Survive as a World War II Soldier - Chapter 50



Only Noblemtl

#050

The 9th Summer Olympics, held in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1928, was controversial from the start.

First of all, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, who was a devout Christian, was not keen on hosting the Olympics.

“Isn’t that from a pagan event?”

“Don’t you know how successful the last Paris Olympics were?”

“This is a golden opportunity to make the Netherlands’ name known to the world.”

Although it was finally realized after strong efforts by the political circles, Queen Wilhelmina ended up not showing up at the opening ceremony.

Thanks to this, the Olympic Games, which began with the opening speech by the Queen’s husband, Prince Heinrich, were filled with uproar in many ways. The reason was none other than Germany.

They were not even invited to the 1920 Antwerp Olympics held after World War I, and although the IOC sent an invitation to the 1924 Paris Olympics, they were unable to participate due to the French authorities’ refusal to allow them into the country.

However, the IOC, which wants to make the Olympics a global festival, insisted on Germany’s participation.

This was possible because the host city, Amsterdam, was in the Netherlands.

During World War I, the Netherlands remained neutral, and after the war, unlike other countries, it maintained relatively good relations with Germany.

in result,

“Uh, uh.”

“Jerry get out!!!”

As soon as the German players appeared, boos erupted from the stands.

In some events, German athletes got so excited by the boos from the crowd that they even got into brawls.

“Tsk. What a sight.”

“Yes. Those Jerry guys are ruining the festival.”

“At times like these, we must manage the team meticulously.”

“All right.”

“We did not come here to play. We came here to win, to win overwhelmingly. If you get caught up in the atmosphere and start a brawl like that poor German guy, and tarnish the honor of your country, I will never forgive you.”

“I will once again remind the players as well as the coaches of each sport.”

That wasn’t the only problem.

“This is a biased judgment.”

“Yes, I can’t just give in like this.”

Biased judgments and misjudgments were still rampant in the 20th century.

The incident occurred during the preliminaries for a men’s flyweight boxing match.

Our US team’s Hyman Miller had a one-sided match against Belgium’s Marcel Sartos.

Although he was unable to knock out his opponent, he displayed superior skills throughout the match.

It was a natural thing.

“That guy is the one who won the last Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championship.”

“Marcel is not a player that can be dealt with.”

When boxing officials saw me appearing at the preliminary round, they confidently said this.

“He is a player who will win a gold medal, or at least a silver medal. So, you don’t have to watch the preliminary matches like this one.”

however,

“The winner is Marcel Sartos.”

The judges’ eyes were very different from ours.

“This is ridiculous.”

“We must protest strongly.”

“This is unacceptable.”

The coaches and managers were furious and upset when the results were announced.

Not only boxing officials, but also others who watched the match or heard the news late could not hide their excitement.

That is understandable, because in reality, the United States was subject to restraint by all participating countries.

It was a natural thing.

Except for the 2nd Paris Olympics and the 4th London Olympics, the first place in every Olympics held so far has been won by our country, the United States.

Thanks to this, our athletes have been subjected to various restraints in numerous sports.

The sadness and anger towards him exploded into the biased judgment of this boxing match.

“If the decision is not corrected, the team will have to be withdrawn.”

“Yes, as a sign of strong protest···.”

“That’s right. If we back off like this, everyone···.”

There were more than a few people who agreed with those who said that the team should be withdrawn.

But it was an unacceptable story.

“Are you all in your right mind?”

“Mr. Chairman?”

I wanted to make a joke about giving up being the kind of word you use when counting cabbages, but unfortunately that wasn’t possible in English.

Instead, I spoke plainly.

“There is no such thing as giving up halfway.”

“This is not giving up halfway…”

“The referee is not on our side? The rules are not on our side? Since when have we, America, been so weak?”

“But, Chairman.”

“Isn’t this something you already knew? The crowd boos the Jerry guys, but the players, coaches, and referees are actually wary of us, not them. You knew that before you came here, didn’t you?”

Biased judgment?

In the 21st century, Korean archery suffered nine consecutive losses despite interference from those who tried to block the dominance by changing not only the game style but also the rules at each competition.

How? With overwhelming skill.

“So, haven’t I told you over and over again? You shouldn’t be complacent and always do your best. With your overwhelming skills, you shouldn’t have any room for biased judgment.”

Hyman Miller? Good job.

But was it enough to overcome the judges who sided with Marcel? No.

“If Miller had knocked out Marcel, who would dare call him a loser?”

“That, that.”

“Don’t shake the team with useless talk. If the referee and the rules are not on our side, then we can overcome the referee and the rules with overwhelming skill.”

Everyone who had been unable to hide their excitement until just a moment ago became quiet.

I glanced around at those people and then said in a low voice.

“We have the ability to do it. We came here to win.”

If you complain about the decision, you can kick out the team? Even if you do that, not only will the decision not be changed, but it’s obvious that everyone will like it.

Absolutely, I couldn’t let that happen.

“Your Majesty, you are right. Where is there a game without any mistakes?”

“Yes. If the referee is not on our side, we just have to beat the referee.”

“Let’s show America’s strength with overwhelming power!”

They say the ground hardens after it rains.

Biased judgement in boxing. And my speech that followed was enough to calm our players’ minds.

Naturally, in the game that followed, our US national team’s performance was overwhelming.

The players’ determination and passion played a part, but of course, it was I who played the biggest role.

Because there were few who could stand up to America’s technological doping, which mobilized all of the knowledge of the 21st century.

Of course, there were some who made all of that seem like nothing with their truly overwhelming physical abilities.

People like Paavo Nurmi, who won the gold medal in the 10,000m in track and field. Nurmi beat the gold medalist and world record holder Ritola at the last Olympics to win the gold medal.

The latest track and field shoes and the advantages and disadvantages of lane position were nothing in front of his overwhelming physical ability.

But not everyone was an iron man like Nurmi.

“Ugh.”

Women’s 100m final.

An unexpected BGM was echoing throughout the stadium, and it was none other than the Canadian players’ cries.

She was disqualified for running the starting signal and was sitting on the grass next to the lane, wailing loudly.

There have been many who have ruined their Olympic performances by making ridiculous or rookie mistakes like her.

Among them, the U.S. team has always been the brightest star.

Of course, the items that became a hot topic were those that I had a strong hand in.

The stadium erupted when Marion Holly became the highest-flying woman in the world with a backflip or MacArthur Roll.

“This, this is···.”

“How could this happen?”

“Excuse me, isn’t that against the rules?”

While everyone else was jumping with their eyes on the ground, Marion Holley’s image of flying alone, looking up at the sky, made the front pages of newspapers around the world.

As shocking as the running itself was, Marion Holly’s record was even more shocking.

“I heard that they trained with US special forces···.”

“Some say that banned drugs···.”

People looked at me with surprise and suspicion at the same time.

Suspicions of special training or doping were dismissed. Some even went so far as to say that Marion Holly was a transvestite.

##

Marion Holley, who wore a gold medal around her neck, felt more nervous than when she was competing as the reporters rushed toward her like a pack of dogs and asked her questions.

Until the finals were over, the coaches somehow managed to keep reporters away.

“You have to focus on the game.”

“Don’t worry about anything else.”

But now that he had the gold medal around his neck, he could no longer avoid the reporters.

“Is it true that you are a woman?”

“Banned drugs···.”

“US special forces···.”

A warm feeling was felt on Marion Holley’s shoulders, frozen by the reporters’ stares.

“Where is the brave woman who didn’t even lose to MacArthur, and where is the coward sitting?”

“Mr. Chairman.”

“Just tell me the truth. I will be your witness. I know better than anyone how wonderful a challenge you have taken on.”

At General MacArthur’s words, Marion’s frozen body seemed to melt away.

“I am definitely a woman. Do you think our America is such a shabby country?”

In fact, it is true that it is a rather shabby country contrary to its appearance, but it is not so bad that you can lie about your gender and become a member of the Olympic team.

“that···.”

“Why? If it’s hard to believe, how can I take it off?”

The reporters’ ferocity was dampened by Holly’s abrupt rise, saying that if she really couldn’t believe it, she would just take it off and show it to them.

No one would have the guts to ask a mature woman, especially a student at the prestigious Stanford University, to do a strip show.

As Holly’s momentum quietened the rags, real reporters finally began to speak up.

“How did you develop the Holy Roll you are introducing this time?”

“No. It’s not the Holy Roll. The name of the technique I showed is the MacArthur Roll. The technique was first···.”

Holly’s face turned bright red as she told the story of how she came across MacArthurroll.

“It is all thanks to Chairman MacArthur that I was able to win this gold medal.”

As things turned out this way, the reporters’ eyes naturally turned to me.

The various new technologies I introduced were called by my name among the players.

Representative examples include the back flip and swimming flip turn used by Holly.

However, it was hardly known to the outside world, which was natural. There was no one in my team who would recklessly leak secret weapon technology to the outside world.

After Marion Holly’s actual performance at the Olympics became a hot topic, the world came to know the roll as the Holly Roll after Holly.

But when Holly came out and said that the name of the technology was MacArthur, the reporters’ eyes couldn’t help but roll.

Visa, wild history, back story.

Reporters knew better than anyone how much these things could upset people.

“Is what Holly said true?”

“Are you sure the Chairman will develop the technology?”

As I looked to the side at the flood of questions and flashes from the reporters, I saw Holly smiling mischievously.

I sighed at the sight and opened my mouth to the reporters.

“I was the one who first suggested the technique. Thanks to that, it was given the nickname ‘MacArthur Roll’ among the players.”

“How on earth···.”

“I was originally interested in high jumping···.”

“I heard you were interested in sports at West Point too···.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the reporters rushed in with bloodshot eyes, wanting to find out the background to how this groundbreaking technology came to be.

“But I think the name MacArthur Roll is wrong. I think the real name for this technique is, as you all know, the Holy Roll.”

“yes?”

Reporters tilted their heads at the idea that it was right to call each other by their names rather than their own.

“Everyone, today’s star is not me. It’s Holly here. She is the highest-flying woman in the world and she is braver than anyone else.”

“that···.”

“Anyone can think. But the important thing is to actually put that idea into practice. A thought that exists only in the head is just a delusion. It is not an idea. So, the one who made my delusion into a brilliant idea was Holly, who bravely challenged when everyone else hesitated. So the name of the technique is Holly Roll, and the protagonist of today should be Marion Holly.”

So, when I asked the reporters to focus on him instead of me, their reactions were mixed.

And half of them reacted exactly as I expected, but the other half reacted…

“Your mother sent a telegram?”

“yes.”

I called Mrs. Pinky across the Atlantic.

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The Chairman’s Taste