Arc of Gunfire

Chapter 273 Negotiations with the United States (Updated 24/33)

Wang Zhong looked at Liu Xia's smile and suddenly wanted to give her a hug, so he opened his arms to Liu Xia.

Lyudmila looked like a sister looking at her naughty brother: "You, come on."

She turned around and spread her arms.

Wang Zhong knelt down on one knee in front of her and threw himself into the gentle land that only belonged to him.

Lyudmila, Rokosov's gas station!

Just then the phone rang.

Wang Zhong suddenly didn't want to leave the gentle countryside to answer the phone, just like a person doesn't want to leave the warm bed in the cold winter morning.

Lyudmila said softly: "If you picked up the receiver later, hundreds or even thousands of people might have died in vain."

Wang Zhong immediately stood up, walked to the phone, and quickly picked up the receiver: "I am Lieutenant General Rokossov, who am I?"

Belinsky's voice came from the phone: "Good morning, Lieutenant General Rokossov. I heard that your behavior yesterday was well received by the air force commanders and combatants. As an army general, this is not easy."

Wang Zhong: "Good morning, Your Majesty. I just listened to their feedback and used my new title to speak for them. After all, whether new equipment can be put into production in the future depends on my approval as the chairman of the committee."

Belinsky: "The Inquisitor reported your request to me. You should pay attention. Maybe we can't produce something that meets the request now."

Wang Zhong: "Can't produce it?"

There was the sound of turning pages from Belinsky's side, and he probably had a report in his hand: "We have several industrial centers. Agsukov has been evacuated better, with 70% of technical personnel and professional personnel." Industrial workers were evacuated to the rear,

“But the evacuation of machine tools, especially the large-scale special machine tools that we currently have very low output, is not progressing satisfactorily.

"The evacuation in Shepetovka went a little smoother because the evacuation took a long time. But correspondingly, places closer to the border basically didn't have time to evacuate. Do you understand?

"There is also Fort St. Andrew, which is our most important heavy industrial base. The enemy has blocked the regular roads, and we can only transport supplies from the frozen lake in the north!

"We evacuated one million civilians from this route, but only some of them were engineers and industrial workers, the majority were women and children.

"The electron tube factory at Fort St. Andrew, and the optical glass factory were not evacuated, not at all! The workers and engineers planned to fight with the defenders, and even if we persuaded them to leave, they refused to leave.

"Even if they all leave, in these two industries, without those high-precision production tools, it is absolutely impossible for workers to recover."

Wang Zhong: "Yesterday at the Ordnance Bureau, I learned about the difficult situation of our industrial production."

Belinsky: "Then you should know that we now desperately need the assistance of the United States - no, all allies.

"Today the ambassador of the United States and a delegation that just arrived in Yeburg will meet with His Majesty the Tsar to discuss assistance matters. The church will send a delegation from the people's livelihood department to participate in the talks.

"I hope you will also attend the meeting. The United States has expressed a similar hope."

Wang Zhong looked embarrassed: "I... didn't prepare any relevant documents at all. The documents I prepared all night last night were all about the establishment of a review committee and the development of a 100mm gun carrier."

Belinsky: "Just sitting there will have an effect. If we didn't still need your military talents, I would have sent you to the United States to lobby them. You boarded them in the United States The biggest magazine is called Time or something.”

Wang Zhong raised his eyebrows: I'm actually in Time Magazine? Isn't this a bit of an understatement?

Belinsky: "The Ambassador of the United States plans to personally present this issue to you, so you must go. I guess the palace etiquette department will give you a formal invitation after I hang up the phone."

Wang Zhong: "I understand. I will arrive on time this morning."

————

On November 24th, at Saint-Ekaterinaburg, at 9:30 in the morning, Wang Zhong arrived at the summer palace.

People from the palace etiquette department were already waiting for him at the door and immediately guided him to the lounge.

The Ambassador and delegation of the United States were already in the lounge.

It is said to be a lounge, but it is actually used for personal communication. When we get to the negotiation table, we will have tit-for-tat, but this does not prevent some exchanges in the audience.

After all, both sides are allies.

"Lieutenant General Rokossov!" As soon as Wang Zhong entered the lounge, someone shouted in Antese with an accent, "Last time we met, we had to wear summer clothes!"

Wang Zhong followed the reputation and found that it was Lieutenant Colonel John Wick, the military attaché of the United States whom he had seen at the state funeral.

After meeting their eyes, the lieutenant colonel saluted Wang Zhong.

After Wang Zhong returned the gift, he took the initiative to hold John Wick's hand: "We haven't seen each other for almost three months. This time we are allies."

John Wick nodded: "Yes. In fact, I went back to the country after August and just came back with the delegation. Here you go."

He took out a magazine from his briefcase with a huge TIME written on the cover.

Time magazine, the cover of the magazine is the full-length portrait of Wang Zhong taken by Mike's journalist partner Robert Capa, with the T34 tank in the background.

Wang Zhong's broken English was barely recognizable, and the largest line in the magazine read "Victory Star."

This review seems okay.

Wang Zhong took the magazine, flipped through it casually, and handed it to Vasily: "Keep it well, this is a precious souvenir."

Vasily was curious: "Isn't it just a magazine?"

Wang Zhong: "Those who can be published in this magazine are all influential figures of the same generation."

Vasily said "Oh" and muttered: "Then we can also make a similar book. Just being on the cover is awesome."

Lieutenant Colonel John Wick smiled cheerfully.

At this time, an old man from the United States who was nearly sixty years old came to Lieutenant Colonel John Wick: "Please help introduce me, Mr. Lieutenant Colonel."

"Of course, Mr. Ambassador. His Excellency Lieutenant General Rokossov, this is Mr. Hawthorne, the Ambassador of the United States to the Ant Empire. Mr. Ambassador, this is His Excellency Lieutenant General Rokossov."

Wang Zhong actually knew the name of the ambassador through Ms. Ai before he came, but now it was just a formality.

After John Wick finished speaking, the ambassador reached out his hand: "It is a real honor to meet Lieutenant General Rokossov. You have been called the Star of Victory by Time Magazine."

Wang Zhong smiled. At this time, he could only be modest: "Thank you, thank you."

Ambassador Hawthorne continued: "Our domestic analysts all agree that you cannot win quickly. They speculate that there are two main reasons why the quick victory faction will become the mainstream. The first is that the soldiers who were driven out of their hometowns are in a hurry. They are eager to regain their homeland and seek revenge. Secondly, everyone knows that next year will be very difficult.”

Wang Zhong: "Isn't it the same with the United States?"

Ambassador Hawthorne: "I don't deny that the Fuso Empire is currently attacking on all fronts, and we are being beaten on all fronts. But when our war machine is fully activated, the Fuso Empire will definitely be defeated."

Wang Zhong: "The war potential is greater for us."

"Yes, that's it." Ambassador Hawthorne nodded, "But you also know that our war machine has not yet fully started. Coupled with the limitations of transportation capacity, the assistance we can provide next year is limited..."

Wang Zhong: "The war with the Fuso Empire is mainly on the water and is the work of the navy. The ground battle in Uropa has ended, and the landing battle in Mamluk is still being planned. It will be helpful to give us tanks first." We blocked Proson's attack."

Ambassador Hawthorne laughed loudly: "Your direct style is actually very suitable for us in the United Kingdom. After all, in the eyes of the gentlemen of the United Kingdom, we are all uneducated nouveau riche, so we only pay attention to directness."

Just as Wang Zhong was about to answer, the door opened: "His Majesty is already waiting for the Ambassador in the audience hall."

"Oh, it's time to show up." The ambassador looked at Wang Zhong, "See you at the negotiating table later."

After saying that, he and several followers followed the palace guards and left the lounge.

Wang Zhong asked John Wick: "Shall we continue to wait?"

"Yes. The interview is just a matter of situation. His Majesty the Tsar will not participate in the negotiations later. It is us who are here to discuss the specific form of assistance." John Wick paused and suddenly asked, "What do you think Ant needs most urgently now?" What is the most important type of assistance?”

Wang Zhong replied without hesitation: "Canned Spam."

In fact, it is canned luncheon meat. It is a canned meat produced by adding ingredients such as starch and other ingredients in pork that are not popular in the market. When Wang Zhong was a child, he always thought this was a high-end thing and ate a lot of it.

Later, when I went to college, I would also use this thing with instant noodles to increase my protein intake.

Wang Zhong paused and added: "I personally hope there will be enough Coca-Cola."

He has never had a sip of Coca-Cola since time travel, and Wang Zhong definitely wants to take a sip of this nostalgic taste.

John Wick smiled: "Have you ever lived in the United States? I bet even the diplomats in Ant may not know about canned Spam. After all, diplomats rarely eat civilian dishes."

Wang Zhong: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and I have carefully studied the United States."

John Wick's smile froze.

Wang Zhong: "You just asked what is needed most. It must be canned Spam. This thing can save the emergency. We just lost millions of livestock due to the severe cold. We will definitely not be able to produce so many doctor sausages next year. There has to be something to replace it.

"If you asked me what I need most besides food, I would say engines and machine tools."

"Oh?" John Wick once again showed his slightly interested expression, "Why?"

Wang Zhong: "We need to produce better tanks. Now our T34 can win against first-hand armor and bullets, mainly because of its backward attack advantage and sloped armor.

“But the Plosans will soon come up with better tanks, and their armored troops are already better than ours and have more combat experience.

"We need machine tools that can produce larger turrets, and we need more powerful engines to drive heavier tanks. Our KV is currently suffering from too little engine output."

John Wick: "You know a lot about military production."

Wang Zhong: "So-so. We also need stamping machines, especially those that can produce high-precision stamping parts, and optical glass. Our own optical glass factory is in Fort St. Andrew and is surrounded..."

At this time, the door to the lounge opened again, and the official of the palace etiquette department said: "The audience is over, please enter the conference room. This way to the conference room."

Wang Zhong: "Well, see you at the negotiating table."

John Wick smiled: "See you at the negotiating table."

————

After that, after ten days of negotiations, the Ant Empire signed the "Wartime Assistance Treaty" with the United States, the United Kingdom and other allies.

The treaty stipulates that the United States, the United Kingdom and other allies will provide Ant with 85 major categories of assistance, ranging from food to rubber to crude oil, and finally trucks, tanks and finished aircraft.

If this aid is consumed or lost during the war, no payment is required. Once the war is victorious, the aid that has not been consumed will be converted into arrears.

No one involved in the negotiations thought that the aid would be left over after the war was over.

In addition, at the request of Lieutenant General Rokossov, both parties agreed that the Ant Ordnance Bureau would send an inspection team to the United States. The goal was to purchase a batch of machine tools that Ant did not have before May 915, including those that could produce Super heavy-duty vertical machine tool with 3500 mm diameter turret seat ring.

These machine tools will arrive in Ant before February 2016, and installation and debugging will be completed before May 2016.

As for the transfer of engine technology, which Lieutenant General Rokossov is particularly interested in, no agreement has been reached yet. The allies only promised to provide Ant with a "sufficient" amount of finished engines.

————

Jules December 3, 914, two days before the Western Front attack was launched.

St. Catherine's Fort, Civil War Victory Memorial.

Wang Zhong looked at the building and said, "Are you sure this can be used as the office of the review committee?"

Bishop Rafkid nodded: "Of course, we have sealed all the exhibits with historical significance in the basement. In addition, there are complete underground fortifications here. Proson will attack Ye Fort again. You can put the underground fortifications there." Fortress."

Wang Zhong: "That's it."

He turned to Ms. Ellie and nodded: "Okay, this is our office. Madam, you can start moving the girls you recruited."

Ms. Ally immediately turned around, clapped her hands and shouted loudly: "Okay girls, let's take action! Five large offices will be cleared out this morning!"

While the "state lady" was showing off her strength, an old man wearing a military uniform with no military rank and decorations came to Wang Zhong: "Unbelievable! You brought me back from such a far away place to be a clerk, and you ended up... The agency is still empty!”

Wang Zhong: "Your Excellency, Principal, I asked you to come back because I miss you!"

The old man snorted: "Even if your evil sects win, they won't last long! Feel free to be proud now! But looking at your attitude, you won't return to the front line again."

Wang Zhong: "No, I will. In order to prove that the new troops I organized and the equipment I supervised the development are effective, I will personally attack the Prosens."

The old man stared at Wang Zhong for a few seconds and said, "At least this courage deserves appreciation."

At this time, a jeep stopped in front of Wang Zhong. Vasily jumped out of the car, pointed to the mailbox on the back seat and said: "The mailbox you set in front of the equipment department is full. I guess it's because of Drachenko." They worked hard to promote it, and there were a lot of letters from the Air Force. I opened a letter complaining about the lack of damage to the Schwark cannon.”

Wang Zhong: "That's easy to say. Once we capture Proson's 151-type 20mm cannon, we will try to imitate it. Once Ms. Alli assigns an office to the feedback department, we will hire a trustworthy person to open the letter and record the following. Require."

Vasily: "Understood."

The former principal sneered: "You speak as if hiring people is a very simple matter."

Wang Zhong: "It's very simple. We didn't have an office location before, so we found people and gathered so many people. Now that we have determined the office location, we just need to place an advertisement in the newspaper saying that Rokosov General's organization is hiring and will be full soon.

"If you don't believe me, give it a try."