Originally, the U.S. economy would not have deteriorated to this extent, but now more than 20 million people have fallen into abject poverty. They have lost their jobs and their properties and can only make a living by begging and wandering around.
The economic crisis started on the New York Stock Exchange in the United States and quickly spread to most countries around the world, with the United States being the hardest hit.
If the Hoover administration had taken some powerful measures in time, the crisis could have been completely avoided. However, Hoover believed in a free economy and the government would never interfere in the market.
Every step in the deterioration of the United States directly affects the countries with which it has economic and trade relations, and everyone sinks into the abyss until the point of no return.
The deterioration of the global market has in turn made the U.S. economic recovery hopeless. This is simply an endless cycle.
"Yes, your government is not capable of regulating the economy, or it may not have the will at all, but it is still possible to curb the evil deeds of the Japanese." Lu Ming sneered.
"Lu, what do you mean? Our government should also be your government," a reporter from the Washington Post said unhappily.
Lu Ming shrugged and had no choice but to admit that after all, he now holds a U.S. passport, and the U.S. government is indeed his government, whether he recognizes it or not is up to him.
Of course, this does not mean that Lu Ming’s identity is that of an expat. After all, he also has the identity of a Chinese citizen.
"Don't worry, Lu, our government and the British government will not let the Japanese act recklessly in Shanghai. Now the League of Nations is stepping up its investigation of the Northeast China Incident." A colleague from the "Washington Post" laughed.
In the past few days, Lu Ming has been discussing with colleagues in the media and colleagues when he has time. Everyone has a unanimous opinion, that is, the British and American governments will never let the Japanese go their own way.
But the attitude of the British and American governments is also very annoying. Their pretentious diplomatic rhetoric expresses it this way: If China wants to seek peace in Shanghai and avoid war, China must give Japan a satisfactory answer.
This is a bias. It is clear that China is not wrong at all, but the big powers are forcing China's head to admit its mistakes and apologize to Japan.
Although Lu Ming felt humiliated, there was nothing he could do. He always felt that Mayor Wu's statement made in desperation was not only controlled by the Nanjing government, but also had a lot to do with the overt and covert attitudes of the great powers.
A sovereign country actually needs to look at the faces of the great powers and rely on their mediation to protect itself. China has been humiliated to the extreme, and may not even be as good as the Qing Dynasty.
"Lu, China must learn from us and become fully fascist. Only in this way can it become truly strong. Didn't we also face collapse a few years ago? Now that we have been Nazi-ized, the country has quickly become stronger." A reporter from the Frankfurter Zeitung
Flanders never forgets to promote his Nazi ideas.
Lu Ming gave a bitter smile, let alone saying that, Mr. Chiang did have this intention, and sent his cronies to Germany many times to learn from it, hoping to bring the Nazis' methods to China.
A country, a government, and a leader sound very demagogic.
"Lu, don't believe him. Who are the Nazis? Just look at the cruel ways they treated the Jews. They deprived the Jews of their human rights at will and treated them like livestock." "The Washington Post"
The colleague sneered.
"You Americans treat black people more harshly than we treat Jews," Friend sneered back.
This time it was the turn of my colleagues at the Washington Post to be speechless. Indeed, at this stage, the apartheid system implemented against black people in the United States is even worse than Germany's policy towards Jews.
No one dares to imagine that the Nazis later entered a stage of madness and implemented a policy of genocide against the Jews. This went beyond the scope of good and evil in human nature and was simply an act of the devil.
At another table, Tess, a female reporter from The Times, was also comforting Yuan Yuan Mingzhu: "Miss Yuan, don't worry, our British government is ready to mediate, and there will be no war in Shanghai.
"
Although Yuan Mingzhu did not study abroad, her family hired a British female teacher to teach her for several years, and she could barely handle simple conversations.
The female reporters at the same table also expressed their opinions, believing that the last European War had taught mankind enough lessons, and believed that a war of this scale would not happen again in the future.
In the last European war, all European countries paid the price of one or two generations, and their blood was shed. Just hearing the word war will make you shudder.
All European countries are currently trapped in an economic crisis and cannot extricate themselves, so no one wants to see war, and no one wants the world to be unstable, even in the far East.
They all believe that as long as Europe and the United States are unwilling, there will be no war in the world and the Japanese will not dare to violate the will of the West.
Yuan Mingzhu could understand what they were saying, but she didn't understand the international situation at all. She had never been interested in big things, so she could only listen in confusion.
But she finally understood. What they said had one thing in common, that is, there would not really be a fight in Shanghai, at most it would be a misfire.
Yuan Mingzhu felt much more at ease.
In fact, she wasn't that scared at first. Lu Ming took her to Wanguo Apartment in a serious manner and told her not to go out as much as possible. This gave her a huge sense of fear, thinking that the war was really coming.
After the meal, Lu Ming planned to drive Yuan Mingzhu back to Wanguo Apartment. He also had to go to Lanyi Club. There were a lot of things in the club that he couldn't ignore.
Yuan Mingzhu said excitedly along the way: "Those female reporters are so amazing."
"Well, they are very powerful." Lu Ming nodded and smiled.
Indeed, the reporters stationed in Shanghai by news organizations from various countries are all outstanding talents in their own countries, and their professional knowledge and professional quality are first-rate.
"They all think they won't fight, so you'd better send me back. I'm not used to being alone at your place. I'm a little scared to be alone." Yuan Mingzhu said with a blush.
Lu Ming was a little embarrassed. No matter what others said, he was convinced that a firefight would occur today or tomorrow. Even if they couldn't find an excuse, the Japanese would claim to have been attacked by the Chinese army first, and then start "self-defense and counterattack".
Just like what they did in Shenyang, Northeast China.
They need gunfire to ring out in Shanghai, and it will continue for a while. Until Manchukuo in Northeast China is established and the situation stabilizes, Shanghai will die down.
This is Lu Ming's judgment on the current situation: the Japanese are playing a strategy of seizing the east and attacking the west.
"Then I'll take you to Old Man Liuyuan's place?" Lu Ming was still worried about Yuan Mingzhu staying at Caobang's place.
"No, I don't like staying in Lingering Garden. I might as well stay in Wanguo Apartment, unless you stay with me." Yuan Mingzhu pouted.
Lu Ming had no choice but to send Yuan Mingzhu back to Caobang and told Ning Zetao that once the situation got serious, he would immediately send Mingzhu and Ning Xiner to Wanguo Apartment.
"Don't worry, our Caobang brothers are not vegetarians and can protect them well." Ning Zetao promised, patting his chest.
Lu Ming smiled bitterly. Of course, people like the Cao Gang are ruthless figures in the underworld, but they are nothing compared to regular troops. Once a war breaks out, there will still be danger.
He did not drive back to Blue Clothing Club immediately, but walked around various streets and saw some groups and organizations marching to promote anti-Japanese ideas. Many college students and professors were still giving speeches on the streets.
He drove around the streets for more than two hours before returning to Lanyi Club.
As soon as he went upstairs, he bumped into Kang Ze, obviously waiting for him.
"Have all the family affairs been taken care of?" Kang Ze asked with a smile.
"Well, everything has been taken care of. There is nothing important in the club, right?" Lu Ming asked.
"There's nothing too important, it's just us..."
He looked at the corridor on the fourth floor. Although Secretary Liu was sitting alone at the door of the office, he was still worried and pulled Lu Ming into the office.
Kang Ze said: "Our plan to go underground requires the establishment of many strongholds. These strongholds are not ready-made and can only be purchased. How can we have so much money financially?" After speaking, he also showed a very embarrassed expression.
Kang Ze knew that the current situation was tight and raising military expenditures was a problem. At this juncture, it was indeed unreasonable to ask for a huge increase in expenses to purchase strongholds.
But without these strongholds, where would the people who went underground live? They couldn't be allowed to rent a house out of their own pockets, right?