Returning to the cruiser Augusta and reporting to Roosevelt and Hopkins, John's first diplomatic mission came to an end. In the next "Atlantic Conference", he was at best a soy sauce character.

For the welcome dinner that night, he was able to mix up a feast of roast chicken, pan-fried cod, asparagus, lettuce and vanilla ice cream. After the tea party, he was definitely not qualified to participate. As for the next formal meeting, he couldn't even touch the edges. Hopkins tasked him with attending the preparatory meeting of the military roundtable and producing a report for Roosevelt's reference.

Truth be told, John had no interest in such boring meetings. The military bigwigs who really had ideas, such as Marshall and Stark, accompanied Roosevelt and Churchill to bargain. The so-called military round table is nothing more than a group of staff officers getting together to discuss some technical issues of cooperation. But the big guy above hasn't even set the tone of cooperation, and what can the underground staff officers talk about.

Fortunately, Hopkins still had a conscience and gave John a place to attend Mass on the "Prince of Wales". Let him finally show his face in this kind of "big scene" that is destined to go down in history, and it is not in vain that he has been busy in the White House for most of the month.

The next day, John got up early in the morning, shaved his face, put on a custom-made military uniform, and boarded the "ferry" to the "Prince of Wales". Perhaps it was Ambassador Wynant's prayers that worked, and after a few cold, windy days, the weather in Akinsha Bay today was surprisingly good, sunny and calm. The golden sunlight shone on the sparkling sea, and John couldn't open his eyes.

With a few whistles, the destroyer on which John and the others were riding slowly leaned forward with its bridge facing the battleship "Prince of Wales". Soon, a gangplank from the bridge to the main deck of the Prince of Wales was erected. Dressed in a blue coat and a gray hat and holding a cane, Roosevelt staggered onto the gangplank, leaning on his son James Jr.

At this moment, there was calm in the bay, but the two warships were still swaying slightly in the low waves. Roosevelt staggered across the gangplank, laboriously dragging one leg forward and then the other. With each step, Roosevelt bobbed back and forth. Everyone on both warships held their breath as Roosevelt moved slowly on the gangplank.

When Roosevelt's right foot stepped onto the deck of the "Prince of Wales", Churchill took the initiative to salute and reached out to support him. The brass band then played "The Star-Spangled Banner Never Falls." At this moment, John suddenly woke up to the fact that the two giants, Roosevelt and Churchill, had just completed a silent "confrontation".

The reason why Churchill asked Roosevelt to personally board the battleship, which bears the "trauma" of war, and participate in this religious ceremony under the cannons. Undoubtedly, they really preached to Roosevelt and the Americans their indomitable spirit of fighting to the end. He wanted to use this spirit to infect Roosevelt. Churchill was using all possible means, including the legendary religious leanings of Roosevelt, to influence Roosevelt's mood and decision-making.

And Roosevelt's insistence on boarding the ship on foot was undoubtedly responding to Churchill with his own will. He was telling Churchill that the United States would firmly support Britain, but would not give up its principles easily. The British can get aid from the United States, but their performance must be worthy of the "investment".

"Gone, John!" John was smacking the taste when Jairo pushed him behind his back. As the newly released head of the Operations Department of the Army Staff, Jairo was also one of the participants in the meeting. In the next few days, he would join John at a military roundtable. It's just that one is the main force of the negotiation, and the other is just an observer.

"Okay, Leonard." John took his nerve and found that his White House colleagues had boarded the springboard, and hurriedly followed. By the time he stepped onto the deck of the Prince of Wales again, the photographers who had been arranged had already swarmed up to record the handshake between Roosevelt and Churchill with their cameras.

With a rare opportunity, John trotted and squeezed behind the two "giants", acting as a glorious "background board" with his colleagues. Maybe one day, I'll be able to show my face in a history textbook, John thought to himself. It seems that this photo of Roosevelt and Churchill in history is quite famous. Those historians also gave it a name - "Shift Ceremony".

John wondered how Churchill would feel when he saw that his handshake with Roosevelt would be interpreted as a handover ceremony between Britain and the United States for world leadership. But John knew that, for now, the photograph was probably one of the most important takeaways from Churchill's trip.

John, who was well versed in history, knew that Roosevelt could neither agree to war against the Germans this time, nor promise to give the Japanese a so-called ultimatum. Churchill, full of expectations, could only return with a specious Atlantic Charter in the end.

But an American president, a British prime minister, met in the Atlantic on a battleship and discussed face-to-face how to face this war. By the time the meeting was made public, the power of the photo itself was enough.

"There will be no one in your life who will be able to stand before you. As I was with Moses, so I am with you. I will not leave you, nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous......

Under the leadership of the pastor, Roosevelt, Churchill, British and American officials and generals began to pray for the British and American peoples, the wounded, sick, prisoners, and those who were forced to leave their homes, homeless, and bereaved loved ones.

Afterwards, the sailors assembled on the aft deck began to sing "O God, our Savior of old" and "Forward, soldiers of Christ." These ancient hymns, in the open air, under the long barrels, echoed across the deck.

At this moment, a solemn, solemn and sacred religious atmosphere enveloped the "Prince of Wales". For a moment, John even had the illusion that Britain and the United States had become close comrades-in-arms and were about to join hands on the battlefield against fascism.

After the prayer was over, everyone did not speak or move for a long time. John caught a glimpse of Churchill quietly wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. Was this putting pressure on Roosevelt? John set his sights on Roosevelt to see how Roosevelt would pick up. However, due to the angle, he could not see the expression on Mr. President's face clearly. Everyone was silent with a little embarrassment.

Suddenly, a young British sailor broke the almost frozen atmosphere of the scene. This daring guy actually left the queue without permission, took out the camera hidden in his uniform, and wanted to take pictures of Roosevelt and Churchill. The experienced Roosevelt seized the fleeting opportunity and smiled and waved to the daredevil, before the officer on duty could stop him.

Then, all at once, the situation got out of control, and dozens of cameras appeared in front of Roosevelt and them at once. The young sailors laughed and cheered, huddled around the two big men. The scene instantly turned into a "fan meeting".

John looked amusefully at Roosevelt and Churchill, surrounded by sailors. For the first time, he felt that the confrontation between these big men was really interesting.