“You must have reasoned it out due to some national characteristic I missed noting,” Marshal Kiang said. “We were the Russians to the Germans of World War II. The Russians in Mongolia outfought us, but we can afford to take massive losses and they cannot. It is a simple equation and yet most profound.”
“Are you attempting to steal my glory?” Hong asked.
“On no account, Chairman,” Kiang said. “I am profoundly stunned at this turn of events. Yet as I ponder it, I see its logic. The enemy began the invasion with too small of a force.”
“It was all they could muster on short notice,” Hong said.
“The Americans should have shipped their Behemoths to Siberia. They should have sent a million soldiers, not their mere two hundred thousand or so.”
“It wouldn’t have made a difference,” Hong said.
“Not at this point,” Kiang said. “But we were on a slender thread two months ago. We’ve lost most of Manchuria and Mongolia before we stiffened and stopped them. What if we had lost even worse because they started with more and they had raced here to Beijing?”
“They could never hold our country,” Hong said.
“They might not have to,” Kiang said. “If they put puppets in place and split China into separate regions…it could have worked for them with more soldiers at the beginning. As it is, we have weathered the initial storm.”
Hong barked laughter. “I say to you that we have done more than that. The Russian proposal changes everything.”
“The enemy is still in three-fourths of Manchuria and much of Inner Mongolia, to say nothing of having captured all of Outer Mongolia.”
“Meaningless,” Hong said.
Kiang gave him a perplexed look.
“Let me explain,” Hong said. “Konev wants a peace treaty. He will exit China in return for our recognizing his right to Siberia and Kazakhstan. What will he tell the Americans?”
“To leave with him, I suppose.”
“No,” Hong said, grinning. “We will trap this American Expeditionary Force. We will kill every one of them. The last ones will likely surrender. We will hang every one of those as war criminals. Then we will use the American atrocities to whip up the people to a new frenzy. We will demand more troops from Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Then we will build a vast force in Mexico.”
“The American submarines—”
“No!” Hong said. “The Americans have shown us the answer. We will devote intense resources to space, and take control of it. Their THOR missiles will become outdated. We will develop our own, only much superior. Our industrial capacity far exceeds theirs. I already plan to strike their heartland with biological agents.”
“Leader?” Kiang asked, sounding shocked.
“Don’t worry,” Hong said. “My scientists are working on agents that will produce fevers and flus of an intense nature, enough to ensure a majority of their workforce with debilitating sickness.”
“But—”
Hong banged a fist on the table. “The scientists say that glaciation will get worse before it gets better. We have Australia, and with it, we kept the Indian League at bay. The Americans have the right idea. They tried to take Australia from us. Combined with American wheat…well, we will tear their farmlands from them to feed our people and force the rest of the world into submission through their yearning for food.”
“It will take time to rebuild our merchant marine,” the Navy Minister said.
“Agreed,” Hong said. “That is why our army in Mexico is so critical. Because of it, we can keep the South Americans in our camp.”
Kiang frowned thoughtfully.
“The time may come where we will demand the Indian League to send troops,” Hong said. “Ladies and gentlemen, the glaciation means this is a Darwinian struggle. Nature wishes to discover which race is the strongest. I assure you, it will be the Chinese. Our two worst enemies have played their strongest cards against us. Yes, they bloodied us, and we have taken setbacks. But once the Russians retreat and we kill the Americans…a few years of intense industrial production will give us the upper hand. We own the world’s heaviest industries. Soon, we will have the Earth’s best farmlands as well. All we must do is insure we have iron determination. I tell you, this is China’s finest hour.”
“Interesting,” Kiang said. “Your optimism is worthy of a conqueror. Our armies are exhausted, but our enemies have lost heart. What’s more, our enemies need time to resupply. It is a race to see who can replace his armies fastest.”
“We will win that race,” Hong gloated.
“I believe you are right,” Kiang said.
Shun Li stood. She saluted Chairman Hong. “You are China’s savior, Leader. Let me be the first to congratulate you on your insights and iron will. I pledge the police service to a hundred years of war, if that’s what it will take.”
“Thank you, Police Minister,” Hong said. “But I doubt it will take more than another ten years of hard fighting.”
Shun Li smiled as she resumed her place. Yet in her heart, she feared. Hong was cunning and he maneuvered more easily than any of they did. Would the world continue to battle like this for ten more years?
He unleashed nuclear war, now he wants to use biological agents against the Americans.
Shun Li froze in deep thought. These past few years had been bad enough. What would the situation be like ten years from now? Would she be alive ten years from now if Hong ruled? That was the deepest question of all.
WASHINGTON, DC
12 August 2042
Strategic Conference, 10.32 A.M.
Participants: Harold, Alan, McGraw, Levin, Caliato (Director of Industry), Danner (Air Marshal, Strategic Air Command).
HAROLD: The situation appears to be bleak.
ALAN: I’d call it desperate for us.
MCGRAW: I disagree. We’re close to capturing Shenyang—
ALAN: No! Wrong! Incorrect! Our soldiers can see the skyscrapers, but they will never enter the city. Can you imagine the bloodbath? The Chinese have armed the population. Going into Shenyang will destroy our army body by bloody corpse.
MCGRAW: Then we’ll maneuver around Shenyang and isolate it, starving the place to death.
ALAN: As we’ve starved Changchun?
MCGRAW: Have you even read the reports? The people in Changchun are eating rats and shoe leather, just as the Russians did during the siege of Leningrad during World War II.
ALAN: We’re murdering their people—
MCGRAW: As they murdered us. Payback is always hard, Chairman.
HAROLD: Gentlemen, please, this won’t get us anywhere.
ALAN: (To McGraw.) Do you realize how many soldiers it will tie down to guard Shenyang? We’re talking three hundred thousand, at least. In time, we’re going to have to take the cities.”
MCGRAW: I understand your implications. Well, Genghis Khan defeated China, and he had far fewer soldiers than we do.
ALAN: Genghis Khan was also one of the greatest butchers of history. Do you really want to be like him?
MCGRAW: I want the Chinese to rue the day they ever decided to attack my country. I’m from Texas, and I want to make sure such an invasion never happens again. I’ll make sure by killing the bastards who started it.
LEVIN: Maybe it’s time to talk peace. I’ve heard rumors that Premier Konev is considering a withdrawal from Manchuria and Mongolia.
HAROLD: How reliable are these rumors?
LEVIN: I’m looking into it, sir.
HAROLD: I’ve heard nothing of this.
LEVIN: As we know, Konev keeps his cards close to the vest.
HAROLD: That’s true.
ALAN: This is terrible news. What happens if Konev backs out? I’ll tell you. Our Expeditionary Force would be finished. We’d have to retreat with him. Then we’re back to square one, with the Chinese as embedded as ever in Mexico.
HAROLD: This is bitter news, if true. I thought Konev had more heart than that.
LEVIN: He seeks Russia’
s glory and his own. This conventional assault on China…it will ruin both our countries. The latest Chinese offensive in Inner Mongolia has demoralized those around Konev. That much I know. His military chiefs might feel otherwise.
HAROLD: The Chinese proved tougher than I expected. I’ll admit that. Their best units—almost five million strong—are far away in Mexico. They were thin everywhere else, and Konev made them pay for it in Kazakhstan and Siberia. These past months have given our combined arms amazing and seemingly decisive victories. Yet still Hong throws more and more soldiers into the fray against us.
MCGRAW: I still think he’s bluffing. Hard offensives now from the Russians and us will—
ALAN: I completely disagree with you, General.
MCGRAW: Maybe it’s time you grew a pair, Chairman.
HAROLD: Gentlemen, please. That gets us nowhere.
LEVIN: What do you suggest we do, Director?
HAROLD: It has been my dream for several years now to pay back Chairman Hong and China in the same coin they have used against America.
LEVIN: Are you talking about a nuclear strike?
HAROLD: Precisely.
LEVIN: Do you mean a strategic attack then?
HAROLD: Not if there is another method available.
LEVIN: I doubt the Chinese are open to a cruise missile strike as they used against us.
HAROLD: I’m thinking about precision nuclear strikes in order to show the Chinese leadership the futility of continuing the war. Either they agree to our terms, or we will flatten their country.
LEVIN: Is such a thing possible? I mean, the Chinese cannot attack us with ICBMs and we cannot attack them with our strategic arsenal. That’s why both sides have built the expensive ABM sites.
HAROLD: Air Marshal Danner, do you care to comment on that?
DANNER: Theoretically, we can defeat their laser ABM systems. We have experimental hypervelocity missiles. Our tests show that at Mach 18— LEVIN: We have hypervelocity missiles that can go that fast?
DANNER: A handful of them, yes we do. Our tests show that ABM lasers will not be able to strike the missile’s surface long enough to damage the object. The projectile simply moves too fast for the laser beams to track and touch the missile’s skin long enough to heat it.
LEVIN: This is interesting. (Coughs discreetly.) I suppose I should admit that the CIA has studied China’s ABM defenses. We’ve heard of your hypervelocity missiles. Lasers won’t stop them, as you suggest, for the reason you stated. Powerful particle beam weapons will, however. China has been shooting down our THOR missiles with them for some time. Our studies show that these strategic PBW sites could destroy the hypervelocity missiles.
DANNER: That is conceivable, certainly.
LEVIN: (To Director Harold.) That ends your dream, I’m afraid. China remains shielded against strategic precision nuclear strikes.
HAROLD: That’s not quite true.
LEVIN: What am I missing?
HAROLD: Several things. First, we have the ability to knock out some of the enemy’s strategic PBW stations.
LEVIN: Not with THOR missiles.
HAROLD: No. With our latest new weapons system.
LEVIN: What is the new system?
HAROLD: General McGraw.
MCGRAW: I want to begin by saying that I’ve witnessed a nuclear attack’s devastation first hand. It’s terrible, a dirty business, and I hate it. So, even with the Chinese, with their people particularly, I only want to knock out a few cities or industrial centers. If they can see the light after that, we’ll let them surrender. If not—well, the blood will be on their heads.
LEVIN: This is all very mysterious. What new invention have you found to knock out the PBW stations?
MCGRAW: The Director and I have been engaged in a top secret experiment. You heard about it a year ago. Now they’re ready.
LEVIN: They?
MCGRAW: Yes, the orbital dropping Marines.
LEVIN: Ah, yes, I remember you mentioning them. How do they help us here exactly?
MCGRAW: We launch their Orion ships and drop the Marines at key PBW stations. Once the men successfully demolish them, we will have a window of opportunity to launch our hypervelocity nuclear missiles.
LEVIN: We’d need the hypervelocity missiles in Manchuria, would we not?
MCGRAW: They’re relatively short-ranged, that’s true. However, we have a number of launchers with our army group. Once the Marines strike, vital areas of China will be at our mercy.
HAROLD: At that point, we can dictate our terms for peace to the Chinese. One of the main conditions will be no Pan-Asian Alliance soldiers in Mexico.
LEVIN: Hmm…I’m beginning to see your idea. The THOR missiles gave us tremendous advantages last year. Orbital space is a new battleground. High technology combined with elite soldiers—your plan sounds insane, and yet, I can see how it could work.
HAROLD: It must work. I see no other way to drive the Chinese out of Mexico.
LEVIN: I just thought of a problem.
HAROLD: Yes?
LEVIN: The Chinese PBW stations are able to knock out THOR missiles. Those missiles are little better than guided crowbars coming down like meteors. The kinetic force is their payload.
HAROLD: We’re all familiar with THOR missiles.
LEVIN: Don’t you see the problem? If the PBW stations can destroy these crowbars, these THOR missiles, surely, the particle beams can kill the Marines as they drop from orbit. I imagine the ABM lasers will be able to take them out, too.
MCGRAW: You’re right, Doctor. Those boys are going to take losses getting down. I don’t think there’s any way around that. But I don’t see we have any choice. The hypervelocity missiles are our best chance of knocking China out of the war.
LEVIN: In other words, this is a huge gamble. We only have a handful of these hypervelocity missiles.
MCGRAW: The Chinese won’t know that. Still, if you have a better idea, I’d like to hear it. I dislike the idea of our Marines taking heavy causalities going down, but this is a war to the finish.
LEVIN: Do the men know how dangerous this is going to be?
MCGRAW: They joined up with their eyes open. I can assure you of that. These men are the best of the best.
LEVIN: I hope you’re telling the truth.
MCGRAW: I’m not used to someone suggesting I’m a liar.
LEVIN: No, I’m sure you’re not. Let me ask you a different question, then. Has the government always told its troops the entire truth about a tough assignment?
HAROLD: You let us worry about that, Doctor.
LEVIN: I have no more questions.
HAROLD: Very well, that’s decided. Now, if you’ll look here…
-14-
Drop Specialists
WASHINGTON, DC
Anna noticed the changes as she walked through the underground corridor of White House Bunker #5.
There were three checkpoints now instead of the one upstairs before entering the elevator. The last barrier had several high-tech snoopers to see if anything had been secreted within the body.
Iranian suicide bombers had become more sophisticated, undergoing surgery so the explosive was hidden in a person’s gut. Not that any of them were Iranian agents—that was the excuse, she supposed.
She wondered if Dr. Levin would be here today. Since the one contact in Macy’s, she hadn’t seen or spoken to him. Another change was that the Marine guards had been replaced with Militia personnel, which she’d noticed months earlier already. The other difference was the quantity of security. Many Militia guards lining the corridors and even more stood inside the main chamber.
She blinked with astonishment. The chamber was packed with Militia and Army personnel. What event would bring so many people here?
Hmmm, she didn’t see Levin. Did that mean anything? Had Director Harold uncovered the CIA’s plot? Was that why Harold had summoned her? Did the director toy with her? She didn’t know he had been the one to order her appearance. Her escorts wouldn
’t say, but who else had that kind of authority?
Director Harold sat at the President’s former spot at the circular conference table. His head swayed as he saw her. “What are you doing here?” he asked in a commanding voice.
That scratched her first theory, as fear gripped her at his tone. It felt as if a strong wind whipped against her. She had to fight to keep from taking a step back, and she squinted as if a gale blew into her face. The director’s bearing had become much more powerful, forceful.
He’s become the dictator. He knows he’s in charge and he knows everyone else knows it. He has more confidence, more authority than he has ever exhibited before. He’ll never let David live. Levin was right about that.
As the director spoke, people turned toward him. He pointed at her. “Guards, take her outside.”
“Wait a minute,” Tom McGraw said, pushing to the front of the crowd. “She’s here at my request.”
Harold studied the general. “Why would you do that?” he finally asked.
Anna felt the tension between them. McGraw didn’t kowtow to the director. The general stood like the big man he was, with several watchdog majors flanking him.
Right, Anna thought. Those aren’t really majors. They’re part of McGraw’s security team. It looks like he’s finally getting smart.
“She’s the expert on the Chinese,” McGraw said, “on Chairman Hong particularly. I expect tonight is going to be the time we need all the intelligence on him we can get.”
Harold kept his eyes on her as McGraw spoke. The director went into robot mode, showing nothing that went on in his analytical brain.
“Yes,” Harold said. “She can stay, as long as she doesn’t make a nuisance of herself.”
The door opened, and Dr. Levin walked in. Anna kept her eyebrows from lifting. She recognized the aide with Levin. It was Hicks, the Agency’s wet works specialist. Why would Levin bring Hicks to this kind of meeting? She wondered if anyone else knew who Hicks was. If they had, they’d never have let him in.
“Let’s get settled,” Harold said. “It’s almost time to begin.” He turned to Chairman Alan. “Is the THOR Command Center ready?”
Invasion: China (Invasion America) (Volume 5) Page 41