Survive as a World War II Soldier - Chapter 47



Only Noblemtl

#047

Didn’t they originally say that the best investment is to buy at the knee and sell at the shoulder?

It’s been 27 years now, so there was still quite a bit of time left until the Great Depression began.

However, if you sell too soon to increase profits…

‘It’s very likely that that will be a problem in itself.’

It’s true that the more money the better, but for me, not having any problems was more important.

After her last heart attack, Mrs. Pinky was clearly feeling weak. Even if she used agents here and there, it was difficult for her to continue investing as a soldier.

“My goal is not to get rich.”

“Yes, if that’s what you’re saying. The amount of money you’ve earned so far is enormous···.”

How much is a soldier’s salary to earn such a large sum?

Of course I took out a loan. Compared to the 21st century I remember, the interest rates were incredibly high, but because it was such a boom time, it wasn’t difficult to get a large loan.

First, buy the land, and while the land is rising rapidly, take out another loan to match the increase, and then invest the money again.

Above all, it was not difficult to achieve higher returns than others because I knew some information that never fails.

“So, you’re going to use this money to create a foundation?”

“yes.”

Bonus Army.

More important to me than the Great Depression was none other than the Bonus Army crisis.

A signal that MacArthur, a hero of World War I, was on the path to full-scale downfall.

So from the moment I returned from Europe, I started to think about various ways to solve the Bonus Army situation.

And one of them was to create a foundation to help veterans.

But after what happened in New York the other day, I felt like I couldn’t delay any longer.

Although I am not a Bonus Army member, I wanted to help my comrades in the Rainbow Division who trusted me and risked their lives in Europe as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

They say it was a time of prosperity where the whole country was going crazy, but there were still poor people.

Rather, the darkness was not even properly recognized by people because of the dazzling light.

“I heard that there are quite a few soldiers from the 42nd Division who are having a hard time.”

“Yes. Taking care of your subordinates is an important task. But wouldn’t it be difficult for you to step forward and do it yourself?”

“Yes. I thought there might be some misunderstandings, so I hired an appropriate person.”

The first thing that came to mind was Wild Bill, aka William Donovan.

That’s because his nickname is Wild, isn’t he an elite with a lawyer background?

“Oh, that’s a really good idea, but···.”

Donovan was currently working as an aide to Attorney General Harlan Stone. But it was too much to ask him to step down from his position as an aide to the attorney general.

“It seems like you’ll have a hard time. Can you recommend someone suitable?”

“Hmm. Then how about this guy? He’s a friend from Washington…”

The person Donovan recommended was M. Manning Marcus.

He was a member of the 42nd Division and, like Donovan, was a lawyer.

“He is a friend who has his own dream, so if you coax him well, he will come and do the work well for you.”

“Good.”

“Oh, and when that foundation is established, please let me know. I would like to contribute a little too.”

“That’s what I’m talking about. Of course I should contact you.”

##

“Have you ever been interested in politics?”

Those were Marcus’ first words after hearing Mrs. Pinky and I explain the founding of the foundation.

It was an easy question, so I was able to answer without any hesitation.

“no.”

“Hmm.”

Marcus’s brow furrowed at my assertion.

“It would have been better that way, but it’s difficult.”

“Why?”

Instead of answering my question, Marcus glanced at Mrs. Pinky sitting next to him.

“When you say you have no political aspirations, doesn’t that mean you will continue to wear the military uniform?”

Marcus said that as an active-duty soldier, the very fact that I was establishing a foundation could be misunderstood by others.

Mrs. Pinky looked displeased at Marcus’ explanation, but I nodded.

He had already been under President Coolidge’s suspicion because of his actions in the Philippines.

If we create a foundation in that situation and start supporting veterans…

“Even if you say it’s not true, I won’t believe you. People tend to see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear.”

“You have a point.”

As if encouraged by my words, Marcus continued his explanation cautiously.

“So, I think it would be better to put someone else forward to run the foundation.”

“For example?”

Marcus answered my question as if he had been waiting for it.

“I heard that Director Minoh retired recently.”

I liked Marcus’s answer. If he had mentioned Pershing, I would have looked for other work.

Pershing’s name value is higher, and he is also a person who retired recently, so it is an excellent appointment.

‘You are not someone who can be manipulated by my hands.’

The moment I put him in front, the Foundation would no longer be mine, but Pershing’s.

And at that moment,

‘There may be a situation where you cannot use the foundation when you really need it.’

In comparison, Director Minoher was just right.

He served as the commander of the 42nd Division for a long time, and was not a person with great ambitions.

Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult to persuade Director Minoh.

“I’m so thankful that there is a place that calls out to this old man without forgetting him.”

Even without that, Major General Minoh welcomed the establishment of the foundation very much, saying that his subordinates who died in the battlefield sometimes appear in his dreams.

Thus, a foundation was established to help veterans from the 42nd Division and their families.

The foundation’s name became the Rainbow Foundation, derived from the 42nd Division’s nickname, rainbow.

“Fortunately, thanks to several newspapers publishing articles, I don’t think we will need to advertise separately.”

Perhaps because it was still a boom time or because the foundation was not well known, there were not many people asking for help.

However, after the newspaper article came out, the foundation was contacted step by step.

“Most of them are bereaved families”

“okay?”

“Yes, the most common requests are for support of hospital bills and tuition. We are reviewing them and providing support if possible.”

“Good.”

Marcus smiled brightly at my compliment and continued reporting.

“The foundation’s assets are growing.”

In addition to the money initially donated by Mrs. Pinky, many people from the 42nd Division, starting with Major General Minoh, who had just been appointed as the foundation’s chairman, had been sending donations to the foundation.

“Donations are pouring in now, but we can’t expect that to continue forever. So, in order to run the foundation in the long term….”

Marcus was right when he said that foundation funds should be reinvested.

In order for the foundation to continue, it is good to receive donations, but in the long term, it is better to manage the foundation’s assets well and generate profits.

Since the Rainbow Foundation was founded, requests for investment have been just as common as requests for help.

Among them were some from the 42nd Division, but there were also quite a few who had no connection whatsoever.

America was still in the midst of its boom years, and everyone was dreaming rosy dreams that the economy would continue to grow forever.

“So, first of all, let’s look at the business run by people from the 42nd Division…”

I shook my head when Marcus said he had listed a few promising investment opportunities.

“No, for the time being, I plan to manage the Foundation’s assets conservatively.”

Marcus looked somewhat displeased at my words.

“The bank interest rate is not low, but it is still worth keeping it as a deposit···.”

“Are you currently keeping your assets in deposits?”

“Yes. Most of them···.”

That was a no-no. A bank.

‘You know very well that banks failed one after another during the Great Depression.’

So, we had to find other safe assets other than deposits.

“Bank deposits are a bit like that.”

“Right? If you’re worried about investing directly in individual companies, you can invest in stocks or…”

I tried to stop Marcus, who was taking out the documents he had prepared with a bright face.

“How about gold?”

Marcus’s brow furrowed at my words.

“Gold?”

In a recession, safe assets were always the best, and of all the safe assets I know, the best was gold.

But Marcus had a very unpleasant look on his face.

“Just the interest on bank deposits···”

Now that gold convertibility has not disappeared, gold has the same value as paper money, but they are not exactly the same.

Gold does not grow if you own it, but you can earn interest by depositing it in a bank.

Interest income is income, but the idea that the gold standard would be maintained was the same as saying that the price of gold would not change.

“It is better to deposit money in a bank than to buy gold.”

As Marcus looked at me with a look of incomprehension, I realized that a little more explanation was needed.

“I think this boom will end soon.”

“yes?”

There are signs for everything. People just don’t notice them.

The Great Depression was no exception.

“Do you know what’s happening in Florida right now?”

Following the cold spell of the winter of 1925, the summer of 1926 was unusually hot, with a hurricane hitting Miami, Florida’s main city.

Florida, previously loved by people as a paradise, no longer exists.

After all, land prices in Florida were plummeting by the day.

Marcus nodded, saying he knew.

“But isn’t that just a temporary phenomenon caused by the weather?”

“You think so too.”

“Are you saying you are not the director?”

“okay.”

Marcus’ expression became serious when I told him that I created the foundation because I thought it was wrong.

“As the world becomes more difficult, won’t it eventually become harder for the weak to survive?”

“Okay, then the Foundation’s assets will be managed as conservatively as possible…”

“No, I can’t trust the banks either.”

Marcus looked overly worried when I told him that he couldn’t even trust the bank.

But for me, who knows the future, banks were the most dangerous places.

‘I don’t know about anything else, but I remember this one thing.’

The fact that the price of gold rose during the Great Depression.

Of course, I don’t remember exactly how much it went up, but it was much safer than a bank that might go bankrupt and disappear.

Eventually, Marcus could not break my stubbornness, and most of the Rainbow Foundation’s assets were invested in gold.

And that’s why they put forward Minoher instead of Pershing.

To ensure that my influence can be maintained in managing the foundation’s assets.

It was around the time when things regarding the foundation were coming to a close that an unexpected proposal came in.

“The Olympics?”

“yes.

“I am well aware of the brilliant results you have achieved in sports development during your tenure as West Point superintendent.”

“That’s right. We need a leader like you, General.”

I was taken aback by the offer to become the President of the Olympic Committee for the 9th Olympic Games in Amsterdam next year.

So it’s true that I was deeply interested in sports during my time at West Point.

‘Because that was the only thing I could do.’

There is a saying that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body, and more than anything, the American atmosphere itself is one that greatly favors physical activities.

In particular, West Point, being a military academy, was more serious about sports activities than other schools.

For that reason, I encouraged the development of sports teams more enthusiastically than other principals, but…

‘Wasn’t it a festival of amateur sports?’

No, I’m not a retired person like Minoh.

Of course, I was well aware that during the Cold War, sports, especially the Olympics, were a battleground for pride between the United States and the Soviet Union.

‘That’s why they even did doping at a national level. Really?’

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I didn’t run like that