In December, the American Alpha Fleet surprisingly entered sensitive waters.
In fact, since July, the United States had begun escorting oil tankers, but the scale was quite limited at that time.
This time was markedly different; although there was only one Midway aircraft carrier involved, it still counted as an aircraft carrier deployment.
An aircraft carrier, no matter the era, always holds special significance. It was never meant for defense; from the moment it was created, an aircraft carrier was for offense.
After hearing this news, William White felt quite anxious. "Does this make any sense? If you really want to deter, you should send three aircraft carriers. What's the point of this half-hearted show?"
The moment that American aircraft carrier showed up, both sides clearly restrained themselves. It appeared that the big stick-wielding Americans sometimes didn't just stir up trouble; there was indeed some deterrent effect.
America's forceful intervention also gave both sides a way out. Though the exit didn't seem great from any angle, having an exit was better than none.
When both sides finally sat down to negotiate, William White felt relieved, as did the survivors of Wall Street. Despite their caution, they could see there wouldn't be another oil crisis or any intervention in war.
Since the moment the desert tycoons decided to use oil as a weapon, their tragedy had been sealed.
The chaos in the desert had been predestined since 1973. That so-called oil weapon had proven quite powerful. The first oil crisis caught everyone unprepared; a fitting term to describe it would be "severe losses."
They say that if you don't tempt fate, you won't meet calamity. That stands as a prime example. For the next few decades, peace in the desert would be a fantasy.
...
"William, are you feeling assured now? You owe us a party; you're rolling in dough this time." As his right-hand man, Bush Jr. knew exactly what William White cared about and immediately called to inform him.
"No problem with the party; let's take a boat out and have a wild bash!" William White was delighted, his worries vanished into thin air. Notions of butterfly effects were completely unreal; his little butterfly held no weight at all.
"If they're willing to negotiate, there won't be any flip-flopping. Most importantly, no oil tankers will be attacked."
"I'm not as optimistic as you. They'll probably still have squabbles. But that's not my concern; as long as oil supply holds steady, I'm good." William White recalled how at that time, Americans were in dire straits, urging everyone not to fill their tanks over the weekend. It was then that his oil fields started making money. In that sense, he had to thank the first oil crisis.
"Yeah, that's true. After so many years of fighting and hundreds of thousands dead, the grudges have piled up, and I expect there'll be another round of fighting, a sort of ammunition inventory clearance."
"Ha! Do they still have ammo? Don't be ridiculous; are the Soviets still selling weapons?"
"Ha, they said they weren't selling."
...
After hanging up, William White had to pick up the pace. He didn't want to wait any longer; whatever stocks he bought, this was the last chance to jump in.
"Filson, we can quicken the pace; no need for contingency plans anymore. Our biggest concern won't come to pass."
"Sir, could there be more bumps in the road? There's a bit too much risk here; your stock positions are too heavy and need to be diversified."
"No need for that. Just keep your eye on the Japan; I'll gradually reduce my holdings there. Once this phase is over, we can switch to a conservative approach."
"I got it; I'll make arrangements right away."
Since William White had made his decision, Filson couldn't argue further. In fact, he had suggested reducing exposure in Japan last time. At the current price level, it was indeed risky. In his view, after this crash, American assets had a high investment value, and there was no need to chase after far-off prospects.
William White acknowledged that the Japan's economy had overheated and there was a bubble. But so what?
You could only sell high when prices shot up; right now, we weren't there yet. Similarly, although William White didn't plan to sell at the peak, he also didn't intend to pack up early.
His capital was massive; whether buying or selling, it all required opportunities. Just like in the stock market, panic was the only trigger that could allow him to build his position quickly.
Now, William White resembled a beacon in the night, not wanting anyone to find a chink in his armor. This wasn't about being a good or bad guy; it was always about who could outstake the other.
*****
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