Tales From The Situation Room

Premise
Following the Second World War, questions were asked about Downing Street's capacity to conduct operations in the nuclear age. In 1951 after returning to office, Churchill ordered that Downing Street be transformed into a "situation ready base of operations".

The underground area between 9, 10 and 11 Downing Street was gutted and new state of the art communications equipment installed with scrambler telephones and direct links to the heads of the military.

Over the years from Churchill onwards the "situation room" was upgraded and adapted to meet the threats from varying factors both natural and manmade.

Politics and personalities, Crisis and conundrums. These are all...

Tales From The Situation Room



(I know the photo is from the US but I couldn't find anything else)

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One: "The Junior Partner"

August 1947

The air was thick with dust. The atmosphere heavy with the humidity and heavy mood of the occasion.

A black leather covered table sat in the centre of a room with 6 chairs surrounding it Only one had arms. On the opposite side of that chair was a window. On the other side of that window was a table festooned with scrambler telephones and ticker tape machines. Two soberly suited young men sat at that table.

In the room itself were 3 men.

Ernest Bevin, Foreign Secretary. Who's education and politics came from the bristol docks and trade union movement. The patriot and street fighter

Hugh Dalton, Chancellor of The Exchequer. Comrade Hugh. A man with a healthy contempt for danger. A mixture of scholar and soldier.

Clement Attlee. Prime Minister. Despised by Churchill yet the people's choice in the landslide of 1945.

Attle started in his clipped, understated voice.

"Gentlemen, we have to make a choice"

"Is there no other way?" said Bevin sadly

"No" replied Dalton. "There isn't"

Attlee went on

"Since convertibility the Bank of England has lost almost...a billion dollars of our american reserves. There is a run on the bank that I have never know in my life. If a decision is not made soon then we face the very real possibility of default.

Silence reigned for a few seconds.

"Can't we tell the Americans to stop" asked Bevin

"No, even if we did they would crucify us with the agreement and the Tories would be in their element"

"Well it looks like we are going to face criticism anyway. Not just from the Tories but from our own backbenches as well" theorised Bevin

"Thank you Foreign Secretary" said Dalton who was mildly annoyed. Deep down he hated Ernie, that country bumpkin who had the job he wanted.

"Gentlemen, we have to make a decision. We have to stop the outflow of dollars and quickly" said Attlee

"In that case, there is only one option. To suspend convertibility now and make it clear to the Americans that we have no choice" said Dalton

"Under the circumstances Prime Minister, I have to agree" said Bevin.

"Very well" said Attle. I shall call a cabinet meeting later today. No doubt Morrison and Cripps will have their say"

As the meeting ended Attle looked round at the situation room and sighed. This was the first time it had been used "How many more" thought Clem. How many more?
 
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