**Chapter 840: World People's Liberation Army (8)**

Facing Hitler, Göring suddenly felt a strong urge to refuse to recount the incident of a German jet fighter being shot down by a Chinese J-10 propeller fighter. To Göring, a former ace pilot, this was no small matter. He had always believed that the Air Force should never be a collection of lone wolves, but a branch that emphasized team coordination. Therefore, he preferred to view the matter from a more systematic perspective.

Hitler did not understand the air force, but he trusted Göring. Seeing Göring's reluctance, Hitler offered encouragement: "Göring, I believe in you."

With that encouragement, Göring voiced his current view: "My Führer, the engines used in the Chinese fighters are very peculiar. According to intelligence we obtained from the US, these engines utilize some form of turbojet technology. Although the Chinese fighters use propeller power, their operational performance is extremely high. The performance parameters of the J-10 are not inferior to our current jet engines.

However, what concerns me more is whether the people piloting those fighters are Soviet or Chinese. If they are Chinese, we may encounter a large number of Chinese pilots in the Soviet Union. the Air Force is currently discussing how to respond to this possibility. There are no satisfactory results yet."

Hitler understood Göring's anxiety but said nothing more. After seeing Göring out, Hitler's gaze returned to the map. A mass of red and blue pencil circles marked the current Soviet-German engagement. The Wehrmacht's advance was like a runaway horse, crushing over three million Soviet troops and striking heavy Soviet reinforcements on the periphery of the Kiev encirclement. According to German tactical models, they would soon launch an encirclement and annihilation battle against these Soviet reinforcements as well.

The Wehrmacht's series of victories were built upon the Luftwaffe's startling superiority. When the sky over the battlefield belonged entirely to the German forces, victory on the ground also belonged entirely to them. Based on this recognition, if the sky no longer belonged to the Luftwaffe, the Wehrmacht's combat would suffer setbacks or even failure.

Building a powerful air force is not easy, but once built, it possesses various conveniences in terms of redeployment. Although the USSR was currently being soundly beaten by Germany, the war also proved that the Soviets possessed powerful industry and immense war potential.

To date, the number of Soviet troops annihilated far exceeded the number of British and French troops in the Western European campaign. German losses also far exceeded those in the West. Yet even after suffering such colossal casualties, the USSR was still able to organize armored groups to launch offensives against the Wehrmacht, and Soviet fighters were constantly in the sky engaging the Germans. Such a Soviet Union was fully capable of building a large number of airfields awaiting the arrival of the Chinese Air Force.

An air force has high demands for logistics and maintenance, but in absolute numbers, its needs are far lower than those of an army. After arriving in the USSR, the Chinese Air Force would only need the Soviets to provide airfields and fuel. In terms of engagement with the Luftwaffe alone, ammunition consumption wouldn't be massive. What the USSR needed at this stage was not for the Chinese Air Force to crush the German Army, but to defeat the Luftwaffe and regain air superiority for the Soviet Air Force. Therefore, Chinese air aid could arrive very quickly.

With this thought, Hitler did not dwell on it further. Recently, Professor Karl had finally obtained an opportunity to speak with the Chinese top brass. Hitler believed that with the USSR being beaten like this by Germany, China only needed to attack the USSR to seize its entire eastern region. No matter how he thought about it, Hitler felt it wasn't entirely impossible to persuade the He Rui government.

Professor Karl's thoughts were similar to Hitler's; his geopolitics was a discipline closely related to military science. From the perspective of the war situation, after cooperation between China and Germany, they could easily control all of Asia.

Many scholars around the world now believed China wanted to conquer the entire world. Professor Karl did not agree. From a geopolitical analysis, if China wanted to conquer the world, the best step was precisely to cooperate with Germany to thoroughly eliminate the Soviet Union. China would simultaneously attack the US and drench the North American continent in blood.

After completing these steps, China would then engage in a final decisive battle with Germany, thoroughly defeating it, thereby completing the great task of conquering the whole world.

It was midsummer in Singapore. Sitting on his balcony, Professor Karl wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, looking at the blue sky and white clouds that could never be seen in Germany, feeling the high temperature that could never be felt in Germany, and couldn't help but sigh.

A Red Flag limousine drove up the driveway in front of the hotel. It stopped, and a lean scholar stepped out. It was Zhao Tianlin, the former Vice Premier of the He Rui government. Zhao hadn't originally been thin, but after staying in the tropics for a long time, his build had become similar to that of the locals; the influence of climate on humans is just that great.

Soon, Professor Karl opened the door to the knock, finding Zhao Tianlin standing outside. Entering the room, Zhao remarked, "The hotel's air conditioning is truly cool."

Professor Karl agreed. The air conditioning here utilized centralized cooling, with each room receiving cool air from a central unit—very comfortable.

After closing the door, the two sat down. Professor Karl said, "Dr. Zhao, I have a rather arrogant vision. I hope to see a powerful nation that unifies the entire world within my lifetime."

Zhao Tianlin laughed. "Haha, then you should find some junior high students to discuss this. Many soldiers in their teens have made various designs for world conquest while staring at a world map."

Undeterred by Zhao's teasing, Professor Karl continued sincerely: "Do not misunderstand; I do not mind if the nation that conquers the world is someone other than Germany. Conquering the world does not mean massacring it; Germany is not incapable of choosing to join the side of the strong. Furthermore, Professor Zhao should be well aware that most people within Germany actually do not believe the Chinese are inferior to the Aryan race of Europe."

Zhao Tianlin smiled and didn't take the bait, but he felt a sense of emotion at the Professor's sincere expression. Under that emotion, Zhao said, "Mr. Karl, according to my observations as an educator, ever since Chairman He Rui returned to the country in 1915, the concept of the 'Celestial Empire' (Tian Chao) began an astonishing explosion within China."

"Oh?" Professor Karl was momentarily taken aback. He had been seriously observing various trends of thought within China over the years and fully agreed with Zhao's view.

To establish a true nationalist ideology, the people producing it need to have received at least a junior high education. As Zhao's earlier tease suggested, a person who hasn't even completed junior high is incapable of conceiving a true plan for world conquest.

Before He Rui, the Chinese concept of the Celestial Empire was actually quite peaceful. The vast majority of people encountered it through opera, novels, and other literary works. This was not much different from the internal propaganda of various European nations promoting their own greatest legends. Only a small portion of the educated Chinese elite understood the dangers and challenges faced in maintaining such a status.

When He Rui returned to China in 1915, everything changed. The number of educated people created by the He Rui government was greater than the total populations of Europe and the United States combined. When these people, through schooling, reading newspapers, and listening to news broadcasts and commentary programs, felt the immense pressure facing China and learned of its historical glory and the humiliations of the past few decades, Chinese nationalist sentiment was ignited as never before. What was once the talk of the old upper class, the "Celestial Empire," became the universal self-identity of the Chinese people.

Professor Karl said with emotion, "Mr. Zhao, I have a very high opinion of the He Rui government and the Chinese people, especially regarding morality. The sentiment of revenge within the He Rui government and the Chinese people has not led China down the old path of Genghis Khan."

These words were from the heart. The Nazis believed that superior races not only had the right but the duty to conquer or even eliminate inferior ones. They believed racial struggle accorded with natural law. The Nazi strategic vision was for the dominant German nation to rule over alien races, especially Slavs and the so-called Asians (by which they meant the people of Soviet Central Asia and the Muslim populations of the Caucasus). In their eyes, these races were naturally inferior. For propaganda, the Nazis often varnished this strategic vision as a crusade to save Western civilization from the "Eastern" or "Asian" barbarians and their Jewish leaders and organizers.

With China's long history and the formidable power it now possessed, if He Rui had incited China with revanchism, he could have made the current war even bloodier. Scenes like Genghis Khan's "killing everyone taller than a cartwheel" might well have occurred.

Zhao Tianlin nodded. "That is what I admire most about Chairman He. He has moved beyond the level of revanchism; every direction he strives for is to advance human civilization to a higher level. Professor Karl, in my view, the dawn of a new civilization for the human world is before us; we may well see the breaking of that dawn with our own eyes in the not-too-distant future."

Professor Karl shook his head. "I believe that to allow the world to enter a completely new era, one must first conquer the whole world."

"Professor Karl, what is your evaluation of the theories of Karl Marx?" Zhao Tianlin asked.

Professor Karl hesitated before asking, "Are you speaking of the Karl Marx promoted by the Comintern, or the Karl Marx promoted by China?"

In truth, these two Marxes were the same person, but the world at that time indeed saw two different images of him. The Marx promoted by the revolutionaries was a revolutionary who advocated for the destruction of all old orders; the Marx promoted by China was a scholar of vast knowledge and extraordinary ability who had proposed an advanced methodology to the whole world. Western nations did their utmost to suppress the revolutionary Marx, yet found themselves inevitably attracted to the Chinese version.

Seeing Karl's hesitation, Zhao laughed. "Just speak of the Karl you're interested in."

Professor Karl thought for a moment and described him somewhat reluctantly: "He was a classical economist."

Zhao poked fun at him: "I don't see it that way. Among Karl Marx's various methodologies regarding economics, there is one that is very interesting—and you Germans have adopted it."

"I'm listening," Professor Karl said, somewhat defiantly.

"A common characteristic of advanced economic systems is the most efficient allocation of productivity. Backward economic systems, on the other hand, formulate operational models most beneficial to the ruling class. For their long-term interests, the ruling classes naturally choose control and naturally turn economic operation into something akin to a slave system.

During Schacht's era, German economic allocation was extremely efficient. During the years Göring oversaw the economy, that efficiency dropped. However, Göring's policies were goal-driven; because he truly knew what Germany needed, although efficiency was a bit lower, the goals were clear and the results were quite good.

Once Germany won the Western European campaign, it turned into the internal ruling classes carving up the spoils of victory. Especially in the German-occupied territories, any economy not included in the war-goal-driven sector saw severe alienation problems.

That is why Heydrich is the Governor in several places; Hitler saw the problem yet couldn't solve it himself, so he had to let someone capable do it.

I hear Hitler is grooming Heydrich as his successor. At a time like this, shouldn't Heydrich be kept within Germany, quickly familiarizing himself with more areas of work to eventually take over part of Hitler's power?"

Professor Karl had always considered Zhao Tianlin a relatively pure scholar, but hearing him evaluate the German situation, he suddenly felt that Zhao was indeed China's former Vice Premier. These evaluations were very sharp and indeed grasped the core of politics.

Furthermore, Zhao didn't use a "shoot the arrow first, then draw the target" model, but employed a methodological analysis which, to Karl's ears at least, was more persuasive.

Methodology is the theory regarding the methods by which people understand and transform the world. Generally speaking, a worldview explains what the world "is," while a methodology explains "what to do."

Methodology is the way and method by which people observe things and handle problems. It analyzes, researches, and systematically summarizes a series of specific methods to ultimately propose relatively general principles.

Professor Karl asked, "Is there an analogy between German economic development and China's liberation of the world?"

"From a geopolitical analysis, one must first understand that the natural conditions of every country are different, so even if one conquers the world, governing each nation and region requires different methods. I used the German example because the ways to achieve the most efficient allocation of productivity in each country at the same time are all different.

Since China's ideal is to liberate the world, once China obtains dominance over the global economy and enables the domestic productivity of every nation to be optimally allocated, China's goal can be achieved. And achieving this goal doesn't require China to conquer the world at all.

Conquering the world through strength and the accumulation of bloodshed and hatred that process entails would be harmful to the realization of China's ideal. China only wants to realize its ideal; if conquering the world were most beneficial to that realization, China would do so without hesitation. If there are other, more effective means, China will also without hesitation abandon the method of world conquest.

I emphasize once more: China's aim is the realization of its ideal, not necessarily choosing a specific means."

Such a confident statement made Professor Karl's heart sink. Up to now, he had wanted to talk with Zhao about Sino-German cooperation. He knew He Rui was a strategist, not a mercenary ruler. The way to persuade He Rui was not to make promises to him, but to point out to him the path to realizing his ideal.

To date, the discussion between Karl and Zhao had been about what He Rui's ideal was and how to achieve it. But the discussion had never entered the track Karl hoped for, because Zhao's level was already above his.

Since persuading He Rui was impossible, Professor Karl could only ask about reality: "In China's ideal world, what place does Germany occupy?"

"Germany hasn't actually come up with anything new; Nazi theory is just radical Germany taking Western racism and colonialism and brewing them in the cauldron of national rejuvenation. I must state that because Germany is merely picking up others' scraps, what they've collected is all old, stale material, and the resulting brew is neither nutritious nor novel."

Zhao's words were quite blunt, as the Nazi system truly held no value. Ignoring Karl's embarrassed expression, he continued: "Therefore, the crimes of colonialism and Nazism must be liquidated. This is not conquest, but a step that human civilizational progress must complete. If the evils of racism and colonialism are not liquidated but allowed to continue existing, it is equivalent to announcing that such practices are correct. Then, in the future, when other countries face difficulties, they will continue to adopt such solutions. It would only cause more unnecessary harm to the world."

Karl asked with a dark face, "How can you be sure this trial won't turn into a trial of the German people?"

Zhao had long been immune to such questions; during the discussions in Singapore on the trial of colonialism, many scholars from colonial nations had raised similar points. He replied decisively: "Because such a trial will be conducted within the environment of a brand-new world economic order. Politics is the continuation of economics; when the old economic order collapses and a new one is built, everyone can discuss old political issues.

Let's take colonialism: when the colonial economic order is thoroughly destroyed, the British and French, out of national pride, will of course claim they brought civilization to the world. But if such talk is used to whitewash colonialism, do you think the colonized nations will accept that view?

Out of anger at such an incorrect view, those nations will refuse to cooperate with British or French governments that hold it, breaking off trade relations. They will bar individuals and companies that hold such views. Do you believe that under the New World Order, the British or French governments would have the power to force open the doors of those former colonies through armed invasion and compel them to trade?

Of course, I am referring to the time *after* those who committed colonial crimes in the war have been thoroughly liquidated. By then, those who haven't been liquidated will be people who never participated in colonial acts. Will these people let themselves live a hard life just for the sake of those criminals?"

"...Killing and then destroying the soul?" Professor Karl's face looked even worse. After a pause, he asked, "Then how will China determine who is guilty?"

"Whoever promoted the policies is guilty. Of course, our judgment of crimes cannot all be death sentences; most people will ultimately be judged as having joined a criminal organization. It won't go as far as actually killing them."

Hearing this, Karl's face improved slightly. At least China's standards meant they wouldn't conduct massacres. He then asked, "If we use me as an example, what would happen to me?"

Zhao's expression showed some regret. "While there are no explicit standards at this stage, based on fundamental principles, Professor Karl, you would be sentenced to a few years in prison. But your crime wouldn't be a capital offense. As long as you do nothing further, you won't die in prison."

Professor Karl gave a bitter laugh. "Heh, I personally don't mind. However, I must state once more: the German people are revolting against unfair treatment."

"We believe the crime of the German people was not in revolting against injustice, nor in supporting Hitler. Their crime was in the implementation of unjust atrocities against other humans under the concept of racism. And I must tell you, in my personal view, a significant portion of Jews were indeed not good people. Or rather, those Jews who served the elite, were in the moneylending business, or the financial speculation industry truly harmed many people.

In our China, among the foreigners who exported opium to us, a very large proportion were Jews.

But individual crime and systemic crime are two different things. Individual crimes can be punished according to the law. But systemic crime—that system *must* be judged and struck down.

In this regard, I despise Germany. Because Germany has not judged the crimes of the system, but has pushed the guilt onto individuals.

But please rest assured, Professor: what Germany could not do, we Chinese will. After being judged by China, the German people will be able to hold their heads high and say to themselves: the true evil has been judged, and we can now live in peace!"

Professor Karl did not immediately retort. Because for a split second, he actually felt a sense of expectation for a thorough trial.

But a moment later, he said coldly, "Nonsense!"