The third more

"And this is a live-fire exercise, General Secretary Yanayev." General Zhang uttered the craziest words in the calmest of tones. Using the East China Sea Fleet, composed of a retired Soviet aircraft carrier and corvettes, to provoke the most powerful Nimitz aircraft carrier battle group in the United States, this is what a mantis arm is used as a car, oh no, it is a feat of hitting a stone with an egg.

Yanayev couldn't believe that a certain insect had the courage to think about conducting a live-fire exercise in the waters near the US aircraft carrier fleet, what does it mean? The slightest mistake in the exercise may lead to a misfire, and then there may really be a Sino-Soviet and American naval battle in the Pacific, and the Soviet Union cannot afford such a risk, so Defense Minister Yazov was the first to stand up and express his opposition. He did not want the Soviet Union to be drawn into this endless conflict.

Yazov stood up, propped his hands on the table, and said angrily, "We agree to joint operations, but we do not agree to joint military exercises!" Is this playing with fire and self-immolation, or is your country's military exercise just a pretense that actually wants to achieve the goal of recovering Taiwan through joint military exercises? ”

Yanayev was not as excited as Yazov, but he thought about it very seriously, what is the purpose of the Chinese side in holding such a high-risk operation? Presumably, it is definitely not as simple as being unable to get over on the face, and Yanayev even thinks that the joint military exercises are just a cover. There are other ulterior motives hidden in it.

"China will take such a rash action, presumably it has already thought of a way out, right? I've never believed that you made this move without much thought. The situation is the same as we were in 1962, a dangerous Khrushchev-like decision. Yanayev's tone was still not salty, as if every action he made was just after-dinner chatter.

As a good politician, Yanayev can be calm even if he has a magnificent heart. It is also a means of putting pressure on the opponent.

"Or are you just taking advantage of this crisis to use us as pawns to complete your great cause of unification?" Speaking of this, Yanayev half-narrowed his eyes, if the Chinese top brass really has the courage to tear the skin with the United States, then the Soviet Union wants to add fuel to the flames and shift the attention of the United States from Europe to the Asia-Pacific region, so that the Soviet Union will have the opportunity to attack Eastern Europe.

"The Taiwan issue? No kidding, Chairman Yanayev. General Zhang shook his head, "So far, there is no possibility of resolving the Taiwan issue except by force, and as long as Iwasato Masao is not legally independent, then China will not attack him." Force is nothing but a helpless way to solve problems. Now that China is facing a critical period of political and economic reform, it is impossible for us to really break with the United States. Even if Taiwan is recovered, there is still a lot of mess waiting for us to clean up. ”

Yanayev understood that the Chinese side really just wanted to force the United States to take a step back, so that they could retreat from the difficulties in domestic affairs. However, the price was much higher than Yanayev had imagined.

"I understand, the Soviet Union will cooperate with your actions in the East China Sea next, but we also have a request, that is, the Soviet Union will not send the entire Ulyanovsk aircraft carrier battle group, we will send part of the fleet, this is our request."

Yanayev did not want to expose the true strength of the Pacific Fleet in advance, and the reform of the Soviet army had already begun to bear fruit, so Yanayev wanted to show his hand in front of the US aircraft carrier battle group and surprise the US government.

After the meeting, Yanayev left the conference room in advance, and Defense Minister Yazov immediately walked out to keep up with Yanayev, who did not understand why Yanayev would agree to such a risky investment, let alone an investment with low or no return.

Yazov said angrily, "We have already made a lot of money in arms sales, and we don't need to participate in such a high-risk political investment, let the Chinese and the Americans consume each other as much as possible, and then take advantage of the left hand." Whether it is China or the United States, the ultimate winner is the Soviet Union. ”

Yanaev's footsteps stopped, he turned to Yazov and said, "If we do this, then our arms sales will be cut in half, Comrade Yazov." ”

"What do you mean?" Yazov paused for a moment, he did not understand what Yanayev meant.

"The simple implication is that during this exercise, the Chinese side will be aware of the gap between its East China Sea Fleet and our Pacific Fleet, as well as the U.S. Seventh Fleet. If there is a gap, they will naturally want to make up for it, and when they can't make the same tonnage and grade, what will they think? What do they think when they realize that their fleet is not even comparable to Japan. ”

At this time, Japan's four 88th fleets had almost been completed, and the Kongo-class destroyers of the Aegis system were gradually put into service, and all of Japan's 42 destroyers were equipped with anti-aircraft missiles, and all of them were equipped with anti-submarine missiles. Japan's latest Chunshio-class submarines are preparing for the final stage of testing, and the conventional submarines in service in China are still R-class, and the conventional submarines we designed in the 50s are already several levels different in terms of advancement, and although China has five nuclear submarines, it cannot launch anti-ship missiles under water. Not to mention the Soviet Navy and the US Navy, which were even stronger than Japan.

The psychological gap in strength can make a country work hard, and Yanayev takes advantage of this psychological gap to sell his destroyers and frigates to achieve the goal of selling all obsolete products.

"Through foreign trade?" Yazov understood what the general secretary meant, and knew why he was trying his best to encourage the Soviet Navy to participate in this joint military exercise.

"I get it, the profits from this bet are long-lasting. From China to Southeast Asian countries will become customers of Soviet warships, the Black Sea Shipyard and the North Sea Shipyard will usher in a new spring, when they will receive a large number of overseas orders, with the inflow of funds, our latest Project 11356R cruisers are expected to shorten the service time, but also speed up the replacement of the Soviet Navy. ”

"I finally understand what I mean, Comrade Yazov." Yanayev exhaled, now that Yazov understood what he meant, there was not much resistance next. Moreover, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Comrade Smirev, and the Commander of the Pacific Fleet, Rear Admiral Sergei Avakyants, had already greeted each other, so they knew what to do and what the General Secretary of the Soviet Union meant.

"Comrade Yazov, now we should be on the same front as the Chinese side, and it is not yet time for infighting. The loser in this conflict is only the United States, and the Soviets will not fall here. Yanayev patted Yazov on the shoulder and said earnestly. He turned his head to look out the window, and the Kremlin sky was overcast, with a faint tendency to rain, just as gloomy as the sky over the Pacific Ocean.

Yazov nodded, "I see, General Secretary Yanayev. But it's still too dangerous, live-fire exercises. The danger is really ...... What if the situation eventually spirals out of control? ”

"I know." Yanayev didn't know how to answer him, so he could only ask, "But the Soviet Union gambled on so many political crises, which one did we lose?" When everybody thinks we're going to lose, we always end up with a twist. Don't you believe that we will win in this crisis? ”

"But ......"

"Or Comrade Yazov, I'll make a bet with you? I bet that in the end the United States will lose this war, and they will choose to back down. Yanayev threw the Chinese information to Yazov, took a deep breath, and then walked away without looking back.

"Why?" The Minister of Defense shouted from behind.

"Because the United States has scruples, how can a country that is unprepared and just wants to take advantage and leave can win the war!"

Yanayev left only a mysterious back in the corridors of the Kremlin. (To be continued.) )