Invasion: China (Invasion America) (Volume 5) (4 page)

McGraw stared at him, finally shrugging. “Old son, you’re far too bold with your words. But yes, I’m talking about a triumvirate: Max Harold, me and Chairman Alan.”

“Homeland Security and the military will run the country?”

“
Just until we kick the Chinese out,” McGraw said.

“And if the President fails to have a breakdown?”

McGraw gave him a hearty smile. “So much the better. We’re just talking about contingency plans.”

Sure you are
.

“Well?” McGraw asked. “What do you think?”

“I’m not sure I follow you, sir.”

McGraw looked up at the ceiling as he shook his head. “You’re not
stupid, Higgins. But very well, let’s make this crystal clear. Are you with me?”

“I’m not against you, sir.”

“That isn’t want I’m asking. Will you support me?”

Stan blinked several times as he ingested the general’s words. It began to dawn on him that McGraw wanted to make sure of his legions before he proceeded. If the army backed McGraw,
the general could transform that into political power. Yes, if the three of them formed a triumvirate, things could become very sticky between Harold and McGraw. Homeland Security ran the police in all their variations. That was power, but nothing compared to the American military of millions.

McGraw played a dangerous game, and now the general tried to pull him into it.

No. I’m already in it. It doesn’t matter what I say. Frankly, joining him is probably the safer choice
.

Stan rested his chin on his chest
, feeling the stubble because he hadn’t shaved thoroughly enough this morning. He thought about Jake, how his boy had stood up for his beliefs. It had cost Jake, but he’d been a real man, an adult. The heroes of Stan’s life had stood up for their beliefs: Jesus, Martin Luther of Germany and George Washington.

This must be my hour
to make a stand
.

Stan expelled his
breath and faced McGraw. “I believe in the Republic, sir.”

“What kind of answer is that?”

“An honest one, I suppose.”

“You’re going to buck me?”

Stan found himself in a staring contest with a three hundred and fifty pound drunkard. Tom McGraw could probably pound the crap out of him. Stan shifted in his seat. Well, okay, maybe so. But the general would know he’d been in a fight.

“Let me paint you a picture,” McGraw said. “It might help focus your thinking.”

Stan nodded as he held the general’s gaze.

“Your boy—Jake’s his name, I believe.”

Stan felt his temper slipping.
Is he going to threaten me through my son?
“Jake is his name,” he managed to say.

“
Last year, a Militia tribunal sent him to a penal battalion.”

“
That’s right,” Stan said. “Jake’s sin was that he pissed on a photograph of Max Harold while in a strip club.”

“
Your boy has a morality issue, does he? Likes to watch women take off their clothes?”

“The Militia
officer who pressed charges happened to be there, too. The man was quite taken with one of the strippers, I’m told.”

“
That’s all dirt under the rug, Higgins. My point is that Jake went to a penal battalion. He survived the Germans, but murdered his sergeant.”

“The sergeant killed one of his men in cold blood,” Stan said. “Jake shot him in self-defense.”

“Let me finish,” McGraw said. “It’s my picture I’m painting. Your son fled into the army. Quite a feat, that. I’m wondering if you had a hand in it. I believe he’s presently in a Behemoth regiment.”

“What of it?” Stan heard himself say.

“Homeland Security wants him back to face a new tribunal for murder.”

“You mean they want to murder my son.”

“That’s an awfully unpatriotic statement, Colonel.”

How can this be happening? I have to keep calm. I have to think. I might lose my son otherwise.

“If they try to murder him, I’ll—” Stan clamped his lips together and looked away. Finally, he stood, and he faced the general. Slowly, Stan unbuttoned the rest of his coat, exposing his Medal of Honor.

“Do you see this, sir?”

“I do.”

“The medal is supposed to honor courage. There are different kinds, I know. The two most known are physical and moral. Between the two, moral courage is much rarer. My son has both. I strive for that. This is the real world. I understand. There are emergencies in every area of life. I’m not sure what I’m saying…except this. I’ll fight for my son.”

“Is that a threat?”

Suddenly Stan felt lightheaded, and he said, “Sure, why not? It’s a threat against you, sir, and against Homeland Security. If you use my boy against me so he dies, send some of your killers to my regiment and gun me down, because I’ll try to kill you and Max Harold both.”

McGraw stared at him, and Stan could see his death in the general’s eyes. He’d said too much. Jake liked to spout off. The apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. Stan thought about taking his words back. Before he could, McGraw suddenly laughed heartily. The switch shocked Stan.

“Higgins, Higgins, Higgins, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Look at us, old son, two old war dogs having a battle
of words. I’m drunk. You know that, right?”

Stan recalled McGraw pretending to be drunk over a year ago. The general had fooled him then—not today.

“I’ve been keeping the Militia people at bay,” McGraw said. “It isn’t easy. They want your boy pretty badly. Harold even mentioned it the other day. I told him not to upset my Behemoth regiments, as they’re the answer to defeating the Chinese.”

“I just want to fight for my country, sir,” Stan said.
“Not play politics.”

“Yes, I can see that. I don’t mean to drag you into political struggles. It’s a dirty business and takes a certain kind of mindset. You’re the keenest mind we have, Higgins. I thought—” The general shook his head. “Never mind, old son, I’ll let you remain as pure as the driven snow. Some of us have to take on ugly burdens so the rest of you
can—”

The general’s red nostril’s flared. “You wear the
Medal of Honor well. It suits you, old son. I want to ask you some questions about the coming offensive. We’ll keep this strictly military, okay?”

“Thank you, sir,” Stan said.

“Don’t think your threat frightens me, though.”

It frightens me
, Stan thought.
I can’t believe I said that
. Aloud, he said, “I understand, sir. I get too hot under the collar sometimes when it comes to my family.”

M
cGraw reached into his coat and pulled out a plastic-coated map. He unrolled it and set the thing on the floor, going down onto his hands and knees.

“Come on. Look at this with me. I want your opinion on a few of my latest ideas.”

Stan Higgins soon found himself on the church floor, listening and giving his opinions. He kept wondering if this was just a cover, and he speculated what this year of fighting, political and military, was going to bring to America, the former land of the free.

From
Tank Wars
, by B.K. Laumer III:

The 2041 Oklahoma-Texas Offensives:

The greatest tank and tank destroyer on both sides fought in the coming battles, the American Behemoth and the Chinese Mobile Canopy AntiBallistic Missile system, which soldiers dubbed the laser tank. Yet these giants were always in short supply and often failed to materialize in the location needed. The far more numerous American Jefferson and Chinese T-66 multi-turreted tank provided the mainstay for the many armor brigades and divisions.

The newer American main battle tank
, the MBT-8 Jefferson, was radically different in appearance from the Behemoth or even the old M1A3 Abrams. The Jefferson was five meters long and 2.4 meters tall, making it the smallest MBT on the battlefield. It had better high-tech materials than the M1, making it many times more deadly. Like the Behemoth, it had magnetically balanced hydraulic suspension and armored tracks. Unlike the Behemoth, it had inner wheels for highway movement, giving the Jefferson greater mobility. Along with its heavy armor, it had a huge 175mm main gun, which fired rocket-assisted shells: antipersonnel, antiarmor or antiair. The fire control computer could lock onto targets and direct a six-salvo round in two minutes. The tank had six beehive flechette launchers and 25mm autocannons to blast down most incoming enemy missiles or shells. It was a vast improvement over the former mainstay, the M1A3.

The Chinese T-66 was an older model by many years. It also happened to be a
World War I dream: a land battleship. It had three turrets, each with a 175mm smoothbore gun. It fired hypervelocity, rocket-assisted shells. It was over one hundred tons, making it nearly twice as heavy as an Abrams. Six 30mm autocannons and twenty beehive flechette defenders made it sudden death for any infantryman out in the open and helped to knock down or deflect most enemy shells. The main gun tubes could fire Red Arrow antiair rounds, making it a deadly proposition for attack-craft trying to take it out. It had a magnetically balanced hydraulic suspension, meaning the gunners could fire with astounding accuracy while moving at top speed.

The opening battles proved the effectiveness of each tank, although the greater number of Behemoths this year became a nightmare for the Chinese and the tri-turreted crews
.

From
Military History: Past to Present
, by Vance Holbrook:

WORLD WAR III

OPERATIONS IN 2041

Global State of Affairs

The situation regarding Sino dominance vis-à-vis the rest of the world had changed considerably since 2039. At that time the Pan-Asian Alliance stood as the world colossus, with the South American Federation and the German Dominion as its staunch partners. Nothing seemed beyond their grasp, including a continental invasion of North America.

Two years
of war brought bitter changes. Chinese arms received serious shocks in southern California and mid-America numbering in millions of casualties. Unusual for China considering its history, the losses shook the nation. Many attributed this to the one child per family policy, as every casualty now might wipe out a family line. The ensuing rebuilding of the invasion army disrupted national life and caused more than one outbreak of domestic rebellion. The Pacific War—fought on the US side with submarines, missiles and long-range drones—took a critical toll of the PAA merchant marine and surface vessels, straining the Chinese economic infrastructure.

Yet those changes failed to compare to the weakening and, in some cases, the
desertion of allies. The North American War revealed the severe limitations of SAF military formations. The best Brazilian units had taken irreplaceable losses, while the remaining South American divisions began to show a decided reluctance to engage vengeful American forces. The greatest damage came with the exit of the German Dominion.

Several factors shook the GD to its foundations
, bringing about a drastic realignment: 1) the annihilation of the North American Expeditionary Force in 2040 and its Atlantic Fleet; 2) the assassination of Chancellor Kleist; and 3) the discovery of Chinese backing of the “Shia” nuclear attack against the North African Desalinating Plant. A fundamental political shift took place in London, Paris, Berlin and Rome. The new European Union repudiated its Chinese alliance and signed an accord with the Russian-dominated Slavic Coalition. The EU rehabilitated General Mansfeld and sent him east with the remainder of the AI Kaisers and other robotic brigades. They would aid the Russians in the defense of the Far East.

Even China’s Pan-Asian Alliance began to creak
with fatigue. In Japan particularly and throughout the Philippines, the populace had grown war-weary and sick of the casualty lists. More ominously, rumbling stomachs due to poor crop yields encouraged mass food riots and acts of sabotage. Chairman Hong’s favored status rating—where he gave some nations better food supplies than others—poisoned Sino-Japanese relations even as it solidified Korean and Vietnamese harmony.

Th
is weakening of Greater China compared to its strongest neighbors caused a fundamental reassessment of the situation. Fear of Sino military power waned as the Russians and Indians realized two things. One, Chairman Hong had grandiose dreams and aspirations that only military force could halt. Two, this was the moment to clip Chinese wings and put an end to destabilizing Sino adventurism.

American diplomacy, which
had cast about for allies for several years now, seemed about to achieve notable successes.

Stinging from defeats in 2023 in the Far East
ern provinces, Russia had carefully bided its time and rebuilt its military. The Russian High Command carefully studied the 1945 Manchurian Invasion in the final days of WWII against Japan and calculated if a Far Eastern Offensive might succeed now. However, some in the Kremlin urged caution. China was still the most powerful nation on Earth, well able to defend itself. So, while Russia continued to strengthen its western Siberian army groups, the leadership hesitated to launch such a fateful assault.

At the same time, the Indian League
seethed over its loss of standing in Southeast Asia. With increasing buildups, the Indians pushed against the Myanmar-Burma border as they sought to return Malaysia, Thailand and Burma within their sphere of influence. Indian forces lacked the armor and mechanized formations of other nations, but they possessed a vast infantry army backed by sound, although short-ranged, logistics. Given Chinese over-commitment throughout the world, the limited Indian goals seemed rational to most observers.

These multiple strains stretched Chinese
military resources. Chairman Hong’s recriminations against his opponents on the Ruling Committee concerning the military’s lack of effort during the GD’s North American assaults in 2040 began to chip away at their restraints to his power. Still, based on the People’s Liberation Army’s White Paper, the Ruling Committee made a fateful decision. With the loss of German forces in North America and a whittling away of SAF usefulness, they concluded that the subjugation of the United States was presently beyond their means. Therefore, they decided to use political guile instead of arms to consolidate their victories.

China granted the
conquered former US territories to its protectorate of Greater Mexico: this included the southern portions of California, Arizona and New Mexico, together with Texas and parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. The new stated objective of liberating “Spanish America” would, the marshals reasoned, help keep the US weak and embroiled in a long-term war with its southern neighbor.

To this end,
Chinese strategists envisioned a solid Midwest defensive position behind the Oklahoma Line. In 2041, they would launch limited offensives in California, Arizona and New Mexico to keep America bleeding and to upset the country’s recovering equilibrium. Meanwhile, they would continue to resupply their invasion army as they sought to destroy America’s space assets and deadly submarine fleet.

The Midwestern Front

MCGRAW’S SPRING OFFENSIVE, APRIL-MAY

The third year of combat found America and its
military much altered from the first. The terror and brutality of the invasion, and the initial mauling, had frightened the nation with an existential threat. This led to an increase in moral, political and military authority of the Militia Organization. The Militia leaders brought millions of former civilians to the front lines and helped to stabilize the military situation. Politically, they gained tremendously. In return, President Sims continued to grant greater authority to Homeland Security’s Max Harold. The director sought a decisive end to the war and Harold embodied the American desire to punish China for its infamy.

Sims, Harold and the Joints Chiefs sought to crush aggressor armies and drive them from US soil. Because the American surface fleet no longer existed
to transport an invasion force to China, submarine, missile and space arms began to take priority in military R&D. Everyone yearned for a way to carry the war to the enemy—to China. The THOR missiles pointed the way, and Harold’s science advisor already whispered outlandish proposals to a receptive director.

Mass enlistment and training,
along with upgraded weaponry, meant America finally had the means for a theatre-wide offensive. It would be several years before they could launch a continent-wide assault. Debate raged during the winter months whether to stage an offensive centering on Oklahoma or New Mexico. The first envisioned massive annihilation of enemy forces in a World War II, Kursk-style attack. Kill enough Chinese soldiers: the rest would crumble. The second plan concentrated on maneuver to split the aggressor forces into separate regions and defeat them in detail.

Oklahoma’s
open terrain—once the soldiers fought through the heavy Chinese defensives—made ideal ground for the Behemoth tanks. Six regiments of the three-hundred-ton tanks existed in the spring of 2041. The average number per regiment was thirty Behemoths. Since the Chinese had yet to find an effective counter to the American super tanks, Sims, Harold and the Joint Chiefs agreed on an Oklahoma-centered assault.

2041, April 21-28. Chinese Withdrawal
. In an effort to pull the teeth of an American offensive, Marshal Meng had prepared a “death zone”—the so-called Great Wall—some twenty miles behind the winding front line in Central Oklahoma. The Ruling Committee approved his plan and told Meng to withdraw to the new positions, which could be held with fewer divisions. This provided the invasion army a larger and more flexible reserve. Behind a mostly robotic outpost line heavily sown with automated machine guns, mortars and sleeper mines lay three successive heavily fortified defensive positions. Behind these waited the Chinese concentrated reserves prepared for counterattack. Each defensive line was so spaced in depth that, should one fall, the attacker’s artillery would have to move forward before progressing to the next. The actual withdrawal, conducted in great secrecy, began on April 21and ended on April 28.