Through international traders, Chen Qiang put the first batch of hula hoops on the Argentine market, and it will take at least two or three months to get feedback on what the sales will be.

At this time, Chen Qiang also received an invitation letter from Washington, D.C., and the White House invited Chen Qiang to attend the opening ceremony of the National Gallery of Art.

As early as 1937, the construction of the East Building of the National Gallery of Art was completed, and in 1940, the National Gallery of Art was completed as a whole. This National Gallery of Art is one of Roosevelt's achievements in the second term, and it can also be regarded as a façade project of Roosevelt, and now that Roosevelt has successfully won a third re-election, of course, it is necessary to increase efforts to publicize his political achievements, so the opening ceremony of the National Gallery of Art was quite grand, and well-known people from all walks of life were invited to participate.

Envoy Song and Hu Shi also came to the scene of the opening ceremony, the envoy Song was originally a delicate figure, especially sociable, I saw him shuttling through the crowd, constantly talking with those guests.

As a literati, Hu Shi was much more reserved, standing there without words, that is, after seeing Chen Qiang, he talked more.

"Sir, do the Americans know about the appearance of the Japanese Admiral Okaku Qinsheng in Guangdong? Did they react? Chen Qiang asked.

Hu Shi shook his head: "The Americans didn't react, although I hinted and made it clear one after another, but the Americans didn't believe that the Japanese would attack Southeast Asia. I learned from the side that in fact, in January, the US ambassador to Japan, Joseph Gru, came back with a message that Japan would attack the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, but it was later confirmed that it was just a rumor! ”

"What? The Americans knew so early that Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbor? Chen Qiang was shocked.

"I've said it all, it's just a rumor." Hu Shi said.

"Rumors, you're a ghost! By the end of the year, look at the Pearl Harbor of you Yankees, and it hasn't been blown up into a sieve by the Japanese! Chen Qiang said secretly in his heart.

There is a lot of information showing that the United States' own intelligence departments, and even China's intelligence departments, have all grasped the information that Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbor, but the United States did not have the slightest defense, and finally allowed the Japanese to successfully attack Pearl Harbor. Some people also say that the Pearl Harbor attack was a bitter ploy by Roosevelt in order to confront the isolationist forces at home and to allow the United States to enter the war justifiably.

There may never be an answer to what the truth is, but what Hu Shih said is certainly not false, and the US ambassador to Japan, Joseph Gru, had already sent back "rumors" about the Japanese going to attack Pearl Harbor at the beginning of the year.

Only Chen Qiang knew that this was not a rumor, but something that would happen in a few months.

But suddenly, Chen Qiang thought about whether this so-called "rumor" of the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor could be deliberately released by the Japanese. First release the news that Pearl Harbor is going to be attacked, and then say that the news is a rumor, so that the Americans can be paralyzed and careless, neglect their precautions, and then really go to the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, and then take the United States by surprise. This can be regarded as a deception and want to indulge.

Thinking of this, Chen Qiang couldn't help but breathe a sigh of helplessness, although he was in this era, he could always feel the tide of history rolling in. But there are still too many historical mysteries that he can't decipher.

Chen Qiang didn't want to interfere in the matter of Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, in case it was really Roosevelt's bitter plan, then wouldn't it be a good thing for Roosevelt to be spoiled by Chen Qiang's stabbing sideways! What's more, if there had been no Pearl Harbor incident and the Americans had not declared war on Japan, China would have had to sacrifice more people in the War of Resistance against Japan to achieve victory.

Chen Qiang was still thinking about Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, but Hu Shi said: "The Japanese have also made some moves recently, they have sent a new ambassador to the United States, named Nomura Kichizaburo, who has just taken office recently, and is standing over there, the one with a flat head and eyes. ”

"Sir, you are amazing, Japan sent three people to be ambassadors to the United States, including diplomats, economists, and scholars, but you drove all three of them back with one enemy and three enemies!" Chen Qiang said with a smile.

"Don't make fun of me." Hu Shi said.

Chen Qiang looked at Nomura Kichizaburo in the distance and asked, "What is the origin of this Nomura Kichizaburo?" ”

"He is a Japanese admiral, once served as the deputy chief of the Japanese military department, and invaded Shanghai during the 128 Incident, do you see that his left eye has been squinting? He was blind in his left eye, which he had been blown up in Hongkou Park. Hu Shi opened his mouth and introduced.

Chen Qiang knew that what Hu Shi was talking about was the Hongkou Park bombing in 1932, which was jointly planned and carried out by Wang Yaqiao, the "assassination king", and Kim Jiu, the "father of the Korean nation", with the purpose of assassinating Shirakawa Yoshinori, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese army in Shanghai. In that assassination, in addition to Shirakawa Yoshinori being fraudulently killed, many high-ranking Japanese soldiers were fraudulently injured, and Nomura Kichizaburo, who was the commander of the Japanese Third Fleet at the time, was also blown blind in one eye.

After learning that this Nomura Kichizaburo had invaded Shanghai as early as 1932, Chen Qiang suddenly felt that this Nomura Kichizaburo was so unpleasant no matter how he looked at it.

Hu Shi went on to say: "Last year, Kichizaburo Nomura joined Japan's Abe Cabinet and became the foreign minister of the unit. He was an American expert in the Japanese government, a pro-American faction, and Nomura Kichizaburo also had some personal relations with President Roosevelt. Recently, relations between the United States and Japan have continued to deteriorate, so the Japanese sent him as ambassador to the United States to ease relations with the United States. As soon as he arrived in the United States, he held several negotiations with the United States. ”

When Hu Shi said this, he deliberately lowered his voice, and continued: "Your previous idea of driving tigers and devouring wolves was ruined by him nine times out of ten. I told the Americans that Japan would attack Southeast Asia, but this Nomura Kichizaburo immediately told the Americans that according to Japan's naval construction plan, Japan would not start to solve the Far East problem before 1946, and Japan's current focus was still on China. I think it was also because of Nomura Kichizaburo's remarks that the Americans dispelled their doubts about Japan. ”

"The words of diplomats, the Americans also believe? It's stupid! If I'm not mistaken, Nomura Kichizaburo is trying to stabilize the United States, and he is deliberately buying time for Japan! Chen Qiang said.

"What time to buy?" Hu Shi asked subconsciously.

"Buy time for the Japanese to attack the United States in war!" Chen Qiang replied.

"Are you so sure that the Japanese will fight the United States? The United States is so powerful, borrowing the courage of Japan, they may not dare to attack the United States! Hu Shi said.

Chen Qiang didn't answer Hu Shi's question, he knew that no matter what he said now, it would be meaningless. So Chen Qiang changed the topic and asked, "Sir, you should tell me some good news!" ”

"The good news is that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed the "Promoting U.S. National Defense Act" and is waiting for President Roosevelt to sign it finally." Hu Shi said with a smile.

"Is it good news that Americans promote their own national defense?" Chen Qiang asked subconsciously.

"This US National Defense Promotion Act is actually a lend-lease bill, and the content of the bill is mainly to provide military assistance to other countries, including the lending of weapons and ships, and in return, the United States needs to lease the army and naval bases of the aided countries." Hu Shi opened his mouth to explain.

According to U.S. statistics, during World War II, he gave a total of $50.1 billion in aid to the allies, accounting for 17% of the total U.S. war expenditure, of which $31.4 billion was given to Britain, $11.3 billion was given to the Soviet Union, $3.2 billion was given to France, and $1.6 billion went to China. And this more than $50 billion in aid stems from the passage of the "Promoting American National Defense Act."

According to the "Promoting American National Defense Act," the weapons and ships that the United States provided to other countries needed to be returned to the United States after the war, but in fact, after the end of World War II, the weapons that were supported to the Allies were not returned to the United States. At that time, a politician in the United States described: "If you lend someone a piece of chewing gum and the other party chews it and then returns it to you, of course you won't ask for it again!" ”

Eventually, the British bought the weapons that the United States supported them at a 10% discount after the war, but because the British were also short of money after the war, the money was eventually counted as a loan to the United Kingdom, which was repaid for a full 60 years and was not paid until December 29, 2006.

The supplies of the United States to support the Soviet Union were more complicated, because there were many Japanese warships in the Pacific at that time, so the materials of the United States to support the Soviet Union were either transported through the Bering Strait from the Arctic Ocean to the Soviet Union, or across the Cape of Good Hope in Africa and transported from the Middle East to the Soviet Union. This led to a disagreement between the United States and the Soviet Union over the amount of reimbursements after the war, and the deterioration of relations between the United States and the Soviet Union at the beginning of the Cold War, so the money became a muddy account until 1972, when the Soviet Union only repaid $720 million in food aid.

As for the weapons that supported China, they eventually became Lao Chiang's American mechanics, and later these weapons appeared on the Korean battlefield, and it is estimated that the Americans must have been confused when they saw the Chinese troops using American weapons.

The United States is not free of charge, and the countries receiving the aid have to pay for their own ports as US naval bases, and also allow the United States to build military bases and garrisons on their own soil. In the future, U.S. military bases will be spread all over the world, which originated from the "Promoting U.S. National Defense Act" in 1941, and it can be said that it is really because of this bill that the United States took the first step in global expansion.

It is also for this reason that when the US president asks the ROK for military stationing funds in the future, the ROK's reaction will be so great, because according to the "Promoting US National Defense Act," US employers need to pay rent for their seaports and military bases, and it would be good if the ROK did not ask the United States for rent, and the United States will collect protection money, and the ROK will definitely stop doing it.

Hu Shi explained to Chen Qiang the contents of the "Promoting US National Defense Act", and Chen Qiang realized that judging from the current situation, the passage of this bill will definitely be beneficial to China, at least China can get more aid from the United States.

Hu Shi said excitedly: "Now that this bill has been passed in the Senate and the House of Representatives, we are waiting for President Roosevelt to sign it, and we have already negotiated it with the United States. ”

Chen Qiang asked again: "The Japanese army has lost a naval admiral, have you made any moves?" ”

"It is said that there are a large number of Japanese troops gathering in the Ninth War Zone, and the target of the Japanese army this time should still be Changsha." Hu Shi said.

"Changsha is heavily guarded, so there should be no problem in hand." Chen Qiang said.

Hu Shi sighed: "Now in this world, not only our China is in chaos, but even the United States is so chaotic, I really don't know when this chaotic world will end!" When will we live a peaceful life! ”

Chen Qiang frowned slightly, the battle has been fought so far, and indeed many people have begun to feel war-weary.

Hu Shi is in the United States, far away from the war, will have this kind of emotion, then at this time, the Chinese at this time, the desire for peace in their hearts will inevitably be more intense. Perhaps it is also for this reason that those honest people who want to live a stable life choose to submit to the rule of the Japanese, become obedient to the Japanese, or even become traitors.

This seems to be in response to the old saying, it is better to be a peace dog than a troubled world, and perhaps some people really think that it is better to follow the Japanese as a peace dog than to go to the battlefield to be a troubled world.

However, such people do not understand that there will never be real peace unless the invaders are driven out!

……

After attending the opening ceremony of the National Gallery of Art, Chen Qiang did not stay in Washington, D.C., but returned to New York.

After a busy day, Chen Qiang was just about to go home, but he heard a familiar voice outside.

"Is Mr. Chen here?"

Chen Qiang stretched out his head and saw that it was Stanley Lieber.

"Stanley, come in and sit!" Chen Qiang took Stanley Lieber into the office and poured him another cup of coffee.

"Thank you, Mr. Chen." Stanley Lieber took the coffee cup and hurriedly thanked him.

Chen Qiang is also familiar with Stanley Lieber, and the posters of the hula hoop are painted by Stanley Lieber, Chen Qiang is very satisfied with those posters, and he also has a good impression of Stanley Lieber, a young man who is a little shy but very talented in painting.

"Stanley, did you come to me for something?" Chen Qiang asked.

Stanley Lieber took out a comic magazine from his pocket and said, "Mr. Chen, the comics I drew have been published in the magazine. I remember you said that if my comics are published, I must tell you, so I specially brought them to you. ”

"Really? That's great! Chen Qiang also felt a little surprised, when he first met Stanley Lieber Lieber two years ago, Stanley Lieber was still a 17-year-old high school student, but he didn't expect that Stanley Lieber is already a full-fledged cartoonist, and his works have been published in comic magazines.

"Stanley, you're only 19 years old this year, 19-year-old cartoonists, I'm afraid I can't find a few in the whole United States!" Chen Qiang couldn't help but praise.

Stanley Lieber laughed shyly. And Chen Qiang looked down at the comic.

"Time comics? If you haven't heard of this manga magazine, you must not be famous. Chen Qiang was pondering, but the cover of the comic magazine attracted him, the person in the middle of the cover was wearing a blue outfit, with a white five-pointed star in the middle of his chest, a big "A" in the middle of his helmet, and he was also holding a triangular shield with a five-pointed star on the shield.

"Captain America!" Chen Qiang couldn't help but blurt out.

"Mr. Chen, have you already watched the first two episodes of Captain America?" Stanley Lieber asked in surprise.

Chen Qiang was a little inexplicable, he remembered that Captain America was a Marvel superhero and the core of the Avengers, how could he run into this unheard of time comics, isn't this an infringement?

"Captain America is Marvel, there's no doubt about it. But I went to the bookstore before to ask, there is no Marvel Comics, is it possible to say that Marvel in this era is not called Marvel, and this time comics are the predecessor of Marvel? Chen Qiang finally figured this out.

Stanley Lieber, who was next to him, went on to explain: "The role of Captain America was originally jointly created by our editor-in-chief Joe Simon and Jack Bryant, but recently there have been some conflicts between the editor-in-chief Simon and the boss, so I am responsible for filling in the content of this issue of "Captain America". ”

Chen Qiang was even more surprised, he didn't expect that the shy young man he knew had actually participated in the creation of "Captain America". If in the later life, when Marvel movies became popular, this experience was enough to boast to his grandson.

Chen Qiang didn't immediately look through the Captain America comics, he took a pen, handed it to Stanley Lieber, and said at the same time: "Stanley Lieber, come and sign the magazine!" I'll definitely keep this magazine as well. ”

"Thank you, Mr. Chen." Stanley Lieber took the pen and signed the cover of the magazine with the words "For my dear friend Mr. Chen Qiang".

Chen Qiang looked at the signature written by Stanley Lieber, but he was shocked.

"Stan-Lee! How could it be Stan Lee? ”

Stanley Lieber noticed Chen Qiang's doubts, and he immediately explained: "None of the people who do our business use their real names, everyone will choose a pen name, my name is Stanley, so I simply took the homonym, called Stan Lee!" ”

Chen Qiang was stunned on the spot.

"The man who drew the Captain America comics, he must be that Stan Lee! I was still thinking about it before, and I found Mr. Li to ask for an autograph and take a group photo or something. I didn't expect to find someone around! ”

————

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