Soviet Union 1991

First update

The news of the Soviet Union's fleet reduction not only shocked Britain and Germany, but also aroused the nerves of the French, who did not pay much attention to naval construction. French President Jacques Chirac even believed that the Soviet Union's arms sales were to demarcate Russia's sphere of influence in the Asia-Pacific region, and even wanted to annex the entire East Asia region, refusing to let other European countries interfere in the affairs of Asia-Pacific countries. They will become their arms dumping areas with peace of mind.

Now every European country is looking for a way out for its own economic crisis. Even France has begun to lower its profile and seek cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, striving to use arms sales to reduce the losses caused by the economic crisis. In other words, it is using arms trade to save the country.

Previously, France had carried out economic plundering against Central and Eastern European countries, including purchasing their state-owned assets at low prices and then reselling the industrial products produced to Central or Eastern European countries at high prices, using this method to collect sufficient government revenue for itself to cope with the increasingly severe economic crisis.

Previously, Eastern and Central European countries had been transfusing blood for France's economy. Even after World War II, when a large number of economic colonies were lost, the French government was still able to find new blood sources for itself, and it could also call it a great contribution to economic globalization. In fact, apart from plundering the economy of Eastern Europe and destroying the industrial system, France had not helped other countries in any way.

After Hungary and Poland rose up in rebellion, President Chirac realized that relying solely on Eastern Europe to pay for France's economy could no longer satisfy the weak economy.

So when President Chirac found that this method alone was not enough to maintain the high government fiscal deficit, the Soviet Union's successful experience in the Asia-Pacific crisis gave the French president a hint of inspiration. He began to think about arms sales. The military strike against Libya has caused complaints from all over France. They believe that declaring war on another sovereign country without solving their own crisis is a shameless and stupid act of aggression. Moreover, France's previous target was the oil controlled by the Libyan government forces. They thought that as long as they could hold on to the rich oil resources, it would only be a matter of time before they could get out of this economic crisis.

However, everything did not develop as President Chirac had expected. Although France took the initiative to take the lion's share, it did not expect that Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union, which were watching closely from the sidelines, would rush in immediately after the collapse of the Gaddafi regime, and support domestic forces at a speed that shocked France and controlled Libya's oil resources. It can be said that France suffered heavy losses this time, so he threatened France to withdraw from the European Union to teach European countries a lesson.

However, this behavior is as ridiculous as a three-year-old child crying because he can't get candy in the eyes of others.

Chirac, who originally wanted to turn the Libyan interim transitional government into his own follower, found that now people have undermined the power of your interim transitional government from within, and the organization with military armed forces is the real speaker in Libya.

At this time, the Paris Coordination Association prohibits the sale of arms to the * world, including those rogue countries that support terrorism, so Minister Chirac hopes to sell their weapons in a way that cannot be seen in the light.

President Jacques Chirac thought of using shell companies for smuggling, just like the deal with China in the past. As long as the two sides reached a consensus, they could sell it in the form of civilian products.

President Chirac reconnected with Vietnamese President Le Duc Anh because the Soviet Union sold Kirov-class and Glory-class cruisers to China, and also specifically pointed out that they would join the East China Sea and South China Sea fleets, which means that the strategic mission of the Chinese Navy is gradually changing, from guarding the capital at the beginning to defending territorial waters. Vietnam knows best what this change means. In the past, various disputes such as the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea could be "put aside disputes and jointly developed" to make sense. When the navy became strong, it would be "the South China Sea has been an inseparable territory of our country since ancient times."

Based on this point, France and Vietnam, which have a somewhat complicated relationship, have tacitly moved closer to each other, one thinking about buying weapons and the other thinking about selling weapons. Even if France claims that this is just normal trade between the two countries, it is difficult to cover up the taste of collusion. The United States, which had just suffered a loss in the Asia-Pacific confrontation, naturally turned a blind eye to the arms sales and was eager to have another large-scale military conflict in the South China Sea.

France is preparing to sell Casar-class frigates to Vietnam. Because there is no name for destroyers in the French Navy, the Casar-class is called a frigate. So far, two Casar-class frigates have been built. Due to the economic stagnation and tight defense budget in France after 1990, the construction of the third and fourth ships was finally cancelled in 1990. So now France is preparing to dump the unfinished Casar-class as a burden to Vietnam.

At the beginning, President Chirac began to hint that Vietnam should strengthen its naval power. He specifically compared China's aircraft carrier battle group with the Vietnamese navy, and also exaggerated to Vietnam how terrifying the surface combat capabilities of the Soviet Union's Slava-class and Kirov-class cruisers were. In short, even if the Vietnamese Navy pulls all the ships that can fight, it may not be the opponent of the East China Sea Fleet.

Under President Chirac's emotional threats, Vietnam, which had a dispute with China over islands, realized that it should strengthen its military. But who should it buy ships from? This is a problem.

President Chirac in front of him timely pointed out that France still has two frigates under construction, which is very suitable for the combat needs of the Vietnamese army.

Although Le Duc Anh realized that President Chirac was here to act as a lobbyist, Vietnam really had no choice in the face of reality.

The stronger the enemy next to him, the more difficult it is for him to keep those islands. If he does not strengthen his own military strength, he will eventually be eliminated in the South China Sea dispute.

Although Le Duc Anh had considered using the South China Sea countries to form an alliance to put pressure on China, it is easy for countries that have maritime conflicts to be pulled one by one and suppressed one by one. At least China has used this tactic in the South China Sea and it has been tried and tested.

"I think everyone knows the problems facing the South China Sea islands, Chairman Le Duc Anh. Although France has had a series of unpleasant conflicts with Vietnam in the past, this is a very practical business. We have the ability to build large ships, and you lack large ships. The displacement of 4,000 tons is also the main frigate of the current French Navy. I think considering the above factors, you will not be treated unfairly." (To be continued.)