American Strategic Deception Bureau

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　“哈瓦那港卸下了至少200辆T-54坦克、100门122毫米野战炮和400门57毫米无后坐力炮？还有数以百计的「喀秋莎」火箭炮？圣地亚哥港出现了苏联的「蚊子」级导弹艇？装备「冥河」导弹？

　Damn, can that little bit of sugar from Cuba be exchanged for so many tanks?

　Are the Russian polar bears crazy? They're making such a big bet on a battlefield they can't possibly win?

　Looking at the intelligence documents about the Soviet Union's recent sudden assistance of massive weapons and equipment to Cuba, Estelian was puzzled for a moment.

　He knew, of course, that Cuba and the United States had been on the brink of war since 1960, with the possibility of an armed invasion at any moment. Therefore, it was perfectly understandable that the Castro brothers were nervous and desperately expanding their military forces in preparation for war. This did not surprise Esteline.

　Similarly, after the Cold War began, the US, relying on numerous military bases in Western allies, had already placed nuclear weapons under the Soviet Union's nose, a fact that had long irritated the Kremlin. Now that a socialist state had finally emerged in the Western Hemisphere, so close to the US mainland, it was only natural for Khrushchev, a reckless man with a fiery temper, to use Cuba as a tool to provoke the US.

　But the question is, isn't Khrushchev going too far this time?

　Not only did they generously provide Cuba with so many weapons and equipment, but they even sent Soviet troops directly to Cuba?

　Do they really want to fight a losing battle with the U.S. military in Cuba, on the other side of the world, right at the doorstep of the U.S. mainland?

　Of course, as a senior American intelligence executive, Estelline was still very confident about defeating the Soviets in Cuba.

　Given the might of the United States, it might be difficult to stop the Soviets' steel torrent on the plains of Western Europe. But if they were to catch a group of heat-sick polar bears on a Caribbean island, wouldn't it be easy to kill them?

　But the problem is, if the US government chooses to take the formal route of declaring war and let the Pentagon take full charge of planning this war...

　Wouldn't that mean the CIA would have to step aside? And where would he, the head of the Cuban Special Task Force and the original designated commander, be placed?

　In order to form and support the 2506th Brigade of Cuban mercenaries and launch a Cuban war, he has already emptied out all his treasury.

　Crassus, one of the "Big Three" of the late Roman Republic (the others were Caesar and Pompey), was a wealthy man who rivaled a nation. When boasting about his wealth, he once said, "To be able to support an entire legion with the wealth of one's family is to be considered a wealthy man!"

　From this we can see how much money it costs to support an army!

　Although the CIA successfully swallowed up the wealth accumulated by "benefactor of the motherland" Trujillo in the Dominican Republic through decades of exploitation through "Operation Crusade" this spring, and also took a lot of land from the Dominican Republic, it also obtained a considerable special grant from the White House.

　However, if you want to

　The financial resources of intelligence agencies are still extremely difficult and stretched to support an army for a long time.

　You know, although the 2506th Brigade is only a brigade in terms of organization, after some expansion, it has reached 8,000 people, equivalent to the size of half a division in the US military organization - even the entire US Army only has ten divisions of standing field forces in peacetime!

　If this army is ultimately not used, the military expenditure it consumes will make the extra money earned by the CIA in the Dominican Republic go to zero.

　If the White House had delayed its decision to go to war because of the Soviet Union's generous aid to Cuba, and had not authorized the CIA to send troops to Cuba until the rainy season, then the CIA's Cuban Special Task Force would probably have been bankrupted by this army in less than a year.

　No matter which of the above two situations occurs, Jacob Esterline, the "war investment operator", cannot accept it.

　However, as he watched the Cuban revolutionary army's strength rapidly expand every day with the large amount of Soviet arms aid arriving in Cuba, and the Soviets constantly crossing the ocean to land on the island of Cuba, Esteline became increasingly less confident that Castro could defeat Cuba alone.

　However, no matter how much his confidence was shaken, he could not give up on the invasion of Cuba and the campaign to defeat Castro. For Estelion, the consequence of giving up this costly and long-planned invasion of Cuba would not be just admitting defeat and losing half, but losing everything!

　The money has already been spent, so why not send them to the battlefield? Even if they lose, the only ones who die are foreign mercenaries!

　Rather than having a large army but being afraid to fight, it would be better to annihilate the 2506th Brigade. At least that way it would be "sacrificed for the cause of freedom"!

　In this way, Estelian found that if he wanted to continue to rely solely on the power of the CIA to launch the invasion of Cuba...

　Then he must hurry!

　"Commander Saint-Roman, I know the 2506th Brigade still has many problems and hasn't yet reached its peak. However, the situation has changed. The balance of power between us and the enemy has once again become disproportionate. We don't have much time left!"

　We must launch the Cuban offensive before Castro's army can become proficient in using the Soviet munitions they have just acquired!"

　After making up his mind, Estelian flew back to Washington and discussed with CIA Director Dulles and Deputy Director Bissell. He then returned to the Dominican Republic and summoned the mercenary commander, San Roman, and gave him the following instructions.

　"If we must invade Cuba within a month, Brigadier General San Roman, how many troops can you send to participate in the battle? What? Only 3000 people? Well, if we just want to capture a port city, 3000 people should be enough..."

　However, what Esteline, who made the above risky decision, did not know was that what Castro got from the Kremlin in exchange for Cuban sugar was not just T-54 tanks, Mosquito-class missile boats and MiG-21 fighter jets, but something even more explosive!

　——Under the blood-red sunset, a Soviet transport ship flying a red flag quietly docked at the port of Trinidad on the island of Cuba, then unloaded several huge metal boxes covered with tarpaulins and loaded them with a crane onto a truck that had been waiting at the dock.

　When the metal box was being hoisted, the sea breeze accidentally lifted a corner of the tarpaulin, revealing a nuclear symbol resembling a propeller...

　written request for leave

　Someone treated me to drinks, dinner and a movie, but I ended up drinking a few too many and felt dizzy. I couldn't finish writing a chapter, so I asked for leave.

　The movie I watched was Captain Marvel 2. Although people online say it's a terrible movie and the plot logic is indeed quite idiotic, the special effects are really amazing, especially the space station with a large group of cats, the scene where cats eat people and the scene where man-eating cats land in New York in a landing capsule are really amazing.

　Chapter 94: An Extraordinary Christmas Gift (Part 1)

　December 24, 1961, Christmas Eve, Washington, D.C.

　Amid the howling snow and wind, the bustle and noise of the White House Christmas dinner returned to silence as the guests dispersed.

　After seeing off his last guest, his brother Robert Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy finally sighed tiredly.

　The efficiency and enthusiasm at parties could not mask the melancholy and anxiety within. Only when he was alone did the truth gradually return to the president.

　Gathering his thick hair, he casually looked at the mirror hanging on the wall, only to find that his face, which was famous for its handsomeness, had become visibly haggard. There were many more gray hairs, and a hint of dark circles had already surrounded his entire eye sockets.

　Alas, I've only been president for one year, and I'm already like this. If I serve two terms, eight years in total, how old and frail will I be?

　Thinking of this, President John F. Kennedy couldn't help but grin at himself.

　- In front of the public and the media, he is always a brave warrior, a polite gentleman, and a passionate orator. He is so energetic and vibrant at every moment, just like the sun god Apollo walking on earth, radiating endless light and heat all around.

　But in private, the president knew very well that he was just a sickly kid who had to cheat in order to pass the draft, a sickly kid who had to hide his true identity.

　A disabled man who needs a brace to stand and give speeches for a long time...

　And a progressive who is often confused and doesn't know where to go.

　Both his body and his spirit are far less tough than he appears, and he relies entirely on makeup and retouching to resist the erosion of time.

　Even now, he still felt that he would not live long with his broken body full of illnesses and repeated hospitalizations.

　He may not even be able to complete his presidential term alive.

　However, since the times and ideals have pushed him to this point, John Kennedy is determined to perform his duties conscientiously and work hard until the last moment.

　We must burn out the brightest light and heat in this short and limited life!

　(President Kennedy is actually a bit like Yang Wen-li from Legend of the Galactic Heroes, and also like Syria's President Assad. Originally, his eldest brother was supposed to go into politics, but he just wanted to be a university history professor. But his brother died in World War II, so he had to take over.)

　Stepping on the colorful confetti, artificial flowers and pine needles scattered on the ground, and avoiding the plastic spaceship, astronaut and alien models hanging from the ceiling, President Kennedy walked through the ancient corridors of the White House - this year's White House Christmas decorations are based on the theme of "Space Age".

　This just happened to coincide with the current era of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the "space fever" of the entire European and American Western world.

　As he passed the bedroom, President Kennedy glanced at First Lady Jacqueline, who was humming a nursery rhyme and rocking the cradle, and the baby in the cradle, John F. Kennedy Jr., who had the same name as himself, and a warm feeling rose in his heart.

　Since most of the previous presidents who had occupied the White House were already elderly, their children were already adults, or at least in their teens. Therefore, it was considered rare, even unheard of, to see a presidential son in a cradle in the White House.

　Especially for a baby like Kennedy Jr., who was born on November 25, 1960, after his father was elected president, and was just a little bit away from being "born in the White House", this is a unique case in the past hundred years - and there will not be another one in the next seventy years.

　So, last year, John Kennedy was elected president and had a son at the same time. It was a double blessing and he was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling.

　President Kennedy doted on this child who often crawled around in the Oval Office.

　However, President Kennedy's feelings about his wife, Jacqueline, were more complicated.

　Although in public, they both pretended to be a loving couple, but in reality, after eight years of marriage, his love and passion had long been exhausted, leaving only dullness and a sense of responsibility imposed by the family.

　To add a little freshness to his life, President Kennedy had been having affairs from time to time for several years, finding mistresses and dating female celebrities. Just a few hours ago, he had sex with a White House intern - the forbidden pleasure was so intense that he couldn't stop.

　Although he always felt a little guilty towards Jacqueline every time he came to his senses, he still couldn't control himself when temptation came again.

　——Well, although Kennedy had many mistresses, there were a dozen with names and surnames. But the president was frail and had poor endurance. A female star once said, "Mr. President gave me the most wonderful 20 seconds of my life."

　Of course, compared to President Roosevelt who had a group sex in a wheelchair, President Kennedy's performance was pretty good, at least he didn't need anyone to push his butt.

　In short, when President Kennedy walked into the familiar Oval Office again, sat behind the famous "Resolute Desk", turned on the desk lamp, looked at the piles of documents on the desk and the portraits of past presidents surrounding him, he felt that he had returned to the position that truly belonged to him.

　How intoxicating it is to have the feeling of pointing out the way forward, wielding great power, and changing the world with just a gesture!

　But thinking of the series of troubles he had encountered recently, Kennedy couldn't help but feel conflicted again.

　——National affairs are difficult!

　As the first anniversary of his administration approaches, according to widespread public opinion, President Kennedy's "New Frontier" policy is indeed remarkable.

　This government has revitalized the economy and ensured people's livelihoods, increased food relief rations for the unemployed, combated racism, promoted ambitious space exploration projects, and launched the "Apollo" moon landing project, which would have gone down in history if successful, in a bid to compete with the Soviet Union for the heights of human civilization.

　He presented himself as a "world leader", established the "Peace Corps", exported American values ​​(the Kennedy version), and used a clean and neat Battle of the Dominican Republic to test his skills, demonstrating that he, a naval hero in World War II, was still as skilled as ever and could lead the United States from victory to victory!

　But President Kennedy himself knew very well that all the easy things to advance have almost been completed, and the only things left are the hard nuts to crack!

　——Reform has entered deep waters! The slightest carelessness could lead to collapse!

　On the surface, when President Eisenhower left the White House, it seemed that he had left Kennedy with a fairly promising world empire.

　The victory of World War II made the United States the new hegemon of the earth, and the Suez War ended the futile struggle of the old hegemon, the British Empire.

　Although Charles de Gaulle of France, the "last man of France", is still fighting hard and even clamoring to withdraw from NATO to maintain its status as an independent great power, with the two defeats in Vietnam and Algeria, the glory of the Gallic rooster is doomed to end.

　dim.

　Even now, all kinds of jokes insulting France have been blown all over the place with the help of Americans.

　When people lose their respect for France and only know how to laugh at their cowardice and weakness, France's world empire will also be gone with the wind.

　The Soviet Union, nominally a Cold War rival, was devastated by World War II, leaving the area west of Moscow in ruins. Even after more than a decade of recovery, the Soviet Union still pales in comparison to the United States in terms of national strength.

　Even though the Soviet Union had taken the lead in the space race, winning the titles of "first artificial satellite" and "first astronaut," the United States, with its strong overall strength, was still confident it could catch up after recovering and eliminating the interference of McCarthyism in scientific research.

　Furthermore, Khrushchev's rash and hasty rejection of Stalinism had caused unrest throughout the Warsaw Pact in Eastern Europe, leaving it looking shaky. The collapse of Sino-Soviet relations, also under his leadership, further crumbled the foundation of the Red Bloc in the East.

　At first glance, the red empire of the late 1950s seemed to be showing signs of collapse before it had even taken shape.

　Next, China and India, with their vast territories and enormous populations, appear theoretically promising. However, they remain impoverished, weak, and unstable, plagued by internal and external crises. Even if they were to stabilize, it would take them a long time to achieve global influence.

　In this era, the United States is the undisputed world leader and a beacon of civilization that illuminates the entire planet!

　Even during the stagflation crisis of the late 1950s, the vast majority of Americans remained proud of their country.

　They experienced the difficult years of the Great Depression and witnessed the arrival of the "American Century" in the flames of World War II. They firmly believed that their motherland was in its best and most powerful stage, and would become even better and stronger in the future under "Manifest Destiny."

　They hope that the young and handsome President Kennedy can bring an even more dazzling golden age to the United States!

　However, beneath the surface of these glory and splendor, various turbulent undercurrents are also conflicting and stirring.

　As a Democratic president, John F. Kennedy, who tried to promote the black civil rights movement and insisted on granting civil rights to people of color, undoubtedly seriously offended the white Protestant conservative group in the South, and the Southern states happened to be the Democratic Party's iron base.

　The current Kennedy administration relies almost entirely on Vice President Johnson's deep connections in the American South to barely hold on to the upper classes in the southern states who have firmly supported the Democratic Party since the Civil War, these most stubborn conservative white racists.

　But President Kennedy himself had no idea how long this support, which was almost sustained by inertia, could last. In a certain timeline, a few years later, the Democrats and Republicans exchanged positions, and the southern states became deep red states that strongly supported the Republican Party.

　However, even if it would cause the southern states to rebel, it would be impossible to force Kennedy to make concessions on the issue of civil rights.

　Just like President Lincoln could never support slavery, even if it meant fighting a civil war.

　Because before becoming a Democrat, President Kennedy was first an Irish Catholic, which was destined from birth.

　If President Kennedy had agreed to the ambition of the Protestant conservatives in the Southern states to monopolize American citizenship in order to cater to their ambition, he would not only have been a slap in the face of his progressive colleagues, but would also have been denying his own and the entire Kennedy family's right to rise to the upper class.

　Therefore, the civil rights movement of people of color cannot be stopped for a moment, even if it means destroying the century-old Democratic Party!

　——The future America belongs to all Americans, and it must not be just the America of the Anglo-Saxons!

　What's more, this was not just for the Kennedy family's selfish interests, nor was it just the Irish's sacred revenge on the Anglo-Saxon peoples. It was also the only way for the United States to move from a nation-state to a universal empire. If Rome had not repeatedly expanded the scope of citizenship and even elected foreign emperors, how could the Roman Empire have dominated the Mediterranean for a long time and become the only symbol of the entire Western civilization for hundreds of years?

　Of course, Kennedy also knew that his drastic push for equal rights for all was like stabbing conservatives in the ass with a bayonet.

　The conservative backlash and social divisions aroused by this will certainly be unprecedentedly fierce, almost as intense as the situation when President Lincoln came to power.

　This year's "Freedom Rider" movement, which was aimed at allowing black people to enter white-only toilets, almost caused another civil war in the United States. Next year, they want to allow black people to enter white schools and apply for jobs that were originally open to white people... It is estimated that the armed conflicts at that time will only be more intense.

　In order to suppress the counterattack of domestic conservative forces and deter foreign villains from making any moves, the ruler must possess the same lofty prestige as Caesar.

　The glory of the victory in the Dominican War eight months ago has been almost exhausted after the "Freedom Riders" movement.

　Now, he needs a new victory in an overseas war to boost the prestige of this government and pave the way for more radical reform actions.

　As Kennedy thought this, he reached out and turned the globe on the table, and cast his eyes on the long and narrow island in the center of the Caribbean Sea.

　That is being

　The island of Cuba is controlled by Castro's communist regime, a problem that he promised to resolve as soon as possible when he ran for president last year.

　- If he had not noticed the CIA's nonsense and had not been given priority to be eliminated by Trujillo, the "benefactor of the motherland" who had isolated himself from the world, he should have launched the invasion and subversion of Cuba as early as this spring.

　Of course, postponing the invasion of Cuba for one year seems to be a good idea. In this way, there will be wars to fight every year, and the military achievements can be spread over two years.

　And he could become a victorious commander for two consecutive years, enjoying the cheers of the people, as well as glory and prestige...

　Author's words: PS: Nowadays, Chinese people in Canada are warning each other that there are a group of government officials active in local hospitals and nursing homes. They pretend to comfort the elderly and investigate their living conditions, but in fact they are deceiving the elderly into saying that they are unhappy and are willing to die in order to save on pension and medical insurance.

　If the elderly are not vigilant enough and fail to see through their rhetoric, then by the time their family members find out, the person will be dead.