Lost and Spy

Manila, Philippines.

As the highest commander of the US military stationed here, Meng Shaoyuan also deeply understands the addiction of the emperor.

No one can control him here.

And the war was heading towards the complete victory of the Allies.

The dawn of victory that will end the war is just around the corner.

In April 1945, the Western Allied Forces and the Soviet Army advanced towards Berlin. The German leader committed suicide in an underground bunker in Berlin on April 4, 1945.

At the bloody end of his dictatorship, no one knew how the signing of Germany’s military or political capitulation would be engineered.

Admiral and fervent Nazi Karl Dönitz accepted Hitler's people as his successor.

He quickly assigned Alfred Jodl, chief of operations at the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces, to negotiate German surrender with the Allied commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Dönitz hoped that negotiating with the West would buy him time to get as many German troops off the Western Front as possible. He believed that concentrating large German forces to continue fighting on the Eastern Front would hold off the Soviet advance. However, Eisenhower saw through the ruse and insisted that Jodl sign a surrender document immediately without negotiation.

1945年5月7日兰斯，约德尔签署了无条件“军事投降法案”和停火协议，并将于中欧时间5月8日晚上11：01生效。

America and Europe began to celebrate the end of the war.

Germany has surrendered, but Japan is still resisting fiercely.

But their destruction is only a matter of time.

Then, it's time to divide the fruits of victory.

Of course, these seem to have little to do with Meng Shaoyuan.

Early in the morning, as soon as he entered the office, he received a call from the Southwest Pacific Allied Command, asking him not to leave the office that day and to be on call 24 hours a day.

what's up?

Is some important person coming?
That MacArthur?

Or someone else?

Meng Shaoyuan was a little curious.

However, he was not worried at all.

No matter who comes, he has already made full preparations.

The whole morning was spent in peace except for some minor matters.

Near noon, the orderly brought him lunch for the day.

This is Chinese food prepared for him by a chef specially hired from among the overseas Chinese.

Meng Shaoyuan had really no interest in the food that American soldiers ate.

Just as I picked up the chopsticks and was about to start eating, the office door was suddenly pushed open.

In all of Manila, no one dared to open Colonel Charles' door without knocking.

But it happened today.

An American military officer who also held the rank of colonel came in and said solemnly:

"Stand at attention, Colonel."

The big shot is finally showing up.

Meng Shaoyuan stood up immediately.

After a while, an American five-star general walked in with a pipe in his mouth.

Yes, General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific!
"Commander, welcome!" Meng Shaoyuan stood straight.

Although in his heart he looked down upon this highly praised five-star general, he still had to put in enough effort on the surface.

"Our heroes."

MacArthur still showed no signs of being arrogant. As soon as he came in, he greeted him by saying, "Don't be so reserved."

The colonel who came in with him then left tactfully and closed the door.

"Ah, Chinese food, I like it." MacArthur's eyes fell on Meng Shaoyuan's lunch: "I remember, I haven't eaten either."

"If you're lucky, you can dine with us here." Meng Shaoyuan was very bold and took a new pair of chopsticks without any hesitation and handed them to MacArthur.

MacArthur was quite good at using chopsticks. He picked up a piece of food without hesitation, put it into his mouth, chewed it for a few times, and praised it: "Aha, this is much better than the Chinese food I had before."

"Yes, I specially found the cook among the Chinese." Meng Shaoyuan poured a glass of wine and placed it in front of MacArthur.

"Please take a seat, Colonel." MacArthur took another bite of his food. "For now, no one knows I'm here except you. Colonel, I'm here to ask for your opinion."

Meng Shaoyuan was startled.

Since MacArthur landed in the Philippines, he had only been to Manila once and had remained in the barracks since then.

What does he need to consult himself?

Seeing that Meng Shaoyuan did not answer immediately, MacArthur was very satisfied: "You have been in Manila all the time. Although I lived in Manila for a long time before, after the city was brutally destroyed by the Japanese, everything I was very familiar with in the past has become unfamiliar to me now."

"No, Commander-in-Chief, Manila will always be your Manila."

Meng Shaoyuan's deeply hidden and clever flattery immediately brought a smile to MacArthur's face.

Yes, their own Manila, and it will always be their own Manila: "No, this is still the Manila of the Filipinos after all. Of course, they are still immature in governing the country. The United States is willing to help them manage the country unconditionally."

What a high-sounding excuse.

The United States and Japan are actually very similar. They are both invaders and colonizers.

The only difference is that they use different methods to manage their colonies.

The Japanese relied on brutal suppression and bloody massacres.

What about America?
They prefer to talk about the so-called "democracy".

Of course, once the people in the colonies rebelled, their means of suppression were no less brutal than those of the Japanese.

"Of course, Commander, of course." Meng Shaoyuan smiled and said, "It is impossible to hand this place over to those Filipinos without any worries. This requires someone with rich experience to manage it. And I think you are the most suitable person, Commander."

MacArthur felt that he enjoyed talking to the young American colonel: "The Japanese on the island are still resisting, and the attack on the Japanese mainland has already begun. What do you think, colonel?"

Today, MacArthur seemed a little strange. Why did he have to ask a small colonel like him these important questions?

However, Meng Shaoyuan calmly replied: "I think the defeat of the Japanese is inevitable. It is only a matter of time. I am not worried about this at all. What we should really care about is how to effectively rule this country after Japan surrenders."

He used the word "rule", and this made MacArthur smile again. (End of this chapter)