The facts were just as Fang Lang had expected. In addition to controlling the First National Bank of Boston and four insurance companies, the Boston Consortium mainly focused on the light textile industry.
After World War II, the scientific research results of MIT and Harvard University were used to develop emerging technology industries, shifting from light textile industry to electronics, optics, military equipment, space, missiles and other aspects.
It has strongly promoted the development of cutting-edge industries in the Boston area. Its Textron, Raytheon and Polaroid companies, etc., have seen their economic strength grow rapidly due to the stimulation of emerging technology industries.
It can be said that the Vietnam War was carried out under the impetus of this arms consortium, and President John F. Kennedy was naturally their representative of interests.
Speaking of Kennedy's assassination, it was also closely related to this arms consortium. If it weren't for the fact that this arms consortium was too greedy, it would have taken up almost all military equipment orders through John Kennedy.
It will not let other arms dealers get any share of the profits, nor will it anger other financial groups. Instead, it will just kill this president who does not know how to balance politics.
Of course, Fang Lang didn’t know all this. He only knew that the Mr. Lawrence Bell in front of him might be his stepping stone into the helicopter industry.
Hearing the other party's question, he quickly replied:
“Of course, in fact, I am very concerned about the use of helicopters, a brand-new equipment, in the military field, so I am very concerned about companies that can produce and manufacture helicopters.
...
...
And your company happens to be one of the best. I can’t help but pay attention to it, but I didn’t expect that I would have the opportunity to meet the boss of Bell Company today.”
Fang Lang's words obviously aroused Lawrence Bell's interest. After all, the United States at that time was still exploring the use of helicopters in warfare.
Once the direction is found, it will definitely promote the rapid development of helicopter technology, which is exactly what manufacturing companies would like to see most.
Therefore, when Lawrence Bell learned that Fang Lang was also paying attention to the use of helicopter equipment in the military field, he was of course very interested and immediately took the initiative to speak:
"Oh! Fang, do you think helicopters have a future in military use?"
Hearing this, Fang Lang paused. If he remembered correctly, helicopters had already been used by the military during the Korean War, but they were mostly used to transport the wounded. Later, they were also used for reconnaissance.
I vaguely remember that American military helicopters appeared in later movies depicting the Korean War, which means that no matter what I say, the US military will definitely use helicopters normally.
As long as the identity of helicopters as tank killers and the concept of armed helicopters are not revealed, I believe the United States will not realize the true use of helicopters so quickly.
"Of course, helicopters' ability to take off and land vertically and their flexibility in terms of terrain doom them to have broad prospects in the military.
Especially in personnel transportation and low-altitude reconnaissance, its role is unmatched by cars or airplanes.
I wonder if your company has any qualified helicopter products. If so, I would like to purchase a batch and evaluate and test them when I get back.”
Fang Lang is not sure whether Bell currently has mature products. If possible, he would like to get a few helicopters to study them carefully.
It would be great if we could obtain authorization from the other party and start production in our own aircraft manufacturing company. Once we have accumulated a certain amount of technology, we can start developing our own helicopter project.
As soon as the Korean War ended, he installed heavy machine guns and rocket launchers on helicopters, and took the lead in training his Marine Corps special tactics research team in airborne operations.
Lawrence Bell did not expect that the other party had not yet started to discuss the business of jointly running a school with him, but instead started to talk about the purchase of helicopters. He did not know whether the other party was a condition for the joint school business.
But he couldn't care less. In fact, the U.S. Army had ordered a batch of Bell 47B helicopters from his Bell Aircraft Company for evaluation and testing as early as last year.
But so far, there has been no news of large-scale purchases, so Lawrence Bell is a little anxious.
Now that another allied army is willing to purchase a batch of helicopters from his company for testing, he certainly won't refuse.
"Of course I have. My Bell 47B was chosen by the US Army for purchase last year. If you are interested, I can provide you with a few so that you can go back and test them. If you are satisfied, I can purchase them in large quantities."
At this time, the purchase of American equipment had not yet begun to be restricted. Lawrence Bell would never miss the opportunity to sell his company's products. He would not tell Fang Lang that the US military was only using them for evaluation.
Fang Lang did not expect that the US military had purchased helicopters from Bell as early as last year. It has to be said that Americans have a very keen nose for new equipment.
Whether for his own equipment needs or for the convenience of future joint school operations, Fang Lang would not refuse this helicopter procurement deal.
"No problem. If it's convenient, we can go to your helicopter company to visit and learn after this. After I see the specific helicopter prototype, we can discuss the purchase quantity."
Lawrence Bell was overjoyed when he heard this, knowing that this deal was a sure win. He laughed and said:
"Fang, I'm determined to make you my friend."
Fang Lang heard this and raised the teacup in his hand and said:
“It’s a pleasure to work with you!”
Lawrence Bell also quickly raised his glass in response.
Seeing this, John Kennedy said with a smile on his face:
"Fang, I have no business to do with you. But you can tell me your specific plan. For the sake of our being comrades in the Allied Forces, I will seriously consider your idea."
Fang Lang smiled slightly when he heard this, and was not in a hurry to tell his plan for joint school operation. Instead, he looked at John Kennedy and said:
"John, how come we have no business to do?
If I'm right, you're in politics!"
John Kennedy was stunned when he heard this. After all, it was the first time they met each other. At that time, Mr. Rockefeller didn't even know who was going to negotiate with the other party, so it was impossible for him to tell the other party his identity in advance.
So how did the other party know my identity?
In fact, ever since his father served as a member of Mr. Roosevelt's campaign committee and successfully secured a position in the Roosevelt administration, he had been determined to train the Kennedy family into a political family.
Since his brother died in the European War, he became the best candidate for the family to enter politics. After retiring from the army, he joined the Democratic Party. Because of his family background, he soon became prominent in the Democratic Party. He plans to run for the House of Representatives next year.
But he had never told these things to anyone else, and the guy in front of him, whom he met for the first time, actually directly revealed his identity as a politician and hinted that he could support him, which surprised him.
As a politician, John Kennedy certainly would not refuse a powerful supporter. He laughed and tried:
"It seems Fang knows something about our family!"
Fang Lang secretly complained when he heard this, "I don't know anything about your family. What I know is that you can be elected as the president of the United States in the future." Although he was shot in the head after working for less than three years, he was still a real person who lived in the White House.
How could such a person not go into politics!
"In fact, I don't know much about your family. But the first time I saw you, I knew that your future was limitless."
Such a mysterious statement stunned John Kennedy and Lawrence Bell beside him.
John Kennedy asked directly:
"What do you mean? Witchcraft from the East?"
This question made Fang Lang stunned, and he quickly took the opportunity to back off:
"You are right, but it is not witchcraft, but Ma Yi physiognomy. It is a very ancient Chinese face-reading technique that predicts a person's future based on their facial features."
I thought the two people on the other side would not believe it, but John Kennedy did not delve into the origin of this physiognomy, but continued to ask directly:
"So what do you mean when you say my future is limitless?"
No way! You believe it now?
Fang Lang carefully looked up and down at John Kennedy's expression for a while and found that the other party seemed to be seriously waiting for his answer. The corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily. It is said that the middle and lower class people in the United States believe in witchcraft such as psychics.
I didn't expect that the American elite and the future president of the United States also believed in these things. They are not materialistic at all.
"Judging from your face, you have the appearance of an emperor. In ancient times in my hometown, you were destined to be an emperor.
Of course, there is no emperor in the United States, so you are destined to be president."
John Kennedy was stunned. Lawrence Bell beside him was also stunned. He said in disbelief:
"Fang, are you serious?"
"Of course, it's more real than real gold! If you want to go into politics, I can let the Global Group provide you with political donations."
Fang Lang said in a firm tone without hesitation.
Now both John Kennedy and Lawrence Bell were dumbfounded. If Fang Lang was just talking casually, they would not care too much. But the other party directly expressed his willingness to provide political donations to him. This was a completely different concept.
When American businessmen provide political donations to politicians, they are making investments. If they are not really optimistic about the other party, they will never easily pay money. Looking at this situation now, Fang Lang is obviously serious.
Lawrence Bell's eyes involuntarily began to carefully examine John Kennedy's face, trying to find the physiognomic features that Fang Lang mentioned.
But obviously, all this was in vain, he couldn't see anything at all.
John Kennedy became a little nervous, and looked at Fang Lang expectantly and said:
"Fang, can you tell when I will be elected?"
Fang Lang looked at the other person carefully for a while without any fear after hearing this, and then slowly said:
"From the perspective of physiognomy, we will have to wait at least ten years."
Although he didn't know when John Kennedy was elected, Fang Lang remembered that the Vietnam War broke out in 1961. Doesn't this mean he could calculate how long it would take for him to become president?
Yes, it was indeed calculated, but the two parties may have understood the algorithm differently.
Upon hearing this, Lawrence Bell looked at John Kennedy again. He was only 30 years old this year. If what Fang Lang said was true, a 40-year-old American president would definitely be considered in his prime.
More importantly, the Boston Consortium needs a true ally who can protect its own interests to become the President of the United States, regardless of whether Fang Lang's words are true or false, or whether his physiognomy is true or not.
At this moment, Lawrence Bell was somewhat tempted. After all, it would be a huge boon to them if one of their own became the President of the United States. Their Boston Consortium was established relatively late, and its strength was not as strong as that of the Morgan Consortium and the Rockefeller Consortium.
Even now they still do not have the strength to challenge the two major financial groups' control over the Democratic and Republican parties, and can only support their own interest representatives in the two political parties.
And if John F. Kennedy, one of their own, could become the President of the United States, it would mean that the Boston consortium would surely rise strongly.
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