Chapter 1039

It was completely dark when Colonel Henry sent me back to the embassy.

When I walked into the hall, I saw levinov talking to the staff in the hall. Seeing me enter the door, he hastened to speed up and said two words to the staff, then left the other side and walked towards me. At the same time, he said politely, "Comrade oshanina, you are back!"

It's very awkward to hear someone call me a general or officer for a day and suddenly hear someone call me a comrade. After a moment's absence, I quickly nodded to levinov and said in a friendly way, "yes, comrade ambassador, I'm back."

Without waiting for me to ask anything, he took the initiative to say, "Molotov and khluliov are in the room. They once told me that if they saw you coming back, they would ask you to go to Molotov's room."

I smile, thank levinov, and then walk through the hall, up the stairs, and toward Molotov's room.

When I went outside Molotov's room, I saw two tall security officers standing at the door, both of whom I knew. Just as they wanted to speak, one of them had turned around and knocked twice on the door. When a voice came from inside, he pushed the door open a crack and put him in. I heard him say soberly: "comrades of the people's Committee, general oshanina is here!"

Then in the room came Molotov's stern voice: "ask her to come in!"

The security officer promised, while retracting his head, he pushed the door more open. At the same time, he turned to me and said politely, "general, comrades of the people's Committee are waiting for you inside. Please come in!"

I nodded to the security staff with a smile and walked into the room. As soon as they entered, the security personnel closed the door gently. I walked quickly to Molotov and khluliov sitting on the sofa, raised my hand to salute them, and said, "comrades of the people's Foreign Affairs Committee and the Minister of logistics, I'm back."

Molotov looked up at me and asked coldly, "what did you get from going to Norfolk Naval Base today?"

"Yes, comrades of the people's Committee," I don't know why. Standing in front of Molotov, I always feel a little uneasy. Maybe it's because he is equivalent to a marshal in the army, which makes me feel a sense of awe. When he asked me about the harvest of my trip, I told the truth about the process of launching the destroyer Eldridge from the beginning to the end. Of course, when I overheard the conversation between Henry and Elman, I deliberately concealed it, because I didn't want anyone to know that I knew English, otherwise there would be countless troubles for me.

After reporting my trip to Norfolk Naval Base today, I stood still, waiting for Molotov's next instructions. After listening to what I said, khluliov said to Molotov sideways, "comrades of the people's Committee, oshanina's harvest today is not small. If we can really take the way of lateral sliding of ships into the water, we can build large ships in some small shipyards to make up for the ships lost by our navy in the war."

"Well, it is." Molotov obviously knew something about the manufacture of ships. After listening to khluliov's words, he said casually, "those small shipyards can only build some fishing boats. If they can also build the ships needed by the navy in this way, the ships lost by the navy can be quickly replenished."

When I saw Molotov talking, I didn't even glance at me. It was estimated that, as usual, it was time for me to leave again. So I asked carefully, "comrades of the people's Committee, do you allow me to leave?"

Molotov didn't speak. He just waved to me to let me go.

Just as I turned to go outside, I heard khrushiev's voice coming from behind: "Comrade oshanina, please wait a moment."

I don't know why khrushiev stopped me, so I quickly lowered my raised leg, turned to look at him, and waited for his further instructions. However, he turned to Molotov and said, "comrades of the people's Committee, I think there are some things that we should let Comrade oshanina know. After all, she has an important mission to come to the United States with us."

After hearing these words, Molotov stood up from the sofa and looked at me for a long time. Then he bit his back teeth and said to khrushiev, "Comrade minister, maybe you are right. In that case, please show her the result of your negotiation today. " With these words, he reached out and pointed to the empty sofa beside him, and said in an imperative tone, "sit down."

I sat on the sofa designated by him and took the document that khrushiev handed me. When I opened the folder and saw the contents, I was surprised, because khrushiev showed me the list of materials provided by the United States to assist the Soviet Union.

In addition to the tanks, airplanes, anti-aircraft guns, anti tank guns, transport vehicles, oil and other materials I know about, there are also reconnaissance vehicles, battlefield telephones, underwater and submarine cables, aluminum, tin, lead, molybdenum, nickel, copper and other metals, tank armor plates and various steel products, petroleum products, various industrial machines, rubber and leather, as well as various food and medicine. On this list, there are 72 kinds of materials that the United States needs to assist the Soviet Union every month, which is far beyond my belief.

When I put the folder on the coffee table in front of me, I said with emotion: "I really didn't expect that the United States would help us with so many things."

As he took the folder away from me, khrushiev said, "yes, the American aid to us is far more than we originally thought. Only an industrialized country like the United States can provide us with so many materials. If it is replaced by another country, even one fifth of the materials will be enough to drag down their national strength. "

After hearing this, Molotov said impatiently, "although the Americans have given us so many materials, they are not giving them for nothing. The foreign debt of 9.8 billion US dollars they lent us needs to be paid back to them in batches after the end of the war. "

"Comrades of the people's Committee," khrushiev interjected, "in the memorandum of the meeting two days ago, didn't the US side say that the US $10.9 billion lent to us was suddenly reduced by 1.1 billion?"

"What 10.9 billion? It's only 9.8 billion. " Molotov's tone became more and more impatient: "in 1941, the weapons and materials they assisted us with Britain agreed that they would be given away free of charge. As a result, in the negotiations two days ago, it was proposed that these things should also be charged. Our Soviet motherland resolutely refused to recognize this unreasonable increase of US $1.1 billion. "

"But, comrades of the people's Committee." I was surprised at Molotov's obvious performance of defaulting on his debts, while khluliov directly expressed his scruples: "you and I all know that the Allies first assisted our navy after the United States formally joined the war at the end of 1941. Britain and the United States assisted 200 torpedo boats, which improved our navy's coastal defense capability. The torpedoes, with a maximum speed of 41 knots, are equipped with two torpedoes and a 20 mm automatic antiaircraft gun. These torpedo boats are worth a lot of money. "

"Comrade minister, I draw your attention." Molotov rebutted khluliov very impolitely, saying: "don't forget, the United States has also provided us with 60 small hunting submarines. However, due to the lack of search system, these submarines can only be used by our navy for coastal patrol. It's totally unreliable equipment, and it's so easy to charge us money. "

When I saw that they had a dispute over the US aid, I was really embarrassed. As I am, I don't have to be a peacemaker between them, so I can only keep silent and look on coldly. At the same time, I was still wondering whether they were arguing as they are now after every time I left.

After a long time, I asked carefully, "Comrade people's commissar, I don't know if President Roosevelt mentioned in front of you that the allies will open up a second battlefield in the right place."

Molotov's face softened after hearing what I said. He said: "today, in his meeting with President Roosevelt, he mentioned this to me. He said that because you have provided excellent ideas for them to make landing plans, the time for making plans will be greatly shortened. In a week at most, I think the latest landing plan will be officially launched. "

Molotov said that the Normandy landing plan could not be launched until a week at the latest, which is somewhat disappointing. But on second thought, for such a huge landing plan, one week is really fast. Although my final landing plan was approved by General Marshall and Sir Morgan, because it is of great importance, they will certainly carry out repeated verification in some details when formulating the plan. In this way, it will naturally take a long time.

Molotov waved to me again and said, "Comrade oshanina, you must be very tired after running so far today. You'd better go back and have a rest early."

I stood up, saluted them and turned away. When I got to the door, I suddenly thought of something. I stopped and asked Molotov, "comrades of the people's Committee, how long can our delegation stay in the United States?"

Molotov had a puzzled look on his face when I asked this question suddenly. He asked, "Comrade oshanina, what do you want to do with this? Is there anything else important for you in America? "

When I heard Molotov's suspicious question, I immediately felt a sense of uncertainty. I knew that if I didn't give him a convincing reason, maybe the first thing I would do after I returned to Moscow was to be sent to the Ministry of interior for examination. So I answered in a flurry, "well, comrades of the people's Committee. Before I became a member of your delegation, I was ordered to join a friendly delegation to visit the United States, which was responsible for telling the American people how our army and people fought against the Communist aggressors, and calling on Britain and the United States to open up a second battlefield very quickly. According to the date, it's almost time for that delegation to arrive. "

My reason made Molotov's expression relaxed again. He said with disapproval, "Comrade oshanina, your role in my delegation is far greater than that of the friendly delegation. In that regiment, even if you talk too much, you won't attract the attention of American politicians, and the military won't do anything. And this time, as the representative of the base camp, you went directly to negotiate with the US military to open up a second battlefield. The effect is not very obvious. At least they did not shirk the prevarication as before, but seriously studied and worked out landing plans. "

"That's right," khrushiev and Molotov echoed as soon as they finished saying, "Comrade oshanina, for your performance in this visit, comrade foreign people's commissar has reported to the Supreme Commander himself in a telegram. As far as I know, he is very satisfied with your excellent performance. As for when to return home, it all depends on our next talks with the US side. " Knowing that I could not get any more useful information from them, I saluted them again, opened the door and went out. Back in my room, I couldn't help thinking again. I had no chance to see Roosevelt a second time, except that on the day I came, I had a chance to meet Roosevelt. If I can't see him again, I will have no chance to make friends with Mrs. Roosevelt. I can't go directly to the White House to find First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and then say to her, "I am your admirer, from the Soviet Union thousands of miles away, and I want to win your friendship." If I did, I would be repatriated the next day and sent to the military court. It's good to be sent to gulag. Maybe the interior department will shoot me. I was just thinking about it when there was a knock at the door. I thought it was the staff of the embassy who came to deliver things, so I got up and went to open the door. As soon as I opened the door, to my surprise, it was levinov standing at the door. He looked at me with a smile and asked, "general, may I go in?"“ Come in, comrade ambassador. " As I said this, I turned sideways and made a gesture to the room. When I saw him go to the table, pull out a chair and sit down, I closed the door and asked with a smile, "Comrade ambassador, I don't know what you've come to see me so late. What can I do for you?" When livinov heard my question, he showed a smile on his face. He said calmly, "Comrade oshanina, I've come to see you because someone has a strong interest in you and wants to meet you at the right time. So let me ask if you have any intention in this regard."