The United States' massive military buildup seemed to have sent a signal to the other nations. One after another, they too began expanding their armaments. For a time, the international situation became extraordinarily tense.
Moscow, Kremlin. Joseph was meeting with People's Commissar of Defense Voroshilov and People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Litvinov.
"Comrade Joseph, according to reports from our mission in the United States, the US government has begun borrowing heavily to expand its armaments. Vast numbers of government and military orders have brought many factories on the brink of bankruptcy back to life. American industry has once again begun developing at a rapid pace. It is expected that they will soon emerge from the economic crisis," Litvinov said.
"The Americans must be pouring a great deal of money into this, no? After being dealt such a severe blow by the economic crisis, can they still come up with that much money?" Joseph asked. He was no fool. If the Americans intended to spur economic growth through military expansion, they had to be willing to invest heavily. If they invested too little, it would be completely useless.
"Yes, Comrade Joseph. The Americans' investment this time is enormous. One could say that they are already buried under a mountain of debt. If the US government were viewed as a company, then it would already be insolvent and could declare bankruptcy," Litvinov said.
"Aren't the Americans worried that their fiscal pressure will become unbearable and cause a complete collapse?" Voroshilov asked.
"The Americans are clearly preparing for war. If they cannot hold on when the time comes, they will certainly find every possible way to ignite one. Once war breaks out, attention within their country will be diverted. At that point, those debts will not be a problem at all." Joseph's expression