. Here, the welfare state had been introduced in a gradual, staged series of Liberal reforms since the Victorian era, culminating in the partial realization of Lloyd George’s ‘Land Fit for Heroes’ after the Great War. From what he could surmise, the crushing blow of the Great Depression here had been comparatively lighter and shorter. The Beveridge Report was altogether more evolutionary than revolutionary in its rhetoric and goals and its implementation had been carried out on a far more localized level by both Church and state. There were only four ‘Giant Evils’ here - Waste, Disease, Indolence and Poverty, a curious selection that raised a number of questions. Its implementation had been far from universal and a number of measures were deferred or altered by the Conservative government after 1948, as the economy took off in the postwar boom. Inquiring after unemployment had revealed that the highest rate since 1947 had been barely 2%, withering away to statistical insignificance by the early 1950s.

Politics proved to be even more confusing. Sam had been intrigued by Bailey’s mention of Empire Socialism, but this had only proved to be the tip of the iceberg. The Labour platform was in most respects more social democratic and populist, downplaying overt socialist policies such as nationalisation and promising instead to secure for workers the full fruits of their labour and industry through the harnessing of means of production for the good of the commonwealth. In some ways, it reminded him strongly of a very English combination of the Nordic model and the Third Way, with influences of Christian democracy and guild socialism. There was a strongly traditionalist bent to much of its policy from what he had seen and heard, standing in opposition to the Radicals. Labour’s heartlands were in the industrial heartlands of the North, but apparently inroads had been made into the Liberal strongholds of the Midlands, Wales and Scotland since the mid Fifties.

The Liberals themselves were far from the mere shadow of a party that they had become by this stage of history back home, not having been broken by the Great War and its preceding series of crises. They were staked out firmly in the centre, combining Keynesian economics with Liberal Imperialist policies and fervent support for what was described as the ‘grand trinity’ of National Efficiency, Modern Reform and Civic Society, whatever those particular slogans meant. Free trade had been cast aside as a shibboleth in the latter part of the Victorian Age, which struck Sam as one of the most notable differences in their ideological outlook; the drive towards Imperial economic and political integration had attracted general support across the political spectrum. That Barton guy’s ‘Empire Socialism’ was firmly based in this ideological foundation, calling for a common social market stretching across a federation of free and equal Commonwealth states with unified defence and a single global voice. His defence programme was rather imposing in scale, amounting to over £2500 million for naval expansion.

If the politics of Britain were confusing, the shape of the wider world was even moreso. His inquiry on the United States was a perfect example, combining a deceptively similar symphony of history with discordant notes such as no Prohibition, no mention of rock and roll, Lincoln living to 105 and the Whigs remaining a strong third party force to the present day. There hadn’t been the same Great Migrations of African-Americans from the southern states to the cities of the North in the first half of the 20th century and colonization of Liberia had been much more substantial. Civil rights seemed to be a settled issue, although immigration was still organized under the National Origins Formula. John F. Kennedy was President but many of the names in his cabinet were complete mysteries as far as Sam was concerned. The US armed forces were noticeably larger and lavishly equipped with many recognizable weapons systems; he noted with bemused surprise that both the Army and Air Force operated intercontinental strategic missiles.

Information on the broad strategic shape of the world had been somewhat harder to find in the Librarium, but there had been enough oblique and passing references to build up a reasonably accurate picture. Many of the long term problems and Cold War flashpoints were decidedly different, such as the presence of unified Indian and Korean states, a British Cuba, the lack of any overt Arab-Israeli conflict to date and a much quieter Algeria, but there was also substantial cross-over, what with the Vietnamese situation, a growing confrontation between Indonesia and the British Empire, Greco-Turkish tension and a mess in the Congo. There had barely been anything on Central and South America apart from a few dire pronouncements that the 1960s would be a pivotal time for their future direction. The overall impression that he had got from it all reinforced Bailey’s characterisation of the entire global situation being very delicately balanced.

Sam made his way down the narrow street, having found some answers, some more questions and a little discomfort. Rounding the corner into the village square, he put aside this morass of concerns before it overwhelmed him and allowed himself to once again focus upon the present and the immediate future. It was strange how he felt himself palpably relaxing as he rejoined the easy merriment of the holiday, almost as if it were some conscious effect bestowed by entering the square. Shaking his head, he decided that such speculation was merely idle foolishness and that all he was feeling was residual discombobulation from the effects of the Librarium. He wended his way through the busy throngs over to the tearoom, but could find no sign of Simon or his elven companion.

“Sam! Over here!” Bailey’s voice called at him from behind. He turned to see him seated on a bench beneath a large willow tree a short distance from the tearoom. He was flicking idly through a colourful news magazine that he set to one side as Sam approached. As he passed by an extremely realistic statue of a mole in a bright red waistcoat and neat black suit, he could have sworn that it blinked at him, but he quickly convinced himself it was merely a trick of the wind in the willow.

“How’d you go? Find something useful to sate your curiosity?”

“You could say that. It was quite …unique…but I can certainly see why you compared it to all those other things. It raised more questions than it answered, though.”

“You seem to be saying that a lot, my dear boy.” Bailey remarked with a sly but kindly grin. “Your answers will come, in their own time, and are sometimes waiting right in front of you, like old Saethrin always says about the forest and the trees. In the end, it just depends on asking the right questions. Wise even for an elf, that fellow.”

“It is more than a little strange to see a real, live talking elf.”

“I can assure you that we don’t keep stuffed ones around, Sam.”

“That wouldn’t be too conducive to ‘elf and safety!”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

“Never mind, just a little joke out of its time. What I meant was that he definitely came across as an entirely separate species, not just a human with pointy ears. ”

“That’s because they are. Even having grown up with them around here, I can see what you are saying. There is something of elvenkind that is not of this world and you only got a small glimpse of that. For sure, they are flesh and blood and bone and they breathe, eat and die in the way of all things, but the spirit of Faerie is always there, like the shadow of a dream. Sometimes, it is even more noticeable, such as twilight and of course Midsummer. A shame you won’t be here to see it, for then true magic walks the world.”

“Sounds wonderful. Mind you, this hasn’t been a half bad day in and of itself. A bit strange to combine such a celebration with the earlier commemoration, though.”

“For you, perhaps. It isn’t as solemn as Remembrance Sunday or Armistice Day, but neither is it quite as celebratory as Victory Day or quite as big an occasion as the twentieth anniversary of the Battle of Britain last year. I don’t think I saw quite so many Spitfires and Hurricanes over Normandy as I did over London in September.” Bailey swatted at a passing insect with his rolled-up magazine, aiming to shoo it away rather than squash it.

“Hurricanes in Overlord? Weren’t they outdated by then?”

“As fighters, certainly; the RAF left that to the Spits, Tempests and the jets. There were still a few hundred Hurribombers around alongside the Tiffies and all the attack types through June. Still, not quite on the level of the force in 1940, but Overlord was more of an Army show after the landings. Some call it our finest hour, which is perhaps a bit much; I’d say it was right up there with our most important victories after El Alamein. The RAF had the Battle of Britain for the fighter chaps and the Battle of the Ruhr for the bomber boys, the Navy had the Battle of the Atlantic and the Royal Marines had Formosa. Enough glory to go around for all, except it wasn’t so bally glorious at the time.”

“What beach did you land on?”

“Gold, with the 24th Division. It was pretty rough going on the way in, although the amtraks weren’t as bad as the landing craft, and the bombardment was like nothing I’ve ever seen before or since. Once I looked up and could have sworn I saw some of Hood’s shells going overhead. When we landed, it was a storm of smoke, machine gun fire, explosions, sand, spellfire and blood. It was bally hard to breathe in our gas masks and capes, but the Germans copped much more of that than us. The DD Crusaders and the Panjandrums made short work of the remaining defences in our sector and we were through the Atlantic Wall right on schedule.” Bailey spoke clearly, dispassionately and quickly, as if giving a report on last night’s television. His eyes told a different story.

“The French were more than a little pleased to see us, but there wasn’t much time to stop for celebration for the assault troops. We reached our objective phase line on the other side of Bayeux just after midday with what was officially described as light losses. Light losses. I can still see some of those light losses to this day; they were my men. I was having a brew when the heavies came trundling past later that afternoon, on their way to smash Kampfgruppe Meyer. Jerry didn’t have anything close to the beaches that could handle the Centurions, let alone the Cromwells and Dreadnoughts. It was a long day, but one we’d been waiting a while for.”

Sam took it in with great interest and renewed respect. “I’d never met a Second World War veteran before…well, before I came here. There were fewer and fewer of them left every year.”

“Sadly the way of the world, Sam, no matter which world we find ourselves in. It is getting that way now for chaps from Queen Victoria’s wars; only a few chaps from the Crimean campaign still kicking about that I know of. Funny thing, really. After a century, we’re still engaged with the Great Game against the Russians.”

“The boot seems to be more on the other foot this time, though, Simon.”

“Yes, on the most base of measures, they’re larger and stronger than us. The Empire changes things of course, but as you’ve seen, there has been a fair bit of work going on in the backrooms to add the cousins to that. If the cost of having them onside is ceding a bit of a place in the sun on the Continent, then that is one worth paying. Back in the last war, we had Ike and Nimitz over Monty and Cunningham; now, it looks like it will be some other Yanks over Sharpe and Aubrey.”

Sam couldn’t help but think he had heard the last few names somewhere before, but no matter how hard he tried to remember, they were as good as being over the hills and far away or on the far side of the world. “That is more like the Cold War set-up that I’m familiar with. Having all of Germany and Austria-Hungary does help things a fair bit.”

“You’re not wrong there. The Soviet threat and the Americans getting involved to counter it is the one thing that perhaps can keep a steady balance of power in Europe. It will certainly help up on the northern flank in Scandinavia.”

“That was always one of the most important side theatres in all NATO planning I’ve read about. Control of Northern Norway could play a big influence on control of the Atlantic. There was a lot written about it, actually, even a few novels where the Soviets took Iceland in a surprise attack. Red Storm Rising, it was.”

“Iceland? Bah! It would need more than a rising storm here, what with the better part of a division of British and Canadian troops, all the Booties of 4 MNBD Brigade, over a hundred RNAS planes and a crack regiment of the Scandian Knights for good measure. Together, they make a lovely umbrella. But you’re right on Norway. The Swedes are extremely capable, but would have their hands full helping the Finns to hold out, leaving the battle for the fjords to the Norwegians and the Empire. We’ve had annual exercises in Norway and Sweden since ’48 or so. A very important place, but in the end, it does come down to who can win in Germany and that is a job for tanks.”

“That seems to be your area of expertise, based on your book. Your Chieftains and M60s are considerably better than their ‘Australian’ counterparts.”

“We need them to be, Sam. There are a lot of T-54s, T-55s and T-62s on the other side, as well as a newer one that didn’t make it into the book on account of a quiet request from some of the Century House chaps. From what I was able to gather from my sources, it has a gun that matches ours and some very impressive armour; it is still generally inferior to what we and the Yanks have, but it has narrowed the gap a fair bit.”

“The French and German tanks seem to be quite different vehicles, which runs against the general pattern in my place. Both of their first generation MBTs were fast but relatively lightly armoured.”

“That is a bit of an interesting case. The Jerries don’t really have the same operational depth or requirement for deployment beyond their borders, so have gone down the path of a rather conventional main battle tank – heavy armour, moderate speed and as powerful a gun as they can fit; their 120mm jobbies pack one hell of a punch. The French wanted a fast, mobile tank that could serve in Indochina, Africa or Europe and which was a good counter for the best known Soviet tank back in 1950 or so and that is what they got in 1954. By now, that requirement has evolved slightly to fit the different threat – they still want something fairly mobile, but speed hasn’t really proved to be armour any more than it did for the battlecruiser and the Grande Armee is increasingly oriented eastwards. They’ve got an updated model on the verge of production with thicker armour and an adapted version of the main gun off the AMX-50s, but that is more of a stopgap than a long term solution in my view.”

“The obvious solutions would be to buy from Britain or America or even develop it jointly, but that doesn’t seem likely to be on the cards here.”

“No, we wouldn’t sell Chieftains to either, for political reasons, and the Americans aren’t going to producing M60s for export for five years or so. They’re really giving us a run for our money in the European markets for most other military equipment and do turn out some absolutely wizard kit. There are even a few bits and pieces that I would buy, if I was in charge of the War Office, such as that newfangled 6.9” self-propelled gun they’re showing off on the newsreels these days. The Royal Marines have made noises about being interested, but they’ll likely be told to settle for hand-me-downs from the Army.”

“They’re not that hard up, all things considered – your navy’s army is larger than those of many other countries!”

Simon laughed loud and hard. “Quite right, Sam. The Andrew can’t let Tommy Atkins take all of the limelight. Now, if my nose does not deceive me, it is almost time for luncheon.” He rose up from the bench and looked around the square. “Strange. I could have almost sworn it was time for…” He trailed off as he continued to scan the lively crowd for someone or something

Sam was about to ask Bailey what he was looking for when he was stopped dead by a most beautiful sound, which also immediately quieted the conversations and mirth about them. It was like the notes of a harp, yet far deeper and richer whilst also being light, high and full of joy and wonder. It somehow combined the sound of several instruments and flowed forth like pure song, tugging at the heartstrings of the people around them. He looked over to where they had parted, revealing a hooded man with long white hair strumming an intricate silver instrument shaped like dragon strung with dozens of golden strings as he sat on an old and gnarled tree stump. A long cloak of many colours streamed down his back and his closed eyes were turned up towards the sky. He played on, the melody growing deeper and more moving before it came to a glorious crescendo and then ended suddenly. No one moved an inch nor spoke a single sound for several heartbeats, then the man looked down at the people and spoke in a rich and powerful voice.

“Lo! Hark! Listen! Down the long years, through the turning of ages lost to name,
We tell of glorious triumph, of deeds of might, of deeds of honour, of deeds of fame!
For from the age of giants and dragons, of might and of magic, of far lands over sea,
Now we speak of legend, of the king who once was and the king who shall be!
Born of battle and born of magic, born into a land of suffering and of hate,
The Pendragon, the Sword of God, he sleeps in Avalon beyond the gate.
I will sing you of Arthur, of Excalibur, of his knights, of the Grail,
Be glad for his name and be proud of his fame, for ne’er shall the earth see them fail!”

With that, he fell silent, rose and walked away.

Simon whistled softly as the first ripples of conversation began to spring back up again. “Well, well, well. The Song of Arthur performed by a real bard. You are in for a treat this afternoon, Sam.”

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 6, 2018 14:40:31 GMT

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Post by stevep on Aug 6, 2018 14:40:31 GMT

Sdarkshade

Good broadening of the information Sam has and love the "As he passed by an extremely realistic statue of a mole in a bright red waistcoat and neat black suit, he could have sworn that it blinked at him, but he quickly convinced himself it was merely a trick of the wind in the willow."

So slower and less complete social reforms but starting earlier and the Liberals at least, and probably the other parties, have dropped free trade/laissez faire for a more interventionist policy, albeit with more involvement by local governments and religious groups. Presumably they also have more power rather than the greater centralisation of tax raising and spending with central government of OTL.

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 6, 2018 15:38:35 GMT

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Post by lordroel on Aug 6, 2018 15:38:35 GMT

Aug 6, 2018 11:42:21 GMT simon darkshade said:

Never Had it So Good Part 14

“As fighters, certainly; the RAF left that to the Spits, Tempests and the jets. There were still a few hundred Hurribombers around alongside the Tiffies and all the attack types through June. Still, not quite on the level of the force in 1940, but Overlord was more of an Army show after the landings. Some call it our finest hour, which is perhaps a bit much; I’d say it was right up there with our most important victories after El Alamein. The RAF had the Battle of Britain for the fighter chaps and the Battle of the Ruhr for the bomber boys, the Navy had the Battle of the Atlantic and the Royal Marines had Formosa. Enough glory to go around for all, except it wasn’t so bally glorious at the time.”

What about the Parachute boys, was it Operation Market Garden, if it happen and if it was not a failure like OTL.

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 6, 2018 21:32:32 GMT

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Post by simon darkshade on Aug 6, 2018 21:32:32 GMT

Lordroel, Market Garden did occur, after extensive amphibious operations for the clearing of the Scheldt. XXX Corps made it to Arnhem, where two British Airborne divisions and a Brigade of Poles had held out with air and long range artillery support. They didn't push across the Rhine into Germany until more supplies were bought up from in conjunction with further American and British crossings further south, but rather the Canadians liberated the rest of the Netherlands by late October. It was not a failure, but did not succeed in ending the war by Christmas.

Steve, your characterisation of both general politics and the role of local vs central government is broadly correct.

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 7, 2018 3:43:12 GMT

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Post by lordroel on Aug 7, 2018 3:43:12 GMT

Aug 6, 2018 21:32:32 GMT simon darkshade said:

Lordroel, Market Garden did occur, after extensive amphibious operations for the clearing of the Scheldt. XXX Corps made it to Arnhem, where two British Airborne divisions and a Brigade of Poles had held out with air and long range artillery support. They didn't push across the Rhine into Germany until more supplies were bought up from in conjunction with further American and British crossings further south, but rather the Canadians liberated the rest of the Netherlands by late October. It was not a failure, but did not succeed in ending the war by Christmas.

Steve, your characterisation of both general politics and the role of local vs central government is broadly correct.

So they where a little bit smarter than OTL, is that because a certain Field Marshal Montgomery pushed for it.

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 7, 2018 9:48:03 GMT

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Post by simon darkshade on Aug 7, 2018 9:48:03 GMT

There were a variety of reasons: greater resources allowing the Scheldt to be cleared, greater pressure to liberate the Netherlands before invading Germany itself and a variety of smaller factors that had a cumulative impact.

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 7, 2018 12:55:59 GMT lordroel and stevep like this

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Post by simon darkshade on Aug 7, 2018 12:55:59 GMT

Notes on Chapter 14:

- Lloyd George's 'land fit for heroes' promised a lot, but fell short. There was significant slum clearance and accompanying housing programmes in addition to the expansive Education Act of 1918 and the Unemployment Insurance Act of 1919. There was no Geddes Axe in 1922 due to a somewhat better economic situation, which had some distinct long term consequences for both welfare and defence.
- The offhand reference to the shorter and lighter Great Depression was something of an Easter egg. There wasn't a return to the prewar gold standard in 1925 and the Anglo-Soviet conflict of the late 1920s lead to increased armaments spending, providing a small yet noticeable stimulus to certain industries. The government response to the Great Depression was rather Keynesian, involving extensive public works and defence spending, as gradual rearmament also began in response to the Japanese action in Manchuria from 1932. Broadly speaking, a milder slump between 1931 and 1934 resulted in some very different developments in interwar British politics, society, economics and popular culture.
- The different 'Giant Evils' of the Beveridge Report reflect one aspect of this, as does the platform of the Labour Party.
- Across the Atlantic, the two most consequential tidbits were the slower pace of the movement of African-Americans from the South to the North and the lack of Prohibition. The Second Great Migration from @ is happening, but is slightly less notable demographically due to the larger population. In 1960 historically, African Americans made up 20.6% of the population of the South, 3.9% of the West, 6.7% of the Midwest and 6.8% of the North East; on Dark Earth, those figures were 24% of the South, 2.8% of the West, 4.2% of the Midwest and 4.3% of the North East, which puts the situation somewhere equivalent to the mid-late 1940s. This has had and will continue to have some interesting social consequences. No Prohibition has a lot of consequences, such as less 'organized' organized crime, a lot of cultural differences, a thriving US wine industry, a surviving temperance movement, different development of stock car racing, no National Firearms Act of 1934 and a different evolution of the FBI just off the top of my head.
- Sam shows that he is less familiar with various aspects of American history by being confused about the National Origins Formula, which was still around in 1961 and was replaced by the 1965 law; he assumed that what was to him a very old fashioned system disappeared long before the idealised 1960s.
- Liberia has a larger population of Americo-Liberians from several waves of migration. It is a small but useful US ally.
- Kennedy's Secretary of Defence is not Robert McNamara, but Dr. Clark Savage.
- The global strategic situation is very complex and this will develop further as the story plays out.
- Sam's feeling as he enters the square is not just his imagination, but comes from a minor spell cast by the local wizard. It has no practical effect beyond making those who enter the celebratory area feel a little happier, like a emotional air conditioner.
- Public holidays in Britain are New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Empire Day, Victory Day (August 25th), Harvest Thanksgiving, Trafalgar Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, along with the relevant patron saints days for England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Lyonesse.
- The Scandian Knights are one of many knightly orders with a long and illustrious history that maintain a military role in the modern period.
- American forces provide a major leap in capability for the defence of Scandinavia, allowing not only the reinforcement of Northern Norway, but also of Sweden and therefore of Finland.
- The new Soviet tank Bailey refers to is the T-64, a 50t second generation MBT armed with a 2A46 125mm main gun and protected by composite armour equivalent to ~24" of RHA against HEAT. The 6.9" gun is the M107 175mm, which has a substantially improved range.
- The Song of Arthur is one of the great epic poems of the English language and is often still performed, along with Beowulf, by bards. The bardic tradition has not died out and remains a small but interesting part of the culture of the British Isles.

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 7, 2018 12:56:23 GMT lordroel and stevep like this

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Post by simon darkshade on Aug 7, 2018 12:56:23 GMT

Never Had it So Good Part 15

They made their way through the square towards the village green, where a great fire had been stoked in its stone-lined pit and huge joints of pork and two barons of beef turned slowly on a long iron spit above the flames. An ingenious automatic contraption rotated next to it with no clear means of power, loaded with deep golden sausages, sizzling brown chops, steaming baked potatoes and glistening racks of meaty pork ribs, while a large black cauldron bubbled and hissed as a rather stout halfling busily pulled out wire baskets of crisply fried chicken from the gurgling fat. He must be the short order cook, Sam thought with a restrained chuckle.

“Looks alright, doesn’t it?” Simon said from beside him. “The boys are always pleased to be home when Master Goodfarthing cooks up his summer feasts. Now let’s strike while the griddle-iron is hot and get in before the rest of the crowd.”

Beating the gathering crowd that was already forming a long, sinuous queue at the lunch fire, they were handed cutlery and two wooden platters loaded with meat and potatoes and walked over to a nearby tree where Victoria and the children were already tucking into their meals.

“You certainly won’t go hungry today, Sam.” Bailey remarked as he sliced up his scarlet roast beef. The afternoon sun shone down through the leafy green boughs of the ash tree above them and a band had struck up a strangely familiar and catchy medieval melody from the other side of the green. A group of children were dancing about, waving bits of cloth, but most of the Ashfordians were following the example of the Baileys and settling down to their expansive luncheon. Sam nibbled thoughtfully on at the crispy crackling on his smoky roast pork rib and then set it down to respond.

“Or any day. It is quite astounding how much you people eat here.” He had been thinking about this for some time. It seemed fairly logical as to how and why there wasn’t a lot of obesity around, given the lack of processed foods and a lot more physical activity and walking, but the scale of it all was quite noteworthy.

“Is it really? I can’t say it seems that way to me. Don’t you have anything special on holidays?”

“It isn’t so much the holiday spread, which is big enough, but in general. I’ve only been here three days now and every one has been full of huge meals! There’s a fair bit more meat than my place as well.”

“I see. The meat conundrum is easy enough – we’ve always ate a lot of it for centuries now, what with the Roast Beef of Old England. Nowadays, it is seen as mark of being well off and comfortable – a mark of privilege, if you like. As to the size of our offerings at home, have you thought perhaps that we’re putting on a bit more as you are a guest and quite a special one at that? As well as the older children being back from school, mind you. They seem dedicated to eating us out of house and home.”

“I see.”

“Not to mention that many people have lived through world war and rationing twice over.” Victoria said quietly but clearly. “Lord Woolton spoke for a lot of us when he said after the war that Britain would never again let food become a weapon against her. So we increased domestic food production and supplies more than the rest of the free world and we enjoy the bounty of it.”

“Oh. That makes some sense.” Sam felt ever so slightly chastened.

“Now don’t take it as a criticism, my dear boy, merely an explanation. You’ve got good reason to have a lot on your mind and this is a bit of a different situation for you. I know what its like.” Simon paused very briefly. “I’ve travelled a lot, after all.”

“A lot of this stuff today seems rather more American – barbecued ribs and fried chicken.”

“Really? I’ve never thought of it like that; there was an old Oxford don speaking on the BBC a few weeks ago who said that quite a bit of our food history came down to the movement of different peoples through the ages, which seemed common sense. We’ve been roasting and smoking bits and pieces of pigs since Celtic times and the Vikings were rather fond of ribs according to a dragon I once met. The frying of chicken is a Scottish tradition that filtered south in the Tudor years, but the barbecue idea is an American one, or rather a West Indian one if I recall my history correctly.”

“It is a bit interesting that the West Indies are so important to Britain, based on what I’ve read. Back home, they were mainly a source of immigration to begin with.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did they migrate from the West Indies? I can’t imagine it would be on account of the improved weather.”

“Britain had a big demand for labour and they wanted to escape poverty for a better life

“That is quite surprising. The Caribbean has been one of the richest areas of the Empire for a long time. They are the largest sugar exporter in the world, of course, as well as being major producers of coffee, tobacco, cocoa, tropical fruit, flowers, spices, medicinal herbs and the like, but over the last fifty years the emphasis has shifted to minerals as their mountains have been mined deer. The big four have been nickel, bauxite, oil and gold, although there is a goodly amount of shanarium in Jamaica.”

“What’s shanarium?”

“A very precious strategic metal, used for weapons, armour, aircraft engines, electronics, spaceships and a dozen other purposes, as well as being rare and shiny, which counts for a lot in this world. Anyway, suffice it to say that the West Indies are one of many sources of our wealth, as well as being rich in their own right and a wonderful place to live. Plenty of Yanks like to swan off to Jamaica, Cuba and Grand Dracaria for their summer vacations and more than a few Britons have moved there to live there; an old chum of mine has a simply marvelous estate on Oracabessa Bay. They are valuable for military manpower as well. The West India Corps ranks right up there with the Gurkhas and the Zulus and the Royal West Indian Marines would be important in the Atlantic in any future business.”

“You’ve certainly got a lot of different marine units going around, far more than us, but having a Royal Naval Division doesn’t seem to make sense.”

“Politics, Sam, politics – the most essential factor in any military calculations. The Andrew has a little bit more pull at Whitehall than the Women’s Auxiliary Balloon Service, the Royal Legion of Frontiersmen or the Imperial Camel Corps and wanted to show that it could play its part in the various brushfire wars around Africa and the Orient, which translates to getting one over on the Army and the RAF after any expansion of the Royal Marines was blocked. Rather silly to ignore the real enemy, though.”

“Who? The Russians?”

“No, they are just the opposition. The Treasury is the enemy!” Simon laughed hard at his own joke and Sam spared his bon mot a brief smile. “It is a bit much, though, given that we’ve had naval brigades in action over the last few years everywhere from Aqaba to the Congo, but nothing larger than that to merit a whole division, not that it actually is a field division. In many ways, we’re fighting the last war; we had to scrape the barrel back in ’56 to cover all of the Middle East flare ups. The Israelis have got a fair bit more of that taken care of now, which makes things simpler.”

“Israel being part of the British Empire is something new for me and reading about it on Saturday morning was quite the surprise.”

“Their army has earned a pretty big reputation since the war. They smashed the Turks around very badly in ’41 and gave the Nazis the same medicine in the big battles at the end. Five years ago, they mobilized fairly quickly and now they’re even stronger.”

“Doesn’t it make things difficult with the Arabs?”

Simon set aside his plate and looked thoughtfully at the rooftops across the green. The children had finished their vittles and ran off to play, leaving their parents to their own devices; it was important to give the adults their own time in order to build up their independence and ability to cope without the supervision of their youngers.

“Probably yes, although both sides have bigger fish to fry. The Arab kings are all fairly pragmatic fellows at the end of the day, we’ve got the Arab Legion and most of the hotheads found themselves rather dead in the late unpleasantness. As long as we remain dominant in the Near East, then all of the states there hold back from going at each other’s throats, but we serve as a nexus of every flavour of pent-up nationalist frustration and revolutionary ambition. Israel itself is quite an interesting case and not really as close to the Imperial bosom as the other Dominions, what with the differing religious and national backgrounds compared to Canada, Australia or South Africa, but they need a great and powerful friend and our interests have run in the same direction since Herzl and Chamberlain and the London Declaration.”

“So they are driven together in the face of an outside threat? That’s quite the opposite from back home – there, it was a proxy battlefield between the Americans and Soviets with Arab-Israeli wars every few years until the late 70s.”

“That doesn’t sound particularly nice. We haven’t had that sort of trouble in the Near East; the closest parallel would be the four wars we’ve had with the Ottomans there since 1914. They’ve had a bee in their turban over losing their empire for the last few generations, although it waxes and wanes according to which faction is dominant in the Sublime Porte. Hard fighters, the Turks, and jolly courageous to boot. Throw in the Soviet threat to the whole region and you can see why a strong Israeli Army is so valuable to us.”

“It is interesting that their armoured division already has Chieftains; their sale was cancelled in my place because of the political question.”

“Good gracious! They’ve got over 400 already and have at least another 2000 on order, both here and there. Whatever did they field instead?”

“A combination of Centurions, M48s and M60s, as well as their own domestic design from the late 70s.”

“I see. A bit of a mixed stew. The Chieftain isn’t the only bit of topline kit they’ve got in the pipeline here - as well as more TSR-2s and Lightnings for the RIAF, they’re on board with the Tornadoes, the Lions and the MACV.” Bailey began to wax enthusiastic, stabbing at the air with the remains of a drumstick as he listed off the various military projects.

“You lost me after Tornadoes.”

“Sorry, Sam, I tend to forget the gaps in your knowledge; it is easy to get carried away when I find someone who is interested in the area. The Lion is the new attack fighter Gloster is working on. It is a real beast of a plane, heavily armoured and packing a bally big autocannon and some nasty rockets; I dare say it will put the dander up the Russians. As for the MACV, picture the offspring of a light tank and an armoured carrier. They are the future and simply everyone worth their salt is working on one.”

“Ah, you mean like an infantry fighting vehicle! I thought you meant something to do with Vietnam.”

“Vietnam? That’s French turf, although a few others seem to be more and more interested in it these days. They seem to have it under control; our concerns lie elsewhere, in my view.”

“That was the first major war to be televised in ‘Australia’. Having the reality of the fighting in their living rooms changed the opinion of many people about the war.”

“Gosh. You’d think that parents would run a better show than that.”

“No, I mean seeing the footage of a modern war and its impact on people.”

“Ah, I catch your drift now, Sam. That simply wouldn’t happen here. There was a lot of television, film and newsreel coverage of Korea, Malaya and the Middle East War, but between the BBC and the Ministry of Information, it was all good, solid stuff that kept the home front behind the boys at the battle front.”

“Sounds like propaganda.”

“That’s because it is propaganda and proper propaganda at that; we can’t let the Russians or other foreign powers play at that game and not respond ourselves. Oh, there are always a few muckrakers and Red rabble rousers who try to drum up a flash story, but the former struggle to get into print and we have strong sedition laws for the latter. When it comes to the defence of the realm, we’re all in this together and the BBC is one of our best weapons.”

“You don’t have any other broadcasting stations then, do you?”

“No, it’s been proposed by some Conservatives a few times since the late 40s, but for every voice in support, there are a few others that criticize it as vulgar and too American; I probably lean towards the latter opinion myself, like Lord Reith. I prefer the wireless and television without any ghastly commercials for soap, tobacco, soap-flavoured tobacco or, heaven forfend, Coca-Cola. Do you still have that stuff?”

“Coke? I’ve seen it once or twice, I reckon.”

“Gah! I had the misfortune of drinking some once when I was on my way to Singapore. Sickly stuff. Thank goodness it is still on the other side of the pond.” The look on Bailey’s face as he remembered it was a bizarre cross between a man who had bitten into a lemon and a Greek tragic mask.

Sam successfully controlled the instinct to smile, although the strange buzzing sensation in the back of his head had made a brief return for some reason that escaped him. In his brief televisual forays over the weekend, he had began to notice the absence of advertising – not that he ever thought he would truly miss it – as well as the very different style of the programmes and films that had been shown. Their style was highly formal, highly patriotic and very traditional and there wasn’t any hint of anti-establishment satire or anything unconventional he had come to associate with the period from fruitful hours wasted on Youtube. He hadn’t heard or seen mention of the Goon Show, for that matter.

“Thinking of other places again?”

“Got it in one.”

“Try to hold onto the here and now. It helps a fair bit, or so I’m told.”

“Really?”

“Yes, an old friend of my father taught me that. Quite a clever old boffin he was, Professor Kirke. He had a wonderful old house down in Berkshire – that’s where we got the wardrobe that’s in your room, you know.” Simon set down his plate on the grass and got up gingerly to his feet. “Now, it is just about time for the entertainment and if I were to sit down any longer, I’d end up stiffer than an Icelandic shark.”

“Simon Bailey, can you kindly not remind me of that part of our honeymoon.” Victoria said in a chill tone, which swiftly thawed as she turned to Sam with a slight twinkle in her eye as she too got up. “We went on a liner across to Newfoundland that called in at Iceland and someone got it in his mind to try out kæstur hákarl, or fermented shark. Not very pleasant, to put it mildly.”

“Just an acquired taste, my dearest. I try to get up there once every six months or so, Sam. It got a bit harder for a while after a dispute over fishing waters, but that has all been fixed up now.”

They began to walk across to the other side of the green, where people were beginning to mill around the vaguely Indian bandstand beside the river. “That was the Cod War, wasn’t it?”

“Not a war, my dear fellow, a dispute with some tit-for-tat measures against civilian travel and existing fishing quotas. We sent up two frigate squadrons and they played around with the Icelandic fleet for a few months before King Sigurd was invited down for a little hunting trip at Balmoral and a fleet review at Scapa Flow. That always tends to put things in perspective. I’m glad it was sorted out with a minimum of fuss; our bases there are vital for control of the Western Approaches, even with the Floating Fortresses in place.”

“What are they?”

“The keys to the North Atlantic, or more precisely, four heavily armoured seadromes covering the middle of the ocean with planes, missiles, RDF and ASDIC. They should be all complete and in place by 1967 or so. Perfect solutions for a 1942 problem, albeit twenty five years late, but the Admiralty says that their air cover reduces our escort requirement for any future conflict by almost a quarter. Some others say they are…”

“Fighting the last war all over again?” Victoria remarked sweetly. “Remind you of anyone else?”

“Touché, darling.”

As they arrived at the bandstand, the bard was playing an entrancing and intricate melody on his harp that swelled majestically as it gradually quickened. All of the audience, men, women and children alike, stood entranced as it swept forth and fell back, swept forth and fell back. Then he began to speak his tale in a steady chant and as he did, tiny motes and sparks of light and colour began to spin forth from his fingers and the strings of the instrument, drawing in the mesmerized attention of his listeners.

Later on, Sam could not for the life of him remember any of the specific words and lines of the piece or how long it went for. It was as if he had been in a trance, captured in the rhythm and beauty of the words and music. Instead, he could conjure up vivid images of ancient war in a troubled land, of a wandering wizard and a mighty sword in a stone. If he closed his eyes, he could see him clearly - a young and valiant king holding the blade aloft before a kneeling crowd as the glorious sun blazed down through grey and broken clouds like veins of gold, bringing forth a memory light long lost. And, just as he had in the memorial service that morning, he felt a strange warmth in his breast.

It took some time afterwards for the feeling to fade and a proper grasp of reality to return, yet when it did, he was struck by a brief but intense longing to be in that wondrous moment once more. The remainder of the afternoon passed in something of a blur as the crowds gradually ebbed away home to prepare for normality on the morrow and eventually Sam and the Baileys followed as well, the children chatting and bubbling in excitement. Only after baths, tea and nightfall did he fully regain his senses, although he was only able to pick at his dinner of spinach soup, baked cod, cold roast beef and rhubarb crumble and he eschewed any thought of television in favour of an early bedtime.

As he lay in the gathering darkness, listening to the rustling of trees, the whispering of the wind through the hills and the distant bark of a dog, Sam Johnson gradually drifted off to sleep after this, the longest day.

stevep
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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 8, 2018 15:46:05 GMT

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Post by stevep on Aug 8, 2018 15:46:05 GMT

   sdarkshad

   Very interesting. No ITV at all and probably no commercial radio either. That will make for substantially different cultural values. However does the Beeb manage to cover all needs. If not you could end up with something like the pirate radio stations of OTL 1960's.

   Given the far more conservative social values your unlikely to get anything like the explosion of new music and other ideas such as happened OTL in Britain. Can't remember if its been mentioned before but has the US had anything like the OTL rock and roll shift, or even jazz or are the younger population still limited in economic power and outlets for social activity?

   Steve

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Dark Earth: Never Had it So Good Aug 9, 2018 8:35:46 GMT

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Post by simon darkshade on Aug 9, 2018 8:35:46 GMT

Steve,

You are correct - no ITV and no commercial radio is both a cause and consequence of different social mores and development. The BBC covers many areas of interest and need, but there are some gaps. If something akin to pirate radio was attempted, it would possibly draw the ire of the Ministry of Information, but it would need substantial social change to get to that point.

It is unlikely that the same explosion of new music and new ideas would happen. There will be a change in musical tastes, as happened in every generation, but it may take a different form, being driven by folk music, dance band music, various British forms of music and the like as well as American influences in big band and pop music.

Jazz and blues never really made the jump to the same level of general popularity in the USA in the same manner, due to demographic reasons outlined earlier in this thread, but still have an influence, with a version of swing existing. Rock and roll was a regional style that never broke through into the mainstream and the term hasn't been used in the media for several years as of 1961; some of the early key figures ran into trouble with the law and others didn't cross over from country and gospel. The youth of America aren't limited in economic spending power and social activity, but lack a dramatically different musical form of their own.

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