World War Three 1946 Series Boxed Set: Stalin Strikes First

by Harry Kellogg

  *****

  Chapter Two:

  National Salvation

  2200

  30 May 1946

  Outskirts of Chefu,

  Northern Shantung Province,

  Republic of China

  It was a dark, moonless, night. The cool late spring wind whips papers about General Sun's New 1st Army Headquarters, a shack in northern Shantung Province, defending against another communist attack from the direction of the port stronghold of Chefu. But there are other things to consider...

  An old classmate from VMI made contact with him earlier in the week, renewing old acquaintances, but more importantly, trying to convince him of what he himself has been thinking for quite some time after the Japanese had been defeated: deposing the paranoid and dangerous Generalissimo that was wasting the cream of the National Revolutionary Army, burying the KMT and the Chinese people, with his insane obsession with the communists. General Sun Li-jen was convinced that Chiang Kai-shek was wasting the very best of China, in a vain pursuit of glory and absolute power. Sun believed that China should belong to its people, not to any one man to do with as he sees fit. His allegiance to Chiang had finally reached its limit.

  Seeing Jim again made Sun yearn for a simpler time, when he had only to attend his studies and writing letters home to his wife, Hsi-t'ao. But wasn't his path from the Virginia Military Institute, until now, leading him toward this moment? Wasn't that why he'd abandoned his studies in civil engineering, started in Tsing Hua University, then continued at Purdue University in the United States? To help China defeat its enemies and be at peace? But who are the real enemies?

  Now, his old classmate is a member of the American CIA, the successor to the OSS, and he himself is a high-ranking general in the National Revolutionary Army, leading the most successful unit in that Army. He has worked with the OSS before, with Detachment 101 and the Kachin Rangers, and knows them to be as good as their word. He also knows that this may be his only chance to save China from the godless communists and not have the European powers interfere. British units are leaving for Great Britain, leaving the bulk of their equipment for the Indian Army. His only regret is that he will miss working with the likes of General Bill Slim, and General “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell, whom he'd heard had died of stomach cancer a couple of months ago.

  If he does this, Jim says that he already has the backing of the American military, and will be recognized by the American government. The only wrinkle in the silk will be to get Chiang Kai-shek and his son, Ching-kuo, in the same place, at the same time...

  *****

  10 June 1946

  Da Nang,

  French Indochina

  Ever since the communists took control of the government, he felt the call of his convictions leading him to this point. At only 24, Trinh Minh Thé could not ignore it, any more than a tiger could change its stripes. Leaving his father and brother in the Cao Dai stronghold of Tay Ninh province, he left early in May, to hold a clandestine meeting with the ineffectual leaders of the VNQDD (Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang, the Vietnamese chapter of the Chinese Kuomintang party) in Hanoi. He did not want to be stopped by any of the few remaining patrolling French forces, who would arrest him, or by the arrogant and victorious Viet Minh, who would kill him for sure. Trinh dressed as a peasant, and only traveled at night.

  When he arrived in Hanoi three days later, his first impression of VNQDD leadership was of a fat, lazy, corrupt organization, its members only looking to enrich themselves. After the meeting, Trinh resolved that he would suborn and use their organization as a way to eliminate the Viet Minh and the Vietnamese communist party, unify the Vietnamese people under non-communist governance. He sought to secure religious freedom for his people, throwing off the yoke of Roman Catholic and atheist tyranny.

  He started immediately to build his power base, among his fellow Cao Dai coreligionists, and members of the militia, of which he was an officer. Once he secured his power base, he invited the VNQDD leadership to Tay Ninh province, under the auspices of pledging allegiance to them. Instead, he imprisoned them, and proclaimed himself the new leader of the VNQDD. He enacted reforms throughout the party, ruthlessly eliminating anyone who engaged in graft or corruption (he was infamously photographed shooting a VNQDD official dead in Saigon, for corruption), and promising a true, American-style, constitution, with all the same rights and liberties, especially religious freedoms, for everyone, without exception.

  He took his militia, the Lien Minh, and marched them from Tay Ninh, to Saigon, then to Dai Moi, making speeches and recruiting new fighters along the way, for his army. Then, he began to march his army up the coastal road, up to Nha Trang, where he stopped them to train, reequip and re-provision. At this point, volunteers were pouring in from all over Vietnam, from Lao Cai in the north, to Ca Mau in the south, from Hue and Da Nang in the east, to Buon Ma Thuot in the west. His army had grown so much, to such great proportions, that even French troops surrendered to him. He granted them amnesty, in order to have them train his troops in modern warfare. His forces were bolstered when the Garde Indigené and Vietnamese troopers of le Regiment Etranger de Parachutistes pledged their allegiance to his army.

  But he had a problem: How was he to defeat the Viet Minh and take the government, without further bloodshed? It was apparent that they were not impressed by his leadership skills, and wished him dead. There were already two failed assassination attempts on him, since taking control of the VNQDD. He had to eliminate Ho Chi Minh, and the entire Viet Minh leadership, but how to do it? And just as suddenly as the thought appeared, the answer became equally apparent...

  Trinh Minh Thé

  *****

  General Sun Li-jen was busy fighting the People's Liberation Army of the Chinese Communist Party, in Northern China, and he was very successful at it. However, while he was fighting the communists, he was also testing the loyalty of his New 1st Army. Battle after battle, General Sun gained a better insight into the fighting force that he'd helped to create back in the dark days of 1943, when he'd been backed against the wall by the Japanese. He knew that his men would would walk through fire and back for him, but what of his officers? Who among them would support his bid to create a better China, one without the cult of personality of the Generalissimo, with equality of opportunity for all? He knew that it was a high climb for such a stratified society, but he believed that the American ideal was a universal one, and could be applied successfully. He was a great fan of The American Founders, and, more recently, of President Calvin Coolidge.

  He started the process of vetting the officers in his army by having his most trusted divisional generals begin to interview company-and field-grade officers, under the pretense of a selection for a special mission. The plan was simple: those officers that showed that they could be reliable, would be elevated to commands of influence. Those officers who were not reliable would be relegated to positions of insignificance. General Sun was certain that this would ensure that his army was loyal to China alone, and not to any one man.

  It was now early July, by the Western calendar, and he had accomplished much, but there was more to do. By his calculations, General Sun Li-jen knew that he would be able to move soon, and possibly, without any bloodshed. Then, he would divide and conquer the communists, and begin the true healing of a divided China.

  *****

  General Sun Li-jen

  Late in the day

  10 July 1946

  Si'an, Shensi Province,

  Republic of China

  General Sun Li-jen called for this conference on neutral territory for one reason only: to ensnare the Generalissimo and his family, for wherever he went, he took his family with him, to ensure that they did not plot against him. That was his mistake. He and his family would be sent into exile on Taiwan. They would be forgotten there soon enough. In the meanwhile, the General was not unprepared for this meeting: he had detached the most loyal battalion from his army, and sent them ahead, to meet him in Si'an, by cover of nig
ht.

  Having established themselves in the main government building in the center of the city, General Sun and his staff waited for Generalissimo Chiang and his “retinue” to arrive... No sooner than the thought passed through his mind, that he heard the staccato clatter of polished jackboots making their way across the glossy stone floor. The Generalissimo had arrived, his family in the background. General Sun got down to the “purpose” of the meeting: the war against the People's Liberation Army in Manchuria and Northern China. He began giving the Generalissimo reports of the battles raging and won, and how he is now utilizing Manchurian soldiers, who were formerly part of the Japanese puppet army of Manchukuo, commanded by his officers, of course. Chiang scowled at this, not believing that such soldiers were not politically reliable, but they were better than the alternative.

  Then, the explosions went off, right on time. General Sun notices the Generalissimo's sizable bodyguard detachment is missing, also right on time. General Sun begins ushering Chiang and his family to “safety," in an ante-room. Before Chiang could do anything about it, the door is locked, and they can only hear the muffled sounds of battle outside the door.

  After what seems to be an eternity, the door is unlocked, and the dim light testifies to the time of day. A shadowy figure appears in front the dim light. It is the commander of his bodyguard, and he helps usher the Generalissimo and his family out of the dark ante-room. The bodyguard commander checks to see that Chiang Kai-shek, and his son, Ching-kuo, are unharmed, and then informs them that they are now under arrest, charged with corruption, malfeasance, and war crimes, for putting his own political aspirations before the safety and wellbeing of his nation. Chiang and his family are shocked by the charges. He demands his own release and the arrest of the instigator of this coup....just as General Sun walks in. Sun offers Chiang and his family a comfortable exile on the island of Taiwan, or his presence at Chiang's trial and execution. Chiang's choices were made amply clear...

  *****

  15 July 1946

  1100

  Provisional Capital

  Peking, Republic of China

  He had done much in those few days after removing Chiang from power, but it was completely worth the effort. First thing Sun did was move the capital back to Peking, both as a show of force to the communists, that he did not fear them, and as a move to better keep an eye on the battlefront. Some habits for him were hard to break. Now, Sun Li-jen is getting ready to meet with the new American Commander-in-Chief of the Far Eastern Theater and Supreme Allied Commander in the Far East, General of the Army, Walter Krueger, to offer him Chinese bases in the provinces of Sinkiang and in Manchuria, once they become available, and his full and complete support in the war against the Soviet Union, whom he had never trusted to begin with. In return for this support, Sun expected American support in expelling the remnants of the Chinese Communist Party's People's Liberation Army, whom he ripped to shreds after they tried to break his cordon across North and Central China.

  Reviewing the events of the past few days: the radio address to the nation announcing the downfall of Chiang and the new provisional government, with printed copies going out to all corners of the Republic; the proclamations decreeing market-based land reforms and equal treatment under the law for all Chinese citizens and complete amnesty and pension for all members of the CCP/PLA who peaceably lay down their arms, or join the new Chinese Army, formed from the nucleus of his New 1st Army; his talks with the influential communist military leader, Hsu Hai-tung, at his sick bed in Yennan, convincing him that he and his men could do more good working with them, instead of fighting against them, for they were all one people; forcing the provincial and county governors to swear an oath of loyalty to the new government of China. Those who did not, did so at their own peril. Sun Li-jen, in order to prove that he believed in the reforms that he called for, resigned his military commission, but retained the unwavering loyalty of all the officers and men that remained in the New 1st Army, which he would rely upon to help him implement and maintain and defend his reforms. The New 1st Army believed in him, and his plan, and they will make sure that he is not derailed.

  During the meeting with General Krueger, Sun Li-jen made his offer and it was warmly accepted, with a promise of military aid consisting of new weapons and equipment and training, retooling local factories to produce the war materials needed locally for this fight. All of these points were agreed upon and the local ambassador, acting on behalf of the State Department and with the permission of the Truman Administration, produced a bilateral mutual defense and aid pact for Sun to review and sign, as well as a draft of a pact creating an Asian defense treaty, similar in scope to the NATO. That would be the chance for China to assume its rightful place in Asia; as opposed to being the doormat to the Western Powers, China can be the first among equals, leading the defense of Asia against communist aggression and foreign encroachment. The meeting has been far more promising than was initially thought. He had much to think about...

  Now that the meeting had concluded amiably with General Krueger, it was down to business with General Trinh Minh Thé, the unusually young commander of the Vietnamese National Army, to work out an agreement to fight the communists in his area...

  *****

  16 July 1946

  0715

  George Marshall's Office

  The Pentagon,

  Arlington, Virginia

  “You simply cannot do this, sir! I have worked tirelessly since the war has started to ensure that we can formulate a winning strategy against the Reds! We can't slow down now!” General Marshall looks at Halderman in dismay, allows him to recompose, then calmly and evenly replies to Halderman's outburst, “We simply do not have the resources at this time to implement the brilliant planning that you've obviously worked so hard on. If you will just send me the drafts, so we can keep them on file...” “No, general, because I know better than most, that the 'file' is where some good war plans have gone to die. I'd rather resign my commission now and get a job where my talents will be better appreciated, than have all my hard work 'filed away' and the recognition that I am due to be denied to me for the final time. General, that is an indignity that I can no longer tolerate...and I sincerely apologize for my outburst and this interruption, General Marshall. I am passionate in feeling that my plans will help NATO roll back the tide in Europe, by creating a viable second front in Asia, sir.” As if to punctuate his contrition, Halderman stood at attention in front of General Marshall.

  “At ease, Halderman. You don't have to pull that parade-ground crap in my office.” and Halderman relaxes, if just a bit, and General Marshall continues: “We have every intention of using some elements of your planning, but manpower constraints will not allow us to divert the necessary resources that would be needed to implement your war plan in full. I thought you should know this coming from me, or, from Ike, but he was away for staff meetings. I will let you know that I want you to keep refining the plan. I truly do like it, even if it is ambitious. Also, I've spoken to the appropriate authorities, and I am arranging to have you promoted to Major General, and having your security clearance raised to Magic six-A Top Secret. You will be among a handful of people that will hold such a security clearance, just beneath that of the President. There is a reason for that, and it will be apparent in a moment.” Halderman looked as if he had been sucker-punched.

  George Marshall took it all in and smiled “Relax, David; you're not being set up for anything bad. As a matter of fact, you are finally being given your due, son, and I'm damned proud of you. All the years of anonymity and hard work have finally paid off. As soon as your promotion and clearance go through, which should only be a matter of hours, I want you to take the first flight you can catch down to Pope Field and Fort Bragg, in North Carolina. There's a couple of guys that I want you to meet. Their files will be waiting for you, along with your second star and clearance letter.”

  David Halderman had been fully prepared to resign his commission on
the spot, after learning that he would be called into the Secretary of State's office, and now he was to be given the opportunity to do what he did best: plan the complete victory over the Soviet Russian juggernaut. Little did he know that one of his plans would be amplified one-hundred fold, and he would be meeting the men who would be responsible for it.

  *****

  16 July 1946

  1640

  Special Forces Training Area

  Fort Braxton Bragg

  Outside Fayetteville, North Carolina

  Major General Halderman was suitably impressed with the rows of the new C-82 Packet troop transport aircraft lined up at the airfield, waiting to take the paratroopers up for their practice jumps. He was surprised at how much he didn't know, now that he had achieved security clearance just under that of the President's. Such as the fact that a Special Forces branch was being established for the U.S. Army, using U.S. Army and Canadian Army veterans of the Special Service Forces and Pacific theater guerrillas as training cadres... Such as the Airborne Command now being based here, soon to be established as a Fort of the Army... Such as the training of friendly foreign nationals to be the nucleus of their nation's special forces units... So much new information to process.