America 1881: They Call Me Legend

In fact, whether the United States should intervene in the Cuban War of Independence has actually been a reserved wrangling program in the US Congress for the past two years.

This situation has not changed since McKinley came to power.

Those who oppose the war are mainly conservatives of the Republican Party and some old-school military officers.

The former feared that the war would severely damage the recovering US economy.

The latter was pessimistic about going to 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 incomparable with the experienced Spaniards.

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

The main peace faction proposed many ways to solve the problem.

For example, to mediate through diplomatic channels, to persuade the Spaniards to stop brutally suppressing Cuba; another example is to offer the Spanish government a price that they cannot refuse to 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; the purchase of the Louisiana region from France in 1803.

This idea was ridiculed by Republicans and Democrats who led by Roosevelt.

At a private gathering, Democratic House leader Bailey mocked the peacemakers as "wigless pussies."

However, this does not change the fact that President McKinley has always remained neutral.

Theodore Roosevelt began to publicize the theory that Chen Jianqiu spoke in the Admiralty conference room to McKinley and his cabinet.

Now he firmly believes in what Ma Han and Chen Jianqiu said, spreading their theories like preaching.

Plus as time went on, things got worse and worse on the Cuban side.

Things were dire for the large number of Americans on the island of Cuba.

They lack food and medicine.

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

But conservatives once again showed their skills.

They can delay any policy with endless debate.

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

He is as immobile as a boulder, and any policy that he considers too radical will be stopped abruptly by him.

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

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

The question of whether to intervene armed in Cuba is still pending in Congress.

President McKinley and the Secretary of State were still trying their hand at diplomacy, and Roosevelt and the other militants were not idle.

The minister took a leave of absence, and Roosevelt led the Navy Department in intensive preparations for the war.

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

As the largest gunpowder manufacturer in the country, Chen Jianqiu was the first to be the purchaser. He signed several orders for urgent shells alone.

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

Just as Chen Jianqiu was about to leave after signing a contract for armor-piercing projectiles in Roosevelt's office, Roosevelt suddenly stopped him:
"Chen, I have something I want to discuss with you."

Chen Jianqiu turned his head, smiled and returned to Roosevelt's large desk and sat down:
"Your Excellency, what can you do? Do you still need new products, cannons or shells?"

Roosevelt was smiling, looking at Chen Jianqiu with a pair of small eyes behind 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 there such a thing?" Roosevelt asked.

Chen Jianqiu raised his eyebrows and smiled:
"Hey, what are you talking about? It's just two armed merchant ships. The one used for escort is called 'Peng', and the other one is earlier, called 'Kun'. They are both produced by Armstrong in England."

"Hey, armed merchant ship?" Roosevelt's small eyes were unusually focused, staring at Chen Jianqiu without moving, "I have never seen any armed merchant ship with that kind of aspect ratio, nor have I seen any armed merchant ship that can Sailing the oceans at that speed."

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

Roosevelt took out a stack of reports from a drawer and put them on the table, with two black and white photos attached to the report.

Chen Jianqiu had a headache.

This can be regarded as "everybody gets all the stolen goods".

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

Can't these guys go a little further?
"Hey, I just changed the boiler. In front of the navy, whether it's tonnage or firepower, it's nothing."

Chen Jianqiu admitted it, but it seemed like he didn't fully admit it.

After all, it would be very troublesome if this kind of thing was put on the line by someone with ulterior motives.

Seeing Chen Jianqiu like this, Roosevelt no longer concealed:

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

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

Unexpectedly, Chen Jianqiu agreed without thinking:

"No problem, these two ships can be commissioned whenever they are needed. They will carry out any order given by the Navy."

He looked unusually generous.

But Chen Jianqiu quickly changed the subject:
"But Teddy, let me tell you in advance that the captain and crew of 'Kun' and some of the crew are British I hired, but on the 'Peng' ship, from the captain to the first officer to the crew, are all Chinese."

He stared intently at Roosevelt:
"I want them to be given the full rank of the Navy and not be unfairly treated because of the color of their skin when they are rewarded after the war."

Roosevelt also stared at Chen Jianqiu intently:
"Glory belongs to every soldier who fights for the country, it will not change because of the color of their skin, so I can promise this."

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

"We are actually discussing things after the war now. We are not even sure whether or when we will enter the war." Roosevelt said with a self-deprecating wry smile.

"Perhaps, soon." Chen Jianqiu said.

His eyes were obscure, and he couldn't see anything like an abyss.

February 1898, 2, Havana, night.

A cruiser flying the American flag was moored quietly in the port.

The boat was brightly lit.

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

They roasted meat, drank beer, played games, and didn't seem to care at all about the Spaniards watching them in the port.

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

Although Spain has lodged a serious protest against the Maine's sailing into the port of Havana.

But they have so far taken no real action.

This confirmed the speculation of everyone on the Maine: not only the Americans had doubts about going to war with the Spaniards, but the Spaniards also didn't want to provoke themselves.

"Roberts, do you think we're in danger this trip?" a thin man with a full glass of beer in his hand asked another sailor sitting across from him.

The sailor named Roberts had already drunk a lot, and his face was flushed under the incandescent light on the deck.

"Don't worry, if there is a real danger, we won't be here, the captain and the others will be fed up with the mentality of those Spaniards."

He raised his glass full of beer and touched the skinny man.

The two drank.

"As long as we eat well, drink well, and play well, that is the purpose of this trip. I turned around and asked the captain if he approves us to go ashore to relax for a few days. We also have two Cuban women to play with."

Roberts wiped the froth off his mouth carelessly, hiccupped, and the words that followed became even more vulgar and vulgar.

The sailors continued to drink happily.

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