The War of the 21st Century

Chapter 6: China's Gambit

After the start of the Battle of the Caribbean, the Chinese tried to persuade the Republican States of America to join the fighting on their side and end the armistice with the US. They recognized the RSA as separate sovereign country from the USA.  They were the first world power to do so; this opened the door to negotiations and an opportunity for the RSA to make more steps toward becoming a legitimate stable country. It also reignited tensions with the US. 

Now, China's ambitions had grown past the Pacific ocean. They thought that a military campaign in American soil would have been impossible, but now these circumstances enabled a possible ally to do it for them. They were playing chess, and in chess the ultimate objective is to capture the king. They knew that the capture of the US government would be the final nail in the coffin. It was a dream scenario, but it depended on the RSA, specially one man: Lincoln Davis.

The President of the Republican States wasn't a sympathizer of the Chinese, but the Chinese offers would give him leverage to move the RSA forward. All he needed to do was look for a counteroffer from the USA. He knew President MacArthur was most disturbed the minute  China recognized their sovereignty, and once again he was in a position of power to ask him to do the same. Such a move would persuade the European Union which was unwilling, to follow suit and recognize them as a sovereign nation also, expanding their commerce range to the European markets.

Once more, Lincoln Davis would meet Nicholas MacArthur in person in the White House. It would be the second time after the armistice that MacArthur's rival would have an advantage over him at the dealing table. He was not in a good mood...

"I swear you are the luckiest politician I have ever seen in my life."

"If that was true, I would have won the elections." 

"Still mad about that eh? Trust me, sometimes I wish you had won the elections."

"It's not my intention to deal with the Chinese... But I have a country to build, and if the Chinese are willing to give me what we need, I'll take whatever they can give us... I wish it would be you though. My wish is for you to be that trading partner. We are already doing commerce between each other; why not recognize our sovereignty?"

"Because I'll never surrender the chance to become a whole nation again. This division between us doesn't do anybody any good. Why can't you see that? Instead of bargaining more separation, we should be discussing unity."

"Unity is not a reality experienced in North America in more than a decade. You have a reputation for being a practical man, yet you can't see that this country was long divided before the Civil War. And if we were to unite again, there wouldn't be any real unity."

"Then, we are doomed. The only way we can truly beat them is together. The Chinese will become the superpower of the 21st century if we continue down this path.

"Not if we make a real alliance! Some in my government prefer to deal with you, including me. All you need to do is recognize us, and we'll provide and support you all the way until we reach Beijing."

This time, MacArthur wasn't willing to deal. It was bad enough that North America divided in his tenure, that the war with the Chinese was not going well; he would not surrender his objective of reuniting the whole USA. After all, he was an admirer of Abraham Lincoln; the man that brought unity back to the US. He believed that was his main purpose in life. He would follow in Abraham's footsteps all the way...

"It's out of the question. You want to deal with the Chinese? Go right ahead. See where that gets you... You have been successful in many ways; this would be your downfall. Now, if this was all a bluff, I call it. There will be no recognition."

"You give me no choice, Nick! I can plead in favor of neutrality, and I can ask our congress to not deal with China, but many of my people believe we should. Hell, if you were in my position, you would do it. I ask that you reconsider if you want to win the war."

"I'll fight the Chinese to the end. If I don't achieve making our country complete again, God help me, I will achieve victory over China! I promise you this!

The meeting did not go as well as Davis had hoped for. He successfully persuaded the Republican States not to deal with China, but it came at a cost to his political image, for many felt they had declined an opportunity to strengthen the country which was still reeling from the effects of the Civil War. 

MacArthur now focused on winning the war against China and reunited with his allies to discuss military strategy. In the Pacific, the US Army halted the Chinese invasion of Taiwan and were bogged down in fierce fighting. The Air Force along with Japanese and South Korean allies gradually diminished the Chinese air superiority in the Taiwanese airspace. The Pacific Fleet constantly clashed with the Chinese navy with neither gaining an advantage. 

In the other side of the war, the Battle of the Caribbean had just commenced, and oil shipments coming from Venezuela were being constantly attacked by Chinese submarines, but they couldn't achieve much due to the presence of the US Atlantic Fleet. The Chinese decided that in order to successfully raid the oil convoys, they needed to capture the Key of the Americas: a United States unincorporated territory located in the Antilles of the Caribbean: Puerto Rico.

The islands of Puerto Rico were an American fortress. It was the main naval base and the chain supply of the US Atlantic fleet. If the Chinese were to capture it, they would establish a much needed supply outpost and establish a foothold; the Atlantic Fleet would be exposed, the oil shipments in danger, and the Panama canal within reach of attack. American naval intelligence figured out these Chinese plans and now it was time to take the initiative. MacArthur was convinced by his military staff that now was the time to destroy the Chinese navy in the Atlantic. He believed he could use Puerto Rico as bait to lure the enemy into a trap and annihilate them in an operation code-named: Trident...

And thus, China's recognition of the RSA wasn't enough to deepen the divide of the Americans. The Chinese had gambled and lost. The RSA remained neutral under Davis' leadership. MacArthur had won this hand through diplomacy, but now operation Trident is in full swing; the next hand shall be won through force. Will the Dragon of the East finally deal the US its deadliest defeat, or will it fall on the American Eagle's trap? Operation Trident begins...