Chapter 75 Chapter 74 Special White House Meeting

The National Security Council meeting just ended.A dozen officials, including the vice president and the secretary of defense, got up one by one, and filed out of a conference room next to the Oval Office with their briefcases in their hands.President Eisenhower and Secretary Dulles remained in this conference room.Then, another group of people entered the hall.The President and Secretary of State bowed to them.Ike will be sixty-eight next month, but his tall and thin body is still straight; Dulles, who is seventy years old, seems a little out of energy. In order to deal with the increasing threat of the Soviet Union after World War II, the United States did several major things in 1947: it upgraded the aviation force, which was originally a branch of the Army, to a new branch of the military—the Air Force; it established the Central Intelligence Agency, headquartered in Virginia. Langley, State; the establishment of a "National Security Council" chaired by the President and composed of the Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and other important officials, etc.Up to now, in September 1958, the highest decision-making body for US security has been established for eleven years, and it has gone through two terms of President Truman and Eisenhower.

If Truman and Eisenhower's biggest heart disease is the Soviet Union, the other biggest heart disease is China.Containing "Communist China" has become a top priority.Truman sent troops to intervene and expand the Korean War in June 1950, and then sent a fleet to "defend" Taiwan and blockade the Taiwan Strait by force.After Eisenhower was elected the thirty-fourth president of the United States in November 1952, he signed the "Korean Armistice Agreement" in July 1953, ending the three-year Korean War; The United States and South Korea signed the "Mutual Defense Treaty" and in December 1954 signed the "Mutual Security Treaty" with the Taiwan authorities.The United States also vigorously develops nuclear weapons and air force, and pursues a "large-scale retaliation strategy."John Dulles was Eisenhower's handpicked secretary of state.He made no secret of his extreme hostility towards the Soviet Union and China, and actively promoted involvement in the Korean War; he advocated "war brinkmanship" and clamored that he would not hesitate to fight another world war...

It is the president's own decision to hold another meeting with the Secretary of State in the same venue immediately after the NSC meeting.Also at the meeting were FBI Director Edgar Hoover, State Department Counselor Lynde Charles, Army Lieutenant General Aaron Perry, House Atomic Energy Committee Chairman Bray McTerre, and Federal Atomic Energy Advisory Committee Chairman Collins Brown , President of the National Academy of Sciences Irving Straw and several other scientists and officials. Except for the president and the secretary of state, no one knows what kind of meeting this is, or what problems they will discuss and what problems they can solve.But one thing is clear, that is, the relationship between Secretary of State John Dulles and the head of the FBI Hoover is very tense-this is a long story: John Dulles' younger brother Allen Dulles is the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. .When white terror was rampant, McCarthy claimed that more than a hundred Communists had infiltrated the CIA and asked the FBI to investigate the CIA.Hoover geared up and actively served, but Allen Dulles resolutely resisted.And President Eisenhower and Vice President Nixon supported Allen Dulles at the critical moment, curbing the rampant momentum of McCarthy and the FBI.Since then, the Dulles brothers have become enemies with Hoover and the FBI...

No matter what meeting, as long as the president is present, he is the ex-officio chairman, unless he designates someone else.But Eisenhower did not name anyone else.He sat down on the high-backed chair at one end of the long table, nodded to Dulles on the left and Hoover on the right, then looked around the audience, cleared his throat, and said unhurriedly: "We In a sense, the current meeting is no less important than the regular meeting of the National Security Council just held at this venue; moreover, everything we are going to discuss is one of the topics of the meeting just now. As for the title, it may be Call a special meeting!"

Everyone except Dulles was amazed: Oh, so important?The most powerful of them all was undoubtedly Hoover.But legally and administratively, the FBI is only a subsidiary agency of the Department of Justice, and Hoover himself is not a member of the Cabinet or the National Security Council... "This meeting is going to talk about a person," Eisenhower said briefly, "her name is Ding Jieqiong." Eisenhower was once an all-powerful famous general. In June 1942, he became the Supreme Commander of the European Allied Forces. In February 1943, he was promoted to "Five-Star General", which is equivalent to "Marshal".At that time, only Marshall and he received this rank.Eisenhower also successfully organized and commanded the Normandy landing in June 1944, which completely reversed the war situation and established a victory for the Allied forces. He was therefore considered a hero; Promoted to "Permanent Five-Star General", this rank is equivalent to "Grand Marshal"...

"Except for Mr. Dulles and Mr. Bray McTerre, everyone here has met Ding Jieqiong, has known her before, and knows her better than me." Eisenhower looked kindly and spoke softly, "I am a soldier, and I seldom pay attention to military operations. People and things other than. I hadn't even heard of the 'Manhattan Project' for a long time, and I didn't know Ding Jieqiong. I didn't hear the name and name of this female scientist until after the war, when I was president of Columbia University. Deeds. First the physics professors at this school talked about her, then General Marshall."

The attendees still listened in silence.It's not their turn to speak yet. In July 1945, Eisenhower was appointed commander-in-chief of the US military stationed in Germany.In December of the same year, he returned to China as the Chief of Staff of the Army, which is equivalent to the Chief of Staff of the US Army.After retiring in May 1948, he served as the president of Columbia University.He returned to active service in 1950, and in April 1951 was appointed Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization... Eisenhower was different from the army generals Patton and MacArthur who were professional soldiers, and he was different from the politician Truman who was a farmer and only served as a soldier after joining the army.He is far-sighted, reserved and decisive, combining strength and softness, and has both political skills and political grace.It was only after retiring from the military in May 1952 that he was elected president.

"First, the first question." Now, the president looked at the FBI director, and everyone's eyes were on Hoover's face at the same time, "Where is Ding now?" "She has been under house arrest on Alice Island." Hoover didn't even look at Eisenhower, his expression and tone were very tough, "One of the years, I mean November 1955 to October 1956 January, not house arrest but captivity..." "'Imprisoned'?" Eisenhower didn't seem to understand. "It's being held in a real prison cell." "'Real cell'?" The president seemed not to understand again.

"It's very much like the cells in Toombs Prison on every floor except the eleventh, the cells we use for the Ku Klux Klan, Black Panthers, Communists, and murderers." "Why put her in a 'real cell' in November 1955 instead of some other time?" Eisenhower finally understood, but he asked a new question. "Because something happened that irritated me," Hoover paused. "The Soviet Union has a hydrogen bomb that can be used in actual combat, but the United States does not." "Put Ding in a 'real prison cell', and the US will have a 'hydrogen bomb for actual combat'?"

"No, another thing happened that made me even more angry: I asked Ding to propose to Ding that she could regain her freedom, work in a research institute or university, and continue to engage in theoretical research, but the condition was that she did not You are not allowed to leave your place of residence without approval, and you must report to the local immigration bureau twice a month..." "Well, that's what we usually do with 'problem immigrants.'" "But, what do you think of her? She flatly refused. She said that in that case, she would rather be locked in a real prison until she died!"

"So you put her in the 'real cell'." Eisenhower looked at Hoover. "Where is the 'real cell'? Sing Sing Prison, or Tooms?" "No, there is such a cell on Alice Island!" Hoover gritted his teeth, "It's a narrow, damp, dark basement." "And after November 1956?" The President was still looking at Hoover. "Ding left the 'narrow, dank, dark basement'?" "yes." "The original form of house arrest was restored, and she returned to the ordinary building where she used to live?" "yes." "Why should she be returned to the ordinary building where she was originally under house arrest?" "She's sick..." "Sick in 'a cramped, dank, dark basement'?" Hoover bit his lip and remained silent. Participants looked at each other again. The president kept staring at Hoover.After a long time, he slowly asked: "Why should a woman be locked in a 'narrow, damp, dark basement'?" "Woman? Huh, Mr. President, she is not an ordinary woman!" The head of the FBI raised his voice, "She is exactly the kind of woman you said 'with a strong and stubborn character'." Eisenhower still staring at Hoover: "Is Ethel put in Sing Sing and sentenced to death for having a certain 'character'?" "..." Hoover still had a straight and thick face. "I did say that Ethel 'had a strong, obstinate character,' but I was more certain that she was the 'mastermind' in the spy ring—is that so?" "Yes." Hoover had to nod. "Ethel is a spy and a mastermind." Eisenhower paused, "What is Ding?" "A large amount of evidence proves that she is suspected of being a spy..." "Is 'suspected spy' the same as 'spy'?" Hoover fell silent again. "I want to ask," the President went on, "is the Federal Service of Prisons aware of the existence of this so-called 'real cell,' this 'narrow, dank, dark basement,' on Alice Island?" Hoover insisted on not speaking.He knew that if he continued to dwell on this issue, he would be in trouble. It might involve the "Federal Prison Management Act", and even be linked to "lynching"... "And, Mr. Hoover, I would like to remind you, incidentally, that the rights of people of color have become a very sensitive political issue in our country." Hoover has always emphasized the "communist threat", has never ignored criminal crimes and underworld activities, and has always been hostile to the labor movement and the black movement.This is very out of tune with the social and political trends in the United States after the mid-1950s.After black youth Emmett Till was kidnapped and killed by white racists in 1955, he refused to investigate and deal with it on the grounds that he did not violate federal laws.This move triggered an upsurge of black protests and caused nationwide unrest... In the same year, thousands of white people besieged and beat seven black children at a boarding school in southern Alabama, denying them admission.Eisenhower was furious. He used the prerogative of the president to send 3,000 National Guards with live ammunition to forcibly take over the school, escort seven black children to class with armed forces every day, and arrest anyone who dared to disobey the president's order on the spot. The racists across the country made Eisenhower's reputation soar, and he was praised as "the second Normandy" by public opinion at home and abroad, which also created enough momentum for him to be re-elected as president... Now, the president has included the Ding case as a “people of color” issue as well.Obviously, he is using statesmanship to intentionally make the issue "sensitive". Hoover insisted on keeping his mouth shut.In fact, the president now wants him to keep his mouth shut. Hoover had a bad relationship with every president.Let’s not talk about it, let’s talk about Roosevelt who was elected president in 1933 and was re-elected for four terms. Hoover hated his “New Deal” and just stared at his “disorderly life” and grabbed him and followed several times. Evidence of a woman's affair, and even got a nude photo of Mrs. Roosevelt.Roosevelt's successor, Truman, was not sexually sexual, and his husband and wife loved each other without "fancy affairs". Hoover made things difficult for him politically.On March 22, 1947, Truman promulgated the "Loyalty Investigation Act." Three days later, on March 25, Hoover lashed out at the hearing of the House Un-American Activities Committee hearing that the president "perfunctoryly ", almost calling Truman a "communist"!So far, as president, Truman has completely lost control over Hoover and the FBI.This was the case in the United States at that time. Advocating democracy and freedom and opposing racial discrimination became a crime. The more anti-Soviet and anti-communist nonsense the more popular. Eisenhower's mother once warned her son: "Controlling one's feelings is more important than conquering a city!" These words have been used by Ike for a lifetime.During his long military career, he was calm and composed, showed no signs of emotion or anger, was broad-minded and good at communication, and finally won widespread favor and success in his career.Since entering politics, especially after ascending to the presidency, he has paid special attention to controlling his emotions, especially concealing his dislike for Hoover, and handling his relationship with this guy well.And Hoover also found that although he was very dissatisfied with Eisenhower's series of decisions and measures, he had been unable to "start".The president has made many military exploits, has high prestige, has an impeccable private life, and is well-versed in politics.Anyway, after being the director of the FBI for twenty-four years, Hoover met a president who was not easy to deal with.However, although the relationship between the two is not good, it is not so bad that it will not collapse publicly; after all, the two are still consistent in their bones when it comes to safeguarding the fundamental interests of the United States... "Now, please tell me, Pastor Chalude first." The president deliberately referred to Lind Charles' "former name", "As far as I know, the pastor has the longest relationship with Ms. Ding among all of you here—it's like this ?" "That's right." Charles nodded, "However, let me ask you: first, what are you talking about? Second, what is the purpose of the talk?" "'Talk about what'. Talk about Ding in your memory and your evaluation of her." The president spoke clearly, "'Talk about the purpose'. As I have repeatedly pointed out, our country is a country ruled by law. Therefore, Ding must either be convicted , or be released, anyway, it cannot be held indefinitely. In this regard, your opinions will be considered by the highest authorities.” Undoubtedly, this "highest authority" refers to Ike himself. "The pastor didn't ask the third question: Ding's case has been delayed for more than ten years, why didn't he bring it up until today?" After a short pause, the president continued, "This will be discussed at the end of the meeting."