1984 - Planet eBook

noeuvre which involves the risk of serious defeat. Whenany large operation is undertaken, it is usually a surpriseattack against an ally. The strategy that all three powers arefollowing, or pretend to themselves that they are following,is the same. The plan is, by a combination of fighting, bargaining,and well-timed strokes of treachery, to acquire aring of bases completely encircling one or other of the rivalstates, and then to sign a pact of friendship with thatrival and remain on peaceful terms for so many years as tolull suspicion to sleep. During this time rockets loaded withatomic bombs can be assembled at all the strategic spots;finally they will all be fired simultaneously, with effects sodevastating as to make retaliation impossible. It will then betime to sign a pact of friendship with the remaining worldpower,in preparation for another attack. This scheme, it ishardly necessary to say, is a mere daydream, impossible ofrealization. Moreover, no fighting ever occurs except in thedisputed areas round the Equator and the Pole: no invasionof enemy territory is ever undertaken. This explains the factthat in some places the frontiers between the superstatesare arbitrary. Eurasia, for example, could easily conquer theBritish Isles, which are geographically part of Europe, or onthe other hand it would be possible for Oceania to push itsfrontiers to the Rhine or even to the Vistula. But this wouldviolate the principle, followed on all sides though neverformulated, of cultural integrity. If Oceania were to conquerthe areas that used once to be known as France andGermany, it would be necessary either to exterminate theinhabitants, a task of great physical difficulty, or to assimi-