Yang Zhen's request made Pearson think about it for a while before he said: "Yang, I can only tell you that this Moscow meeting has decided the scale of assistance to you, mainly the approximate quantity of weapons and equipment, and the share that the United States and Britain will each bear.
, As for the rest, we have to wait until Hopkins completes negotiations with you before we can make a decision."
"However, from now until at least March next year, except for aircraft parts, oil, cotton, fabrics used to make military uniforms, tires, smokeless gunpowder and other military raw materials and military equipment, the United States is currently unable to provide you with
Weapons and equipment.”
"That is to say, starting from today, you will not have to pay a single dollar to import raw materials and machinery and equipment. For the time being, all of them will be in the form of accounting. You will first hand over materials, equipment, freight and other expenses, and wait until the end of the war to settle them together. The Soviet side
The Soviet Union also agreed to reduce the transit fees."
"But you will not be able to obtain any American weapons for a short period of time, at least during the remaining two months of this year and the first three months of next year. Of course, cars are not included. As far as I know, next month
There will be a batch of equipment shipped from San Francisco, including 240 trucks specially used to tow heavy artillery, as well as 110 medium jeeps and 100 light jeeps for you."
"Yang, don't ask any more questions. Even if you put a pistol to my head, I won't say anything else. The rest of the things you want are all at Mr. Hopkins's.
He is the executor of the Lend-Lease Act in the United States, and he has the final say on all supplies."
"As for whether you can get what you want, it depends on whether he nods, and the amount of equipment depends on your own ability. Whether you can get more from the greedy polar bears or the British, in this case
As for the matter, I really can't help you. The most I can do is write a report that is more beneficial to you and help you with the White House."
"Yang, you must know that it is really difficult for us to deal with it now. The planes we gave you last year have already caused protests from Tokyo and Chongqing, especially your Chongqing side. Until now, we have only given you a hundred P-40 fighter jets.
They are not as good as a fraction of you. Their words are very strong. The ambassador to the United States even went to the Secretary of State directly, making the White House very passive in dealing with China."
"If the Soviet-German war hadn't broken out, the United States could count the supplies given to you as part of the Soviet share. I'm afraid it would be difficult for you to get a single dollar before the United States officially entered the war. The White House must pay attention to some impacts, especially
Congressional pressure.”
"As for Mr. Hopkins' status, based on your brother's nose, I don't need to say more. You can talk to him about whatever you want. As long as he passes it, it means the White House nods. But there is good news.
, I can tell you first that when the British come this time, they have what you want in their pockets."
"In addition to the originally promised Italian tanks and artillery, the British, considering the insufficient performance of Italian tanks, also specially selected some Maltida II infantry tanks and Crusader cruise tanks from among their own tanks.
Help comes to you.”
"If you agree to their conditions, they can also hand over the nearly a thousand Covenant cruise tanks currently in the country to your troops in Manchuria. Whether you can seize this opportunity depends on how you negotiate with Admiral Wavell.
Well, as far as I know, Admiral Wavell has received full authorization from their Prime Minister, and the pounds in his pocket, at least for now, are much easier to get than the dollars."
After briefly talking about the contents of the Moscow Conference of the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union regarding the Anti-Alliance, and what he could tell Yang Zhen, Pearson looked at Yang Zhen's thoughtful expression after hearing his words, hesitated for a moment and said
: "Yang, the current American industry is still in peacetime. The production of weapons and equipment, unless specially customized, is not very high."
"It is still impossible to increase the scale of weapons and equipment production for the time being. The White House must consider the pressure from Congress. Based on the American people's thoughts, they do not want to be involved in this damn war. This is the thought of most Americans.
, although the White House believes that the United States will be involved in the war sooner or later, after all, the United States is still staying out of the war."
"The policy of the United States has also determined that the weapons and equipment currently produced should be given priority to the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom, especially the United Kingdom. The huge pressure they faced in the North African battlefield forced the United States to hand over the tanks it produced to the British first.
In order to deal with the powerful tank troops of the German African Panzer Corps on the North African battlefield."
"The most important thing is that the United States is not at war with Japan yet. Unless the United States is attacked, the vast majority of the people in the United States do not want to be involved in the war. In this case, it will be difficult for you to be on the list of U.S. foreign equipment assistance.
, ranked in front of the Soviet Union and the British, and even you and your National Government ranked behind Free France on the list of American foreign aid."
"In other words, all equipment currently produced must first meet the needs of the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom. The White House can only improve your military production capacity as much as possible and increase assistance in military raw materials. As for equipment, at least until March next year,
Don’t think about it for now.”
"Although the British tanks have fallen behind against German tanks, they are still sufficient against the Japanese who have a small number of tanks and very backward performance. So as an old friend, I suggest that you still have a good talk with the British.
Let’s talk and try to get this batch of equipment. Having it is better than nothing.”
"With the U.S.-aided Stuart light tanks and Grant medium tanks entering the British army in increasing numbers, and more and more of them being used on the North African battlefield, they now have a large number of replaced Crusaders in their hands.
Cruise tank and Maltida II infantry tank, this is a very rare opportunity for you."
"If we get those British tanks, at least part of your needs can be met. You must know that although British tanks are no match for German tanks, they still have no problem dealing with those Japanese tanks. This is what I, as an old friend, want to say to you.
advice."
"Also Yang, I don't know what grudges and involvements you have with Major General Stilwell. I don't know why you don't like to see him so much, but I still remind you to show respect for him at least on the surface. Next
In the next step, he is likely to serve as the director of U.S. aid to China, just like Mr. Harriman, who has the same identity and position in the UK."
Pearson raised the coffee in his hand and said to Yang Zhen: "Yang, I have said everything that should be said. In fact, there are some things that should not be said. I have also said it. Now it is time for me to say goodbye. Thank you for the coffee. Although this is the first time you have invited me to drink coffee in such a long time since I have been in Manchuria, I still have to say that your inferior instant coffee produced by the Japanese is really terrible to drink."
After criticizing Yang Zhen's coffee for the last time, the guy opened his suitcase, took out a lot of things from the middle and said: "These five Camel cigarettes and two ZIPPO windproof gasoline lighters are for Li , these two cans of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee are given to you."
"These two bottles of pure Cuban rum are for Gao, two bottles of French Bordeaux red wine are for Guo, oh, and this Russian wool shawl and two bottles of French perfume are for the beautiful Miss Yuan Yes, and sir, I didn’t know you were here in advance, so I didn’t prepare a gift for you.”
"In this way, I will transfer to you the Omega watch specially designed for the U.S. Army Air Forces that I originally planned to give to Yang as a gift for the first meeting. Anyway, he already has the German pilot watch that I covet. It would be a waste to give it to him."
After handing out the gifts as if they were offering treasures, this guy was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, but he saluted everyone present with an American military salute and walked away. Looking at the gifts on the table, Yang Zhen was a little dumbfounded. What this guy was thinking was Thoughtful, everyone has a gift.
After Pearson left, Yang Zhen pointed to the things he left on the table and said to Yuan Zhiruo: "Except for giving me the two cans of coffee and leaving them at your place to entertain the guests, the rest of the things were given to Staff Officer Guo. Both the director and Director Gao will send it over, and you should keep the things he gives you."
After carefully looking at the finely crafted Omega watch that Pearson put in his hand, the political commissar hesitated for a moment and put it back. He waved his hand and said to Yuan Zhiruo: "Take this watch with you. I accept his wishes." Yes, but this watch is too expensive, I can’t have it.”
Seeing that the political commissar liked this watch very much, Yang Zhen smiled and said: "Old chief, since it is given to you, don't be polite to him. Just accept it if you should. It's rare for this rich guy to be so generous. We won't I look down on him a little bit if I accept it. I basically don’t drink coffee. I just keep it here to entertain the guests. I can accept the rest if it’s time to accept it.”
"If you don't accept it, it will be hard for others to complain. Didn't you see that our political commissar Li drooled when he saw those American Camel cigarettes? Old Li is a very clean man and only has a hobby like smoking. As an old leader, you You have to satisfy him, and there is Lao Guo, who drank French red wine and got around in the French military academy."
"If you don't give him these two bottles of French Bordeaux red wine, he will be so greedy for it. But Lao Gao, what about these two bottles of rum? Anyway, this guy doesn't drink. When we have the opportunity, we will kill his rich man. For now, Leave it with him for two days first to save others from taking aim at it."
After Yang Zhen's joking persuasion, the political commissar hesitated and finally accepted this watch that he couldn't put down. After Yuan Zhiruo took Pearson's gift to Guo Bingxun and Gao Yumin and exited, Yang Zhenrao He scratched his head and said: "It seems that we are going to encounter a lot of hard bones this time."
"To be honest, the Americans will not provide us with a large amount of weapons and equipment for the time being. This is within my expectation. The U.S. military industry has not yet transitioned to a wartime track. Under the U.S. policy of putting Europe first and Asia first, Next, the equipment produced now must first meet the needs of the British and the Soviets, and we can only be ranked behind. This is what I had expected."
"Putting Europe before Asia is the established national policy of the Americans. Although even a fool can smell the smell of war in the Pacific Ocean, it has not yet reached that point. The isolation policy of the upper echelons of the Americans has also made it impossible for the White House to really Let go of your hands and feet, so before a war actually breaks out between the United States and Japan, it is not surprising that the Americans will not provide us with a large amount of weapons and equipment."
"Compared to the Americans, the British, who have a large number of colonies in Southeast Asia and South Asia, will feel greater pressure and they will be more anxious. This is also to be expected. This time we negotiate, it seems that in the short term, the equipment issue will We have to start with the British. As for the Americans, we still focus on supplies and long-term negotiations, but this is the British."