American Strategic Deception Bureau

　Fili smiled and advised, "The agency has already begun to form a 'Special Plant Expert Team.' Once the CIA's Cuban intelligence station is rebuilt, these experts will rush to Cuba to provide on-site guidance to Cuban farmers on the production of various poisonous mushrooms, hemp, and opium..."

　When Castro heard that the CIA was going to rebuild an intelligence station in Cuba, he subconsciously frowned, but then relaxed.

　——Since both sides are about to join forces in the drug business, it is only natural for the CIA to take the opportunity to establish several bases in Cuba.

　"Then, will you, Major Jin, still be responsible for contacting us regarding the upcoming banned drug business?" he continued to ask.

　"Me? No, no, no, I'm on temporary secondment from the Pentagon to the CIA. I'm not actually a CIA employee. My mission in Cuba ended after the April Fool's Day Treaty was signed. It's not my turn as a newbie to do such a lucrative job as generating extra income for the agency."

　Fili waved his hand quickly, then called a middle-aged man who looked very capable from his entourage behind him, "This is a senior senior in my agency, Mr. Frank Sturget. He is the person in charge of the CIA's banned drug business in Cuba and the future director of the Cuban intelligence station.

　As far as I know, Your Excellency, you have known him for a long time and have had a very successful working experience together.

　I believe that in the days ahead, you will be able to work together, endure for the sake of the country, and make Cuba's banned drug business bigger and stronger..."

　However, while Firi was talking nonstop, Frank Sturget and Fidel Castro were staring at each other, opening their mouths several times but not knowing what to say.

　——As Ferry just said, he and CIA agent Frank Sturget have been friends for many years.

　Well, there are friendships where we fight side by side with guns, and there are also friendships where we become enemies and are open-hearted to each other.

　Five years earlier, Frank Sturget had been the CIA advisor assisting Castro, helping him build the revolutionary base in the Sierra Maestra Mountains. He had even accompanied Castro on his campaigns, making significant contributions to the victory of the Cuban Revolution. It's no exaggeration to call him a founding father of the revolution.

　Three years ago, Frank Sturget, who had also returned to the United States, contacted the Cuban opposition everywhere and planned one assassination attempt on Castro after another. Marita, who was pregnant for the first time, was kidnapped, forced to have an abortion, and brainwashed by Frank Sturget and his men.

　Three months ago, Frank Sturget, as a capable CIA officer, was deeply involved in the "Tropic Thunder" operation to invade Cuba.

　Now, Frank Sturget has returned to Castro's side as the head of the Cuban intelligence station and the CIA's drug trafficking consultant and supervisor. The relationship between the two has come full circle and is back to square one...

　This really makes people feel speechless and powerless, and they don’t know what expression to use to deal with it.

　Last time, they worked together to make revolution; this time, are they colluding with each other to commit crimes?

　Seeing the two men remain silent, Fili sighed and continued his monologue: "According to news from home, the United Nations, the Red Cross, and the Organization of American States are expected to donate some food and medicine to Cuba. But the quantity is not large, and it is definitely not enough for you to sustain for long."

　Given Cuba's current reputation as a radioactive wasteland, it's likely that even Cuban sugar and Havana cigars won't sell. If Cuba wants to obtain resources for reconstruction, it's likely that the profits from this illegal drug trade will be the only way to do so.

　By the same token, the CIA's coffers were emptied by this war, and the government's funding was far from enough to fill the hole. The bonuses and additional allowances for the entire agency's 30,000 employees also depended on the two of you working together in Cuba..."

　Hearing this, Frank Sturget could no longer keep a straight face. He coughed dryly and spoke first.

　"Ahem, hi, Fidel, long time no see. This is the first time I saw you without a beard, and I almost didn't recognize you!"

　Listen to this

　It looked a bit silly, but Castro still smiled with emotion.

　"Welcome back, Frank." He extended his hand and shook Frank's. "Regarding the specific matters concerning drug production and trafficking, I will have Deputy Defense Minister Arnaldo Ochoa Sánchez contact the CIA. When do you plan to start?"

　"Very soon! Your Excellency, a team of CIA botanists will arrive in three days at the latest. Given Cuba's urgent need for funds and the impending rainy season in the Caribbean, it will be impossible to grow hemp for at least six months (it prefers heat and dislikes humidity, and can only be grown in the dry season under natural conditions). Poppies also take too long to grow. Therefore, our experts suggest that your country start by growing Mexican psilocybin mushrooms."

　Fili replied, "This mushroom has relatively mild medicinal properties and is easy to grow in any climate or environment. It can also be ground into a powder and mixed with cocoa powder to make psychedelic chocolate drinks or chocolate candies. This way, the Cuban candy and Cuban cocoa powder that were previously unsold can now be put to good use."

　Let's work together to build Cuba into the Mushroom Kingdom of the Caribbean! Phew, it seems very fairy-tale-like!

　——Although Nintendo's Super Mario game wasn't released until 1985. But as a time traveler, when Ferry talks about the Mushroom Kingdom, he can't help but think of the plumber and the mushroom man, and of course Princess Peach and King Bowser... It really makes him want to laugh!

　"Psilocybe? Oh, the sacred mushroom of the Native Americans? I've heard it's a little gadget used by the Native Americans in rituals! It's not only found in Mexico, but also in Cuba. But it used to be wild. I didn't expect it could be cultivated now!"

　Castro nodded and said with emotion, "That's great! Let's transform Cuba from a tropical sugar bowl into a mushroom kingdom!"

　Anyway, if we don't go through special channels, the Cuban sugar grown in the radioactive wasteland will definitely not be sold anywhere. It would be better to make it into "special candy" with poisonous mushrooms and sell it... Even the Soviet Union would probably be more willing to purchase sugar from Indonesia, right? "

　Well, Castro certainly could not have imagined at that time that just three years later, in 1965, the far-right Suharto would seize power in a coup in Indonesia.

　——That is, after Suharto launched a military coup, purged the Indonesian Communist Party, and led the entire Indonesia to turn rapidly to the right and sever ties with the Soviet Union, the entire Soviet-Eastern European bloc lost its most important source of tropical specialty products and could only rely on a little brother like Cuba for supply.

　Before that, in the early 1960s, the Indonesian Communist Party, with three million members, was the third largest party in the socialist camp. After the Bandung Conference in 1956, Indonesian leader Sukarno also quickly began to turn left, making Indonesia almost a "quasi-member" of the socialist camp.

　Under such circumstances, the Soviet Union at that time was not short of tropical specialties. The reason why Khrushchev strongly supported Cuba was because he saw Cuba's strategic position rather than its economic value - which of Indonesia's rubber, sugar, coffee and pineapples was not much better than Cuba's rotten stuff?

　Obviously, in 1962, Castro could not have anticipated the coup in Indonesia three years later, which would lead to the collapse of the socialist camp in Southeast Asia and make Cuba the only tropical island country in the socialist camp, allowing it to engage in monopoly business for more than 20 years.

　But even if Castro could predict the future, it would be useless - given Cuba's current miserable situation, how could it survive until 1965?

　It’s like telling a starving person to be patient and there will be a big harvest in three years... Will it work?

　After three years, I'm afraid everyone will starve to death. What does this harvest have to do with the dead?

　What's more, in order to survive the US hydrogen bomb attack, Castro changed his name and the name of his party to the Sugar Party.

　Although these actions were taken out of desperation, and were also a necessary measure of self-preservation after the Soviet Union abandoned Cuba, given the Kremlin's overbearing style of being strict with others but lenient with itself... I'm afraid it may not understand the difficulties faced by Cuban brothers.

　They might even expel Cuba from the socialist camp, making it difficult for Cuba to rely on either side and unable to sell sugar on either side of the Iron Curtain...

　Therefore, this sacred poisonous mushroom must be planted!

　"I believe that despite the differences in ideology and social systems, as well as the hatred and hostility brought about by the war, common interests will eventually break through all obstacles. Let us achieve a win-win situation." Before saying goodbye, Firi stood by the runway at the airport and said so earnestly.

　"Win-win, great! For the common good!"

　Castro also nodded, then suddenly leaned close to Fili's ear and whispered, "Marita is a good girl, but it's a pity that she and I are not destined to be together. Please cherish her."

　Uh, so you already knew this? Then do you also know that I'm helping you raise your daughter? Do you have to pay for her milk powder?

　Firi was stunned for a moment, but said nothing. He simply walked up the stairs of the plane and waved his hand. "Goodbye, President Kakarot. I wish Cuba a bountiful mushroom harvest and abundant opium warehouses in the future!"

　, thinking that there is no harm in learning more skills, who knows if you will be unemployed after graduation and then become a homeless person?

　But this skill is only useful in places like California. The central states still have the crime of vagrancy, and homeless people will be directly arrested and imprisoned.

　Leave request (Happy New Year!)

　Sorry, Lao Lao Wang overestimated his typing speed and underestimated the various troubles he might encounter at the end of the year. Now there is a New Year's Eve event that cannot be postponed, so there is no way he can finish the last chapter of this volume before leaving. So he can only update the last chapter of this volume tomorrow, New Year's Day.

　Here, I wish everyone a happy New Year!

　Chapter 140: Nuclear Warfare

　Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C., USA

　The warm spring breeze turns the lawns and woods green, and the bright sunshine makes the lush green hills full of vitality.

　But soon, accompanied by Marines carrying the coffin, family members of the deceased wearing black veils, and a military band playing funeral music, they entered one after another, and a kind of silent atmosphere of sadness spread over this sunny and vibrant land.

　Today's funeral was held for Major General James Masters, commander of the 1st Marine Division. This poor defeated general survived the 1st Marine Division's annihilation by a Soviet atomic bomb, but he was captured by the Cubans. Although he suffered from lack of food and clothing during his subsequent prisoner-of-war life, he was not abused much.

　However, just as this major general was about to be released after spending two months in a Cuban prisoner-of-war camp, drinking radioactive water and eating radioactive food, he tragically died in the final round of bombing by the US Air Force while the Cubans were transporting prisoners to Guantanamo Bay.

　So, Major General James Masters had to be airlifted back to Washington in his coffin, covered with the American flag.

　Then, despite the 1st Marine Division's poor performance in Cuba, even achieving the worst record in the history of the US Marine Corps with the entire division wiped out, the Pentagon, in an effort to gloss over the defeat and whitewash the situation, and considering that Major General James Masters's carelessness was considered a sacrifice, posthumously awarded him a medal, a promotion, and approved his burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

　In addition, a large number of military and political officials came to watch the ceremony. Even Air Force Chief of Staff General LeMay came to the funeral in a wheelchair.

　This is probably what is meant by celebrating a funeral with joy.

　"I am deeply saddened by the passing of this man who dedicated so many years to his military career and loved this country so much.

　At the last moment of his life, he was still fighting for the future of America and the well-being of the American people!

　He devoted everything to America, to the American people, and to democracy, freedom and prosperity.

　Although he understood the weight of death and the meaning of sacrifice, this man still used his courage and bravery to challenge the red demons who subverted the norms of civilized society!

　This is James Masters, our dearest friend, our wisest companion, and our unforgettable family member! "

　A young military chaplain was ordered to preside over the funeral. As everyone knows, when giving a final verdict on a deceased person, one should try to find the best possible words. Even if the person being buried is a defeated general, a commander who had ruined an entire division, one must find a way to find some bright spots in the eulogy.

　Otherwise, how can it be called a grand funeral?

　What's more, what mistake did the deceased Major General James Masters make?

　He was merely fulfilling his military duty of "obeying orders" and, according to the plan drawn up by the Pentagon's staff, fought the wrong war at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and against the wrong opponent. He then lost the entire 1st Marine Division, leaving tens of thousands of American good guys as corpses and radiation sickness victims under the mushroom cloud of the nuclear explosion, and, by the way, causing the Marine Corps to suffer the most humiliating and tragic defeat since its establishment.

　Afterwards, he shamelessly refused to commit suicide to apologize, but patiently waited in a prisoner-of-war camp for release until he was killed by an American plane.

　What could be done? No one had imagined that the Soviets would be so crazy as to deploy nuclear bombs in Cuba and actually dare to use them in war!

　Compared to those "Capitol Hill stock gods" who took the opportunity to incite rumors, short sell, and make money from the national crisis, this major general is already very human.

　At least he had paid for his defeat with his life. As the saying goes, when a man dies, his debts are forgiven, so we should be more tolerant of the dead.

　——No matter how this guy died.

　Therefore, the pastor racked his brains to mobilize people's emotions and tried his best to create a noble atmosphere, even if it seemed a little awkward.

　"Duty, honor, country! In this impetuous era, these three sacred nouns still solemnly remind us what kind of person we should be, what kind of person we may become, and what kind of person we must become!

　They lift our spirits, give us courage when we are afraid, rebuild our faith when we are confused, and generate hope when we are desperate.

　When well-known moral standards are brutally trampled upon, someone among us must stand up, even if it means sacrifice and death.

　It is and will always be a reflection of the moral standards of American citizens..."

　Listening to the pastor's empty and stale moral rhetoric and his uninspiring patriotic enthusiasm, Major Ferry King, who was standing in the distance attending the funeral, couldn't help but curl his lips - this was obviously a sympathy for the Cuban war that started well but ended badly.

　War defense.

　However, the red beacon and socialist bridgehead in the Western Hemisphere was eventually turned into a drug kingdom in the Caribbean...

　Faced with such an outcome, both the White House and the Kremlin would probably feel dizzy and almost faint, right?

　"Although he left us today, I believe that if we can inherit his will, realize his wishes, and make America continue to be great, he will surely be smiling at us in heaven... Amen... May God bless him!"

　The pastor finally finished his lengthy eulogy, and then, amid the sound of gunfire from the honor guard, Major General James Masters' coffin was lowered into the pre-dug grave, and several burly black Marines began filling the pit with soil using shovels.

　After finishing the moment of silence, Firi was about to leave with the crowd, but was stopped by a young reporter wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

　"Another inexplicable war has ended. The final outcome seems even more absurd than the last Korean War, doesn't it?"

　Seeing Firi's bewildered expression, he smiled and introduced himself. "David Halberstam, a reporter from the New York Times, remember? Major King, I interviewed you last year in Key West, Florida. I also met you in January when you and your brother attended a meeting at the White House and witnessed the Soviet missile strike on the capital. Would you be interested in talking to me about this war?"

　David Halberstam of The New York Times? Oh, now I remember, isn't he the famous "Father of American Journalism"?

　I remember that before I traveled through time, I had read "The Coldest Winter: The Korean War from an American Perspective" written by this person.

　Of course, at this moment, David Halberstam had not yet become famous for his brilliant articles written on the battlefield while being sent to Saigon, Vietnam as a war correspondent, but he had already become a celebrity for his follow-up reports on the Cuban War.

　——Because the missiles hit Washington, he can now be a war correspondent without going abroad!

　"We can certainly talk, but it's best to be serious, Mr. Halberstam."

　Ferry glanced at General Curtis LeMay, who was being pushed in a wheelchair not far away, and at the generals, their medals shining on their chests, who were comforting the orphans of the deceased. He quickly lowered his voice and said, "Look, this is Arlington National Cemetery after all, and Major General James Masters died for his country. And now the family of the deceased hasn't left yet..."

　"You're right, Major Jin. This is the time to adjust our attitude. I understand the weight of death and the meaning of sacrifice."

　Halberstam quickly raised his hand to his mouth, making a zipper gesture. "Can we begin the interview, Major King?"

　"First, tell me how much you know about this war, Mr. Reporter. You are planning to write a summary article about Operation Tropic Thunder, right?" Fili reached out and pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, and asked first.

　“Yes, although according to official accounts, we overthrew the Castro regime in Cuba and it was a great victory for the liberal camp.

　However, according to information I received from the Pentagon, during the Cuban War, approximately 28,000 of our troops were missing or killed, and approximately 14,000 were seriously wounded or disabled. Over 220 combat aircraft and over 50 pieces of heavy artillery were lost, and at least 600 tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed. Twenty-six ships of various types, including the aircraft carrier Shangri-La, were sunk or scrapped.

　This number of casualties is equivalent to half of my country's casualties in the Korean War and 10% of the casualties in World War II! And this time the target of the operation was just the island of Cuba. The actual large-scale ground and naval operations only lasted less than two weeks!

　Our country's expenses in this war and the economic losses caused by attacks on its homeland have reached hundreds of billions of dollars.

　As for the severe damage to our country's international reputation and the collapse of its international image as a result of this, it is impossible to measure it in monetary terms."

　Halberstam said, "Major King, as far as I know, you were the front-line commander in the later stages of the Cuban War. It was you who ultimately facilitated the signing of the peace treaty and witnessed the end of the war. So, I would like to know your views on this war.

　Although this battle barely defeated the communist regime entrenched in Cuba, destroyed the Eastern Bloc's only bridgehead in the Western Hemisphere, and restored the Atlantic Ocean as a moat, such a huge price was paid for such a small result... I really want to ask: Was it worth it?

　Uh, it seems that you, a reporter from the New York Times, still don’t know that the Cuban Sugar Party government is just the Cuban Revolutionary Government with a different name?

　Therefore, the actual results of the war are probably even more absurd than you can imagine - the United States lost so many people, lost an entire fleet, and suffered severe economic damage, but it only caused Cuba to turn from red to black, from exporting revolutionary ideas to exporting drugs, and incidentally, Castro changed his name to Kakarot...

　Ferry muttered to himself: Of course, due to the confidentiality regulations, he cannot reveal many inside stories now.

　However, Director Dulles, who was about to resign, had already hinted that he could let out some rumors to avoid the same fate as the Japanese headquarters' war reports during World War II, where the tone was exaggerated too much at first, and then the truth would be exposed later, which would cause him great embarrassment... So

　, it’s okay to accept an interview with the reporter.

　"First of all, this is a really bad war. We jumped into it recklessly and without sufficient preparation."

　Fili spread his hands and said, "Even President Kennedy admitted this, and the entire cabinet regretted their rash decision.

　The White House has been holding review meetings these days, and everyone feels that they may have had a mental problem or suffered from collective hysteria. Otherwise, it is simply incomprehensible that a rational and responsible government would be involved in such a doomed adventure.

　Secondly, while the United States certainly suffered heavy losses in this war, Cuba, as a battlefield, was even more unfortunate. At least one million Cubans died in the bombing and nuclear strikes, and almost the same number suffered from radiation sickness, turning the entire island into a post-apocalyptic radioactive wasteland.

　In comparison, the Japanese Empire lost only 300 million people in the entire Second World War.

　For the Cubans, this is an apocalypse like God sending fire from heaven to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah!"

　He sighed with compassion, "But now that the disaster has already happened, we can only work hard to clean up the mess instead of just complaining and grumbling. Even if things go badly, it's still better than doing nothing..."