The Radiance of Human Nature

  On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in the early morning, and the Pacific War broke out.

  Washington, President Roosevelt called on Congress to declare war on Japan in just eight minutes, and lawmakers voted for 20 minutes. The Senate passed the war resolution with 82 votes, and the House of Representatives passed it with 388 votes to 1 vote, and the United States went to war.

  G?ring rushed to the front line, accompanied by General von Manstein, and arrived at the headquarters of the 45th Division. He burst into the guest room and saw this scene: the Führer was half-lying on the bed, surrounded by several women, watching Bormann perform magic tricks. The Führer looked up at him without any surprise, as if he had come from next door rather than Berlin.

  The head of state beckoned him over and indicated for him to sit beside him. A beautiful, quiet young woman he didn't know gave up her seat for him.

  What Goebbels wanted to say, the Fuehrer waved his hand, pointed at Baumann, and sat down in a huff, watching the wretched performance of that fourth-rate magician: he held two bowls in his hands, pressing two coins against the bottom with his thumbs, showed them to everyone, then turned them over, made some gestures, and lifted the bowls, revealing two coins inside.

  Those brainless men and women applauded and cheered, while Bao Man bowed in gratitude.

  Lee stood up and hugged Goebbels, saying: "It's time to get down to business. The doctor must have brought us news that the Japanese planes are bombing Hawaii."

  Goebbels was taken aback: "You know what? This is an intercepted foreign telegram we just got."

  Li De scanned a few lines with disapproval and handed it to Bao Man beside him, drawing out his words: "Roosevelt's trick has worked, there isn't even one aircraft carrier in the military port. I dare to conclude that the US military will salvage the sunken warships at an astonishing speed, and within a very short period of time, repair and refit them, making their combat effectiveness rise to new heights."

  He walked up to the naval lieutenant and put his hand on his shoulder, saying: "Albrecht, you know that refitting a warship takes several months just for the blueprints, not to mention procurement and production of various equipment and materials."

  The naval lieutenant nodded silently.

  "But these four battleships sunk by the Japanese can be fully repaired in half a year at most."

  The naval deputy officer carefully corrected: "Not 4, but 6."

  Li De was very confident: "Well, it can also be said that there were six, because the Japanese also sank two old battleships: the target ship Yu Ta and the mine-layer Ogura with a nest of sea birds in its chimney. This is the great military achievement of the Great Japanese Empire!"

  The leader couldn't help but think of the connection between theory and reality: "That gambler-turned-Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, Isoroku Yamamoto, clearly knew that Japan couldn't beat America, yet he single-handedly planned this adventure. Why? Just to make a name for himself in history, to have his name etched in the annals of time. Isn't this just like our own generals? Clearly knowing that the opportunity to capture Moscow had passed, they still insisted on taking risks to gain fame and reputation, all birds of a feather."

  Goebbels, Bormann and the Air Force and Navy adjutants nodded frequently, while the Army adjutant remained silent. The Fuehrer deliberately picked up that pot and would not put it down, insisting that the Army adjutant make a statement: "Do you agree, Colonel Schmundt?"

  Schumacher's face squeezed out a complex expression, and everyone saw that he ate a raw persimmon-like expression, couldn't help but laugh.

  G?ring flattered: "Fortunately, the Führer had a long-term vision and turned the troops into defense, otherwise, the cold could have frozen people to death."

  Boromir refused to fall behind: "We have a leader who can control the troops, unlike the Japanese Emperor, allowing those 56 Yamamoto to run wild."

  "It's not fifty-six Yamamotos, it's Yamamoto fifty-six." Someone corrected. Everyone relaxed, but Li De was serious: "The attack on Pearl Harbor was a tactical brilliant victory, but a strategic thorough disaster, it will unite the United States, determined to defeat Japan and its allies."

  He grasped Goebbels' hand: "Doctor, hurry back after lunch and concentrate on handling domestic affairs. I'll be the commander-in-chief in the field with all my might. Instead of worrying about things thousands of kilometers away, it's better to take care of pressing matters at hand. Once America enters the war, the Soviets will become even more arrogant and they will launch a large-scale counterattack."

  Li De turned to the men and women in the room: "This afternoon you will move out, and with all your might, wipe out the destructive elements."

  "Yes!" The men and women replied in unison.

  ……

  The Kalmyks were armed to the teeth - PPSh submachine guns, Mosin-Nagant M1891/30 rifles, Tokarev TT-33 pistols and Nagant 1895 revolvers.

  G?bbels walked around him and commented: "How did you manage to dress yourself up like a bandit from a bad movie?"

  The head of state quipped: "Yes, very much like the male lead in a film shot by Goebbels."

  Rania excitedly held the Walter PPK pistol given to her by Lida, aiming at a bird's nest in the tree. Lida, who was acting as their guide, looked on in surprise as the German and Russian soldiers roughhoused: Misha kicked Grubbs in the buttocks: "You son of a bitch, where is the can of food missing from my backpack?" Grubbs slapped Misha's face and retorted: "It changed places, temporarily put it in my bag." Misha: "Shameless." Grubbs: "Darling, you're right, I don't want your face, just your buttocks will do."

  Rania explained to Lida: "They are gay."

  Looking at Lida's seemingly smiling yet not quite smiling expression, Rania burst out laughing and whispered to her ear: "We're the same too."

  Misa saw Lida looking at him with a timid expression and went over to comfort her.

  The assault team members adjusted their equipment, the Kalmyks efficiently reorganizing the team, tightening one's backpack and securing another's rope. Rannya replenished ammunition from her slung backpack to the cartridge pouches, while Tatar stuffed hand grenades into his belt and boots.

  Li De urged: "Dr. Goebbels, you've finally arrived at the front line, say a few words to the troops."

  It's no wonder that a philosophy Ph.D. who has attended five universities, is a good family man and a mediocre playwright, can spout such rhetoric with ease, waving his iron fist and thick arms: "You're wearing the enemy's uniform to carry out special missions, you must be ready to die, to shed blood and flesh on the battlefield, to see souls soaring. People of different nationalities are fighting side by side, the German nation's martial spirit and the Slavic nation's sacrificial spirit will be embodied in you."

  "So I bid you farewell in the name of the German Empire, long live - victory, long live - Hitler." Goebbels shouted with his arm raised.

  As he watched the assault troops disappear into the distance, Goebbels' eyes welled up with tears as he bid farewell to the Führer, shaking his hand vigorously: "Führer, take care."

  "Take care." Li De patted his elbow.

  Goebbels gave Bowman a few more instructions before getting into his big Mercedes-Benz.

  The headquarters suddenly fell silent, and Li De waved to Bao Man: "They are all busy, we can't idle around either. Let's go and inspect the fortifications."

  The weather was gloomy, with thick, low-hanging, greyish-yellow clouds covering the sky. The fierce wind howled and whistled, rampaging wildly across the open fields; it seemed to be wielding sharp knives that could pierce even the thickest of fur coats, not to mention the exposed skin on one's face, which was slashed again and again, causing unbearable pain.

  Lee Da crosses the Bren carrier, braving the cold to inspect winter works. On the battlefield with trenches all over, the Bren carrier is an ideal tool. It's a small tracked armored vehicle and a signature equipment of the British Army during World War II. The footage of Churchill squeezing into the narrow compartment of the Bren carrier often appears in British media, although Lee Da doesn't want to report the footage of him riding a British vehicle through the front line, he also likes this compact transport tool, which can take him to every corner of the battlefield and even drive right up to the entrance of the bunker.

  In the vast expanse of Russia, their small car was as tiny as a grain of sand in the desert. Only the retreating troops and civilians along the way made them not too lonely.

  The retreating armored troops and civilians flowed like a river, crossing the fortifications and trenches, slowly flowing towards the rear. The vast open plain added many newly built simple wooden houses, some for civilians who retreated to the front line to live in, and others as barracks for troops.

  Li De got off the car to relieve himself and found that on a very deep dry riverbed, a temporary simple garage was built with wooden planks and steel rails as the roof, surrounded by canvas at both ends. Inside, there were astonishingly two hundred tanks and armored vehicles hidden.

  Li De also found evidence that the Nazi party's racial consciousness did not adapt to reality: in this harsh environment of strong winds and heavy snow, German soldiers and Russian civilians helped each other through difficulties. The common people fed hay to the military horses, carried frozen soldiers onto their own horse-drawn carriages while they themselves walked; soldiers fed the few breadcrumbs they had to starving children.

  Suddenly, the melodious tune of a harmonica drifted over, an old man with a teacher-like appearance sat on top of a 3D strong impact cannon and played, several Russian volunteer medical nurses danced along with the lively waltz. Miss Adelaide rushed over, pulled up a nurse and started dancing in circles. A horse-drawn carriage carried several wounded soldiers, one of whom had both legs blown off, lying flat on a stretcher in the carriage, a Russian female nurse held up a medicine bottle all the way.

  Politicians spread hatred and slaughter, while the light of humanity is hard to extinguish.

  "Bowman asked: "That song sounds pretty good, isn't it a Viennese waltz?"

  Miss Adelaide, still panting, replied: "R...Russian folk song, called 'The Blue Headscarf'."

  Li De was greatly surprised: "You also know?"

  "You think I only know how to peel apples for you?" He pouted and ignored him.