I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 799 There is no worst, only worse
In Felix's eyes, George's personality is split and it is difficult to summarize it in one sentence.

This is normal. The image of most politicians is mixed, half angel and half devil.

During the World War, George, who turned the tide on the Eastern Front, was undoubtedly an angel in the eyes of the British.

Now George has completely transformed into a demon.

To avoid causing greater chaos, the British media did not report on the battle of Perth, but the annihilation of the Perth Air Force still sounded the alarm for Stanley Baldwin.

Before Theo's independence, it had a National Guard of less than 5000 men, which was barely enough for defense and completely incapable of launching an offensive.

In Baldwin's view, 5 British troops were enough to deal with any possible unexpected situation, so Baldwin took the risk.

After destroying the Perth Air Force, the Western Australian Air Force began to launch air strikes on military camps, artillery positions, warehouses, and headquarters in the city of Perth. The British army suffered heavy losses. Hubert Gough and Foddy Samson simultaneously telegraphed London, hoping to get more reinforcements.

"Considering that Theo has the support of the Grand Duchy of Yuriev, we must send out at least 50 aviation squadrons to control the skies over Perth."

Air Secretary Hugh Trenchard is not optimistic. The gap between the British Air Force and the Russian Air Force is in all aspects.

The British Air Force began in 1911 and the Royal Air Force was officially established in 1918.

During the World War, Britain produced and purchased a total of about 3 aircraft. After the war, Britain cut a large number of these aircraft and only retained 8 fighter squadrons and 970 fighter planes.

Trenchard requested 50 squadrons, approximately 750 fighter aircraft.

It should be noted that since the end of World War II, the UK has not carried out any technological upgrades to its fighter jets, nor has it purchased new fighter jets, so the level of UK fighter jets remains at the level of 10 years ago.

Unlike the UK, Russian aviation companies are investing heavily in developing new technologies even without government funding.

Although the Russian military has not purchased new fighter jets, it is constantly upgrading the technology of its fighter jets.

"If 70 percent of the fighter jets are sent to Australia, how can London's skies be defended?"

The opposition came from the Secretary of the Admiralty, David Beatty, who immediately saw through Trenchard's intentions.

In order to deploy its own air force to Australia and protect its homeland's security, the UK must purchase new fighter jets.

The annual appropriation is so limited now. If the Air Force takes more, the interests of the Navy will be affected.

"The Western Army is advancing towards Pas. We need to strengthen Pas' defenses."

War Secretary Ian Hamilton also had something to say, saying he was very unhappy with the current state of the army.

No matter how much money is invested in the navy and the air force, the army is still the ultimate ally in solving problems.

After the end of the World War, Britain disbanded almost all of its army. Ian Hamilton was now a commander without troops and could only mobilize colonial troops.

In the past, the British Army still had the Canadian Corps and the Australian and New Zealand Corps to support it.

Now that Canada has clung to the United States and Australia has directly rebelled, if Hamilton does not want to rely on the Indian Army, he can only go to South Africa to ask for help from Yang Smuts.

During the World War, Jan Smuts served as the British Air Minister and Chairman of the Wartime Material Priority Allocation Committee, and was a core member of the British decision-making circle.

After the end of World War II, Jan Smuts returned to South Africa and served as Prime Minister of South Africa.

"Can't 5 people defeat 5000 people?"

"The Army - hehe -"

Hamilton was opposed by both David Beatty and Trenchard.

"Since the end of the World War, the Army has never purchased a new armored vehicle or artillery. If there is another World War, we don't even have enough gunners. Can we rely on those heartbroken veterans to defend the British Empire?"

Hamilton was furious. If the British government had used the military funds for building new battleships to pay retirement pensions to veterans, it would not be in such a predicament now.

"Not having enough gunners is your problem. Why is the navy short of sailors?"

David Beatty shrugged.

"You still have the nerve to say——"

Hamilton was furious.

"enough!"

Baldwin glanced at Churchill's sneering face and slammed the table and stood up.

As the war was approaching, the British supreme commander did not think about unity and cooperation to face the enemy, but instead blamed each other and shirked responsibility.

Baldwin was shocked and angry. This was a sign of the country's demise.

"No matter what, Paz must withstand the first attack of Theo's army."

Baldwin also knew that the British Indian troops were not very strong in combat, but there was no general like Liao Hua in Shu to serve as the vanguard.

"Without the reconnaissance of the Air Force, we don't even know the size and equipment of the Western Austrian army. If the Western Austrian army is equipped with armored vehicles, how can we fight this war?"

Hamilton also participated in the World War and was well aware of the power of armored vehicles.

London was not completely ignorant of the equipment situation of the Western Austrian army. Long before Western Austria's independence, the Western Austrian government obtained no less than 100 armored vehicles from the Grand Duchy of Yuriev.

What Hamilton could not accept was that the armored vehicles obtained by the Western Austrian government had thicker armor and more fierce firepower than the British armored vehicles. When they really reached the battlefield, the British army was unable to stop the impact of the armored vehicles.

"Without armored fighting vehicles, the army can't fight?"

David Beatty opposed Hamilton's weapons-only approach.

"Just dig a trench wide enough in the ground to stop the attack of the armored fighting vehicle."

Trenchard's plan can indeed solve some of the problems.

"Look at how the Russian army broke through the anti-tank trenches in the Rovno exercise - even if they were not equipped with armored vehicles, were anti-tank guns very expensive?" Hamilton was filled with grief and indignation, as a good cook cannot cook without rice.

Baldwin looked at Churchill again.

"We are almost out of budget for this year. Whether or not we increase military spending, we have to increase the budget."

Churchill spread his hands and said, "June hasn't even ended yet, you guys can do whatever you want."

When the fiscal budget was passed last year, Theo had not yet become independent and this part was not included.

“Since we are going to increase the budget, why not solve all these problems at once?”

Hamilton's wild ideas attracted strange looks from everyone.

Any problem that can be solved with money is not a problem.

The biggest problem of the British Army is not military expenditure, but internal conflicts within the military.

While London was holding urgent consultations, the Western Austrian army officially launched an attack on Perth.

Hamilton's fears were confirmed, as the Western Austrian army not only deployed armored vehicles but also used rocket launchers.

Ever since rocket launchers demonstrated their effectiveness in the world wars, all countries have listed rocket launchers as a key target for research.

The problem is coming again.

Britain's research on rocket launchers is limited to the laboratory and has not been equipped to the troops on a large scale.

Rocket launchers are indeed easy to use, have strong survivability and powerful firepower, and are loved by everyone.

The problem is that rocket launchers consume a lot of energy. The cost of rockets is about four times higher than that of artillery shells, so most countries cannot afford them.

The UK can't afford it either.

The sun never sets in Britain, unlike Spain which is a thing of the past.

If Spain wants to equip itself with rocket launchers, it can just buy a few from Russia for show.

If the British Army wants equipment, it is definitely unrealistic to rely solely on procurement. It must be manufactured by itself and the cost must be reduced as much as possible.

The British government's finances are already robbing Peter to pay Paul, so it will not invest in building new factories.

British arms dealers will not invest in building factories without orders. Selling arms is not charity.

Even if the British government places an order now, considering Britain's efficiency, it will take at least two years for the military to be equipped with rocket launchers.

The Grand Principality of Yuriev has a large supply of rocket launchers, and can not only provide loans but also artillery. In the employment agency in Coconut City, a large number of experienced World War veterans are waiting in line for employment.

The commander of the Western Austrian troops on the front line was Andy Boswell, and his partner was still Dimirov.

Dimirov was more experienced than Boswell in the use of armored forces and rocket launchers, so although Boswell was nominally the leader, the attack plan was formulated by Dimirov.

Dimirov's plan was complex and placed strict demands on the coordination between the Air Force, armored forces, and artillery.

This made Boswell doubt whether the coordination between the various arms could meet Dimirov's requirements.

"This combat mode has been verified in the Rovno exercise. We only need to make a breakthrough at a certain point to defeat the entire Indian defense line."

Dimirov was very confident. He participated in last year's Rivne exercises and was personally received by George for his outstanding performance.

"If the Indians don't collapse, there's a chance we'll be surrounded."

Boswell frowned, the biggest hidden danger of the Theo army was the lack of manpower.

"I hope the Indians don't collapse so early. It's much easier to defeat the Indians in an organized way than to capture prisoners all over the mountains."

Dimirov's words made Boswell laugh.

Boswell also fought with British Indian troops during the World War.

how to say.

Boswell believed that even if the dogs and cows of India were organized, they would not perform worse than the British and Indian troops.

Don't listen to what Indians usually say, Britain is first and I am second.

On the battlefield, if the Indian soldiers did not scatter as soon as the guns were fired, it would be considered an outstanding performance.

So at the end of the war, the Indian army could only undertake logistical tasks, such as moving things and digging trenches.

The facts were even more outrageous than Dimirov had judged. When the armored vehicles of the Western Austrian army rushed towards the Indian positions, the Indian army did not flee, but stayed where they were and raised their hands in surrender, with no will to resist.

Boswell was curious.

"The commander ordered us to hold our ground, and we must follow his orders—"

The answer given by an Indian prisoner made Boswell feel extremely complicated.

Have you held your ground?

I held on and didn't run away.

As for the effect——

All I can say is there is no worst, only worse.

(End of this chapter)