Canada, Toronto, Prime Minister's Office. Since the British Cabinet moved from the homeland to here, it has gradually found its footing. Of course, numerous struggles have ensued during this transition. The power of the Governor General and the Prime Minister of Canada has been stripped away. Presently, Canada is a land where Churchill's word is law.
This was, however, inevitable. Canada has become the final stronghold of the British Empire. Without control here, their hopes of resurgence are nothing but a distant dream. In this context, the Canadian Governor General and Prime Minister have become mere pawns. Despite wielding considerable power locally, they are powerless against Churchill without control over the military.
At present, Canada's situation has stabilized. The British Empire clings to life here, savoring its last glimmer of glory.
With the United States intervening, Germany has refrained from launching an assault on Canada. However, should the British dare provoke Germany—by, for example, dispatching fleets to attack German merchant ships or engaging in other actions detrimental to German interests—they would face the wrath of Germany's fierce retaliation. The consequences are far beyond what the British could endure.
Thus, the British Cabinet's policy has been to avoid provoking Germany as much as possible while gradually restoring their strength. Their focus is to develop, rebuild their power, and wait for the right moment.
However, this does not mean the British are willing to watch Germany grow stronger each day. After all, Germany has already begun to assault the remaining British colonies. As Germany consumes these colonies, its power grows, making the prospect of defeating them increasingly difficult. While causing Germany some minor troubles may not greatly harm them, it could force Germany to pay a higher price.
"Gentlemen, the conscription of our army in Canada has begun. Though Canada has a population of only a few million, countless Britons from other lands are flocking here—from the homeland, South Africa, Australia, and India. They are all British. Soon, our population will swell. We should have no trouble conscripting fifty thousand men!" Churchill appeared optimistic.
"Our navy is also beginning to recover. We are upgrading Canada's shipyards, and by next year, we plan to begin constructing our main battle fleets. Of course, we will also build aircraft carriers. We've learned our lesson from the last time. We won't make the same mistakes again. We will grow strong once more. With our help, the United States will also grow stronger. When the time comes, we will unite with them to wage war against Germany. With other nations opposed to Germany, defeating them will be an easy task!" Churchill exuded confidence.
"Prime Minister, everything is progressing in the right direction. The future of the British Empire will undoubtedly improve!" The newly appointed Minister of War, Lord Kitchener, said with a smile.
"Prime Minister, Governor Glad has once again requested the evacuation of Gibraltar. Although the Germans have not yet attacked Gibraltar, based on various intelligence analyses, the likelihood of an assault is now very high. Currently, we have no ships in Gibraltar, only a few thousand soldiers defending the fortress. Should the Germans strike, we have no means to resist," said Sir Edward Grey, the Foreign Secretary.
Churchill's brow furrowed. Gibraltar was crucial. Since the British Empire's occupation of Gibraltar, they had controlled the passage for other nations into the Mediterranean. If they abandoned it, it would deal a devastating blow to the Empire's global interests.
But then Churchill realized: does the British Empire even have global interests anymore? They were doing everything they could to withdraw their strength to Canada, to survive here as long as possible.
"Gibraltar is indeed indefensible. Let Governor Glad evacuate at the appropriate time," Churchill sighed. Though he had anticipated the inevitable evacuation, the contraction of Britain's global interests still pained him. After all, the British Empire had paid a great price to secure these interests. Now, they could no longer defend them and had to surrender them, helplessly watching their enemies seize what once belonged to them.
"Prime Minister, since Gibraltar is doomed to fall, why not hand it back to the Spaniards? This way, we can prevent it from falling into German hands. Moreover, Spain is weak. If we ever rise again, we can take Gibraltar from them," Lord Kitchener suggested.
Churchill's eyes lit up. This could be a solution that served two purposes. If they could use this situation to spark a conflict between Germany and Spain, it would be ideal. Of course, whether Spain had the courage to take on Germany was uncertain. Most likely, they did not. But even if it only sowed resentment in Spain, it would still serve their future interests. When the time came to fight Germany, Spain could play a key role.
"But will Spain have the courage to take Gibraltar?" Sir Edward Grey asked with concern.
After all, the Spaniards were no fools. They knew that accepting Gibraltar now would mean facing off with Germany. Any reasonable person could understand the tremendous risks involved.
"Whether Spain dares to accept or not, we must at least try. There is no harm in it for us. Have the British ambassador in Spain immediately discuss the matter with the Spanish government. If they agree to guarantee the safety of our soldiers stationed in Gibraltar, we will hand it back to them immediately!" Churchill made his decision. To avoid any unforeseen complications, he insisted on quick action.
"Understood, Prime Minister." Sir Edward Grey nodded and immediately rose to send a telegram to the British ambassador in Spain.
"Let us hope the Spaniards grow bold," Churchill murmured.