Chapter 439: Public Opinion Like The Wind
Andrei thought to himself, you’re the one who called me to watch it, and now you’re the one regretting it.
Isn’t this movie quite exciting?
Especially the resonance it produces with reality, which stirred up countless distractions in the heart of this young man living on the outskirts of Moscow, who had never squeezed into Moscow’s power center or enjoyed the benefits brought by this vast alliance spanning Eurasia.
These distractions would resonate with reality in the future, forming profound influences.
Yuri smiled bitterly: “It’s precisely because it’s too good.
We’ve heard rumors in the past that in such and such place in Moscow, someone was discovered watching this movie, and then they disappeared.
We used to think it was an urban legend, a horror story spread from places like Ukraine or Belarus or Eastern Europe.
It was an exaggeration done for movie promotion, for black market sales of the movie itself.
After watching it, I suspect those aren’t urban legends, but real.
We really might disappear because we watched this movie.”
When Yuri said “disappear” at the end, he stretched out both hands, one above and one below, bringing them together as if destroying the air.
The room fell into silence again. After thinking for a moment, Andrei said: “Good thing we didn’t call other friends.
If it’s just the two of us, this matter is easy to resolve.
Destroy the video tape now, and pretend this never happened.”
Yuri’s face showed reluctance, clearly unwilling to destroy the video tape: “Anna hasn’t seen it yet.”
Anna is a young woman living in this apartment building, working as a nurse in a nearby hospital.
They grew up together, and Yuri has long lusted after her.
Andrei of course also had some vague thoughts about her, but taking care of his own mother was already hard enough; he really had no energy or money to think about women.
“Anna wouldn’t like this kind of movie. Have you thought that she might report you instead?” Andrei said gloomily.
This sentence was like a needle, instantly piercing the fantasy in Yuri’s heart.
He thought of Anna, who always wore a nurse uniform washed to whiteness, her hair neatly coiled behind her head.
She liked reading Pushkin’s poems, listening to Tchaikovsky’s music; her life was like a clean and tidy bedsheet, without the slightest wrinkle.
While V for Vendetta, this movie full of violence, rebellion, and radical thoughts, would be like ink splattered on the bedsheet in her world.
Yuri smiled bitterly and shook his head.
“I, I just want her to know that the world isn’t singular, the world is plural.” Yuri said softly, his voice full of helplessness.
Andrei patted Yuri’s shoulder.
“I know, Yuri.
But the risks contained within aren’t something we can touch.
At least not yet.”
He glanced again at the television screen that had turned black.
“Let’s destroy it,” Andrei proposed again, his voice full of admonition: “Pretend this never happened, and we’re still the country’s loyal citizens.”
Yuri didn’t speak; he just silently took out the video tape and gently stroked it with his hand.
He thought to himself, really? Can we still go back? If one day Prague Spring happens in the Soviet Union, can he still persist in being the country’s loyal citizen?
At this moment, Yuri had no way to give an answer.
Soon, in the same room, the same television was playing images, but Yuri’s mood was completely different.
He was shouting, long live the Soviet Union, we are invincible.
In America, Lin Ran said to Kissinger that public opinion is wind; what we need to do is wait for the wind, wait for the right wind to appear, then we can end the Vietnam War decently and achieve Nixon’s so-called glorious peace.
Similarly, in the Soviet Union, in Moscow, public opinion is also wind.
The Kremlin, facing a difficult situation, created wind favorable to them.
January, Baikonur Cosmodrome located in Kazakhstan
With China’s joining, the entire Soviet Space Agency’s research and development process was accelerating.
In this timeline, the Soviet Union has moon landing experience.
They had done joint moon landings with America and achieved soft landing of unmanned spacecraft on the Moon.
America also showed the world what conditions a moon landing needs to satisfy.
What had always been lacking was the rocket itself.
And the N1 rocket team added not just Wang Xiji, but the entire Chinese team.
So, after ground tests passed, the Soviet side launched the moon landing in January of this year.
As the most important tribute to celebrate the 100th anniversary of great Vladimir’s birth.
The temperature at Baikonur Cosmodrome was as low as minus twenty degrees Celsius, with biting cold winds howling, rolling up snow to form trails of white mist on the vast grassland.
The tranquility on this vast land was about to be completely broken.
The huge N-1 rocket, like a white iceberg, its coating gleaming with metallic light.
This rocket was comparable to Saturn V, both in volume and weight.
Its initial thrust was even more exaggerated than Saturn V, but payload was less than Saturn V.
This was because Saturn V used more advanced fuel.
Around the N1 were countless engineers and technical personnel in heavy winter gear, their faces filled with tension and expectation.
Past ground tests and the orbit insertion pre-launch in December last year gave them full confidence.
In the launch site’s command center, Valentin sat in front of the main console,
his gaze locked tightly on the screen in front of him.
He knew that the heart of this rocket was the distributed control system developed by China.
In the past, this system had proven that what Wang Xiji said was true: it really could solve the problem of multi-engine parallel operation.
“Fifteen. Fourteen, launch tower separated”
“Nineteen. Eight”
“Seventy-six. Five.”
“Forty-three. Main engines, ignition ready!”
“Two, ignition!”
When the countdown reached zero, a deafening roar broke the silence of Baikonur.
At the base of the N-1 rocket, 30 NK-15 engines simultaneously spewed orange-red flames, and the huge thrust slowly lifted it.
It stepped toward the sky bit by bit.
The entire launch site was enveloped in smoke and steam, the roar deafening.
Inside the rocket, the astronauts were pinned to their seats by the enormous thrust.
They knew this was the most dangerous moment of their lives.
The astronauts thought of Gagarin, this astronaut who had already passed away.
“Stage one separation!” An excited report came from the command center.
The N-1 rocket’s first stage booster detached, second stage rocket ignited.
It began flying toward the sky at even greater speed.
When the rocket broke through the atmosphere and entered space, it entered the most critical orbit change phase.
In the command center, the astronauts nervously monitored the data on the computer screens.
They needed to precisely calculate the rendezvous point with the Moon, then perform multiple ignitions to ensure they could dock with the Moon at the perfect angle and speed.
America had done this process countless times, but for Soviet astronauts, it was absolutely a challenge.
After all, the last orbit change was five years ago.
Specific data different, spaceship different, people different.
In space, the astronauts performed multiple ignitions.
They were like an excellent dancer, performing the most precise dance in space.
Each ignition made their orbit more precise, closer to the Moon.
Finally, when they completed the last ignition, they knew they had successfully entered lunar orbit.
They succeeded.
When the N-1 rocket successfully entered space, all of Moscow boiled over.
In the Kremlin, Leonard stood up excitedly, tightly embracing the officials beside him.
He knew this victory didn’t come easy.
They were waiting for the final good news.
That was moon landing success.
The speech platform in front of the Kremlin was already set up.
When the astronauts stepped onto the Moon, he would go to the platform to give a speech.
At this moment, whether Kremlin officials, Moscow’s public, or Siberia’s public, everyone was expecting the arrival of that success moment.
When the N-1 rocket successfully completed the final orbit change and entered lunar orbit, its body cast a huge shadow on the Moon’s gray surface.
Inside the rocket, two astronauts, Alexei Leonov and Viktor Gorshkov, were doing final preparations.
Their task was to pilot the Lunar Module named Lunokhod, separate from the N-1 rocket, and land alone on the lunar surface.
The “Lunokhod” Lunar Module’s design was completely different from America’s Apollo Program Lunar Module.
It was smaller, lighter, and cruder.
This was because N-1’s payload was only two-thirds of Saturn V.
The cabin was filled with various instruments and buttons; the astronauts nervously monitored every data point.
“Moscow, we’re ready for separation,” Leonov’s voice came over the radio. Though he knew the other side couldn’t hear, he still maintained contact with Earth: “We’re doing the final checks.”
After they completed all checks, a click sounded: this was the Lunar Module separating from the Command Module.
Yes, the Soviet Union also used the Apollo moon landing technical route.
Landing was the most dangerous phase of the entire mission.
Gorshkov was responsible for piloting the Lunar Module.
The screen showed real-time images of the lunar surface, full of craters and boulders.
“Descent speed five meters per second,” Gorshkov’s voice was calm: “Altitude five hundred meters, fuel remaining forty percent”
The tense time had passed.
On Earth, socialism camp’s public held their breath in front of televisions.
Though no live broadcast images from the Moon could be seen.
But Soviet official television station did simulation animations, including news anchor commentary, to tell the public what step they were at now.
The public could see the Lunar Module’s animation slowly descending, like a huge metal spider searching for a landing spot on the lunar surface.
When the Lunar Module was only tens of meters from the lunar surface, a powerful retro-thrust steadily held it up.
Sweat appeared on Gorshkov’s face, but he remained calm.
“Five, four, three, two, one, touchdown!”
When the Lunar Module’s landing gear touched the lunar surface, the entire cabin shook.
“Viewers in front of your televisions! We did it! Our Lunokhod has successfully landed in the Sea of Tranquility, our astronauts are now on the Moon! This is the Soviet Union’s great victory, and also your great victory.
It is precisely because of the hard work and unremitting efforts of all you folks in front of your televisions that we achieved this!”
In front of televisions, Soviet public erupted in thunderous cheers.
They knew they succeeded.
Soviet astronauts were first on the Moon, America caught up, now the Soviet Union did it again.
This space race isn’t over yet!
Soviet people thought.
Moonwalk: one small step for man, one giant leap for the Soviets
After the Lunar Module stabilized, Leonov began putting on his spacesuit.
It took him a long time to complete all preparations. When he opened the hatch and stepped onto the lunar surface, his face was filled with indescribable excitement.
The live broadcast signal was debugged, and the astronaut in the massive spacesuit appeared on the television image.
This moment’s image wasn’t animation, but real person.
Leonov took a deep breath, then slowly walked down the ladder.
When his foot stepped on the lunar surface, he thought, did Gagarin feel the same when he stepped on the Moon? Or was his mood even more excited than mine now?
In his mother tongue, in front of televisions worldwide, he said: “The Soviet Union is back!”
He didn’t say like American astronauts that it was one giant leap for mankind.
Instead, he used “The Soviet Union is back” to remind global public that the first to step on the Moon were Soviet people!
In Moscow, Yuri trembled with excitement, raising his wine glass high, shouting loudly: “Long live the Soviet Union! We are invincible!”
Andrei looked at him, mixed feelings in his heart.
A few days ago, they were secretly watching V for Vendetta, discussing this country’s darkness and injustice.
And now, Yuri was cheering for the country’s glory like the most loyal citizen.
Andrei knew this wasn’t Yuri’s hypocrisy, but a true reflection of his heart.
It was that he saw hope, saw a powerful Soviet Union that could conquer all.
This hope dispelled all shadows in his heart.
Andrei also raised his wine glass, his voice a bit hoarse but equally full of passion: “Long live the Soviet Union!”
The Kremlin created the wind they wanted.
One hour after the “Lunokhod” Lunar Module successfully touched down, Moscow.
Leonard, this usually expressionless Soviet official, showed a rare smile in front of the television camera.
Behind him was a huge world map, flashing with red control zones.
“Dear comrades!” His voice was slightly hoarse from excitement. “Today, we proudly announce to the world that our astronauts have successfully set foot on the Moon again! They proved with action that true victory belongs to the strongest country, the most advanced society!
America can lead for a while, but they can’t lead forever; we will catch up sooner or later! Because we are invincible!”
“We don’t fight for momentary fame,” Leonard continued, “we fight for humanity’s future.
When America’s astronauts plant a national flag on the Moon, our comrades are working for all humanity’s scientific progress! This is the Soviet Union’s victory, and also socialism’s victory!”
His speech was repeatedly broadcast by official media, becoming the best footnote to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Vladimir’s birth.
At the same time, for Leonard, this event itself had huge significance: Nikita’s moon landing was achieved with America’s help, while the moon landing during his tenure was independently completed by the Soviet Union.
Though this independence needs quotes, inseparable from China’s help.
But in the Soviet Union’s propaganda machine, this was of course the Soviet Union’s merit.
China’s contributions were completely invisible.
Wang Xiji was N-1’s later chief engineer, but wouldn’t appear in propaganda.
Even inside the Soviet Space Agency, only a few engineers knew this was China’s contribution.
The day after Soviet astronauts successfully landed on the Moon, Pravda’s front page, with unprecedented solemnity and pride, published an editorial titled “Victory Declaration from the Moon.”
The editorial used no flowery rhetoric.
It declared that the Soviet Union’s moon landing was not just a technological victory, but a victory of its system’s superiority.
“Our comrades represent all humanity’s progress.
They represent a great system that can concentrate the wisdom and power of tens of millions of people on the same goal.”
The editorial emphasized that this victory was planned economy’s victory, collectivism’s victory, Vladimir’s scientific theory’s victory.
It sought to transform this victory into powerful political capital to consolidate Leonard’s political legitimacy.
If Pravda’s editorial was full of political seriousness, then Komsomolskaya Pravda’s report was more humane; they hoped to shape new space heroes to inspire young people’s patriotism.
Komsomolskaya Pravda is a newspaper oriented toward young people.
The newspaper used an entire page to publish detailed reports on astronauts Alexei Leonov and Viktor Gorshkov.
Their photos were enlarged to occupy half the page, faces full of confidence and pride.
The article detailed how the astronauts overcame numerous difficulties to finally land on the Moon.
It portrayed them as fearless heroes, role models for Soviet youth.
“Every step of theirs is at humanity’s forefront,” the report wrote. “They proved with their actions that as long as you have belief and loyalty, nothing is impossible.”
Pure political language would make the public resentful.
Projecting space achievements onto specific astronauts makes such propaganda more effective.
Especially in allied countries.
Your technology largely comes from Eastern Europe; you talk about space achievements, and Prague’s intellectuals would wryly joke: the Soviet Union landed on the Moon, but we can’t even make a decent car.
The Soviet Union, through the Warsaw Pact and Council for Mutual Economic Assistance’s division of labor system, made these Eastern European countries only auxiliaries to Soviet technology, incorporating their industry and technological development into the tracks the Soviet Union wanted, and making them appendages to the Soviet economic system.
This was Eastern European countries’ long-standing helplessness and dissatisfaction with the Soviet Union.
Czechoslovakia resisted, but the resistance failed.
They felt proud of the Soviet Union’s victory, but also sorrow for their own country’s backwardness.
The Soviet Union could go to space, to the Moon, but they could do nothing.
But propaganda focused on space heroes was effective; everyone would at least have emotional resonance for fellow blond blue-eyed Slavs landing on the Moon.
Such propaganda was at least positive.
The newspaper also published numerous letters from ordinary public, all expressing admiration for the astronauts and love for the homeland.
On television and radio, Soviet officials went full throttle.
Television programs repeatedly played images of astronauts on the Moon; though blurry and full of snow, it didn’t diminish people’s excitement at all.
Space Station helped America shape aerospace performance; the Soviet Union’s return to the Moon similarly helped them shape performance in the aerospace field, in the technology field.
Radio stations played numerous documentaries and songs praising the Soviet Union’s great achievements over the past century.
In summary, the Soviet Union combined the moon landing with a special time point, shaping it into a near-perfect political propaganda tool.
It successfully diverted the public’s attention from domestic economic difficulties and political contradictions, immersing them in the country’s glory.
