========================
“I have always respected you, Mr.
Ford.”
“Haha… Me, a mere nouveau riche?”
“No one else would have even imagined paying factory workers five dollars a day.
I believe your management philosophy is precisely what will defeat the Reds and uphold the future of America as a land of opportunity.”
A desperate hymn of praise.
Was this my true calling?
In my previous life, I went down speaking blunt truths with my head held high, so why in this life am I flattering someone so smoothly without even wetting my lips?
It is humiliating and painful that my tongue moves more easily praising the chairman here than when I am on a date with Dorothy.
“A young man would not spend this much time just to flatter me.
What do you want?”
“I want to feed the poor Korean immigrants in my hometown of San Francisco who have fallen into poverty.”
“Charity work?
That is not difficult.
A free soup kitchen…”
“Like you, Mr.
Ford, I want to teach them how to fish rather than simply giving them fish.”
Only then did they begin to understand what I was getting at.
“You want me to build a factory?
That is difficult.
I do not see enough merit in building one in San Francisco yet.”
“I will build it myself.
Just help a little.”
Yes.
Piece by piece, the puzzle that had gathered by chance was finally coming together.
After a short discussion, a contract was drafted on the spot.
“Eugene Kim shall faithfully respond to requests and consultations from Ford regarding the specifications and performance requirements of the combat tractor, hereafter referred to as ‘tank’–”
“Wait.
That wording is a problem.
Let us say ‘shall respond faithfully as circumstances permit.'”
“That is something he should naturally do.
Consider what he is receiving.”
“Then even if he is deployed to Panama, he would still be obligated to respond to your company.
Let us keep things reasonable.”
I take back what I said about it being short.
Every time a single line was written, it was crossed out and rewritten multiple times.
Eventually, the ink-soaked paper nearly tore apart.
Anyway, it was roughly settled.
I provide ideas about the tank as I envision it.
I am not an engineer, so it remains at the conceptual level.A separate corporation, tentatively called ‘Ford Tank Company,’ is established for development, and patents are filed under its name.
My father receives a small share of the company and a portion of the royalties.My younger brother establishes a corporation and builds a factory.
Ford receives a thirty percent stake in exchange for assisting with construction and operations.
Sorry, brother.
But I already said, “Asians naturally see family benefit as their own.
I want my brother to succeed.”
He is already being overworked with the barbed wire business, but now he will have to work even more.
There were also various minor clauses, complicated legal terms that looked like they could split one’s head open, but the conclusion was simple.
I could now produce firearms.
My future father-in-law would secure the technical experts, and Ford, the world leader in conveyor belt production, would handle manufacturing systems and management.
Originally, I planned to build everything independently or with the help of the Korean National Association, but with not one but two major powers involved, a delicate balance of power had formed.
Now the diligent Korean immigrants would work on conveyor belts for me, earn wages, and look up to my family like tenant farmers looking up to a landlord.
Yes.
I was the one who went insane, chasing the style of producing Thompsons.
I will just produce lubrication tools.
In massive quantities. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
“Let us talk.”
As soon as I entered alone, someone called out to me as if waiting.
“What is it?
I am the host, so being away too long-”
“It will only take a moment.”
Rhee Syngman’s eyes were bloodshot.
No, he was not usually like this.
Henry Ford’s presence must have weighed that heavily.
I was almost dragged out to the terrace for a private conversation.
“What are you doing?
A senator?
Ford?
You are making this too big to handle.”
“I do not understand.”
“You still do not understand?
Those people are monsters.
They have immense wealth and power and are eager to squeeze yellow monkeys dry.”
Hearing that from someone who prowls Washington like a hyena was almost amusing.
The dignity and composure he always wore like armor were cracking.
He looked ugly.
“Listen carefully.
The Korean people must rely on their own strength.
You know how the Chinese were dragged here for railroads and thrown to the bottom of society.
You know how the Japanese were persecuted less than ten years ago.
Then why, why would you bring such powerful figures into the Korean community and stir chaos?”
“I am rather confused.
Was it not you who contacted the senator to help me enter West Point?
And now…”
“That is different.
We are outsiders.
One day we must return to our homeland.
We must take what we can without incurring debt and leave.
Eugene, why not come with me to Hawaii?
Park Yong-man is raising a militia there.
A patriotic young man like you-”
“Mr.
Rhee.”
I cut him off.
Four years ago, I could not have imagined interrupting him.
But now, with stronger backing than ever, I could see him clearly.
He was nothing more than a power addict, unable to tolerate even the smallest crack in his personal domain.
“Outsiders?
That is excessive.”
“What?”
“I am a citizen of the United States, and I have committed myself to its peace and security.
Someone might question my loyalty if they heard such words.”
“Are you abandoning your people?”
“Irish, Polish, and Jewish immigrants all remain loyal to America without forgetting their roots.
You may treat America as a tool, but do not force that view on me.”
“You… How can you say that after I helped you enter that school?
Park Yong-man has been waiting for your help.”
His spit hit my face, but my smile only deepened.
He was already opposing Park Yong-man’s armed struggle and trying to push him out, yet here he was invoking him.
It was absurd.
“And yet you tried to connect me with Chinese revolutionaries.”
“What?”
He is aligned with radicals.
How could you cooperate with them?”
“You bastard!”
“Rhee, what are you doing!”
Ahn Chang-ho pulled him away as he grabbed my collar.
“You fool!
He will sell out the nation for his own success!
His entire family are traitors!”
“Enough.
Calling a young man a traitor is too much.”
“You do not understand.
His mind is full of schemes.
He-”
“Guards!
Call the guards!”
His shouting stopped when Charles Curtis appeared.
“I do not know what has angered you so much, but this is not appropriate here.”
“He told me to abandon America and serve Korea instead.”
I reported everything.
“I will pretend I did not hear that.
Please leave.”
Rhee tried to argue but was cut off.
He wiped his sweat, bowed politely, and left.
Ahn Chang-ho tried to calm things, but I did not engage further.
The situation was troublesome.
Rhee still had overwhelming support in Hawaii and many followers in San Francisco.
Even if I removed him with justification, they would call me a traitor.
For now, I would focus on my own work.
Our relationship had broken completely.
And I no longer needed him in San Francisco.
“My idea of a tank is simple.”
It moves on tracks and adapts well to rough terrain, even if it is slow.
A single rotating turret.
Multiple turrets are unnecessary.
The main gun does not need anti-tank capability.
Germany barely uses tanks.
It will serve as fire support, with machine guns for infantry.
That is it.
Simple.
As for the technology, that is for them to figure out.
The problem would be if my ideas differed from what the Allies wanted.
“Do not worry.
If you are right, there will be no issue.”
Henry Ford dismissed my concern.
Soldiers would determine what worked when their lives were on the line.
Now I was a second lieutenant.
“Eugene, go buy some radish.”
“Yes, mother.”
My new assignment.
Home guard.
Unemployed.
Impressive, U.S.
Army.
TL/N: This is the tank invented by ford in the original timeline.
and also fun fact on Rhee Syngman he was overthrown in April 1960 following widespread, student-led protests known as the April Revolution.
His downfall was caused by massive fraud in the March 1960 election, growing authoritarianism, economic stagnation, and violent police crackdowns on demonstrators, which forced him to resign and flee to Hawaii.