“OK, Yin. I’m all ears. Go ahead.”
Breedlove did his best to pretend he was ignoring Yang while also scanning the area for those who might snoop on their conversation.
“I’ve been told by President Xi that if his generous terms of surrender are not accepted, then he is more than willing to continue to arm the populace and wage a hundred-year insurgency war against any Allied occupation or Hung-led government. I need to know if the Allies are willing to accept his terms I told you about yesterday.”
Landover and Castle were split on what the President should do. General Bennet was against it and said they should continue the war until they were able to get the outcome they wanted. The President was leaning in the direction of his general’s opinion, so that didn’t leave a lot of room to accept Xi’s initial proposal.
Breedlove shook his head somberly. “No, the President and his military leaders won’t accept Xi’s proposal. They are willing to accept the principle of Greater China with the exception of Singapore and Thailand; those two countries have to be returned to their people. The President is also adamant about China moving toward some form of democracy. The proposal I was given was that President Hung would take over as head of a caretaker government for two years until a new general election could be held. The President also said he would like you to remain in control of the PLA to help facilitate a smooth transition of power. There would also be no restrictions placed on you either staying as commander of the PLA with the subsequent government or you running for President of China yourself.”
“What about occupation? Would the Allies occupy China, and if so, for how long?” Yang asked in a hushed tone.
“There would be a limited occupation,” Breedlove responded. “Mostly just in the capital and some of the current occupied territories. It wouldn’t be a full-blown occupation like Russia — not if you were to stay on as the head of the PLA and you could reasonably hold the country together while the new caretaker government was formed and elections were organized.” He was trying to make sure he ran through all the facts quickly; neither of them knew how long they had to talk before a prying eye would eventually spot them.
Yang yawned and stood, stretching his back casually like two random people who had just met at the hotel garden. As he was about to walk away, he turned slightly. “I will think about what you’ve said and try to figure out if it’s even possible. I’ll get back to you later today,” he said, speaking in a voice so low it was almost as if he was muttering to himself. Then he walked away, back to the main building.
General Breedlove stayed a few more minutes and then left, heading a different direction into the building.
The rest of the day’s meetings proved to be utterly fruitless. Foreign Minister Wang wouldn’t budge on several of the key issues Secretary Landover was adamant about. Landover insisted that the American people had suffered horrific losses in a war started by China and that some issues were just nonnegotiable.
“America must accept Greater China. We have been clear about that from the beginning,” Wang said emphatically.
“OK, let’s assume America accepts that,” Secretary Landover said, playing devil’s advocate. “Then we will hold on to the territorial gains we have made in the war thus far. You can keep all of Southeast Asia, we’ll hang on to northern China all the way up to Beijing, along with the rest of Shanghai and the entire Guangdong Province.”
Minister Wang’s mouth dropped open. Then he pounded his fist on the table and yelled, “Impossible, those lands must be returned!”
After snickering at the exchange, General Bennet locked Minister Wang up with one of his icy stares. “I don’t think you understand the present situation, Minister Wang, so let me enlighten you. I have nearly two million soldiers preparing to attack the Beijing capital region. Beijing will be in my hands before the end of the year. By this time next year, we’ll occupy more than half of China. If you’re unwilling to see reason and agree to terms, then you won’t have a country left. Do I make myself clear?”
For his part, Minister Wang looked first shocked, then appalled, and then angry. “You will never be able to subdue China. We have over a billion people.”
“And how many of them will die this winter from starvation?” asked General Bennet. “How long do you think your people will support your government when you can no longer feed them, pay their wages, or provide them basic services? We are giving you an opportunity to save face and save your people. This offer won’t be on the table for long. When this meeting is over, my overall mission to crush your country into the sands of history will resume. You need to decide what kind of country will be left if I’m given my druthers to destroy you.”
Secretary of State Landover held his hand up to stop the bickering between General Bennet and Minister Wang. “Please, gentlemen, this meeting is to discuss ending the war, not how many more people on both sides we intend to kill.”
Pausing for a moment to look at his watch, Landover suggested, “Why don’t we break early and get ready for dinner? Perhaps some good food will open us all up to find some common ground we can work from.”
Later that evening, after the official functionaries had spoken, and again, found little compromise, Major General Breedlove found himself sitting outside on one of the balconies overlooking the garden terrace below. He pulled a cigar out of his specially designed carrying case and lit it up, taking several puffs on it. The fragrance of the tobacco wafted its way through the air around him.
He heard a shoe or boot scuff the tile behind him, and a solitary figure stepped out onto the balcony to join him. When Breedlove looked up, he smiled when he recognized his friend Yang, who had once again managed to slip past his minders and found a quiet place for them to speak. Pulling another cigar out, he handed it over to the Chinese general, who greedily took it. Yang puffed on the cigar to get it up to speed before settling into a seat next to Breedlove, who poured him a healthy-sized glass of some very fine cognac that the hotel had provided.
The two sat there for a moment, sipping on their stiff drinks and enjoying their cigars. Breedlove reminisced about a time many years ago, back at the Citadel, when the two of them had done the very same thing toward the end of their senior year. Yang had just told him that he was not going to accept a commission in to the Army, and that his father was taking their family back to China. Breedlove had been sad to hear the news but even more so concerned when he’d heard Yang was going to take a commission in the People’s Liberation Army. He’d hoped that despite them serving their nations in their respective militaries, they wouldn’t find themselves adversaries one day.
Yang didn’t spend long soaking in the moment; he must have sensed that time was of the essence. “I’ve given your question some thought, Larry. President Xi won’t agree to the terms your side is offering. He will order me to prepare the country to fight a protracted insurgency if necessary. If Xi can’t end the war on terms he can accept, then he is willing to make sure this war never ends, I’m afraid.” He slumped his body back into his chair, dejected. Yang picked up his drink, drained it, and then poured himself another glass as he waited for Breedlove’s response.
For his part, Breedlove had known this was probably going to be the response they would be given. At least, that was the assessment of the CIA and other intelligence groups.
“I guess it’s time to play that final card,” he thought reluctantly.
Turning to face his friend, Breedlove threw back the rest of the brownish liquid in his glass before he made one last, desperate appeal. “Yin, this war has to end. We can’t allow our political masters to pursue a policy that will destroy the very people, the very nations you and I’ve sworn to serve and protect. There comes a time when even a soldier has to decide what is morally right, and what is right for the people we’re sworn to protect. If President Xi won’t see reason, then is it possible for you to take action yourself? As the head of the PLA, surely the army would follow your orders and this war would be ended, right?”