America 1881: Legend of the West

In fact, the question of whether the United States should intervene in Cuba's war of independence has been a debate reserved for the U.S. Congress for the past two years.

Nothing had changed since McKinley came to power.

Opponents of the war were mainly Republican conservatives and some old-school military officers.

The former feared that the war would bring heavy damage to the recovering U.S. economy.

The latter was pessimistic about war with Spain.

They believe that although the United States has built many new warships in the past two years, the overall training level of naval personnel is completely unable to compare with the experienced Spaniards.

In addition, the southeastern coast of the United States is long. If it is attacked by the Spanish navy after the war, the consequences will be disastrous.

The Peace Party proposed many ways to solve the problem.

For example, they could mediate through diplomatic channels to persuade the Spanish not to continue their brutal suppression of Cuba; another example could be to offer the Spanish government a price they could not refuse and buy Cuba from Spain.

This is typical businessman thinking.

They came up with this method based on some successful cases since the founding of the country, such as the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 and the purchase of Louisiana from France in 1803.

This idea was ridiculed by both Republicans and Democrats, led by Roosevelt.

At a private gathering, Democratic House leader Bailey derided the peacemakers as "pussies wearing wigs and without balls."

However, this did not change the fact that President McKinley had always remained neutral.

Theodore Roosevelt began to promote the theory that Chen Jianqiu said in the Navy Department conference room to McKinley and his cabinet.

He now firmly believes in what Ma Han and Chen Jianqiu said, and spreads their theories like missionaries.

Plus, as time goes by, things get worse and worse on the Cuban side.

The situation of the large number of Americans on the island of Cuba was dire.

They lack food and medicine.

The mentality of McKinley and his cabinet gradually began to change.

But once again the conservatives showed their skills.

They can delay any policy with endless arguments.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Thomas Reed, nicknamed "Czar Reed."

He is as motionless as a boulder, and any approach that he considers too radical will come to an abrupt end.

There is nothing that cannot be solved by "procrastination". If there is, it means that the procrastination time is not long enough.

Summer passes and autumn comes, autumn passes and winter comes again.

The issue of whether to intervene in Cuba armedly remains pending in Congress.

President McKinley and Secretary of State were still trying to make diplomatic efforts, and Roosevelt and other militants were not idle either.

The minister took leave, and Roosevelt led the Navy Department to intensively prepare for war.

He used all the resources at his disposal to prepare strategic supplies for the navy, such as coal and ammunition.

As the largest gunpowder manufacturer in the country, Chen Jianqiu took the lead and became the target of procurement. He signed several orders for expedited shells.

But eating meat alone is definitely not enough, you also have to sell meat.

Just as Chen Jianqiu was about to leave after signing an armor-piercing projectile contract in Roosevelt's office, Roosevelt suddenly stopped him:

"Chen, I have something to discuss with you."

Chen Jianqiu turned around, smiled and returned to sit down in front of Roosevelt's large desk:

"Mr. Minister, what are you doing? Do you need new products, cannons or cannonballs?"

Roosevelt was smiling, his small eyes looking at Chen Jianqiu behind his round lenses, with a cunning look on his face.

Chen Jianqiu had an ominous premonition.

"I heard that you have a private armed ship in Hawaii. Is this true?" Roosevelt asked.

Chen Jianqiu raised his eyebrows and smiled:

"Hey, what do you think you are talking about? They are just two armed merchant ships. The one used for escort is called 'Peng', and the other earlier is called 'Kun'. They are both produced by Armstrong in the UK."

"Hey, armed merchant ship?" Roosevelt's small eyes were extremely focused, staring at Chen Jianqiu without moving, "I have never seen any armed merchant ship with that kind of length-to-width ratio, nor have I seen any armed merchant ship that can Sailing across the ocean at that speed.”

"My observer in Hawaii once observed them sailing in Hawaiian waters at a speed of at least twenty knots, and told me that this was the most terrifying firepower he had ever seen except from a battleship."

Roosevelt took out a stack of reports from the drawer and placed them on the table. Two black-and-white photos were attached to the report.

Chen Jianqiu had a headache.

This time it can be regarded as "everyone gains both the stolen goods".

It is estimated that the two ships were seen during offshore drills.

Can't these guys go further afield?

"Hey, I just changed the boiler. In front of the navy, whether it is tonnage or firepower, it is nothing."

Chen Jianqiu admitted it, but he didn't seem to fully admit it.

After all, if this kind of thing is brought online by someone with ulterior motives, it will be quite troublesome.

Seeing Chen Jianqiu's behavior, Roosevelt stopped being secretive:

"Chen, as you said, the war between us and Spain is inevitable, so I want to incorporate your two ships into the navy during wartime."

"I hope you can support this country with practical actions." He added with a twinkle in his eye.

Unexpectedly, Chen Jianqiu agreed without hesitation:

"No problem, these two ships can be commissioned whenever they are needed. They will carry out any orders issued by the navy."

He seemed unusually generous.

However, Chen Jianqiu quickly changed the subject:

"But Teddy, let me tell you in advance. Some of the captain and crew of 'Kun' are British people I hired, but on the 'Peng' ship, from the captain to the first mate to the crew, they are all Chinese."

He stared at Roosevelt intently:

"I hope they can be officially admitted into the Navy and that when the war is over and rewards are given based on merit, they will not be treated unfairly because of the color of their skin."

Roosevelt also stared at Chen Jianqiu intently:

"Glory belongs to every soldier who fights for our country, and that doesn't change because of the color of their skin, so I can promise that."

But the two looked at each other for a while, and couldn't help but smile at each other.

"We are actually discussing post-war matters now. You must know that now we are not even sure whether or when we will enter the war." Roosevelt said with a self-deprecating smile.

"Maybe it will be soon." Chen Jianqiu said.

His eyes were dark and unclear, like an abyss unable to see anything.

February 1898, 2, Havana, night.

A cruiser flying an American flag was moored quietly in the harbor.

The boat was brightly lit.

The sailors had an open-air party on the deck leisurely.

They grilled meat, drank beer, played games, and seemed not to care at all about the Spaniards watching them at the port.

The "Maine" was ordered to deliver supplies to the Americans in Cuba.

Although Spain lodged a serious protest against the Maine's entry into Havana Harbor.

But none of them have taken any real action so far.

This confirmed the speculation of everyone on the Maine: not only did the Americans have doubts about starting a war with the Spaniards, but the Spaniards also did not want to provoke them.

"Roberts, do you think there will be any danger in our trip?" A thin man holding a full glass of beer asked another sailor sitting opposite him.

The sailor named Roberts had drunk a lot, and his face was red under the illumination of the incandescent lights on the deck.

"Don't worry, if there is really a danger, we won't show up here. The captain and the others will eat the mentality of those Spanish guys to death."

He raised the glass filled with beer in his hand and clinked it with the thin man.

The two drank it all in one gulp.

"As long as we eat well, drink well, and have fun, that's the purpose of this trip. I'll go back and ask the captain if he approves our going to the shore to relax for a few days. We can also have fun with two Cuban women."

Roberts carelessly wiped the foam from his mouth, burped, and his subsequent words became more vulgar and vulgar.

The sailors continued to drink happily.

However, at this moment, a yellow-skinned sailor appeared on the deck.