American Strategic Deception Bureau

　Going further, can the current difficulties facing the United States be easily resolved as long as the people cheer up and have confidence in the country?

　Colonel Haig seemed to be even more confident than Phiri on this issue.

　“The United States is undoubtedly in a state of depression due to setbacks, but this is only a temporary misstep.

　As long as we can instill more patriotism in American citizens and let them continue to believe that they are the chosen people living in the city on the hill, then all difficulties and dangers will not be feared! Even the poorest homeless will proudly lift their chests when they think of the greatness of the United States!

　After hearing what Colonel Haig said, Ferry suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

　Even the most frustrated and downtrodden old white man would puff out his chest with pride when he thinks of the media propaganda that the United States is the most powerful country in the universe?

　Alas, words and sentences like these have basically become insults and curses in the next century.

　But in today's Cold War era, except for those negative and world-weary hippies, most American white men seem to really think so!

　They still firmly believed that the US path was correct and that the US had an obligation to lead all of humanity towards a brighter future. At least initially, the US-Soviet Cold War wasn't a struggle for imperialist interests, but rather a competition between the two camps to prove which had the better social system.

　What the United States and the Soviet Union were competing for was the leadership of the future destiny of human civilization, not a few pieces of land on the map or some vulgar practical interests.

　So, in the late 1950s, when the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, the entire United States, after a brief panic, frankly admitted its backwardness and then enthusiastically threw itself into the space race. The men hammered screws until sparks flew, vowing to plant the American flag in the universe!

　Because in that golden age of America, American men saw their own big houses and beloved dogs, their sons walking towards the school bus, and their daughters in their wives' arms. So there was still light in their eyes, and in their hearts there was the energy to fight for the future of the country and for future generations.

　Even in the 1970s, the US economy had declined a lot, and American workers could no longer support their family, children and two dogs by working alone. However, relying on loans and advance consumption, most American men with some ability could still use the method of overdrawing the future to continue to barely maintain a middle-class standard of living.

　No matter how much debt there is, at least it still looks bright and beautiful.

　Unlike the old white men in the 1920s in the United States, who, upon opening their eyes, were faced with alimony bills from their ex-wives and their adulterers, the news of their daughter's disownment, and the notification of their son's gender reassignment - in such circumstances, they were either left with only decadence and numbness in their hearts, relying entirely on anesthetics to gain brief tranquility; or they were filled with anger towards the country, and resolutely pointed their guns or the front of their cars at the crowds celebrating the New Year.

　There's no way around it; people always seek meaning in their lives. The essence of external propaganda is internal propaganda, its primary goal being to provide emotional value to the country's frustrated, and only secondarily to compete for propaganda positions. The core of traditional American WASP media has always been to convince American audiences that they are God's chosen people, chosen to enter the Ark, while the world outside the Ark is ravaged by a flood, a divine punishment brought on by those who violate the right path.

　As long as this propaganda and brainwashing system of "the country on the mountaintop" and "the chosen people" remains effective, the ethnically diverse and culturally pluralistic United States can maintain a minimum level of cohesion and create an atmosphere of vigorous progress, unity and patriotism.

　But on the other hand, if the truth has deviated too far from the propaganda, no amount of propaganda or brainwashing will help. The increasingly worsening reality of life will gradually puncture the American Dream of the general public and destroy the credibility of all propaganda...

　So, on the surface, nothing may seem to happen, but once it reaches the critical point and breaks out, it will be as terrible as the collapse of the sky and the splitting of the earth.

　If all American citizens thought about every day were their never-ending mortgage payments, denied health insurance, their cheating wives, their transgender sons, and their daughters calling them "biological daddy," would they still harbor any fighting spirit or patriotic passion? Their minds would probably only think, "I'm tired. Let's go!"

　The same logic applies to the Chinese people at the beginning of reform and opening up in the 1980s, when their bodies and minds were exhausted by various turmoil.

　However, China still has the nationalism brought about by its long history as a backup, while once the United States declines, it will not even have this backup.

　Fortunately, it is only the 1970s, and the United States has not yet exhausted the dividends of World War II, and the capital accumulated by its ancestors is far from being completely spent.

　While deindustrialization and industrial relocation are now in full swing in the United States, with Detroit and Flint turning into ruins and the Rust Belt, where future episodes of "Redneck Elegy" are about to take shape, the United States remains the world's leading industrial nation, at least for now.

　Public education is admittedly mediocre, but at least happy education hasn't become popular, and Americans who want to further their studies can still find cheap ways to learn.

　In the minds of most Americans, math Olympiad champions and handicraft masters are still more respected than beauty pageant champions and football quarterbacks.

　Therefore, for Americans who have experienced the golden age, the current bad times, like the Great Depression, are merely temporary difficulties. America is still the invincible country on the mountain. As long as we adjust and endure these difficult times, we will surely be able to hold our heads high again in the future.

　For example, when Gagarin of the Soviet Union went into space, the United States and Britain were still able to politely invite Gagarin to visit, and Queen Elizabeth met him. Wherever he passed, American and British people lined the streets to welcome him instead of throwing rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs along the way, fully demonstrating the dignity and demeanor of a strong man.

　If it were China in the 21st century, American public opinion would probably just jump up and down and curse, smear China in various ways, and further order the people to shut up.

　Just like the latest censorship laws introduced in the UK in 2025, they have already clamped down on speech to a degree even more severe than that of Nazi Germany: any commentary on negative events in the UK is deemed "endangering British democracy," and anyone citing foreign examples to comment on British news is considered "foreign interference." Furthermore, the sentences are extremely harsh. Those who can't control their mouths aren't given a warning or a few days' detention, but at least three to five years in prison!

　The attitude of the British Labour government clearly shows that "don't talk about state affairs" and "shut up, you people!"

　They even called for the arrest of Musk in the United States because he posted a post on Twitter complaining about a lot of bad things in the UK.

　According to China's historical experience, no matter how you look at it, it seems to be a prelude to the "national riot" in the late Western Zhou Dynasty: it really made people "look at each other on the streets"!

　Where are the civil rights that the West is so proud of? Where is the freedom of speech that pro-Western media have been complaining about for years?

　Obviously, this practice of blocking the channels of speech and suppressing public grievances fully demonstrated the extent to which the British government at that time lacked confidence.

　Only a garbage government that has no confidence in its own situation would be so afraid of its citizens speaking out, right?

　In contrast, today's American society is so confident that even the failure of the Vietnam War did not immediately break its backbone.

　"Well, Colonel Haig, your proposal for a pseudo-documentary about an 'alternative world' is excellent, and I strongly support it. It just so happens that my family's Kuroshima Studios is very experienced in special effects, and I'm sure they can meet your needs well, and confidentiality can also be guaranteed."

　Ferry read Colonel Haig's plan again, finally nodded and said, "When President Nixon returns from his visit, we can submit the plan through Dr. Kissinger and apply for funding! However, before that, some preliminary preparatory work can be started.

　I will be responsible for filming the original footage of this "alternative world pseudo-documentary," and you can contact the theaters and try to secure more screens for the release."

　: Russia released a video showing a cow cat waving its claws and shooting down a Ukrainian drone.

　So netizens joked: Now we finally understand why sanctions were imposed on Russian cats at that time.

　Chapter 556: Cold War Relaxation Period (weekend extra update, please vote)

　On a cold morning on January 3, 1971, President Nixon's presidential plane, known as the "Spirit of '76," took a brief rest at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, Japan, then continued to fly westward across the East China Sea and appeared over the Asian continent.

　The elegant fuselage, painted in silver, blue and white, flew over the turbid Yellow River, continued to fly north, and then glided down.

　American journalist Theodore White, who visited China a quarter-century ago as part of President Nixon's team, was astonished by the changes in the landscape: tarmac roads, newly built irrigation canals, neatly arranged farmland, and lush trees lining both sides of the highway.

　"There are actually trees in China!" Snowden exclaimed in surprise - in his memory, the North China Plain in the 1930s and 1940s was bare.

　The president's jet landed at 10:30 a.m. American reporters and television broadcast technicians, who had arrived earlier, were already waiting at the airport.

　The Chinese side also made some preparations in advance, tearing down the big slogan "Down with American Imperialism" and replacing it with "Long Live the Great Unity of the People of the World". The spirited guard of honor sang a Red Army song from the 30s, "Three Disciplines and Eight Points for Attention".

　No matter what real thoughts he had in his heart, at least on this historic day, the Premier of Red China shook hands with the American leader in a friendly manner at the airport, and millions of Americans saw this scene on TV.

　——From now on, the United States will completely change its diplomatic tone in Asia and stop its futile opposition to Red China!

　Then, President Nixon's motorcade drove through the quiet streets and entered the ancient city. Five hours later, the Chinese president and the American president finally shook hands, and a photo of their meeting appeared on the front page of the People's Daily the next morning.

　Well, this group photo also appeared on the cover of the American "Time" magazine not long after.

　However, although the friendly signals between China and the United States have been clearly released, the two sides still have not reached a complete consensus.

　For five consecutive days, the two teams sat opposite each other at a long table covered with a green tablecloth, negotiating for four hours each day, exchanging views fully and sincerely. In the end, they only issued an ambiguous communiqué that talked about the need for more friendship between the Chinese and American people.

　The US withdrew all its troops from Taiwan but did not agree to stop arms sales to Taiwan. Furthermore, it made a series of sporadic demands on China, some of which were insulting. Therefore, after being sternly rejected, China did not agree to immediately restore diplomatic relations with the US.

　However, the real significance of this high-level meeting between China and the United States lies in the fact that this meeting was finally held.

　No matter how American diplomats complained and tried to sabotage him, President Nixon was determined to show friendship.

　Every night, he attended a grand three-hour banquet in the Great Hall of the People, clumsily using ivory chopsticks to eat eight courses, toasting with Maotai liquor that was not very to his taste, listening to the band playing revolutionary songs, and occasionally watching table tennis, badminton and gymnastics performances.

　The First Lady also enthusiastically visited the kindergarten, canteen kitchen, rural commune and acupuncture clinic, although she was afraid of needles.

　In Beijing, the Nixons visited the Forbidden City and climbed the 2200-year-old Great Wall of China. The president and his wife then flew to Hangzhou, where they toured the gardens of the city Marco Polo called the greatest in the world and took a boat trip on the historic West Lake.

　Finally, the president and his entourage traveled from Hangzhou to Shanghai, where they issued the Sino-US Joint Communiqué and concluded his visit to China.

　Although this diplomatic visit was more show than substance, Americans still have a high opinion of it.

　Many of Nixon's remarks during his visit to China were published in magazines and newspapers in both China and the United States, and some were even included in textbooks.

　For example, upon seeing the emperor's sedan chair in the Forbidden City, Nixon remarked, "You don't get much exercise riding in a sedan all the time." On the Great Wall, he remarked, "A people who could build a wall like this must have a great past to be proud of; a people with such a past is sure to have a great future. As we look at this wall, we cannot help but think that we must never allow any such walls to exist between peoples."

　Of course, in Hangzhou, he did not forget to secretly complain about the "beautiful West Lake and the dilapidated city."

　Compared with his visit to China, which was more show than substance, Nixon's subsequent visit to the Soviet Union actually had more practical significance.

　Since the late 1950s, tensions between Moscow and Beijing have been steadily rising. With Nixon's visit to China, the Soviets are even more suspicious of the Chinese and Americans' ill intentions. Moscow Radio denounced the Shanghai Communiqué as "nothing more shameless and hypocritical." Eastern European media echoed the Soviet message, while North Korea and Red Vietnam maintained an awkward silence.

　But the funny thing is that during President Nixon’s subsequent visit to the Soviet Union, he received a much more grand welcome than in Beijing.

　As his "Spirit of '76" descended over the glittering domes of the Kremlin cathedrals and glided to the waiting Soviet Chairman, the Council of Ministers Chairman, the Foreign Minister, and others,

　When people stopped nearby, they saw countless American stars and stripes waving next to the hammer and sickle flag.

　Although Brezhnev did not personally greet Nixon at the airport, he had already prepared a former Tsarist residence in the Kremlin for President Nixon's stay. That evening, the Soviet and American leaders hosted a caviar and champagne feast in the Kremlin. The banquet, toasts, and ballet performances were all extremely sumptuous. Starting the next morning, the First Lady toured Soviet schools, Red Square, the famous Moscow Metro, and state-owned department stores. Her husband's photo was featured on the front page of Pravda. This continued daily throughout the week-long high-level US-Soviet talks.

　Of course, the first lady's Moscow trip was largely just a distraction from the news media.

　The real heart of the talks remained under the huge gilded chandeliers of St. Vladimir's Hall in the Kremlin.

　——After a "frank and pragmatic" exchange, the leaders of the two countries quickly reached some consensus and decided to achieve an understanding between the United States and the Soviet Union within the next period of time so that both countries could free up their hands to solve some more urgent troubles and problems.

　President Nixon agreed to forgive all of the $108 billion in debt the Soviet Union borrowed under the Lend-Lease Act during World War II.

　Brezhnev agreed to convene a European security conference and work with the United States to reduce the number of missiles deployed in Central Europe.

　- Note: Infantry, tanks, airborne troops, etc. other than missiles are not included in the reduction. Moscow and Washington do not mind letting Europe burn, as long as the flying sparks do not hit their faces.

　In addition, the United States and the Soviet Union also agreed to peacefully cooperate in space exploration, with a planned space docking of their spacecraft in 1973; agreed to stop harassing each other's ships on the high seas; and agreed to jointly study issues such as public health, cancer, heart disease, and pollution.

　In Asia, the United States has completely withdrawn from the struggle for regional hegemony in Southeast Asia and only humbly hopes to maintain its military presence in Singapore and Bali; the Soviet Union respects the United States' remaining interests and promises to urge the Malayan Communist Party to exercise restraint and not take action against Singapore.

　Even on the Middle East issue, the US and the Soviet Union reached a consensus: President Nixon frankly acknowledged the outcome of the Fourth Middle East War, but demanded that the Soviet Union preserve Israel's remaining 6000 square kilometers of land - otherwise, all the Jews would flee to the United States.

　Brezhnev generously guaranteed this: as a major extraterritorial power intervening in the situation in the Middle East, the Soviet Union actually needed an "outlier" like Israel to be rooted in the Arab world in the Middle East, acting as a wedge and a handle to stir up the situation in the Middle East.

　It’s just that the United States needs a strong Israel that can deter all sides; while the Soviet Union wants Israel to be weak so that it can be easier to control.

　Thus, the two leaders agreed on the general direction, leaving the details to US Secretary of State Rogers and Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko. Then, protocol personnel appeared with blue and red leather-bound folders, and Nixon and Brezhnev signed the documents.

　President Nixon later told reporters:

　We have designed a roadmap. Although we don't know whether we can stick to it, as long as all signs are not wrong, this declaration will have great significance for the future.

　The differences between the two major social systems could now be expressed in a treaty without resorting to an ideological holy war.

　Through the upcoming European Security Conference, the two superpowers will be brought closer together, and the understanding between them will become the world's most important political reality for a considerable period of time. I hope that through the efforts of our generation, the Cold War will come to an end..."

　In general, this private collusion between the United States and the Soviet Union caused many countries in the world to worry and even be indignant.

　Especially those countries that had swung back and forth on the edge of the Cold War's iron curtain, reaping the benefits from both sides, such as India and Yugoslavia, felt a sense of uncertainty and loss, as if their minimum living allowance had been withdrawn. European "liberal camp" countries like Britain, France, Germany, and Italy also did not want to see a US-Soviet reconciliation.

　These old imperialist countries would rather see the United States and the Soviet Union continue to "fight but not break up", thus leaving them with a relaxed living space.

　However, when the two dominant powers in the world want to make a deal, no external force can stop them.

　The hawkish forces within the game who sought to prevent détente between the US and the Soviet Union have been thrown into a state of confusion since the British frigate brought back "future information" from the Cyberpunk 2077 world, and have been forced to temporarily silence their voices. Knowing that the "future world" would see the resurgence of Germany and Japan, with both the US and the Soviet Union suffering losses, they still insisted on promoting anti-Soviet sentiment? Is this a mistake?

　Did you accept money from Germany or Japan? How dare you call yourself a patriot?

　Isn't this just like those who, after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, continued to cry "The enemy is the Soviet Union" and opposed declaring war on Japan? Such anti-Soviet lunatics are either "Nazi remnants" or "Axis running dogs," and they should be trampled to death on the spot and stepped on by ten thousand feet!

　Obviously, no matter how hawkish the right-wing conservative forces are, they cannot say "we would rather the United States perish than remain anti-Soviet."

　Therefore, when the public's thoughts completely reversed, they could only keep silent and watch the situation change.

　.

　Just like the anti-Soviet fanatics in the United States during World War II, if they didn't want to be labeled as traitors, they had no choice but to acquiesce in the US-Soviet alliance.

　——To collude with Japan just because you insist on being anti-Soviet? This is simply the most stupid thing in the world!

　Of course, even if the US and the Soviet Union were to collude and the Cold War entered a period of détente, the perceptions and relationships of European allies still needed to be maintained.

　In order to appease allies in the liberal camp, after leaving Moscow, Nixon continued to visit Bonn, London, Brussels, Rome and Paris, assuring everywhere that the United States would not abandon its obligations and would continue to protect Europe's free society.

　So, before President Nixon concluded his lengthy world tour, Dr. Kissinger had already returned from his visit to South Korea. Instead of heading directly to Washington, he returned to Los Angeles. There, he discussed his experiences in Korea with Fieri and Colonel Haig, while enjoying a mockumentary that Fieri had just produced at home: a dark version of The Wizard of Oz set in an "English-speaking alternate world"...

　Author's Note: PS: The recent situation in South Korea is like the strange plot after Sima Yi's Gaopingling Incident, where Cao Shuang was detained in Luoyang but could not be killed. If Sima Yi had repeatedly ordered the execution of Cao Shuang, and his loyalists had repeatedly disobeyed orders, the court would have been filled with fights and curses every day.

　So if after months or even years of tossing and turning, Sima Yi died, and Cao Shuang was still alive, what would become of the country of Cao Wei?

　The idea of ​​the new book is that a powerful official will kill the emperor and depose him in a turn-based system. He can't kill the emperor even after trying N times. It will definitely be funny, right?

　Or could we follow the example of Japan's Onin War, where the regicide rebellion turned into eleven years of street fighting in the capital, dragging the entire country to collapse?

　Add to that the five thousand dragons fighting for the throne and the eight thousand kings in rebellion, and there are an average of four or five emperors vying for supremacy in each county. It should be even more interesting.

　Chapter 557: Kissinger Returns from the Madhouse

　"Hey, Fili, Alexander, my trip to South Korea really broadened my horizons. It's like a giant mental hospital disguised as a country! Those South Korean officials clearly don't have much talent, but they're even harder to deal with than the Japanese. They're incredibly sensitive, always breaking their promises, and playing dirty like thugs. Every time they speak, they act like they owe the whole world a debt.

　The Korean people are also a group of born mobs. They take to the streets to cause trouble at any time, shouting all kinds of contradictory and outrageous slogans. They are even crazier than hippies.

　They're protesting the US withdrawal from the 38th parallel, calling it abandoning allies and irresponsible, and then protesting the US military presence in South Korea, calling it imperialist hegemony and a new era of colonization. Are they trying to force the US military to withdraw, or do they simply not want it to leave?

　Are we expecting the United States to be a philanthropist, not station troops there or interfere in South Korea's internal affairs, but to generously donate money, weapons, and supplies for free?"

　In Pasadena, Los Angeles, at the Federal Space Forces Command and Strategic Deception Bureau, which had just expanded its staff and rented an extra office, and finally gained some popularity, Dr. Kissinger, who had once again rushed back from Asia, sat on the sofa and drank coffee while complaining: "President Park Chung-hee of the Blue House was also talking incoherently when talking to me. Sometimes he hoped that the US troops stationed in South Korea would not withdraw, saying that the South Korean army could not independently support the defense of the 38th parallel and needed US military support to be confident in resisting the threat from the north. The South Korean government would do its best to provide logistical support for the US troops stationed in South Korea. Then he kept crying poor, saying that South Korea's finances and people's livelihoods were also in trouble, and that the recent development of heavy industry had cost a huge amount of money, but it was not going well and there was a lack of overseas markets. He hoped that the United States could provide more financial support and technical guidance.

　In the end, they still want to ask the White House for more money and supplies! Don’t you see what the United States is like now?

　I couldn't help but make a few sarcastic remarks to him. Unexpectedly, the South Korean president got furious on the spot and threatened to change his attitude towards the United States!

　Oh my God, who is praying to whom for asylum now? Does the South Korean government think it is Israel?

　"Hey, Dr. Kissinger, President Park Chung-hee didn't ask you to kneel down and apologize to him. For their people, that's a very sensible thing to do. North Koreans have always been like this, boasting without thinking and performing performance art more exaggerated than anyone else."

　Fili sighed and said, “He always claims to be infinitely loyal and devoted, and he readily agrees to any condition.

　But if you really ask them to do something concrete, these North Koreans will most likely shirk their responsibilities. Once you question them, they will cry out that they have their own difficulties and cannot do that, and that it is all someone else's fault. They themselves have only infinite loyalty and countless grievances.