Bonn, a small city on the banks of the Rhine.

After the reunification of the two Germanys and the stabilization of the situation, Angela rushed here from Berlin to work.

From 5:30 a.m. to the moment she received a call from Daniel, president of NB Electric Europe and president of BNB News, she has been in front of the TV, following the sudden and dramatic changes in the Soviet political situation.

Near Red Square in Moscow, swarms of demonstrators climbed onto military vehicles in an attempt to stop their advance.

The black-pressed people surrounded the military vehicles, some climbed into the tanks, and entertained the soldiers with candy, bread and other food, telling them not to go any further. Some of them got into a routine with the soldiers, chattering endlessly about long and short questions. Others climbed on the barrels of the guns and stuffed bouquets of flowers into the black muzzles.

The camera shook so badly that a BNB reporter squeezed into the crowd and stretched out the microphone to an officer who had just climbed onto the roof of an armored car, and before he could interview, the officer shouted to the crowd: "We are here to maintain order in the capital, not to suppress the people!" Look, I don't have bullets in my guns, we don't have shells in our infantry fighting vehicles! ”

"There is no doubt that this is a coup d'état."

Ms. Baumann, head of the Minister's Office, walked in, holding a stack of the full text of the "Letter to the Soviet People" that had just been transmitted from the headquarters of BNB News in Berlin, and read nervously: "The reform policy initiated and started by Gorbachev, which was originally intended as a means to ensure the rapid development of the country and democratize social life, has for various reasons reached a dead end. Faithlessness, apathy, and despair replaced initial enthusiasm and hope, and the regime at all levels lost the trust of the population......

The growing political and economic situation in the Soviet Union undermined our position in the world...... Yesterday, the Soviets abroad still felt like an influential, respected, decent citizen. Today. He often felt that he was a second-class foreigner. He was often looked at with contempt or pity. We appeal to all citizens of the USSR. Aware of its obligations to the Motherland, he strongly supported the USSR State Emergency Committee and the efforts made to extricate the country from the crisis. ”

Vice President, Prime Minister, Minister of Internal Affairs, Chairman of the KGB, Minister of Defense...... The opposition of the party, government, military, police, constitutional, and special forces, the eight most powerful people in the Soviet Union, made Gorbachev very worried. After all, hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops were stationed in East Germany and had hundreds of nuclear warheads, and God knows if they would go crazy with it.

She pondered for a moment, then pointed to the TV and asked, "Is there anything I don't know about?" ”

"Yes."

Ms. Bowman pulled out the bottom few faxes. "I think it's very valuable, Minister, we can't wait any longer, without these first-hand information, it will be difficult for Mr. Prime Minister to make the right decision," he said solemnly. ”

It was a special gift from the "little capitalist", and Angela took the fax and read it, got up and said, "You're right, you can't wait any longer. ”

"Cole's little girl" is more of a pejorative meaning. Qualifications, no qualifications. Get connections. No connections. Although promoted, but in this former Federal German capital. Her life was not easy.

The moment the Berlin Wall was torn down, both East Germans and West Germans rejoiced, but after a revelry, there was a deep estrangement between East and West: West Germans complained that the construction of the East had put a heavy economic burden on their backs, while East Germans found that some of their rights had been ruthlessly sacrificed, and this sentiment was especially evident in the hearts of Berliners.

As the highest-ranking East Germans in the new government, they must fulfill their obligations and protect the interests of East Germans as much as possible. One can imagine how difficult it is for her to do so on many issues.

Especially on the issue of "moving the capital" that has just settled, many people agree that the future of Germany lies in Berlin, but most people are reluctant to move the capital from the bottom of their hearts.

Since reunification, surveys have shown that more than 60 percent of people do not approve of moving the capital, some are worried about the cost of moving, and some are worried that the government will increase the budget and carry a heavier burden for East Germany.

Although the official moving budget is 20 billion marks, everyone understands that 60 billion marks may not be enough by then. And this does not include the costs of the surrounding construction of the capital, such as the construction of underground passages in Berlin, the subway, the improvement of transportation between administrative units, and other basic investments.

In addition to this, there is also a point of contention about the significance of relocation. Because while accepting Berlin, it is necessary to face the gloomy history of the "Third Reich", and people do not know how to face the courage and test of history.

For most people living in West Germany, the emotional parting was even more difficult; For nearly 30,000 parliamentary and government workers, as well as diplomats and journalists, it was a difficult choice to say goodbye to the tranquil beauty of living on the banks of the Rhine and the quaint cultural atmosphere of Bonn.

For the 310,000 citizens of Bonn, the loss of half a century of pride in the capital is a regrettable fact.

She has been working hard for the past two years, because she knows very well that 3.5 million Berliners are looking forward to the arrival of the capital. For them, the relocation of the capital may be an opportunity to finally break the "Berlin Wall" that has been in the minds of East and West Germans since reunification.

She hoped that with the relocation of the government and parliament to Berlin, the stern and rigid people of Bonn would be able to get along with the affectionate Berliners, and that together they would erase the imprint of history on the hearts and minds of East and West Germans.

A month and a half ago, by a narrow margin of 338 to 320, the House of Representatives reached a historic decision to move the capital from Bonn to Berlin.

However, in order to balance interests and to accommodate the feelings of West Germans as much as possible, the only administrative units to be moved to Berlin in the future include the Reichstag, the Presidency, the Chancellery, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Construction, and the Ministry of Family and Women.

Twenty-three ministries, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and the Ministry of Defence, will remain in Bonn and will not need to move. So much so that as soon as the bill was passed, the major media sarcastically declared that Germany was not moving the capital, but dividing the capital into two.

The two party and government positions, the CDU Vice-President and the Minister for Women and Youth, appear to be prominent, but they have little influence within the government.

She needed a chance. An opportunity to be truly involved in the country's affairs.

And at this moment. She trusted all the high-ranking officials in Bonn, including the head of federal intelligence, Auguste Hanning. No one knows better than her what really happened in the USSR and what will happen next.

As she had predicted, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister's Security Adviser, the Federal Intelligence Chief, the Federal Constitutional Protection Directorate, the Minister of Defence and others were rushing around the Prime Minister's Office like headless flies.

The phone rang incessantly, the fax machine kept spitting out documents, but there was no really valuable news, and finally I had to sit around in front of the TV and learn about the situation in the Soviet Union through the BNB News report.

"Now connect with my reporter Patterson. Patterson, hear me? ”

In less than a second of delay, a live image appeared on the TV screen in front of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, and Patterson, the host of Team B of the Moscow reporting group, pressed the headphones, held up the microphone and said: "It's clear, it's clear." ”

The host and the three guests in the Berlin studio turned to the side, looked at the big screen and asked, "Mr. Patterson, can you give us an update on the situation in the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation?" ”

"It's good."

Patterson glanced back at the White House and said in standard German, "Audience, audience." This is the report brought to you by BNB News reporter Patterson at the Equestrian Plaza, ten minutes ago. President Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation held a press conference at the parliament building and read out the "Letter to the Citizens of Russia."

Declaring the State Emergency Committee 'illegal' and 'a reactionary coup d'état by the right against the Constitution', demanding the immediate convening of the Extraordinary Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, calling on 'the citizens of Russia to give due response to the rebels', calling for an indefinite strike throughout the territory of Russia......

Presidential Decree No. 59 was signed: all resolutions promulgated in the name of the so-called 'State Emergency Committee' are illegal and null and void in the territory of the Russian Federation.

Cameraman, please zoom out a little further, viewers, please follow the direction of my finger, President Yeltsin is jumping into a tank to the cheers of thousands of Muscovites, and I am sure you can hear the voice from the loudspeaker through the topic, he is addressing the people, and he is saying, 'Please remember your oath to the people at this difficult time of choice. Your guns must not be directed at the people, and the honor of the Russian army must not be stained with the blood of the people! ’”

Half a year ago, CNN reported on the Gulf War.

Since all international telecommunications lines in Iraq and Kuwait were cut off at that time, only one telephone line from Iraq to Amman, the capital of Jordan, could communicate with the outside world, and thousands of reporters covering the scene could only send back oral reports, text transcripts, and a small number of photographs and television footage.

In advance, it purchased six satellite phones for $300,000 and obtained the exclusive right to use CNN for satellite dedicated lines. Throughout the Gulf War, people were able to see images of the war, hear the sound of missiles hitting targets and bombs exploding.

However, CNN was not in a position to conduct a full-process, panoramic, and all-round live broadcast at that time.

In contrast, BNB News is much more comprehensive.

Not only did it rent 20 satellite telephones, 15 sets of satellite relay equipment and 6 satellite transponders, but also made the best use of satellite and digital technology, and the audio and video signals from more than a dozen Soviet cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Minsk, Kazan, Tallinn, Lithuania, and Georgia were sent back to the three studios in Berlin, Riyadh, and New Jersey through digital compression, and then broadcast live to the world through ground signal transmission towers or satellites.

The nearly 200 reporters dispatched constitute a huge network of reporters, including those who are "embedded" in the Soviet army's armored units and who are guarding the "White House" to follow President Yeltsin at all times, as well as forward reporters stationed in more than a dozen major cities throughout the Soviet Union, as well as rear reporters in Washington, Bonn, London, Paris, and other countries.

For this moment, a total of more than 80 million US dollars was invested, and not every TV station can afford such high-end technology and cost.

From 6 a.m. to now, no other news is broadcast, only focusing on the ongoing coup d'état, and there is a detailed broadcast plan every hour, and the next content is forecast at any time, and breaking news is inserted at any time.

Cameras set up in a hotel in Moscow captured the rally in front of the Federal Assembly building of the Russian Federation in real time and transmitted it simultaneously to three studios in Europe, Asia and the Americas. When there is not much news, the footage captured by this camera is broadcast.

At the same time, the latest news is scrolled through at the bottom of the TV screen in the form of headline news. And always remind the audience to "don't leave BNB." For the most up-to-date and detailed news, please see BNB. ”

Several different presenters relay the baton to host different time slots. Mobilize more than a dozen military analysts, retired or military officers, politicians, and academics to participate in the analysis and commentary.

At the same time, there are a lot of conversations with front-line reporters, and the TV screen usually opens two windows, one for the host and one for the front-line scene. If there are many participants, two or more windows will be opened, and at most there will be four windows in one screen. Three window people are commenting, and one window is broadcasting the scene.

The live broadcast scene is mainly in the central studio. Sometimes it will be transferred to a press conference or other studio. Interviews and commentaries are the main form of the program, and there are also various visual news such as marches and rallies, as well as various pictures, letters, videos, maps and other materials and backgrounds that accompany various reports during the live broadcast, which are very accurate.

The head of the Federal Intelligence Agency was completely dumbfounded, put aside the latest briefing of the "Second Directorate", which was in charge of Soviet intelligence, and said with an incredulous expression: "Oh my God, how did they do it? ”

Mr. Hans, Deputy Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, crossed his arms and said with a blank face: "NB Electric has investments in the Soviet Union, and some time ago it hosted the embassy and consulate of the former Socialist Unity government in the Soviet Union, and most of their staff are diplomats from the former East Germany. Very familiar with the place and with connections that we couldn't have imagined. It is quite possible that the news was received in advance, otherwise it would never have been so well prepared. ”

"How much equipment and personnel does this cost?"

"They made a lot of money in Kuwait, some of them money."

The Prime Minister's Security Adviser put down the phone and walked over, shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Mr. Chancellor, Mr. Hans, Washington, like us, is extremely shocked by what is happening in the Soviet Union. And the BNB International News Channel is also their main source of information now. ”

Prime Minister Kohl touched his chin and said solemnly: "But we now need more definite information, such as whether Mikhail Sergeyevich is dead or alive, and whether Boris Nikolayevich has the determination to persevere." ”

Journalists are free to move, and diplomats are not hindered in their activities.

But until the situation becomes clear, the federal government must not easily send people to contact Yeltsin, who was in high spirits on television. After all, he was only the president of a union republic, the equivalent of a German governor, and if he did, it would be no different from blatant interference in the internal affairs of the Soviet Union.

Hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops were stationed around him, and Prime Minister Kohl did not dare to slack off in the slightest.

Outside was crowded with journalists, and as Federal Chancellor he couldn't help but take a stand. In a dilemma, Angela quietly walked into the office with a stack of papers.

"Mr. Prime Minister, has Sobchak arrived in St. Petersburg?"

What a strange question, Cole was confused: "Do you know where Sobchak is?" ”

"Yes."

Angra handed over a fax confirming that "he had just returned to St. Petersburg by plane from Moscow, and if nothing else, a BNB News reporter would have an exclusive interview with him at the airport." At this critical juncture, as the most influential politician of the Soviet Union, his attitude became even more important. ”

The intelligence chief couldn't sit still, and hurriedly asked, "Your Excellency, what else do you know?" ”

"Earlier, the Emergency Committee, which arrested four deputies to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, was arrested by the KGB and detained at an army base near Moscow. Among them were the influential Soviet people's representative Godrian, and the Russian people's representative Urazhitsev. ”

Angra paused, and then said: "The troops stationed in the city of Moscow are the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motorized Rifle Division, the 4th Guards Armored Division of Kantemir, and the Tula Airborne Division. And a month ago, when Yeltsin was inspecting the Tula Airborne Division, the young commander of the Airborne Forces, Grachev, briefed him on the troops.

Perhaps in anticipation of such a day, or simply because the Tula Airborne Division was stationed on the outskirts of Moscow, Yeltsin suddenly asked him: If some special situation suddenly arises, and the legitimately elected president of Russia encounters danger, rebellion, terror, and someone tries to arrest him, can you rely on the military, on you? Grachev replied at that time: Yes, you can. So I have every reason to believe that Grachev will deliver on his promise next. ”

The Minister of Defense could not help but ask: "What else?" ”

"A rather bad news, Yazov has just sent a secret telegram to all deputy ministers of defense and commanders of major military districts, ordering all troops to enter a state of readiness for battle."

"All provided by BNB News?"

Pointing to the fax in the prime minister's hand, Angela said lightly: "At my strong request, Mr. Daniel, the president of the news network, agreed to give me a briefing every half hour, but the content of the briefing can only be used as a reference for decision-making and cannot be leaked to other media without permission." ”

"Is the information reliable?"

"BNB News has invested nearly $100 million in this, and I am convinced of the authenticity of the news."

Chancellor Kohl took off his glasses and said thoughtfully: "Gentlemen, there are signs that the coup d'état, as they have analyzed, is a hastily prepared temporary operation, and the probability of Yanayev taking over the Kremlin is only 10 percent, and Gorbachev and Yeltsin are 45 percent each, and I think we can make a statement of support." ”

To everyone's surprise, Angela suddenly smiled and said, "Mr. Prime Minister, President Daniel has entrusted me to convey to you that BNB News has a spare Inmarsat phone and a satellite news van outside the 'White House'. If you want, they can always hand over the equipment and the personnel operating the equipment to the President of Russia. ”

If you have a phone, you can contact Yeltsin directly, you can cheer him up and make him persevere. And with the satellite OB van, Yeltsin was able to rally more Russians to support his actions.

Prime Minister Kohl was overjoyed, grabbed her arm and said with a fluttering eyebrow: "It is so needed, Angela, immediately reply to that Mr. President, I want to speak to Boris Nikolayevich as soon as possible." (To be continued......)