1984

           Theplanis,byacombinationoffighting,bargaining,andwell-timedstrokesoftreachery,toacquirearingofbasescompletelyencirclingoneorotheroftherivalstates,andthentosignapactoffriendshipwiththatrivalandremainonpeacefultermsforsomanyyearsastolullsuspiciontosleep. Duringthistimerocketsloadedwithatomicbombscanbeassembledatallthestrategicspots;finallytheywillallbefiredsimultaneously,witheffectssodevastatingastomakeretaliationimpossible. Itwillthenbetimetosignapactoffriendshipwiththeremainingworld-power,inpreparationforanotherattack. Thisscheme,itishardlynecessarytosay,isameredaydream,impossibleofrealization. Moreover,nofightingeveroccursexceptinthedisputedareasroundtheEquatorandthePole:noinvasionofenemyterritoryiseverundertaken. Thisexplainsthefactthatinsomeplacesthefrontiersbetweenthesuper-statesarearbitrary. Eurasia,forexample,couldeasilyconquertheBritishIsles,whicharegeographicallypartofEurope,orontheotherhanditwouldbepossibleforOceaniatopushitsfrontierstotheRhineoreventotheVistula. Butthiswouldviolatetheprinciple,followedonallsidesthoughneverformulated,ofculturalintegrity. IfOceaniaweretoconquertheareasthatusedoncetobeknownasFranceandGermany,itwouldbenecessaryeithertoexterminatetheinhabitants,ataskofgreatphysicaldifficulty,ortoassimilateapopulationofaboutahundredmillionpeople,who,sofarastechnicaldevelopmentgoes,areroughlyontheOceaniclevel. Theproblemisthesameforallthreesuper-states. Itisabsolutelynecessarytotheirstructurethatthereshouldbenocontactwithforeigners,except,toalimitedextent,withwarprisonersandcolouredslaves. Eventheofficialallyofthemomentisalwaysregardedwiththedarkestsuspicion.