HCB Chapter 406: Truman was left out?
Chapter 406: Truman was left out?
The sun was setting, and the curtains in the Oval Office were drawn to ensure that the light inside was not too bright.
Commander Luo was leaning back in his wheelchair, with a freshly changed cup of hot coffee on the coffee table in front of him.
Advisor Hopkins, Secretary of State Hull, and Army Chief of Staff Marshall sat around him, and the conversation quickly turned to the second Quebec Conference that had just concluded in the Maple Leaf Country.
"I heard that after Mr. Qiu returned, he slammed the table in Downing Street and cursed so much that even the dogs at Chartwell Manor were paralyzed with fear." As a close comrade-in-arms of Commander Luo, consultant Hopkins said with a smile while stirring the coffee.
A smile appeared on General Luo's face. "Those who do not work shall not eat. It is impossible for the Johns to take back Malay and Straits Settlements with just one sentence."
Including himself, the entire team of President Luo were moderates towards the red bear. Therefore, after President Luo's death, McCarthy directly accused Hopkins and others of being red and launched a crazy counterattack.
On the contrary, the newly nominated Vice President Truman is an out-and-out hardliner, which is one of the reasons why the Southern Democratic Party was willing to choose him.
After quoting a great man, Commander Luo said calmly, "If they want to get back the colonies that belonged to them before the war, then the United Kingdom has to contribute. Isn't that fair?"
Due to the appearance of the time traveler Zhang Chi, the process of White Eagle dismembering the United Kingdom's colonies on the Blue Water Planet in this parallel world has been greatly accelerated.
Commander-in-Chief Luo only needed a few words at the meeting to force Prime Minister Qiu to promise that after quickly attacking the capital of Hans and occupying Hans in a divided area with the Russians, he would dispatch the main force of the Royal Navy eastward to participate in subsequent operations against the Japanese.
Of course, Commander Luo set a small trap for Prime Minister Qiu here. He suggested the Commonwealth countries at that time, which meant that the Kangaroo Country also obtained permission to take the initiative.
Contrary to the general public's stereotype of it being a penal colony or an immigrant country full of criminals, the Kangaroo Country is actually quite willing to participate in wars.
Before Zhang Chi traveled through time, the Kangaroo Country participated in World War I, World War II, the Peninsular War, the Annan War, the White Eagle Invasion of the Mesopotamian Valley, and the White Eagle Invasion of the Graveyard of Empires. It can be said that it followed the suzerain country and did not miss any war.
After talking about the situation in Europe for a while, they discussed the plan for dividing Hans after the war.
At the Second Quebec Conference, Henry Morgenthau, the White Eagle's Minister of Finance, proposed a plan to strictly restrict the disposal of the Hans State, advocating the dismantling of German industrial equipment to the greatest extent possible as compensation, and sending Hans back to the agricultural era of 100 years ago so that it would never again be able to initiate a war.
Commander Luo himself was quite fond of this plan, but the senior officials in the State Council were firmly opposed to it. There was even an "unnamed source" who leaked the information to the media, which immediately caused an uproar in the public opinion circle of the White Eagle.
"Speaking of which, Your Excellency the Great Commander—" Hopkins suddenly turned to the map of Europe, "Do you really still want to stick with Morgenthau's plan?"
Commander Luo frowned, as if considering the matter. "I like its original intention... but unfortunately not everyone can accept the idea of Hans being sent back to the Stone Age."
"Ike and the others have formally objected," Marshall sighed beside the extinguished fireplace. "The military believes that if we weaken Hans too much, we'll only be paving the way for that red bear to the east."
The military personnel, led by Eisenhower, naturally firmly opposed this more radical plan that might lead to Nazi resistance.
Hull echoed, "Some citizens and members of parliament disagree, and the media's relentless coverage has all but portrayed you as a brutal tyrant..."
Although Hull's words were exaggerated, many media outlets, including the New York Times, pointed out that the Morgenthau Plan, which collectively punished Hans' civilians, actually violated the good values claimed by the Allies, and they believed it was too cruel.
Considering the upcoming election, the public is arguing endlessly about the inhumane Morgenthau Plan, and President Luo intends to admit defeat and withdraw the draft.
Instead, a more moderate, restrictive and supportive approach was adopted.
He shook his head helplessly: "Perhaps we should give the public the impression of a 'victory of mercy'?"
The conversation in the Oval Office lasted nearly two hours, with the topic shifting from colonies in Southeast Asia to post-war reconstruction in Europe, and then to the issues of partitioned occupation and industrial dismantling in Hans, until General Luo was exhausted.
Several close friends around him knew that his physical functions had begun to decline rapidly, but Commander Luo was still extremely clear-headed, and every speech he made was concise and to the point.
However, in this secret meeting that could determine the post-war world order, the one person who should have had a seat at the table, the 'team member' and candidate for Vice President, Truman, never showed up.
He was not invited. After all, no one informed him that there would be a 'small meeting' today.
"Mr. President doesn't seem to like Truman very much." Hull and others whispered after the meeting.
Hopkins sighed. "He's just an insurance policy that the President took out to win the election. Just stay away from him."
At the same time, in the banquet hall of a luxurious villa south of White Eagle, Truman was holding a glass of wine and chatting with several Democratic Party congressmen from Texas, Arkansas and other places.
His hair was meticulously combed and his expression was reserved and a little stiff.
Dressed in a well-tailored suit, although he is a candidate for vice president, he does not have the status in the core power circle that corresponds to it.
Only the man with an Eastern European accent standing next to him in the crowd, Yegorov, the president of an emerging energy and retail group and Zhang Chi's synthetic agent, was still working hard to keep things fresh and taking Truman to various banquets.
"Harry, I advise you not to take it too seriously." Yegorov handed a glass of champagne to Truman, and said sincerely, "You are not welcome there because you haven't made them feel the need to welcome you."
Truman came from the Senate Finance Committee. He was a little famous at that time, but he was just a little famous. Commander Luo obviously didn't take him seriously at all.
"But I... am the future vice president." Truman smiled helplessly.
"But you haven't earned their fear and respect yet," Yegorov said calmly, "and I'm here to help you earn that."
At the banquet, he easily introduced several influential Southern Democratic Party congressmen and business tycoons to Truman one by one.
With the help of the business resources at his disposal, Yegorov accurately identified everyone's background and interests, and cleverly arranged a round of "alliance at a drinking party."
"You know what? Harry, a few years ago you were just a small-time figure in Kansas City politics. But now you have the opportunity to become the future president." Yegorov raised his glass and clinked it with Truman. "And the future always favors those who are willing to plan ahead."
Truman was silent for a long time, and finally raised his glass: "Yegorov, I really can't repay you for your help, so let me toast you again. Come, cheers to the future!"