Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 296



Only Krnovel

#296. Joseph, not John

January 6, 1960.

The White House, Washington, D.C., United States.

“Harry, it’s been a while.”

“Iron! It was hard to come this far. Hahaha!”

The 1960s began.

No, to be exact, it’s still the 1950s, but the general public’s perception is that the first number has changed.

This confusion seems to be the same in the West, with Germany claiming that the 20th century began in 1900, while Britain insisted on 1901.

Anyway, whether it was like that or not, in Korea, it was common to think that the year changed just by changing the number in front, and everyone agreed with that.

Anyway, Lee Kang-cheol visited the United States from the beginning.

And Truman was also scheduled to visit South Korea at least once this year.

Because this year marks the end of Harry Truman’s 12-year term as President.

The term ends on January 20th of next year, but what does the 20th mean when a successor has already been appointed?

In any case, with Truman’s retirement, the relationship between South Korea and the United States was sure to enter a new phase.

Because Truman will be the last American president to know the true identity of the current South Korean government.

So, Lee Kang-cheol and Truman decided to meet frequently in advance to sort out various issues, and Lee Kang-cheol visited the United States first.

“Whew! This visit to the US is nice because there aren’t many busy events.”

“Hahaha! That’s the same for me. When I go to South Korea, please reduce the number of events.”

“Hehehe! Okay, I understand.”

Lee Kang-cheol and Harry Truman are both people who hate hustle and bustle, but because of their location, they had no choice but to be called to all kinds of events that one of them visited.

However, starting with Lee Kang-cheol’s visit to the U.S. this time, he did not schedule any events except for those where he absolutely had to show his face.

This was because the two had a lot to discuss and resolve.

On the first day of his visit, Lee Kang-cheol spent his daytime schedule with ease, and was very satisfied as it was less than half the time he had spent before.

And in the evening there is a formal dinner.

There was no way to avoid it, and aside from the visit to Congress, this was the only proper official event I had ever attended, so I was happy to attend.

I had planned to meet separately later, but there were people I wanted to see who showed up.

“Frank! Long time no see! Hahaha!”

“General, it seems like you’re glad to see this old man?”

“Hey, how many years are there between us?”

“Why are you doing this? We’re 9 years apart? 10? Anyway, is that a huge difference?”

“Hahaha! Anyway, are you healthy?”

“Do I look healthy to the General?”

“… … .”

Lee Kang-cheol was unable to readily respond to Roosevelt’s words.

Roosevelt was born in 1882, and in January at that.

I’m already approaching my eighties.

He was originally destined to die in April 1945, but he recovered his health after meeting Lee Kang-cheol.

However, because he served as president for a long period of 16 years and suffered from overwork, it seemed that he aged faster than most people.

The way he looked at Lee Kang-cheol with a faint smile made him look much older and weaker than when he came to South Korea for a checkup last year.

And that sight broke Lee Kang-cheol’s heart.

Because it seems like his time is running out as a comrade, political comrade, and friend.

“Frank, where does it hurt?”

“Haha! This guy is sick. Now it’s time to go meet God.”

“Hey, stop saying those cliched comments that old people make. You’re not even eighty yet?”

“People in your time were ‘still’ eighty, but for us, that’s an age where we’ve lived long enough.”

“Don’t be like that. Let’s go back together this time. You know, our medical team is going to finish it off.”

“Hahaha! It’s a great ending. But I don’t think it’ll be of much help this time.”

“Will you go with me anyway?”

“Okay, I get it. If you’re going to meet God, it’s better to go without getting sick. But the shots you get in South Korea are less painful. Hahaha!”

“Anyway, see you in a few days.”

“Okay.”

Soon, a secretary was pushing Roosevelt in a wheelchair.

And then the greetings continue.

Among them was Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.

“Hahaha! Long time no see!”

“Ugh! Joseph, why do you always laugh at me? When you’re always quiet to everyone else?”

“Hahahaha!”

“… … .”

This fucking Joseph guy, strangely enough, seemed to raise his voice whenever he saw Kang-cheol Lee.

Unlike his younger siblings, he was known to have a serious personality. However, while following his father to South Korea, he frequented government buildings and became close with Lee Kang-cheol. From that point on, he began to treat Lee Kang-cheol like a real uncle.

“Hahaha! Well then, I’ll see you again.”

“I wish you would stop seeing me.”

“Hehehe! I guess we’ll be seeing each other often?”

“??”

Something strange struck me as Joseph Kennedy smiled sinisterly.

Especially in light of the current situation in the United States.

“That kid, by any chance?”

After dinner, as always, I sat down comfortably with Truman.

“Oh my, at least I managed to get something big done.”

Truman probably held these dinners over 100 times while he was president.

Because that’s the job.

“Hahaha! Still, it wasn’t bad seeing Frank after a long time.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes, but I’m a bit concerned about Frank’s health. He seems to have become quite frail.”

“That’s true. I know it’s not very good these days.”

“Oh, really? I’m not even eighty yet… … .”

“Iron knows how much this job eats away at a person. Frank did this for 16 years. And he did it through the Great Depression and World War. He spent all those years in poor health, so it’s amazing that he’s still in such good health.”

“… … .”

Roosevelt and Truman were only two years apart.

But, looking at their health, it seemed like there was a difference of at least 10 years.

“I plan to take you with me when I go back this time. Frank agreed.”

“Thank you. Frank seemed to be quite comfortable with the hospital in Seoul anyway.”

“That will happen.”

Although South Korea has provided a lot of medical technology to the United States, and in particular, the embassy’s resident doctor provided special treatment to several VIPs, including Roosevelt, Truman, and George Marshall, it cannot be compared to hospitals in Seoul.

So, as they got older, they naturally preferred hospitals in Seoul.

“By the way, I met that guy Joseph earlier… … .”

“Oh, is that so?”

“But that guy seems to have a really weird look on his face. Could it be… … .”

“Hahaha! That ‘maybe’ is right.”

“yes?”

“Our next Democratic presidential candidate will be that guy Joseph. I’ve consulted with Frank.”

“… … .”

I already knew from embassy reports and the American media that Joseph Kennedy was being mentioned as a strong presidential candidate.

But I didn’t know he had already been nominated as a presidential candidate.

Roosevelt and Truman reached an agreement.

Then it’s already game over.

Because the influence of both men, especially Roosevelt’s, was still enormous.

“No, I thought Frank and Joseph had a falling out a while back? I thought you were vehemently opposed to Frank running for a third term? And yet Frank agreed?”

Joseph Kennedy was already a Democratic delegate from Massachusetts at the young age of 25 before he enlisted in the military. At the time, he strongly opposed Roosevelt’s bid for a third term and supported James Farley, who also ran for president while opposing Roosevelt’s bid for a third term.

Naturally, Roosevelt and Joseph Kennedy became estranged because of this.

“Hahaha! When on earth did that happen?”

“No, but still… … .”

“Joseph, when he was young and immature, did some things wrong, but he became mature after serving in the military. He changed a lot, especially after following his father to Korea. I once asked him why he changed so much, and he said he learned a lot from watching Iron.”

“Me, looking at me?”

“Yes, he said he learned a lot, especially about the virtues and qualities that a leader of a country should have. He also said that his political mentor was Iron Man, but didn’t you know that?”

“… … .”

I had a bad feeling when I was saved from the fate of dying by the ‘Aphrodite Project’, a project to remotely control bombers and crash them in a kamikaze style, but I really had no idea that history would change like this.

Oh my goodness, it’s Joseph and not John who is the Democratic nominee for president?

“Well, I don’t think it will be easy this time. Isn’t there fatigue or resistance to the Democratic Party’s long-term rule?”

“We were concerned about that too. That’s why we chose Joseph.”

“is it so?”

“Yes, there were many opinions that Lyndon wanted to run for president, but that guy shouldn’t be the one. Nana Frank also thought so. Because the aversion and fatigue from our Democratic Party’s long-term rule have built up to the point where Lyndon is running? That guy is young, but his image is a bit like that. How should I put it, he lacks freshness?”

“… … .”

“Our American voters want change. We thought that if we couldn’t change the party, we had to change the person to have a fresh candidate so that we could win. And Joseph was the perfect fit for that image.”

“Huh! This is really… … .”

Lee Kang-cheol was amazed.

Since coming to the expeditionary force, I have thought many times that history has inertia, but this is the first time I have felt such strange inertia.

Brother instead of younger brother?

“Plus, Joseph has a huge family background. The Lyndon family is a politically powerful family, but they can’t compare to the Kennedys. He’s a war hero, and he’s seven years younger than Lyndon. He’s the best candidate for us.”

“Haha!”

“Huh? Is Joseph not a good fit? That’s strange. Joseph said that Iron was like his uncle. Frank and I actually decided on him after hearing that. I think it would be better if he was that close to Iron.”

“… … .”

It’s a real treat.

He’s my uncle.

“When I step down this time, George will step down too. It will truly be a generational change. So I took those things into consideration… … .”

“No, it’s not bad. It’s just a bit absurd.”

“??”

Sure, it’s absurd, but it wouldn’t have been so bad if Joseph Kennedy Jr. had become President of the United States.

They knew each other so well and liked each other so much that he considered them his political mentor and uncle(?), so what could be bad about it?

“It’s definitely okay. I’m just a little surprised.”

“Hahaha! What’s there to be surprised about? It’s common knowledge that the Kennedy family wants to make that guy president.”

“okay.”

“So, Iron, please pay attention to this. This election is going to be really tough.”

“Okay, Harry.”

The day before returning from his schedule in the United States, Lee Kang-cheol met Joseph Kennedy Jr. at a certain place and talked for a long time.

“Good job, Joseph.”

“Hehehe! Okay, I understand.”

Lee Kang-cheol returned to Korea with Roosevelt on his private plane.