Firestorm

6

The big Sea Stallion CH-53-D had come in from the south and hovered two feet off the deck of the sub, and the sixteen SEALS crawled on board with all of their equipment used in the shoreline attack.

Joe "Ricochet" Lampedusa had to be helped into the chopper because he was well doped up on painkillers and antibiotics. By then he wasn't feeling the pain in his arm. Neither bone had been broken, and he bellowed that he'd be ready for duty in four hours. Murdock knew he wouldn't be.

Don Stroh jumped in behind them along with one other civilian Murdock didn't know and Hubert Wong, the CIA Chinese interpreter.

An hour later they walked off the chopper on the deck of the supercarrier Intrepid, and were led by a white shirt to their quarters. A white shirt on a carrier deck is the safety officer who helps route pedestrians in and around the flight deck so they don't get killed. Murdock checked out the living space for his men, approved it, then went to the cabin assigned him and L-T Dewitt. The room was large compared to the submarine's offering. Before they got their gear stowed, a knock sounded on the door. Don Stroh stood there with a phony grin. "Hey, guys, I think it's time you both had some background on this China-Taiwan tussle. Family feud is what it is. Herb Wong, who met you before, can give you a briefing in about an hour. It's worthwhile."

Murdock scowled. "Why just the two of us? If it's worthwhile for us, it's just as important for the rest of our men. SEALS don't have 'officer country' secrets. You should know that by now, Stroh."

The CIA op grinned. ""Deed I do, Lieutenant. Just thought I'd give you the option. We can do this in the crew's quarters if they'd be happier there."

Murdock dropped his Draeger rebreather on his bunk. "Fine, let's do it right now. Any go from the White House yet?"

"Not a whisper. You'll probably know which way before I do. I'll let you lead the way to your men."

Ten minutes later, Murdock was glad they were getting the briefing. In addition to several dialects of Chinese, Hubert Wong spoke perfect English. He should. He was from Boise, Idaho. He had been a practicing attorney before he went with the CIA.

Murdock settled down and listened.

"What we're dealing with here is the oldest organized nation on earth, and a second outfit that is an upstart of a mere fifty years. The People's Republic of China is not a republic or a democracy and is ruled by an elitist clique with dictatorial powers. One estimated population of China is one point three billion people. That's a B as in billion.

"This tiny neighbor, just ninety miles off the mid-China coast, was originally called Formosa by the Portuguese rulers, and has been called Taiwan or Nationalist China or the Republic of China, and now calls itself the Republic of Taiwan. Taiwan has about twenty-two million people. That means China has sixty times as many citizens as Taiwan does.

"The only thing certain about Taiwan's future is the uncertainty of the island's future. Will it become a full-fledged nation in its own right, or a province of China, or remain in limbo as it has for the past fifty years?

"Physically, Taiwan is dwarfed by China. Taiwan is about two hundred and fifty miles long and eighty miles at its widest point. Some twenty smaller islands are close by and considered a part of Taiwan. It is about the same size as the state of Massachusetts. It includes two islands near the China coast, Matsu and Quemoy, that have caused problems in the past.

"There is proof of human life on Taiwan dating back ten thousand years. These were aborigines and not Chinese. Many think they came from Malaysia. In the early history of the Chinese dynasties, there is little mention of Taiwan other than to say it was not a part of China.

"In 1517, the Portuguese found Taiwan and named it Formosa, or beautiful island. Spanish invaders took over the island in 1626, but were booted out by the Dutch in 1628.

"I bet all these dates are boring to you men. Enough to say that Dutch ruled for thirty-three years.

"A Chinese rebel defeated the Dutch in 1661 and brought thousands of Chinese to the island. He fought the dynasties on the mainland, but at last his island was captured by Manchu troops from China in 1683.

"After a quick war with Japan that China lost in 1895, China ceded Taiwan and the Pescadores to Japan. Japan's ability to organize and develop served Taiwan well, and it was soon on its way to becoming a modern society. All developments in business and industry were channeled to Japan, and more than ninety percent of its exports went back to Japan.

"In World War II, Taiwan was described by Japan as an unsinkable aircraft carrier. It was used as the base of operations for the Japanese invasion of the Philippines and other lands, including Indonesia.

"At the end of World War II, Taiwan was stripped from Japan and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek was assured that control of the island would be returned to China. Chiang was then in control of Mainland China. Chiang's Nationalist China sent military forces to Taiwan and his officials handled the administration of the island. "In October 1945, Nationalist Chinese authorities formally took over political control of Taiwan. It was known as Retrocession Day, and Taiwan became a part of the Republic of China.

"That's the Nationalist China bunch we're talking about here under Chiang Kai-shek. Soon he was fighting the Chinese Communists, who were trying to take over China. The situation on Taiwan went from good to extremely bad. The Chinese sent to Taiwan didn't know how to handle the advanced technological developments the Japanese had left. The civil rule and law and health all went into a serious tailspin, and soon the local Taiwanese thought the Mainland Chinese were worse than their long-time occupying forces from Japan.

"Then in 1949, Chiang's forces were defeated by the Communists and he and most of his government fled by boat to Taiwan where they would be safe from the Communists. More than a million and a half people surged into Taiwan when the economy was already in serious trouble.

"In the spring of 1950, Mao Tse-tung planned to invade Taiwan and return it to China's rule. Bad planning, few boats, and a terrible health crisis brought on by liver flukes in China delayed the planned invasion. In mid-1950 the Korean War started, and the U.S. sent the Seventh Fleet to the Taiwan Strait to shield Taiwan from invasion by China.

"With peace and protection by the U.S., Taiwan could look to reform. They began with land reform, returning the land to the people, and with U.S. help did an outstanding job. That was the start of reforms that soon transformed Taiwan into a place with the fastest-growing economy in the world.

"As Taiwan's economy, her standard of living, and more and more freedom for her people soared, China was stagnated with too many people, not enough industry, and a sluggish economy that had no firm foundation. This aggravated the Mainland Chinese even more and some say this is the main reason why the Communists want to capture Taiwan and bring the island into line as a China province."

Wong took a pull from a soft drink and looked at the men.

"So, are there any questions?"

Magic Brown turned his big brown eyes and his black face upward and stared at the speaker. Then he grinned. "Mr. Wong, just why the hell do we need to know all this?"

There was an immediate hurrahing and lots of laughter in the quarters. Wong looked surprised. Then he grinned.

"You need to know it because your commanding officer said you did. Best damn reason I can think of."

"Yeah, me too," Brown said, and they all laughed again. Murdock stood and shook Wong's hand.

"If China ever gets her act together, those one point three billion Chinese are going to be a real pain in the butt."

Stroh laughed at that and he and Wong started out. Stroh made it to the outside door, where a sailor handed him a piece of paper. He read it and headed back to Murdock.

"Hey, Lieutenant, you've got a phone call. The Chief of Naval Operations himself back in D.C. wants to talk with you. He's on the horn right now and we're due up in the communications room."

Murdock stared at him. "The CNO? You sure? Admiral Lucian Quenton himself? I've never met the man. He doesn't know that I exist."

"He does now, sailor. Let's get up there before he hangs up on you.