Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 1432: Open a Skylight in the Iron Curtain (Third update, please subscribe)
"This is where we drive a wedge into Europe!"

Looking at Hungary in the twilight, Li Yian, who was slightly drunk, said in a relaxed tone:
“By penetrating Hungary, we can penetrate the entire Eastern Bloc.”

As he spoke, he walked to the sofa and sat down. He did drink two more glasses at today's banquet. Those Hungarians were really too enthusiastic. They were thanking him for the assistance in their own way.

"That's right, sir. According to our data, last year alone, the total trade volume between Hungary and us exceeded 7 million yuan, of which 70% was re-exported to Eastern European countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Romania, and Bulgaria."

After pouring a cup of hot tea for you, Robert said:
"By importing our goods and re-exporting them to Eastern European countries, Hungary can earn more than 1 million yuan in profits every year, which has greatly prospered their economy."

This kind of re-export trade is a characteristic of Eastern European countries. Due to the restrictions of Big Brother, a lot of trade can only be conducted within the CMEA. However, the goods produced by neither Big Brother nor Eastern European countries can meet their production and living needs. Even so, they can only be forced to accept it.

Therefore, Hungary, which enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy under CMEA, became the "gap". It could directly import Western goods, and then export them to Eastern European countries and even to the Soviet Union under the framework of CMEA, because this "internal trade" was not subject to import quota restrictions.

Hungary thus plays the role of a "transshipment" and every year a large number of goods enter the Eastern European market through it, while mineral resources and other commodities produced by Eastern European countries are also sold to the West through it.

In this process, Hungary made considerable profits, which even improved people's lives and made Nagy's reforms gain more support.

“It’s not just about profit.”

After drinking a sip of tea, Li Yian said:

"The Iron Curtain is called the Iron Curtain because it is airtight, but here..."

Pointing out the window, Li Yian looked into the distance:
"This is a breakthrough in tearing open the Iron Curtain. Hungary has gone a long way on the road of reform. Their new economic system has broken through many restrictions in industry and agriculture. It even allows the emergence of private economy. For Eastern European countries, this..."

What is here?
It was the starting point of the changes in Eastern Europe. In history, except for Hungary, other Eastern European socialist countries also carried out different forms of reforms, but they were not very effective. In the past few years, Czechoslovakia's reforms, which tried to break free from Soviet control, were also suppressed by the Soviet Union. Because of its short duration, it is also called the "Prague Spring."

What now?
Budapest went further, and unlike Prague, the Soviet Union was powerless to do anything about it.

"This is the source of change. As Hungary's economy and people's lives improve, Eastern European countries will inevitably follow its example. At that time, the Soviet Union may have to face a problem—"

When he put down the teacup, Li Yian smiled and said:
"Should we allow Eastern European countries to get rid of the Soviet model, or should we directly interrupt it all!"

"Can you interrupt?"

Robert asked.

"The general trend of the world is that those who follow it will prosper, and those who go against it will perish!"

Li Yian sneered:

"They can interrupt it temporarily, but they can't stop the general trend. Even if they use force, the changes in Eastern Europe will continue. It's just a matter of speed. But one thing is certain: the more force they exert, the greater the opposition will be..."

This is the so-called "Eastern European paradox" during the Cold War - if Moscow does not strengthen its control, Eastern Europe will break away from the East and flee to the West; if the Soviet Union strengthens its control, Eastern European countries will become alienated.

Therefore, throughout the Cold War, the biggest problem for Moscow was never how to confront the United States, but how to ensure that Eastern European countries continued to be under Moscow's accusations and that Warsaw did not collapse.

"In the end, the power to resist Moscow will devour everything..."

By that time, Eastern Europe will have undergone drastic changes!

After listening to your analysis, Robert thought for a moment and then said:
"Sir, if this is the case, Moscow will most likely use force to stop it. After all, in their minds, force is the best way to solve all problems!"

"Indeed, but not here!"

Li Yian shook his head and said:

"A few years ago, an agreement was reached in Moscow and the Hungarian problem was solved. Perhaps in a few years, their biggest regret will be keeping Hungary in their camp."

"Sir, why is this?"

Looking at the twilight outside the window, Li Yian said:
"Because they are bleeding continuously, from here..."

Bleeding from here?

But at this moment, no one has realized this problem. In order to repair the relationship with Budapest and make up for the impact of sending troops, Moscow has even given priority to the high-speed rail to Budapest and built it by providing loans. Last year, when the high-speed rail from Kiev to Budapest was opened to traffic, He Dayumi even personally presided over the opening ceremony of the high-speed rail.

"This is a symbol of unbreakable brotherly friendship!"

From that day on, the ES250 EMU with a speed of up to 250 kilometers per hour began to run on the land of Hungary. Although it was nicknamed "High Railway Technology", the Soviet Union's high-speed rail technology originated from NY, but they also made targeted improvements to it. In addition to using a 1520 mm wide track gauge, it can also withstand a low temperature environment of -40°C.

For the top leaders, this high-speed railway is a symbol of friendship and a product of politics, but its appearance has greatly facilitated the lives of many ordinary people.

Just like now, like many Ukrainians, Liliana only needs to buy a ticket to go to Budapest.

Although it is very difficult to apply for a passport in the Soviet Union, and you need to go through many examinations, it is very easy to travel to Eastern European countries. You don’t even need to apply for a passport separately. You only need to carry an internal passport. The so-called "internal passport" is a passport issued between the republics.

For this reason, for many Soviet people, going to Eastern European countries is the only opportunity to go abroad in their lifetime.

Liliana also wanted to travel abroad, so just after her 22nd birthday, she went to the Hungarian Consulate in Kiev to apply for a visa and easily obtained a travel visa.

With a visa, she only needed a ticket to take the high-speed train to Budapest. Just like now, after several hours of traveling on the train, she finally entered another country.

"Hungary……"

Looking at the strange country outside the window, Liliana's heart was full of expectations. What she was looking forward to was not this country, nor the dazzling array of foreign goods in the department stores here.

Instead, enter another country through Hungary.

We left the train station and took a taxi to the representative office. Unlike the representative office in Moscow, which was crowded with KGB personnel, there was a long queue outside the representative office in Budapest. Among them were not only Hungarians, but also East Germans, Poles, Romanians, and of course Soviets.

They come here because it is the easiest way for them to leave for the Western world, as long as they have a passport, they can come to Budapest and then get a visa to NY from here.

Because of this convenience, tens of thousands of people have traveled abroad in this roundabout way every year in the past few years. Among them, there are engineers, scholars, and of course some ordinary people, Liliana is one of them.

Any chance of getting a visa?

Liliana, who was standing in the queue, didn't know, but like many others, she was wearing a mask and sunglasses. Even if she didn't get a visa, there was no need to worry, because for the Ministry of the Interior, she just went to Hungary for a trip and had no intention of fleeing.

And so, I waited in line for almost two hours.

Liliana finally met the interviewer. As soon as they met, the interviewer took a look at his passport and didn't care at all that it was a "Ukrainian passport". Instead, he asked directly:

"Why did you leave there?"

"I want to go abroad to have a look. I graduated from the Department of Mathematics of Kyiv University. I believe that my personal abilities can be better developed here."

From some friends, Liliana knew how to get a visa - she had to prove her ability, so she brought not only her university diploma, but also some award certificates, all of which were certificates for her participation in Soviet national mathematics competitions.

The interviewer looked at her certificate, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and a smile appeared on his face.

Mathematics is definitely the Soviet Union's advantageous subject, and it is not limited to advanced mathematics. Even the interview officers know that the Mathematical Olympiad that has been popular in China in the past two years was influenced by the Soviet Union. Many of the world's extremely difficult Mathematical Olympiad problems come from combinatorial mathematics problems in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, where many Mathematical Olympiad teachers are from the Soviet Union.

In the West, mathematics has always been considered a weak subject for girls. But in the Soviet Union, mathematics is a popular course for girls. Girls there are more interested in mathematics than in other European and American countries, and even more so in other fields. As early as a few years ago, 40% of Soviet chemical doctorates were women. In comparison, in Western countries, the number is even in the single digit.

After briefly looking through the other party's information and learning that Liliana not only spoke German, but also English and French, the interviewer had a brief conversation with her in English and French, and then readily issued the visa.

Everything went smoothly. After Liliana left happily, the next person was still a woman in a skirt.

Compared with men, it is easier for women to get visas here, especially women with higher education. They are more likely to get visas not only because they are women, but also because, from a genetic point of view, the IQ of the mother has a great influence on the IQ of the child.

So, basically, any woman who has received higher education can easily obtain a visa.

The long queues outside the representative office, to a certain extent, is actually a kind of slow bleeding - talents from the Soviet bloc are continuously flowing out of the country, and excellent intellectual resources are flowing into another country.

(End of this chapter)