Chapter 589: We Are Being Pulled by Lanfang

Rodman took a deep breath:

"Three years. At most three years. And there are many technical bottlenecks that need a breakthrough—especially the propulsion system. Their battleships can make thirty knots; ours can only make twenty‑one knots. This isn't a matter of adding a few boilers; it's a gap in the entire hull design, transmission system, and propeller technology."

"Three years," Wilson repeated the word.

"Yes. And the first ship is usually a prototype; achieving real combat capability takes longer."

Wilson nodded. He didn't say "Too slow," nor did he ask "Can it be faster."

He simply walked to the window and stared at the gray‑white February light outside.

"Minister Beck," he asked suddenly, "does the army's mobilization really have to take that long?"

Beck was startled for a moment, then sat up straight:

"Mr. President, five divisions will complete basic training, equipment issue, and trans‑ocean transport preparation within six months—that's already the most optimistic estimate. Our standing army Scale is too small; the mobilization system has not functioned properly since the Spanish‑American War. Officers are short‑staffed, NCOs lack experience, and the stock of heavy equipment isn't even enough for a full expeditionary force."

He paused:

"If Congress can pass mobilization appropriations within a week, the state draft bureau can complete the first hundred‑thousand conscriptions within a month, and the industrial mobilization committee can coordinate factories to shift to wartime production within three months—then six months might be compressed to five months."

Wilson didn't turn around: "Five months."

"Yes. It can't be any faster."

Wilson fell silent.

Lansing spoke, his tone bearing the Secretary of State's characteristic pragmatism: "Mr. President, a five‑month army mobilization and a three‑year construction of new‑style battleships—these two schedules are misaligned. When our army lands on the European battlefield, the Pacific will still lack a main‑line ship capable of countering Bismarck Class vessels."

He paused:

"In other words, for at least the next two years, the Meilika navy in the Pacific will be at an absolute disadvantage."

Wilson finally turned.

"So," he said, "are you suggesting we adopt a defensive stance in the Pacific?"

"I suggest we avoid any actions that might provoke Lanfang into hostile moves," Lansing said, "and simultaneously accelerate naval construction."

"Accelerate to what speed?"

Lansing didn't answer directly. He looked at Rodman.

Rodman said slowly: "Mr. President, if Congress approves special appropriations, if we mobilize all available shipyards, and if all related factories switch to wartime priority production—"

He paused:

"We could, within four years, build six new‑type battleships."

Wilson stared at him.

"Four years, six ships," the President repeated.

"Yes. But this is a maximum‑mobilization state. Social cost, economic cost, political cost—all are extremely high."

Wilson said nothing. He walked back to his desk, pulled a document from the drawer. It was the Navy Department's annual shipbuilding plan he had received last week, its cover stamped "Top Secret."

He opened it, read a few lines, then closed it.

"Four years, six ships," he said, "and Lanfang has already completed six Bismarck Class vessels in the shipyard, plus a ship over fifty thousand tons…"

He didn't finish.

Lansing suddenly spoke, his tone carrying something long‑suppressed:

"Mr. President, forgive my bluntness—are we viewing the problem too pessimistically?"

Everyone looked at him.

"Meilika's industrial Scale is more than ten times Lanfang's," Lansing stood, walked to the map of U. S. industry on the wall, "Pittsburgh's steel output accounts for forty percent of the world's, Detroit's automobile lines can seamlessly shift to tanks and trucks, Bethlehem Shipyard has the world's largest dry dock. Our labor force is twenty times theirs, our engineers thirty times, our capital fifty times."

He turned, facing the people in the room:

"We do admit we are temporarily behind in quality,"

His voice rose a bit:

"Lanfang has six Bismarck Class ships; we would build six Pennsylvania Class ships in four years—unequal. Then we'll build ten. Twenty. Our industrial potential is a magnitude they can't even dream of. If quality falls short, quantity compensates; if one ship can't be replaced, can ten not be?"

The room fell silent for a few seconds.

Beck said slowly: "Secretary of State, a battleship isn't a tank. Building one takes two and a half years, thousands of skilled workers, and an entire supply chain. It's not that you place an order today and the shipyard fills up tomorrow."

"Then start stacking now," Lansing said, "Mr. President, I think we need an emergency naval construction bill. It's not a question of whether, but of how fast and how many."

Wilson stared at him.

"Your suggestion is—to fully launch an arms race?"

"My suggestion is—" Lansing paused, "Meilika must let Lanfang know that the price of challenging us at sea is so high they can't afford it."

Wilson fell silent.

He recalled Chen Feng's other remark in Hawaii: "In international politics we can guess at each other, doubt each other, but ultimately we must act based on facts and rules."

The current fact is: Meilika's navy cannot beat Lanfang's navy.

What about the rules? The rules are being rewritten.

"Lansing," Wilson began, his voice slow, "you just said we need an emergency naval construction bill."

"Yes."

"Then I ask you—where will that money come from?"

Lansing paused.

Wilson didn't wait for an answer:

"Army mobilization needs money, navy shipbuilding needs money, maintaining the current fleet's readiness needs money, loans to Britain and France need money. Every appropriation Congress approves adds to the national debt, and that debt will ultimately be repaid by the public through decades of taxes."

He stood up, walked to Lansing's side:

"You can tell Congress, 'We need ten new battleships because Lanfang has six.' They will ask, 'Has Lanfang threatened us? Sunk any of our ships? Bombarded our ports?'"

He paused:

"No. They merely built six warships and then left them in the harbor."

Lansing opened his mouth slightly, but said nothing.

Wilson turned and walked back to the window:

"This is Chen Feng's brilliance. He does nothing, yet he forces us to force ourselves to build ten warships. He says nothing, yet he makes the Yingguo ambassador tremble before me and ask, 'Will Lanfang really meet her end?'."

He paused:

"Since returning from Hawaii, I've been pondering a question."

He looked out the window:

"Are we actually competing with Lanfang, or being led by Lanfang?"

No one answered.

The fire in the fireplace was dwindling, the logs reduced to dark‑red embers.

Rodman stood up:

"Mr. President, I cannot answer that question. I can only tell you that General Li Te said something when he saw me off from the port."

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'General, the world is vast. The Pacific is even larger.'" Rodman paused, "He said, 'Large enough to accommodate the navies of two nations, provided both nations are willing to stay on their own side.'"

Wilson turned around and looked at him.

"Is that his exact words?"

"Yes. Word for word."