Shengton, White House ......

After breakfast, Frederick went to the oval study, and Leslie and the others came one after another.

As the leader of the country, Zhao Rundong had to consider the situation a little more dangerous and imagine the enemy a little more powerful. As a matter of fact, the United States is in a very awkward position when it comes to Japan's development of nuclear weapons.

As early as 2020, the United States learned that Japan was secretly developing nuclear weapons.

At that time, there was a very shocking "intelligence security incident", a Japanese spy who had been lurking in the United States for nearly 30 years was recruited by Alamos Labs to steal a large amount of top-secret information, including nuclear weapons miniaturization technology, and by the time the US intelligence agencies reacted, the Japanese spy had flown back to Tokyo. The U.S. government did not announce the incident, and in order to maintain secrecy, the CIA personnel involved were "assigned" to a radar station in Alaska. It's just that there is no impermeable wall in the world, and N reported it in early August, which almost caused Frederick to lose the election.

The CIA has not been able to investigate exactly how much top-secret information was stolen by Japanese spies.

One thing is for sure, Japanese spies stole top-secret information related to nuclear weapons miniaturization technology, because Alamos Laboratory is the only scientific research institution in the United States that has mastered nuclear weapons miniaturization technology, and Japanese spies are also engineers engaged in nuclear weapons.

Knowing that Japan is pursuing nuclear weapons is not the same thing as restricting Japan from engaging in nuclear weapons.

Within the U.S. government, there are also two voices on this issue.

The members of the "hawkish" cabinet headed by Berkeley believe that Japan's pursuit of nuclear weapons does not pose a great threat to the United States, but can contain China and tame South Korea, and advocate adopting a "policy of indulgence" and allowing Japan to possess a certain number of nuclear weapons, but they are not sufficient to maintain national strategic security.

The members of the "realist" cabinet, headed by Leslie, believed. Japan's pursuit of nuclear weapons is very harmful to the United States. It will upset the strategic balance in the Western Pacific. Forcing China to adopt a more extreme defense policy. Let South Korea alienate the United States. As a result, the United States became the biggest loser. Advocate the adoption of a "restrictive policy". Japan is strictly prohibited from developing nuclear weapons.

The arguments between the two factions of the Cabinet were fierce. Even congressional leaders are involved.

Frederick was more supportive of Leslie's view. It is believed that Japan's development of nuclear weapons is very harmful.

The question is. There are very few "restrictions" that the United States can take.

After the East China Sea War. The junta came to power. Japan's relationship with the United States is getting farther and farther apart. In fact, it doesn't matter whether the government is in power or not. Because the United States adopted a "wait-and-see attitude" in the war in the East China Sea. Japan was not given full support. Therefore, the Japanese government, where it comes to power, will definitely alienate the United States.

Japan is not a small country without strength.

Before the outbreak of the East China Sea War, Japan already had national defense strength second only to China in the Asia-Pacific region and the world's third-largest economic strength. Although Japan suffered heavy losses in the East China Sea War, Japan's national defense capability could be restored within a few years with its national strength.

The ensuing global financial crisis, economic crisis, and Great Depression further distanced the United States and Japan.

Before Murakami Sadamasa came to power, including Kanno Tomo, the Japanese prime minister in the mainland pinned the hope of the country's recovery on the United States, although the approach was not the same, Kanno Tomoo supported Japanese companies to dump goods to the United States in the form of subsidies, and paid WB arrears through indiscriminate currency to maintain Japan's economic base, and his successor Hiroki Takato mainly supported Japanese companies to cooperate with American companies and "invade" the American market in the form of joint operations, but the purpose of the two was exactly the same. Leveraging the huge U.S. consumer market to help Japanese companies get out of trouble and help Japan's economy recover.

Japan's policy of "economic robbery" is very disgusting to the United States and has seriously infringed upon American interest groups.

When the trade war broke out, the United States focused on Japanese companies and commodities in addition to focusing on Chinese companies and goods.

By the beginning of 20119, when Murakami came to power, the US-Japan trade war was larger than the US-China trade war!

The bitter trade war has set the U.S.-Japan relationship back in stride.

If it were not for the outbreak of the "Central and South China Storm" and the United States and Japan once again finding "common interests," it would be very likely that the United States and Japan would have parted ways when Murakami adopted a more aggressive trade policy.

In order for Japan to contain China, the United States had to make concessions.

It is not an exaggeration to describe the US policy toward Japan as "aiding and abetting abuse" and "raising tigers for trouble."

Although the worst consequences have not yet been revealed, Frederick already has a feeling of "creepy". Japan's pace is too fast and too fast, and it has lost control. For the United States, Japan, which has lost control, is not only not an "ally" but also a "scourge."

In the face of an "increasingly strong" Japan, both Frederick and Leslie have a feeling of helplessness.

Japan at this time is no longer the Japan it was before 20166.

After five years of rapid "development", Japan's conventional military strength has surpassed the level before the East China Sea War.

In 2c177, during the administration of Governor Kanno, Japan started construction of two medium-sized aircraft carriers at the same time. Although during the administration of Hiroki Takato, the construction of 2 large aircraft carriers was canceled, but with

The aircraft carrier was commissioned in 20211, and the Japanese Navy surpassed the combat strength of the 3 large aircraft carriers in the mid-2022 at the earliest), becoming the most powerful navy in the Western Pacific region.

At the end of 2020, the Japanese Air Force had various types of advanced combat aircraft, AWACS aircraft, and tankers8, and in the western Pacific region, the overall combat capability was second only to the Chinese Air Force; The size of the Japanese Army has expanded from 370,000 to 550,000, with more than 2,000 main battle tanks, more than 3,000 armored combat vehicles, more than 2,200 ~ self-propelled guns, and more than 800 ~ rocket artillery, and its overall combat capability is still second only to the Chinese Army.

Japan's rapid military expansion has forced China to speed up its weapons and equipment renewal program, and has also made other countries restless.

North Korea aside, since 20177, South Korea has been asking the United States to limit the speed of Japan's military expansion, and has repeatedly protested against the United States' sales of military technology and weapons and equipment to Japan. In 20199, South Korean President Park Tae-hyun even went so far as to declare that if the United States continued to provide military assistance to Japan, it would expel all U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.

Japan's development of conventional armaments has aroused strong protests from South Korea, and can South Korea still sit still when Japan develops nuclear weapons?

At the end of 2020, the CIA received information that South Korea had launched a nuclear weapons development program.

Although South Korea's national strength and technological strength are inferior to Japan's, as a "big power" in the Asia-Pacific region, South Korea has the ability to independently develop nuclear weapons. As early as the 60s of the 20th century, when Park Chung-hee was president, South Korea secretly developed nuclear weapons, but in the end, because of the assassination of Park Chung-hee and the political turmoil, it failed to "stick".

As long as Japan announces its success in developing nuclear weapons, South Korea will certainly be able to build its first atomic bomb as quickly as possible.

At this point, the influence and roots of the United States in the Western Pacific region will be gone.

Will Japan use nuclear weapons, will China launch a preemptive strategic strike, will South Korea develop the idea of reunifying Korea by force because of the development of nuclear weapons, and will nuclear armaments in Northeast Asia drag Russia into the water?

Any one of these problems can make the United States a "victim".

It is precisely for this reason that Frederick and Leslie believe that Japan's development of nuclear weapons should be severely restricted.

The question is, that's easier said than done.

The Great Depression rendered trade and economic sanctions useless; For Japan, which has not received "great power status", the effect of diplomatic sanctions is also minimal; Japan has mastered enough military technology, and the effect of military sanctions is not ideal; Countries around the world are dumping goods, and it is difficult to impose restrictions on Japan in terms of raw materials; Japan is determined to develop nuclear weapons, and the threat of the United States to dissolve the alliance will only accelerate the pace of Japan's development of nuclear weapons.

Almost every conceivable solution will not work for Japan.

Privately, Frederick "blamed" on China, believing that if China had not done "too much" in the East China Sea War, pushing Japan to a dead end, leading to civil turmoil in Japan, and taking the opportunity for the military junta to come to power, Japan would not have embarked on the current path.

On the flip side, the onus lies squarely with the United States. If it were not for the fact that the United States wanted to restrain China everywhere and prevent China's rise, China would not have used all its strength in the East China Sea War, or even the East China Sea War, and Japan would at most be a vassal of the United States and would not have become a "scourge" posing a serious threat to China and the United States.

There is no regret medicine in the world, and no one can undo it.

The problem before Frederick was very serious. The Japanese government announced on the 211th that electricity consumption in May increased by 12% month-on-month, and the real growth after deducting industrial added value is likely to exceed 7%. The only reasonable explanation for such a large power "gap" is that Japan has accelerated the production rate of concentration and concentration ~.

According to the information provided by CIA~, it is entirely possible that Japan will create the first batch of nuclear warheads within the year.

Since the end of last year, Japan has been carrying out a large-scale expansion project on Minami-Torishima Island under the pretext of "studying marine birds", and many buildings of unknown purpose have been built. According to CIA estimates, there is a high probability that Japan will conduct an underground nuclear test on Minami-Torishima.

Although the United States has the ability to prevent Japan from transporting atomic bombs to Minamitorishima, Japan's scientific and technological prowess can produce a nuclear warhead with a yield of 20,000 to 50,000 tons based on data from computer simulations of nuclear tests, even without conducting nuclear tests. Delivery vehicles are not a problem, Japan was able to create the first batch of ballistic missiles in half a month.

The problem is very serious, but the US Cabinet has not been able to reach a consensus.

It was discussed all morning, except for an argument or an argument. In the end, Frederick had to announce that he would find another time to discuss countermeasures.

After Berkeley and the others left, Frederick asked the secretary to keep Leslie.

If decisive decisions need to be made, Frederick trusts Leslie even more.

Damn it**

During the closure period, every half an hour, the flickering brothers went crazy together, so that everyone was happy!

Ask for votes and support, and come to any vote and support! (To be continued)

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