the group as his Brain Trust. Months ago, they had decided to accept Chancellor Kleist’s offer. And these three had helped David to decide on the risky and so far successful counterattack against Third Front.
“We’ll make this meeting short,” David said. “General, I know you’re anxious to get back to your men.”
“Yes sir, Mr. President,” McGraw said. He had a burn mark on his right cheek. The skin around it was red.
“Alan, you’ve seen the reports,” the President said. “The entire Chinese and Brazilian military is on the move. Our drive has upset every one of their timetables. Marshal Sanchez’s First Front has pulled back from the Platte River Defenses. Even Marshal Wen’s Fourth Front is retreating from the Des Moines Line. Clearly, Marshal Liang is gathering strength in Pueblo. He’s freed much of Tenth and Fifteenth Armies in the Denver area. We can’t keep things the same on our side if they’re changing up the game on theirs.”
“Mr. President,” Director Harold said. “I’m anticipating you, perhaps. But are you talking about a general offensive everywhere?”
“You’re asking about our northern defense lines?” David said.
“Yes sir,” Harold said.
“It’s crossed my mind to launch a general offensive, yes,” the President said. “We must push now that the Aggressors are shaken. We mustn’t allow them time to regroup and catch their breath.”
Max Harold shook his head. “I would advise against a general offensive everywhere, sir. We’ve learned the hard way that the Militia battalions are fragile formations. On the defense behind built-up works, they can fight as hard as most Regular formations. Out in the open in battles of maneuver…” Harold shook his head.
“What do you think about that?” the President asked Alan.
“The Director has a cogent point, sir,” Alan said.
“Hmm,” the President said. “You don’t think the Militia should leave their defense works?”
“It would be a risky move,” Alan said. “Perhaps it’s even premature.”
“But we must keep up the pressure,” David said. “If we let the enemy withdraw as he wishes, he can reform at will. Then he can select where to strike back. No. The enemy is on the run. We have to keep him running and unbalanced.”
“What if this is a massive trick?” Harold asked. “What if these pullbacks are meant to lure our Militiamen out in the open where the Aggressors can cut them to pieces?”
“I doubt this is a trick,” David said.
“Sir,” McGraw said. “I think you both have a point. We have to keep the pressure on, but we must move the Militia formations with great care. I suggest there is a way to throw a monkey wrench into the Chinese timetable without risking the Militia. Once we unbalance the Chinese a second time, then we could move the Militia to forward positions, but always in junction with brother Army units and always to prepared defenses posts.”
“I’m listening,” the President said.
“St. Louis is the key,” McGraw said.
“I hope you’re not going to talk about Army Group South again,” Alan said.
Anna perked up. Army Group South was the carefully built-up “fire-brigade” stationed in northern Mississippi near the Tennessee border. Over the months, Militia formations had taken over Regular Army positions along the eastern bank of the Mississippi River. Army Group South was supposed to be the reaction force if the Chinese ever made a strong invasion across the Mississippi River into the Deep South.
“That’s exactly what I’m going to suggest we do,” McGraw said.
“We’ve been over that before,” Alan said, angrily. “If you move Army Group South, we’re essentially defenseless if Marshal Wen decides on a cross-Mississippi River attack.”
Big Tom McGraw laughed. “Do you hear yourself? Marshal Wen make an attack into Tennessee or Mississippi now? I don’t think so. The Aggressors are on the ropes and frantically attempting to free formations to fix their essential problem. Look, we’ve encircled the bulk of Third Front. The SAF forces are backing up from the north. The Fourth Front is also backing up and sending units west to help Marshal Liang. Gentlemen, I say that now is the time to make the Aggressors crap their pants. We’ve encircled one front, why not another?”
“Because we don’t have the manpower or the materiel to beat the Aggressors on two Fronts,” Alan said.
“You know we can’t do that,” McGraw said. “Does that mean the enemy knows the same thing? No. He’s running like a rabbit now, frightened at what we’ve done. They’re reacting to us. We have the initiative for the first time in this bloody war. We must keep the initiative until