**Chapter 881: Time for North America (8)**

As a defeated general, MacArthur had coined the term "human wave tactics" to save his own skin. A few days later, as the American media began filling page after page with stories of the "human waves" launched by China, even MacArthur himself was somewhat surprised.

What he hadn't expected was that the media, instead of pursuing his failure, began advocating for him to become the next Chief of Staff of the Army. Seeing this, MacArthur instantly sensed the political maneuvering behind the scenes.

His recall from New Zealand to Washington had actually been a face-saving measure by the American elite to avoid high-ranking officers being captured; "recall" was merely a polite term for flight. MacArthur hadn't been the only one; essentially every officer of brigadier general rank and above had been evacuated with him.

MacArthur had intended to use the "human wave" narrative to clear his name, but found that others were helping him—or rather, taking actions for their own ends that unexpectedly salvaged his career. Thus, he chose to remain behind closed doors.

With undercurrents swirling within the American elite, any proactive move on his part could lead to his downfall. As the son of Arthur MacArthur Jr., he knew exactly what to do.

As he expected, reporters swarmed his residence, desperate for an interview or public appearance. MacArthur simply refused all guests, prompting a flurry of stories extolling the MacArthur family legacy.

His father, Arthur MacArthur Jr., was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on June 2, 1845, and later moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In his childhood, his hero was Abraham Lincoln. In August 1862, at age 17, the "Blue Blood" scion donned a uniform as a first lieutenant and adjutant of the 24th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

In those days, the American elite were referred to as "Blue Bloods." A child of such status, even joining at 17 without military academy training, would start as at least a junior officer.

The elder MacArthur indeed possessed military talent. Over the next two and a half years, he displayed fearsome bravery and tenacity, earning numerous accolades. In the Battle of Chattanooga, his regiment suffered 40% casualties, and every mounted officer was killed except Adjutant MacArthur. He galloped across the field, rallying the units, reorganizing companies, and commanding with flexibility and courage, finally planting the regimental flag atop Mission Ridge. For this, he received the Medal of Honor and was promoted to major. He eventually led the 24th Regiment until the war's end. When promoted to lieutenant colonel and then colonel, he was not yet 19—the youngest colonel in the Union Army, known as the "Boy Colonel of the West."

Thereafter, his career was smooth sailing. After the Spanish-American War broke out in April 1898, he was promoted to brigadier general and commanded an infantry brigade in the Philippines. Operating within the 3rd Corps, he led his brigade bravely against the Filipino insurgents led by Emilio Aguinaldo, successfully defending Manila in February 1899.

General MacArthur kemudian fought a dozen bloody engagements to take full control of the Philippines, his exploits headlined in American newspapers. He soon became commander of all US forces in the islands and was appointed Military Governor.

In July 1901, Arthur MacArthur Jr. was removed and recalled to the US following a conflict with the civilian governor, William Howard Taft. Over the next few years, he served as commander of the Department of the Colorado, the Lakes, and the East. During the Russo-Japanese War, he served as a military attaché and senior observer in Japan.

In August 1906, after a tour of Asia to observe various armies, he returned home to command the Pacific Division and was promoted to lieutenant general. This was the first time in US history that a lieutenant-general-level officer was given such significant military responsibility; this group of lieutenants held status comparable to marshals or grand generals in nations with longer military histories.

Seeing his father's glorious history raised once more, MacArthur felt more strongly than ever that a force was indeed pushing this agenda. On the night of March 19th, as he was writing his reflections on the war, his adjutant announced, "General Marshall requests an audience."

MacArthur was stunned and put down his pen. After reflecting for a long while, he finally decided to see Marshall.

Watching the adjutant's back, he considered it once more and remained firm. He believed Marshall was not one to cause trouble.

Unlike a top student like MacArthur, Marshall had been a "bottom-of-the-class" student in his youth. Marshall himself had early on accepted he was destined to be a poor student, yet he loathed being teased for it by his siblings.

Some officers close to Marshall had told MacArthur that Marshall had repeatedly begged his parents to send him to his brother's alma mater, the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). He later admitted he wanted to go not out of love for the military or a desire to show off in uniform, but to outdo his pretentious brother who mocked him.

Marshall's ability to hold his ground at VMI wasn't due to grades, but his conduct. In September 1897, the 16-year-old Marshall entered VMI. Upon arrival, he faced an upperclassman's "test": he was ordered to squat over a fixed bayonet for ten minutes. Having just recovered from typhoid and still frail, he couldn't hold it; after a few minutes, he sat onto the blade, his buttocks suffering a severe wound that bled profusely. He was taken to the infirmary for emergency care but never revealed the cause of his injury. His silence won the respect of his peers, allowing him to establish himself at the institute.

In a sense, MacArthur was now getting a new opportunity by stepping over Marshall. If it were anyone else in Marshall's place, MacArthur wouldn't have seen them. But Marshall lacked the character to engage in a death struggle to drag others down with him. MacArthur decided to get some information from him.

Furthermore, MacArthur was prepared: if Marshall cooperated, he wouldn't mind helping him within his capacity.

Sure enough, Marshall showed no anger upon entering, offering sincere congratulations on MacArthur's return.

The congratulations did not please MacArthur. During the evacuation, the Air Force had prepared a B-52 [B-29?] fighter. All unnecessary weight was stripped. MacArthur and the others were squeezed into a cabin filled with fuel drums. As each drum was emptied, it was tossed into the sea to lighten the plane.

Had they encountered Chinese interception, everyone would have died. And if these US generals had died that way, the American elite wouldn't have shed a tear.

MacArthur ignored the pleasantry. "I hear war preparations on the West Coast are proceeding smoothly?"

Seeing MacArthur cut to the chase, Marshall asked, "Do you believe we can win?"

MacArthur frowned; he now understood why a man as socially adept as Marshall had been discarded by Roosevelt. To confirm his view, he asked, "Do you believe that is something we need to consider?"

Marshall was dazed. He was not close to MacArthur, largely because he felt he was not on the same level as the "star student." He had come because he didn't want to see horrific US casualties in the likely North American campaign.

Seeing MacArthur lacked his usual arrogance and seemed ready for any assignment, Marshall's doubt burst out: "General, do you believe we can win?"

MacArthur countered immediately: "Do you believe we should *not* fight?"

Marshall was speechless. The question had haunted him for a long time without an answer. Though America had declared war, he still felt they had been forced into it; the battle had to be fought.

So Marshall voiced his concern: "Is it to be the meaningless sacrifice of millions of lives?"

At this, MacArthur confirmed Marshall was still the "poor student." From a military perspective, the lives of millions was not a matter of emotion, but of mechanics. Whether to end the war was a task for politicians, not a consideration for soldiers.

A soldier's only task was to win! And he only needed to consider how to win!

Before MacArthur could think of a reply, Marshall said gravely, "We should fight a war we can win. Not continue fighting while knowing that even the sacrifice of millions will not yield victory."

"Enough, Marshall. You... should have been a politician," MacArthur sighed. He now realized that Roosevelt hadn't sacrificed Marshall, but had kicked him out of the cabinet only as a last resort.

Indeed, Marshall's words were not without logic. He even possessed a certain prophetic air. But a soldier's job was to win—or at least to seek an opportunity for victory and persevere.

After a moment of internal struggle, MacArthur couldn't bear to see Marshall continue his "folly." After all, Marshall was a man of conscience who valued the lives of millions.

"Marshall, my friend. A nation is not an army where orders are always obeyed instantly. Politics is too complex; it is beyond your understanding. There are certainly politicians who see the possibility you do, but they will not say it. Those who can see the future you see are all outstanding men. But they know clearly that the war cannot be stopped at this stage. It can only end when it can no longer be fought, when the people demand its end." MacArthur stopped there, fearing Marshall might take his words the wrong way.

Marshall asked sadly, "Must such a massive price be paid?"

"To those politicians, the price is not large. In the Civil War, a million died. America still became the strongest nation on Earth. Even if we are defeated this time, it won't stop America from becoming strong again. But without fighting this battle, how can we be certain we are destined to lose?"

Seeing MacArthur possessed a gambler's heart, Marshall found it hard to accept. He switched to military discussion: "General, how do you believe we can win?"

MacArthur explained: "By fighting a true defensive war. We can inflict immense casualties on the Chinese. They, like us in the Philippines, will have to supply themselves from halfway across the world. This will significantly weaken their combat power at the front."

Marshall shook his head, his tone turning icy. "Only if the Chinese employ human wave tactics can the result you describe be achieved."

This did not anger MacArthur, for he knew well that truly excellent officers did not believe the "human wave" nonsense.

Seeing Marshall remained obstinate, MacArthur actually nodded. "Indeed. Only by having the Chinese use human wave tactics can our victory be ensured."

Marshall knew the conversation could go no further. "Then I wish you luck. I shall take my leave."

Watching Marshall's back vanish, MacArthur sat back down to continue his reflections. Marshall's words were unpalatable, yet the methodology within them was correct. For America to win, aside from a powerful defense, it required the Chinese to make a mistake.

MacArthur considered He Rui a great commander because he had never directed a battle personally in his previous wars, simply making strategic decisions and letting his subordinates execute them.

But during the war, MacArthur hadn't sensed any exquisite tactical ability from the Chinese generals. China relied entirely on its massive industrial strength to launch vigorous assaults, forcing the US into head-on wars of attrition. If the US was defeated in the Pacific, it was better to say they were exhausted to death.

Once the North American campaign began, the situation would be entirely different. The West Coast was not suited for large formations; the US Army, utilizing its developed railway network, would possess a massive advantage in manpower and equipment. MacArthur didn't believe they lacked a chance to win.

Of course, the cost would be horrific, yet entirely worth it. If America made peace now, it would have to acknowledge Chinese world hegemony. By paying a massive price but thoroughly crushing the Chinese landing, America would remain the master of North America. It could even seize the opportunity to fully control Canada, fulfilling its long-held dream.

As for the million casualties, they held no value worth noting. If Congress and Roosevelt cared for those lives, they wouldn't be preparing for a home defense war.

Thus, Marshall simply wasn't willing to understand the politicians' thinking. That was the problem of his background!

As long as Marshall could continue executing Roosevelt's policies—ignoring the million lost in the Pacific just as he would the million lost in North America—he could have continued in his post.

With this mindset, MacArthur continued his preparations. Sure enough, on March 21st, Roosevelt summoned him. MacArthur was fully prepared, speaking at length about how to deal the Chinese heavy blows in a North American defense, without mentioning the cost even once.

After the talk, MacArthur saw satisfaction on Roosevelt's face. Of course, Roosevelt didn't commit himself easily, continuing to pose many questions with his cabinet. MacArthur answered truthfully, especially when asked about losses: "We will inevitably face massive ones, yet our rear is fully capable of providing adequate care, significantly reducing the death rate. Moreover, our tolerance for war is above China's; their defeat is only a matter of time."

No matter how Roosevelt and his cabinet asked, MacArthur relied on his solid military knowledge to explain his core point: as long as America persisted, it could surely defeat China on the North American continent.

The meeting lasted over an hour. By the end, Roosevelt looked exhausted, yet clearly full of confidence.

MacArthur knew the final decision would come soon. If he wasn't mistaken, Roosevelt was determined to fight on at any cost.

Returning home, he waited only one day before being notified to attend a joint hearing of the House and Senate Military Affairs Committees on the 23rd.

On that day, in a brand-new uniform, MacArthur appeared in Congress. Compared to the cabinet, the "masters" of Congress were far less professional. MacArthur continued to hit the key points, opening with a single answer: "Gentlemen, in my view, China will surely attack the American mainland; this battle is unavoidable!"

This was exactly what the congressmen feared. even those with pacifist leanings feared that if they showed them, and China attacked anyway, their political careers would be over.

MacArthur's clear answer saved them much breath, and they moved into discussing the war.

Starting with US logistics, MacArthur described what the military could achieve. As he spoke, the worry on their faces faded. As he expected, the "masters" needed victory. Whether that victory occurred in the Pacific or North America mattered little to them. As long as a victory was delivered, their political lives were saved!

As the meeting concluded, the newly elected Republican Senator McCarthy suddenly asked, "General, if you were given command of the US forces, what would be your top priority?"

MacArthur knew the question held a trap; any specific answer would be subject to criticism. But MacArthur was a "Blue Blood." Facing the tricky question, he replied decisively: "Senator, my top priority would be ensuring victory!"

McCarthy was momentarily taken aback; clearly, the answer didn't satisfy him. After a moment, he asked, "General, where do you believe America's primary enemy comes from?"

MacArthur replied readily again: "I am a soldier, responsible only for combat. As for who the enemy is, that is a matter for the political field; a soldier must not interfere. But as long as Congress and the government together identify a traitor, I will strike that enemy upon orders!"

McCarthy's eyes narrowed. "And if those enemies are from within America?"

Before MacArthur could answer, a Democratic senator shouted, "Senator McCarthy, your words have nothing to do with this meeting! I require you to mind your remarks!"

McCarthy shook his head with disdain but said no more. MacArthur could see McCarthy had little influence now. Yet as a man who had secured a Senate seat at 34, MacArthur did not underestimate him.

On March 24th, US time, Roosevelt appointed MacArthur as the new Chief of Staff of the Army.

At that time, it was March 25th in China. The Chinese military launched "Project Hurricane"—the offensive against the British and American forces trapped in New Zealand.