The Rise Of A Billionaire 1943-Chapter 141 - 151: Is that fellow in Paris now

To become famous overnight, known throughout the world!

This saying couldn’t be more fitting for the Special Task Force—or rather, the Borneo Guard Force.

Half a month ago, no one in the world had heard of them, but half a month later, they were known by all.

The defenders of Bastogne Fortress!

But what exactly was this so-called fortress?

It was nothing more than scattered foxholes in a frozen wasteland. How did they manage to fight tanks with rifles, and even capture many German tanks?

It was the defenders’ iron will!

As American newspapers widely reported on the defenders of Bastogne, British and French papers also reprinted their stories. Of course, this only intensified people’s contempt for the French—or rather, for the French military.

There was no helping it. In 1944, the French were looked down upon not just by foreigners, but by their own people as well.

All that talk about General de Gaulle restoring French dignity? Nonsense.

Everyone knew that the French lost all face and substance the moment they signed the surrender treaty four years ago.

Seeing the Bastogne garrison, just a few thousand men, holding off tens of thousands of German armored troops, the French grew even more scornful of their own army. Even French women looked down on those uniformed men—they were poor and cowardly, after all.

How could they compare to the real men of Bastogne?

As for the British, they would arrogantly say, "We’re not bad either."

But unlike other countries, the British leadership’s feelings about Bastogne were extremely complicated! While the public assumed the defenders were American troops, the British high command knew their true identity.

The North Borneo Guard Force!

That was the real identity of Bastogne’s defenders!

But it was precisely this identity that left a bad taste in their mouths.

Disgusting!

If you asked Churchill how he felt, that would be the only word for it.

It was like someone had stuffed his mouth with filth.

"North Borneo—that’s ours!"

Churchill cast a resentful glance at Colonial Secretary Oliver Stanley and said,

"How could that fellow Roosevelt hand Borneo over to those Chinese without our permission..."

Fatty Qiu was deeply vexed!

That cripple Roosevelt was truly out of line.

How could he do this?

"Is he testing our attitude toward the colonies, step by step? A few months ago, he brought the North Borneo Shipping Company under the Lend-Lease Act, and now Eisenhower has even created a Borneo army..."

Churchill paused, took a fierce drag on his cigar, and said with absolute certainty,

"All of this is Roosevelt testing us, testing our stance on the colonies. The first test was on the eve of Operation Overlord, and now, as we’re about to invade Germany, damn it, he wants to send a signal through North Borneo—dismantling the British Empire is already inevitable!"

It must be said, politicians’ thinking is indeed different from ordinary people’s—especially for an old-school imperialist like Fatty Qiu. He could spin a dozen theories from a single move by others, always imagining complex plots.

Conspiracies, schemes—it was all perfectly normal. After all, Fatty Qiu himself was just that kind of person.

If there were no conspiracies or schemes, wouldn’t that be an insult to his intelligence?

There are always schemers out to get me!

In Fatty Qiu’s eyes, the British Empire was a juicy steak eyed by many—from Hitler to Stalin, and now to Roosevelt. They were all ready to tear the empire to pieces!

"Compared to Hitler, Roosevelt’s methods are more subtle, but also harder to counter. Oliver, are we really going to lose the British Empire?"

When he asked the Colonial Secretary this question, Churchill’s tone and expression were like a widow mourning at a grave—the more he spoke, the sadder he became.

"Prime Minister, legally speaking, a change in North Borneo Company’s shareholders doesn’t affect its relationship with the British Empire. Its shares could belong to anyone—Chinese, French, Americans, even Germans or Japanese—but its relationship with Britain is defined by various treaties. It still enjoys local autonomy under British protection..."

Oliver paused, furrowing his brow, and said,

"A self-governing territory... Sir, legally speaking, the North Borneo Company is not a British colony."

That was the most peculiar thing about the North Borneo Company: it was indeed a colony, but it didn’t belong to any country. Even Britain only included it in its colonial system through treaties and charters, but in reality, it didn’t belong to Britain.

"No, it belongs to Britain!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Churchill bluntly interrupted Oliver.

"North Borneo belongs to Britain—it did yesterday, and it will tomorrow as well!"

It must be said, as an old-school imperialist, Churchill was stubbornly clinging to the so-called "glory of the British Empire," even if that meant destroying the empire for the sake of that glory.

Just like this war—he saved Britain in the midst of it, but the war destroyed the British Empire. Whether he was willing to face it or not, this was an ironclad fact.

As Colonial Secretary, Oliver had a clearer understanding than the Prime Minister of the reality that the British Empire was already on its last legs. He looked at the Prime Minister and reminded him:

"Sir, after the war, it will be extremely difficult for us to re-establish imperial government in the Far East. There is already a consensus in the House of Commons that, wherever possible, all colonies will gradually transition into self-governing dominions. And as for the Labour Party..."

When Oliver mentioned the Labour Party, his expression became distinctly uneasy, because those people were even more determined to dismantle the British Empire than Roosevelt and his ilk.

"They have already vowed to grant autonomy, even independence, to India and other colonies! In my view, the true threat to the British colonial system is not the Americans or the Russians, but the Labour Party! In their eyes, the existence of the colonies serves no real purpose except to support a host of military garrisons and to nourish a sense of complacency about the empire on which the sun never sets, all while burdening the people with a heavy load."

The Colonial Secretary’s assertion made Churchill’s expression change slightly. Puffing hard on his cigar, he fell silent.

Pacing back and forth in his office, Churchill’s expression shifted constantly, as if lost in thought. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper as he took big drags on his cigar. After a long while, he finally put down the half-smoked cigar, looked at Oliver, and asked:

"Is that fellow in Paris now?"