After reprimanding his subordinates, Yosef's emotions settled somewhat. He returned to his desk, picked up his pipe, clenched it between his teeth, and drew in a deep breath.
"We cannot let the Imperialist countries laugh at the Soviet Union, especially the puppet government in western Ukraine. Once they discover the problems in eastern Ukraine, Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire may see our weakness."
"Before the Soviet Union's national defense industry has been established, we have no ability to contend with these Imperialist countries in the field of weapons and equipment."
"Even though Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are having a very difficult time because of the economic crisis, we must admit the enormous industrial gap between the Soviet Union and them."
The Soviet Union in this timeline faced far greater pressure than in its previous life. Germany in this timeline was unprecedentedly powerful, while the still-intact Austro-Hungarian Empire was not to be underestimated either.
Most importantly, these two top-ranked Imperialist great powers were both beside the Soviet Union, placing unprecedented pressure on its national defense.
Its shortcomings in industry and the military required time to remedy. Before then, the Soviet Union had to place even greater importance on internal stability and unity. Even if fiscal revenues fell this time, Yosef could not allow a major problem to emerge in eastern Ukraine.
Yet doing so would, in fact, affect Soviet industrialization to a certain extent. Reduced fiscal revenue would inevitably delay the completion of the First Five-Year Plan.
Yosef frowned, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and said to Rosenberg, the head of the Foreign Trade Committee, "This grain trade must be kept strictly confidential. It would be best to reduce the vigilance of countries like Britain, the United States, and East Africa as much as possible. At the same time, we