“Mr. President,” McGraw said, “I respect General Alan. But in this instance, he’s wrong. As things stand now, he is of course correct. But the truth is we’re going about this campaign the wrong way. I tell you, sir, with this influx of East Coast troops, I could trap the Chinese and hand them a decisive defeat.”
“You’re spouting madness,” Alan said. “You’ve been on the front too long and it has broken your mind.”
Bent as he was over the map, McGraw stared up at Alan. “You said it yourself, General. We’re losing this war. I agree with that.”
“Then how are you going to defeat the enemy?” Alan asked in a scathing tone. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs faced Sims. “Mr. President, the Chinese have surrounded General McGraw twice. People think he’s a hero because he managed to extract his trapped troops each time. I’d like to ask why he let them be surrounded in the first place. That isn’t gifted generalship.” The Chairman faced McGraw. “Fighting out of a trap is hardly driving the enemy back into Mexico. Now you’re talking about going over onto the offensive?”
“Yes,” McGraw said.
“Bah!” General Alan said. He turned to the President. “He’s a wild man, sir. I recommend that you—”
“Hold it, General Alan,” Sims said in a soft voice. The President glanced at McGraw, and he seemed to measure the huge man.
This is pure theater, Anna realized. David and General McGraw have set this up.
“I see you brought your map with you,” Sims said.
“Yes, Mr. President,” McGraw said.
“Go on then,” Sims said. “Tell us what you’re thinking. I haven’t had anyone tell me we can defeat the Chinese for several months now. Why do you all of a sudden think it can be done?”
General Tom McGraw began outlining his grand plan. He spoke about the Russians luring Napoleon deep into their country, about burning Moscow and sniping at French stragglers with partisans and Cossacks. He said now was the time to bring about a Battle of Borodino, using the Militia and extra troops on strongly built defenses. At the same time, with this influx of soldiers, it was time to create an offensive army. It was time to trap and annihilate Chinese formations and show them the U.S. still had plenty of fight left.
“Sir,” McGraw said, toward the end of this talk. “A critical aspect of my plan is surprise. The Chinese still have numbers and they have a better air force. We have to surprise and trick them, just as a smaller judo fighter tricks and trips his bigger opponent.”
“What if we lose the Canadian Army?” Sims asked. “What if the Canadian Government deserts us and we’re out of our last ally?”
“No,” McGraw said. “We can’t afford that, sir. “To pull this off, we need the Canadians and we need those East Coast soldiers. We can’t just rely on the Militiamen to hold. General Alan is right about the Chinese and South Americans having mass; almost too much mass for us. We’re going to need everything. If you would allow me sir to add a point concerning political maneuvering?”
“Yes?” Sims asked.
“I would explain to the Canadians the dire situation concerning our country. If we fall, they will fall. I would point out that we both need time and we both need to face our enemies one at a time. Give the Germans Quebec for now so we can face the Chinese and South Americans. Once we defeat the enemy coalition, then and only then, would we turn against the Germans and drive them out of Quebec. Then the Canadians have their lost province back.”
“We practice deceit, General?” Sims asked.
“The old saying holds true, sir. All is fair in love and war. We’re fighting for our existence. You don’t worry what you have to do to defeat a tiger in your living room. You do whatever it takes, even if it means feeding it a poisoned steak. That’s how I feel about these three power blocs ganging up on my beloved country. Screw them each and to the wall, sir.”
A wild light had appeared in the President’s eyes, and there was a grim smile in place.
“And if this grand scheme fails?” General Alan asked. “If we try to bite off more than we can chew and if we lose our carefully built Tank Army Group?”
“Sir,” McGraw said, “we’re losing this war. We’re selling the future to defeat the enemy hard enough so we can turn around later and beat the Germans, if that’s