Episode 55 The Battle Between Stalin and Shen Rongxuan
Episode 55 The Contest between Stalin and Shen Rongxuan
On June 22, when the first American cargo ship sailed out of New York Harbor and headed south to the Panama Canal, a Politburo meeting was being held in the Moscow Kremlin. Three paintings by Marx, Engels, and Lenin were hung on the wall.
Portrait, the long conference table is filled with the most senior members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
There are old men at this table, some middle-aged men, some in suits, some in military uniforms, some in Chinese tunic suits... But everyone's eyes are looking in one direction, and they keep moving following that target. On the table
The committee members on the other side only need to move their eyes, while the committee members on this side of the table need to turn around and face the man who is walking slowly around the table all the time.
people.
Their loyal eyes were firmly fixed on the master of the entire Politburo, the master of the entire Kremlin, the master of the entire Moscow, the master of the entire Russia, and the master of the entire Soviet Union - Joseph Stalin.
Although it was already summer, Stalin was still wearing high riding boots, his trousers were tucked into the boots, and he was wearing a Chinese tunic suit. He was holding a pipe, walking slowly, and puffing slowly.
"Horacio..." Stalin stopped, turned around slowly, glanced around the committee members, and said listlessly in a hoarse voice, "Comrades..."
Everyone was stunned and sat upright involuntarily, looking up at Stalin as eagerly as possible, anticipating his next words.
Stalin glanced at them lightly, then supported the backs of their chairs, walked slowly, smoked slowly, and continued slowly:
"... Our Red Army, which was cultivated with a high degree of offensive spirit, has achieved brilliant results and has proved with practical actions that the Red Army is the most offensive army in Eurasia... But now, the pace of the offensive has been slowed and stagnated.
Already..."
As he spoke, Stalin took off his pipe from his mouth and waved it slightly, in order to reassure the generals that they should not be afraid. The generals looked at each other, and the color returned to their faces. Then, Stalin continued:
"...It's nothing. It's not that our Red Army is incompetent, it's that the front line has been stretched. Now the front line is stable in the Hami-Yumen area. Our road transportation line is almost as long as that of the Ming bandit army... Moreover, the Ming Dynasty
The bandit army's railway transportation lines are also much shorter than ours... This brings about a very serious problem. The same problems that troubled the Ming bandit army before are now beginning to trouble our Red Army."
He took a few puffs of cigarette, and then continued to pace slowly. The members of the Politburo also continued to "lock" their eyes on him, turning collectively like sunflowers.
"... Comrades, the situation is very serious for us. The two largest imperialist countries in the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere are now united. Comrades, do you know how many military vehicles alone the Ming Dynasty and the United States have ordered in the preliminary order?
?”
He stood up, his eyes suddenly became sharp, and he stared at the committee members. He made gestures with his pipe and said the same word one word at a time:
"One hundred and fifty thousand military vehicles! Comrades, one hundred and fifty thousand military vehicles! ... What's even more frightening is that the United States can deliver such a huge order in less than two months! Comrades, even if we in the Soviet Union
Only by activating the country's machines and producing at full capacity for a year can we produce so many military vehicles! Moreover, as long as the Ming Empire is willing, it can spend a large sum of gold dollars at any time and place two or three more such orders! This means that the Ming Empire can
It will become the first country in the world to realize the motorization of its entire army!”
The committee members present all looked at each other, and no one dared to answer the question. However, a few clear-minded people already knew that neither China nor the United States had disclosed the specific number of orders. Stalin must have obtained this number through a very secret way.
Stalin lit his pipe in the air and continued:
"In particular, there are 3,000 heavy-duty flatbed trucks in the order. Each heavy-duty flatbed truck has a load capacity of 35 tons and can carry one tank or two armored personnel carriers. This means that the tanks of the Ming Bandit Army will have stronger capabilities than those of the Red Army.
It has more long-distance mobility. And our bt-7 fast tank
In front of these cars, they simply become bulky guys. The Ming army will soon regain its mobility advantage in Central Asia. The quality advantages of their tanks will also be fully exerted. And our tanks have great advantages in firepower, armor, and radio.
The disadvantages in the field will also be exposed... Comrades, what do you think?"
There was dead silence among the committee members present. They all looked at each other and no one spoke.
After a while, Stalin’s favorite general, the bearded Marshal Budyonny, spoke:
"Comrade Stalin, we believe that all our tanks should be equipped with radios as soon as possible. This is currently the fastest way to improve the combat effectiveness of armored forces."
Seeing that his direct favorite general Budyonny, known as the "cavalry faction", also had to speak for the armored forces, Stalin snorted and couldn't say anything, so he nodded.
Another of Stalin’s confidants, the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, Kalinin, who wore glasses and a goatee and looked like a kindly old scholar, spoke at this time:
"Comrade Stalin, and other comrades, we should know that U.S. imperialism is controlled by big capitalists. They only recognize gold and dollars and do not recognize any moral allies. If Ming imperialism can buy these things with money, then
Our red Soviet Union should also
It should be possible. But comparing its own output, our country is far ahead of the Ming imperialists. Now the Ming imperialists just want to use a lot of gold and dollars to win over U.S. imperialism, so as to surpass us in war materials.
.And this must be their daydream.
"Comrades, we can also use the methods used by the enemy. Once we use the same methods to offset the advantages of the Ming Empire, then the whole will still be on our side. The Ming Dynasty is a country that is obsessed with life and money, and their national spirit is degenerate.
, live a corrupt life, advocate material enjoyment, and have no spiritual pursuits. Their rulers are extremely weak internally. But our Soviet Union has passed the test of the domestic revolutionary war.
The cadres and people of the Ming Dynasty have long been trained to have a strong will. We can live a simple and frugal life throughout the country, and spend more money to buy supplies than the Ming Dynasty. But the Ming Dynasty cannot. Their living standards are slightly
If it is lowered, the weakness of the rulers will be exposed and they will be eager to compromise with us. Besides, the big capitalists who control the Ming Empire will not allow such a large amount of money to be made by the United States."
Everyone understood. What Kalinin meant was nothing more than: Ming Dynasty places orders with the United States, and our Soviet Union can also place orders with the United States. Anyway, the United States is a neutral country, and the Soviet Union and Ming Dynasty have not declared war, so it depends on who can afford it.
Who. The Soviet Union could tighten their belts, go hungry, and save money to buy supplies, while still maintaining extremely high output. But it is impossible for the Ming Dynasty to tighten their belts like the Soviet Union, go hungry, and do everything for war.
Serve. This will shake the foundation of Ming Dynasty's rule.
It is undeniable that Kalinin's statement has some truth. The truth is this, but most people here always think it is a bad idea. What was originally a small border war has become a waste of national power for both sides, and it depends on who can waste it first.
Die. Moreover, the United States alone has gained weight.
This is indeed a bad idea.
Stalin waved his pipe and shook his head.
Everyone knew that Kalinin's proposal was rejected. After that, no one dared to speak.
Stalin paced for a while, then suddenly stopped, took a puff of cigarette, and said slowly:
"Comrades, we can declare war on the Ming Dynasty."
Such a sentence made all the committee members look at each other in confusion. They all looked at each other to make sure they heard correctly.
Stalin seemed to realize that he had spoken too hastily, so he moved his pipe again and said slowly:
"Of course, we can secretly contact the Ming Kingdom. We can retreat some distance to the west, give up part of the liberated land, and return it to them. The condition is that the two parties sign a treaty and the Ming Kingdom must recognize the independence of the Ili Kingdom. And the Ming Kingdom
The army should know that this war is far in the northwest. Even if they continue to fight, they will not be able to win.
Victory... We can warn them that if they cannot agree to an armistice before mid-July, then we will declare war on them. At that time, the two countries will become belligerents, and most of the American supplies have not yet left the port -
In other words, we can no longer leave the port. The Ming Dynasty will have to rely on its own strength to fight us."
He looked around at the committee members and said slowly:
"The above is my proposal to the committee. Comrades can discuss it."
The committee members looked at each other, and Kalinin said earnestly to the committee members on the left and right:
"Comrades, can we propose anything better than Comrade Stalin? I agree."
Immediately afterwards, there was a rush of voices:
"I agree."
"I agree."
"I also agree..."
"And I..."
Kalinin turned to Stalin and said:
"Comrade Stalin, after voting by the committee, unanimously agreed to this proposal."
Stalin took a drag on his pipe and nodded:
"very good."
…
On June 23, a threatening "proposal" was delivered to Shen Rongxuan's desk through the Soviet Union's intelligence network in Daming, and then through the East Factory.
Shen Rongxuan stared at the unsigned letter on the table and felt anxious for a moment. He covered his face with his hands, took a long breath, and leaned tiredly on the back of the chair.
Stalin was so damaged. I didn’t expect that he would actually resort to such a trick. If he really did this, then the procurement plan that Ming Dynasty had just launched would be completely out of reach. Now, not even a cargo ship has arrived!
He closed his eyes and thought for a while, then reached out and rang the bell to call the secretary in.
"Change your schedule for me," he said, "Invite the German ambassador to lunch at noon. Take an hour in the afternoon to meet with the Commander of the People's Guard, Xiang Xiaoqiang, and the Deputy Commander, Princess Liaoyang."
"Yes, sir."
After the secretary left, Shen Rongxuan thought about the next specific steps. The purpose of meeting with the German ambassador was to test the possibility of the Ming Dynasty Navy leasing a military port in Germany and blocking the Soviet Union's European sea ports. The purpose of meeting with Xiang Xiaoqiang and Princess Liaoyang was to inquire through them
Let’s look at the recent developments in Japan and see if it is possible to achieve some degree of unity with Japan.
Shen Rongxuan said in his heart: Stalin wants to play gangster tricks, and I am not at the mercy of him.