The Tyrant Billionaire

Now that Johnson's approval ratings had risen, many were eager to align themselves with him. Experience more tales on empire

At the welcoming banquet, Giannini was also present. With over a hundred high society figures from San Francisco in attendance, Johnson delivered an impassioned speech on stage.

Hardy stood beside Giannini.

Giannini looked at Johnson, then leaned over and whispered to Hardy, "Hardy, I saw in the papers that the odds of you betting on President Johnson winning are the lowest. It seems you have a lot of confidence in his victory."

"Actually, that's part of our publicity strategy. We use the odds to influence public perception, making people more inclined to believe Johnson will win," Hardy replied with a smile.

Giannini thought about it and realized this was indeed the case.

Hardy was adept at manipulating public opinion.

"And I genuinely do have confidence in Johnson. Initially, there was a lot of risk involved, but now I'm increasingly certain," Hardy added.

Giannini knew Hardy was referring to the incident where Dewey accepted foreign political contributions.

Dewey had indeed fallen into a trap.

What seemed like a promising situation was severely damaged by a political donation scandal.

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Despite being backed by Eastern consortia and never short of campaign funds, Dewey had accepted the money—proof that greed can destroy even a well-built foundation.

Especially when Hardy found out about it.

Hardy seized this opportunity to exploit the situation, orchestrating attacks through journalists and the "Black Money" documentary, relentlessly criticizing Dewey.

Not only Dewey, but even the major consortia were slow to react, allowing Hardy to significantly influence the election.

Hardy took a sip of his wine, then lowered his voice, "Johnson has invited me to join the Marshall Plan, to organize an investment team for Europe. I'm one of the three leaders."

Giannini was taken aback.

The Marshall Plan's investment in Europe.

With his sharp instincts as a banker, Giannini immediately sensed a lucrative opportunity.

"Hardy, tell me more," Giannini urged eagerly.

Hardy smiled, "There's a lot to discuss; let's have a detailed conversation after the banquet."

Realizing this wasn't the right setting, Giannini grew impatient for the banquet to end. Once it concluded around 10 p.m., he eagerly pulled Hardy into his car and drove straight to his estate.

In the study, the two lit cigars.

Hardy asked, "Mr. Giannini, you're familiar with the Marshall Plan, right?"

"Of course. Last year, Secretary of State Marshall proposed a plan at Harvard University to aid Europe's economic recovery, known as the Marshall Plan."

"It was heavily covered in the newspapers back then. World War II devastated Europe's economy; many countries are on the brink of collapse, with severe shortages of food, fuel, and other essentials. The U.S. is the only exporter, but they lack funds."

"The Marshall Plan includes 16 countries: the UK, France, Italy, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Ireland, and Iceland, with plans to provide around $22.4 billion in loans and aid. A few months ago, I read that Johnson signed the agreement, and preparations are underway."

Hardy nodded.

"Europe needs rebuilding, but they lack funds and resources. The U.S. government decided to provide partial aid, but it's impossible to meet all their needs with American money alone."

"President Johnson is planning to form a civilian investment team to accompany the economic aid group. If these countries need loans, we can provide private lending. If there are investment opportunities, we can invest."

"And then there's the matter of supplies. They'll need massive amounts of materials for reconstruction, like building materials, rebar, cement, and everyday goods like food. They'll also need cars and fuel—basically, a lot of things."

"I estimate that 80% of the aid money will be spent on purchasing goods from the U.S., providing us with numerous opportunities to profit."

"Moreover, those countries have already prepared a list of investment opportunities. Members of the investment team can invest in their infrastructure, such as water, electricity, gas, manufacturing, and automotive industries, to help them recover."

Though it's called helping recovery, it's really about making money through investment.

The more Giannini listened, the more excited he became.

A $22 billion opportunity—even a small slice would be a fortune. If the California consortium can get involved, it will undoubtedly usher in a period of significant growth.

"Hardy, who are the other two teams?" Giannini asked.

"Rockefeller and Citigroup," Hardy replied succinctly. Giannini's spirits lifted upon hearing this.

His mind raced, quickly piecing things together.

It seemed President Johnson had likely secured the support of Rockefeller and Citigroup. Realizing this, Giannini looked at Hardy.

This young man's investment foresight was exceptional.

He invested in Johnson early on. If Johnson gets re-elected, Hardy will undoubtedly reap enormous rewards. Now, they have to decide whether to invest in Hardy.

After all, the California consortium was publicly prepared to abandon Hardy. Although they had a private agreement, such matters weren't known to outsiders. Giannini and Hardy likely understood each other's thoughts to win Hardy over further, they would have to offer tangible compensation.

When Hardy left Giannini, it was already one o'clock in the morning. However, Giannini didn't rest; he remained alone in his study for a long time, deep in thought.

There were still uncertainties surrounding President Johnson's re-election, but the Marshall Plan was a tangible opportunity right in front of him. Giannini couldn't afford to pass up such a significant advantage.

Political affiliations Republican or Democrat didn't matter now. The California Consortium needed to strengthen its ties with Hardy.

Giannini called his assistant over. "Inform the other family heads that there's an urgent matter to discuss. They should come to the estate at 8 a.m. tomorrow."

The assistant nodded and went off to relay the message.

Early the next morning, the heads of several major companies within the consortium arrived at Giannini's estate. They gathered in the garden, sitting and chatting while they waited.

Giannini looked around at everyone and said, "After the presidential reception yesterday, I spoke with Hardy until after one in the morning. He shared something with me: regarding the Marshall European Aid Plan, President Johnson plans to form a private inspection team, and Hardy has secured one of the three available spots."