American Strategic Deception Bureau

　However, the US representative to the UN General Assembly cited the Soviet nuclear bomb explosion on the Chagan River in 1965 to build a reservoir and the use of nuclear bombs to extinguish natural gas fires in 1966. The US claimed that hydrogen bombs are now "clean, pollution-free, and environmentally friendly weapons" and that using hydrogen bombs in war to inflict "instant and painless death" on the enemy is a form of "gentle and merciful humanitarian euthanasia."

　And with the representatives of various countries looking so unconvinced, they said that the US military will use this "special environmental protection device" more often!

　Of course, for President Kennedy Jr. in the Oval Office, after the calendar turned to May 10 and the Indochina Peninsula battlefield entered the rainy season, the Asian front was no longer his focus. Anyway, relying on the deterrent effect of the hydrogen bomb mushroom cloud, the US 5st Cavalry Division, trapped in the Laotian capital of Vientiane, finally managed to successfully move south across the Mekong River before the rainy season arrived and broke through back to their starting base.

　The President's entire attention was focused on the Apollo 10 lunar spacecraft that was about to be launched.

　Author's words: PS: I used to think that the idea that the Umbrella Corporation in "Resident Evil" didn't want money but only wanted to destroy the world was wrong.

　And in the TV series "Fallout", the American company's practice of dropping a nuclear bomb on its own country to destroy the world is also very speechless.

　But after seeing the joint efforts of the US, Israel, Taiwan and Japan to plant bombs in small household appliances and destroy the reputation of their own products, I realized that there are either capitalists in this world who are obsessed with money, or capitalists simply cannot control their own companies, and the people under them may not necessarily listen to the boss.

　Chapter 427: I Have No Choice But to Become the Universe's Big Swindler

　May 15, 1969, Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida

　With bright flames and deafening roars, the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful Saturn V rocket ever built by humans, carrying the Apollo 10 spacecraft and three astronauts, took off and flew towards the distant moon.

　According to NASA's plan, this is the last "rehearsal" before the official landing on the moon.

　——Although humans had only been to the vicinity of the moon once before, and the lunar module had never conducted a manned flight experiment.

　However, at the repeated urging of President Robert Kennedy, Apollo 10 became the final rehearsal before the official moon landing.

　Initially, the rehearsal seemed to go smoothly. Apollo 10 entered its planned orbit with near-perfect accuracy, completing the 380,000-kilometer journey from Earth to the Moon in three days. As Apollo 10 drifted further and further away from Earth, the thrust gained at launch gradually dissipated, and its speed gradually slowed. Only when the Moon was within 60,000 kilometers did the spacecraft regain its speed, thanks to the Moon's gravity.

　Next, the spacecraft activated its retrojet rockets and entered lunar orbit. Although a malfunction in the broadcasting equipment prevented the scheduled broadcast of lunar scenery from being broadcast to Earth, all other experimental tasks appeared to have been completed successfully.

　On May 19, the two astronauts entered the lunar module and separated it from the command module of the spacecraft. They then launched the descent rocket and began to lower the altitude of the lunar module into a lower orbit closer to the lunar surface. For the first time, they observed the originally planned lunar landing site, the Sea of ​​Tranquility, from close range.

　However, when the lunar module was lowered to only 15 kilometers from the lunar surface and was about to start the ascent rocket to return to the command module, an accident happened - the two astronauts ignited the explosive bolts and cut off the lower half of the lunar module. When they were about to drive the remaining ascent module to rendezvous and dock with the command module, it suddenly began to spin and bump violently... In the end, it was discovered that there seemed to be a problem with the explosive bolts, which failed to completely cut off the lunar module.

　Finally, after a painful struggle, the entire lunar module completely lost control and immediately lost contact with the Houston Command Center on the ground. The two astronauts carrying them, whose lives were unknown, turned into a metal meteorite weighing several tons and slammed heavily into the Sea of ​​Tranquility area on the moon!

　Well, if we must celebrate a funeral as a happy occasion, it seems that we can say that this is already a successful early manned moon landing?

　Regardless, two American astronauts did land on the moon in some form...

　However, the space warriors are gone forever.

　, and ultimately only achieved a one-way "kamikaze moon landing".

　At the same time, the last remaining astronaut in the command module in lunar orbit, after confirming the death of his companion, had to wipe away the tears on his face and start his return journey alone. He finally returned to Earth three days later and splashed down in the North Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.

　In this way, the Apollo 10 spacecraft's journey to the moon ended, and the two space pioneers never returned. They were buried on the moon and their souls returned to another planet.

　On May 25, 1969, President Robert Kennedy arrived in Hawaii aboard Air Force One and met with the last surviving Apollo 10 astronauts aboard the USS Princeton. He then delivered a speech on the deck of the aircraft carrier: "Eight years ago today, the United States announced its commitment to send a man to the moon and return him safely to Earth before the end of the 1960s.

　Today, despite a tragic sacrifice, the Apollo 10 spacecraft successfully arrived on the USS Princeton.

　I am convinced that humans can go to the moon, and Americans will definitely land on the moon in this era!"

　His words are convincing and his ambitions are lofty.

　Following President Kennedy's speech, a wave of space fever swept across the United States and even the world. Various astronaut dolls, spaceship and rocket models once again became hot-selling items in toy stores.

　A large number of space-themed content has also quickly emerged in talk shows and variety shows on TV.

　However, behind this enthusiasm lies the pale reality of the exaggerated lies, as well as all kinds of forced deception and compromise.

　-

　"Is it really impossible for a manned lunar landing to become a reality this year?"

　On May 27, 1969, in a secret meeting room in the White House bunker, President Robert Kennedy said with a haggard face and a hoarse voice.

　The skill and passion he had displayed in his speech aboard the USS Princeton the day before seemed to have vanished from the young president, leaving only a sense of melancholy and unease filling his heart. His once handsome face had become terribly gaunt, and dark circles surrounded his eye sockets.

　This shows how much psychological pressure President Kennedy Jr. has been under recently.

　However, no one present was able to help him solve his problems, which only made him more stressed.

　"Unfortunately, Mr. President, at least this year, before the end of the 1960s, it will be impossible for us to send astronauts alive to the moon and bring them back safely. The existing technical conditions simply do not support us in achieving such a goal."

　I looked at the dejected man on the left.

　NASA Administrator Thomas Payne looked at Lieutenant General Philips, the head of the Apollo moon landing project, who was also dejected on his right. Dr. Kissinger had no choice but to stand up and report the desperate bad news to the president.

　"To date, we have not been able to successfully achieve a rendezvous between the command module and the ascent module. The only manned lunar module flight experiment has also failed. Half of this year has already passed, and the remaining six months will not allow us to conduct multiple launches.

　Besides being short on time, we were also running out of money. NASA only had two existing Apollo spacecraft and two massive Saturn V rockets, and no money to order a third spacecraft or rocket—unless special appropriations from Congress could be secured quickly.

　But with both the House and Senate controlled by Republicans, it's impossible to increase funding. Any additional budget from a Democratic administration will be shelved, delayed, or rejected by the Republicans. We can't raise pocket money from elementary school students across the country to raise money for a moon landing, right?

　"My advisor, are you sure you're not kidding? The US has neither the money, nor the time, nor the technology right now."

　Although he had anticipated this, President Kennedy still found it hard to believe, or rather, he was unwilling to believe it. "Is this the result that America's best scientists achieved after eight years of research? Was the Apollo moon landing destined to fail in the 1960s?"

　Dr. Kissinger ignored President Kennedy's pitiful, expectant look and said solemnly, "I'm sorry, Mr. President, but that's it."

　This is the worst answer.

　The President's facial muscles relaxed instantly, as if his last bit of energy had disappeared with Dr. Kissinger's words.

　Why was I so foolish before that I actually thought that landing on the moon, 380,000 kilometers away, would be easier than destroying the Viet Cong across the Pacific? President Kennedy stared blankly at the ceiling, secretly laughing at his previous decision.

　The conference room remained in a dead silence.

　Except for the president who looked livid, everyone else looked okay - they had already known the truth, which was so bad that it couldn't be any worse.

　There has also been a certain consensus and psychological expectation on how events will develop next.

　Now, they are just "respectfully seeking the Holy Judgement" and waiting for the final decision from President Kennedy Jr.

　"So, if I want to fulfill my promise and successfully land on the moon this year, I can only rely on deception? Very good, very good..."

　After a moment, the depressed President Kennedy finally made a decision. He raised his head and gave Fili, who was sitting at the bottom of the conference table, a look that said "I believe you". "Colonel King, you used movie special effects to shoot the

　I've already seen the moon landing video that came out, and it's fantastic! Aside from the fact that the content isn't real, I can't see any flaws at all! So, let's do it!

　Next, all of you, immediately establish a moon landing fraud task force! Deceive the entire world for me! I will personally instruct FBI Director Hoover and his department to fully mobilize and cooperate with all of your fraudulent activities over the coming months!

　In short, no matter what, you must make the public and the Soviets believe that we Americans landed on the moon this year!"

　He pounded the table with his fist and said firmly,

　I know that perhaps this shocking hoax will be exposed one day, and perhaps you and I will one day become historical clowns. But it will not be this year, and it will not be during my presidency!

　As long as I am president, the Apollo program must be a success, Americans must land on the moon, and win the space race with the Soviet Union!

　And it’s not happening in the distant future, it’s happening this year! Within the next two hundred days!”

　President Kennedy Jr. stood up, glaring at Kissinger and Fieri, and at all the people present. His face was clearly flushed with illness. He slammed the table one last time and harshly issued an ultimatum: "This is the President's order!"

　The professional and amateur scammers present looked at each other, and soon reached a cooperation agreement in silence.

　"As you wish, Mr. President. The Apollo moon landing program will be a success, and before Christmas this year!"

　Thomas Payne, the normally fawning NASA administrator, said to the president, "Please look forward to good news from space!"

　"As long as my country needs me to lie and cheat, I will do my best to fool the world! Mr. President!"

　Fili echoed his determination, "I'll spread the deception across the stars and play the biggest joke of the century on all of humanity!"

　The moon landing story in "The Adventures of Tintin" already uses rockets

　Therefore, science fiction fans across the United States and even the world are excited and looking forward to the good news.

　Amidst this bustling activity, a Hollywood crew, ostensibly filming a promotional video for NASA, quietly arrived at the astronaut training base at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, almost unnoticed.

　-

　Neil

　Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins, three middle-aged Americans who were also born in 1930, took the initiative to apply to become astronauts in the early 1960s, following the space fever brought about by the launch of the first astronaut Gagarin.

　- If the pilots during World War II were considered the most stylish profession by the people at that time, knights of the sky soaring in the blue sky; then the astronauts during the space race became the trendsetters of the new era. Every astronaut was a glorious existence like an angel or a saint in the eyes of ordinary people.

　In general, as a brand new industry that has just been born, the life of an astronaut is glorious but also difficult.

　They have to learn a lot of scientific knowledge, including astronomy, geology, space navigation theory, rocket technology, the most advanced communication technology, and the working principles of various complex instruments on the spacecraft. These are high-end courses that even the smartest American college students find difficult to learn.

　What's even worse is that because space exploration has just begun, even scientists cannot guarantee that the cosmic knowledge taught to astronauts is correct, so they often have to make corrections while teaching, and overturn everything from time to time, making learning even more painful for astronauts.

　In addition, in order to maintain a strong body, astronauts have to engage in high-intensity physical exercise and undergo regular physical examinations. Many of the examination items are extremely painful - for example, they have to jump up and down from a narrow table continuously, and measure their blood pressure by standing in a large bucket of ice water; they have to be blindfolded and sit on a rapidly rotating vibrating chair, holding a joystick to keep the chair balanced; they have to stay in a stuffy sauna for two hours, or stay in a small soundproof dark room for dozens of hours to test their psychological qualities in extreme situations, etc.

　Although all these studies and training were extremely arduous, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins, as talented elites carefully selected from across the country during the golden age of the United States, still passed the rigorous assessment and became glorious astronauts.

　In January 1969, after a selection process that was said to be quite strict and careful, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins were selected as crew members of the Apollo 11 spacecraft, and they were also the first group of warriors in the human lunar expedition.

　Among them, Armstrong served as the spacecraft commander, Aldrin was the lunar module pilot, and Collins was the command module pilot.

　After that, the three peers began more intense and rigorous training preparations.

　They spent countless hours studying geology and lunar maps; they practiced the navigation computer, crafted by a textile worker with a needle; they conducted repeated simulated flights in the simulation rooms of the command module and lunar module; they practiced simulated lunar landings in a variety of simulated training grounds, practicing imaginary "lunar flights" and "lunar walks"...

　For nearly six months, Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins were virtually isolated from the world, unable even to meet, call, or write to their family and friends. But they told a New York Times reporter, who came with special permits, that they didn't feel alone. Their hearts were connected to the world, and people around the world were watching them, anticipating a great moment.

　However, just as the calendar turned to June and the scheduled launch date of the Apollo 11 spacecraft was getting closer, the atmosphere at the Apollo lunar astronaut training base suddenly became relaxed for some reason.

　不仅

　Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins and the rest of the substitute team members were allowed to meet with their family and friends, and several parties were held for everyone to relax and have fun. A Hollywood film crew also came to the training base, saying that they wanted to shoot a promotional film about the moon landing, "We Fly to the Moon," before the Apollo 11 spacecraft set off to land on the moon, and hoped that the astronauts would cooperate.

　All the astronauts expressed their understanding of participating in promotional activities.

　——In the United States, everything is about money. No matter how big a thing you want to do, you can’t do it without money.

　Captain America in the Marvel movies, after being injected with the super soldier serum and successfully evolving into a busty muscular man, didn't he also first become an idol in a dance troupe, singing and dancing on tour everywhere, selling national debt for two years, and then went to Europe to fight a war for half a year?

　For a spectacle like the Apollo moon landing, which cost a lot of money, how can Congress allocate funds to NASA if it cannot release some good news frequently?

　In order to shut up some congressmen and prevent them from criticizing the aerospace sector for spending too much, astronauts naturally have the obligation to guest star as idols:

　To put it bluntly, isn't it just about talking in front of the camera and saying a few nice words full of positive energy? They already have a script in mind!

　In short, the promotional video went very smoothly. Just by showing the huge rocket, the sci-fi-looking spacecraft, and the command center with flashing lights and instruments everywhere in front of the camera, and then having the astronauts pose in their spacesuits, it was enough to make the general public

　The knowledgeable people were filled with awe.

　Moreover, during the filming of this promotional video, NASA also came up with a new gadget - a scroll-like automatically extending American flag!

　Originally, the American flag that the Apollo spacecraft intended to plant on the moon was made of ordinary nylon and had to be folded to save space. The astronauts didn't think this was a problem, but now the White House believes that the flag might become wrinkled and unsightly.

　So the American flag was changed to a thicker chemical fiber, the size was reduced accordingly, and it was placed in a slender cylinder. When the flag was inserted, it was pulled out little by little like unrolling a scroll. In this way, the flag surface could become very flat, without wrinkles or vibrations, and looked more decent.

　——In front of the crew's camera, Armstrong personally tried to pull this specially made national flag for promotion and display.

　However, after the public filming was completed, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins were not allowed to leave for a rest. Instead, they were mysteriously taken to a screening room by several CIA agents and watched a silent film...

　-

　Watching the "live video of the moon landing" playing on the screen, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins were stunned and looked at each other.

　It wasn't until the video finished playing and the lights came back on for a while that Commander Armstrong began to question, "Is this... a simulated moon landing filmed in a studio? Or has another group of people already successfully landed on the moon besides us?"

　"Of course it's a studio film, gentlemen. They're portraying you in the future on the moon!"

　Ferry, wearing a colonel's uniform, stepped forward with a smile on his face to answer the question, but this made the astronauts even more confused.

　Armstrong was stunned for a moment before he asked blankly, "Why?"

　"Because NASA can't transmit a good television signal from the moon back to Earth! The White House requires live broadcast of the lunar landing images to the world. However, current communication conditions can only barely transmit photos. It is difficult to transmit a television signal directly to Earth from the moon, 380,000 kilometers away.

　The Apollo 10 spacecraft once tried to send images back to the ground from lunar orbit, but the images were all blurry and unreadable.

　NASA Administrator Thomas Payne also stood up, telling lies without blushing or beating his heart. "But the President's will cannot be violated. He said that the moon landing must be broadcast live on TV, and it must be foolproof. So we have to complete this impossible task for the White House!"

　The only way we can think of is to shoot a short video in advance to show you astronauts walking on the moon, planting the flag, and waving to the camera. Then, when you are on the moon, we will broadcast this short video on TV..."

　"This short film has been submitted to the White House, and the President expressed his satisfaction after reviewing it. However, there's still one last, crucial step before post-production is complete: dubbing! Astronauts, if we want to fool the world, we can't do without your voices!"

　Phiri added, "We are here today to complete the dubbing work for this short film."

　"So, NASA is planning to fake the live broadcast of the moon landing? And they're going to make us dub our own voices on TV?"

　Armstrong said this with a frown, and Aldrin and Collins also looked a little unhappy.

　Obviously, for these chosen ones, this kind of fraud is simply a tarnishing of their honor.

　"

　Unfortunately, this is the reality you will face—if you don't have the necessary skills, you'll have to resort to cheating!"

　Looking at the three astronauts with grim and gloomy expressions, Fieri calmly pushed everything upwards, "This is the president's order, representing the will of the commander-in-chief! Gentlemen, it is the duty of soldiers to obey orders. Please don't make it difficult for us. Let's get started!"

　He pointed to the recording studio not far away and made a "please" gesture.