“It is time for decisions,” the Chairman whispered. His chair didn’t amplify his words, nor did he speak with vigor. He seemed tired, possibly dispirited.
As Jian tried to decide if he should say something, Admiral Qiang took a deep breath. “May I speak, sir?” Qiang asked.
“By all means,” the Chairman said.
“The naval infantry has set up heavy defensive stations in Anchorage. We hold the Kenai Peninsula. At present, we will soon face the American Fourth Army. I have no qualms about holding what we have. However, there is another army moving through the Yukon. To face the combined mass we will need more fuel, munitions and another three fresh brigades.”
“How will you ship this new transfusion to your trapped naval infantry?” the Chairman asked.
“By using Navy transports, sir,” said Qiang.
“These transports are needed for grain,” the Chairman said. “Isn’t that right, Xiao?”
“The people’s anger is growing worse,” the Police Minister said in a soft voice. “The people of the inner provinces are very hungry.”
“But the war, sir—” said Qiang.
“Has ground to a halt,” the Chairman said. “I have seen the evidence, and it shows me a lack of planning and preparation. Our troops lack munitions and fuel. It is an intolerable situation.”
“I asked for re-supplies,” Qiang said.
“Silence!” the Chairman hissed. “You assured me your naval brigades could snatch Alaska for me. They failed to move with speed. Bah. I made a mistake trying to wage a ground war with naval troops. I should have never listened to you and your insidious lies.”
“Sir—” said Qiang.
“Silence!” the Chairman said, as he slapped the armrest of his wheelchair. There was fire in his eyes. “A ground war or an ice war—the Army succeeded in their appointed task. I should have trusted them to wage the battle in South Central Alaska. Even though General Nung fought in a bitterly alien environment and with an amazingly stretched supply line, he reached Dead Horse. The Army is to be congratulated for that.” The old man glanced at the marshal.
Kao smiled, although it seemed pained.
Jian recognized it. I didn’t realize he hates Nung that much.
“General Nung has reached Dead Horse,” the Chairman said. “Despite the distance, Army reinforcements reached him, strengthening the general’s position. Meanwhile, in South Central Alaska, the entire front has stalled. They are out of fuel and have dwindling stocks of munitions.”
“With more fuel—” Qiang began.
“No!” the Chairman said. “I will not send more ships into the northern waters as winter approaches. If you had taken the city and opened the port, moving on to the passes, yes. Then I would pour Army troops into the city. But as the Arctic winter approaches I will not throw good troops after bad ones.”
Admiral Qiang stiffened. “They are not bad troops, sir.”
The Chairman snorted.
“The war—” Jian said.
“Quiet!” the Chairman said. “I know you are politically allied with Qiang, but you will not use your boasts here today to help our failed admiral.” The old man glowered at Jian. “I did not believe you had it in you to revive military men. Yet you lit a fire under Nung after he sat waiting for the heavens to fall, it appears. Because he waited so long, it will be difficult to hold onto the North Slope. I suppose we can destroy the oil wells there so America’s fuel burns and their economy withers away. We have denied them the Arctic Ocean oil wells and the Prudhoe Bay fields. That might be enough to induce them to trade for our oil.”
“I do not think the Americans will sell us grain now, sir,” Deng said.
“No,” the Chairman said, after a moments reflection. “Neither do I. We attempted to snatch Alaska from them in a swift, surprise attack. Our attack came within centimeters of success but in the end, it failed. Now we must glean from it what we can.”
The Chairman studied his ministers. “Our chief advantage is that the Americans dared to use nuclear weapons. The outcry against them is growing worldwide. We might be able to use that to break the Grain Union. We have hurt America and shown the world how weak they are. To conquer American territory, however, we needed a stronger merchant marine and a greater number of Navy transports. Therefore, I am ordering an immediate increase in ship construction.”
“Sir?” asked Deng.
“The war has shown us that China needs a larger Navy,” the Chairman said. “Therefore, we will buy that with our riches.”
“What about our naval infantry in Alaska?” Admiral Qiang asked.
The old man in the wheelchair fell silent, watching his ministers.
Jian’s throat was dry. He needed war to advance his political power, of that he was certain. Already, his standing in the Ruling Committee and the nation had risen because his man Nung had captured Dead Horse.
“Sir,” Jian said, “Chinese honor demands—”
“You will make demands of me, Jian Hong?” the Chairman asked.
“No, sir, never that,” Jian said, as he wilted under the old man’s gaze and fell silent.
“Sir,” said a shaken Qiang, “in the interests of my troops, I must point out that the Americans are bringing heavy reinforcements. We must match them or risk losing the battle.”
“The battle is already lost,” Deng said.
“The Americans never defeated us,” Jian pointed out.
“We failed to reach our goal,” Deng said. “Sir, do you wish to send more troops to Alaska?”
“No,” the Chairman muttered. “I have already said as much. The rice riots make that impossible. Our ships are needed elsewhere now.”
An icicle of fear stabbed Jian. Some might still try to blame him for the poor harvests, and now he didn’t have a war to distract them. Then inspiration struck. “Sir, I have an idea.”
“Do you wish to start another war?” Deng asked in scathing tone.
“I am Chinese,” Jian said, squaring his shoulders. “I think in longer terms than a simple battle. We have taught the Americans a harsh lesson and must now move on to the next step.”
“What have we taught them?” Deng asked. “That given time they can halt our attacks?”
“You mock Chinese arms,” Jian said. “I do not.”
“I make no mockery,” Deng said.
“Silence,” the Chairman told Deng. “Let Jian speak. Yes. He knew how to motivate General Nung. I should have sent Jian to Admiral Ling. Then we would have taken Anchorage and sealed the Americans behind the Yukon passes.”
Jian dipped his head. “You honor me, sir.”
“Give us your idea,” the Chairman said.
“War is not always fought by weapons,” Jian said. “The great Sun Tzu taught us that. Because of a few unfortunate accidents, our naval infantry will soon face the onslaught of massed American troops. I doubt the lazy Americans could throw us off the Kenai Peninsula, but we must not give them the opportunity to try. We must use our victorious assault into Dead Horse to save the naval infantry and Chinese battle-honor in the south.”
The Chairman nodded for him to continue.
“We have shown the world the deadliness of Chinese arms,” Jian said. “We have taught the arrogant Americans a sharp lesson. They withhold food. Very well. We will withhold oil. We now hold the Arctic oilfields and Prudhoe Bay. At the conference table, let us trade Dead Horse for a timed withdrawal from South Central Alaska.”
“I fail to see how leaving the peninsula like a whipped cur helps us in the long term,” Deng said.
“You lack the eyes to see,” Jian said. “We have shattered the American Fleet and we have broken the image of an untouchable America. Our technology also proved superior to theirs, and we have taken the Arctic oilfields from them. Our troops shall march out of South Central Alaska as heroes, unconquered on the battlefield.”