American Strategic Deception Bureau

　Next, even if they only offered 6% of the price per kilogram of uranium, the French would use various pretexts and deductions to deduct 92% of the purchase price, leaving only 8% for the Nigerien government. Furthermore, this 8% had to be deposited in a French bank, and the Nigerien government could not use it at will. To use the money, they had to apply to the French government and obtain approval. Generally speaking, to get this pitiful amount of money (in African uranium mining, black uncles are really risking their lives), the Nigerien government had to bribe the French!

　If you think that's the end of it, you've underestimated the brutal exploitation of French capitalists. France believes that Niger still has money to earn and will not let the black uncle get even a little bit of benefit. So it simply imposed an additional special tax of 96% on Niger's uranium mines!

　As a result, Niger, which has a lot of money, has been forced to suffer increasing losses while mining uranium in the face of radiation.

　At the worst time, not only did the people of Niger work hard for a year and earn nothing, but the natural environment was polluted by radiation from uranium mining and the indiscriminate dumping of waste by French companies. A large number of unprotected workers contracted radiation sickness and died young, and economically they had to pay the French more than 10 million US dollars in compensation every year!

　As a major nuclear power in Europe, two out of every three light bulbs in Paris, France, are lit by uranium from Niger. However, Nigeriens are extremely short of electricity, and most people are forced to live in darkness until the 21st century.

　Because of the French's inhumane exploitation, Niger has become one of the poorest countries in the world. The average person's monthly salary is only enough to eat.

　A vegetable salad. Compared to this, the notorious United Fruit Company in Latin America seemed so kind and compassionate. Even if United Fruit was a scoundrel, at least it didn't force Latin American workers to work for free, harvesting bananas at their own expense, and then paying the company a huge sum of money every year!

　Therefore, later on, when Russia's Wagner mercenaries came to Africa and helped the Nigeriens drive away the French, even though the Russians wanted to take half of the uranium mine income as protection money, the people of Niger were still grateful. The people took to the streets shouting Wagner's name and were extremely happy.

　Well, by the way, the export price of Niger uranium ore was raised 250 times in one go, so now I can finally make some money.

　In addition to Niger's uranium mines, the French have also exploited the minerals and agricultural products of various countries in the former French African colonies in almost the same way - they monopolize the resources and do not allow free trade. They have to sell them to France at super-low prices, and most of the final payment is deducted. The remaining small amount is also subject to heavy taxes and is often stuck in French banks and cannot be withdrawn, making the black uncles in these countries lose more money the harder they work.

　So much so that the black uncles in West Africa would lament: "We have resources, but why do we live like slaves?"

　What? You think the French treatment is too harsh? You want to flip the table? What do you think the French troops are doing? They have gun barrels pointed at your heads!

　So get down on your knees and work hard, serve obediently, starve every day, and then thank your French masters for allowing you to breathe another day!

　Then, the French treated Africa as their own backyard, excluding other countries from entering, while at the same time they did not have enough domestic capital for investment and construction. As a result, more than a dozen former French African colonies, regardless of whether they had mines or not, were generally extremely poor.

　The local people's dream is just to have a few full meals, clean water and a few decent clothes, but even these have not been met for decades.

　Because France has to extract another $500 billion in direct income from the already extremely poor West Africa every year, the local area cannot accumulate any wealth at all.

　Now, the bald eagle has defeated the Gallic rooster, the French have left Africa, and the Americans have taken over.

　This is certainly not true national liberation, but it is at least a new change that gives people hope.

　Next, if the United States treats its newly acquired African territories with the same attitude it treats Latin America, and is willing to pay international market prices, or even half of international market prices, for the natural resources of these countries, African black uncles will cheer and thank President Nixon for his great kindness.

　In short, due to the inhumane plundering efforts of their former French masters, the African natives had no attachment to the French retreat, and numbly watched the American flag rise on their doorsteps. Even those former black elites, who were fluent in French, were now scrambling to learn English.

　If European countries expect the black natives in West Africa to immediately launch an anti-American wave, they are really thinking too much.

　But despite this, the consequences of the United States' beating of France and attack on West Africa are still serious, and the impact in Europe is particularly bad.

　Because when the United States and France were fighting for Africa, the Swedish crisis, which had been fanned as a smokescreen, was tantamount to appeasement of the Soviet Union.

　When the United States' "Special Military Operation against France" ended with the American flag flying along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and the African strategy was a great success, the abandoned and betrayed Swedish government had no choice but to surrender to the Soviet Union and accept the so-called "Finlandization" disposal plan.

　That is, Sweden would be allowed to retain its existing capitalist liberal political and economic system. However, it would have to fully accommodate Soviet demands in foreign and international affairs, effectively submitting to the Soviet Union in exchange for nominal independence. Furthermore, the Soviet Union would station troops in Sweden and be granted free passage throughout the country to ensure that no armed groups or terrorists would exploit Sweden's geographical location to launch attacks on the Soviet mainland.

　At this point, as the Soviet army stepped into Stockholm, Sweden's history as a "permanently neutral country" came to an end.

　From then on, the Baltic Sea, like the Black Sea, almost became an inland sea of ​​the Soviet Union. Only Denmark, blocking the sea outlet, had not yet been conquered by the Soviet Union.

　Obviously, Sweden's surrender, which was caused by the secret collusion and conspiracy between the United States and the Soviet Union, made Europeans shudder. It reminded them of the "Munich Conspiracy" on the eve of World War II, in which Britain and France conspired to sell out Czechoslovakia to Germany. This time it was Sweden that was sold out, but who will be the next time?

　Afterwards, a Swedish diplomat gave a speech at the European Community headquarters in Brussels, expressing his grief and indignation:

　The Nixon administration's crazy and reckless behavior is testing the bottom line of human civilization and the cornerstone of international order in an unprecedented manner, and is shaking the foundation of the entire civilized world.

　The actions of the Soviets in the Baltic Sea and the Americans in Africa were both huge waves that trampled on justice and civilization.

　President Nixon's secret collusion with the Soviet Union was a blatant betrayal of free countries and a ruthless sellout of the European people. It was a dangerous move that pushed all of humanity into the abyss. It was bound to have a devastating impact on the modern international order and drag the world into a barbaric jungle where the strong prey on the weak!

　Before, when the Soviet fleet was approaching, Sweden, a land that had experienced many hardships but still insisted on freedom, was determined to fight a bloody battle with the powerful enemy in order to defend the independence, freedom and dignity of the country. This was not only for their own homeland, but also to protect the flame of civilization and to practice the universal values ​​of European free countries. Therefore, it was widely supported by Western European countries.

　hold.

　However, Sweden's resistance was betrayed by the United States. The Nixon administration sacrificed Sweden's sovereignty and freedom just to stab another free country in Western Europe. This undoubtedly sent a dangerous signal to the world: weak countries have no diplomacy, and cannons are the truth.

　From now on, the international order will be plunged into complete chaos. Countries will no longer trust in the constraints of international law and international organizations, but will instead rely on force to resolve disputes. Fairness and justice will be completely annihilated, and Europeans will be forced back into a barbaric era of violence and bloodshed. Trust between nations will be severely undermined, the strong will be able to bully the weak with impunity, and freedom and equality will lose their meaning.

　The shock President Nixon brought to the civilized world was a crushing blow to the very ideals of the free world. Universal values ​​such as freedom, equality, and democracy have been the goals humanity has constantly pursued and strived for throughout history, and they are the radiant fruits of modern European civilization. But now, all these efforts seem to have been undone by Nixon's impact, and the world is left languishing in darkness, with no direction to move forward.

　In the past, the United States has always touted itself as the leader of the free world, committed to defending freedom and human rights. But now, its hypocrisy and bloodthirsty nature have been thoroughly exposed. Other countries will see the true face of the United States, which is willing to sacrifice its allies and betray justice for its own benefit.

　America’s credibility in the international community will be completely destroyed, and it will suffer the consequences of Nixon’s short-sighted policies and decline.”

　——Although the Swedish representative’s speech was full of exaggerations and was filled with "Eurocentrism" and "white arrogance."

　However, it must be said that while Europe and North America still lead the world in industrial productivity, Europe remains the center of world civilization and the focal point of global competition. The actions of the two superpowers in Europe attract more attention than anywhere else.

　When the dust settled on the dramatic changes in Africa and the "Finlandization" of Sweden that year, many Europeans finally broke through the ideological imprint and began to compare the actions of the United States and the Soviet Union. They discovered that the Soviet Union first beat up Hungary and the Czech Republic, and the United States then beat up West Germany and France.

　But at least the Soviets did not drop atomic bombs on Budapest and Prague, while the Americans actually bombed Frankfurt and Paris!

　Thinking of this, many European intellectuals gnashed their teeth in anger and cursed: "With allies like this, what enemies do we need?"

　Then, after reviewing history, they discovered that most of the United States' use of force to backstab its allies began after President Nixon entered the White House. So they adopted the content of the Swedish diplomat's speech at the United Nations General Assembly and called it the "Nixon Shock."

　Just like that, along with the flag changes in West Africa and Sweden, a storm called "Nixon Shock" swept across the entire Western world.

　, is there any difference between the taste of the American nuclear bomb and the taste of the Soviet nuclear bomb?

　Anyway, anyone who has truly experienced the "brilliant radiation" probably won't be able to tell any difference.

　In short, under President Nixon's leadership, the United States began to transform from a victim of free military protection from its allies to a cannibalistic British Empire. NATO, along with it, also began to transform from a military alliance for collective external defense into an oppressive organization primarily focused on internal repression.

　The European allies soon found themselves becoming protectorates of the colonial era: as they continued to protect, they turned from protectorates into colonies.

　Damn it, if the United States really turns into Fat Tiger and treats beating and robbing its allies as a legitimate and reasonable thing...

　So why should the capitalist countries of Europe resist the Soviet Union across the Iron Curtain? They are already worried about how to resist the US taking advantage of them!

　Then, no matter what, even though it has just been severely damaged, thanks to the accumulation of World War II, the United States is still the hegemon of most of the world.

　Therefore, Nixon's fundamental policy shift was destined to greatly change the thinking and outlook of the entire world.

　Meanwhile, within the United States, President Nixon was subjected to wave after wave of moral condemnation. From the news media to the literary establishment, from academics and professors to members of Congress, all voiced their condemnation of President Nixon's moral failings from a variety of perspectives, including morality, law, international morality, and the responsibilities of a leader of the liberal camp. They attacked him for not only refusing to fulfill his international obligations but also for rashly attacking other countries in the liberal camp, shocking his allies.

　Right-wing elements accused Nixon of being a traitor, colluding with Red China and the Soviet Union, harming allies, and being a hidden "Russian spy."

　Leftists accused Nixon of destroying the most basic unity and trust among free nations and leading the United States down a path of no return that violated moral principles.

　What puzzled these intellectuals, however, was that despite their scathing abuses of President Nixon, calling him a "Russian spy" and a "sinister villain," the American public remained indifferent.

　It seems as if they don’t care at all whether the United States is led by a “bad guy”, and even less so whether the world will be messed up by a villain.

　——Unlike those intellectuals who have no worries about food and clothing, are detached from the grassroots and therefore out of touch with reality, the general public who have to work two or three jobs every day and live frugally do not have the extra leisure time to care for strangers far away.

　After all, the average American citizen's level of education was only modest even during the Cold War, and their geographical awareness is particularly lacking. Over 90% of Americans can't even pinpoint Sweden on a map, much less care about the fate of its people.

　In fact, as the United States became a superpower, in the eyes of most arrogant Americans after World War II, the United States was the whole world.

　Neither things outside the United States nor people outside the United States are worth caring about.

　So, while the intellectuals were filled with sympathy for the French who had been stabbed in the back, and were outraged at the White House's "abandonment of international obligations" and "betrayal," the common people saw that the domestic economy was beginning to improve, that the previously soaring inflation had finally been curbed, that prices, which had soared for several years, had fallen somewhat, that many of the unemployed had found jobs, and that even the stock market was rising... Given that, what else was there to say?

　In a modern capitalist economy, markets are far more important than production. President Nixon's actions over the past year have further tarnished America's international reputation. They have also wrecked the European economy, destroyed much of the productivity of European countries, and closed a significant portion of Africa to European industrial nations, forcing it to enter the dollar-driven economic cycle.

　As a result, the effect was similar to a low-end version of World War II: the people of old Europe were in panic, and the New World became a safe haven again.

　After the nuclear bombing, European industry and commerce were hit by the flu pandemic, throwing everything from production to exports into disarray. This inadvertently boosted the competitiveness of American manufacturing—after all, the US enjoyed the advantage of lower human rights. Even if the flu outbreak was more severe, the iron will of American workers was able to continue to toil on the assembly lines, amidst the curling black smoke from the crematoriums.

　More importantly, with the United States personally involved in poisoning and dropping nuclear bombs, the security environment of Western European countries has been shattered.

　Next, out of the financial instinct of risk aversion, funds began to stop flowing out of the United States, and international capital from Europe once again flowed back to the United States.

　In this way, the U.S. economy, which has already hit rock bottom and has basically cleared out its bubbles, will naturally stop falling and rebound, entering a recovery process.

　Americans who had found new jobs naturally didn't want to go back to the past, so their general attitude was: "You're right, President Nixon was a bad guy. But how many people who become president are good people? As long as he can end the depression in the United States, let him do whatever he wants."

　Or - "Why should we impeach the president because of protests from Europeans? He is the president of the United States, not the president of Europe!"

　And - "This is the first time I've heard of a president who won a war being impeached! Are you Democrats French spies?"

　Thus, although the Democratic Party tried its best to criticize President Nixon and did not hesitate to create momentum in the news media, the public generally showed indifference.

　Apart from a group of professional trumpeters hired for money, the Democratic Party can hardly incite many people to take to the streets to protest in major cities across the United States.

　The Democrats' attempt to impeach President Nixon in response to the Swedish crisis and the African incident naturally failed to pass and ended in vain.

　Meanwhile, President Nixon, having weathered the impeachment crisis, was in high spirits. Having won his domestic political battles, he immediately set about sharpening his sword and setting his sights on his trembling European "allies (pigs)."

　This time, President Nixon put forward an even more powerful slogan: A unified currency for the free world! America's allies should use the US dollar!

　——The British previously obtained information from the "future world" (actually the game world of "Cyberpunk 2077") that the United States in the 21st century no longer uses the US dollar, but has switched to the euro, just like African countries using the franc. It is truly a complete loss of national sovereignty and humiliation.

　Clearly, the euro is America's greatest enemy. Given this, President Nixon should have done the opposite. While American hegemony still existed, he would have strangled the euro in its cradle, forcing 20th-century Europe to adopt the US dollar. The US would have collected seigniorage from the entire free world!

　What? Monetary sovereignty is sacred and inviolable?

　Come on! Didn’t France previously allow fourteen African countries to use the CFA franc printed in Paris?

　Now that the United States wants its European allies to abolish their respective currencies and unify on the US dollar, it seems only natural, right?

　Aren't you a member of NATO? Shouldn't you then unify your currency with that of the US to prove your loyalty to the "cause of freedom"?

　European countries were shocked by this - they are not the black African uncles who have all dropped out of prenatal education, and of course they know the importance of financial sovereignty.

　However, President Nixon also took a tough stance, saying that if you want to be America's dogs and don't want to be beaten to death by Uncle Sam, then your currency should be the US dollar! This is such a natural thing, why don't you understand?

　Of course, no matter how fierce the arguments and tug-of-war are on both sides of the Atlantic over the scope of the use of the US dollar, it has little to do with Philippines on the Pacific coast.

　The most important things for Firi right now are, first, that the Strategic Deception Bureau has completed its previous confidentiality mission, and everyone no longer has to live together and have homes to return to; second, his deputy director, Colonel Alexander Haig, is finally being promoted and returning to Washington.

　Moreover, Dr. Kissinger, who had recently enjoyed the favor of the President, flew to Los Angeles in person to deliver the transfer order to Colonel Haig and to give him instructions in person.

　So, Firi hosted a banquet at the Kim family's old house in Hollywood to entertain Dr. Kissinger and to see Colonel Haig off...

　Author's words: PS: "Captain America 4" is out, and the plot feels so childish, as if it was written by Crayon Shin-chan.

　It’s okay that the new Captain America becomes black, after all, Captain America also needs a new generation to replace the old.

　But it is ridiculous for the villain to provoke a conflict between the United States and Japan and say that this is a world war.

　Not to mention that Japan has no courage to fight against the United States with arms. Even if a war really breaks out, given the current imbalance in power between the United States and Japan, it is estimated that it will not even be on the scale of the Second Pacific War. It can only be said to be a special operation to suppress colonial unrest, which is far from the Third World War.

　As for the Japanese Prime Minister angrily criticizing the US President and ordering the use of US-made F-35s to attack the US Navy, it is even more ridiculous.

　How could the US allow Japan to use American aircraft to attack them? They already had plenty of backdoors! Don't you know what remote locking is?

　Could this plot be written by a Japanese screenwriter? It's like the one about a fat, dark-skinned guy who apologized for the US bombing of Hiroshima.

　Chapter 604: Can this person be the Secretary of State?

　No matter what season of the year it is, the weather in Los Angeles, which is adjacent to the desert, is always clear and rarely dotted with clouds.

　The bright sunshine shines through the blue sky and falls on the bustling city, making everyone feel warm.

　A sunny day like this is perfect for setting up tables and chairs in the courtyard surrounded by lush grass and blooming flowers and enjoying a pleasant lunch.

　For example, a small open-air banquet is being held in the courtyard of the Kim family's old house in Hollywood.

　- A Spanish colonial-style manor next to Sunset Boulevard, with white stucco walls and red terracotta roofs decorated with mosaics reflecting the ripples of the swimming pool. The lawn in the courtyard is dotted with citrus trees and jacarandas. Maids in starched white uniforms shuttle back and forth carrying plates.

　The rich fragrance of roses and the aroma of fat dripping from the barbecue mixed together on this lazy afternoon, giving people a leisurely feeling.

　White House National Security Advisor Dr. Henry Kissinger threw away the Wall Street Journal in his hand, and casually covered the headline about the easing of economic stagflation under an embroidered napkin. Then he used a pair of small silver scissors to cut the end of the Havana cigar, and the blue smoke rose under the palm trees.

　While smoking a cigar, he looked through the tortoise-shell lenses at the flower-filled courtyard around him, and in the fountain in the center of the courtyard stood the famous sculpture "Spring" in imitation of Botticelli - the statue of the goddess seemed to be quite old, so much so that moss was growing in the cracks of the goddess' skirt.

　A butler in a white uniform was adding new ice cubes to the ice bucket with silver tweezers, and next to it, white asparagus, fresh from the ice box, was still emitting cold air.

　A gardener

　A man was trimming the bushes twenty feet away, and further down the street, a policeman was driving away homeless people. Like other major cities in the United States, the public security in Hollywood, near downtown Los Angeles, is not very good. Thieves, homeless people, and thieves often appear. However, the rich here can at least pay more taxes, support more police, and barely maintain a dynamic balance with the increasing number of street thugs.

　Looking closer, a Japanese-made transistor radio was playing John Denver's new song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" on the rose stand. The lyrics' nostalgia for West Virginia made Dr. Kissinger, who had not been back to his hometown for a long time, feel inexplicably emotional.

　Across the table sat his old and new partners. Colonel Alexander Haig, soon to be promoted to Assistant Adjutant General to the President, had changed into a suit for this occasion. The family crest on his cufflinks shone a faint blue in the bright California sunshine. The pink juices oozing from the steak beneath his knife and fork formed a subtle contrast with the 1966 Margaux red wine the servant had brought.

　The half-owner of this place, Major General Ferry King, the current commander of the Federal Space Force and director of the Strategic Deception Bureau, was wearing a white military uniform and feasting on French baked lobster and truffle quail eggs on a porcelain plate. The sound of knives and forks clashing and the rustling of palm leaves among the treetops intertwined into a rhythm.

　"Gentlemen, perhaps you should try this bottle of genuine French champagne. I'm afraid it's becoming increasingly scarce." The old butler, Joseph, lifted the ice bucket with his white-gloved hands. Condensation dripped down the champagne bottle, creating dark polka dots on the linen tablecloth. The cork popped with a velvety sigh, echoing the slightly hoarse sound of the radio. The warm wind shattered the air and scattered it onto the edges of the snow-white bone china tableware.

　Looking at the slowly filling goblet, with fine bubbles floating in the light golden liquid, Dr. Kissinger suddenly felt that he should say something. So he picked up his fork and tapped the rim of the goblet, and talked about his private friendship with President Nixon, when they drank together and watched dancers perform.

　"The day the French president called to beg for mercy, President Nixon was extremely happy. He took me to a secret club for a drink and, while drunk, patted my shoulder and said he would promote me to Secretary of State in a year or two. I was truly flattered."

　Kissinger stirred the cream of asparagus soup in the bone china bowl with a small spoon and said with a simple smile,

　Do you think I, a Jew from Germany, really have the good fortune to be Secretary of State? Even if the president really nominates me, it will be very difficult for me to pass the Senate!"

　——In the United States, apart from the president and vice president elected through elections, the secretary of state has the most respected position in the entire federal government.

　If the president is the emperor and the vice president is the prince, then the secretary of state is equivalent to the prime minister. It is no exaggeration to say that he is second only to the emperor and above everyone else.

　(The four core positions in the U.S. Cabinet are Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense, and Attorney General, in descending order of importance.)