Father of France

Chapter 232 Railway Construction Commencement

Disappointed Arabs were unable to come up with any substantial means of opposition within the framework of the United Nations to the resolutions jointly adopted by the United States and the Soviet Union.

So there is only one way now: to prepare for war, start the war when the British mandate begins, and drive the Jews into the sea.

Invisible radio waves are circulating over Cairo, Damascus, and even Baghdad, indicating that the Arab countries aiming to seize the holy city of Jerusalem are not just one or two.

People's joys and sorrows are not shared. While Arabs sympathize with the tragic fate of the Jews, they do not believe they themselves are responsible for this misery. Why not establish a Jewish state in Berlin?
Since Berlin is now occupied by four countries, wouldn't establishing a state in Berlin be a better way to avenge our grievances?
The Arabs' idea is not wrong, but they may have overlooked the Jewish psychology. Is it possible that the Jews are afraid to think about it?

The two world wars have proven Germany's fighting prowess. Jews have always been very docile in the face of power, especially in the face of Germans.

In fact, the idea that Germans could overturn the world at a moment's notice after the two world wars was not just a perception of one country, but a global consensus.

Koeman didn't even personally experience all of the world wars in this world.

Even if in his previous life he only learned about the history of the two world wars from the history textbooks of a major Eastern country, the invincible German mentality remained with him until his twenties.

Few people know that in the early 21st century, the number of German fans on the internet far exceeded that of any other country, especially in the field of history and military affairs, where only German fans and others existed.

Later, the voices of those who were pro-Soviet grew louder, but it was only when graduating students realized that they were nothing more than beasts of burden after entering society that they awakened their class consciousness.

It has only been two years since the end of the World War, and European countries still have vivid memories of the Germans' fighting prowess. Their fighting ability is of great value in uniting the people. In a few years, the United States and the Soviet Union will arm Germany to varying degrees, scaring the Jews so much that they would not dare to establish a country on German soil.

The Arabs are clearly an easy target, not to mention the political status of Jerusalem. If they were in control, it would be a living example that constantly reminds Christians around the world of the possibility of defeating Muslims.

So, for France, whose side would be more advantageous to side with in the future?

If Koeman's word is law, then he is undoubtedly on the side of the Arabs. The establishment of Israel does have value, symbolizing the complete suppression of the West's millennia-old enemy and severing the land connection between the two major Arab world blocs, North Africa and the Middle East. This is indeed of great symbolic significance.

But what does this interest have to do with France? That's a question for the world's superpowers to consider. France was the second strongest power even during the colonial era, and in this era, it is far behind the United States and the Soviet Union.

Why would France, considering its status as a global superpower, adopt a pro-Israel stance? The answer is simple: side with whoever brings the most benefit.

Arab countries are clearly able to bring greater benefits. Although Israel is good at packaging itself, it has nothing to offer without the support of other powerful countries. And to support Israel, one must provide it with financial support.

Even if Jews had achieved complete control over the American financial sector by now, it wouldn't matter, let alone at this point in time.

In the financial industry, numbers are not cash. When dealing with countries like Russia that use force as a backing to deny their commitments, numbers are just numbers.

However, oil from Arab countries can be directly converted into cash. If France sells weapons to arm Israel, it doesn't receive much, but if it uses the oil to arm Arab countries, it will receive cold, hard cash.

Not to mention that this is not just a problem for Arab countries. The Arab nationalist line during the Cold War was only the line for Arab countries with republican systems. There is also an Islamic line promoted by Saudi Arabia, which includes non-Arab countries such as Pakistan and Indonesia.

Even a country as pro-Israel as the United States, under Obama, began to distance itself from Israel and reconcile with the Muslim world. No country can pretend the Muslim world doesn't exist. France certainly can't do that either.

In fact, Israel's diplomatic environment during the Cold War was on par with South Africa and Scam Island, making it a typical world orphan. It was the defeat of the Soviet Union and the great victory of the United States in the Cold War that improved Israel's diplomatic environment.

When it came down to a real choice between the two, the situation Israel faced in the Fourth Middle East War was truly life-or-death, revealing its true predicament.

“Once Israel establishes itself and stabilizes, the Soviet Union will immediately abandon it. So why should France get involved?” Koeman knew it was time for political commentary again. A fresh report on the inevitable war between Jews and Arabs once the British Mandate ended was already out. The report's core argument was that Israel's establishment had the joint support of the United States and the Soviet Union, and even if France adopted a pro-Israel stance, it wouldn't receive gratitude in the face of the support of the US and the Soviet Union.

Regarding the outcome of a war, Corman emphasized in his report that although the Christians in Syria and Lebanon had migrated, the Syrian Muslim soldiers of the French First Army would still control the country's government for a short period of time.

The camaraderie forged during the World Wars still exists, and if it is severed due to the Arab-Israeli war, it will have a significant impact on the current 1.1 million French troops.

Moreover, France's Mediterranean railway connection project in North Africa includes many Muslim countries, and its proximity to Israel will affect the formation of the French Federation.

France has many reasons to stand idly by, especially now with the proposed Mediterranean railway, and should not adopt a pro-Israel stance like some other world.

After analyzing the decision on the partition of Israel and Palestine and sending it to Paris, Corman continued his life of doing his job day in and day out, while also taking care of Ava Gardner's film crew. They were running around doing errands whenever Corman gave the order; how could he not even do this kind of thing well?

During the actual filming of the battle scenes, the extras playing French soldiers and Viet Minh soldiers were locked in a fierce battle. When Coman arrived, he observed the scene and realized that the general's prediction that modern warfare is artillery warfare was indeed true. It was the perfect opportunity to film a scene of artillery combat.

The Viet Minh artillery was nearing exhaustion, severely impacting its firing speed and accuracy. The tide of victory was gradually turning in favor of the French, whose mortar fire became increasingly fierce and precise, forcing Viet Minh mortar squads to constantly move their firing positions and only occasionally fire one or two shells in retaliation.

The Vietnamese, who were so proud of their agile maneuvering, were gradually suppressed, and their remaining forces could only hide in the grass on the hillside and fire at the stronghold, no longer able to launch any further operations.

After observing for a while, Koeman asked the French soldiers who were acting as film consultants whether the battle was realistic and how well it would be portrayed on screen.

Meanwhile, in another crew, the screenwriter was comforting several actresses for their sacrifices for the film industry, especially one girl with exquisite features who was destined for a place in the film world. "Taylor, your performance just now was heartbreaking even for the crew. Your successful escape from the clutches was incredibly moving, as if you were really facing rape..."

"That's good." Taylor answered softly, sobbing. Suddenly, her purple eyes caught sight of a figure wearing a black top hat. Wasn't that the major who had been giving her acting instructions? She had trusted him so much.

"We must pay close attention to safety. Although the security situation in the south is relatively good, we cannot let our guard down." With his hands in his pockets, Coman's dignified demeanor was completely different from his usual lecturing style to Taylor. To anyone, he looked like a pillar of the nation, reprimanding the film crew and security personnel.

In distant Algiers, General Juan, the French commander-in-chief under military rule, held almost absolute authority over the overseas provinces. It was perfectly appropriate for him to personally announce the commencement of the Mediterranean Railway project, especially while French troops were still stationed in Morocco and Tunisia.

The reviewing stand, located on the outskirts of the city, was packed with people: Pierre Moreau, a member of parliament from the People's Republican Movement who had come all the way from Paris, wore a well-pressed white tropical suit, but his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat; local colonial officials, wearing cork sun hats, chatted smugly; and there were also French officers in crisp military uniforms.

General Juan's speech was filled with rhetoric about progress, prosperity, and the bright future of the French Confederation: "This railway will be a bridge connecting the past and the future, a symbol of civilization..."

After the speech, the machine suddenly sprang into action under the engineer's control. Its massive steel arm roared heavily, and its enormous bucket, like the jaws of a wild beast, slammed down into the earth!
Amid the shouts of the soldiers, the railway army began to surge forward like ants, their picks and shovels clanging against the gravel with monotonous, heavy sounds.

“General Juan,” Moreau said with a hint of amusement as he found Juan, the French commander in Algeria, “I didn’t expect the army to act even faster than us, and the funds haven’t even arrived yet.”

“Funds can wait, but the security situation in the overseas provinces cannot.” General Juan, who was born in the overseas provinces, was more aware of the urgency than the respected members of the National Assembly in Paris.

He fully agreed with the assertion described in the telegram that the sooner construction began, the better.

Therefore, after receiving a reply from Paris, he quickly announced the commencement of railway construction. Of course, he was also grateful for the efforts of the People's Republican Movement in the National Assembly. "I wonder if the party that is truly loyal to the country will be able to find power this time?"

“I don’t think there’s much of a problem.” Moreau’s smile was full of confidence. “The split between the Socialist Party and the French Communist Party greatly increases our chances of regaining power.”

(End of this chapter)