The Tyrant Billionaire

Military Power: The Hardy Dominion relied on HD Defense Corporation for military strength. Meanwhile, the Singapore Federation established a proper military as a sovereign nation.

Hardy's relationship with the United States allowed him to acquire significant American weaponry, much of which was provided as aid.

These included World War II-era weapons, army equipment, naval vessels, and aircraft.

Unsatisfied with these, Hardy persuaded President Eisenhower and the Secretary of Defense to let the Singapore Federation purchase advanced arms from U.S. manufacturers.

Hardy procured 12 advanced jet fighters and 4 submarines, bolstering his status as the regional powerhouse of Southeast Asia.

Internationaly Joining the United Nations gave Hardy an international platform and a critical vote.

Hardy even considered supporting the independence of the Cayman Islands, creating a "Hardy Principality" and securing yet another UN vote.

The world continued to move forward relentlessly.

The 1960s

The U.S. accelerated urbanization, driving growth in energy, heavy industry, durable goods, and housing. Hardy Group invested heavily in these sectors, earning substantial profits and growing into a super-large conglomerate with over $30 billion in assets.

In California, the death of Gianini, head of the California consortium, saw Hardy succeed him as the new leader without contest.
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1960 U.S. Presidential Election

The race between Republican Richard Nixon and Democrat John F. Kennedy unfolded. Historically, Kennedy narrowly won due to several factors some of which are:

Televised debates: Kennedy appeared youthful and confident, while Nixon seemed nervous and awkward, winning Kennedy public favor.

Support from the mafia: Kennedy's father secured the help of a Mafia leader to rally votes. Believing Kennedy's promises, the Mafia's backing was crucial to his win. However, Kennedy later targeted organized crime as president, fueling theories that his assassination was Mafia revenge.

Hardy, however, believed Kennedy's death had more to do with challenging the interests of powerful financial groups.

This time, Nixon had Hardy's backing. Hardy trained Nixon in public speaking, devised debate strategies, and ensured that the debates were held on ABC, a network under Hardy's control.

Kennedy initially resisted debating on ABC, fearing the network would favor Nixon.

But Nixon insisted that if the debate wasn't held on ABC, he would rather cancel the television debate altogether. At that point, Kennedy was already trailing in votes. After all, Kennedy was just a junior senator, while Nixon was the sitting Vice President.

With Hardy's support, Nixon had access to far more publicity resources than Kennedy. Moreover, Nixon had gained significant public favor for his decisive actions in Congress, particularly his famous takedown of McCarthy during the Red Scare hearings, which had earned him widespread respect.

Without a major breakthrough or turning point, it would be very difficult for Kennedy to win. He believed the television debate was a golden opportunity. If Nixon walked away from it, Kennedy would lose his chance to shine. Reluctantly, Kennedy agreed to debate on ABC.

During the debate, while Kennedy performed admirably with passion and sharp arguments, Nixon held his own with calm and seasoned composure. Kennedy failed to gain any significant advantage.

After the Debate

The Global Times published a report analyzing the event. Their evaluation painted Kennedy as energetic but overly impulsive, while Nixon was described as steady and dependable. The article emphasized that America needed a stable leader to ensure steady progress, labeling Kennedy as "reckless and inexperienced."

Upon reading the report, Kennedy was so furious he smashed a glass.

As for enlisting Mafia support, that was no longer an option. Hardy's influence within the Mafia far exceeded anyone else's at the time. Half of the Mafia families were already collaborating with Hardy in their Las Vegas investments, and the other half had suffered a massive blow after their leader Barzini's disastrous ventures in Cuba. Barzini's prestige within the Mafia plummeted after his failure.

A year after the Cuba debacle, Barzini was gunned down on the street. Speculation about the perpetrators ranged widely—some blamed outside forces, others pointed to rival Mafia families angry over their losses, and still others suspected internal power struggles within Barzini's faction. One name notably absent from suspicion was Hardy's.

Six months after Barzini's death, Hardy invited other family heads to invest in building a new casino. Naturally, they were eager to join—Las Vegas was now a gold mine. Gradually, the other half of the Mafia also became Hardy's partners.

When Kennedy's family approached the Mafia for support, they were met with rejection. The Mafia families knew Hardy backed Nixon, and they weren't about to risk defying him.

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas casinos had opened betting on the presidential race. The odds consistently favored Nixon over Kennedy. Las Vegas's "presidential odds" were often seen as a bellwether for elections, and the numbers reflected that most bettors believed Nixon would win.

November 1960 the results of the presidential election were announced: Nixon had won.

An ecstatic Nixon embraced Hardy, while Hardy himself was equally delighted. He had succeeded in altering the course of history. To him, this proved he could change even more in the future.

After Nixon's victory, he began assembling his cabinet. Andy was successfully appointed as Secretary of the Treasury in the new administration. Hardy Group, now a 10-year-old conglomerate, had cultivated a robust talent pool, so Andy's departure posed no threat to its operations.

Michael, aligned with the Democratic Party, couldn't join Nixon's cabinet but made his own strides by becoming Governor of California. At 40 years old, Michael was in his prime.

The previous year, the aging Don Corleone had passed away from a heart attack, marking the Corleone family's complete withdrawal from organized crime. Hardy, as the godfather to Michael's son Anthony, attended Anthony's birthday celebration. After the festivities, Hardy and Michael spoke privately.

"Michael, Nixon will serve as President for eight years. By then, you'll be 48—an ideal age to run for President," Hardy said, firmly patting his friend on the shoulder. "I'll fully support you."

Kennedy had won the presidency at 43, so Michael at 48 would hardly be considered too young.

Michael nodded resolutely. "I'll do my best."

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