Dimensional Trader in Marvel

"Ah, Mr. Josh Kahn, the young talent of America! It's a pleasure to meet you. You are truly impressive. On behalf of the United States, I thank you for your contributions to our country and our military!" President Truman said warmly as he shook Josh's hand during the grand banquet.

As the new session approached, Truman, having just taken the presidential office, finally arrived in Weimar.

To welcome the president, Josh, acting as semi-host, went all out. He secured a luxurious local estate for Truman's temporary stay and spent a considerable sum to co-host a grand welcome banquet with European military leaders.

Truman was delighted.

It wasn't that he loved extravagance, but this gesture symbolized the recognition he was receiving from both part of the financial elite led by Josh and the European military.

After all, many believed that Truman had inherited the presidency by accident. At this stage, he needed validation from all sides.

What Josh did was exactly what Truman needed at that moment.

"Mr. President, you flatter me. It's simply my duty as a proud citizen of the United States," Josh replied with a polite smile.

For him, spending a little money to establish a good relationship with the new president was a worthwhile effort.

Besides, the expenses were covered by the Council's funds.

After all, everyone knows about entertainment budgets!

And using someone else's money to earn personal goodwill? That's always satisfying.

"I have already heard about the unfair treatment you received in France. Rest assured, we will see that justice is done. No country or individual can seize the assets of an American citizen without consequence!" Truman declared solemnly.

Josh didn't doubt Truman's words.

In history, Truman had indeed acted in this way, making sure that under new repayment plans with France, private debt took precedence over government debt. In a capitalist society, private money always comes first, while government money can wait.

Still, Josh couldn't help but scoff inwardly; Sure, other countries can't take American property, but the U.S. government has no problem confiscating the assets of other nations.

Josh also knew that Truman's promise was an easy favor to grant, since France already owed the U.S. government money.

What Truman didn't know was that Josh had his own plans for dealing with France, which included less-than-legitimate methods.

While France's mainland was out of reach, its vast colonial possessions—especially in Africa—were a different story.

African colonies like Algeria had significantly contributed to France's liberation. After the war, however, France treated these colonies poorly, much as it had treated the Knights Templar centuries earlier.

This presented Josh with many opportunities.

Speaking of Africa, Josh's thoughts turned to Wakanda.

Vibranium was a resource he found incredibly tempting, though the current global military powers seemed incapable of challenging Wakanda. Perhaps he could manipulate France and Britain into making the attempt?

"Thank you, Mr. President," Josh said sincerely, though his thoughts were in another direction.

"By the way, before I came to Germany, I proposed a new initiative to Congress. We plan to create a special Medal of Honor to recognize civilians who have made extraordinary contributions during the war. I believe no one deserves the first medal more than you, Mr. Kahn!" Truman announced.

"Of course, it would be an honor!" Josh replied, a little surprised but quickly realizing the significance of Truman's statement.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom—an award that would become commonplace—was Truman's creation.

At first, it was intended to honor those around the world who had contributed to the war effort, with countless recipients, including 80 members of the military.

But later, it became a routine practice, awarded annually to dozens of individuals. For ordinary citizens, it was a significant honor.

To Josh, however, the medal now seemed rather ordinary.

Still, being the recipient of the very first medal held a certain novelty.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Truman moved on to mingle with other guests, and Josh tactfully stepped back and let him take the stage.

The next day, the Weimar Conference officially began. The agenda closely mirrored the Potsdam Conference of Josh's previous world, but the attitudes of the nations involved had changed significantly.

In the original timeline, the U.S. had not yet embraced its role as a global superpower. Despite possessing nuclear weapons, it still made substantial compromises with Britain, France, and the Soviet Union, especially to solidify its influence in Europe, allowing Britain and France to gain considerable advantages.

But things were different now. Influenced by Josh and the conglomerates led by the Nine Council Member's, American elites had recognized the opportunity to dominate the world. They had put considerable pressure on Truman to take a firmer stand.

Moreover, with Austria as a strong ally in Europe whose capabilities hadn't been significantly weakened, Truman entered the conference with much greater confidence and surprised both the British and the Soviet Union with his firm approach.

The Soviets, confident in their own strengthened position, refused to back down.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed British Prime Minister Clement Attlee was far from a strong leader. Even with France's support, he was forced to retreat under American pressure.

As for Europe, the Soviets and the UK-France alliance sought to impose sanctions not only on Germany, but also on Austria.

The U.S. strongly opposed this.

For the Americans, Austria was the perfect ally—obedient to a fault. Although it still maintained its own military, its national defense was almost entirely available to the U.S., which found this arrangement highly beneficial.

A reliable ally like Austria was not something the U.S. would allow to be sanctioned—it would be like cutting off its own limb.

While the U.S. had little leverage over the Soviets, Britain was a different story. Truman subtly reminded them of their dependence on Pacific colonies and the economic aid they desperately needed.

The British quickly folded.

Seeing the British compromise, the Soviets were displeased.

In retaliation, they declared that Japan was no longer their concern—effectively withdrawing from the conflict. This mirrored the original timeline, where the Soviets had stayed out of the Potsdam Declaration, leaving it to the U.S. and Britain.

In the original timeline, the U.S. had suffered heavy losses in the Asia–Pacific War, and the Soviets had tried to use their potential involvement against Japan as a bargaining chip to extract concessions in Europe.

However, the U.S. had revealed its trump card—the atomic bomb.

On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Soviets hastily declared war on Japan two days later and rushed to stake their claim in Asia.

Without the atomic bomb, the Soviets might have waited indefinitely, letting the U.S. and Japan bleed each other dry before making their move.

Of course, the Soviets' intervention was not without merit—it was the final straw that broke Japan's resistance.

In this altered timeline, however, the U.S. and the Soviets once again clashed over the Japan issue.

The following day, the U.S., Great Britain, and their allies issued the Weimar Declaration, an ultimatum to Japan. (TL/N: This Wiemar Declaration didn't happen in the real world but here it happened dure to Josh's Intervention in the war)

Japan, unfazed, responded, "We are tired of these declarations. If you've got the guts, come and fight us—we're ready to die!"

The U.S. accepted the challenge. They sent six B-29 bombers on a single mission, carrying Little Boy, Fat Man, and other nuclear weapons.

That day, Japan experienced unprecedented heat, with temperatures reaching six thousand degrees. Familiar faces were everywhere, but no one could utter a word in the scorching aftermath.