Chapter 192 International Capitalists

Now that Spain has been forced into a corner and has no choice but to declare war, there is no need for the federal government to maintain a affectionate and reluctant face. Declaring war is an established procedure. Before Spain declared war, the actions of the US Navy were already acts of war. The declaration of war that came one day late was just an additional legal document.

The war was mainly divided into the American battlefield and the Asian battlefield. Although Sheffield, as a young entrepreneur, was not an active soldier, he still knew the basic facts. War was not like drawing an arrow on a map. It took time to travel. At least before the Spanish fleet near Cuba was annihilated, he did not want to put the two warships of the United Company in danger. It was quite expensive...

Finally, the mist cleared and seven warships appeared in the vast Atlantic Ocean, spewing out seven long black smokes. The black hulls shone in the sun, and the flag with the Spanish royal emblem flew high on the mast. This was a fleet including four cruisers and three destroyers.

Nearly 3,000 naval officers and soldiers were full of optimism. In their eyes, just like in the eyes of all Europeans, the United States was just a semi-civilized backward country, and the U.S. Navy was also unknown, and it could not be compared with the old maritime power Spain. But on the flagship "Princess Marie Theresa", the fleet commander Cervera was worried. Unlike ordinary sailors, he knew what kind of opponent he was facing and how strong he was.

If we use the most familiar figures in Spain to describe it, his expedition this time is more like Don Quixote rushing towards the windmill, and his naval officers and soldiers may be the last group of people in Spain who can fight against the United States. This war is not a matter of winning or losing. Even if they lose, it must show that there are still people in Spain who dare to fight, even if there are not many such people. For the honor of Spain, Cervera gathered his mood and looked at the calm sea in the distance.

Sheffield, who was quietly waiting for the outcome of the war, had not even had time to catch his breath when he learned a shocking news in the newspaper: Deputy Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt submitted his resignation at the same time as the federal government declared war, saying that he must personally join the war to fulfill his long-cherished dream.

Now Theodore Roosevelt has left Washington. Fortunately, before he left, he issued the last military order, ordering the recruited ships to carry Chinese workers as an important part of logistics and accompany the formed expeditionary force to the Philippines. This military order has come into effect.

On that day, Theodore Roosevelt began to recruit an armed force. His behavior was actually consistent with that of the Sheffield United Company. By recruiting armed forces to participate in the war, Sheffield deeply knew that the United States was different from other countries. In other countries, the North was the only one that could fight, but in his own country, it was just the opposite. The main force of the army was generally Dixies. Although the Yankees had a larger population, their enthusiasm for joining the army was not very high.

Therefore, it is doubtful how much combat effectiveness the current US Army has and whether it can fight. Looking at the history from the founding of the United States to a hundred years later in Sheffield's mind, the US Army seems to have never been associated with hardships and difficulties. The real hardships and difficulties were during the Civil War.

From high-level technical and tactical skills to the quality of soldiers, everything seems to be commendable. Military supplies and weapons and equipment have always been commendable. Even now, compared with the more than 200,000 Spanish troops in Cuba, the US Army's weapons, radios, telegraphs and telephones are far superior to the other side.

Apparently Theodore Roosevelt was well aware of this, because he quickly entered the southern states and began recruiting soldiers. By the time he arrived in New Orleans, he had raised a company of soldiers and was really preparing to participate in the war in Cuba.

Even if it was just for the purpose of gaining political capital and making a show, Sheffield accepted that he could do this. This ruthless man who left a statue in Congress was indeed bold enough.

Sheffield just didn't expect that this person would come to him on his own initiative. You know, he was still secretly investigating the sinking of the battleship Maine. Now that the real owner came to him on his own initiative, even a slave owner like him with a white skin and a black heart felt a little embarrassed, wondering if the other party had discovered something.

No, after Theodore Roosevelt resigned, he went straight to the South. The troops he recruited included farmers from the Great West, Indians and rangers from the Southwestern border, and several college students. The rest of the troops were recruited on the Dixie territory.

After entering the southern states, Theodore Roosevelt felt stunned. Compared with the patriotic enthusiasm of the citizens in the northern states, the Dixie people in the southern states were more practical. There were recruitment posters everywhere, and many people were talking about whether to join the army. In fact, he also saw queues of people waiting to join the army.

Southern citizens were inherently more warlike than the Yankees of the North. In Oak Manor, Sheffield met Theodore Roosevelt, the former Deputy Secretary of the Navy and current leader of the civilian armed forces, who was dressed in military uniform.

Roosevelt was wearing a powder blue military uniform, which was out of tune with the current federal army. The current US Army uniform was khaki yellow, which looked familiar to Sheffield. The color was a bit like the uniform of the Confederate States Army. The Confederate Army wore dark uniforms, mainly blue, but he remembered that the other party was born in New York.

"Mr. Roosevelt, I personally think you are very admirable." After letting Roosevelt, who was dressed in military uniform, sit down, Sheffield asked the servant to prepare coffee and slowly said, "You resolutely resigned from the position of Deputy Secretary of the Navy and entered the hail of bullets as an ordinary person. I respect you very much. You also know that I don't think much of ordinary Yankees. You are an exception. Because you really came, instead of standing in a safe place and waving flags and shouting."

Although Sheffield didn't think so in his heart, there are many kinds of show, Theodore Roosevelt chose a show with huge risks, but that was enough. Sheffield was so lenient with himself and strict with others that even a bastard couldn't find fault with him. Even if he knew that Theodore Roosevelt was in a hurry and would have to come back to run for governor of New York soon, it didn't matter.

Sheffield even wanted to help Theodore Roosevelt out of admiration. Wasn't he short of people? They were all part of the United States, and he could help him recruit a group of soldiers.

"Before I left Washington, I ordered the federally requisitioned ships to transport the expeditionary force to Asia, including the Chinese workers." Theodore Roosevelt said, and at the same time expressed his appreciation for Sheffield. Although there were many companies in the three states of the Great West, these companies only incited xenophobia, and not many of them, like the United Company, could implement solutions to the problem.

"Mr. Roosevelt praised that distance creates beauty. With fewer Chinese workers, local citizens will calm down." Sheffield smiled coldly. He really wanted to know who this Irishman was going to incite next? "In fact, I believe that citizens are tolerant, but many new immigrants have xenophobic ideas, and the Irish are a major source of this."

Sheffield only mentioned this briefly before changing the subject, "Is Mr. Roosevelt really going to fight in Cuba? Although I personally look down on Spain's fighting power, I also know that war is always accompanied by danger."

"I must go!" A hint of hesitation flashed across Theodore Roosevelt's eyes, but it was immediately replaced by a look of determination. As a man of good background and who had worked in the federal government for a long time, he understood that risks and opportunities coexist.

"As a friend, I am willing to help Mr. Roosevelt recruit a suitable armed force to complete this adventure that will be remembered by everyone." Sheffield nodded and smiled kindly at Roosevelt. "In fact, Mr. Roosevelt and I are both willing to help the country do something within our capabilities. For example, we have the same idea about the Cuban issue."

"Is William also planning to organize a force to join the war?" This surprised Theodore Roosevelt. This young man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth actually had the same idea as himself. He was planning to exact greater revenge politically, but what was he planning to do?

Naturally, it was for land, minerals, resources and markets. In the past, there was a saying: Why don't you rob a bank? Sheffield is like this now, so naturally, it knows that many businesses are faster than robbing a bank.

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Sheffield did not answer the question. "I heard that Boston, New York, and many ports on the East Coast are spreading rumors that the Spanish fleet will attack soon. Some residents hope that the fleet will return to their homeland for defense. The number of railway passengers has increased dramatically, and they are all passengers heading inland. You can see that it is very calm here, and all places are preparing for war in an orderly manner."

Roosevelt was a little embarrassed. This was indeed true. It had been exposed in the newspapers. Shouting war slogans and actually fighting were not the same thing after all. There was indeed a tense situation in New York. When the news of the Spanish fleet entering the Atlantic came, the residents who had been supporting the war fell into chaos. It was embarrassing that Sheffield knew about it.

"Mr. Roosevelt, rest assured, the Dixie people are not so cowardly. As for the armed forces I have raised, they are actually no longer in the country. There are about 12,000 of them in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Once the news of the annihilation of the Spanish navy comes, they will cross the channel and land in Cuba."

Theodore Roosevelt was shocked. Although he was not in charge of the army but the navy, he knew that before the mobilization order was issued, the army had only 30,000 soldiers. The boss of a Sheffield company had assembled more than 10,000 armed forces and was on standby in Haiti? This was simply terrifying.

"United is a company with an international outlook!" Sheffield asked with a harmless smile, "What do you mean by international capitalists?" There is nothing wrong with showing strength to deter certain people, so that they will not act rashly. This is good for everyone. The army is weak and needs to be mobilized before it can go to war. Others don't know what's going on, but you, a first-class navy man, don't you know where the military funds have gone?

I wanted to write about the war, but I wasn’t ready.

(End of this chapter)