Chapter 48: General, Let Me Help You (Second Update—Please Add It to Your Library)

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What did Washington look like in 1943?

Soldiers!

Soldiers everywhere!

After war broke out, the American military expanded at astonishing speed, and Washington’s command apparatus swelled along with it. To accommodate the rapidly growing military bureaucracy, the government built a massive structure in Arlington County, Virginia, southwest of Washington. Because of its pentagonal shape, it became known as the Pentagon.

The largest single administrative building in the world had been in use for only a few months, and many of its facilities were still incomplete. Even the cafeteria could not accommodate everyone who needed to eat there.

Of course, the generals would never dine in the cafeteria. They ate instead at the National Hotel, not far from the Pentagon.

But the generals were not the only ones dining there. Senior executives from various corporations gathered there as well. In a sense, they were arms dealers. They met with generals to sell weapons or secure contracts. With military orders worth tens of billions of dollars up for grabs, companies of every size were making enormous profits.

Nor were Americans the only people present. British, Soviet, and French representatives could all be found there, meeting with American generals to seek aid while also trying to persuade them to adjust their operational plans in ways that would benefit their own countries.

And, of course, there were Chinese representatives too—though very few of them.

“Good day, General.”

When Li Yian approached Thomas Holcomb, the Marine Corps commandant, a lieutenant general who was enjoying a steak, Holcomb spoke bluntly without even raising his head.

“The generals in charge of the China-Burma-India Theater are over to the left. The generals responsible for Lend-Lease supplies are surrounded by the British and the Soviets. There is nothing I can do for you here.”

What did it mean to be a second-class citizen?

One only had to look at the treatment received by the commandant of the Marine Corps. While the other generals were surrounded on all sides and constantly being courted, this lieutenant general sat alone, without even anyone to greet him.

At present, the Marines were “third-rate people.” Once the Army Air Forces separated from the Army, they would immediately be demoted another rank and become “fourth-rate people.”

Reflecting on the Marines’ status, Li Yian said, “No, General. I’m here to offer you assistance.”

That was interesting. Until now, Thomas Holcomb had assumed that this was merely a newcomer unfamiliar with the rules of the game. For the first time, he raised his head with a hint of interest.

“Here is my business card.”

“KTJ…”

After taking the card and looking at it, Thomas Holcomb asked, “Does that stand for ‘Kill the Japanese’?”

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“Yes, General. Exactly that—Kill the Japanese.”

Thomas Holcomb immediately burst out laughing.

“Ha! That is the finest company name I have ever seen. Sit down.”

It had to be said that, among Americans, the Navy hated the Japanese most of all because of Pearl Harbor. The Marine Corps stood beside it at the top of the list, because Marines truly had to fight the Japanese rifle against rifle, cannon against cannon, and even bayonet against bayonet.

The company’s name instantly won Holcomb’s favor.

“Thank you, General.”

Only after receiving the general’s invitation did Li Yian take a seat. One should not underestimate a lieutenant general simply because he was a lieutenant general; an aide was seated beside him as well.

“Tell me. How do you intend to help me?”

Holcomb examined the business card in his hand.

“A chemical company. Chemical weapons? You should know that all of America’s chemical-weapons production is handled by DuPont. Their technology is more advanced, and they offer a complete range of products.”

As a soldier, Thomas Holcomb naturally thought of chemical weapons when he saw the word “chemical.” In a single sentence, he had revealed an insider truth about American military procurement: certain suppliers were specifically designated for particular products.

“General, what I can provide is not a weapon in the traditional sense.”

As he spoke, Li Yian placed his briefcase on the table. He first took out several photographs. They were battlefield photographs of Guadalcanal that he had purchased from The New York Times. One had to admit that American reporters were remarkably courageous. They went directly onto the battlefield to conduct interviews and take photographs.

“General, these are photographs of Guadalcanal. Please take a look.”

Holcomb was quite familiar with Guadalcanal. He took the photographs, glanced through them, and said, “Is there anything special about them?”

They were merely ordinary battlefield photographs. In them, Marines covered in mud were engaged in combat.

“General, look at what is above the Marines’ heads. Look at what surrounds them…”

Li Yian pointed to the photographs.

“What?”

Holcomb studied the images in confusion.

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“Trees. That is all. It is the tropics. There are trees everywhere.”

“Yes, General. Trees everywhere! Tropical rain forests stretching from Guadalcanal to Borneo, from Malaya to Burma—tropical rain forests everywhere. The Japanese have stationed more than a million troops throughout these regions. Their firepower may not be overwhelming, but the rain forests provide them with the finest possible cover. They hide among the trees and bombard Marines with mortars. They conceal themselves in the canopy and pick off Marines with rifles…”

Li Yian deliberately emphasized the words “Marines.” Anyone would protect his own people, and the Americans were no exception.

“General, although I am no expert on military affairs, it seems to me that the greatest enemy facing the Marines on the battlefield is not the Japanese. It is the tropical rain forest—the Japanese hiding within it!”

“Your assessment is entirely correct.”

Holcomb nodded emphatically.

“Our greatest enemy in the Pacific is the local environment—the tropical rain forest. In the jungle, our Marines often cannot see a Japanese soldier thirty yards ahead of them. Those Japanese are hidden deep within the vegetation. You cannot see them, and by the time you do, bullets and shells are already coming your way.”

“So, General, the assistance I can provide is…”

Li Yian pushed a document across the table toward Holcomb.

“To help the United States Marine Corps destroy its greatest enemy—the tropical rain forest!”

When Holcomb opened the file, the first thing he saw was a photograph of trees. Bare trunks stood starkly against the landscape, and it was immediately obvious that they were dead.

“What is this?” Holcomb asked, bewildered.

“General, this is the weapon I am offering you—a new type of chemical substance. With it, we can destroy the tropical rain forest.”

Li Yian gave him the answer directly.

“If we spray large quantities of this chemical from aircraft, it will cause the trees across the mountains to shed their leaves on a massive scale. The vegetation will wither and die, and the forest will remain difficult to restore for years. Ultimately, the Japanese hiding within the rain forest will lose their natural protective barrier and be exposed completely to American firepower.”