Text Chapter 29 The First Step

Just as the White House was gradually shrouded in conspiracy, the Kremlin seemed calm. Yanayev, who returned home after resolving the Baltic crisis with a tough attitude, was cheered by the people. The vast majority of Soviet people did not want the member states to separate from the unified Soviet Union, so Yanayev, who successfully prevented the division of the three Baltic countries, undoubtedly became a hero in the hearts of the people. Although the domestic economic situation was as bad as before, this good news still gave a shot in the arm to the people who were shrouded in negative emotions.

When Yanayev got off the plane, the Soviet authorities specially arranged a grand welcome ceremony. The young man with a red scarf presented him with a wreath, which made Yanayev have the illusion that he was a patriotic hero who returned from Berlin in 1945. For this reason, Yanayev also held a special speech, specially chosen on a gloomy day with drizzling rain, and used an impassioned speech to describe the crisis of the meeting for so many days, rendering a tragic and gloomy atmosphere among the Moscow citizens who came with umbrellas.

"After resolving this crisis, we will still face many difficulties in the future, just as the thorns on the road to communism are daunting. Many people do not understand our ideals and beliefs, and many people no longer support our goals in disappointment. The proletariat has been enslaved for centuries, but now many people want to go back and continue to sleep in ignorance. Then I am willing to be the first warrior to break the blockade of darkness and move towards the light. Even if the capitalists sneer and ridicule, even if the enemy's knife is against my spine, even if the road ahead is full of traps, to those great communist fighters who are also sleeping in Berlin and the Far East, the motherland has not forgotten you."

Thunderous applause drowned out Yanaev's speech. He bowed affectionately to the people in the audience and waited until the applause ended before he straightened his back and said slowly, "And the great Soviet people, thank you."

When the applause rang again, it lasted for a long time. Many people clapped their hands red and many people had tears in their eyes. This tough leader made them reach out from the heart and restore a little goodwill towards communism. Of course, those intellectuals would only scornfully call Yanaev's actions a boring show. In their eyes, only the speeches of leaders of democratic countries are touching and true. The ban on newspapers has not yet ended, and these people can only count the time and wait for the end of martial law in two months.

Yanaev was very popular on the podium, but Director Plekhanov was worried. Few of the leaders he had met gave speeches as unorthodox as Yanaev. In the past, the public actors were usually carefully selected, and then the president gave speeches in places where the KGB could fully control the situation. But Yanaev chose the most spacious Red Square, without any hiding places. As long as one person hid behind a window and pulled the trigger, the top leader of the Soviet Union would surely die.

Of course, Plekhanov would not understand how important it was to be loved by the people. The prestige that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union had accumulated with great difficulty during the October Revolution was slowly squandered by successive governments after Lenin's death. It became a socialist country ruled by a huge bureaucratic system.

"The speech was wonderful, Mr. President." Putin handed Yanaev an umbrella and a towel as soon as he came down from the stage. In order to increase the sensational effect, Yanaev was in close contact with the people of Moscow in the rain.

"Thank you, but I have to say that the rain in August is also quite cold when it pours on your body." Yanaev wiped the rain off his face, handed the towel back to Putin, and asked, "Is there any movement in the Kremlin?"

The movement Yanaev mentioned refers to the new plan to save the economy that Ryzhkov has been concentrating on studying these days. Since the August 19th coup, it is now a period when the conservative forces in the Soviet Union are growing larger and larger, so there are some things Yanaev cannot say clearly. One day, those conservatives will be swept away by a correct and great path just like the radicals.

Putin looked around and confirmed that no one could hear their conversation before whispering, "Minister Ryzhkov hopes you can go to his office. He is said to have an important document to discuss with you."

Yanayev nodded, opened his umbrella and walked out of the temporary shed built for the speech. He stood on the Red Square in the wind and rain and said to Putin, "Prepare a car and go to Ryzhkov's office now."

After that, he added, "Moscow is like this damn rainy weather. When will it really clear up?"

Ryzhkov was surprised to see President Yanaev appear outside his office wet, especially his embarrassed appearance with water dripping from the ends of his hair. He thought the president had encountered some emergency. He quickly took out a towel from the bathroom and handed it to Yanaev, but the other party pushed it away and said directly, "I heard that you have an important document to discuss with me?"

"Oh, yes." Ryzhkov, who had just woken up from a dream, quickly picked up a thick document from the table and handed it to Yanaev, "This is a more feasible plan that I came up with after analysis and investigation in the past few days. I referred to Lenin's New Economic Policy and the reform plans of other countries, and combined with the specific conditions of my country to come up with a reliable plan."

"Thank you for your hard work, Comrade Ryzhkov." Yanaev opened Ryzhkov's document, and the other party explained every policy in it in detail.

"We will first liberalize the prices of some commodities that are closely related to people's lives and try to market them. For example, grains such as potatoes and wheat are controlled and adjusted by the market itself. But judging from the problems that have arisen in previous economic market reforms in other countries , Too rapid marketization will lead to hyperinflation of currency. Therefore, state-owned stores must also do a good job in selling goods at low prices and even introduce supporting laws and regulations. Anyone who hoards and drives up prices will be punished. A few years in prison.”

"Immediately sentenced to death," Yanayev said. Historically, Yeltsin's direct liberalization of commodity prices led to repeated reselling of goods by state-owned enterprises and private partnerships, resulting in malicious inflation of the currency. So Yanayev was more direct and used 7.62-caliber bullets to silence them.

Hearing Yanayev's understatement of the death penalty, Ryzhkov's heart skipped a beat. He advised, "Wait a minute, General Secretary. It's just driving up prices. There's no need to impose the death penalty, right? Isn't this too much?" Is it harsh?"

"In an era of turmoil, it is just as ridiculous to argue for democracy and freedom with those lawless people. Only strict laws will allow those who take risks with a lucky attitude to control their hands." Yanayev told Ryzhkov talked about his philosophy of governing the country and vividly applied the policy of "using heavy codes in troubled times". He also knew in his heart that if strict laws were not implemented, Soviet society would collapse in a worse direction.

"In fact, a government-wide meeting was required to announce a ban on any official's relatives participating in buying and selling activities. Once an immediate family member is found to have violated the rules, the official will be removed from office." If it was a troubled time before, now Yanayev is right. Officials are relentless.

He is the supreme leader who controls the machine of violence. He does not need to compromise with any official who is corrupt and bends the law. Anyone who dares to stand in the way of his goal of building the rule of law will be completely crushed by the gears of the machine of violence.

Ryzhkov heard something uneasy in Yanayev's words. He secretly thought, "Is the General Secretary planning to attack the huge bureaucracy? Will this be another Stalin-style political purge?" ?”

Ryzhkov's thoughts were closely aligned with Yanayev's plans. He had initially taken control of the army. The next thing he had to do was to abolish the huge and bloated imperial bureaucracy, especially those of Gore. A guy promoted by Bachov who advocates Western democracy and freedom. These moths that have parasitized on the red regime and sucked blood for several years, it’s time to send you to meet God.