World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

The first applause broke out. At first, it was sporadic, then it quickly spread. Republican Senator Henry Cabot Lodge—Wilson's political rival—was also applauding enthusiastically.

Wilson waited for the applause to subside.

"Therefore, I formally request Congress to grant the President the necessary powers to take all measures to protect the citizens and interests of Merica. These measures include, but are not limited to: strengthening naval escort capabilities, resolutely responding to any actions that threaten Merica's shipping, and coordinating with allies to ensure that the dignity of international law is upheld."

He didn't say "declare war." But everyone understood—it was an authorization to wage war.

"I want to emphasize," Wilson raised his voice, cutting through another round of applause, "that the goal of our actions is not conquest, not revenge, but protection. Not the destruction of Germany, but the impetus to bring Germany back to the ranks of civilized nations. If we are ultimately forced to use force, it will be for a just and lasting peace—a peace in which all nations, regardless of size or strength, can live in safety."

He spoke his last few words slowly and heavily.

"The 43 lives lost cannot be lost in vain. Their blood calls for justice, and it calls for wisdom—a path that can both uphold principles and prevent greater catastrophe. This path will not be easy to find, but we must find it. Because the responsibility of leading the world is not only to demonstrate strength, but also to demonstrate conscience."

When he finished his speech, he didn't end with the usual impassioned farewell, but instead gave a slight bow and then stepped down from the podium.

The applause lasted for three minutes.

The Oval Office in the West Wing of the White House.

Wilson returned to his office at two in the afternoon. He had barely eaten anything at the luncheon after his speech, only drinking half a glass of water. Now he sat in a high-backed chair by the fireplace, his eyes closed. The fire was blazing, but he still felt cold—a cold that seeped into his bones.

There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in."

Secretary of State Lansing walked in, holding a newly printed extra edition of the newspaper. "The response has been very enthusiastic. The Senate Majority Leader told me that the authorization bill can be submitted tomorrow and will pass within three days without any problem. The House may debate it for a day or two longer, but the outcome will not change."

Wilson didn't open his eyes: "When will the British ambassador arrive?"

"At 4:30, he requested that the meeting be extended to an hour."

"Give him ninety minutes." Wilson finally opened his eyes. "Have the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy come to see me at four o'clock. Also, inform General Rodman that he will come at eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

Lansing quickly jotted down in his memo: "Are you really going to send him to Lanfang?"

"We have to go." Wilson stood up and walked to the world map. "We saw the 'Huaihe' in Hawaii, but that's just a ship. We need to know how powerful Lanfang's entire industrial system is, and what their military potential is. More importantly—" He pointed to the Persian Gulf on the map, "we need to know how many chips Chen Feng had in his hand when he said 'Lanfang will also get involved.'"

"If he really does have six Bismarck-class battleships, plus the ones under construction..."

"That means the balance of power in the Pacific has changed." Wilson turned around. "So Rodman's mission is clear: see for yourself, hear for yourself, and then come back and tell me what price we need to pay if Lanfang really sides with Germany."

Lansing hesitated for a moment: "Mr. President, regarding the NY-107 incident...would you like to see the latest analysis from Naval Intelligence now?"

"Bring it here."

The document was thin, only three pages long. Wilson flipped through it quickly, his expression growing increasingly grim.

The core conclusion of the analysis report is clear: the departure of the British destroyers HMS Courageous and HMS Vigilant from their convoy "did not conform to standard escort procedures." Sonar recordings show no credible signs of submarine activity in the area prior to the alleged "suspicious encounter." The timing of the two destroyers' departure is "disturbingly coincidental."

The report didn't explicitly say "this is a conspiracy," but every trained intelligence officer could read the underlying message.

Wilson tossed the document onto the table. "Show this report to Baker (Secretary of War) and Daniels (Secretary of the Navy) at four o'clock. Then tell them that they don't need to know the contents of my conversation with the British Ambassador this afternoon."

"clear."

At four o'clock, Secretary of War Newton Baker and Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels arrived on time. After reading the report, both men looked very grim.

"This is..." Baker carefully chose his words, "an extremely dangerous game."

"And they're playing with the lives of the Merleka people." Daniels' voice held suppressed anger. "If this is true, the British should be condemned."

"We don't have conclusive evidence," Wilson said calmly. "The sonar recording could be explained as a misjudgment. The commander could say he was checking a vague signal out of caution. In court, at most it would be a misjudgment, not a crime."

"But morally—"

“There’s no moral court in politics,” Wilson interrupted him. “The question now is, what’s next? Baker, how long will it take for the army to mobilize?”

When the conversation turned to technical matters, Baker regained his ministerial composure: "Full mobilization would take eighteen months. But if it's just sending troops to Europe, the first five divisions could be ready to board within six months. That is, provided the navy can guarantee the security of the supply lines."

Wilson looked at Daniels.

"That's precisely the problem," Daniels said, pointing to the Atlantic chart. "If we're going to protect our supply lines, we'll need a lot of destroyers and cruisers to escort them. But what about the Pacific? If Lanfang really does have six Bismarck-class destroyers, and perhaps some we don't know about... our Pacific Fleet won't be enough."

"Therefore, Rodman's assessment is crucial," Wilson concluded. "The mobilization order will not be issued until I have finished speaking with the British ambassador. But preparations must begin—in secret. I don't want the newspapers to report tomorrow that 'Merika is preparing to send troops to Europe.'"

"The public is already calling for it," Baker said with a wry smile.

"The public doesn't know the cost of war." Wilson's voice suddenly turned stern. "They're clamoring for war now because they've only seen forty-three deaths. When they see forty-three thousand deaths, they won't be clamoring like that anymore. Our responsibility is to think things through before we're swayed by emotions."

After the two ministers left, Wilson stood alone by the window.

Outside, the snow on the South Lawn of the White House had not yet completely melted, leaving patches of white on the withered yellow grass. Several guards patrolled in the distance, their breath appearing blurred in the twilight light.

He recalled Chen Feng's words in Hawaii: "Melica doesn't need to win the world through war. Time is on Melica's side."