Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 218



Only Krnovel

#Episode 218 Old soldiers never die

“Tell me in detail from the beginning.”

“Yes, Mr. President. When we checked, at least the FBI was monitoring the activities of Chinese scientists and even international students. No one has been detained yet, but only those trying to leave the country have been banned from leaving the country.”

“Then, what about Deng Jiaxian?”

Of course, Deng Jiaxian’s whereabouts were the most important.

This is because he had already returned to the People’s Republic of China in 1950 in his original history.

“Luckily I was in America.”

“ah! That’s a blessing! ha ha ha!”

“ha ha ha! you’re right. Fortunately, under the direction of President Truman, from the early 1950s, Chinese students studying abroad in majors that could be useful in the development of nuclear weapons were specifically managed. So, when Deng Jiaxian tried to return to the country last year, he was blocked.”

“According to the original record, he returned to Korea in 1950, right?”

“So this time, the Chinese civil war lasted a little longer than it should have, right?”

“ah! Right!”

“Yes, that’s right. “It was the same as before, until I completed my doctoral degree at Purdue University in 1950, but I was unable to return because the country I was returning to was still in the midst of a civil war.”

“ha ha ha!”

“ha ha ha!”

Lee Kang-cheol and Go Seok-man were really happy.

I was secretly worried that Deng Jiaxian might have returned home.

“It seems that Deng Jiaxian found it difficult to return to his country anyway, so he went to the University of Chicago, where his close friend Yang Zhenning was, and worked as a researcher. Then, when China stabilized, the FBI blocked my attempt to return to Korea last year.”

“Which way did you say you were trying to return home?”

“That guy has a sense of humor, so of course it’s the Republic of China. “If he said he was going to the Communist Party, he would have known that he would not be allowed to go.”

“I guess so. But for what reason was it blocked? “If you said you were going to the Republic of China, there would be no reason to stop you, right?”

The Republic of China is, after all, an ally of the United States.

It was also a member of the Allies in World War II.

It would not have been possible to stop the Allied citizens from leaving with harsh words, but I was curious as to what justification they had for preventing them from returning home.

“They said he made an issue of his hometown.”

“His hometown?”

“Yes, Deng Jiaxian and Yang Zhenning are both from Anhui Province. This is an area that has been taken over by the Communist Party. So, although you say you are returning to the Republic of China, you are actually saying that you are planning to move to the People’s Republic of China. In reality, there were already many such cases and it was becoming a problem.”

“ah… … .”

As Cho Tae-hyun said, the return of Chinese people living abroad was problematic in many ways.

Western countries, including the United States, naturally took a position to prevent people from returning to the People’s Republic of China, which was a hostile country. This is because many of them said that they would return to the Republic of China, but actually entered the country illegally through the Republic of China.

It was a time when not much time had passed since the civil war ended.

Therefore, there was no way to properly manage the wide border between the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China.

Although border control is gradually being strengthened on both sides, at least for now, crossing the border was as easy as going next door if you wanted to.

Therefore, foreigners who wanted to return to the People’s Republic of China first said they were going to the Republic of China, then went straight to the Republic of China and then crossed the border to the North.

And, the FBI blocked it with justification.

“Anyway, the FBI was broadly aware of Chinese scientists. Moreover, anti-China sentiment continued to deepen. So, it is said that not only nuclear physics but also those in sensitive fields of science and engineering are under surveillance.”

“haha! “The FBI was doing its job.”

“ha ha ha! That’s right. The problem could not be left as a stopgap measure forever, so we contacted them while they were also struggling. So it was even reported to President Truman.”

“So what do you plan to do?”

“For now, there is a justification for preventing Chinese people from returning home due to concerns that they will cross over to the People’s Republic of China, but we cannot use that as an excuse to stop them forever. “Sooner or later, the Republic of China will begin to protest.”

“I guess so.”

“But it would also be problematic to single out Chinese people, prevent them from returning to the country, and manage them separately. So, I think the Truman administration is planning to ban foreigners as students and researchers in sensitive fields of science and engineering in the name of preventing the leak of cutting-edge science and technology.”

“All foreigners?”

“You can’t do that. So, the plan is to ban it in each country and require approval in very sensitive areas even if they are from an ally. And even if they do receive it, they break it down and allow it to go to some universities, but prohibit it from graduate schools.”

“Do you think your head will hurt?”

“But I can’t help it.”

“So, what do the existing students and researchers do now?”

Even if it is prevented in the first place in the future, if people who are currently there are not allowed to return to their homeland forever, the countries involved will backlash and human rights issues will arise.

“First of all, I think they are planning to identify people’s tendencies and allow those who are likely to be loyal to the United States to obtain American citizenship. It looks like leaving the country will be banned for a certain period of time. “They say they will catch monsters like Yang Zhenning no matter what.”

“Well, maybe that monster will go back to China later, too?”

“Yes, ever since U.S.-China relations opened through ping-pong diplomacy, we have put a lot of effort into developing science in our home country, China. Eventually, in 2015, I regained my citizenship as a citizen of the People’s Republic of China.”

Yang Zhenning.

He is a fellow countryman with Deng Jiaxian, but he originally refused Deng Jiaxian’s invitation to return home and stayed in the United States.

And now, at the age of only his early 30s, he became a theoretical physicist who became a monster known around the world, and eventually, a few years later, in 1957, he jointly won the Nobel Prize in Physics with Robert Mills.

He became the first Chinese person to receive the Nobel Prize when he was in his mid to late 30s, so you can see how great of a person this person is.

In short, it is a monster among monsters.

This is why the U.S. government is also trying to put it to rest in any way possible.

“They said that if necessary, there are plans to take the families of monsters like Yang Zhenning out of the People’s Republic of China. “I couldn’t even think of going back.”

“Wow. So what about those who say they will go back to the end?”

“They will unconditionally block you from returning to the country for a certain period of time, and after that, it seems that you will be released on the condition that you go to the Republic of China, and that you will be thoroughly managed by the Republic of China. There will be opposition from the Republic of China, but since aid from the United States is urgently needed, there will not be much opposition for the time being.”

“How many people did you say there were?”

“They say there are about 300 people in sensitive fields such as physics.”

“What about Chen Xueshen?”

“Oh, that person has already become an American citizen. He says he has no intention of going back. It was always like that, right? “He was wrongfully imprisoned due to McCarthyism and the Korean War, which made him harbor antipathy toward the United States, but he says it’s not that bad now.”

“In that case… … .”

“And if you take an oath of allegiance to the United States when you become a citizen, they say you will be thoroughly protected in the future. “So that you don’t get hurt by anti-China sentiment.”

“Anyway, I’m glad. “It didn’t work out the way it should have.”

“ha ha ha! “You can rest assured about this.”

“Yes, there is nothing we can do anymore.”

You can’t stop everything anyway.

How many Chinese people study or have studied in the United States? Do you mean to block them all?

It is physically impossible.

At least, people who stand out in sensitive fields can be prevented, so that’s okay.

“America is America, and we have to care. “We are also accepting international students, right?”

“In the first place, we did not accept science and engineering majors. “After Chiang Kai-shek’s eldest son, Chiang Ching-kuo, visited last time, the government of the Republic of China said it would send a large number of students abroad, but the science and engineering field said no.”

“Oh, did you?”

“Yes, I was planning to only accept the liberal arts and commercial departments.”

“haha! Good job.”

Lee Kang-cheol was satisfied because even things he couldn’t pay attention to seemed to be working properly.

As Go Seok-man said, I felt like I could take some time off now.

* * *

December 3, 1953.

Blue house.

“Welcome, General MacArthur!”

“ha ha ha! Nice to meet you, Mr. President! And General Go.”

Lee Kang-cheol received a visit from MacArthur along with Go Seok-man.

As the Supreme Command of the Allied Powers disappeared into history at the end of this year, about a year and a half later than its original history, MacArthur came to say hello for the last time.

“It was really hard. “You ruled Japan for eight years, right?”

“ha ha ha! Just over 8 years. And there was nothing to say that was hard work. “He personally had a lot of fun.”

“He was like a Japanese god, right?”

“ha ha ha! Don’t be like that. “I’m embarrassed.”

“ha ha ha!”

He was truly a Japanese god.

While exchanging well-wishes, MacArthur asked with a subdued expression.

“Hey, Mr. President.”

“Yes, general. “Please speak comfortably.”

“You know what I told General Go last time, right?”

“Ugh! You mean diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea? “I understand that you responded that you would release it gradually at the appropriate time?”

“ha ha ha! I just wanted to say thank you. And if possible, sooner… … .”

“… … .”

It was MacArthur who worried about Japan until the end.

Since Hagi ruled as a god, he must have been worried about his subjects.

Even in history, when it comes to representative American generals who loved Japan, he was always cited along with Admiral Arleigh Burke.

At least Admiral Arleigh Burke changed his assignment to the Republic of Korea and became a representative pro-Korean faction, but MacArthur remained the same.

“We will take care of that. So general, don’t worry too much.”

“All right. Anyway, please.”

“Whew, by the way, I’m sure you’ll get a great welcome when you return to America, right?”

“Well, now I’m old and on the verge of death so I’m returning home.”

“haha! Don’t say that. Be sure to stop by our hospital before you go. “We will give you a checkup.”

“ha ha ha! thank you.”

“So what do you plan to do now?”

“I am already in my mid-70s. “Now I have to write a memoir and prepare for the day when I die.”

Since it seemed inappropriate to talk so lonelyly, Lee Kang-cheol said something.

“General, old soldiers never die. “It just disappears.”

“hmm? What do you mean?”

“yes? why?”

“ah! “Those words were the lyrics of a folk song that I enjoyed singing when I was young.”

“ah! is it so?”

“ha ha ha! That’s right. Anyway, that’s right. Old soldiers never die. “It just disappears.”

“ha ha ha! you’re right!”

So MacArthur returned to the United States and, as before, was warmly welcomed by millions of American citizens.

And he gave his retirement speech at the National Assembly building.

“Old soldiers never die. “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.”

Saying that.