The first four chapters of my novel project. It's historical fiction, very dialogue based, and set during World War II.

I


The man sat staring out of the window, at the loading of weapons onto the ships soon to be on their way across the Atlantic. It was a momentous day. He could feel it, and he knew that others could as well. The trouble was, he had the responsibility, not others, and it was up to him to make the decision, not others. There lay the problem. But it would soon be solved. He had rang for Charles, and told him he was expecting a guest in the Jefferson room, and to serve tea and biscuits as soon as she arrived.

In the distance, the bell rang. He let out a sigh of content. She had arrived, they would have their talk, and then he would decide. She inspired him, as she did countless others, and their meeting would brook no scandal, important and of good character as both of them were known to be. There was a lot on his mind today, but he resolved to put it aside for some time, just for some time, and have this talk. He knew that he was now in a position where his time was valuable, and he did not give it away lightly. There was something about talking with her though, that stirred him imagination, gave him courage, and the oddest thing was, they discussed nothing of much import. Why, the last time they had talked, he remembered them chatting of the roses in the garden, of the unpredictability of the seasons this year, of the new short story that she was penning as a part of a planned series of works that was to be her legacy, oh, they had talked of much.

Only towards the end had they talked of the war, of ongoing issues, of decisions that needed to be made. He liked that. Important matters must be settled decisively, he believed, and not be drawn out in meetings with a hundred people.

"Dwight darling, how perfectly charming to see you."

He turned, and a smile of pleasure suffused his entire face. She always did that to him, and the strangest thing was that he was sure that it wasn't even love. It was just a general glow of well-being that permeated him when she was present, and he left it at that, for there are some things that cannot be explained.

'And you too, Ira dear, such a pleasure to see you. You will join me for tea and biscuits? Come.', and he took her arm gently and led her to the chairs set by the window near the writing table. They settled themselves, and both of them looked pensively out at sea.

She turned, and looked at him.

'So, what shall we talk of today? Will it be roses again, or will we be discussing more?', she said with the slightest hint of laughter in her voice.

'Oh, of anything you wish dear, talking with you relaxes me, as you very well know. I shall treat this as my daily break from the world.'

'As you wish.', and she looked out to sea again, out at the large boats that would soon move out across the Atlantic, heralding death and destruction for all that lay before them. She shuddered inwardly, but reminded herself sternly. It must be done, for there is no other course. That monster must be stopped, and by God, if we're the chosen ones, then so be it, and let the fate of the world be decided. Abruptly, she snapped out of her reverie.

'Did you read my latest column in the Times dear?'

'With quite some interest, I might add. Your analysis of the issues and clarity of thought, as always, astounds me. Maybe what you have penned will open the eyes of some of those insufferable fools - pardon the language dear, but you know how strongly I feel about this - those imbeciles across the street, make them see that there is no other way, that we are left with no choice but to act and act strongly to save not only Europe, but the whole world, if one looks near enough into the future. They are as old men, doddering, looking only into the near future, not ready to accept that we must plan ahead, for we will soon, if all works out, we will soon be the foremost power in the world. But Ira, I'm terribly sorry, I'm completely monopolizing the conversation, do share.'

The rant had returned some of the colour to his face, and he breathed a little faster, but he settled himself back into his chair and took a few deep calming breaths, for this was a subject which he felt extremely strongly about, and looked expectantly at Ira.

'Oh, lets not get all bothersome over the thinkings of people that we can do nothing about Dwight. All you should care about is the support of people who matter, and we know who those are. More importantly, in my mind, Dwight, and I know you're that kind of person too, is the need to be sure in your own mind of what you're doing.'

She leaned back speculatively, and lifted her spectacles to her chiseled face. A handsome woman, for she had passed the age where men call women beautiful, passed into that age where the beauty is retained physically, but somehow, some of it is lost. She glanced at him.

' You are sure in your mind, Dwight. You are confident?'

'Such a question is redundant Ira, and you know it, for no one has known me better than you, and I doubt anyone ever will. You know that to me, this is the single most important step forward for us. It is the only way forward for us, and I will not shirk my duty.'

'Good, you are right, I knew it.', she murmured appreciatively. They both stared out to sea again. Directly below their window, countless men and women streamed by on the streets, testament to the fact that nothing, absolutely nothing, would stop business in America, for where there was money to be made, it would be made.

America was, at least in it's own opinion, the most powerful nation on Earth, and New York, by that standard, the capital of the world, and thus, to both these onlookers, it did not seem odd to observe the bustling activity down below, since they were sequestered comfortably - indeed, more than comfortably - in their quarters three stories above the street.

Their tea arrived. Charles glided in and set the table, and then disappeared as quickly as he came. They sipped appreciatively, and contemplated each other. The conversation slowly drifted to other topics.

'And you, Ira, how do you pass your time these days?'

'Oh, you know Dwight, what is there nowadays for a spinster of advanced age? I visit old friends, as I am doing now, and I have my work, which does not tax me and gives me considerable pleasure, I must say, for the column has surprisingly developed into one of some influence, and I spend quite some time thinking over issues and the current political age, and how I may best influence them. You are in agreement with my views, I trust?'

'Completely, dear, completely. You have a perfect grasp of the situation at hand now, and your intellect, it is one of the reasons that I find you such pleasurable company. There are people in the city, on this very street, that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot bargepole. In you, on the other hand, I find a simple pleasure. I hope you do not find me too flattering, for I only speak what I feel sincerely.'

'Not at all dear, not at all.'

They both sipped their tea, and Ira glanced around the room. The first thing that struck you was the masculine nature of it. She liked it, the constant smell of the cigar, the large teakwood desk, the writing implements, the leather and wood decoration that seemed to panel the entire room. Dwight had taste. And he was an important man now, something that could only increase in the days to come. She was confident of his progress, and she could sense that he was as well.

'Where is the world going, Dwight? Where is the world going?', she remarked sadly.

'So far, in the wrong direction. We live in a time where almost nothing is left of morality. You may quote me dear, when I say that men like Hitler are eating away at the last vestiges of the world's morality, and no one has yet had the courage to do anything about it. No one until now. Watch how the world will change soon, Ira. Yes, Winston has tried, as have France, and Poland and Serbia have all tried, and failed. What the world needs now is someone that will succeed, and that will be America, my dear, mark my words, that will be America. Let the coming few months unfold, my dear, and you will see the influence that we will have. We will be, for the first time, a hyper-power.'

Dwight sat back in the velvet chair, again strained by the long speech, something that he was always prone to making. Ira, on the other hand, stuck to short questions intended to provoke these answers, for she enjoyed listening to him. Dwight was, after all, a man of considerable intellect.

'But what about Stalin, dear, and the threat of the Red Army? If the Wehrmacht is destroyed, there will be none left to stop Stalin from overwhelming Europe. You know well of the vast hordes that he has at his command.'

'As you have said dear, mere hordes. If you had idea of their state of mind, of the low morale, consistent routing, and extremely poor training, you would be less confident of Stalin's boasts, and much more critical of the Red Army's chances. No my dear, the main problem lies with the Wehrmacht, and the Luftwaffe, and the SS. I am not an unfair man, and I will give credit where credit is due. Trust me when I say that the German war machine presents the greatest threat to the civilized Western world right now. They are highly trained, supremely efficient, and pardon me if I sound a bit condescending of our European neighbors, we are the the only force on Earth that can stop them. Once they are eliminated, once the evil of Hitler is banished from the world, then we can sit back and deal with that animal Stalin, a much lesser threat, I assure you. But I am taking over the conversation again. So sorry, dear, I really must learn to keep my mouth shut.'

'Oh, but do go on dear, the issue is utterly fascinating, and I am gathering material for my column, so nothing gives me greater pleasure than to sit back, enjoy your tea - authentic Paul Revere isn't it, I thought so - sit back, and listen. Don't stop.'

'I am no prophet, Ira. I can only tell of the world as I want to see it. I hope, though, that my vision is prophetic, as it well might be, considering America's position in the world today, and the sad state of Europe and its colonies. I must say, I give fervent thanks to the Gods everyday that America did not involve itself in the First World War, or we would be in the same sad state. Instead, here we stand, proud, bearers of a new legacy, with the power to change the world. I am excited, Ira, I tell you I am excited by the prospects. Maybe excited is too mild a word. Let me be honest. I am enthralled by the vision of what might be, and even more determined to guide that vision to its successful conclusion, so help me God. Charles!'

The man glided in. How on earth does he manage that, wondered Dwight.

'Sir?'

'More tea and biscuits Charles. You wouldn't care to stay for lunch, would you Ira? No. Just tea and biscuits.'

'Sir.'

'Where were we dear? It doesn't seem like roses are a likely topic of discussion today, are they? We've ventured into slightly more weighty matters. Not that I don't enjoy it, not in the least. Today is a momentous day for you, isn't it? Are they expecting your decision today?'

'Yes, Ira, they are, and I shall give it to them, strongly and decisively, as a man in my position should.'

'Good, good.'

They both lapsed into silence, Ira glancing into her empty tea-cup, her mind on the future, Dwight staring out of the window, his mind on the keynote address to be delivered today. Oh, he would stun them. Or would he? He had an inkling that the American public expected what he was going to tell them, and he was doubly sure that they would welcome it with open arms. Who wouldn't want their nation to be looked upon as a saviour, as a deliverer from evil and hatred, for that is what America would become, the protector of freedom, of the very ideals that Hitler and his Nazi party - and that subservient mole Mussolini and his fascists, and Stalin and his Communist horde - stood against. They would occupy a foremost position on the world stage, and he would be a major player. Just the thought of it sent shivers of pleasure down his spine. Suddenly, he realized that Ira was staring at him.

'What?', he asked, a smile creasing the edge of his mouth.

'You look so, I don't know, philosophical when you drift away like that, like those great thinkers. I suppose you were thinking of the days ahead, as you always seem to be. And as you should.', she added quickly, for fear of offending him, for those who knew him best also knew that, paired with his amiable disposition was a tendency to fly into sudden rages at the most inane of things. But she needn't have feared a thing. He would never fly off the handle with her.

'Your powers of perception have not dimmed over the years. It remains like your beauty.', he returned gallantly.

'Oh Dwight, enough with all the flattery.', she said, blushing, but he could tell that she was pleased, and that sparked a small frisson of pleasure in him, the knowledge that he could bring a small to her face. Maybe later, after all this was done, he needed to analyze their relationship a little closer, to see if the advances he had been making have been in the wrong directions, and, if it was already not too late - he doubted it was, for he could see that she enjoyed his company - , maybe he would change them towards another goal. But all that was for later, the present demanded too much of his attention for him to wander off on his own like that. Harry - he was probably the only person in the world who could call the thirty-third President of the United States Harry - had especially warned him against submitting to distractions at a time like this. But this was not a distraction, he liked to think of it as more of a break, of a rest from daily routine that his overworked brain desperately required if he, Dwight D. Eisenhower, 'Ike' to his friends, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, was to perform his duty to the best of his ability, which, as he was repeatedly reassured by none other than Harry Truman himself, he was doing.

Ira's words cut into his thoughts.

'Well, Dwight darling, I simply must be on my way if I am to even contemplate completing my next column piece in time.'

'Oh, must you? How unfortunate that we do not have more time together. All the more reason to treasure what we do enjoy, I say. I'll have Charles escort you out.'

'Thank you dear, and I must say I enjoyed our little chat. Do stop by, even though the demands on your time must be taxing you to the limit.'

'Nothing could keep me away, dear. I shall see you soon. Goodbye, and do take care.'

'I shall. As I hope, will you.', and with a peck on the cheek, she was escorted to her waiting chauffeured limousine, parked right outside the front porch, by Charles.
 

II

 
He was nervous, and there was no denying it. Pull yourself together Dwight, you must have attended countless meetings like this. But none of this importance, he said to himself. Well, Harry is not an overlord, he is a friend, and you are his adviser. Think of it that way. Yes, that's better. However, he reminded himself, I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States.

'The President will see you now, sir.'

Those famous wood paneled doors, with the Presidential Seal emblazoned on them, were knocked on gently, twice, by the woman, and he was introduced.

'General Eisenhower, sir.'

'Thank you Elizabeth. Send in some tea, would you. Paul Revere, isn't it Dwight?'

'One of the few pleasures left to me in my old age, Mr. President.', and he stepped forward and took the outstretched hand of Harry Truman, who then motioned him to a seat in front of the massive teakwood desk, a relic from earlier presidencies.

It was a little known fact that each successive President was taken to a warehouse in Washington D.C, closely guarded of course, where all souvenirs from past Presidential occupations of the White House, from desks to chairs and even tea-sets, were kept, and the President chose how he wanted to populate his or her White House. The desk in front of Truman was one used by Jefferson, Truman's idol in his youth and now still.

Truman, to Dwight's eternal surprise, took the seat right next to him, instead of occupying the position of power behind the wood table. The morning sun shone in on them through three inch thick glass as the tea-tray was wheeled in, and two cups poured. As always, Dwight marveled at Harry's ability to put anyone at ease, the master of the personal touch. It was little wonder that he had got to where he was now.

'So, Dwight, what do you have for me today?', his eyes twinkling behind his tortoise-shell rimmed glasses.

'Today's the day we go public, sir. I'm sure the American public are expecting this address, they should have been anticipating it for quite some time now given the activity at the docks and the mobilization of military personnel. There is a Press Conference scheduled at three-thirty in the afternoon, more than enough time to prepare my speech once I have the go-ahead.'

'Update me on the current situation in Europe, Dwight.'

'Right away sir.'

Eisenhower flipped open a thick report in his hand, opened his spectacle case - a present from his father, which he still treasured, one of the links to the forgotten past - and put on his reading glasses.

'France is now occupied. The German war machine has executed a perfect lightning attack, I believe they're calling it blitzkrieg, under the leadership of General Heinz Guderian, and France has been occupied. Hitler shows no signs of stopping, and will begin to make plans to attack Great Britain unless be soon intervene. Frankly sir, without our help, Churchill doesn't stand a chance. There are several ideal landing spots along the East Coast of Britain, easily accessible from France, and once the Wehrmacht lands in number, Great Britain will be overrun. Hitler is also mounting a campaign that is potentially worrying, under the leadership of his most trusted man, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, in Africa that will possibly destroy any African colonies that Great Britain possesses.'

He took a breath.

'We now come to Russia. Josef Stalin has definite plans to overrun all of Europe, as far as we can tell. The major players in his government, if you can call it that, are Laventry Beria and General Zhukhov. However, he seems to rule from the Kremlin with an iron fist, and there are no indications of any uprisings or revolts planned against him.'

'More's the pity. Go on.'

'The Red Army, however, unlike the Wehrmacht, does not pose a significant threat except in terms of numbers. It is poorly trained, organized, and field manoeuvres badly executed. These are confirmed reports. The Soviet Air Force is almost non existent. As such, we should be worried about the Germans. Their increased aggressiveness, in the face of almost no opposition from Britain and France is a major threat, not only to our security, but to the freedom of the world at large.'

Truman sighed, removed his spectacles, cleaned them with a plain cloth handkerchief and put them back on.

'To sum up sir, I can see no possible alternative to the United States of America entering the war and deciding it's outcome as we did in World War One. The primary threat remains Germany and Hitler. Secondary threats are the Soviet Union, to be dealt with immediately after Germany, and Austria-Hungary. I have had my people draw up preliminary strike plans and strategies for ground, air and naval attack forces, and we have confidently identified more than seven hundred targets in France, Germany and the Soviet Union that could be taken out comfortably, even easily, by our air forces with minimal risk. Further to that, we have prepared additional reports on the feasibilities as well as liabilities in the eventual insertion of American ground forces and their subsequent movements. All these reports can be on your desk by noon.'

'Good, then make sure they are. That was a damn good sum up, Dwight, and thats why I hired you, but more importantly, thats why I value you as a friend. You tell me everything straight, not like these other flunkies here trying to kiss ass to get to where you are.'

Dwight disguised his pleasure at the compliment.

'Thank you sir. And now...'

'Yes Ike, I know.', Truman sighed wearily.

Truman got up, paced the room for five seconds, and then sat back down heavily, this time across Dwight, in the seat of power. He drew towards him a pen he had received as a gift upon his ascension to this office, and notepaper lay before him, embossed with the Presidential Seal.

Dwight knew better than to disturb him. This was a historic moment, and a weighty one, and the decision would be made by one man. It was not a hard decision to make, but if you stripped away all the logic and the reasoning, all the reports and the strategies, if you got down to the stripped crux of what the world, what the American public, what he was asking Truman to do, yes, it was a tough decision.

Moments later, the pen finished scratching across the single sheet of notepaper, and Truman signed it with a reluctant flourish. He then drew from the first drawer of the desk the Presidential Seal and set it down on the desk.

'Here Dwight, I grant you the honor.'

'Me, Mr. President. Well, I, I don't really think that...'

'Oh enough with it Dwight. We both know the historic importance of this moment, and no other man has been more instrumental in getting to this point, with me, other than you. I want to share the moment with you, make sure you remember it.'

Dwight D. Eisenhower, 'Ike' to his friends, picked up the Seal of the President of the United States and stamped, with careful authority, the sheet of paper that authorized the mobilization of a military force to liberate occupied France and invade Nazi Germany.
 

III

 
'Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, may I introduce General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe.'

Dwight strode in, flanked by his immediate staff and three bodyguards, and took his place behind the podium, right in front of a bank of twenty three microphones, staring out at a hundred members of the Press Corps, representing major newspapers from all over the world, all attending due to select issued invitations. He recognized a few people, and allowed himself a peremptory smile, for he was fortunate enough to maintain good relations with the Press when he could.

'Once again, good evening Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press. Today is a momentous day, and I hope this speech will make the impact that I envision. We are living in tough times, and it is in these times, in a world peopled by individuals who are great in their capacity to spread hatred and destruction, that we must step forward and take initiative, step forward and show the world that America, as a nation, will not stand back and let itself and the world be run over. Far from it. I propose, here today, to you, the American public, and the world at large, that we instead embrace the danger that now threatens the freedom of not only this great nation but of the whole world, and look upon it as a test, as a means to show God that we will not tolerate those who stand against the very principles of truth, integrity, honesty, and above all, the freedom of the individual.'

'It will be a tough campaign, and there is no one on the face of this earth more saddened than me that, due to the excesses of a few madmen, lives will be wasted and blood will be shed. But do we have a choice? As citizens, not only of this great nation, but of this world, do we not hold an eternal responsibility to those of our fellow beings who suffer under the heavy yoke of injustice, who labour under an unjust dictatorship? I put it to you that we do, and that the sons of this country, brave Americans, each and every one of them, are proud, when called upon to do so, to put their lives on the line, and suffer losses when called upon to do so, for they know that in doing so, they become immortal, for they have become the preservers of everything that America holds dear, everything that the founding fathers set down in the Constitution. I am sure that each and every one of us, given the chance, would gladly do the same, for it would mean leaving behind a great legacy that will be cherished by generations and generations of Americans to come.'

'It is time for me to lay out in plain terms what goals the United States of America, under the guidance of the President of the United States, plans to pursue in the current world situation. In precisely one hour, we will declare war on Germany and Austria-Hungary. American boats are already loaded and ready to mobilize across the Atlantic, as are C-130 transport planes ready to transport a vast number of American armored divisions. They will all rendezvous in Great Britain. Soon, on a day to be designated as D-Day, they will cross over into occupied Europe, crossing into France, where the Coalition Force of British and American forces will attempt, and succeed, in liberating German occupied France. We will take the war to Germany, and not stop until we reach Berlin and destroy Hitler. That, in as condensed a version as possible, is the plan that the United States plans to execute in this war, a war that has sadly become what many wished we could avoid, a Second World War.'

He paused for a second and took a deep breath.

'As Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, I will be in charge of supervising the entire campaign. Reporting to me will be men we all know and respect, war veterans such as General Patton under whom I am confident of nothing else but victory. And so, in these heavy times, I attempt, with a smile, to assure you that I will personally work with the greatest of efficiency in order to ensure that the War on Evil lasts for the shortest possible time, and it is my sincerest hope that a new world order, rid of all those who would perpetrate crimes and infuse hatred, will soon replace the times that we live in. With such an expression of optimism and hope, one that I hope you will endorse wholeheartedly, I shall take your leave. May God be with us all.'

And with that stirring plea to America and to the world, Dwight D. Eisenhower stepped down from the podium and made his way, surrounded by a detail of bodyguards, past all the shouted questions, microphones thrust in the face and running cameras outside the Press Room of the White House back to the West Wing, where he would sit for a while with Harry and, over two cups of Paul Revere, think about the events that they had set into motion. There was now no turning back.
 

IV

The room was dark when Laventry Beria entered it. Only a dim lamp shone on the Generalissimo's desk, and he was writing by it. Beria stood by the door respectfully, and remained unacknowledged for fully seven minutes before Josef Stalin looked up.

'Come, Laventry, come where I can see you.'

He stepped forward into the soft yellow glow - a colour that perfectly accentuated the short Georgian, Stalin's, character, for Beria had always thought of him as short, scheming, shrewd and skulking, like the jackal, just like the color yellow - he stepped forward, and stood to attention.

'At ease, Laventry, at ease. Such formalities, between us, who have known each other for so long?'

Indeed, Josef, indeed.

'So, what have you to tell me of the world Laventry?'

'Many things, Generalissimo. The United States of America, in their arrogance, have declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary, and I am sure that we are not far behind. Britain supports them, and a Coalition invasion of Europe, to free Hitler's France and to invade Germany cannot be very far away.'

'Hitler's France!', Stalin spat. 'Soon, very soon, it will all be Stalin's France, and Stalin's Belgium, and Stalin's Germany. It shall be Stalin's Europe Laventry. It shall be the Red Army's Europe, we shall sweep as a purge across Europe, and I shall wipe out all that stand before me. Tell me how I shall do this, Laventry?'

He hated these games.

'The Red Army has superior numbers to any on earth. Zhukov-'.

'General Zhukov, Laventry, General Zhukov.', Stalin remonstrated gently.

'I am sorry Generalissimo. General Zhukov tells me that our conscription program is working far better than he expected. Our infantry now numbers a little over five million now, more than double that of Germany's and more than anything America can muster. And then, of course, we have your tactical genius, Generalissimo. We cannot lose.'

'We can, Laventry, we can. It is the wise leader who recognizes his weakness. All you say is truth, and yet the Americans have much, and the Germans have much. They have power of a different sort, Laventry. I cannot tell the strength of America merely by infantry numbers. They have more aircraft carriers, more submarines and more tanks than us. Does that not pose any problem to your mind, Laventry?', and here, Josef Stalin's voice became dangerously soft.

Beria sensed the danger, and rushed to correct his position.

'I will not say that there are not obstacles in the way, Generalissimo, and I am not going to make the mistake of erring on the side of overconfidence. I am merely saying that we stand a good chance, and with your guidance, the Soviet Union can move to never before attained glory. That was merely my implication, Generalissimo.'

'Da Laventry, I am sure it was. Leave me for a while, I must think of my counterparts in America and Germany. I must know how they think, and what steps they will take Laventry, for that is how we will win this war. I knew this was coming, Laventry, the war to end all wars. It was always coming, just a matter of when. That when has become now, and I will be the man to shape the world.', and Laventry Beria was scared for a moment by the intensity of Stalin's stare, by the manic yellow glow in his eyes.

Oh, I've just realized that this goes in Writings and not in Critiques, my bad, could a Mod shift the topic? Thanks, and sorry.

it's okay if you just posted here by accident, it's nice btw.