“Comrade Premier. First, I regret to inform you that the honorable commander of the People’s Liberation Army Navy South Philippines Task Force, Admiral Yin Po L’un, is no longer in command of the people’s forces near Mindanao. Until a suitable replacement has been designated, I have placed Admiral Lower Class Sun Ji Guoming, the Admiral’s Chief of Staff, in charge of all forces in the south Philippines. Admiral Yin… died an honorable death while engaging enemy forces in the course of his duties to the people.”
“Very tragic,” Cheung said. “He will be remembered as a loyal servant to the people of the republic.”
That of course was the proper response — in China, as in Japan and other Asian cultures, death by suicide was as acceptable a form of death as any other cause, even in this so-called enlightened society run by the Communists. Cheung, however, did not seem too upset by the news, although by his facial and body expressions Chin deduced that the Premier did not know about Yin’s sudden departure.
“The operation to capture Davao and the airport there is progressing; however, the American bomber attacks on our naval and Marine forces have been severe. Along with air- launched antiship missiles and long-range cruise missiles, the Americans reportedly used fuel-air explosives against Marine landing craft and soldiers entrenched on the beach — these weapons are many times more powerful than conventional explosives and create a devastating shock wave and fireball, very much like a nuclear explosion.” His words did not have the effect he desired — he was hoping the words “nuclear explosion” would inflame this audience a bit. They did not. “A second wave of attacks is now under way. Admiral Lower Class Sun reports that he is organizing antiaircraft defenses and can soon mount a defense of the people’s warships.
“I have a plan of action to counter the American bomber attacks that I would like to submit — to the Premier’s Cabinet and senior Party members — for your approval.”
“General Chin,” the Foreign Minister, Zhou Ti Yanbing, chimed in, “would it be possible for your forces to safely disengage and withdraw to… Puerto Princesa, on the island of Palawan, or perhaps even to Nansha Dao?”
“Disengage? Withdraw?” General Chin gasped. “Why would we withdraw? We—”
“—still have the advantage? Will capture Davao and Samar Airport without further serious loss of life? Will have a cursed navy after this conflict is over?” Zhou asked.
“We have weapons that we have not yet brought to bear,” Chin said. “We sought to control this conflict, to use ground forces and conventional weapons only. The Americans escalated the conflict by employing B-l and B-2 bombers, Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from battleships and submarines, and with such terror weapons as fuel-air explosives. We should step up our efforts as well. I have outlined a plan where we may—”
“The conquest of Mindanao and our support for a puppet like Teguina is not worth a war with America or the loss of another capital warship,” Zhou said angrily. “I ask you again, General — can our forces safely withdraw to Puerto Princesa or Nansha Dao?”
“Do not speak to me of withdrawal!” Chin shouted. “You politicians can organize a retreat far better than I.” And Chin did something he thought he would never do to a living premier — he turned his back and left.
“If you leave now, General Chin, you leave as the
Chin froze, then turned back to face the assembly before him. In a loud, clear voice, he said, “I command the most powerful army in the universe. I will lead them into battle — I will not lead them in capitulation.”
“You have already led them to defeat, General, you and Admiral Yin,” Premier Cheung said. “Will you not lead them in reconstruction and retraining as well? You can leave here known in history as the man who had a fleet destroyed in the Philippines — or you can be known as the man who led the People’s Liberation Army into the twenty-first century. The choice is yours.”
He knew that he should not accept this, Chin told himself. The honorable thing would be to leave this place and do as Yin did — put a gun to his head or a knife to his stomach and kill himself…
But he did not leave; instead, he stepped toward the conference table and seated himself.
No one was more surprised than he when the assembled politicians applauded.
