The certainty of the time for the start of the war undoubtedly made the atmosphere in the office solemn, in the past, the war was only on paper, but now, the war is imminent, and the peace is about to pass.

The cigarette between his fingers burned slowly, Roosevelt wanted to smoke and put it down, he looked at the sternness on everyone's faces, and said: "If war really happens, we should not forget that this is a war to defend freedom and justice, because against freedom, democracy and morality, the evil empire must be destroyed." If we fail to do so, we will lose not only sea power, but the entire free world, and even faith. Imagine what would happen if the East Asian alliance was allowed to develop for another 20 years. ”

Roosevelt paused, his gaze swept over the faces of generals and civilians, and continued: "China is an economic miracle!" Her industrious people have transformed the construction of a once incomparably backward country in less than three decades. And thanks to their low wages, Chinese goods are sold all over the world. Plastics, electrical appliances, automobiles, motorcycles, electrical motors, munitions, and indescribable chemicals and all sorts of small things bring huge amounts of foreign exchange to China every year.

But instead of buying our or European bonds, this foreign exchange is further invested in industrial production, so that they have bigger factories, more machines, and one day China will replace the United States as the world's factory. There is no fear of this, but it is terrible that the people are not given the rights they deserve, and they are being ruled by dictators. With the exception of a small number of people, most people do not have the right to vote or to be elected; There is also no freedom of belief - not to worship God in your own way, and even to be discriminated against and persecuted for believing in God; There is no freedom of speech, all newspapers are controlled by the government, and the people can only see illusions and lies; The most shameful thing is that if one member of the family breaks the law, the whole family will be judged! ”

"I've never seen such a shameless law!" Roosevelt's voice was raised, "This is tantamount to making the people live in fear every day." There is no security. Gentlemen, I have always believed that there are four great freedoms for human beings: freedom of speech, freedom of belief, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

In a country that has produced an economic miracle, it is difficult for me to see even the freedom that is not lacking - it is always the aristocracy and the dictators who enjoy all the economic fruits, while the people remain poor. Such a growing Yellow Evil Empire is a more terrible existence than the Red Soviet Union, because one day it will provoke war that cannot be satisfied. Swallow up the whole of Asia and the world for yourself. If things do come to that point, the destruction of the entire free world will be inevitable. Gentlemen, let go of illusions about peace, we are fighting against a mighty evil empire whose ultimate goal is the destruction of the entire free world. ”

Roosevelt's brief speech made the officials in attendance blush, except for his confidant Hopkins. If the president's radical remarks were known to members of Congress, they don't know what kind of waves they would stir up -- there are always some people who can't see the situation clearly, such as the 'America First' isolationists, but fortunately it's about the United States itself. And not the United States to come to the aid of a certain country.

"Well, gentlemen, tell me how long this war will be fought, and whether our finances will be able to support the war expenses?" Roosevelt took a sip of his tea, then asked, "And what else do we need to do besides convince Britain?" ”

"Mr. President, the Joint Commission believes that the war should be over in two years." War Secretary Stinson said. "If there is the assistance of the British Royal Navy. Then the war would have ended much earlier - the fleets of the two countries could be based in Singapore and Manila and sail directly to Taiwan, Okinawa or the coast of Japan. Forced the combined fleet of China, Japan and North Korea to conduct a decisive battle. Although they had giant battleships, the other battleships were only ten......"

"Henry, I'm worried about aircraft carriers!" Roosevelt expressed his opinion, although the third Navy only approved 100,000 tons of aircraft carriers due to financial constraints, but later he made adjustments and added another 100,000 tons. It's just because of the dockyard - it's all stuffed with battleships. With the exception of two aircraft carriers, no keel was laid.

"Mr. President, the last exercise showed that even a thousand pounds of heavy armor-piercing bombs dropped by dive bombers could not penetrate the horizontal deck of a battleship; And the torpedo bomber could not throw the torpedo at a height of more than two hundred feet, and the speed must be less than one hundred knots, and the aircraft at such an altitude and speed could only be destroyed by the battleship anti-aircraft weapons. Admiral Leahy, Chief of Naval Operations, said bluntly. Aircraft carriers cannot compete with battleships, not to mention the fact that the size of Chinese and Japanese aircraft carriers combined is only eleven, and we, even without the participation of Britain, aircraft carriers are superior to our opponents in terms of numbers and performance. ”

It was well known that the president liked aircraft carriers, but Admiral Leahy had to tell him that the time had not yet come when aircraft carriers would replace battleships. In fact, even in China and Japan, there are many senior people who are deeply suspicious of aircraft carriers, especially Japan's fleet faction. However, last year's Iwo Jima exercise announced that aircraft carriers would be able to replace battleships, especially since the Chinese Navy's torpedo bombers could drop torpedoes at an altitude of 200 meters and a speed of 170 knots.

However, for the U.S. Navy, even though the SB2U Guardian dive bombers and TBD torpedo bombers newly equipped with HNA due to the war had excellent performance, they still could not completely sink battleships escorted by ships. It was only in the middle and late stages of World War II that heavily armored battleships were really threatened by the continuous advancement of MK-13 torpedoes, which could be dropped at an altitude of more than 400 knots at an altitude of 1,000 meters, or by dive bombers dropping 800 kg or 1,000 kg armor-piercing bombs.

Roosevelt was aware of the limitations of aviation technology, of course, but he was always worried that his side would lose out on aircraft carriers. Even though he knew that his side had an advantage in the number of aircraft carriers, he still stubbornly asked: "So what is the performance of Chinese and Japanese aircraft?" ”

"Mr. President, we only have intelligence from the Chinese Navy." Rear Admiral Theodore Van Wilkinson, Chief of Naval Intelligence, who was sitting at the back, replied, "Their dive bombers are not superior to us in terms of stats, and they can only carry a thousand pounds of bombs, while torpedo bombers can only throw at a speed of 80 knots and an altitude of less than 20 meters." ”

"Is the information accurate?" Roosevelt asked with interest.

"Totally accurate, Mr. President. This is the reason why Chinese aircraft were unable to sink the Italian cruiser during the naval battle of the Gulf of Aden; In addition, their training manual for naval pilots states that torpedoes should not be thrown at heights of more than 20 meters and speeds of more than 80 knots. Maj. Gen. Wilkinson said. We know very little about the situation in the Japanese Navy. However, according to reliable sources, the Chinese Navy has abandoned its own ship-launched and submarine-launched torpedoes in favor of Japanese torpedoes, while the Japanese Navy has abandoned its own aviation torpedoes and used Chinese torpedoes. This is enough to show that compared with Japan, China's aviation torpedoes are superior, but ship-launched and submarine-launched are opposite. ”

The fact that China and Japan actually reached an exchange on torpedoes cannot but surprise people at the degree of their coordination. Roosevelt lit a cigarette and digested the message. He then asked, "Then the war will end with a decisive battle of great battleships at sea, like the Battle of Tsushima thirty-two years ago?" ”

"Yes, Mr. President!" Admiral Leahy and Minister Swanson replied in unison, after which Swanson said: "But unlike that naval battle, our fleet and the fleet of the British Royal Navy, if they enter the war, will fight the Chinese and Japanese fleets off the coast of Taiwan or Okinawa, after which we can land on Taiwan or Okinawa."

Judging from the situation in China and Japan, the casualties of landing on Taiwan will be much lower than those of landing on Okinawa, and compared with the Japanese, the Chinese do not dare to fight at all. If, after the decisive battle, we gain sea supremacy in the western Pacific. Taiwan may be occupied with just one landing regiment, and the same may be true in Shanghai, China, where the people will not stop us, but will welcome us, because we stand for justice and freedom. ”

Seeing Swanson slap Roosevelt's ass, Secretary of War Sterson immediately coughed, and he interjected: "The next thing is the Army." The development of a new generation of ultra-long-range heavy bombers is crucial for this, and the B-17 bomber does not threaten Manchuria and Shanxi. Most of China's industrial facilities are concentrated in these two regions. Perhaps a naval blockade may bring Japan to its knees, but it will not be able to bring China to its knees. We must have long-range bombers capable of bombing the entire Chinese mainland. Destroying all the cities was the only way to induce China to surrender. ”

Naval blockade and aerial bombardment were not unthinkable for Roosevelt, and the latter was a win-win-win affair -- weakening China's war potential and striking at China's manufacturing industry, into which American capital could easily infiltrate when these factories were rebuilt. It was not a big deal, and geographers Professors Saiah Bowman and Hamilton Fish Armstrong, members of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, strongly recommended the dismemberment of the huge country. and let the 600 million yellow people enjoy freedom and democracy in the light of Christ.

"What if China insists on not surrendering?" Roosevelt asked, "We can't bomb every piece of her land, after all." ”

"After a thorough bombing, I think the army can land in the Yangtze River area from Shanghai. We can unite some freedom-loving Chinese to establish a democratic government, and the same can be said in the Pearl River Valley, North China, and Manchuria. Maj. Gen. Stanley Embick, Secretary of Army Planning, said. I think that if China persists and does not surrender, its northwest regions, Mongolia, and even Manchuria will be annexed by the Soviet Union. We can't guess what choice Yang would have made, to engage the Soviet army. Or was it an outright compromise with the USSR? But one way or another, China is dismembered. All we need to do is land in Taiwan, Okinawa, and North Korea and put democratic governments in place, and the war will be over. ”

"Gentlemen, don't forget the vault of the Bank of Asia on the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China, where it is said that there are 10,000 tons of gold." Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr., who had been listening to the generals' operational briefings, spoke suddenly.

'10,000 tons of gold', even Roosevelt looked at him in amazement. "According to the exact information, the Bank of Asia, which has been preparing for it since six years ago, will officially issue the Asian dollar next month, and the gold from the treasury of China, Japan and North Korea will be transported to the Bank of Asia vault for people to visit, which is said to be to improve the credibility of the Asian dollar," said Morgan. Japan and North Korea have about 2,000 tons of gold, China's gold stock has changed greatly, seven years ago it was less than 4,000 tons, except for the annual self-production, the purchase of Soviet gold, and the reduction of foreign currency reserves to increase the increase of gold, the source of about 2,000 tons of gold is unknown. ”

Looking at the people who were still dumbfounded, Morgenthau said again: "The Chinese household department does not know how so much gold came from, and the National Bank explained that it is a royal treasure, but the royal family is silent about it. ”

“Shit！ This group of thieves! This is certainly gold smuggled from the United States! We must get this gold back! Sting shouted. The gold smuggling case was the responsibility of the FBI and the Navy, and the irony found nothing but a bare-bottomed Chinese smuggler. At that time, the entire Pacific Fleet was dispatched. But it still allowed the Chinese submarine to escape safely with the gold.

"The gold is under the Asian Bank building on the right bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China, and the vault is set up 10 meters underground, with 10 meters of concrete on top." Morgenthau said of the Bank of Asia vault, "If possible, it would be better to occupy it soon after the war began." ”

"It can't be." Stingson, who had just said that he wanted to get the gold back, heard that he was going to occupy the vault at the beginning of the war, and immediately said that he could not do it. "It is impossible for the army and navy to land in Shanghai at the beginning of the war."

"Colonel Weidemeyer told me that as long as Taiwan was occupied. Army bombers will be able to completely cover Shanghai. If fast enough, the bomber could blow up the bank building and nearby buildings, as well as the nearby docks and railroads, and all the streets. At this time, we have already obtained the right to control the sea, and it is not impossible to land in Shanghai. "Morgenthau, with the Jewish obsession with gold, spoke of the plan conceived by Mr. White of the Treasury to seize the gold." Gentlemen, if you lose this gold, the Asian dollar will become a piece of waste paper, and the Asian dollar is an important tool for China, Japan and North Korea to mobilize their respective resources to fight together, and if the war is to end as soon as possible, the Asian dollar must be destroyed. ”

Colonel Albert C. Weidemeyer is the son-in-law of the Army's Chief of Planning, Major General Stanley Embick. So when Morgenthau mentioned his name, the generals looked at Major General Embick. But then they were moved by Morgenthau's statement, Lujiazui in Pudong on the right bank of the Huangpu River was less than 30 kilometers from the sea, and the fleet's rapid landing on Taiwan and bombing Shanghai after the decisive battle could indeed prevent the gold from being transported inward for a while. At that time, whether it is airborne or landed, maybe the gold will be snatched up. If that happens, the East Asian Alliance, which has lost its economic capacity, will have to surrender.

With Roosevelt's support, Treasury Secretary Morgenthau finally got a satisfactory answer. It was only after he returned to the Treasury with satisfaction that a telegram was quickly sent from Washington. Eventually arrive in Moscow, the capital of the Red Empire. On the same day, Nikolai Ivanovich Yenov, member of the NKVD and head of the Main Directorate of National Security, a political star who was just popular, reported the contents of the telegram and then said to the General Secretary: "...... Through this meeting, Mr. White decided that war was imminent, probably sometime by the end of next year. ”

Propose a sub-plan, and then judge the entire plan by its fit with the master plan. Mr. White of the US Treasury is indeed a spy genius. However, the general secretary was not surprised by this piece of information, as early as last year he had already judged that China and Japan and the United States were bound to go to war in the Pacific, and Yang Rui came to this end last year.

"What about China and Japan?" Stalin took off the pipe he was holding.

"China and Japan ......" mentioned that Yenov was going to wipe his sweat when he mentioned the intelligence gathering work of China and Japan, and the atmosphere of xenophobia in Japan was very strong. Not to mention the intelligence department, even the police are difficult to deal with; In China, the situation is the opposite, where the government is like a sieve for infiltration, but the problem is that the government does not have real data and intelligence at home. Beneath the undefended and chaotic surface, there is a solid layer of organization, but this layer of organization is difficult for foreigners and Chinese to penetrate.

"The Japanese side has always wanted a war with the United States, but China's attitude is undecided. The fact that the current Chinese cabinet is almost entirely composed of members of the Brotherhood and the YMCA who want nothing but peace talks with the United States fully demonstrates the weakness of the petty bourgeoisie. Yenov said perfunctorily.

"Hehe......" Stalin laughed, and even if he laughed, there was a chill that forced Yenov to just retreat. What does Yang actually want to do? Comrade Iron asked again.

This is another difficult question to answer, and Yenov said bitterly: "He ...... He didn't seem to have done anything, just in his own home. ”

"Humph!" Stalin knocked his pipe and put all the ashes in the ashtray. He knows that intelligence work on China has always been difficult, and the most important thing is that the Chinese do not admire everything in the Soviet Union like American intellectuals; most of them believe in decadent feudal ideas, while China's petty bourgeois elements only envy the freedom of the United States and are not interested in Soviet-style democracy and communism.

In addition, the entry of funds is also a hassle. When the mainstream public is not interested in Soviet-style democracy and toiling mass culture, it is difficult to sell **** newspapers, movies, and novels, which requires subsidies for **** intellectuals, but this subsidy is closely monitored by the China State Taxation Bureau and China's financial system, so that most **** newspapers and magazines are difficult to survive.

Without creating a **** culture of the toiling masses, it will be difficult to have fresh blood to join the communist cause. Even those who join are only small (households with only a few members), and more often are single-account (single or single-parent households). Only those who were completely detached from the social system and excluded from the mainstream would join the revolution and become the backbone of the revolution, and after joining them, they would seduce the younger generation of students and others as teachers and commanders - of course, the ruble could not be less, so that the revolutionary ranks could be expanded. However, the people who take this kind of household registration book are not trusted anywhere, and the employment of teachers in the Ministry of Education is basically based on local principles, so their living space is even narrower.

, the flow of funds, and the means of transmission, all three were restricted, and even if there was an internal response, it would be difficult for the Bolsheviks to completely penetrate the organism of the state, let alone outside the border.

The ash from the pipe is put in the ashtray, the pipe is wiped clean, and the steel comrade fills it with tobacco, and then lights it with a match, and the smoke rises again in the office. With a pipe in one hand and the other behind his back, Stalin began to walk around the room. Yenov, who was a cut short of the leader, of course, knew that the general secretary was thinking, so he was careful not to speak or make any sound.

As the smoke rose, Stalin's voice was heard, and he said: "We should let imperialism kill each other, as it did more than twenty years ago." When they are severely weakened, the proletarian worker comrades can break free from their chains and finally be liberated. ”

"Yes, Comrade Stalin!" Yenov nodded as he jotted down the general secretary's important instructions.

"On the American side, our comrades, especially those in the media circles, and in Hollywood, should act immediately to comply with the wishes of Roosevelt and others and propagate China and Japan as evil countries. Didn't it say that the landlords in northern Jiangsu enjoyed the right of the tenant woman to the first night? I think Hollywood can make a few films specifically for this purpose, and each film company will make one to expose this inhumane exploitation and oppression, and stir up hatred of the American people against China. In short, it is necessary to do everything possible to vilify China and Japan, so that the Roosevelt administration's idea of war, which is supported by the big bourgeoisie, will gain wider support.

And the Chinese side ......" Stalin turned around, frowned, and said after a while: "The Chinese comrades should be instructed to oppose the peace propositions of the Weng cabinet, and to propagate the imminence of war." In this way, we can unite a large number of patriotic elements, and then assimilate them in a constant movement, teach them the truth of the revolution, and finally make the cause of the proletariat stronger in China......"

"Yes, Comrade Stalin." Yenov looked adoring, this was really a great idea.

"How's that canal going now?" After Stalin had guided the policy, he remembered another thing.

"It's said to be going to open soon." Yenov was not clear about what was going on in China, but he was completely aware of the progress of the canal. "Comrade Stalin, you need me ......"

"No, you don't." Stalin shook his head. "The canal must continue to be dug and even opened as soon as possible so that Baku's oil can reach Europe for foreign exchange, but there is an excuse to delay the passage of Chinese ships." In the event of war, the value of the canal will increase dramatically - since the Chinese government has refused to sign the Sino-Soviet anti-aggression mutual assistance treaty, the Chinese will have to pay a higher price to use it in the future. (To be continued.) )