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Chapter 8: Sudden changes in decision-making in the White House and the rise of strategists in the State Department (please vote for me!)

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    Chapter 8 Changes in decision-making in the White House and the rise of strategy in the State Department

    In the United States, because there is a state located on the far northwest border also called Washington, when Americans refer to the capital, they generally do not call it Washington, but use the word dc, which is the District of Columbia.  //www.//txt e-book download** This place only serves as the center of American politics. The sun is shining brightly in Washington in August. For the politicians from all over the United States, every summer is a year.  The best of times.

    If someone could stand on the top of the obelisk in Washington and look out, the whole city would be filled with sparkling green willows on the banks of the Bodommac River. In the center of the city, Whitehaven Park, a green lung as vast as New York's Central Park, would appear.  The west side of Capitol Hill stretches all the way to the lush lawn of the Lincoln Memorial, which has just been built. In addition, almost everywhere in the suburbs of Washington is covered with dense green trees, with gorgeous chunhu¨¡ on the streets and rich autumn colors.  It makes people feel that making a special trip to visit the park is redundant.

    "If it comes at night, in the grass under the trees, there will often be some flickering light spots, rising and falling slowly, making intermittent light and shadow in the dark night. These are the elf-like fireflies.  They like silence, but they are not afraid of noise. Even on the lawn facing the street, you can see their peaceful figures dancing gracefully.

    But this is just comfort on the surface. For Washington, the capital of the United States, politics here is full of daily life. It can be said that the atmosphere here is full of politics every moment. In this city, it  The political center of China has two distinct cores. One is centered on Capitol Hill and its senators, while the other is centered on the White House and its president and cabinet.

    No. 100 Pennsylvania Avenue - The White House. This building that was painted white due to the British invasion and burned down is the official residence of the President of the United States. Like the Congress on Capitol Hill, this is another heart of the United States, connected with other countries in the world.  Unlike the official residence, which is surrounded by walls, the White House, like many ordinary homes in the United States, is surrounded by a circle of lawns and flowers without walls or fences.

    As usual, on the lawn in front of the White House, there are occasionally a few noble ladies chatting there with their pet dogs and umbrellas. For these full-time house owners whose husbands are either political officials or members of Congress, their lives are very difficult.  It is also political, just like this time, this seemingly casual conversation is actually doing their part for their husbands' career.

    Behind the lawn, on the first floor of the white palace-style building, White House employees and consultants were walking back and forth. This was brought to the White House by President Wilson, who was regarded as cold, gentle and knowledgeable in the eyes of the public.  Changes to come.  Just after he was elected president, some important changes occurred in the White House. Due to the expansion of the presidential office, the number of employees and consultants here also increased. Visitors also visited the presidential residence under the leadership of employees.  There are even some ordinary people waiting to meet the president.

    ??In the Oval Office, who seems a bit frosty in the public eye at this time Woodrow?  Wilson had already walked out of his newlyweds. Just like in the past, his expression was serious and cold at this time. If you were not familiar with him, you might think that this learned president was suppressing his anger at this time.

    ¡°If a treaty with any country has expired, the original treaty shall be abrogated and a new treaty shall be made; if the treaty has not yet expired, the original treaty shall be terminated through ¡°formal¡± procedures and a new treaty shall be made; the old treaty has expired but the new treaty has not yet expired.  If so, temporary measures will be drawn up."

    With Robb?  Secretary Lansing's words made Wilson frown more and more tightly. After Lansing's words fell, Vice President Thomas, who had remained silent?  Riley?  Marshall asked.

    "Do the Chinese have this power?"

    "Any sovereign country has the right to resolve treaties that suppress its own country!"

    ?? Before the president spoke, Walter, as the president¡¯s personal secretary?  Lippmann was the first to answer, and he also cast his sights on the president. As we all know, Wilson was a very idealistic politician. The progressive domestic policies of democracy, self-determination, open agreements, and free trade he promoted domestically,  It was also thrown into the international field.

    After thinking for a long time, Wilson looked at the people at the desk and said.

    "After the war in the Old Continent broke out, I have always had a very clear goal in my mind, which is to help oppressed countries gain sovereignty and ensure a just peace. And in Prime Minister Li Zicheng's personal letter to me, he hoped  Led by the United States, an international cooperation conference organization was established, and the designated goal of this organization is to ensure the territorial integrity of various countries, as well as their sovereignty and political independence, and to resolve international disputes through consultation mechanisms. It can be said that at this point,  , I agree with him!¡±

    Wilson'sThe mood still seemed very cold, and the tone was not wavering.

    "As we all know, since the founding of the country, the United States has opposed various unequal treaties that threaten force. Now the United States does not have a concession in China. Although we once had it, Congress and the government have never approved it, and in the end we all  Give up those concessions!¡±

    When Wilson mentioned this matter, there was a hint of complacency in his tone. This was also true. Although the American minister and consul in China had obtained the concession together with the British, in the end they were opposed by Congress and the government.  , the United States repeatedly stated that it would give up the right to manage the concession, but the Qing imperial government at the time did not make any response. In the end, the American consul had no choice but to transfer the concession to the British concession.  Among the various unequal treaties signed by China, all the United States requires is the principle of "open door access" and "equal benefit sharing."

    In any case, when it comes to the China issue, the United States at least occupies a moral "advantage". Perhaps it is precisely because of this "advantage" that the young man who just took office as prime minister chose the United States as China's partner and hoped that  The United States provides moral and practical support and assistance in the "Revised New Testament".

    "Ruienshi's report pointed out that after the Republic of China, almost all political forces in China put forward their own proposals for the abolition of unequal treaties, and the abolition movement was the best way for political forces to use nationalism to seek public support.  . At present, one of the biggest driving forces in China is nationalism. If it can get the support of nationalism, a certain political force will succeed. On the contrary, it will fail. Whether to abrogate the treaty and how to abrogate the treaty are largely a matter of  It is an important "flash point" for internal struggles among Chinese political forces. The issue of abolition of treaties and patriotism is an important political tool for various forces to attack their opponents. "Patriot, love for country, this kind of slogan has almost filled all walks of life in China since last year.  kind of society.  Even the tyrannical bureaucrats and soldiers of the Communist Party of China often talk about patriotism, and even traitors dare not openly say words that are not necessarily patriotic.  Since the "Jiao'ao" ??issue, the voice of patriotism has become even more in vain. It seems that the word "patriotism" is a matter of course and cannot be discussed.  ¡± Therefore, it is undoubtedly extremely appropriate and appropriate for Prime Minister Li Zicheng to hope to enhance the political status of himself and the National Socialist Party through ¡°amending the New Testament¡± and gain broad support from the people, thus paving the way for the formulation of a constitution.  !¡±

    ¡°Obviously, deep down in his heart, Wilson already knew about China and the prime minister through Rui Enshi, and because of this, his attitude at this time seemed extremely clear.

    "Similarly, in his report, he pointed out that the prime minister did not reject his proposal for the United States to send legal advisers to help China formulate a modern legal system, or even refuse American legal advisers to advise China when formulating its constitution, which can now  The point we meet is that the United States and American values ??will truly affect a country for the first time!"

    The oldest country in the East may have failed in mediating the war in the Old Continent, but Reinsch's diplomatic report allowed Wilson to see the opportunity to influence another Old Continent. Although that country was a fourth-rate country, that country was  The most important link in U.S. Pacific interests.

    "But, Mr. President, what we must consider is that Li Zicheng is only China's Prime Minister, not China's president. China still has a president!"

    Robert?  Lansing sensitively reminded the idealistic president.

    "If we express our support for Li Zicheng, it is very likely that we will resent the authoritarian president, which will very likely affect the interests of the United States in China!"

    Regarding China's extremely special domestic political situation, Lan Xing had mastered a large amount of foreign diplomatic information as early as a few months ago. The "division of government and Yuan" has resulted in the existence of de facto "two centers" in China, so the United States must pay attention to  own position and maintain a relatively neutral position between the two parties.

    "This is not just a matter of the State Council, but a matter of a country. However, Mr. Lan Xing, in my personal opinion, compared to Yuan Shikai, the dictator, I prefer Li Zicheng. This is understandable.  Our thinking people said, of course, we need to take into account China's special political situation, so if we express support for it, there must be a prerequisite, that is, the unity of opinion within the Chinese government. In this way, we  There is no need to consider the position of the State Council or the Presidential Office. Our position is very simple, it is against the Chinese government, not a certain party"

    Although Wilson himself did not believe this statement, he still made a decision, but just as he was making a decision, he heard Vice President Marshall say.

    "Mr. President, before making this decision, we must take into account the attitude of Congress!"

    ¡°Congress is more important than the White House!¡±

      Gu Weijun, who has studied abroad in the United States for eight years, said lightly when he put down the "Level 6 Confidential Document" printed in his hand.

    "It's easy to lobby the White House. The White House often considers national interests first and voters second. They will make decisions based on the judgment of the envoys stationed abroad. At least the attitude of the envoys stationed abroad can affect the White House, but Congress, to be precise,  Senators and Representatives of Congress often consider voters first. Of course, what they consider is not the interests or voices of the majority of voters, but the interests of direct stakeholders. If we use the United States as a breakthrough in foreign relations, then we must take into account  The American business community, especially the American Chamber of Commerce in China, is lobbying Congress!¡±

    When Gu Weijun explained, Li Zicheng just kept smiling. After informing Rui Shi'en of the State Council's decision, Rui Shi'en sent a secret message to Washington as soon as the talks ended.  The technical department of the Secret Service deciphered it. At the end of Reinsch's report, he suggested that the United States should "compromise on the issue of treaty amendments to expand its influence in China." However, his suggestion was based on  "Sacrificing the interests of other countries in exchange for China's gratitude to the United States will maximize its influence on China's political and business circles, and ultimately encourage them to follow American values."

    The United States today does not understand China at all. China is at most only a link in the United States' Pacific interests, nothing more. The United States' China policy is often influenced by the ministers, consuls and missionaries stationed in China. It can be said that from Rui Enshi  After issuing this report, the White House will consider his suggestions. It can even be said that Rui Enshi's suggestions will influence the White House's decision. But now Gu Weijun's words are reminding Li Zicheng of another fact, that is, the United States  As for the political landscape, the U.S. Congress is not like the Chinese Congress. It is just a decoration. The U.S. Congress can control everything in the United States. Without the approval of Congress, the White House's decision is just a "show".

    "Shaochuan, do you remember that three months ago, the U.S. Congress began discussing a ban on the export of steel machinery parts!"

    Smiling, Li Zicheng mentioned an old incident three months ago.

    ¡°Banning the export of steel machinery parts?¡±

    Gu Weijun frowned slightly. He was in the capital at that time and had only read this report in the newspaper and the report that the proposal was rejected. Apart from knowing that the US ban on the export of steel machinery parts would have an impact on China's industrial development, he did not seem to have any idea.  Something worth paying attention to.

    "Three months ago, several traditional agricultural congressmen in the U.S. Congress proposed a bill to "ban the export of steel parts." The reason they proposed this bill is very simple. After the European War, the European Warring States were in urgent need of various types of steel parts.  The withdrawal of materials from the world market during the Warring States Period also caused a worldwide shortage of industrial products. Rich people in the traditional agricultural areas of the central and southern United States were preparing to invest in industrial manufacturing, but they were faced with rush buying from Europe, China, Japan, India and other places in the United States.  The rush to buy machinery and equipment from various countries has led to a tight supply of domestic machinery and equipment in the United States, so those congressmen proposed this bill. Of course, in the name of "banning the export of steel machinery parts and promoting the production of domestic industrial products", of course, this  It¡¯s also true!¡±

    When mentioning this case, Li Zicheng's mind came to the history of another time and space. After the outbreak of the European War, the world's steel prices surged. The construction of the Shijingshan Iron Works in the north began, the Daye Iron Works began to expand, and the two  The company's blast furnaces and ancillary equipment were ordered from American companies. They were originally scheduled to be delivered in the 5th and 6th years of the Republic of China. However, due to World War I, the United States banned the export of steel machinery parts, even after multi-party negotiations.  , it was still delayed to be shipped back to China until about 1920. At that time, due to the end of the First World War, the price of steel fell sharply. Not only that, European and American countries that expanded their production capacity during the war began to dump wartime wartime steel at low prices in China.  With the remaining steel, the world's steel industry has entered a decade-long cold winter period, and China's steel industry, which has missed the "black gold period", can still talk about how to develop at that time.

    In the end, the blast furnace of Shijingshan Iron Works was shut down without ignition. Hanyang Iron Works relied on meager profits during the war for five years. By 1925, all blast furnaces stopped production, and Asia's No. 1 Iron Works was completely closed. Modern China's  The steel industry disappeared into history.

    Thanks to his work in a state-owned enterprise in later generations, Li Zicheng always knew something about the history of steel. It is precisely because of this that he knew this period of history and knew that this decision of the United States caused a blow to China. It was precisely the ban of the United States.  Machinery exports led China to purchase old machinery from Japan, which led to drastic changes in the Japanese machinery manufacturing industry. The Japanese machinery manufacturing industry took advantage of this period to develop rapidly, taking advantage of the needs of its own country and China, and the gap between China and Japan was  It starts from this.

    "But another fact is that last year, Lianyungang alone imported machinery and equipment worth 30 million US dollars from the United States. If this ban is implemented, the company alone will have as much as 160 million US dollars of machinery in the next two years.  ?The equipment will not be shipped back, which is undoubtedly a fatal blow to us whose industry has just got on the right track!  Therefore, last year, as soon as it received this news, the company began lobbying activities in the United States to prevent this bill!  "

    When it comes to lobbying the U.S. Congress, Li Zicheng seems a little proud. You must know that even in 2013, Chinese companies' lobbying of the U.S. Congress was just getting started. Take the large state-owned enterprise where he works for example.  It was only in 2011 that American lobbying companies were hired to help lobby the U.S. Congress. However, it was this revelation that made Li Zicheng decide to set up a branch in Washington as early as the beginning of last year to lobby the U.S. Congress and government.

    "The Washington branch made full use of all means, and with the help of the American machinery manufacturing industry, successfully prevented the passage of this bill. On the surface, we spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on this lobbying, and it seemed to be a loss-making business, but  Because the bill was blocked, we can obtain all kinds of machinery and equipment needed for any industrial construction from the United States without any hindrance."

    Looking at Gu Weijun, the smile on Li Zicheng's face slowly faded, and his expression became serious, but still relaxed.

    ¡°So, the next step is to lobby the U.S. Congress. Only by allowing Americans to take the initiative to make decisions can we stop doing nothing!¡±

    !@#
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