114 : Money flowing through personal connections
three days later,
The Rex Hotel, Canberra, Australia.
I don’t know what kind of coincidence, but among the hotels where state guests stay, there are only hotels where South Koreans and Americans stay.
In diplomacy between countries, nothing can be done carelessly, so even this must have been intentional.
“Chief Wu, will you attend the exchange meeting?”
Foreign Minister Lee Kyu-ha invited me to a diplomatic meeting. Heads of state only greeted each other on the first day of condolences, and it was the role of diplomats to come up with negotiation agendas under the guise of social gatherings.
“I’m not a diplomat, so I don’t know if I can attend the exchange meeting.”
“It’s not even an official meeting, so how about it? Also, the negotiation agenda has already been exchanged in writing, so it is enough to grasp the atmosphere.”
Well, the only thing on the agenda is the size of the dispatch and how much to pay for it.
Compared to the original history, our military plays a much more important role in Vietnam, and the general public pays the price for scrap metal collection and stolen logs, so the area around Quy Nhon is very stable economically and militarily.
The US will desperately hope that the Republic of Korea will send additional troops to create more places like Quy Nhon.
For now, it is the most realistic way to lead the Vietnam War to an advantage without sacrificing the US military.
I’ll have to check the atmosphere myself.
Where would Nancy be?
It’s very inconvenient in an age without cell phones.
“Let’s go first. I will chase after you.”
“Please.”
I sent the Minister of Foreign Affairs first and headed to the party by myself. I had to find Nancy.
“CS, not you. I am here.”
“Haha, nice to meet you.”
Sure enough, as I was walking around the perimeter of the party, Nancy recognized me and gestured to me.
“Just in case, you really did. It was nice to see you on the list of condolences. Have a drink.”
Nancy offered me champagne.
“Thank you, Lady.”
“And, hello. This one…”
“hello. Secretary Kissinger.”
“Oh, I see you know.”
“Haha, nice to meet you. Mr. Wu, I’ve heard a lot about this and that.”
He is a nobleman who looks like a cartoon character, but he is a giant who will decorate a page in world diplomacy in the future.
‘He’s also a person with an extreme butterfly effect.’
More than anything, I was curious.
He’s the one who’s going to marry Nancy, but why is he now Secretary of Defense?
Originally, according to history, he is now serving as an aide to the Republican Party, but by making an outstanding performance as Nixon’s kingmaker in the upcoming presidential election, he should be selected as national security adviser and eventually rise to the secretary of state.
“It is an honor for me to meet the Minister.”
“Mr. Wu is the entrepreneur who fortified Quy Nhon in Vietnam and persuaded the King of Jordan. Above all, it is surprising to anyone to see that a Korean did such a thing.”
As expected of Kissinger, the information is very bright.
That’s the information Nancy gave you, isn’t it?
“Somehow it happened. The minister is more surprised than that. In an administration that has become a lame duck, and in a time when the Vietnam War is difficult, you dare to assume the role of defense secretary.”
“Yes, I dried it too.”
Nancy also pouted at the side.
Again, this was originally out of history.
“Inwardly, I was worried. By the way, if the Vietnam War goes like this, there is a high possibility that the next government will be occupied by the Democratic Party. If so, wouldn’t it be best for me to control the Vietnam War? Because it is the greatest weakness of the Democratic Party.”
Damn, Kissinger can’t line up for the Democrats.
Hey, you say you’ve got Nixon elected.
I mean, don’t ruin the history I know.
The president of the United States should never change.
Then it becomes too difficult to predict the future.
“Looks like you made a mistake. The next government will be the Republican Party, not the Democrats.”
“CS, I’m not saying that kind of thing lightly.”
“Nancy, hold on. No one ever talks to us like this. Let’s listen to Mr. Wu.”
Kissinger looked at me with a supposedly laid-back expression, but his eyes wavered slightly.
“CS, what is the basis for the next administration to go to the Republican Party?”
“Because it’s a hundred times easier to ruin things than to make them work. Isn’t it a peace agreement at best to pick out the best scenario in the Vietnam War? There is no way for the US to win militarily. Yes?”
The United States has no intention of advancing north, only to block the communization of Vietnam, but the Soviet Union and China are pushing for reunification day and night.
And above all, the Vietnamese people turned their backs on the regime.
“No… I can’t say that.”
“In addition, if it is an election, there will be unexpected variables, so who will have the advantage? Like the black civil rights movement, for example.”
Soon, the Democratic Party will be in great trouble with the black human rights issue. You’re going to be attacked by white people as well as black people for that.
“Hmm, it makes sense in its own way. But right now, the Republican Party has no viable presidential candidate.”
“So, I feel sorry for Mr. Kissinger. If you make a person who can be a president, it’s just that, but if you make an unexpected person as president, you can be recognized as a kingmaker, right?”
“!!!!”
“CS! What ideas do you have? Tell me, come on.”
Nancy was anxious and spoke fast.
“Nancy, I’m talking to Mr. Kissinger.”
“Sheesh! Is this what it is?”
“I kindly ask for your advice.”
Kissinger gave me a soft nod with a glass of champagne, a bright toast.
“There is nothing particularly difficult. It is to break down the secret meeting between the South Korean President Thiu and President Johnson, who attended the condolence ceremony here.”
The Canberra conference here is a meeting to discuss the Vietnam War under the guise of condolences. Vietnam and the countries that dispatched troops all gathered together.
“Is that possible?”
“If the information leaks out that the US is trying to negotiate a peace agreement with the Viet Cong, President Thieu will finish his condolences and return to his country at once.”
“!!!!”
I didn’t have to speak at length.
In the original history, it was Kissinger who broke the atmosphere of peace negotiations in Vietnam.
The purpose, of course, was to get Nixon elected.
He blamed the Democrats for the growing sacrifices of US troops by stalling the Vietnam War, and propagated extensively that the only person who could solve it was Nixon of the Republican Party.
Of course, unlike the original history, it is a problem that it is a betrayal and internal gunfire if you do such a thing because you are now the defense minister of the Democratic Party government.
But to this nobleman, such justice and faithfulness are nothing.
He is a man who will do anything for his own benefit.
They supported dictators, claiming it was beneficial to the United States, and provided arms support to Israel.
In particular, even when he was an overseas advisor to the Korean Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), many construction companies lost construction costs because they did not provide information about the Iran-Iraq war in advance.
That is, while paying the torture fee.
‘Why are you pretending to be worried? After all, lining up for the Republican Party.’
In short, he is a nobleman who will not hesitate to engage in internal fire to increase his self-worth.
Rather, it is obvious that it will be used as a political maneuver.
“I must give you an answer. You asked for a special aid program for highway construction. Can I help you with that?”
Hush, I brought up a reply.
It must mean that you liked what I said.
I was also a little reassured.
Hey Kissinger! It doesn’t matter what the return is, you must betray the Democratic Party and get Nixon elected! Understand?
“Thank you for your help.”
“It is also a common goal of the free world that democratic countries will live better than socialist countries.”
“See you at Qunyeon sometime. I hope that the defensive line connecting Quy Nhon, Taiwan, Okinawa and Korea will be called the Kissinger Line.”
“Hahaha, the Kissinger line?”
“If such a line of defense is drawn, it will go down in history.”
“……”
Kissinger thought silently.
Crack!
I bumped my glass into Kissinger’s.
“Henry, CS, don’t take it lightly. He doesn’t talk nonsense.”
“I guess so.”
“Then have a good time.”
I turned around and headed for the inn.
There was nothing to do but look at the atmosphere and sleep.
120% goal achieved.
**
next day,
“Hahaha, this is fun. very enjoyable.”
“When it comes to negotiating, Your Excellency is probably the best leader in the world. ha ha ha.”
The president as well as the foreign minister all smiled brightly.
It is said that, out of the ordinary, President Johnson had a luncheon with President Park and handed over a personal letter.
The content of the personal letter was to provide assistance with two destroyers and helicopters, to operate a special aid program for highway construction in Korea, and to agree in principle to the establishment of a civilian logistical labor support group for Vietnam.
All negotiations we requested were accepted.
Even if the diplomatic rhetoric stated that they agreed in principle, it would be safe to say that the original proposal was accepted at the summit meeting, which was a great success.
“With President Woo attending, national luck follows. ha ha ha!”
“thank you.”
The president, perhaps wondering if I had made an behind-the-scenes contact, patted me on the shoulder, mentioning national fortune.
I couldn’t have praised my abilities in front of public officials.
Yeah, I admit I was lucky.
If not at this time, when would you have met Kissinger?
Anyway, if nothing else, it was really unexpected that they were helping destroyers and helicopters.
Suddenly, I wondered what Professor Joo Young-gil was doing.
I wished the day would come when I could open up the destroyer and helicopter engine with him.
“What are you going to do? Will you return home on a special flight? Or, are you going somewhere else?”
“I think I have to go to England for a shipyard job.”
“I knew it. receive! This is my gift.”
The president handed over an envelope if it was a gift.
Geumilbong? not. It was too thin.
“Letters! thank you.”
“It’s about an unlimited guarantee from the loan minister. Official documents will take some time, so I give them in advance. Write well.”
“I will be sure to sign a contract.”
Is there a nobleman who uses power like a carrot?
It’s not like I’m spending money, so it’s not really something to be blamed for.
“It will be a new year when I come back. Stop by the Blue House.”
“Are you giving me money?”
“ha ha ha! I’ll give you makgeolli.”
Well, this outing was quite enjoyable.
It was good just to enjoy Australia’s warm summer weather. An endless plain, so sweet that you can see the horizon. I really wanted to bring it back to my country if I could.
***
london england,
Chairman Longbottom set up an office in London, so it happened that a British branch was created under the name of the general manager.
“How have you been?”
“welcome. I waited a long time.”
Chairman Longbottom greeted me with a smile.
“Oh, wait a long time. I was busy playing golf, drinking, and playing.”
“That’s not play, it’s business.”
Captain Smith must have played with President Longbottom, even his complexion improved.
After all, vacations should be spent with friends.
Will I be able to spend a holiday like a vacation with Sambok next year?
Employees also need to take some time off.
“Both of you, it’s nice to see you. Well, we’ve got what you want. It is a document proving that the loan is infinitely guaranteed.”
I handed out a personal letter from the president.
“The Korean government has made a big decision. I heard that West Germany and Israel had a lot of business plans.”
“Well, that’s why it was decided to build another shipyard. We just have to take care of our shipyard.”
“I beg your pardon? One more shipyard? Korea has great guts in many ways.”
“It’s not guts, a high-ranking government official convinced me that with millions of dollars, I could get loans worth tens of millions of dollars to build a shipyard. It was not a situation for me to dry up and sleep.”
“Huh, where is the project that gives subsidy before the loan? Even the start-up fee is paid when the builder brings in equipment and workers and starts digging! It’s embarrassing to fall for such a childish scam.”
Chairman Longbottom clicked his tongue.
I’ve dried it enough to stop it, so if it turns out to be a scam, I’ll have to pick up what’s to be salvaged from the shipyard where construction has stopped and throw away what’s going to be thrown away.
“You only care about us. Anyway, if I put this personal letter in, Barclays Bank won’t have any problems, right?”
“Perhaps. However, apart from the unlimited guarantee documents, he wanted a private meeting with President Woo.”
“Are you alone with me?”
“It didn’t seem like there was a clear opposition to it. I’ll set the time, so let’s meet.”
“I see.”
Chairman Longbottom looked around and the meeting with Barclays Bank was rescheduled for three days.
Until then, I had no choice but to stay in England, so it was a break for me as well.
I walked along the Thames and enjoyed the sunset at Windsor Castle.
Somehow, the scenery of the 60s feels more wonderful than the 21st century… Come to think of it, I’ve never been to this place in my previous life.
I only saw it on TV
***
three days later,
“The place is a toast house…”
When I came to the meeting place, it was a toast house.
I thought it would be a quiet restaurant.
There were quite a few people standing in line for the restaurant.
At the scheduled time, I received two toasts and two cups of coffee and leaned against the wall.
“Mr. Wu?”
“Mr. Cokins?”
The person who wanted a private meeting was Vice President Barclays, and his name was John Cokins.
I was the only Asian, so it would have been easy to find.
“Yes, I am Cockins.”
“Take it, toast.”
“Haha, thank you. By the way, since you’re from far away, I wonder if it’s okay to have a meal like this.”
“There is no better lunch than toast and coffee. It’s even better because you won’t be mistaken for a bribe.”
“ha ha ha.”
The two of us enjoyed toast and coffee and took a walk in the nearby park. The weather was pretty good for London.
Since there was a bench in a quiet place, we sat down naturally and started talking without anyone saying anything first.
“You said you wanted to be alone with me?”
“I really wanted to see you separately. When I first saw the business plan, I wondered if some kid with a liver had planned something like this. But, the more you research, the more you become a giant, no, a giant.”
“Do you think I will be taller at this age?”
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Are you saying I’m going to be a giant?
It must mean that Vice President Cokins saw my growth potential greatly.
Cokins looked at most five or six years older than me.
It means a bank vice-president in his early to mid-thirties.
“Chairman Longbottom brought a personal letter from the Korean president, saying it was an unlimited guarantee certificate for the loan minister. If that is the case, the Export-Import Bank of England will also positively review the loan. But, in order to get final approval…”
“Ask the owner of the ship, right?”
“Ha ha, how did you know?”
original history.
“Since you are the host of the syndicate loan, you can’t make decisions on your own. I would have asked you to bring proof that the ship owner was secured.”
“Thank you for your understanding. But it’s not like you can’t help and kick them out. Let me introduce you to the Greek shipping magnate.”
huh? What, why are you being so kind?
Originally, in history, wasn’t this man persuaded by showing the Turtle Ship printed on a 500 won bill?
It is said that Korea has already built ironclad ships in the 16th century.
“Speaking of the Greek shipping magnate…”
“Yes that’s right. George Livanos! He is my friend.”
Livanos is a friend of Vice President Barclays.
I was a little dumbfounded.
After all, big money flows through personal connections.
Yes, that’s the shipping industry.