It's still too early in the current era, bringing out something too advanced wouldn't do, but there are things that the current technology can keep up with, and compared horizontally, they're quite impressive.
For example, the 98K rifle, which appeared ten years earlier than historically, as well as the M24 grenade, also appeared ten years earlier. To say they could be used in WWII, there's absolutely no problem, they were originally products of WWII.
As for the Springfield rifle originally equipped by US soldiers, the .30 caliber bullet, although also a 7.62mm caliber, lacked versatility. The bullet was too short, and the loading powder was insufficient, resulting in inadequate chamber pressure. Su Ming plans to take on the defense orders during WWII, and could even license other factories to produce under a permit, so to establish a standard for future rifle families, he only needs two types of rifle bullets: the 7.62mm NATO standard bullet and the 5.56mm NATO standard bullet.
Cartridges like .233, 2mm, are still more suitable for hunting rifles.
These designs are relatively simple, and Su Ming can explain the principles clearly. He just needs to draw up the blueprints and let the military factory designers test several times.
As for whether other caliber weapons would come out to compete? Su Ming is not worried. As long as he can present the AK47 and M16 in the future, no weapon would be able to compete against them.
Of course, the other acquired factories have their roles as well. The chemical plant is set to research chemical fibers, striving to climb to nylon technology as soon as possible.
Su Ming only roughly knows that it was discovered by a Professor Carothers, first released in 1938. This is no issue, let Gin find people, waving checks to recruit talent will suffice.
As long as the talents are willing to come, salaries can be doubled, the position of chief engineer in the factory, the most advanced research environment, everything can be provided.
Nylon is one of the most widely used chemical materials for military purposes, capable of making ropes, parachutes, and various gear.
During WWII, apart from cotton military uniforms, everything else on US soldiers was made of nylon. This was a gold mine; even in the peaceful times to come, nylon could still be used to make essentials like stockings.
Shipyards need to reserve technology and attract talent, aiming to launch at least a 30,000-ton-class cargo ship before 1941. Such a vessel can be converted into an aircraft carrier during wartime, and if converted, with a bit more effort, can be manufactured. By then, with multiple slipways operating simultaneously, naval budgets will flow into Su Ming's pockets.
The aircraft manufacturing plant can already make money now. Although aircraft from WWI are outdated, just adding metal skins and repackaging them, converting cargo planes into passenger planes, can be taken to the Middle East to trade for oil with kings and chieftains. A local airline can also be gradually developed here at home.
The main focus is engine technology. With engine technology, fighter jets and bombers can be easily developed. As long as Su Ming can sketch out the appearances of those famous models and describe some aerodynamic principles he knows, experts can backtrack to real objects.
The tractor factory should be halted immediately, transitioning to tank research. Buy some scraps from WWI from the United Kingdom to study design concepts, then Su Ming can draw the pictures and let them modify later tanks. With those protective abilities and firepower, soldiers will undoubtedly appreciate it, at least far better than the future Sherman tanks.
Lastly are those acquired ranches and farms. During WWII, US soldiers won over Germany drinking cola and eating canned food and chocolate.
Canned goods put too much pressure on logistics. Su Ming has a better idea: directly establish a large factory, using materials from his own farms to produce compressed biscuits, eat a piece when hungry, and drink a bottle of fizzy drink—all this might make soldiers too full to handle.
They would print this eating method on the packaging as a recommended use.
If they want to change the taste, they can try dehydrated vegetables and beef jerky. Anyway, canned goods are too heavy, nowhere near as convenient as Su Ming's method.
The overall arrangement is like this, this is the first batch of products prepared for future wars, and better ones can continue to be rolled out later until the group can research independently, freeing Su Ming to do his own things.
As for the tender before military procurement, Su Ming is not worried. When WWII comes, the United Kingdom won't have much choice.
The UK's production capacity won't keep up with consumption; historically, they relied on US support, and during WWII, Su Ming is sure to make a profit off them first.
By the time the US joins the war at the end of 1941, Su Ming's weapons will have already proven effective on the battlefield. Then, with a few strikes of financial aggression, the military generals will surely comply seamlessly.
..................
A month later, during the hardest times, Su Ming held a large recruitment drive in New York, causing a sensation in the shadows.
After all, the president's efforts to save the market had failed. Companies were laying off or bankrupt, while Su Ming went the opposite way, expanding capacity during this time. For a moment, those in the know in New York saw it as a lifeline.
And these insiders were mostly consumers of the Skywalker brand of beverages, giving them a unique sense of pride.
The products they've supported all these years lent a helping hand during their difficult times, moving many to tears.
At this time, by Hudson's dock, two middle-aged men were secretly drinking. They were neighbors and good friends, hiding their alcohol in their lunch baskets, bringing it to the place they used to work.
This was where Su Ming first arrived in the United States, once a bustling port, but now there were no ships passing through. The Great Depression made everything seem to stagnate.
Hiding in a wind-sheltered spot by the dock, they could only see the back of the Statue of Liberty far away, ignoring them.
This winter didn't see any snow, but the cold air by the sea kept seeping through their clothes, making them rub their hands and exhale warm breaths from time to time.
They couldn't sit down; they were too hungry. Sitting down might mean they couldn't get up again in the cold winter.
A flock of seagulls circled above their heads, continuously making crow-like sounds, as if they would dive down to eat their bodies the next moment. Quite a few people had jumped into the sea to end their lives recently, prompting seabirds to change their diet.
But they weren't there to seek death together.
They were originally just workers and didn't trade stocks, unable to understand the complex number games, so they didn't suffer any direct losses.
However, the Great Depression still affected them because both were dock workers, one was a piece-rate statistician, and the other was a dispatcher for vehicle scheduling.
Their boss was known to be the fattest among the first batch of people who jumped off buildings. It's said that his fat is still smeared on a window of the stock exchange's second floor, impossible to clean off.
Thus, both of them became unemployed.
Without income, the food at home barely lasted over a month and is running out. It is hard to secure grain because farmers didn't have money to hire workers for harvesting or picking, drivers didn't have the money to fill up their cars, disrupting the market's circulation link.
Seeing their wives and children at home suffering from hunger, they could only look for a way out in the city, but unfortunately, hitting walls everywhere, unable to find new jobs.
The black-haired man looked around, sneakily pulling out a bottle of golden liquor from the lunch basket, wiping the frost off the bottle's label caused by temperature differences.
He then pulled out another bottle, handing it to the blond man next to him, who looked much heavier hearted compared to him, or we could say less optimistic.
"Here, drink it quickly, warm up, or else I'll finish it all myself."
The black-haired man smiled, nudging him with his shoulder. Seeing his friend's heavy heart and not taking the drink, he opened both bottles, pressing one into the blond man's hand and took a large gulp himself.
The blond man could only shake his head helplessly at his friend's demeanor. After all, what else is there to do but drink?
He looked down at the bottle in his hand, the stylish label was yellow and black, depicting a small winged helmet, inspired by Hermes, the Messenger of Greek Mythology, said to walk in the sky, with unimaginable speed.
Skywalker brand, fortunately, after the stock market crash, Skywalker's liquor also dropped in price, otherwise, it wouldn't have been affordable.
The liquor factory must have stocked up on supplies in advance, but while other spirits raised prices, they dropped, it's indeed very generous.
But all that had nothing to do with him. The only thing he could do was exhale a breath, clink bottles with his friend in a makeshift toast, and take a sip.
Even though Skywalker's whiskey has maintained the same taste over the years, with excellent flavor and barrel aroma, he could only taste bitterness now, with the heavy burden on his heart preventing him from enjoying it in peace.
At that moment, the black-haired man next to him threw a stone to drive away the seagulls overhead, his face full of smiles as if he had good news.
"Last night, when Midnight Express delivered the liquor, they told me something good, want to hear it?"