Chapter 817 Start Lobbying 2
Armed with detailed data and speeches compiled for them by Edelman, the two U.S. auto industry tycoons came to the Pentagon. The Ministry of Defense may not pay that much attention to MacDonald, but the arrival of Henry Ford II still needs to be given enough respect.
Assistant to the Secretary of Defense and Director of the Munitions Procurement Division, General Ian Wright, personally came outside to greet him. It can be said that the specifications are sufficient.
After a few people exchanged pleasantries, Lieutenant General Ian Wright took them to the office of Defense Minister Casper Weinberger.
Casper Weinberg, known as the Cold War Warrior, is very different from other defense secretaries. This old boy can be said to be versatile in both civil and military affairs.
Casper Weinberg was born during the time when the United States entered World War I. His entire later childhood was accompanied by memories of Herbert Hoover’s presidential campaign and the Great Depression. Weinberg is undoubtedly among the greatest in American history. generation.
During World War II, Weinberg served under General MacArthur in the Pacific Theater. He moved into California, eventually becoming a senior staffer to Governor Ronald Reagan. He was nicknamed the "Razor" for drastically cutting government budgets in his early years as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the "Long Dipper" for presiding over the largest expansion of U.S. military spending in peacetime. Scattering money everywhere indiscriminately?
He advocated that the U.S. military should continue to expand its military strength, but he also firmly opposed the abuse of force. He opposed the sale of weapons to Iran, but was eventually humiliated by the Reagan administration's "Iran-Contra" scandal. After retiring from politics, Weinberg joined Forbes magazine and served as publisher and chairman.
This is a miracle in the history of world military affairs, which shows that he is definitely a legend.
One of the reasons why Old Edelman dared to take this business was precisely because the Secretary of Defense was definitely a spender. At this time, the Cold War was at its most intense, so he couldn't help but save money.
Seeing Henry Ford II come in, Casper Weinberg didn't dare to be too proud. He quickly stood up and said: "Two leaders of Ford and General Motors, everyone is here and welcome."
Although he is the Secretary of Defense, he belongs to the most powerful people in the United States. But in front of Henry Ford II, he still had to keep a low profile.
As a lawyer, she understands the power of these top families better than ordinary people. After becoming the Secretary of Defense, she knows better who the American political arena is serving.
The Ford family has been developing in the United States for nearly a hundred years, although there are still certain differences compared with the Rockefeller and Morgan families. But compared to ordinary people, he has absolute authority. Not to mention he is the Minister of Defense, even the President should give him three points.
When you are in office, people may give you face. But what happens once their term ends? They are no different from ordinary people. But the Ford family will still be the Ford family, even if hundreds of years pass. As long as there is no prodigal son in the family, it may still exist.
After a few people sat down, MacDonald looked at Henry Ford II. The meaning is obvious. You, old man, have to speak first, otherwise we won't be able to say anything.
Seeing everyone's attitude, Henry Ford II was very happy. After all, this is a kind of respect for him and recognition of the Ford family.
Henry Ford II: "Your Excellency the Secretary of Defense is so kind. It is also an honor for us to be invited to the Pentagon this time. It is the obligation of every citizen to be able to make due contributions to the United States. Ford Motor Company and even Ford as a whole The family will definitely be obliged to do so."
This is the ability of top public relations companies. They are obviously looking for business with the Ministry of National Defense. But to be able to do it, the military must need the cooperation and assistance of the two companies, which can be said to be very shameless.
However, it also shows his ability from the side, which I have to admit.
As a lawyer, Casper Weinberg certainly knew what Ford II meant, and he was very familiar with this word game. I wasn't angry because everyone's interests were the same. As long as you remember this, nothing will be a problem.
Casper Weinberg: "Now the Soviet Union has exerted great military pressure on the United States, and the country's strategic transportation capabilities have been lagging behind."
"The Soviet army is already stronger than ours, which is very dangerous. The United States must make changes and cannot let the Soviets have even the slightest advantage."
"Inviting the two of us here this time is also to discuss how the United States should respond. At this time, most of the military vehicles of the US military were produced during the Vietnam War, and their performance has completely lagged behind."
"Moreover, most of the vehicles we purchased were Jeep brand vehicles, and now it seems that safety cannot be guaranteed. After all, once the Jeep brand leaks the performance of military vehicles, we will be very passive on the battlefield in the future. Although Heiyun Group is not so bold, But don’t be afraid of 10,000, just be afraid of the unexpected. To nip in the cradle any signs that are not conducive to the US military, we must take precautions before they happen.”
What Casper Weinberg said was so high-sounding that it was hard to find fault with it. If he didn't know what was going on, he would definitely be deceived.
Macdonald knew he had to speak. After all, this military purchase was mainly based on General Motors. Henry Ford II cannot be allowed to steal the limelight, as that would be detrimental to order distribution. Although there is an agreement, what if Henry Ford II does not want to fulfill it.
This is a business involving tens of billions of dollars, and no one can remain indifferent.
MacDonald: "Being able to serve the United States is a great honor for every citizen. Providing soldiers with the most superior performance vehicles has always been GM's constant pursuit of goals."
"In order to allow soldiers to drive the most advanced vehicles in the world, General Motors has been preparing for five years. The military has also personally verified that the Hummer military vehicle is definitely the most superior comprehensive performance in the world."
When they heard that they started to talk about their cars, everyone at the scene knew that this was about to get down to business. After all, the previous foreshadowing was enough, but now it seems a bit fake.
From the perspective of Henry Ford II, MacDonald did not want Ford to take advantage. Worrying that it would overpower him made Ford the leader in purchasing vehicles for the military.
As an automobile company with a history of nearly a hundred years, how could it be possible to break the contract just for the sake of profits? But the fact that this kid can think this way proves that GM must have done similar things, otherwise why would it worry about others. It seems that when dealing with General Motors, you still need to be more careful. If you are not careful, you may be plotted by the other party.
Macdonald did not expect that one of his unintentional actions would cause Ford II to misunderstand him; it would also pave the way for the subsequent breakdown of cooperation.
Casper Weinberg said with a smile: "I have some absolute confidence in the technical strength and reliability of General Motors and Ford. Especially when the two companies come together. Combining the products produced by the two top American automakers This military vehicle will definitely amaze the whole world.”
"At this time, everyone can imagine the scene of the world's best soldiers, equipped with the world's best vehicles, galloping on the plains of Eastern Europe."
Although this is just a good wish, it can also give people unlimited associations.
Seeing that everyone had come to their senses, Casper Weinberg continued: "If you want to replace all military vehicles, you must use the waste of existing military vehicles. The plan you submitted can be very high-performance. This matter was led by Ian -General Wright is solely responsible."
The two of you must prepare a performance description of the vehicle in advance, as well as a quotation for a single unit. Although it is the comprehensive strength of the powerful United States, I still hope that the price will not be too high. The Department of Defense is not a wealthy unit.
After saying that, everyone at the scene laughed, and it could be said that they understood each other tacitly.
When he heard that he was asked to be responsible for contacting Heiyun Group and Bao Zixuan, Ian Wright didn't say anything. In his opinion, these people are really shameless. Not only did Heiyun Motors fail to get orders from the Ministry of National Defense, but they also had to buy back the cars they had previously sold. Although the Jeep brand already belongs to Bao Zixuan, he didn't make a penny from the cars he sold to the US military.
It's old now and its performance is outdated. Only then did I think of how to speak. However, it is the duty of a soldier to obey orders, and he must carry out the orders of the Minister of Defense.
More importantly, Ian Wright also saw huge benefits. Whether it is the procurement of new military vehicles or the disposal of old vehicles. These can all be operated properly. I heard that the Soviets made a lot of money from them when dealing with the equipment.
Now that the opportunity is right in front of you, you can't let it go. Although I had unsuccessfully negotiated with Bao Zixuan several times before, that didn't mean anything. This time I was dealing with items, and with Bao Zixuan's connections, it wouldn't be too difficult to sell them. It depends on what this young man thinks, no one can guess at this time.