Chapter 98 Chapter 97

What surprised Pug Henry most was seeing the President stand up.Meeting a diminutive newcomer in Roosevelt's seat in the Oval Office was unsettling in itself, especially as Truman walked around the desk (with all its familiar clutter removed) Walking, the scene gave Pug a strange feeling, as if the tide of history was rolling forward, while he stayed in the past years, reality was becoming a dream, so this arrogant, small "" President," in a double-breasted jacket and brightly colored bow, was somewhat of an impostor.Harry.Truman shook hands with him warmly, told the secretary to ring the bell to let him know when Mr. Berners arrived, and then asked Pug to sit down.

"I need a naval adjutant, Admiral Henry." His voice was high-pitched and serious, his tone flat and dry, the tone of a Midwestern American; the mellow Harvard tone of Roosevelt. In contrast, it completely represents the other extreme of the United States. "Look, Harry. You've been recommended by Hopkins and General Leahy. Would you like the job?" "With pleasure, Mr. President." "So, you're hired. We've got the deal done. I hope all the deals in this office are as easy as that." President Truman let out a short, unnatural laugh. "Besides, there's always going to be situations like this, General: The military and the president are going to disagree on a lot of issues. So let's talk things out of the way. Who are you going to work for—for Me, or the Navy?"

"You are my commander-in-chief." "Excellent." "But if you don't agree with the Navy, and I think you're wrong, I have to point it out to you." "Okay. That's exactly what I need. Remember this: The military can be wrong. Very wrong!" Truman dropped his hands hard to emphasize his tone. "No, the day after I was sworn in, the chiefs of staff of the armed forces gave me a brief report on the situation of the war. They said that Germany would be defeated in six months, and Japan would be defeated in a year and a half. But look at Hitler now The old guy is dead, or has escaped, and the news of the peace talks is being spread. This is what happened in three weeks. Huh? What do you say? Regarding the war in the Pacific, will the chief of staff of the armed forces estimate the time so far? ? You just called there."

"You seem to be talking about the Army's estimate." "Well, can you be clear, then? I'm a field artilleryman, you know." "General MacArthur favors long-term land operations, Mr. President. But a submarine blockade, combined with air bombing, can force the Japanese to surrender sooner than that." "But they fought hard in Okinawa." "They do fight hard; but they're running out of everything they need to fight." "Don't we need to attack the state?" "That's how I see it, Mr. President." "So we don't need the Russians on their side to help end this war?"

"Yes, I don't think it's necessary." Truman put his hands on the table in front of him and stared at the general through his shiny spectacles.Pug answered the other party's direct inquiries without thinking with those few short and sure words.He didn't know any other way to deal with it.This man's style is completely different from that of Roosevelt.Roosevelt always said it himself, or made Pug a lighthearted joke, and then asked his family, so that he would not feel restrained, and felt that they could gossip all day.Truman seemed to be a new captain, and because of his different looks and attitudes, he didn't seem like a real person.But no matter how long he held the post, he would never have the lofty prestige of Roosevelt.It seems that this point is obvious.

"Well I hope you're right," Truman said. "I could be just as wrong as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Services, Mr. President." "And what about the Japanese troops left in mainland China?" "That yard, President, you just cut off the head of an octopus, and its limbs will be stiff.". The naturally reflected smile softened the president's rigid expression, and the tightly closed mouth also grinned.He hooked his head with his hands and leaned back. "I said, what's the matter with those Russians, General? You were sent there. Why didn't they keep their agreement?"

"What agreement, President?" "Oh, any agreement." "In my experience, they generally abide by the agreement." "Really? See you're completely wrong about that. At Yalta, Stalin agreed to free elections in Poland, and that was a solemn promise. But now they're picking all the candidates, and they're going to force it like this." Take out their Lublin puppet government. The reason they can do what you want, as you can imagine, is because they have an army occupying Poland. Churchill was against it, and I was against it. Last week I told Molotov Talked about my opinion on the matter. He said he had never heard anyone talk to him like that in his life. I said: "Keep your agreement and no one will talk to you like that!" '"

At this time, Truman's expression and conversation seemed so appropriate.To hear him talk like this, Pug.Henry remembered for a moment: the ruins of the destruction of the Soviet Union, the trips he had taken with General Yevlenko, the ruins of Stalingrad, the burned German and Russian tanks, and the corpses ; and remembered: how he managed to make friends with the Russians, drink with them, listen to them sing, watch them dance.Harry.Truman was a solid-eyed Missourian.He thought everyone else would be like him, a Missourian who had always lived and worked in peace, never been bombed or invaded, and only knew what to do.There is a big rift here.Roosevelt knew that there was a rift and he had been closing it for a long time so that he could win this war.Perhaps, it will no longer be possible to maintain such a relationship with the Soviet Union.

"Mr. President, you have Russian experts to advise you on this issue. I'm not a Russian expert. I don't know the wording of the Yalta agreement. For the Russians, it only takes one loophole in the wording of the agreement, and they You're going to drive a truck over there. You can be sure of that." The bell buzzed, and a man was heard saying, "Mr. Bernas is here. Mr. President." Truman stood up.Pug was surprised again.It takes time for him to get used to this situation. "I heard that you just got married." "Yes, Mr. President." "I think you need a few weeks off for your honeymoon."

"President, I plan to report for duty right now." He smiled like that again.Roosevelt's famous smile was more moving than this, but Pug began to like Truman's smile better.It's so sincere, without the slightest pretense of modesty.See, he's just a simple, capable guy, and yet he's a president; that's just in his confident, unashamed smile.He is still a little unaccustomed to the presidency, which is not to say that it is not a lovely place. "That's good, very good. The sooner the better. Is your new wife from Washington?" "No, President. She's British." Truman blinked. "Her father was Erist Tudsbury, a British military correspondent."

"Oh, yes. It's the fat man. He interviewed me once. His report was true. He died in the line of duty in North Africa, didn't he?" "yes." "I would love to see your wife." Pamela fiddled with her gloves, approached the old Dodge she had acquired, and walked up and down the side of the tulip beds in the sun.Several uniformed White House guards watched her waddle.When she waved at the general with her glove, they all looked away from her.She showed a slightly inquiring look in her kindness. "Where are we going now?" he asked. "Going to that meeting at your embassy?" "If you're free, dear. If you're happy to go." "Let's go now." She drove the car out of the gate with the same haste, turned around and headed north, stopped repeatedly at the traffic lights on Connecticut Avenue, and then rushed out again.There was a lot of traffic, and the smell of gasoline smoke pouring in from the open windows was overwhelming.At this time Victor.Henry felt again that he was left in the past years.Is there one thing on Connecticut Avenue that is different from what it was in 1939?Franklin, Roosevelt kept the war out of this street, this capital, this country.Is it too much to be as successful as he is?Look at these folks, carefree, driving cars down the streets of Connecticut, do they have the slightest idea of ​​war?The Russians already know what war is like, and in the future people must have the most serious sense of reality about war. "Your thoughts are worth a penny," said Pamela to her silent husband, driving through Dupont Place like a jackrabbit at a red light." You pay a few extra coins. Then tell me what kind of meeting is held in the embassy.” "Oh, it's just a little reception. It's from our press corps, from the British Purchasing Committee, and others of that sort." "But why is this meeting held?" "Tell you the truth, so I can show you off." She gave him a sideways look. "Well? Most of my friends are going. Mrs. Halifax would love to see you." "Ok." While driving, Pamela held his hand, her cool fingers interlaced with his. "You see, not every chick can get herself a Rear Admiral of the United States Navy." "At the same time the President's Adjutant of the Navy." Pug finally said the words that had been hidden for a long time.If it was Rhoda, she would have asked by now. His hand was clenched tighter. "It turns out that it was for this matter just now. Are you happy?" "Well, it's a choice between the Bureau of Ordnance and the Bureau of Ships as before. You prefer this. So, I'm like you." "What's his impression on you?" "He's no match for Roosevelt. But Roosevelt is dead, Pamela." Victor, Henry came this time, obviously to let people take a look at the meeting.With her arm under his arm, Pam walked up and down the embassy gardens, introducing him to the group.There were very few people present, and they greeted him with as much English indifference as they could, not staring at him or asking him questions, but he still felt that all eyes were on him. .Thirty years ago, Rhoda dragged her, a Naval Academy football linebacker, to a luncheon with her Sweet Brier classmates.Some scenarios haven't changed much.Pamela looked very attractive in a printed blouse and a wheel hat, but her triumphant expression struck Pug as a little amused and a little melancholy.He didn't think there was anything great about him, but he didn't realize that his face was tanned by the South Pacific sun, and the rows of medals and ribbons on the white uniform left everyone such a good impression. impression. The Lord and Lady Halifax were enthusiastic among their guests.Pug had been watching the tall, bald, melancholy man, knowing that he had been dealing with Hitler from the defeat in Munich to the outbreak of the Great War.Look at this historical figure standing there with a glass of wine, chatting with some ladies.Lord Halifax caught Pug's eye and walked up to him. "General, I remember, long ago, Sumner Wells told me about you. You met Hitler in 1939, didn't you, with a banker sent by your President to try out peace?" " "Yes. I was a naval attaché in Berlin at the time. I was an interpreter." "He's not easy to deal with, is he?" said Halifax gloomily. "Fortunately, we finally got rid of him." "Will we stop him in time before the battle, Mr. Ambassador?" Halifax looked pensive, but then said bluntly: "No. Churchill was wrong on this point. We did make mistakes, but considering the mood of our people and the French at the time, we must stop He was impossible. At that time everyone thought war was obsolete." "That's the wrong way of thinking," Pug said. "Of course wrong. Pamela is a lovely wife. Congratulations and good luck." Halifax shook his hand, smiled wearily, and walked away. On the drive back to the apartment, Pamela said: "Mrs. Halifax said you were a lamb." "Is that a good comment?" "This is the title bestowed upon knights." Back at Peters' apartment, Pug took a shower and later smelled the aroma of barbecue wafting in from the open bedroom door, and he was satisfied with a pair of baggy old gray sweatpants before slipping on white Open-necked shirt and red jumper, and moccasins.This is the way he is used to dressing after get off work on peaceful days.He heard the sound of ice cubes in the glass.In the sitting room, Pamela, in her home clothes and apron, handed him a martini. "My God, I'm not used to seeing you dressed like this," she said. "You look like thirty." Pug snorted. "But I'm not as useful as I was at thirty," he said, sitting down with his glass of wine.Here's a hint about the bed: he's very happy about it and hopes she's too, but in terms of newlyweds, it's nothing special.She responded with a laugh in her throat, and kissed him on the neck. In a little while they were sitting face to face in the breakfast corner; they always ate there, because the dining-room was so empty.They drank claret, ate their food with gusto, talked a lot of wit and wit, and laughed almost incessantly.At times like these Pug was quite indifferent to the end of the war, but at other times he was disturbed by the fear that he would be disarmed too soon. The phone rang.Pamela went into the sitting room to answer the phone and came back very serious. "It's from Rhoda." Victor.Henry immediately thought of this terrible idea: it was bad news about Byron.He hurried out.Pamela heard him say, "My God!" and then, "Wait a minute, let me get a pencil. Well, go ahead...and make a note. No, no, Rhoda. This one It's a matter for me to deal with myself. I'll let you know, of course." Pamela stood at the door.At this time he picked up the phone receiver again and dialed the number. "Honey, what's the matter?" Without saying a word, he handed her some words scribbled in the message book. Natalie, interned by the Germans. Henry was treated at the Erfurt Army Hospital Malnutrition typhus sickness German American Red Cross. Three days earlier, outside of Guam, Byron had heard the telegram broadcast on Fox.Several submarines equipped with FM sonars were sailing into Guam waters for final training before taking part in a wolf pack foray into the Sea of ​​Japan.Since then, there has been a lot of news on the radio.Those three days were long for Byron.When the submarine sailed into Guam, I saw that this garden-like island was full of newly paved roads and naval buildings. Byron was pacing on the front deck, while Philby was commanding the submarine to dock.Without waiting for the Barracuda to be moored, Byron hopped over and hurried through the decks and portholes of the side-by-side submarines to the back office.He received no other telegrams, and there was no way to get in touch with his father anytime soon. "You might as well try to send a private telegram," said an enthusiastic officer on duty, "but we already have a backlog of urgent telegrams and military priority telegrams here. The kamikaze is making a fuss in Okinawa. Perhaps, ordinary telegrams will wait until now." Not in line for two weeks." But Byron will still send the following telegram: From: Captain of the "Barracuda" Recipient: Rear Admiral Victor Henry, Personnel Bureau Personally, Is there any news from Louis? to his cabin.Among all the official documents, there was a letter from Madeleine.This is an event as rare as a total solar eclipse. Normally, Byron would tear open the letter on the spot, but this time he devoted himself to handling the paperwork on the boat; finding some work like this is like taking aspirin Like a pill, it was to ease his agitation. Any news on Louis? No matter how worrisome the news about Natalie was, she was alive and well, and under the care of the Americans.There was no news of his son, which made him even more troubled, because the child was obviously not with Natalie.German captivity alone had left Natalie hospitalized for "malnutrition and typhus".How would a three and a half year old child be ruined by them? In the officers' quarters he ate so little and looked so melancholy that several of his colleagues exchanged glances; when the meal was over he shut himself up in his cabin to read Madeleine's letter. Dear Braney - forgive me for not coming to see you.I originally planned to come to San Francisco while your ship was undergoing major repairs.Really, that's what I intend to do.I planned it this way, but now I lead a very strange and complicated life.Letters sent from here are subject to censorship.I can't say much about it, though.It's not even that easy to get in and out.At the same time, Sim was doing stupid things around the clock, and I didn't think it would be good to leave him alone, so I just put it away.I'm in good health and everything is fine.If you want to know, I can tell you that I will not have children at this time.I don't intend to have one as long as we live on this terrible mountain cut off from the rest of the world. Now let's talk about Dad and Mom.I intend to come to San Francisco mainly to open up these matters to you.You're so obsessive and obstinate.Dad just came back to Washington, didn't he, he's here with Pam.Tudsbury married, and the wedding was simple and unassuming.I meant to fly there to join him, poor lonely man, but unfortunately it didn't work out.I just hope she will make Dad's life happy.If she really loves him, we have no reason to think that she will not make his life happy.The difference in age doesn't matter much.He is the nicest guy in the world. You are obviously foolish to be angry about this marriage.There are some things you don't know, let me tell them here.You remember Fred.Kirby, that big engineer you keep seeing in Berlin?Then he got a job in Washington, and he and his mother did some ridiculous things in those two years.Are you surprised?This is a fact.Mom wrote to Dad asking for a divorce.I don't know the details, but after Warren died, she backed off, and they just worked it out.Later, when Dad went to Russia, she and Colonel Peters had a big love affair, and things got out of hand like this.I don't know if something happened to the two of them, and I don't plan to get involved.Mom has now arranged everything. But Papa and Pamela.There's nothing wrong with Tudsbury, and if it had, I wouldn't blame Papa.God, what's the matter with you?This is the age of war.I know he didn't because when he was in the Soviet Union, Colonel Peters was in love with his mother, and my mother and I got really drunk one night.Mother was completely confused and incoherent, and gave away the secret.She said she hurt her daddy's feelings so much that even though daddy put up with it and never blamed her or even said anything about Kirby, the relationship was over. Honestly, I believe, it was daddy's share Patience is getting on my mom. Pamela told her mom when she was in Hollywood that she and Daddy had a clean relationship and that since Warren died she was going to let it go. And she did hand. I really can't do anything about you.Where did you get that stale morality?Dad belongs to another generation, which is understandable to him, yet he is more forgiving than you in this respect.I admit, you beat Hugh that time.Cleveland's dentures, that odd way, helped me.God, look how ridiculous that is.If you hadn't been so strict at the time, I might have kept on with Hugh--he was always promising to divorce and marry me, you see, that's why there was such a thing--but one like that fell out I can't stand a big fat man with teeth.So, thank you for your Neanderthal heart, I was able to cut ties with him early and marry Sim.Anderson, luckily for me. Well, now I have given away most of the secrets, and for the first time in seven years I can't finish my words.Now I'm going to stop because I have to cook.General, there is no ambiguity at all, he is coming, and people here can regard it as a shining event.Hope it doesn't get burnt.My stove really sucks.Everything here is so basic that you have to make do with it.Most of the scientists' wives here are older and more capable than little Madeleine, but thanks to my home training I can cook better than most and my experience in the entertainment business has helped. some effect.Some of these great intellectuals even liked Hugh.cleveland. Oh Blaney, I hope Natalie and your baby are well!The war in Europe is ending.I'm sure you'll be hearing some news soon.It makes me sad to think that I said a word or two that annoyed Natalie in the past.She frightened me at the time, she was so beautiful and graceful.You hated Cleveland so much back then.There's a chapel here, and I go every Sunday, not Sim, I go to say prayers to your wife and children. I hope my words can explain the father's matter to you clearly.You don't know how much he values ​​you, do you?In order to keep your good opinion of him, he will do almost anything except bad-mouthing Mom.That's something he would never do.We have a rare good father, and there was a rare good brother before.As for the mother—well, she's always the mother.She is fine now. Good luck hunting, my dear. Love you Dmitry, April 20, 1945. In the letter from Los Arais, New Mexico, the general's name has been neatly crossed out, leaving only a rectangular hole. Byron landed that night and got very drunk in the officers' club.The next morning, he stood on the bridge and watched the fleet go out to sea for maneuvers, and then went back to his cabin and slept for twenty-four hours, while Philby commanded the navigation underwater with the sound of a bell to gain experience. Two weeks later, the general who was very keen on FM sonar held a luncheon for the Wolfpack captains.To add to the appeal, as the admiral said, some naval nurses attended the banquet.The nurses in Guam looked very tired, partly because of the large number of wounded brought in from Okinawa, and partly because of the courtship of many young soldiers, some of whom refused, and some of them accommodated; The submarine captains giggled with feigned delight. "All of you are about to set sail to finish what we have begun," the general said in a loud, curt speech, "to sink all ships flying the Japanese flag while sailing!" Knowing that the general had great hopes, Byron even applied to Nimitz to lead the pack himself, but was not approved.However, in Byron's view, this whole FM farce was unnecessary.Two years ago, he and Qatar.Este once commanded the "Moray" to cross the Strait of La Perouse and into the Sea of ​​Japan.Now they could get there by the same route, perhaps less dangerous than crossing the minefields of the Tsushima Strait.They really wanted to go that route.But so much has been done, so much money has been spent to improve FM sonar, so much has been spent by scientists, and generals are obsessed with using it.No one came to ask Byron's opinion.He had convinced his sailors that he would lead them through the minefields; sailors were rarely transferred, and none of them deserted. After the wolves went out to sea, they sailed safely to Japan without seeing any ships along the way.Walking through the minefields felt like a long, painfully tense ride.The sonar that the sailors don't quite affectionately call the "Hell's Bell" will emit nuanced sounds every time it encounters schools of fish, seaweed on the bottom of the sea, temperature rises and falls, and mine cables.Most likely, Byron bypassed the danger zone at the maximum depth indicated on the chart, and advanced slowly under deep-water mines whose bells would ring a hundred feet away.The most dangerous moment was when he surfaced the submarine once to determine its location.He quickly took his bearings, knew that the current did not deviate from the course he had guessed on the bottom of the sea, and continued sailing.On two occasions, the cables of mines slowly rattled along the mine-sweeping cables as they descended from the top of the boat.Such moments are the most terrifying, but there is nothing more dangerous than this. His patrol position was to the southeast, so he had to wait until all the other subs in the pack had moved north into their assigned positions.The Japanese frequented ships sailed quietly beside his periscope, with lights on at night and no escort during the day, just like ships in New York Harbor-small passenger ships, freighters and oil tankers sailing along the coast , there are all kinds of small boats, and even yachts.He didn't see the warship.Byron was aiming at a lumbering little freighter when the appointed time came for the "surgery."He told Philby to look at the periscope, and Philby fired the torpedo cleanly and forcefully at the boat. In all, the Barracuda sank three ships during the wolf pack's two weeks' attack.Back in 1943, Esther would not have wasted torpedoes for the last two boats.Now, all torpedoes hit well.The first batch of shipwrecks alarmed the Japanese, and thereafter the number of ships decreased.Targets became rare, so Byron sailed all over the state's west coast, admiring the beauties. At the agreed assembly point in the Strait of La Perouse, eight of the nine submarines arrived.The wolves got out of there in ideal fog.Once they were out of the plane's search range, they sped across the sea back to Pearl Harbor, happily exchanging their good news along the way, while anxiously inquiring for news of the missing "Bigeye". The Barracuda went to Fox again, but there was no Byron telegram.The fleet sailed into port on the Fourth of July, and saw little celebration or ceremony.Byron walked all the way to the telephone exchange to call his mother, not knowing where his father was.The call got through quickly, but no one answered. As soon as Byron walked into the office, the Pacific Fleet Submarine Command operations officer jumped over and put his arms around him. "O Byron! My saviour, glorious victory!" "Bill, I'm here to apply for dismissal." "Release! Are you crazy? Why?" The combat officer sat down, fixed his eyes on him, and told him to finish his sentence, biting his lips as he listened.The officer spoke calmly, with a tone of discussion. "It's a serious situation. But, you see, your wife may be home by now. Maybe she's found your son too. Why don't you inquire first? Don't be so rash. You'll have to Great job." "I've done my service. I'm filing for discharge, Bill." "Sit down. Don't hit my table like that. You don't have to." Byron actually hit the glass with his fist. "I'm sorry." Byron sat down in the chair. The combat officer offered Byron a cigarette.Then he begins to reveal some startling secrets in a trusting tone.Russia is about to enter the war.Submarines of the Pacific Fleet got the message.MacArthur was about to land in Japan; first Kyushu, then Honshu.The Sea of ​​Japan will be divided into combat zones for the U.S. and Russian forces.A brand new ball game will start in the future.The only place where there is the most oil and water to be fished is the Sea of ​​Japan, so the submarine commander of the Pacific Fleet will use Hell's Bell to make a massive attack and do everything possible to really carry out a big sweep. "The subs won the battle, Byron, and you should know that. But they didn't work until the end of the war. You did a great job. Mrs. Este would be proud of you. But don't run away." "Okay," Byron said. "Thank you very much." He was not angry with the combat officer.This guy thinks life is all about getting the most money.He found the office of the general who was keen on FM sonar and went straight in.He calmly related to the general his conversation with the combat officer. "So it is, General," Byron said. "You may court-martial me for desertion, or you may not. I am going to see my wife, and my son, if he is still alive. Order me to go. I want to serve my country with all my heart. If my family is found, if the war is still going on at that time, I will fly back here and command a submarine with FM sonar into Tokyo Bay. I will also command a submarine into Fu Radivostok, if you want me to." The general narrowed his eyes in embarrassment, stuck out his chin, and said, "Look at how brave you are." As he spoke, he consulted some official documents on his desk. "No matter how difficult you are personally, I don't like to hear you talk to me like this." "Forgive me, General." "I just happened to have a letter from the Chief of Naval Operations here - look, where's it? Oh, here it is. The Chief of Naval Operations needs a team of experienced captains to inspect the submarines captured in Germany .According to preliminary reports, those submarines appear to be better than ours. It's embarrassing. The only way to know the real situation is to take some captains to pilot them. Do you understand German?" "General, I speak German quite well." "Are you interested?" "My God, thank you so much, General!" "Well, you have combat experience. You must first train the man who is going to replace you on the FM sonar sub. Put him on a week's voyage to the fake minefields off Molokai." "Yes, sir. Thank you and God bless you, General." "Hey Byron, how is your FM sonar doing?" "Excellent, sir." "It's the biggest invention since beer canned," said the general.