by gerald hall
“If we do this effectively, we will not need nearly as many of these other weapons because the Japanese will not be able to send their ships out to attack us. None of us want to have happen to us what just happened to the Americans two months ago. We have learned that those attacks were all launched by large Japanese submarines. They will be far more difficult to engage before they launch their attacks than surface ships or aircraft. The best way of defeating these submarines is to prevent them from being able to leave their ports at all.” Colonel Harlan told the others.
“How do you want to lay all of these new mines? We can’t just sail up to their shorelines and lay mines without being attacked by hundreds of aircraft as well as what is left of the Japanese Navy.” Admiral Edwards asked.
“We would use a combination of submarines and aircraft to lay the mines. Even the Cavalier seaplanes would be very suitable for this purpose. But our new bombers and transport aircraft could easily be adapted to drop mines as well. Obviously, aerial mine deployment would not be viable without adequate fighter support.”
“I understand that the British managed to convince the French in Indochina to convert the submarine cruiser Surcouf into a minelayer also. She would be a great help in bottling up the Japanese and giving our ships free reign in the Pacific, I would imagine, given her size and armament.” An Australian Navy captain noted.
“Yes, Sir. She would be. But we need a lot more assets than just the Surcouf in order to accomplish our goals. This is especially true after the latest series of kamikaze attacks that have obviously been launched against Coalition targets from Japanese submarines.”
“Is this request related to that secret project of yours in Construction Bay Number One at the shipyard, Colonel?” Brigadier Charles Wilkes asked.
“No, Sir. I’m afraid that is a program that was requested at the highest levels of the Commonwealth to be kept completely confidential. Only a very small number of people know all of the details of the program.”
“You cannot even tell us about it, Colonel?”
“No, Sir. I am not allowed to elaborate upon the project in any way. I will tell you that it has nothing to do with the discussion about the current subject under discussion.” Colonel Harlan firmly stated.
Several of the senior admirals were shocked that a mere Lieutenant Colonel would be so assertive. But for the moment, Colonel Harlan had the backing of some very senior people in Government House. Most of this was due to a combination of the defeat of the Japanese amphibious landing as well as the influence of his patron, Harold Cavill.
“The safest and most effective way of deploying these mines is via submarine. What I am proposing is that we outfit as many of our submarines as possible to be able to deploy mines. Many of them already can do so using their torpedo tubes, but that reduces the number of torpedoes that they can carry on a mission.
I have been informed that it would be a very simple task to construct mine-deployment apparatus that can be placed over the rear hull of a submarine much akin to a pair of saddlebags placed on the back of a horse. After the mines are released, the apparatus can be rapidly detached if necessary. Of course, the manufacturer would prefer that the submarine come back with the apparatus so that more mines can be loaded for another mission.” Colonel Burke explained with several of the officers there chuckling in response.
“But Colonel, there are probably ten different classes of submarines in use by the various nations of the Coalition here. Wouldn’t that mean that a different mine launcher would have to be designed to fit each different class of submarine?” Admiral Edwards asked.
The engineers at Cavill Industries believe that their design can be readily adapted to different submarine designs very easily while still using basically a common design. It is also modular so that more than one mine-carrier can be fitted to a larger submarine to carry a larger number of mines. A smaller design like some of the Dutch boats would carry only one such device. But if we equip enough submarines to lay mines, we can choke off most of the supplies going to Japan plus stop the threat of the Japanese Navy.”
The room was silent for a few moments as everyone considered Colonel Burke’s recommendation. By now, everyone knew of the reputation of Cavill Industries and the products that so much of the Coalition used in the fight against the Japanese.
“How soon can Mister Cavill have a prototype ready for evaluation, Colonel?” Admiral Edwards asked.
“It’s already ready, Sir. All that has to be done is for someone to supply a submarine so that the mine-laying module can be adapted to the specific class. But the sooner that we get started on this campaign, the sooner that we can end this damned war.”
“We will take this under advisement, Colonel. Obviously, not everyone would be completely happy with their submarines being taken away from their existing missions.”
Harlan quietly nodded his head at Admiral Edwards’ pronouncement. Every delay in getting the new minelaying campaign started, would mean more opportunities for the Japanese to reinforce their defenses and to launch new strikes against America and the other allied militaries.
Harold had told Colonel Burke that this was very important. What Harold could not tell the young Australian colonel was the real reason why an airtight blockade of Japan was so very important. The dangers of weapons of mass destruction being employed grew with every additional day that the Japanese continued to conduct offensive operations such as the Baika attacks.
Chapter Twenty-Two:
The White House
Washington, DC
November 7, 1944
For weeks, the polls had shown the Presidential race to be extraordinarily tight. President Roosevelt found himself unexpectedly to be the underdog. He even spurned his Vice President Henry Wallace for an unknown senator from Missouri named Harry Truman in order to court the moderate vote. A last minute train whistle stop tour around the country further strained the President’s health but gained few additional votes. The last votes were being tallied in California while it was already late evening in the nation’s capital. All that FDR could do now is sit in the Oval Office and wait.
Eleanor Roosevelt quietly nodded to the Secret Service agent at the door before she walked into the Oval Office. A cloud of cigarette smoke filled the room. An ashtray filled with cigarette butts showed that the President had been chain-smoking throughout the day. FDR’s face was callow as a result of years of stress and fatigue that were now compounded by his developing congestive heart failure and his years of smoking. The death of his confidant Harry Hopkins a few months earlier from complications of stomach cancer had also hit FDR very hard as well.
“Oh, Franklin. Why don’t you go to bed? I’m sure that someone will let you know the moment that we find out the vote results.” She told him.
“I just can’t sleep right now, Eleanor. I am just terrified that all that we worked for over the past twelve years is about to be thrown away.”
“You can’t obsess about that right now. Just think of all of the people that we helped and all of the progress that we made.”
“I know. But right now, all that people are focused on are my failures in the war. The loss of the Pacific Fleet battle line could not have been predicted. No one knew of those massive new battleships that the Japanese had put into service. There’s not a battleship in the world that could have stood up to those monsters. But we could have eventually built their match with our industrial might.”
“The Japanese were waiting in ambush for our ships. It was like they had it planned all along. But our sailors still fought very well. ”
“We still should have beaten the Japanese, Eleanor. We knew that even that battle was not the end of the war, even if that popinjay McArthur did manage to get himself captured and executed in the Philippines by the Japanese. But Congress wouldn’t let us do anything of substance. The ‘America First’ crowd were the worst of the lot. Even after Hitler declared war on America, they did not want us to lift a finger.”
> “If you asked me, I would say that whole gang of them are all hypocrites of the highest order. They want a war against the Axis as much as we do. But Republicans want it so that they can take credit for the economic boom. Of course, there are few fools who actually think that they would be able to peaceably co-exist in a world with Hitler and Hirohito or racists who also believe in the Axis’ goals.”
“We have been in a war for nearly three years, whether we liked it or not though after the Japanese attack on our territories in the Philippines and Hitler’s declaration of war. We simply didn’t have the political support to fully commit the American people to the conflict. So we have been doing what we could with the resources available.
The Republicans in Congress have absolutely refused to allow us to sell any war materiel to the Soviets without payment in some sort of hard currency. Once the Germans managed to get their war effort back on track after Hitler’s death, the German Army reconstituted itself very effectively. Then only a few months later, it was back at the gates of Moscow once again. Only this time, Moscow and Stalin along with the rest of the Soviet government collapsed. I just don’t know what Churchill will do if the Germans turn their eyes back towards the West again. The Pacific has received most of our military attention, even with our drastically reduced Pacific fleet, just because of our domestic political situation.
We had been hitting the Japanese hard with our recently expanded submarine fleet, even taking a page out of the German’s rulebook with the use of wolfpacks. At least Congress increased funding for the production of more submarines and destroyers. We were finally getting our aircraft carrier production back on track in spite of Congressional interference as well. Getting those two flight-deck ocean liners converted into fleet carriers helped tremendously. Then the Japanese hit us with those suicide planes in all of the worst places possible.”
“But instead of uniting the American people against the Japanese, the Republicans and the media have used this attack to blame our administration for a lack of defensive preparedness.” Eleanor interjected angrily.
For many years, the Roosevelts had been the darlings of the American media. The media had strongly supported Roosevelt’s progressive agenda. But now, the administration’s allies in the media had spurned FDR and his policies. Both Franklin and Eleanor were at a loss in understanding why this had happened though.
An aide came into the room with a sad look on his face.
“The election results have come in?”
“Yes, Mister President. I’m afraid that they have, Sir.”
“I guess that I have to give my concession speech now. Well, it was a hell of a good run while it lasted, I suppose.” President Roosevelt said after a few moments.
Eleanor sat down next to him and put her arm around the defeated President, tears in her eyes, as they pondered what they would do next. But deep down, she knew that he did not have long to live.
President-elect Dewey’s Residence ‘Dapplemere’
Quaker Hill, New York
November 23, 1944
Now that the election was over, President-elect Thomas E. Dewey was taking a long-overdue break from all of the political turmoil that came with an upcoming change in national administration. Even though he always maintained offices in New York City and in the state capital of Albany, Dewey’s refuge had always been the farm in Quaker Hill that he had named ‘Dapplemere’.
This evening, the President-elect had sat down in the office that he maintained in his home and started to read the evening newspaper.
Nearly an hour later, one of President-elect Dewey’s aides came frantically running into the office. The aide clearly had a shocked look on his face as he entered Dewey’s office.
“Sir, have you heard the radio in the past ten minutes? The newscasters are reporting that President Roosevelt died late this afternoon.”
President-elect Dewey quickly sat up in his seat and put down the newspaper.
“Did the radio commentator say what President Roosevelt died from?” He quickly asked in a calm voice.
“They said that Roosevelt’s doctor thinks that the President died from a massive stroke. Whatever it was, he died very quickly from it.”
“I want you to tell our people to please keep Mrs. Roosevelt and the entire Roosevelt family in their prayers. We will have to send out a public statement to the press expressing our condolences.”
“I suppose that we should also say something to the new President. He will have to be sworn in very soon if he has not already done so.”
“True. Henry Wallace will probably have one of the shortest Presidencies on record though. I hope that this means that damned Socialist will not have much of an opportunity to make things even worse before my inauguration on the twentieth of January.”
“At least he is not a caustic old former haberdasher like Harry Truman who FDR was going to have as his next vice-president. That senator used to be part of the Pendergast political machine, you know. Who knows what sort of corrupt dealings that Senator Truman has been involved in previously?” Dewey’s aide commented.
“I know about Senator Truman’s background. But there has been nothing concrete to indicate that the senator has personally engaged in any criminal behavior. Also, I know that Senator Truman shares my views of responsible government spending. So perhaps we will be able to work with him in the Senate after the election. While I do still want to take care of the people who need help, we still need to get and keep our fiscal house in order. It is an essential part of our public duty and trust.”
“There are already many Republicans in Congress who are saying that your most recent views of government are little more than a warmed over version of Roosevelt’s New Deal. Obviously, Robert Taft and his allies are chief among those with that view.”
“I don’t care what anyone says, including Bob Taft. My first priority upon assuming office will be the war. But we also have to clean up this mess that Roosevelt has left us. The Federal government has grown far too large, inefficient, expensive and unwieldy. We will be adding enough to the National Debt with war expenses. I am damned well not going to add one extra penny to it by spending money on worthless boondoggle programs and inefficient federal employees.
I have a reputation for honesty and integrity that I fully intend to fulfill. We are going to do everything possible to give the American people the most honest, effective and efficient government that we can provide. I don’t care whose egos get bruised and whose oxen get gored along the way either. This is a job that needs to be done right. ” A fiery Dewey declared in front of the small group that had gathered in Dewey’s office after learning of President Roosevelt’s death.
“But what about the social programs that you have supported recently? Your calls for a more aggressive internationalist foreign policy are not going to go over well with ‘America First’ supporters either.”
“We are going to do what we can to take care of people. But unlike the Democrats, we are going to do this in a fiscally responsible manner that maintains our freedoms and ensures the dignity of the truly needy. As far as changing our foreign policy, these latest attacks by the Japanese on our West Coast should be proof enough that we cannot rely upon a Fortress America defense any longer. We used to believe that our oceans would provide us with all of the protection that America would ever need. Technology has taken away that protection now.”
“What do you propose that we do now? You’ve won the Presidency and the Democrats are doubtlessly in disarray with President Roosevelt’s death.”
“One of the first things that I need to do is meet personally with Prime Minister Churchill. From what I have already learned, he is our one remaining viable partner now. While no one has yet found his body, it is a safe bet that Stalin is gone now. The French still have a foothold in Indochina, but have been completely neutralized back home.”
“There is one of those big Cavalier flying boats in New York harbor this week. I believe that it will be flyi
ng to England in a couple of days. Perhaps you can quietly book passage aboard her. She would be the fastest and safest means for you to use to visit Prime Minister Churchill, I believe.”
“Alright. Go ahead and arrange for at least four first class tickets to be purchased, six if they are available. Do not say who they are for however. We do have to be careful now that I am the President-elect.”
Prime Minister’s Residence
Ellesborough, England
November 27, 1944
A large black sedan pulled up to the Prime Minister’s residence of Chequers during a typical cool, wet fall morning. The sedan was followed by two other vehicles that carried more than half a dozen armed security personnel for the dignitary that was about to visit Winston Churchill on very short notice.
The American President-elect got out of the sedan wearing a conservative black overcoat and a dark fedora. He walked up to the residence front door, knocked on the door and was let in by one of the Prime Minister’s aide. Dewey was led to a study where Churchill was sitting at a desk looking over some reports.
Churchill stood up and extended his hand after putting down the reports.
“Governor Dewey, I am very pleased to meet you. I personally want to offer my condolences to you and your country regarding the death of President Roosevelt. He was a most remarkable man and a friend of the British people.”
“I thank you on behalf of the American people. Franklin Roosevelt served the American people for a remarkably long time in spite of the physical obstacles that he faced.
But now, we have an upcoming change in administration. I wish to take the best of what President Roosevelt accomplished and improve upon it for the security of both of our nations.”
“Very good. One of the good things that President Roosevelt was able to accomplish was through the use of the American Tigers to gather combat experience for a significant cadre of soldiers. We now have a considerable number of personnel who have been passing their knowledge to countless other young recruits. We will soon have enough trained soldiers to be able to go on the offense against both the Japanese and the Germans.”