The Rise Of A Billionaire 1943-Chapter 136 - 146: The Power of Propaganda
Bastogne still holds!
On December 7th, almost overnight, the small Belgian town of Bastogne suddenly made headlines in American newspapers.
From The New York Times to The Washington Post to The Boston Herald, from the East Coast to the West Coast, nearly every major newspaper featured the Battle of Bastogne on their front page.
Radio stations were also talking about this battle.
Not the Battle of the Ardennes!
But the "Battle of Bastogne!"
It was an epic battle!
Five divisions of German armored troops were entering Bastogne, while there were only a few thousand "American soldiers" there, armed with nothing but rifles and mortars, facing a full German armored corps.
At that moment, on the streets and in the alleys of almost every American city, everyone was talking about this battle, about the brave "American soldiers" fighting in it.
6,000 VS 70,000!
Light infantry VS armored troops!
Just thinking about it gets your blood pumping.
No, actually, just thinking about it, you know the outcome—this was destined to be a tragedy. What awaited them could only be death and defeat.
But these rifle-wielding infantrymen not only did not fail, they managed to hold the city!
In fact, at first, there was no news about Bastogne in American newspapers at all. Even the German counterattack only appeared in the corners of the papers.
But, most of the time, money is omnipotent.
Money can solve many problems. For example, it can get the Battle of Bastogne featured on the front page of newspapers like The Washington Post and The New York Times.
Money can also get Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists to write passionately about the Battle of Bastogne.
Among them, the most diligent was Salisbury, an Associated Press reporter who had just returned from Moscow. Having covered the siege of Leningrad, he had a more direct understanding of siege warfare than others. With limited news leads and a $5,000 fee to justify, he transplanted many details from his Leningrad reporting to Bastogne.
In his writing, Bastogne became a land of heroes. To make his story even more compelling, he exaggerated the strength of the German forces—the 47th Panzer Corps was depicted as fully manned and equipped with fearsome Tiger II and Panther tanks. Even the soldiers were described as battle-hardened elites transferred from the Eastern Front.
He used all his literary skills to portray the 47th Panzer Corps as Germany’s most powerful force, and Bastogne as the place this most dangerous and formidable enemy was determined to seize.
In his descriptions, the German 47th Panzer Corps was practically Satan’s representative on earth. At the start of the war, they spearheaded the invasion of Russia, advancing straight toward Moscow. Despite repeated German setbacks, the 47th Panzer Corps always managed to turn the tide, repelling the Russians and escaping disaster. This armored corps was the "undying legion" of the Eastern Front, the elite of the German army who struck fear into the hearts of Soviet marshals like Zhukov and Chuikov.
As vice president of the American Writers Association, he brought his literary prowess to full display, using every flowery phrase and emotional appeal at his disposal to convince people that the "American soldiers" at Bastogne were facing an enemy more powerful and evil than any in history.
Salisbury finally succeeded in making everyone believe his story. Once again, he wrote a brilliant piece that announced his return to the American press.
In his epic report, the Germans were overwhelmingly strong, while the Americans in Bastogne were desperately weak. With vivid language, he described what it meant to "stop a chariot with a mantis’s arm," to "strike a stone with an egg."
All the flowery words served one purpose: to highlight the bravery of Bastogne’s defenders. In his narrative, the heroes of Bastogne used their flesh and blood to block German tanks, fighting the elite German troops in the snow.
Under his pen, the Battle of Bastogne became an epic.
6,000 VS 70,000!
Men VS tanks!
Willpower VS steel!
It was legendary in itself. Overnight, Bastogne became the center of American public opinion. Journalists were, of course, eager to write about their own heroes. And so, from newspapers to radio, all people heard about was Bastogne, all they talked about was Bastogne.
But what no one realized at this moment was—the "Allied Headquarters Task Force" at Bastogne was actually just a group of Chinese soldiers wearing American uniforms. Yet, once the news spread, a natural effect occurred.
Every day, American newspapers and radio would...
On the front page, insert "Day X of the Battle of Bastogne" to remind Americans—the heroes of Bastogne are still holding the line, still using their flesh and blood to resist German tanks, planes, and heavy artillery.
Eventually, the pressure from public opinion reached the Pentagon, and of course, the White House as well.
What does it mean to "suffer in silence"?
That’s exactly the situation the Pentagon is in now.
"We can’t even explain to the outside world that the defenders of Bastogne are just a group of Chinese men wearing American uniforms..."
In the Oval Office, General Marshall—who had barely managed to keep his position as Chief of Staff after a scandal a few months ago—spoke with a tone full of helplessness. He was truly troubled.
"Explain?" Roosevelt retorted.
"If we explain it that way, wouldn’t we be telling the public that, because they’re Chinese, we don’t need to do our utmost to break the German encirclement and rescue them?"
Flipping through the documents in his hand, Roosevelt continued, "Almost every day now, reporters are pressing us—when will we break the German siege of Bastogne? When will those heroes finally be rescued?"
"Yes, Mr. President. Right now, all of America is focused on Bastogne, so I’ve already ordered Ike to break the German encirclement as quickly as possible."
Hearing Marshall mention Ike, Roosevelt sighed deeply.
"Ike has no idea that he’s fallen into that man’s trap. That man’s a businessman—if you want something from him, there’s always a price to pay..."
Although he hadn’t dealt with Pierre many times, Roosevelt’s sharp political instincts made him realize that things weren’t as simple as they seemed. If no one was pulling strings behind the scenes, how could there be so many newspapers and radio stations reporting on the Battle of Bastogne?
Who is behind all this?
It must be that guy, Pierre!
"Now, all of America is watching Bastogne. Even I, as President, have to call and encourage them. Ike used them to hold Bastogne, but Li—that guy turned Bastogne into a symbol, just like the Alamo. The real issue now isn’t even about rescuing Bastogne anymore, but rather..."
Thinking of the possible chain reactions after the battle ends, Roosevelt frowned deeply.
"We’ll have to explain to the British where the Borneo Guard came from. That’s going to be a real headache. Churchill will definitely make a big deal out of it."
While the President was worried about political consequences, Marshall was more concerned with military matters.
"Mr. President, I believe the issue will eventually be resolved satisfactorily. After all, Mr. Churchill knows what’s most important right now. The top priority is still breaking the siege of Bastogne! That’s what the public cares about most."
"That’s Ike’s concern. But Ike... he has no idea what a mess he’s gotten himself into."
Faced with the President’s criticism, Marshall hurried to defend his protégé.
"Mr. President, Ike has to consider the entire war. If he doesn’t use this force, we could lose the war. That’s what Ike cares about most."
Roosevelt naturally understood this logic. He almost never interfered with the decisions of his frontline generals. But as a politician, he had to consider the political consequences of those decisions.
And this time, Ike’s decision might make sense militarily, but the political fallout was unpredictable.
It could even affect the relationship between the United States and Britain—something Roosevelt had always tried hard to avoid.
But now, Roosevelt was also helpless.
After all, Ike’s decision was the best choice given the situation on the battlefield.
Bastogne is paving the way for the next step—returning to Borneo. Everything centers on making that return possible.
