He is Already a Tycoon at a Young Age! - Chapter 84



Only Krnovel

Episode 84 – Friends and Enemies

“What better way to prevent war than for young people from all over the world to interact and communicate?”

Harding exhaled and put the axe down.

“Mr. Hitler knows that Germany and the United States are still ‘officially’ at war.”

“Yes, officially.”

The U.S. Senate did not recognize the Treaty of Versailles.

It didn’t even join the League of Nations.

The war between the United States and Germany was not properly resolved either.

“This is probably the biggest piece of trash the Democrats have left in the White House. We have to clean it up somehow.”

Harding spat after saying that.

“We will soon be signing a formal peace treaty with the German government. In line with that, it would be a good idea to expand Hitler’s… civilian exchange group.”

“I think I know what you mean.”

So you’re going to put me forward as the face of the US-Germany war?

I am popular among the citizens of both countries.

Is this to prevent any possible controversy?

That’s a pretty good idea.

“But wouldn’t it be better for the government to create the agency directly? After all, I am just an ordinary citizen.”

“I am just an ordinary citizen, after all. I do live in the White House.”

Harding said with a smile.

“Exchanges in the private sector would be more effective than official business. What if it were a private organization with full support from the government?”

“…”

That sounds plausible.

Are you saying that I should pay for it and you should show off?

If it’s a private organization, there’s no need for congressional approval.

“Mr. Hitler is already supporting the American Immigrant League. He is the best person for the job.”

“You are too kind.”

I was lost in thought, axe in hand. Harding was going to use my money and fame.

But there’s nothing that says I can’t use the United States government.

Civil exchange group.

When it was announced in Germany, it wasn’t considered very important.

‘If you do it well, you can grow it bigger.’

The benefits I will gain will not be small either.

If we receive recognition from not only the German government but also the US government, it will be easier to approach other countries.

After finishing my thoughts, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I will make a concrete plan before the armistice is signed. By the way, I also have a request to make to the administration.”

“Mr. Hitler, you have a request? What is it?”

“I heard that the world’s largest fermenter is at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The fermenter is the most important thing for producing Compound H.”

I understand the give and take thing, but in reality, I’m the only one benefiting.

“I can definitely help you with that.”

President Harding said with a smile.

“What could be more important than saving the world?”

＊＊＊

“Hey, I came here to pick off this trouble, but ended up making it worse.”

Richter let out a deep sigh.

“In reality, aren’t you just spending your money to show other people around? That’s what exchange groups are all about. They support young people to travel. It’s like the government just dumped their work onto us.”

“In other words, it’s like the government gave us its authority, and for free.”

Exchange of youth.

World Scout Jamboree, YMCA, etc.

In this era, this kind of international exchange was still uncommon. The concept of traveling abroad was unfamiliar to the public.

“The German and American governments have promised support. If we do well, we can expand to France, Italy, and the UK.”

A massive tourist network connecting America and Europe.

That’s not all I can get.

“With this group, anyone can be invited to the United States. There will be no suspicion.”

Young talents, including von Neumann.

We can attract and recruit promising children to the United States.

If I invite you personally, you’ll get a lot of unnecessary attention.

“If other people heard me, they’d think I was a witch who lured kids into my house with candy.”

“It’s a candy store…”

What could we accomplish by bringing together brains from all over the world in one place?

My heart races just thinking about it.

“T-That aside, what are you going to do about the Veterans Association? I heard the president didn’t say anything.”

“Let’s move on to Plan B. I didn’t have high expectations for President Harding anyway.”

I tried it just in case.

Harding is already a sinking ship.

I guess I’ll just have to pack what I need and escape.

The question is what to pack.

“The civil exchange group is definitely a good idea. And there will be a Washington treaty soon.”

The Harding administration’s greatest achievement.

In the Washington Treaty, Britain, the United States, Italy, and Japan agree to limit the number of warships.

A 20th century version of nuclear disarmament.

Then the possibility of war breaking out will also be reduced.

‘If the cost of building warships is reduced, the economy will be revitalized.’

Richter nodded after hearing what I said.

“So then, are you saying we should leak the corruption information to the media?”

“No, like I said last time, I can’t blow this up myself.”

Warren Harding’s inner circle’s corruption material.

If I mess this up, the Republicans will view me as their enemy.

“There’s someone who can blow it up for us. And at the right time.”

Information that could bring down a regime in a single day. There is only one person who can receive this gift.

“Let’s go find the Sphinx.”

＊＊＊

I left the car campsite under the pretense of having some urgent business matter.

The place I headed to was a mansion in Washington.

“Mr. Hitler, I thought you were on a road trip with the vagabonds.”

“I came out a little early because I wasn’t feeling well.”

Roosevelt was just as I remembered him.

Distinctive features and a bright expression.

Should I say that the vibrant energy feels like an aura?

One of Roosevelt’s nicknames was the Sphinx.

Was that why he always smiled like a sphinx when asked difficult questions?

“Is it because of the injury you got in Germany? I heard you’re better now.”

“Oh, it wasn’t a serious injury. It was just a mild concussion.”

Thanks to that, I was able to come aboard a US Navy cruiser.

Taxi service of the US Navy.

The only person who could suggest that was Roosevelt.

“Thanks to the consideration of the US Navy, I was able to recover more quickly. I also wanted to express my gratitude to Mr. Roosevelt, but I am late in greeting you.”

“I didn’t do anything. I just made a suggestion to the Secretary of the Navy.”

Roosevelt winked and laughed.

“And thanks to Mr. Hitler, we were able to successfully complete the battleship explosion test. It didn’t cause much controversy in Germany.”

“If it’s a blast test…”

I think Nimitz said that too.

It was a test to see if a warship could be sunk by aircraft alone.

“The power of the aircraft has been proven, hasn’t it?”

“I knew the test results were confidential.”

Roosevelt asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Have you heard anything else from the Navy?”

“Oh, that’s not it. I just predicted the obvious.”

Battleships and aircraft carriers.

The existing navy’s focus on big ships and big guns came to an end with World War II.

Aircraft, and later missiles, became the mainstay of naval warfare.

“How we use and deal with aircraft will determine future naval battles.”

“That’s an interesting point. There are a few naval officers who make that argument, but it’s not mainstream yet.”

We naturally continued our conversation about naval issues.

Perhaps because he was a naval nerd, Roosevelt kept bringing up new topics.

“So you’re saying that you can make the shells explode automatically near the aircraft?”

“Technically, it would be possible. Of course, mass production would require enormous costs. Vacuum tubes would also have to be improved.”

VT Shinkan.

This can be used to cause anti-aircraft shells to explode near aircraft.

During World War II, the United States invested funds equivalent to the Manhattan Project in developing the VT fuse.

Thanks to that, we were able to shoot down Japanese aircraft like mosquitoes.

“It still sounds like a bit of science fiction.”

“I didn’t know Mr. Roosevelt would use the word science fiction.”

“Isn’t he so famous these days? There’s also Rocketman. And come to think of it, that one came from a company run by Mr. Hitler, right? After the last episode, how many people were going crazy…”

After a brief chat, I quietly brought up the main topic.

“Actually, I have something to show you, Mr. Roosevelt.”

“Is it a stamp?”

“It’s not a stamp, but it’s similar.”

I took out a bundle of papers and presented them to Roosevelt.

The various corruptions of the Harding administration, including Tift Dome.

Even the conversations that officials had in secret meetings were recorded in detail.

Data painstakingly collected by Hoover and Burns Detective Agency.

“This is…”

Roosevelt frowned as he read the papers.

“Why are you showing me this?”

“The Veterans Association made me an interesting offer a while ago.”

I repeated the explanation I had given to Harding.

“I was wondering if there might be a problem, so I looked into it and found this information.”

I said in a calm tone.

“Such corruption is a threat to democracy. But I, a non-public official, can’t reveal such things, right?”

“Even if these things were true… if Mr. Hitler had made them public, everyone would ask how he found out.”

Roosevelt looked at me and said.

A serious expression, unlike before.

“What information network exactly did you use to find out about this?”

“I don’t think I can go into detail about that. I have friends here and there.”

“…”

Roosevelt turned the pages of the papers, his mouth shut.

“I think I’ll have to check it out myself, but if what’s written in this document is true… it’s definitely going to cause a huge controversy. It’s hard to believe that the Veterans Association is embezzling this much money.”

“I agree with you.”

Roosevelt must have noticed my trick.

I was asking Roosevelt to detonate the bomb for me.

‘But from Roosevelt’s point of view, it’s not a bad suggestion either.’

Since his defeat in the last election, Democratic candidate James Cock has been virtually forgotten.

The same was true of Roosevelt.

If a scandal of this magnitude were to break out, Roosevelt would instantly become a hero of the Democratic Party.

“Of all the politicians I know, there is none with more integrity than Mr. Roosevelt.”

“That is too much praise. I have never met a businessman who thought of the public good as much as Mr. Hitler.”

Roosevelt smiled brightly at me. I told him he was a real rascal.

“The German war will soon end, and the Washington Disarmament Conference will also be held. If government corruption is revealed at this time, there will be confusion in diplomatic lines.”

Roosevelt said.

“This kind of issue requires waiting for the right time. I will verify the information first and then contact you again.”

I nodded instead of answering.

You got it right.

There’s a reason he became the only four-term president of the United States.

“Oh, and I have a few more things to give you.”

“Surely it can’t be a bigger bomb.”

“That’s not it.”

I smiled and took a metal box out of my briefcase.

Sealed with a key.

When he opened the box, Roosevelt let out an exclamation.

“No, this is…!”

“This one was issued in Germany. There was a machine error and only one wrong copy was printed.”

He took out the stamps and pointed at them with his finger.

“If you look here, the German flag is out of place, the building drawing is pushed by three corners from the original design, and the pylon is also out of place.”

“Ohhh!”

Roosevelt listened intently to my explanation with sparkling eyes.

No, where did that snake-like appearance from just a moment ago go?

‘When I see you like this, you really seem like a child.’

Still, I couldn’t deny the appeal of stamps. I was hooked on them because of FDR.

By the way, I wonder if FDR would get polio in this day and age.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to prepare in advance. I should invite doctors specializing in polio in advance.

With that thought in mind, I took out the stamp.

“And on this side, the drawing itself is printed…”

＊＊＊

Advanced Invention Research Institute

Central Institute of Medicine

Two researchers conversed under tight security.

“No, so does that mean corn syrup really works?”

“Yes, production has increased by more than tenfold. The same goes for the newly discovered mold on the melon. It produces much more Compound H.”

“I can’t believe it. We’ll be able to solve the activation problem soon.”

Fleming muttered with a blank expression.

Detroit convention coming up soon.

Hitler wanted to announce the mass production of Compound H accordingly.

“I thought it was ridiculous, but is it possible for mass production to succeed this quickly?”

“With the freeze-drying machine currently under development on the carrier side, it will be easy to make it into powder. It remains active even in powder form.”

“Carrier?”

“Yes, originally we were developing a technology to quickly freeze potatoes. It was one of the companies that Hitler invested in.”

“Potatoes. Those can be used to make medicine…”

From requests for fungal research to corn syrup, freeze-drying and upcoming X-ray research.

Everything Hitler had prepared fit together like clockwork.

“I don’t know if people will believe me even if I present it at a convention.”

===＊＊＊===

Author’s Note

Q: What is the Tift Dome corruption scandal?

A: Since 1909, the U.S. government has set aside three oil-producing national lands for the Navy’s hypothetical needs.

This was a sort of insurance policy against the possibility of oil shortages in the event of an emergency.

The third of these was Tift Dome in Wyoming, but over time it became clear that nearby oil fields could be used to extract the oil designated for these fields.

In 1920, the Chief of Naval Operations was given unlimited powers to properly handle the problem of preserving oil reserves.

But things start to go wrong with the intervention of Albert Fall, who became Secretary of the Interior under President Harding.

He was in league with certain oilmen and tried to get them to give him oil extraction rights on naval reserves.

Accordingly, President Harding signed a special order transferring authority over the Chief of Naval Operations’ land holdings to the Secretary of the Interior, and Tift Dome was secretly leased to Mammoth Oil Company without public bidding.

In return, Secretary of the Interior Paul received about $300,000 in bonds from the Mammoth Company and was also able to ‘borrow’ $100,000 in cash from the Pan American Oil Company.

(Source – Wonderful America, Allen, FL)