American Strategic Deception Bureau

　Of course, in early 1964, the Republican Party was still in the primary election stage, and there were several people vying for the position of standard-bearer.

　In addition to Barry Goldwater of Arizona, a woman named Margaret Chase Smith, Henry Cabot Lodge of New Hampshire, William Scranton of Pennsylvania, and Nelson Rockefeller of the Rockefeller family were running.

　However, although the Republican Party had many candidates, anyone with a discerning eye could see that, with the exception of the far-right politician Barry Goldwater, who had been planning this for a long time, and Nelson Rockefeller, who came from a wealthy family, the others were just joining in the fun.

　Between Barry Goldwater and Nelson Rockefeller, President Kennedy had already confirmed during his lifetime that Barry Goldwater would be the Republican presidential candidate in 1964.

　——These days, thanks to the nightmare memories of the Great Depression and the aftermath of Roosevelt's New Deal, Americans are still quite unhappy about super-rich people becoming presidents. They always feel that these super-rich people must be seriously out of touch with the masses, have no empathy for the people, and will inevitably bring disaster to the country and the people once they come to power.

　So, who is this Barry Goldwater, the popular candidate in the Republican Party?

　In short, he is a granite-headed old fogey and a belligerent lunatic who speaks without restraint.

　As a far-right descendant of naturalized aliens, Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, 55, is known for his integrity. He is handsome, tall, has silver hair, and wears a pair of distinctive black-framed glasses. He is one of the most admired politicians in the country.

　Moreover, perhaps due to the general "convert fervor", he is arguably the most famous conservative politician in the United States today.

　Goldwater, a self-proclaimed "patriot," possessed a multitude of talents. He was a reserve major general in the Air Force, an accomplished jet pilot, a skilled amateur radio operator, and a photographer, publishing his own collection of Western desert landscapes. However, his most celebrated achievement was the 25-foot-tall flagpole he installed at his Arizona home. This pole contained a photoelectric device that automatically raised the flag at dawn and lowered it at dusk. This allowed him to express his patriotism even when no one was home.

　The Arizona senator often uses his deep southwestern accent to quote some outdated but still touching moral maxims and ethical beliefs, guiding voters to recall the good old days and resist the current chaotic social situation. He also relies on his special eloquence to make those things that are actually outdated appear both reasonable and practical, thus attracting many fans.

　In the minds of the people, Goldwater represents nostalgia, love for the good things of the past, and hatred for all that is bad in the present.

　How should I put it? It has the flavor of the "old blues" of the "Fallout" wasteland, and it also has a lot in common with Confucius' advocacy of etiquette and laws during the chaotic Spring and Autumn Period.

　All

　We have a beauty filter for the "good old days", but we are picky and dissatisfied with the bizarre real world.

　It is a delusion to reverse the wheel of history and push the times back to the past in order to "recreate yesterday."

　Obviously, by the 20th century, this kind of thought that is obsessed with the good old days, ignores the present and doesn't care about the future is a typical extreme right-wing thought.

　Generally speaking, since most voters prefer a centrist approach, both the Republican and Democratic parties tend to favor moderate candidates. However, the Republicans now find themselves backed into a corner, forcing them to make a desperate move. According to surveys, Republican membership has decreased by one-third over the past 25 years, while Republican support has also decreased by 13%, while the number of Democrats has increased by 11%.

　Goldwater and his fellow far-right Republicans had an explanation for this. They believed that a deeply conservative majority lay hidden in the vast rural areas, a reality they hadn't yet uncovered. That, they argued, was the crux of American politics.

　These disgruntled rural rednecks, lacking a political voice, disdain both parties. On election days, they go fishing or stay home. The outcome is irrelevant to them. Regardless of which party wins, they'll have to endure a quirky mix of liberals, leftists, socialists, and other lunatics they consider deviant.

　The far right of the Republican Party believes that as long as they nominate a truly conservative candidate, a true old American star-spangled cowboy, these hidden conservative majorities will all take to the streets, vote for the Republican Party, and elect a "real American" as president.

　Of course, the above view is pure fantasy - just a little demographic survey will show that by the second half of the 20th century, in the highly urbanized modern United States, the vast majority of the population had already moved into the cities. How many living voters were left in the empty and desolate countryside?

　But the world is a vast, makeshift political system. This year, the top Republicans, seemingly without even glancing at the demographic map of the United States, rashly bought into this absurd rhetoric, believing that if they could elect a far-right candidate to challenge the Democrats, then a flood of 19th-century redneck voters would immediately emerge from the dirt in rural America (reincarnate?) and propel the Republicans into the White House!

　By April, although Nelson Rockefeller had not yet officially withdrawn from the race, Barry Goldwater's victory was already a sure thing. With his strong prospects, the Arizona Senator, a far-right conservative who seemed to be living in the past fifty years, became arrogant and began to criticize his own moderates, saying, "Extremism in the defense of freedom is not a sin! Moderation in the pursuit of justice is certainly not a virtue!"

　As a result, he thoroughly criticized many Republican veterans, and Eisenhower and Nixon were so angry that they almost turned against him. As a result, before the Republican Party actually faced the Democrats, the establishment and the far right were already severely divided, just like Trump's candidacy in the 21st century.

　Republicans running for other public offices at the time all avoided this presidential standard-bearer and were even unwilling to promote the same political platform as him.

　Until the last moment, Goldwater did not reconcile with the party bosses, but only complained to each other and was unable to resolve the misunderstanding and reconcile.

　So much so that the Republican moderates actually united to vote for Democratic President Johnson in the general election!

　In addition to the collapse of party unity, what was even more troublesome was that as Barry Goldwater became the most popular Republican presidential candidate, he put himself in the spotlight of news media across the United States and even the world. Everything he had said, done, and written in the past was dug up and examined one by one, even to the point of nitpicking - as a result, a lot of negative information was exposed, some of which was really ridiculous.

　For example, Goldwater once proposed "government retreat and private advancement," selling the Tennessee Valley Authority for a dollar. He also said he wished he could saw off the Eastern Seaboard and let it drift out to sea. He described America's major cities as sinful "Babylons," denouncing their citizens' decadent and hedonistic lifestyles. He also advocated, on various occasions, for abolishing rural electrification and the National Labor Relations Board.

　This is simply... turning history back all the way to the late 19th century! Besides the Amish, how many Americans can stand this?

　Country people don't deserve electricity? Playboy is going to be shut down? Hollywood and Broadway are going to be cleaned up? Are you an extremist Puritan from somewhere?

　Next, on the issue of the black civil rights movement, Goldwater naturally stood on the side of white racists and the KKK, shouting loudly, "Don't even think about being on an equal footing with white people." - This is not the biggest problem. Nowadays, there are many white Americans who can't stand the rise of black people.

　But on the next issue, social security, Goldwater positioned himself against all poor people of all races. He firmly demanded an end to social security and the elimination of the already limited social welfare benefits in the United States. He even displayed a poster depicting two hands tearing up a Social Security card! This was a major issue affecting 100 million Americans! What poor person would want to be left to fend for themselves when bad luck struck?

　Next, Goldwater's views on international issues were digging the grave of the Republicans' hopes of victory - he was like the European nationalists before World War I, fanatically advocating war.

　Ask the American people "not to be afraid of the Soviet atomic bomb" and "fight a nuclear war early and on a large scale"!

　Specifically, Goldwater demanded that commanders at various forward bases be authorized to use tactical nuclear weapons on their own in the event of a crisis. He also threatened to "throw a nuclear bomb down the Kremlin toilet" and suggested using nuclear weapons to cut off the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam.

　In one of Goldwater's speeches, a New York Times reporter discovered he used the phrases "atomic holocaust" and "nuclear destruction" no fewer than thirty times. Even worse, he publicly voted against the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty! What an irresponsible warmonger!

　Barry Goldwater's complete lack of reverence for nuclear war, his seemingly unwavering determination to push the United States into a radioactive wasteland, naturally did not reassure the general public. Democrats, however, seized the opportunity to maliciously mock him, saying, "Everyone knows he'll do that... If everyone votes for Goldwater, our country will be at war within six months, a full-scale nuclear war that will destroy civilization!"

　As a result, many conservative centrist voters who had originally been critical of the Kennedy-Johnson administration's foreign policy, believing it to be too "weak," were frightened back by Goldwater's advocacy of nuclear war - so what if they were weak? It's better than turning the country into a radioactive wasteland, right?

　In contrast, President Johnson keenly grasped the voters' fear of war and the end of the world, as well as their desire for peace. Therefore, even though he was currently commanding over 200,000 Americans fighting in Vietnam, he deployed various peace rhetoric during the election.

　For example, he once vowed: "We do not want our American children to fight for the children of Asia. I have always tried my best to let the Vietnamese fight on their own according to our advice and with the equipment we provide."

　At political rallies across the country, Johnson, whenever he got the chance, fiercely condemned Goldwater's careless talk and irresponsible fantasies about nuclear weapons, and assured Goldwater, "As long as I am president, Americans can have peace, there will be peace." He even said, "I am here to assure you today that I am willing to go to any remote corner of the world at any time to talk to anyone in order to promote freedom and peace."

　Of course, President Johnson's various assurances about peace were later proven to be mostly lies and empty talk. But at least in this election year, his fabricated moderation and cautious approach to the war still deceived many people, especially when compared with Goldwater.

　As for the issue of the black civil rights movement, President Johnson also tried to be frank in his discussions with the upper classes in the southern states. In any case, after slavery had been basically abolished, it was completely unreasonable for the white people in the southern states to continue not allowing blacks to vote for a hundred years.

　More importantly, the illegal prohibition of black people's voting rights and the right to participate in elections, as well as the maintenance of the racial segregation system, brought little benefit to the majority of ordinary white people - if not none at all. At most, it was a little psychological sense of superiority.

　Such a small sense of superiority is obviously not worth the price paid by ordinary poor white people who value practicality. The upper class of white people who can truly benefit from it will not pass on any benefits to the lower class of white people: to put it bluntly, things become simple.

　The most crucial thing is that the Civil Rights Act, which guarantees the legal citizenship rights of black people, has already been signed and implemented. Given the current domestic and international situation, it is almost impossible to go against the tide and overturn it. The white people in the South can only admit defeat. Once this resentment is released, it will not be able to be revived in the short term.

　In addition, moderate black civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King also got what they wanted - President Johnson officially signed the new Civil Rights Act, declaring that discrimination based on race, color, religious beliefs, gender or national origin is illegal, prohibiting all unequal treatment in voting, and any racial segregation in schools, workplaces and public spaces.

　President Johnson also promised to continue improving the treatment of black people after his re-election, providing them with more educational, living, and job opportunities. Martin Luther King and others were expected to win over black voters and refrain from organizing any overly violent large-scale rallies and protests in the months leading up to the election, lest they irritate white Democratic voters.

　Even the radical militant blacks were persuaded by the middlemen to agree to stay quiet for a few months, because they also did not want to see the Republican far-right warmonger Goldwater come to power - this guy openly threatened to scalp black people like he did to Indians!

　So, as early as the spring, some observant people had already realized that the Republicans had played the wrong card this time and that the extreme right-wing Goldwater had no chance of winning. By July and August, even the general American public knew that Johnson would probably be re-elected.

　By the fall, polls showed Johnson's approval rating at 65%, while Goldwater's was only 29%.

　Such a huge gap was not enough to shake Johnson's overwhelming advantage even if he had encountered the impact of China's atomic bomb explosion before the vote.

　Since the 1964 presidential election seemed to be a foregone conclusion, Fieri, the White House's recognized expert in cleaning up messes, naturally had no chance to get involved. And on the Vietnam battlefield, there seemed to be no

　This is where Fili can intervene.

　——Since the massive blitzkrieg on Hanoi, most of the US troops stationed in Vietnam have entered a period of rest and recuperation. Only a few troops left the coastal provinces that had been basically cleared out, and tentatively entered the Central Highlands Mountains to cooperate with the local indigenous mountain people to clear out the infiltrating Viet Cong guerrillas.

　Despite the US military's absolute air superiority and overwhelming firepower, and the support of indigenous ethnic minorities in the mountainous areas, which gave them a home-field advantage over the Viet Cong Kinh guerrillas, the battle to wipe out the Viet Cong base areas was still extremely difficult and has been going on repeatedly to this day.

　Because the Viet Cong fled to Laos as soon as they suffered a setback, while the US military was rigidly prohibited from crossing the border, it was difficult to achieve a complete victory.

　However, the Viet Cong also had its own problems. North Vietnam's mainland in the Red River Delta had been raided by the US military and bombed continuously until now. It was now in ruins, and post-war reconstruction was extremely difficult. It really did not have the strength to start another war immediately.

　Saigon's Southern Republic conquered the short-lived Khmer Republic in one battle, conquering nearly all of Cambodia. But after this glorious victory, the Southern Republic suffered from indigestion, a penalty for overexpansion, as it had tried to swallow an elephant.

　Externally, Thailand's participation in the war hindered the progress of the Viet Cong on the Cambodian battlefield. Although the Thai army was ineffective, it was large in number, with sufficient logistics, and could withstand a protracted war. In cooperation with the local "Khmer Rouge" guerrilla forces, they persisted in repeated tugs of war with the Vietnamese army near Siem Reap on the shores of Tonle Sap Lake.

　Meanwhile, after conquering Cambodia, the Viet Cong in the south remained under a general blockade by the US Navy. They had to rely on captured ammunition and supplies, or transport them along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The Ho Chi Minh Trail, which had not yet been widened or expanded, was still not suitable for trucks. Relying solely on the limited transport capacity of bicycles, porters, and pack teams was a drop in the bucket to supply both Cambodia and the Central Highlands, and was simply not enough to launch any offensive campaign.

　As a result, the US military was exhausted from the prolonged fighting, and the Vietnamese army was short of supplies and unable to fight. The overall war was at a stalemate for the remaining months of the dry season. Although war refugees continued to appear and cross the ocean to the United States, they did not cause any major disturbances.

　All refugee camps from the front lines in Vietnam to the mainland of the United States, as well as transit stations along the way, are currently operating normally.

　——The next consul of Phu Quoc Island after Dr. Kissinger was a major general of the Marine Corps. He brought a large number of troops to the island and effectively suppressed the conflicts and riots between Khmer and Vietnamese refugees on the island, and used iron-blooded methods to enforce discipline in the refugee camps.

　At the same time, Thailand, which had participated in the Vietnam War, agreed to accept more refugees, and Hong Kong, which was developing rapidly, also increased its acceptance quota for Vietnamese refugees, thereby diverting the source of Vietnam War refugees and alleviating the pressure on the US mainland.

　Since there is no official business to do, Ferry can take a vacation with peace of mind and take care of his personal affairs.

　For example, feeding the hungry female beasts, getting married, building a new house, etc...

　Author's words: PS: Upgraded version of Soviet jokes:

　Konstantin, you are under arrest.

　Ivan: You've got the wrong person. I'm not Constantine.

　The Cheka: If you're not Constantine, why did you open the door? Arrest him!

　Then report "Two Constantines were captured."

　Chapter 308: Lieutenant Colonel Ferry King's Magical Wedding

　June 1, 1964, Los Angeles, Cathedral of Our Lady

　After experiencing several unexpected events and many twists and turns, the abnormal couple, Fili and Marita, finally got married normally.

　"You, Ferry King, are willing to marry Marita Lorenz. No matter what the future holds, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness or in health, you swear to be with her forever, never leaving her, until death do you part. Do you agree?"

　"I am willing!"

　"Okay, then... you, Marita Lorenz, are willing to marry Ferry King. No matter the future, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, whether he is sick or healthy, you swear to be with him forever, never leaving him, until death do you part. Are you willing?"

　"Yes I do."

　"Well, I declare you husband and wife, Mr. King. You may now kiss your bride."

　Next to the altar in the church lobby, the priest holding the Bible smiled kindly as he looked at the golden boy and beautiful girl in front of him.

　Whether it was Ferry in his military uniform or Marita in her white veil and white satin dress, they both looked radiant.

　In Fili's eyes, Marita looked particularly beautiful and charming today, with a smile full of relief and joy.

　There is no way, almost every girl’s dream when she was a child was to become a bride wearing a beautiful wedding dress!

　Moreover, although their love experiences do not seem to be miserable, they are full of twists and turns and embarrassing moments.

　As the daughter of the commander of the "Sea Wolf" U-boat, a survivor of a Nazi German concentration camp, a victim of abuse by American soldiers, the lucky girl who almost became the First Lady of Cuba, a "gift girl" of the CIA and a slave in a black prison, her short life of more than 20 years was really too rich, which made Marita, who was not a very tough character, feel the unbearable weight of life early on.

　Now I have a husband who is a war hero and is considered respectable by outsiders and relatives.

　It was a good ending.

　Fili still couldn't confirm whether Marita loved him, but he was certain that Marita, with her weak character, had already completely accepted her fate.

　As long as I don't hurt her or abandon her, she will stay in the cage I prepare and be a canary.

　Then, accompanied by the warm applause of the guests, Fili and Marita hugged each other skillfully and kissed each other.

　Well, it feels a bit strange to be hugged through cloth without skin touching!

　Fili silently complained in his heart, ended this short kiss that was not satisfying at all, then put his arm around Marita's waist, waved to the guests, and watched Marita throw the bouquet as hard as a grenade, and it fell into the hands of a female classmate of his younger sister Maria.

　The second brother Anthony was on a temporary platform at the back, operating the camera himself to record the wedding.

　Mother Kate was so happy that her eyes filled with tears, because her three sons all got married, and the eldest son became a congressman and entered politics, the youngest son became a lieutenant colonel and joined the army, and the second son inherited the family's film and entertainment business in Hollywood. It seemed that they all had a bright future.

　Father Patrick chatted with Marita's brothers and sisters from time to time. It was a chance to meet future relatives and expand their network - Fieri's eldest brother was a congressman, and Marita's eldest brother was a diplomat, both working in Washington, so it was good to be able to have some friendships.

　Next, Fili picked up Marita by the waist, carried her in a princess-like position, put her in a rented convertible sports car, drove her up the Avenue of Stars, and drove back to the Kim family's old house in Hollywood, where he held a wedding reception party.

　Generally speaking, while the Kim family has produced some notable figures and gained some recognition, it's still a long way from being a top-tier, wealthy family. Consequently, there weren't many high-profile political guests at the Kim family wedding. The mayor did attend, as did several state legislators. Even more people from the entertainment industry joined in the fun. Even Marilyn Monroe, who had given birth to twin daughters the previous month, came with her legendary baseball player husband, Joe DiMaggio.

　In addition, Fili even saw Reagan, the former president of the Screen Actors Guild who is still active in Hollywood. According to history, he will finish filming his last movie this year, playing a gangster boss, and then completely retire from the screen to enter politics, and from then on embark on a road to rapid success and enter the White House.

　Of course, Professor Brzezinski, who had become a close friend of Firi regardless of age difference, also took time out to fly from Washington to attend the wedding banquet, which touched Firi very much.

　Marita, the bride, was so excited that she lost herself in thought. She picked up the knife and cut the huge five-layer cake, completely ignoring the cream splashing on her face. She also picked up the oversized wine bottle that was half a person's height and let the golden wine flow on the champagne tower composed of more than a hundred high-heeled glasses.

　She knew very well that as the wife of a CIA spy and the private lover of a cult leader, she would probably have to stay at home and would not have many opportunities for social events. Being able to make a fuss at today's wedding was her last bit of splendor and glory.

　——Although it can't compare to the scene when Castro took her on a tour around the country, Marita is still somewhat content.

　So, at today's wedding, her face was really filled with happiness, and she was enjoying it immensely from body to soul.

　After the party ended and the guests left, Marita, who was already drunk, slept in the old house with Ferry.

　On their wedding night, Marita, sober from the alcohol, tried her best, gritting her teeth and twisting her hips, moving up and down against Fili's body. Even when her back and legs were sore, she persisted, letting Fili do whatever he wanted. But ultimately, she was powerless, unable to endure the long struggle alone.

　After experiencing a violent storm, Marita finally fell down limply, panting and begging for mercy from Fili: "No, dear, I really can't take it anymore. If you keep inserting it, I will die... I can't bear your rod alone!"

　"Eh? You're not good enough at this level? It seems you haven't had enough sex lately. Your skills in bed have declined!"

　Fili hugged Marita from behind, stroking her big, round, and perky white breasts up and down, while licking her earlobes.

　Because Fili liked women who were naturally natural, he had also healed the piercing on Marita's earlobe with a spell, turning it into a sensitive spot. Every time Fili bit it, it felt like an electric current was running through her body. Immediately, her hips shook again, and a pool of clear spring gushed out.

　"Obviously, obviously you've become too powerful! You bastard! I'm alone today, and you're still using magic to cheat..."

　Marita, who was lost again, lay limply in Fili's arms, unable to even sit steadily, but still pouting and complaining.

　"Okay, okay, that's enough. Let's go to sleep now!"

　While admiring Marita's limp and charming appearance, Fili smiled and used a towel to clean the sweat and stains on Marita's body. He also changed a set of clean bedding and sheets. "There is another more important ceremony to be held tomorrow. You can't not get a good rest!"

　After hearing what Feri said, Marita blushed for some reason, but still nodded shyly.

　-

　"I, Marita King, swear that from this moment on, as a wife and slave, I will completely give up my personality and human rights and become the private property of my master.

　From my body to my flesh, from my memories to my soul, every part of me belongs to my master, Ferry King!