Chapter 30 Chapter 29 The Burning Pacific Ocean

Soon, Hull wrote from across the ocean: Since the outbreak of the Japanese War of Aggression against China, Soong Meiling has continuously written articles and newsletters, or made continuous broadcast speeches to the United States and Britain in her fluent American English with a southern accent, condemning the so-called "Policy of Neutrality".She pointed out that the Chinese military and civilians fought bloody battles against fascism and made great sacrifices. While safeguarding the peace of the human world, they also defended the United States; The country will not perish!However, this fact has exposed the indifference, selfishness and immorality of the United States in front of the whole world, unlike a responsible big country.She asserted: Once Japan invades and occupies the whole of China, it will turn China's vast territory and rich resources into military power and attack the United States!

Prior to this, the international situation had already begun to change.In 1940, the Japanese army occupied Vietnam and cut off the only channel for China to obtain foreign aid - the Burma Road.Japan's crazy aggression made the United States feel threatened.Chennault lost no time in going back to the United States, calling for the establishment of a volunteer air force in Washington; he provided the military with information on Japanese fighter jets in exchange for American bombers, fighter jets and pilots.At this time, the Roosevelt administration of the United States made policy adjustments and passed the "Wartime Lend-Lease Act" in March 1941 to provide assistance to those countries that stubbornly resisted fascist aggression under extremely difficult conditions in the name of "Lease". .At the same time, American pilots were officially approved to go to China to participate in the war as civilians.In this way, 120 aircraft of the U.S. Air Force were "decommissioned" together with more than 200 air and ground crews, and the relevant equipment was turned into "civilian use", becoming the first batch of volunteers successfully recruited by Chennault.At this time, the United States still had "diplomatic relations" with Japan, so these people, like Chennault and Hull, went to China under the cover of civilians. The identities on the passports stated students, teachers, technicians, doctors, businessmen, and pianos. farmers, agronomists and veterinarians, etc.On August 1, 1941, the "Chinese Air Force American Aid China Volunteer Air Force" was formally established in Chongqing, with Chennault as the commander-in-chief.

However, the "strength" is still too small!Hull was commissioned to continue the recruiting campaign.He left for the United States at the end of November 1941, passing through Honolulu for a short stay on December 5th... Song Meiling unfortunately hit the mark!Before Japan "invaded the whole of China", it couldn't wait to attack the United States.On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy and Air Force attacked Pearl Harbor. Eight US battleships and a dozen other ships were sunk or severely damaged. More than 250 aircraft were destroyed. More than 500 officers and soldiers were killed or injured.The US Pacific Fleet was almost wiped out!

Honolulu, only about five nautical miles west of Pearl Harbor, was also attacked.Hull escaped the disaster and finally returned to the United States.He is scheduled to give seven speeches to active and retired officers and non-commissioned officers of the U.S. Air Force, introducing the magnificence of the Chinese Anti-Japanese War and the hardships of Chinese soldiers and civilians, and mobilizing them to go to China enthusiastically.He deliberately arranged the last lecture in San Francisco, in order to see Roman and Joan... "I said, Hull, can't you drive a little slower?"

"You forget that I'm a good pilot." "But it's not in the sky, it's on the road." "Ha, can you fly a plane but not a car!" "This stretch of road is known for having a lot of accidents..." "Relax, Roman, every test has confirmed that I have the best eyesight and quickest reflexes even among fighter pilots." "Yes, I forgot that you are a dancer!" "What do you mean, are you afraid that I will drive like a dance?" Dr. Olmhorse joined the University of California in October 1938 to teach.Six months later, Ding Jieqiong also arrived there in April 1939 and became Aum's colleague again.

The University of California is a state university founded in Oakland in 1868 and moved to Berkeley in 1873.Later, the scale expanded, and it was divided into more than a dozen colleges. The campuses are located in Davis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Irvine, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz, but the campus is still Berkeley.The liberal arts college where Orm and Joan work is with the campus.They and a dozen other outstanding scientists came to UC Berkeley because the research on radioactivity and nuclear physics here is second to none in the United States. This time, Roman Olmhorse drove his black Chevrolet to San Francisco to meet his brother.On the way back to Berkeley, Hull was driving, and the two brothers chatted along the way.

"Once, over Guizhou, my cockpit cover was punched with more than a dozen holes by an enemy plane." Hull looked enthusiastic. "Do you know what the altitude was at that time? It was nine thousand feet above sea level—but, of course, it was far above the ground. Only 6,000 feet, because Guizhou is originally a plateau. But the air pressure is determined by the altitude rather than the height from the ground, so the air pressure in the cabin drops sharply, and the airflow of minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit rushes at a speed of several hundred miles per hour. Come in, the impact is like a machine gun bullet! At this time, hey, I remembered that poem again: 'The wind is rustling, the water is cold, and the strong man will never return when he is gone'..."

"Yes, at that time, Joan threw herself on you and hugged you, crying on your chest!" Roman recalled, "You know, I'm so jealous of you for this." "I should be jealous of you! Joan said 'we all love you', 'we are waiting for you together' - who does 'we' refer to? Isn't it just her and you?" At this point, Hull thought for a while: "Well, Roman, what's going on with you and Joan?" The doctor looked gloomy and said nothing. "You, you can't!" Hull took a look and knew that his brother's "things with Joan" still had no progress. "You are a professor, doctor, intellectual..."

"Professors, doctors, and intellectuals can't do it, who can do it?" "Well, well, let's say, like us, we soldiers, pilots," Hull weighed his words, "or we Americans, whether white or black or Indian, as long as they are men, you know, for love, even for real My love, hey, sometimes you have to be a little rough..." "What's the meaning?" "For example, hug, kiss forcibly, don't let go, make her breathless! After a long time, she will naturally melt into your arms..." "Americans, men, white black Indians—but Joan is Chinese, Chinese woman."

"Listen to me...sometimes masculinity is important, real women like this!" "Well, I can't, and neither can you." "yes?" "Joan has practiced kung fu, don't let her kick and break her cervical spine." "Also, women need tenderness..." "I'm gentle. But I can't." "So... does she like America?" "I like it very much." "That's easy! As long as she stays in the United States forever..." "No. She said that after finishing her studies, she must go back to China." "She, Joan," Hull frowned, looking painstaking, "Does she have a boyfriend in China or in the United States?"

"I don't know, she didn't say it." Roman shook his head, "She never talked about it." "Is she a Puritan? You can ask." "I asked, but Joan just smiled and didn't say yes or no." "What is your judgment?" "Judge what?" "Does she have a boyfriend?" "Maybe, maybe not..." "Nonsense!" Hull glared at his brother, "You, hmph, it's been more than seven years." no!It has indeed been more than seven years since Ding Jieqiong arrived at Caltech in the fall of 1934 and became Dr. Olmhouse's student and assistant... While speaking, the black Chevrolet had already reached a three-way intersection.Not far away, beside a redwood forest, there are several small buildings with two or three floors standing in a patchwork manner.Roman said: "Several professors from the University of California live here." He pointed to one of the dark red two-story buildings with a garden, "Here, we're here!"