Chapter 15: The Oath of Allegiance

Lin Ran sensed a strong undertone of a loyalty oath in the offer. Yet, he did not immediately refuse, for the terms presented by Horkheimer were undeniably enticing. He wished to hear more.

“Of course, everything comes at a price,” Horkheimer said.

Lin Ran felt reassured. “Professor, what exactly do you need me to do?”

Horkheimer looked him squarely in the eye. “You need to truly join the Frankfurt School. Here’s the plan: come study for a doctorate in philosophy under me. I will personally mentor you. If your doctoral dissertation meets my standards, I will even offer you some additional surprises. Don’t worry about anything else—any questions regarding your identity, I will arrange everything for you.”

Indeed, it was a loyalty oath, but one with exceptionally favorable terms.

Becoming a disciple of Horkheimer, one of the founding patriarchs of the Frankfurt School, meant not only gaining the support of all its members but also entering a powerful network. Jews themselves were diverse; Horkheimer’s father had been a textile factory owner in Stuttgart, Germany—an identity considered a sin in the Nazi era. After the war, however, such backgrounds elevated Jewish families to elite status in Europe and America. As a renowned professor, Horkheimer stood among the Brahmins of the Jewish community in America.

To be his direct student was to gain the assistance of the Jewish community.

Looking ahead, to enter the core circles of the Jewish community required either a symbolic visit to “Loli Island” with photographic proof or a marriage alliance with a Jewish family—both demanding significant commitments.

Horkheimer’s mention of the Rockefeller Foundation’s ability to cover his identity was, to Lin Ran, indirect proof of access to Jewish communal support.

Moreover, Lin Ran believed that when the time came, whether starting his own venture or influencing global public opinion, leveraging this community’s network would bring him immense benefits without downside.

Even the secret knowledge of the Jewish community he uncovered in 1960 might prove useful in 2020.

“Professor, it is an honor to systematically study critical social theory under your name. If you’re going to Göttingen, I would like to accompany you.”

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Lin Ran did not elaborate on his relationship with the Fabian Society or the Frankfurt School, neither confirming nor denying any direct ties. He maintained an ambiguous stance throughout.

“Just because I want to study critical social theory systematically doesn’t mean I haven’t studied it before,” he said.

Going to Göttingen, Lin Ran hoped to establish some footholds in Germany. Göttingen University, located in Lower Saxony, was part of West Germany during the Cold War, within America’s sphere of influence. This was unavoidable.

America’s control over Göttingen was certainly weaker than over its own territory.

At present, he had yet to find a suitable opportunity to leave a door open in the opposing camp.

“But my identity might pose some problems,” Lin Ran implied. Someone like him, suddenly appearing from nowhere, would need his papers thoroughly arranged and his background covered.

Professor Horkheimer did not address this directly but turned to another subject. “Randolph, are you interested in aerospace?”

Lin Ran tensed inwardly. “Of course—I’m an aerospace enthusiast.”

Horkheimer continued, “There might be a chance. NASA has long been dominated by scientists from the Nazi regime. We need our own scientists to counterbalance them. Forces as malevolent as those Nazi scientists cannot endure forever. NASA’s background checks are extremely strict, and we will fabricate your identity according to their standards. Wernher von Braun’s background was still tolerated by the federal government; your identity will be even more legitimate.”

Lin Ran fell silent. If someone of Horkheimer’s stature said this, becoming his student surely wouldn’t lead to harm.

To avoid complications, Lin Ran returned to 2020 that very night and drove straight to Columbia University, hoping to glean some ideas from historical archives.

“This trip is worthwhile—it all makes sense now.”

From Columbia University’s library archives of the 1960s, he caught a glimpse of a secret.

John F. Kennedy would be elected at the end of 1960. His victory marked a turning point in American history because he embodied both Irish and Catholic backgrounds.

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Though also white, Irish Americans were a minority group in America.

Catholics, Protestants, and Mormons were all Christian denominations, but Catholics were a minority in America, which was dominated by Protestants making up about 50%, with Catholics less than 25%.

Thus, Kennedy’s background placed him within minority groups in 1960 America. His election was clearly supported by certain communities, including the Jewish community.

During his campaign, the Jewish community spared no effort to support him.

Since Roosevelt’s New Deal in the 1930s, over 70% of Jewish voters consistently supported the Democratic Party, and Kennedy was the Democratic candidate.

Moreover, in 1960, New York State was not yet a Democratic stronghold but a swing state. One-third of America’s Jewish population—two million people—lived there and played a crucial role in Kennedy securing New York.

Finally, Jewish media figures like Philip Graham of the Washington Post fervently promoted Kennedy, and Jewish entrepreneurs such as Abraham Feinberg of Chicago provided significant campaign funding.

It was clear that Horkheimer, a Brahmin in the Jewish community, already knew their choice this year was Kennedy.

Historically, after Kennedy’s victory, he repaid the Jewish community with strong actions, approving the sale of “Hawk” surface-to-air missiles to Israel—the first direct military sale from America to Israel.

One could say that America’s path to embracing Israel began with Kennedy.

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Horkheimer’s mention of NASA was significant. NASA was now controlled by German scientists from the Nazi regime.

The Jewish community regarded these German scientists as enemies, wishing them gone.

Yet the reality was that without German scientists, NASA could not shoulder the banner of competition against the Soviet Union.

Lin Ran found a fascinating historical note: Arthur Rudolph retired from NASA in 1969, during which he had received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. Even decades later, in the 1980s and 1990s, many parts of Rudolph’s files remained blacked out and inaccessible.

After the Soviet Union collapsed, Rudolph’s files were declassified, but America even revoked his pension. Whether he suffered physical harm remains unknown—no detailed information appeared in the records or news.

“So, if I demonstrate sufficient capability, the Jewish community might support me in ousting the German scientists from NASA? Turning NASA into an organization where I hold ultimate sway might not be impossible after all.”