America 1881: They Call Me Legend

Chen Jianqiu looked at the flames soaring into the sky behind him, and felt a chill behind him.

It may not have been the closest he's been to death, but it's definitely the riskiest.

He never thought that the explosion of the Maine was actually caused by the spontaneous combustion of a pile of coal.

If he had acted a little later, or the coal pile had spontaneously ignited earlier.

I am afraid that I will be buried in the belly of the fish like the sailors on the ship.

This kind of danger is unpredictable, and his sense of death cannot save him.

But that's how it is sometimes, death and tomorrow, you never know which comes first.

"Extra! Extra! The Maine has sunk! The Maine has sunk!"

The next day, the early morning fog in New York was broken by the crisp voice of the newsboy.

Many people were shocked by this news as soon as they woke up from their sleep.

Not only New York, but also major cities along the eastern coast, Boston, Philadelphia... have all received the news.

The newspaper tycoons headed by Pulitzer will naturally not let go of this opportunity to incite everyone's emotions.

Cruiser, Explosion, Sinking, Cuba, Havana Harbor, Spaniards.

Several words come together.

A complete logical chain came out without the newspaper reporters and editors writing more.

The Spaniards sank the USS Maine because they were dissatisfied with the American intervention to suppress the Cuban Revolution.

Shock and anger spread among citizens, and it seemed that the entire American society wanted its government to ask Spain for an explanation.

"Snapped!"

The newspaper and the telegram were slapped on the table by McKinley at the same time.

"Why are the news in these newspapers faster than the news in our government?" The president's anger was palpable.

"William, we should immediately organize people to investigate the sinking of the Maine." Secretary of State Sherman stood at McKinley's desk.

"Shouldn't the Spaniards give us an explanation?" Roosevelt said aggressively from the side.

"Theodore, you don't understand some diplomatic matters. The truth must be with us! Otherwise, we may have to face a war with Spain!" Sherman was very dissatisfied with Roosevelt's interruption of his words.

But Roosevelt showed his toughness.

"Sherman! That's our warship! It's sunk outside the Spanish-held harbor! They're at war, do you understand?!"

He growled uncharacteristically, leaving McKinley and the rest of the Oval Office dumbfounded.

"This is the worst breach of faith by the Spaniards." He fixed his eyes on the president and emphasized his voice, "America needs a war, it's honor and dignity!"

McKinley quickly regained his composure after being briefly surprised.

He waved his hand to the Secretary of State Sherman who is in charge of foreign affairs:
"Sherman, go and send a note to the Spanish ambassador to see what their attitude is."

Sherman nodded, turned and walked out the door.

McKinley then turned to the remaining Under Secretary of the Navy in his office, who had come to communicate with him in advance on some naval equipment matters.

His speech is not fast, but very clear:

"Teddy, I know what you think, and I have never said anything about some of your actions. However, I hope you can keep calm before things develop to the point where a war is necessary!"

Roosevelt took a deep breath:

"No problem, Mr. President."

Then he turned and walked out of the president's office.

After two people went out, another person came in.

Marcus Hannah, McKinley's old partner, Senator.

"Aren't you supposed to be on the Congress side?" McKinley looked up and asked after seeing Hanna.

"Let me see what you think." Hannah cut to the chase.

"I don't know if it is a good choice to go to war with Spain now. With Roosevelt here, the navy's preparations should be acceptable, but it is still uncertain whether it can take advantage of the Spaniards."

With a pen in hand, McKinley tapped repeatedly on the newspapers and telegrams on the table.

His mind is actually very clear, and he is well aware of the situation in the government.

"But the army is a mess. Aijie has no experience at all. The army is a mess in terms of personnel and equipment. They are not ready for war at all."

Hannah looked at his partner and shook his head:

"I don't know if the army is ready, but I want to tell you one thing, if public opinion is really aroused, you and I have no choice."

"Do you remember? A large part of the reason we got into this office is because of divisions within the Democratic Party."

"If you and I stick to the original point of view, it is very likely that we will be backlashed."

The two of them were too familiar, so Hannah's words were very direct without any euphemism.

"However, we still don't quite know the real reason for the sinking of the Maine." McKinley looked up at Hannah.

Holding the edge of the table with both hands, Hannah leaned forward, staring intently at the President.

He whispered:
"William, does the truth really matter? Do you think the people need the truth? They only believe what they want to believe."

"Let's take one step at a time." McKinley sighed.

The backlash in Hannah's mouth did not make the president wait too long.

after a few weeks.

The "Czar" Reid of the House of Representatives is facing the most chaotic moment in his political career.

He sat in the speaker's seat and watched the congressmen who were speaking in the audience.

Old Rhett had never seen anything like it.

In addition to the Democrats, Populists and a few Republicans who had been advocating war against Spain, the Republicans who had reservations also joined the ranks of the main war faction.

The one who is speaking now is a man named Ferdinand Brook.

"I used to resolutely not advocate sending troops to Cuba! But the USS Maine is not closed, and all the words are of no avail."

"We sailed the ship to Havana and didn't do anything to them. We just wanted to protect our people! But the USS Maine was sunk!"

"This is a betrayal of the Americans! Treachery and inhumanity are in the blood of the Spaniards! Any country that allows such offenses should not exist in the world!"

"I'm a Republican! But I'm an American first!"

His speech resonated with most people in the audience.

"We should act now! Now! Act!" A Democratic representative stood up. "We don't have time to discuss any more! Our Mr. President is a coward!"

"War! War the Spaniards! Teach those Spaniards a lesson!"

Old Rhett looked gloomy.

He exhausted his life's experience in politics to end this House session that he will never forget.

Immediately after the meeting, he was in McKinley's Oval Office.

With him came Hobart, President of the Senate.

Things are not much better in the Senate than in the House.

Senators are more educated than Representatives, but they are also more determined.

The two looked at each other speechlessly, only sighed.

"Mr. President, I can no longer control the Senate."

This was Hobart's first sentence when he saw McKinley, "If you don't act anymore, I'm afraid they will leave you and act alone!"

"The Maine incident has made the Democratic Party, the Populist Party, and the Republicans of the main battle faction twisted together. They are attacking your reputation and trying to use this incident to hit you in the midterm elections in the fall!"

Rhett revealed another brutal truth.

Facing the grim situation, McKinley remained calm.

He hoped to find out from the Secretary of State the possibility of eventually avoiding war.

However, the negative and tough attitude of the Spaniards not only disappointed the Secretary of State, but also made McKinley completely determined.

They want war more than Americans.

Spain at this time is in crisis.

Twenty-five years of civil war and riots have torn the country apart.

In 1898, the country was ruled by an incompetent queen, a corrupt parliament, and a cynical, rotating cabinet.

Labor struggles, anarchist uprisings, and student demonstrations swept the country.

But the army of this country has 50 people, of which 15 are stationed in Cuba, far more than the 28000 standing army of the United States at that time.

The government from top to bottom is more inclined to war.

Because rather than being overthrown by the people because of compromising with the United States, they hope to consolidate the rule of the dynasty through a victory.

They need to deflect conflict.

Therefore, for the explosion of the USS Maine, the Spanish government had no other response other than routinely defending itself.

Their attitude is more like:

I didn't blow up this ship, even if I did, what can you do to me?
After learning the true attitude of the Spanish government, McKinley knew that he had no need to persist.

He needs to start preparing for war.

But in the cabinet, someone moved earlier than him.

After Theodore Roosevelt walked out of the Oval Office that day, he couldn't hold back.

But after calming down, he suddenly realized that he seemed to be unable to do anything before the president declared war.

The Secretary of the Navy, John Long, seems to have little interest in this.

He is more concerned about the medicine prescribed by his personal doctor, whether it is better to take it in the morning or in the afternoon.

Roosevelt was a little helpless. He seemed to have nothing else to do except to urge the factory to order ammunition and to intensify the training of the soldiers on the fleet.

Until one day, Chen Jianqiu appeared in his office again.

After watching the "fireworks show" from Havana, Chen Jianqiu immediately returned to the United States by boat and went straight to Washington.

"Aren't you on vacation in Europe?" Roosevelt looked at Chen Jianqiu who appeared in front of him with a puzzled expression.

"You've been urging ammunition, and I'm thinking of going on vacation?" Chen Jianqiu said with a smile, "Don't worry, the ammunition you want is already on board, and it will be in the hands of the fleet soon."

"That's good." Roosevelt nodded.

Chen Jianqiu looked around the office and found that there was no other place to sit except Roosevelt's own chair.

So he simply leaned against the large desk.

"The old man is on vacation again?" Chen Jianqiu pointed to the minister's office with the closed door opposite.

Roosevelt gave an "hmm".

He was a little irritable.

Except for taking sick leave all day long, this old man just pretends to be stupid and doesn't know anything.

This is a good thing and a bad thing.

The good thing is that the old man will turn a blind eye to some of his usual actions. The bad thing is that when something really important happens, I can't find him to make a decision.

Thinking of this, Roosevelt became even more worried.

"Sighing is not your style, Teddy." Chen Jianqiu turned his head, looked at Roosevelt and said, "Let's listen to it, don't suffocate yourself."

Roosevelt didn't have any scruples, and told Chen Jianqiu what he was thinking.

"What do you mean, the old man never said anything about what you did?" Chen Jianqiu raised his eyebrows.

"It's good if he can come to work. I guess he doesn't even know how many ships are in the fleet now." Roosevelt said.

"Then just give the fleet an order and let them complete the deployment first." Chen Jianqiu said surprisingly, "In the name of your deputy minister."

Roosevelt was stunned for a moment.

He thought for a while, then shook his head: "No, the deployment of the fleet requires the order of the minister. Besides, the fleet may not necessarily listen to me."

Chen Jianqiu smiled.

He walked to Roosevelt's side, leaned on the back of his chair with one hand, bent down and whispered in his ear:

"Is the victory of the war important? Or the procedure?"

Chen Jianqiu straightened up and spread his hands:
"If I remember correctly, you asked Mahan and I to help you draft a naval battle plan against Spain last year. Do you want this plan to remain on paper?"

Roosevelt pulled out his pipe.

Every time he was lost in thought, he subconsciously smoked a cigarette.

Chen Jianqiu planned to accompany him with a cigar.

"Teddy, don't hesitate any longer. In my hometown, there is a saying, 'strike first, and strike later'. This war is about glory and the future, and it is worth taking a gamble." He said while pulling out a cigar.

Chen Jianqiu's words lingered in Roosevelt's ears like a magic voice.

Smoke, rising in the office.

After a few minutes, Roosevelt finally made up his mind.

He excitedly picked up his pen and landed on the telegram:

Dewey, XG: Order the squadron to refuel...Your task is to ensure that the Spanish fleet cannot leave the shores of Asia...Offensive action against the Philippine Islands...

After sending out the telegram, Roosevelt was relieved.

He leaned back on the chair, looked at Chen Jianqiu with a pipe in his mouth:

"Chen, if there was a war, would you join it? I mean, except for your two ships."

"Oh? What do you think?" Chen Jianqiu turned around and looked at Roosevelt with interest.

"The readiness of the army is far from that of the navy, and the number is far from enough. I guess your old friend Ai Jie will mobilize the militia and volunteers."

Roosevelt looked out the window.

"I will also apply to the Ministry of War to form an army at that time, and go to the front to fulfill my patriotic promise. I remember that you are very skilled. Are you interested in joining!"

"No problem." Chen Jianqiu smiled.

He did not tell Roosevelt that he would not be alone in the war.

And the thirteen thousand militia he had assembled in Roswell, Juarez, and Oklahoma.

These militiamen are all Chinese!
Their goal is not only to defeat those Spaniards, but also to win Cuba! (end of this chapter)