ushernet Chapter 215: Path to War
Chapter 215: Path to War
The White House – Evening, June 1896
The atmosphere in the presidential office was suffocating. The room, normally quiet aside from the rustling of papers and the soft crackle of the fireplace, was now filled with the anxious murmurs of Matthew Hesh’s closest advisors. The gravity of the situation had settled like a heavy fog over Washington, and the entire nation was on edge.
Matthew sat behind his desk, fingers steepled together, his mind racing. The forty-eight hours he had given Spain had passed.
And now, it was too late.
Bradford had made his move.
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy had gone behind his back, leaking classified documents to the Amerathian press. Newspapers across the country had published "new evidence" allegedly proving that Spain had intentionally ordered the attack on the USS Resolute.
The headlines were damning.
"Spanish Betrayal! Orders Found Directing Attack on Amerathian Warship!"
"Our Sailors Were Murdered—War Must Be Declared!"
"The Spanish Empire Has Spilled Amerathian Blood—We Must Strike Back!"
Public outrage exploded overnight. Cities erupted in protests, demanding vengeance. In Boston and New York, crowds gathered outside Spanish consulates, waving Amerathian flags and chanting for war.
The pressure on Matthew was mounting.
Sinclair slammed a newspaper onto Matthew’s desk. "There’s no coming back from this, Mr. President."
Matthew exhaled through his nose, leaning back in his chair. He knew. The moment that article had hit the press, the public would accept nothing less than war.
Admiral Welles stood, his posture rigid. "With all due respect, sir, the people demand action. The entire country is looking to you to act."
Matthew stared at the newspaper, the inked words screaming at him. He looked up. "And what if the Spanish investigation proves otherwise?"
Sinclair folded his arms. "It won’t matter."
The President’s fingers curled into a fist. "It matters to me."
The room went silent.
Sinclair sighed, rubbing his temple. "Mr. President, I understand your caution. I do. But whether or not Madrid actually ordered the attack is irrelevant now. The people believe they did. If you hesitate any longer, you’ll be seen as weak."
Matthew’s jaw tightened. Weakness. That word burned in his mind.
The Spanish ambassador had promised a report, but the Amerathian people wouldn’t wait for diplomacy.
And neither would men like William Bradford.
***
"Fellow Amerathians," he began, his voice calm but resolute, "we stand at a crossroads in history."
The chamber fell into dead silence.
"The USS Resolute was attacked in what can only be described as an unprovoked act of aggression. Eighty-seven of our sailors were taken from us. Fathers, sons, brothers—men who gave their lives in service to this nation."
The murmurs grew.
Matthew continued. "I have sought diplomacy. I have waited for answers. And yet, Spain has offered none. Their silence is an insult to the memory of the men we lost."
A roar of approval came from the chamber.
"I did not seek war. But now, war has come to us. We cannot, and will not, allow such an atrocity to go unpunished."
Louder cheers.
Matthew’s hands gripped the podium. "Therefore, I stand before you today to request a formal declaration of war against the Kingdom of Spain."
The room erupted.
Thunderous applause, cheers, and chants of "Amerathia! Amerathia!" echoed through the halls of government.
It was done.
The Spanish-Amerathian War had begun.
As Matthew left the chamber, Sinclair walked beside him.
"You did the right thing, sir," he said.
Matthew didn’t respond.
Because deep down, he wasn’t sure.
As he walked out of the Capitol, Bradford stood waiting for him.
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy gave a small, victorious smirk. "This is the start of something great, Mr. President."
Matthew stopped, turning toward him. "This is the start of war. There is nothing great about that."
Bradford, undeterred, simply smiled wider. "We’ll see."
Matthew walked past him.
He had made his decision.
Now, history would judge him for it.