Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 439 Public Opinion is Like the Wind
Andrei thought to himself, "You're the one who called me here, and now you're the one who regrets it."

Wasn't this movie great?

In particular, the resonance with reality caused countless distracting thoughts in the mind of this young man who lived on the edge of Moscow, had never squeezed into the Moscow power, and had never enjoyed the benefits brought by this vast Eurasian alliance.

These distracting thoughts will resonate with reality in the future, creating a profound impact.

Yuri smiled wryly, "It's precisely because it's too good."

We've heard rumors before that somewhere in Moscow, people were spotted watching this movie and then disappeared.

We used to think this was an urban legend, a horror story that came from places like Ukraine, Belarus, or Eastern Europe.

It was an exaggerated tactic used for movie promotion and to facilitate the black market sale of the film itself.

After reading it, I suspect that those weren't urban legends, but real.

We could actually disappear because we watched this movie.

When Yuri said he was disappearing at the end, he stretched out his hands, one hand on top and the other on the bottom, and clasped them together as if he were destroying the air.

Silence fell in the room again. After thinking for a moment, Andrei said, "It's a good thing we didn't invite any other friends."

If it were just the two of us, this would be easy to solve.

"Just destroy the videotape now and pretend this never happened."

Yuri looked troubled, clearly reluctant to destroy the videotape: "Anna hasn't watched it yet."

Anna is a young woman who lives in this apartment building and works as a nurse at a nearby hospital.

They grew up together, and Yuri had long coveted her.

Andrei certainly had some vague thoughts, but he was already struggling enough to take care of his mother and simply didn't have the energy or money to think about women.

“Anna wouldn’t like this kind of movie. Have you ever thought that she might turn around and report you?” Andrei said quietly.

These words were like a needle, piercing Yuri's illusions in an instant.

He thought of Anna, who always wore a nurse's uniform that was washed until it was faded, and her hair was neatly pinned up behind her head.

She loved reading Pushkin's poetry and listening to Tchaikovsky's music; her life was like a clean and tidy bed sheet, without a single wrinkle.

In her world, "V for Vendetta," a film filled with violence, rebellion, and radical ideas, was like ink splattered on a bed sheet.

Yuri shook his head with a wry smile.

“I… I just wanted her to know that the world is not singular, it is diverse,” Yuri said softly, his voice filled with helplessness.

Andrei patted Yuri on the shoulder.

“I know, Yuri.”

But the risks involved are not something we can afford to take.

At least not yet.

He glanced again at the television screen, which had now gone black.

“Let’s destroy it,” Andrei suggested again, his voice full of admonition: “Let’s pretend this never happened, and we will still be loyal citizens of the country.”

Yuri didn't speak; he simply took out the videotape and gently stroked it with his hand.

He wondered, really? Could he ever go back? If the Prague Spring were to occur in Soviet Russia one day, would he still be able to remain a loyal citizen of the country?

Yuri was unable to provide an answer at this point.

Soon, in the same room, with the same images playing on the same television, Yuri's mood was completely different.

He was shouting, "Long live Soviet Russia! We are invincible!"

In America, Lin Ran told Kissinger that public opinion is like the wind, and what we need to do is wait for the wind to come. When the right wind appears, we can end the Vietnam War with dignity and achieve what Nixon called a glorious peace.

Similarly, in Soviet Russia, in Moscow, public opinion was also a force to be reckoned with.

Faced with a difficult situation, the Kremlin created a favorable wind for itself.

In January, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

With China's involvement, the entire research and development process of the Russian Space Agency accelerated.

At this timeline, the Soviet Union had experience with lunar landings.

They collaborated with America on a lunar landing and achieved a soft landing of an unmanned spacecraft on the moon.

America also showed the world what conditions must be met to land on the moon.

The problem has always been the rocket itself.

The N1 rocket team not only added Wang Xiji, but also the entire Chinese team.

Therefore, after the ground tests were passed, the Soviet Union launched its lunar landing mission in January of that year.

As the most important gift to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great Vladimir.

Temperatures at the Baikonur Cosmodrome drop to minus twenty degrees Celsius. A biting wind howls through the air, whipping up snow and creating plumes of white smoke across the vast grassland.

The tranquility of this vast land is about to be completely shattered.

The massive N-1 rocket, like a white iceberg, had a coating that shimmered with a metallic sheen.

This rocket is similar to the Saturn V in both size and weight.

Its initial thrust was even greater than that of the Saturn V, but its payload was less than that of the Saturn V.

This is because the Saturn V uses more advanced fuel.

Surrounding N1 were countless engineers and technicians dressed in heavy winter clothes, their faces filled with tension and anticipation.

Past ground tests and the pre-launch into orbit last December have given them full confidence.

In the command center at the launch site, Valentin sat at the main control console.
His gaze was fixed on the screen in front of him.

He knew that the heart of this rocket was a distributed control system developed by China.

This system has proven in the past that what Wang Xiji said was true; it really can solve the problem of multiple engines operating in parallel.

"The launch tower has separated on the 15th and 14th."

"19.8"

"76.5."

"43. Main engine, prepare for ignition!"

"Two, light the fire!"

As the countdown reached zero, a deafening roar shattered the silence of Baikonur.

At the bottom of the N-1 rocket, 30 NK-15 engines simultaneously spewed orange-red flames, and the enormous thrust slowly lifted it up.

It gradually ascended towards the sky.

The entire launch site was shrouded in smoke and steam, and the roar was deafening.

Inside the rocket, the astronauts were pressed firmly into their seats by the immense thrust.

They knew this was the most dangerous moment of their lives.

The astronaut thought of Yuri Gagarin, the astronaut who had already passed away.

"Level 1 separation!" came an exciting report from the command center.

The first-stage booster of the N-1 rocket detached, and the second-stage rocket ignited.

It began to fly into the sky at an even faster speed.

Once the rocket breaks through the atmosphere and enters space, it enters the most critical orbital maneuvering phase.

In the command center, the astronauts were intently monitoring the data on their computer screens.

They need to precisely calculate the rendezvous point with the moon, and then perform multiple firings to ensure they can dock with the moon at the perfect angle and speed.

America had done this process countless times, but it was definitely a challenge for Soviet cosmonauts.

After all, the last time we did this course change was five years ago.

The specific data is different, the spaceships are different, and the people are different.

In space, the astronauts conducted multiple ignition tests.

They were like a master dancer, performing the most intricate dance in space.

Each ignition makes their orbit more precise and brings them closer to the moon.

Finally, when they completed their final ignition, they knew they had successfully entered lunar orbit.

They succeeded.

When the N-1 rocket successfully entered space, the whole of Moscow was in an uproar.

At the Kremlin, Leonard stood up excitedly and embraced the officials around him tightly.

He knew that this victory had not come easily.

They are waiting for the final good news.

That means a successful moon landing.

The podium in front of the Kremlin has been set up.

The moment the astronaut steps onto the moon, he will go to the podium to give a speech.

At this moment, whether it was Kremlin officials, the people of Moscow, or the people of Siberia, everyone was eagerly awaiting the moment of success. When the N-1 rocket successfully completed its final orbital maneuver and entered lunar orbit, its body cast a huge shadow on the gray surface of the moon.

Inside the rocket, two cosmonauts, Alexei Leonov and Viktor Gorshkov, were making final preparations.

Their mission was to pilot the lunar module, named Luna, separate from the N-1 rocket, and land alone on the lunar surface.

The design of the Luna lunar module was completely different from that of the lunar modules used in the American Apollo program.

It is smaller, lighter, and simpler.

This is because the payload of N-1 is only two-thirds that of Saturn V.

The cabin was filled with various instruments and buttons, and the astronauts were nervously monitoring every piece of data.

“Moscow, we are ready to separate,” Leonov’s voice came through the radio, though he knew the other party couldn’t hear him, he maintained contact with Earth. “We are conducting a final check.”

After they completed all the checks, a click sounded, the sound of the lunar module separating from the command module.

Yes, the Soviet Union also used the same technological approach as the Apollo moon landing.

Landing is the most dangerous part of the entire mission.

Gorshkov was in charge of piloting the lunar module.

The screen displays a live view of the lunar surface, filled with various craters and boulders.

"Five meters per second descent speed," Gorshkov said calmly. "At an altitude of 500 meters, with 40% fuel remaining."

The tense period has passed.

On Earth, people in the socialist camp held their breath in front of their televisions.

Although we cannot see live footage from the moon.

However, the official Soviet television station produced simulation animations, as well as narration by news anchors, to tell the public where we were at in the process.

The public can see the animation of the lunar module slowly descending, like a giant metal spider searching for a landing site on the lunar surface.

When the lunar module was only a few dozen meters away from the lunar surface, a powerful thrust lifted it steadily.

Sweat beaded on Gorshkov's face, but he remained calm.

"Five, four, three, two, one, touch the ground!"

When the lunar module's tripod touched the lunar surface, the entire module shook.

"Dear viewers at home! We did it! Our Luna spacecraft has successfully landed in the Sea of ​​Tranquility, and our astronauts are now on the moon! This is a great victory for the Soviet Union, and it is also a great victory for you."

It is thanks to the hard work and tireless efforts of everyone watching on television that we have achieved this!

In front of their televisions, the Soviet Russian people erupted in thunderous cheers.

They knew they had succeeded.

Soviet cosmonauts were the first to set foot on the moon, America followed suit, and now the Soviet Union has done it again.

The space race is not over yet!
What the Soviets were thinking.

A Moonwalk: One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for the Soviet Union
After the lunar module came to a stop, Leonov began to put on his spacesuit.

It took him a long time to complete all the preparations. When he opened the hatch and stepped onto the lunar surface, his face was filled with indescribable excitement.

The live broadcast signal has been tested and astronauts in huge spacesuits appeared on the television screen.

The scene at this moment is not animation, but live-action.

Leonov took a deep breath and then slowly walked down the gangway.

As his feet touched the lunar surface, he wondered if Gagarin had felt the same way when he stepped onto the moon, or if he had been even more excited.
He spoke in his native language to television sets around the world: "Soviet Russia is back!"

Unlike American astronauts, he didn't say it was a giant leap for mankind.

Instead, they used the phrase "Soviet Russia is back" to remind people around the world that the first people to set foot on the moon were Soviet Russians!
In Moscow, Yuri trembled with excitement. He raised his glass high and shouted, "Long live Soviet Russia! We are invincible!"

Andrei looked at him, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Just a few days ago, they were secretly watching "V for Vendetta" and discussing the darkness and injustice of this country.

Now, Yuri, like a most loyal citizen, cheers for the glory of his country.

Andrei knew that this was not Yuri's hypocrisy, but a true reflection of his inner self.

Instead, he saw hope, a powerful Soviet Union capable of overcoming all obstacles.

This hope dispelled all the shadows in his heart.

Andrei also raised his glass, his voice a little hoarse but equally passionate: "Long live Soviet Russia!"

The Kremlin created the wind they wanted.

One hour after the Luna lunar module successfully touched the moon, Moscow.

Leonard, the usually expressionless Soviet official, showed a rare smile in front of the television cameras.

Behind him was a huge world map, with red control zones flashing on it.

"Dear comrades!" His voice was slightly hoarse with excitement, "Today, we proudly announce to the world that our astronauts have successfully set foot on the moon again! They have proven with their actions that true victory belongs to the most powerful nation and the most advanced society!"
America may be ahead for a while, but they can't stay ahead forever. We'll catch up sooner or later! Because we are invincible!

“We don’t fight for momentary fame,” Leonard continued. “We fight for the future of humanity.”

While American astronauts planted a flag on the moon, our comrades were striving for the scientific progress of all mankind! This was a victory for Soviet Russia, and a victory for socialism!

His speech was repeatedly broadcast by official media, becoming the best footnote to commemorating the centenary of Vladimir's birth.

At the same time, this event was also of great significance to Leonard, because Nikita's moon landing was achieved with America's help, while the moon landing during his tenure was accomplished independently by the Soviet Union.

Although this independence should be put in quotation marks, it cannot be separated from China's help.

However, in the Soviet propaganda machine, this was of course attributed to the Soviet Union.

The contributions of China are completely invisible.

Wang Xiji was the chief engineer in the later stages of N-1, but he will not appear in the publicity.

Even within the Russian space agency, only a few engineers knew that this was a contribution from China.

The day after the Soviet cosmonauts' successful moon landing, Pravda published an editorial on its front page entitled "A Declaration of Victory from the Moon" with unprecedented solemnity and pride.

The editorial did not use any fancy language.

It declared that the Soviet moon landing was not only a technological victory, but also a victory of its systemic superiority.

"Our comrades represent the progress of all mankind."

They represent a great system that can unite the wisdom and strength of tens of millions of people towards a single goal.

The editorial emphasized that this victory was a victory for the planned economy, a victory for collectivism, and a victory for Vladimir's scientific theory.

It attempts to transform this victory into powerful political capital to solidify Leonard's political legitimacy.

If Pravda's editorials are full of political seriousness, then Komsomolskaya Pravda's reports are more humane, hoping to create new space heroes and inspire patriotism among young people.

Komsomolskaya Pravda is a newspaper that leans towards young people.

The newspaper devoted an entire page to a detailed report on cosmonauts Alexei Leonov and Viktor Gorshkov.

Their photos were enlarged to take up half the page, their faces radiating confidence and pride.

The article details how the astronauts overcame numerous difficulties and ultimately succeeded in landing on the moon.

It portrayed them as fearless heroes and role models for young people in Soviet Russia.

“Every step they take is at the forefront of humanity,” the report wrote. “They have proven with their actions that nothing is impossible as long as one has faith and loyalty.”

The public will be disgusted by purely political language.

The more effective form of publicity is to project the achievements of spaceflight onto specific astronauts.

Especially in allied countries.

A large part of your technology comes from Eastern Europe. When you talk about space achievements, the intellectuals in Prague will helplessly remark: "The Soviet Union landed on the moon, but we can't even build a decent car."

Through the division of labor system dominated by the Warsaw Pact and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, the Soviet Union made these Eastern European countries merely auxiliary to Soviet technology, bringing their industrial and technological development onto the development track desired by the Soviet Union and making them appendages of the Soviet economic system.

This reflects the long-standing frustration and dissatisfaction of Eastern European countries towards Soviet Russia.

Czechoslovakia resisted, but the resistance was in vain.

They were proud of the Soviet victory, but at the same time saddened by the backwardness of their own country.

Soviet Russia could go to space and to the moon, but they couldn't do anything.

However, focusing on the publicity of space heroes is effective; people will at least feel an emotional connection to the fact that the same blonde-haired, blue-eyed Slavs went to the moon.

At least this kind of publicity is positive.

The newspaper also published numerous letters from ordinary citizens, all expressing their admiration for the astronauts and their love for their country.

On television and radio, the Soviet Union's official media went all out.

Television programs repeatedly broadcast footage of astronauts on the moon, and although the images were blurry and full of static, this did not diminish people's excitement in the slightest.

The space station helped America build its space performance record, and the Soviet Union's return to the moon similarly helped them build their performance record in the space and technology fields.

The radio station broadcast a large number of documentaries and songs praising the great achievements of Soviet Russia over the past century.

In short, Soviet Russia combined the moon landing with a specific timeframe, turning it into a near-perfect political propaganda tool.

It successfully diverted public attention from domestic economic difficulties and political conflicts, immersing them in national glory.

(End of this chapter)