American Strategic Deception Bureau

　So, since they were going to drop a nuclear bomb on German soil anyway, they might as well not bother two people and just create a mushroom cloud in the same place.

　This will also reduce the scope of the nuclear contaminated area on the European continent, so that more Germans will not be implicated and suffer!

　Since a group of Germans are destined to live in a radioactive wasteland, let's just let those who are already living in the radioactive wasteland continue to suffer a little more.

　Thus, under the arrangement of the French intelligence department, a disguised American armored vehicle, carrying a small French-made nuclear bomb, quietly arrived at the gate of the US Fifth Army base in Heidelberg and was remotely detonated before the US military police had time to react...

　Then, in a split second, a flash of light exploded into a fireball of intense light and destructive energy.

　A "brilliant radiation" lit up the night sky over Heidelberg, and the U.S. military base near the epicenter was instantly reduced to ashes.

　The suffocating heat and wind swept everything away, melting the reinforced concrete and leaving human shadows on the ground and the remaining walls. Then, everything from the barracks to the warehouses and the seemingly solid semi-underground fortifications was swept away by the scorching wind like from hell.

　Within seconds, thousands were charred. Some died instantly, while many more writhe on the ground, screaming in agony from the burns. Heavy tanks and trucks, shattered by the shockwaves of the nuclear explosion, seemed as light as matchboxes, lifted high into the air, and then crashed back down.

　The surrounding trees and mountains were also instantly dried out and ignited by the radiation from the nuclear bomb, and in a moment a raging fire broke out with flames rising into the sky.

　The rising sparks and ashes were scattered by the shock wave, making the fire more and more intense and spreading rapidly like a volcanic eruption!

　The French nuclear bomb dropped on Heidelberg had a TNT equivalent of approximately 1 tons, comparable to the "Little Boy" atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. In the nuclear arsenal of any major power, it would be considered a mere toy. But for mortals, it was an unbearable burden.

　When the Heidelberg nuclear explosion occurred, the commander of the U.S. Fifth Army, who had just returned by car, was killed on the spot, and the entire headquarters building was destroyed.

　The building was flattened to the ground, and almost all the staff in the building were killed in the nuclear explosion. Only two people hid in the sturdy basement and survived temporarily.

　The ruins of nearby barracks were also engulfed in flames. Tents and lawns were ablaze, as were oil depots, ammunition depots, and warehouses for daily supplies. Even food warehouses, garages, and hangars were ablaze, one after another, some exploding violently. The toxic fumes from the exploding munitions and the burning rubber and plastics mixed with the radioactive fallout, creating a double threat, destroying the lives of those who survived the nuclear explosion.

　Next, when everyone within a thirty-kilometer radius was awakened by the loud explosion and dazzling flash, they emerged from their houses and squinted in the direction of the change. Suddenly, they saw with horror a bright mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke gradually taking shape under the red night sky illuminated by the fire.

　The scene beneath the mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke looked like boiling asphalt—the black boiling smoke enveloped everything, which was shocking.

　Half an hour after the atomic bomb exploded, a light rain mixed with sticky black substance began to fall on the heads of the survivors.

　In the catastrophe that preceded this, over 3,000 American soldiers and over 2,000 Germans who made their livings serving the US base had already perished from the nuclear explosion, fires, and collapsed buildings. Over 10,000 more suffered excruciating pain from severe burns, or were exposed to and inhaled the devastating toxic mist and excessive radiation. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they would all die within a month.

　As for the number of people who suffered minor injuries and disabilities in this disaster, it is estimated that the number will exceed 50,000.

　Thus, by destroying the US military base in Heidelberg and dismantling the US Fifth Army, the French exacted their revenge for the Paris nuclear bombing, striking a blow to NATO from behind and demonstrating to the US that even Gallic chickens have sharp teeth and claws, ready to peck at your flesh at any moment. So don't expect to be offered free rides and extorted daily: We French are not the kind of people who simply surrender!

　Of course, on the surface, French President Pompidou quickly issued a statement saying that according to reliable intelligence, the atomic bomb attack on the Heidelberg base was carried out by an anti-American Arab group in a certain Palestinian region. The purpose was to punish the United States for its strong support for Israel in the Fourth Middle East War, which brought great suffering to the Arab nation - it was also a tit-for-tat.

　The Germans, on the other hand, lamented, "Why is it always me who gets hurt?" while swallowing their anger.

　What else could be done? As a defeated nation in World War II and the leader of the Axis powers, post-war Germany was burdened with original sin.

　The successive West German governments had relied on keeping a low profile and pretending to be grandsons, and finally, after more than 20 years, they were no longer looked down upon.

　Who would have thought that after the British traveled to the world of "Cyberpunk 2077" and came back, and regarded the history of that parallel world as the future of this world, and really believed that the unified Germany would be in the shell of the European Community, and in the 21st century, it would resist the Soviet Union in the east and conquer America in the west, dominate the earth, and make the entire New World abandon the US dollar and use the euro... West Germany once again became the target of public criticism, and those strange eyes are back again!

　After all, everyone originally thought that after losing two world wars in a row and having the remaining territory divided in two, the Germans should have run out of luck and become honest... But who knew that this guy was not honest at all, and secretly gave everyone a big surprise!

　So, West Germany, with its size as a moderately developed country, had to bear the pressure of the world hegemon in a state of complete bewilderment!

　The feeling of "bearing the weight of the crown before wearing it" really makes the Federal German government in Bonn feel helpless.

　Even if the secret struggle between the United States and France resulted in another nuclear explosion on its own soil, West Germany could only swallow the humiliation and swallow its anger...

　Because there is really no other way - you can't just hang up the red flag and join the Communist Party, right?

　For West German politicians and capitalists, it would be better for the country to be reduced to ashes and turned into a radioactive wasteland by nuclear bombs!

　In short, thanks to this sharp counterattack, although the exchange rate of the franc did not rebound much, the exchange rate of the German mark ushered in another wave of sharp decline.

　The already tense world tension rose to a new level, almost like a bowstring about to break.

　To put it in an analogy, it is similar to the confrontation between the Indian princely states and the British East India Company.

　Chapter 583: The Germans squeezed more and more oil

　Just like the last time the CIA sent someone to nuke Paris and bring down the Eiffel Tower, this time, after France launched a special operation against the US and nuked the Heidelberg base housing US troops in Germany, it immediately threw out an excuse and scapegoat that the US could use to appease its people.

　This is to avoid making things too blatant and leaving the US unable to find an excuse to deceive itself and being left hanging in the air.

　——Yes, it is the so-called anti-American organization of Arabs in the Palestinian region, the "Islamic Resistance Movement".

　But the question is, will President Nixon in the White House follow the baton from the Elysee Palace?

　And will the arrogant gentlemen on Capitol Hill be willing to settle the matter peacefully and go down the ladder provided by the French?

　Therefore, the whole world is currently unclear about whether the United States will back down after the Heidelberg nuclear explosion and make a big deal out of a small matter, or will it simply take advantage of the opportunity to launch a blitzkrieg against France and kick France out of the ranks of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council?

　After all, fighting the Vietnamese monkeys is just a waste of blood and money with little profit. But fighting the French is really too much profit and benefit!

　Nazi Germany, which was so poor that it "wanted guns but not butter" at the time, was now well-fed after conquering France in the blitzkrieg.

　The American hegemony, which has been tormented to the point of impoverishment and financial ruin, is eager to recover and may even want to bite France hard.

　But if that were the case, the consequence would be a major conflict among the five permanent members of the Security Council, a NATO civil war with nuclear bombs flying everywhere (although France has withdrawn from NATO, it is still a member of the liberal camp), and half of the European continent west of the Iron Curtain might be reduced to a radioactive wasteland in a mushroom cloud...

　Well, if the Soviets on the east side of the Iron Curtain see the fierce fighting in the west and feel itchy to join in, then the whole of Europe will be reduced to zero!

　This is really unsettling!

　However, as a person who is somewhat foresighted, Firi put his mind at ease early on.

　At this moment, looking at the various newspapers full of jokes about the Cold War hell that emerged in response to the nuclear explosion, I was simply laughing out loud.

　Although his correspondent and confidential secretary was still worried about this.

　"

　"Sir, the White House has sent the latest instructions, asking us to create more explosive news, or simply spread rumors. No matter what type, as long as it can attract attention. The purpose is to suppress the spread of the Heidelberg nuclear explosion incident and distract the public."

　Wolfe Lee walked over with a confidential document and handed it to Fili. His expression was rather melancholy, and his originally round face seemed to have become a little pointed at the chin. "Sir, are we really going to fight the French this time?"

　"

　Oh, are you afraid of fighting? Have you ever seen a real war before? "

　While reading the document, Firi jokingly said,

　Don't worry, there won't be a war. If President Nixon wanted to stage another Normandy Landing and strike our allies from across the Atlantic, he would definitely be fanning the flames of hatred between the US and France, not quietly suppressing the heat..."

　“Really?” Wolf Lee blinked, “

　The French just wiped out our Fifth Army!"

　"We knocked down their Eiffel Tower and burned down Notre Dame before!

　This is merely a test, far from a serious fight. Don't take nuclear bombs too seriously. We're going to have to coexist with nuclear explosions for a long time. If you're frightened by a mere mushroom cloud, then you don't deserve to live in this beautiful yet cruel world.

　Fili curled his lips. "We in the United States have always believed in the survival of the fittest and have the advantage of low human rights. So what if a few thousand or tens of thousands of people died? In the eyes of the gentlemen on Capitol Hill, a million lives are not as much as the shrinking of their assets!"

　On the other hand, in order to plunder global assets, the masters would be happy to sacrifice the lives of one million or even ten million American citizens.

　This time, although the French destroyed our Fifth Army, they also bombed Germany once again, severely damaging the West German economy and once again destroying the German mark's exchange rate, allowing the US dollar to appreciate. The masters in Washington were already overjoyed, so how could they be angry and start a war?

　On the contrary, they will use the French threat to further intimidate West Germany into opening up its financial markets to facilitate the harvesting and plundering of international capital!"

　- During the Cold War, West Germany and Japan were able to rise from the ruins thanks to capital inflows and technology transfers from the United States. In the early stages of their economic development, both governments implemented strict regulations in the financial sector.

　For example, the West German government has always strictly controlled and regulated foreign exchange transactions. Any foreign exchange transaction requires government approval, and restricts capital outflows and the transfer of assets abroad by investors and residents, thus achieving the goal of "Germany makes money and spends it in Germany, don't even think about taking a single mark home."

　This can certainly effectively protect the economic security of the Federal Republic of Germany, but it has made international speculators who want to buy the bottom and cut the leeks extremely unhappy, and has been widely questioned and criticized by the international community in the past. It is just that the United States wants to engage in ideological confrontation with the Soviet Union, and the Cold War at this time is still a competition between each other to see who has the better system, rather than lying flat and comparing each other. Therefore, it had to transform West Germany, which was on the front line of the Cold War, into a "free society."

　The window display".

　For this reason, the United States, the leader of the free camp, had no choice but to tolerate the Germans taking advantage of the country after World War II. The country achieved rapid development by relying on American technology, capital and markets, creating one economic miracle after another, but did not provide much return to the United States itself.

　Perhaps, in the eyes of the United States, which still boasted of its wealth at that time, in order to put up a sign of "reform" and "escape to freedom" in Europe, it was very worthwhile to give up more interests, feed West Germany fatter, and let the people of West Germany live a better life.

　After all, the emperor has no shortage of hungry soldiers, and the United States is not as stingy as it is in the 21st century.

　What's more, the Soviet Union across the border was also trying its best to give preferential treatment to East Germany in terms of material supplies, attempting to turn East Germany into a "showcase of socialism."

　Many popular commodities that are not easy to buy in Moscow can be bought in Berlin!

　To the extent that Soviet soldiers stationed in Germany often had to purchase in-demand goods in East Germany and then mail them to their relatives and friends back home.

　If West Germany were exploited to the point of suffering and unrest like Latin America, East Germany, across the Iron Curtain, would highlight the "superiority of socialism." After comparing the two German perspectives, the people of both countries would conclude that "socialism is better," leading to a reversal of thought across Europe...

　Then, the ideological competition between the United States and the Soviet Union might end with the defeat of the United States, which is obviously unacceptable.

　So, let's suffer a little economically. Everything is for the Cold War, everything is for victory!

　However, now, combined with the "future information" obtained from the UK, the American ruling class realizes that due to their leniency after World War II, they seemed to have fattened West Germany too much, so that it once again became a big tiger dominating the European continent.

　In another twenty years, when the United States loses the Cold War, a reunified Germany will realize Hitler's dream and easily dominate the world!

　Oh my God, this is really like raising a dog to guard the house, but it turned out to be raising a tiger to cause trouble!

　For the arrogant, selfish and narrow-minded American master, how could he tolerate being bitten back by a bastard?

　Just like during the American Revolutionary War, if the British Empire could foresee the history of the next two hundred years, then even if it temporarily gave up all its colonial interests in other parts of the world and staked its last bit of capital, it would fight to the death to defeat the rebels and regain its North American territory!

　Of course, given the ongoing Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, it was unwise to hastily abolish West Germany and force it to "Latin Americanize" and "deindustrialize." Even if the West German ruling class were unlikely to turn to the Communists, if the entire nation were to rebel, the West German authorities might not be able to suppress it even at the risk of their lives.

　What's more, the American society, which is now facing soaring prices and high inflation, also needs to import relatively cheap German goods to meet market demand.

　Therefore, it was necessary to fatten up Germany, not only to win the Cold War, but also to find a reliable place for the production of industrial products for the United States.

　So, in order to be prepared for the future, the German tigers must undergo tooth extraction surgery in advance or be fitted with explosive collars.

　In short, through various means of extortion, they turned German companies into American companies. They even controlled basic industries related to the national economy and people's livelihood, such as electricity, transportation, and tap water. They even controlled the German central bank and completely colonized Germany economically!

　The United States had previously used the Frankfurt nuclear explosion to crack down on Germany and gained a lot of financial benefits.

　This time, by borrowing the French nuclear bombs and hitting Germany again, we can probably make a lot of money.

　Although the gains from each blow are limited, the German government in Bonn will certainly continue to struggle and refuse to spend money to avoid disaster.

　But as long as they keep hammering away, one day Germany will be completely turned into an overseas asset of the United States.

　Anyway, Germans are like sesame seeds. As long as you squeeze them hard, they will definitely produce oil!

　"Dr. Kissinger will soon fly to Bonn as the President's special envoy to demand that West Germany sign more unequal treaties, further open up its financial investment markets, and allow American capital to control major West German companies, such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Zeiss (lenses), BASF (chemicals), Bayer (pharmaceuticals), as well as Germany's railway, aviation, water, and electricity industries."

　Firi revealed to Wolf, "What? What if Germany doesn't agree? It's impossible for them not to agree. Otherwise, the Germans will be bombarded with American nuclear bombs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, French nuclear bombs every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and occasionally Soviet nuclear bombs on weekends!"

　I believe that there may be some naughty and disobedient people among the upper class in Germany, but there will definitely not be any who are reckless.

　From this perspective, the French nuclear bombing of the Fifth Army Headquarters in Heidelberg gave the White House a perfect excuse to hit Germany again. For Washington, which was desperate to find money to fill the hole, it was truly a benefactor..."

　Mouth, feeling a little uncomfortable.

　Wolfe Lee, a portly clerk from Texas. While he appears cheerful and good-tempered, he's actually a staunch believer in "American exceptionalism" and "Manifest Destiny." He's obsessed with the simplistic internationalist philosophy of "I hit you on the left cheek, you should turn the right cheek." He's a classic imperialist who insists on being unreasonable wherever possible.

　If this were still the nineteenth century, he would have scalped an Indian or burned a nigger at the fire without a second thought.

　So, when he heard that President Nixon was not going to fight the French to the end, he felt relieved but also a little sour.

　The great United States has always been known to use its iron fist to beat the world and bully others in various ways. How can it pretend nothing happened after being beaten?

　(I would like to criticize a certain US aircraft carrier battle group that was bombarded with rockets by the Yemeni Houthi rebels in the Red Sea all day long. They are so shameless.)

　According to the thinking of rednecks like Wolf, even if the United States first nuked the French capital of Paris, shouldn't you French just lie down and let the attack happen, playing the "perfect victim" while condemning our tyranny and begging for our mercy?

　How could he stand up and fight us? He's really going against the grain!

　I'm not happy. In short, I'm not happy.

　Although this kind of dissatisfaction is completely unreasonable from any perspective, when have Americans ever been reasonable?

　——This kind of bandit logic of attacking allies with heavy blows sounds very much like the thinking of a domestic violence man, but most hegemonic countries are like this.

　The belief of the city on the hill needs to be maintained by unreasonableness and tyranny!

　Bullying men and women, extortion, robbery and bestiality are also an important part of the American spirit!

　"Don't worry, the French nightmare is yet to come. America is very hungry right now, and such a fat Gallic chicken will definitely not be off the menu unless it is chopped into pieces. After beating Germany, it's time for the French to bleed again."

　Firi shrugged. "The CIA has already begun bribery and lobbying of powerful West African groups. The Marine Corps is also secretly mobilizing and has contacted Liberia to provide a base. They plan anti-French operations in French-controlled West African countries, expel the Illegal Forces, and establish a pro-American regime."

　The military suffered a major loss in Southeast Asia and lost face, so it's time to make amends in Africa. Speaking of which, the Gulf of Guinea is not only closer to the United States, but the surrounding area is full of good places, like the Ivory Coast and the Gold Coast—just hearing the names suggests a wealth of good things!

　The tropical rainforest combat experience our army accumulated in Southeast Asia is now being applied to the tropical rainforests of the Gulf of Guinea in Africa..."

　——Under the background of the Cold War, if the American boss was determined to crack down on West Germany, it would not have to spend too much energy.

　Germany, which was split in two after World War II, was actually a pariah country with original sin and was hated by everyone in the international community. It was a defeated wild dog and a natural villain. No matter how well its economy developed, it had to repent and atone for its sins and could not truly obtain the status of a great power.

　The reason why Aunt Merkel in later generations seems to be able to lead Germany to maneuver and command power on the international stage is that Germany in the early 21st century put on a layer of "European Union" shell on itself and shared France's "special status" as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council.

　But the predecessor of the European Union at the time, the European Community, was far from having the cohesion of the later European Union, and West Germany relied more on clinging to the United States.

　Then, if the United States suddenly changes its attitude towards Germany from support to suppression, Germany will instantly become an orphan in Europe, and even an orphan in the world, and there will be no other influential country in the world willing to help Germany.

　Previously, the United States regarded the Federal Republic of Germany as its "good dog" and provided it with shelter and support.