Chapter 161: The Fallen Star-Spangled Banner

The gunfire around the White House died down, but the deafening cheers followed. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

In the Oval Office, President MacArthur sat behind his desk, poured himself a glass of champagne, and waited quietly.

He was well aware that everything was over. But despite this, he decided to sit here and wait until the last moment.

Although he has always been arrogant and has no one in his eyes, MacArthur is still very clear that no matter what, the United States has become this purgatory in his own hands, and there must be no one outside who hates him so much that he can't help but want to peel off his skin and bones...... There will be a coup d'état, that's a matter of course.

In fact, if it weren't for the frequent nuclear explosions that destroyed domestic traffic and made it difficult for people to gather, such a coup d'état might have taken place long ago.

Seriously, since the United States has been in a desperate situation, he has been drunk and passive almost day after day, and the federal government is also on the verge of paralysis, until now, MacArthur has not figured out who is carrying out this coup...... But it doesn't matter anymore.

Anyway, if nothing else, the mastermind behind the scenes opposite should appear in front of him in a short time.

President MacArthur waited and listened quietly. He heard the final exchange of fire from the White House Secret Service agents, the shouts of the rebels to surrender, the cries and begs for mercy of some coward, and the footsteps of the enemy approaching......

Then, with a loud bang, the door of the oval office was slammed open from the outside. Then, two young men with Thomson submachine guns were the first to break down the door, first looking around keenly to make sure that there were no hiding enemies in the room, and then together they pointed their guns at President MacArthur behind his desk.

Seeing this, MacArthur shrugged his shoulders helplessly, but still raised his hands indifferently, indicating that he had no weapon in his hand.

Next, holding his hands, he saw the face of the man behind the scenes, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but lift slightly:

“…… See you again, Ike, I can't believe that you are behind this rebellion......"

At the same time, Admiral Eisenhower did not take charge of the president behind his desk at the first moment, but looked around at the long-lost Oval Office with a look of nostalgia. In general, the shelling of the insurgents, while blowing up many corridors and rooms in the White House, did not cause noticeable damage to the Oval Office, and the various elaborate furnishings remained the same, except for a few extra kerosene lamps on the walls, and two more on the desks and coffee tables, which seemed to have to be used for lighting after the capital's power grid and the White House's backup power came down.

Looking back at President MacArthur behind his desk: a delicate top hat, a dark tuxedo, a black satin tie with beaded pins, and a medal with a ribbon on his chest, it looked like he was going to a grand dinner...... In contrast, looking at his own dusty and stained camouflage uniform, Eisenhower almost had the illusion that the other side was the winner.

The best senior at West Point, who came from a wealthy family...... At such a time, are you still unwilling to leave your demeanor and decency?

For a moment, Admiral Eisenhower felt more and more uncertain about whether he could persuade President MacArthur to accept his fate.

However, things have already come to this point, and even if you are not sure, you can only bite the bullet.

“…… Senior MacArthur, give up. You have failed, and the country has failed. ”

Admiral Eisenhower sighed, but finally opened his mouth dryly, trying to persuade the arrogant guy opposite, "...... Our country is in shambles, and it's time to throw in the towel. The consequences of not admitting defeat will only be more miserable, and it may even wipe out everything we know well. So, please do your duty and surrender unconditionally to the enemy! Don't be as vexatious as a kid anymore! ”

“…… Hmph—" President MacArthur let out a dull snort, propping his chin on one hand without the slightest look of surprise, "...... Ike, I know, I know, you've won, my people have collapsed, Washington and the White House are all yours, you can take my life at any time......"

He described casually, and then suddenly changed his words, "...... But why do you think I'm going to wag my tail like a pug and beg for mercy? Don't threaten me with death! I'd rather live a day like a lion than a hundred years like a sheep! ”

MacArthur's voice grew louder and louder, and at the end it was almost a roar, but Eisenhower was completely unmoved.

“…… Would you rather live a day like a lion than a hundred years like a sheep? I think this sentence seems to have been said by Mussolini, right? ”

Admiral Eisenhower raised an eyebrow, "...... Mussolini was a good speaker of beautiful words, no one can deny this, of course, like other orators in history, he was only a giant in words, and when Italy fell, he did not shed his last drop of blood in the trenches with his blackshirts, but fled like a coward with his mistress, but unfortunately he did not escape in the end......"

“…… So you think I'm like him and will end up on my knees at your feet? MacArthur sneered, "...... Then you'd be wrong! ”

“…… If you want to prove that you are different from Mussolini, you must take responsibility! ”

Admiral Eisenhower insisted, "...... Go and beg Stalin for mercy, then sign an unconditional surrender treaty and end this war! ”

“…… No! Never! I will only live and die with my country! I'd rather die than accept the shame of being a loser! ”

MacArthur exclaimed angrily, "...... This kind of noble sentiment is not something that a person from a lower class like you can understand! ”

“…… Indeed, I was not a nobleman or a gentleman, just a child of a bankrupt little shopkeeper. I'm not interested in learning about the stinky shelf of your high society! But I at least understand one thing, as a man, you should be responsible, and you have to clean up the trouble you cause! ”

Admiral Dwight D. Eisenhower finally sank his face, "...... In any case, this war is a complete defeat in your presidency, so it is necessary for you to sign the treaty of unconditional surrender and put an end to this nightmare! Even if it will endure the ridicule of the whole world, even if it will be remembered in the history books for thousands of years, even if it will be judged as a war criminal in the future...... But you have to do it! Because it's your responsibility! ”

Eisenhower's rebuke, which was like a slap in the face, finally made President MacArthur feel a little ashamed, and he really couldn't refute the above accusations. But he also had no intention of wavering or repenting," he ...... All right! You're right, but I'm sorry, I can't do any of that! So, please kill me, and then it's up to you to sign this damn unconditional surrender agreement! How is it? ”

“…… If only it could be done! It's all come to this point, do you still think I'll not dare to kill you? Senior MacArthur? ”

Eisenhower smiled wryly, "...... Based on previous contacts, the Soviets made it clear that it was you, the legitimate president, who had to sign the unconditional surrender treaty! Otherwise, the negotiating qualifications of the American side will not be recognized! They are very cold about negotiations, and they may wish they could blow up the whole United States directly! ”

“…… So that's it...... But I wonder why, even if so, are you so zealous about it that you would even go so far as to start a mutiny? ”

President MacArthur asked, "...... You know, even if you do this kind of thing, I am afraid that you will not be able to escape the judgment seat of war criminals in the future......"

“…… I never pinned my hopes on the forgiveness of the Soviets, Senior MacArthur, and this is a true truth! ”

Admiral Eisenhower bent down and stared at President MacArthur with incomparably clear eyes, "...... As long as I can save this land, I will be happy to stand on the judgment seat with you, face the life behind bars with you, and even be hung on the gallows with you! All for America! ”

“…… What a touching spirit of sacrifice...... It's a pity that I also have something in my heart that I must not shake or give up. ”

After a moment of silence and hesitation, President MacArthur finally shook his head firmly and once again refused to cooperate.

On the other hand, Admiral Eisenhower continued to stare at President MacArthur in amazement, and after a long time, he sighed faintly.

“…… It's a shame that I wasn't going to threaten you with this, MacArthur. But now, there is really no other way...... Simon Township, South Peninsula District, Cape Town, Cape Town, Confederation of South Africa...... "Eisenhower bent over MacArthur's ear and whispered a seemingly prosaic place name, but President MacArthur's pupils tightened suddenly.

“…… You guy...... Damn it? How did you find out about that place? What do you want to do to my Jane and Little Arthur? ”

He stared at Eisenhower and roared angrily, but his voice was no longer composure before, but with a slight tremor.

“…… Relax, please relax, Mr. President, your wife and children are doing well in South Africa, at least for now...... Of course, if you're not willing to cooperate, it's hard to say if my subordinates in South Africa will do something unseemly......"

Eisenhower sneered, "...... As for how I found out about that address...... Don't you know what I was doing when I crossed the sea to South Africa? And I still have some connections in South Africa...... So, you have one last chance to choose, Mr. President......"

For a moment, President MacArthur glared at Eisenhower fiercely, his face flushed with anger, the bruises on his forehead were tensed, his teeth clicked, and his whole person seemed to explode in the next moment...... However, after a fierce psychological battle, in the end, he was like a deflated ball, and his whole body was deflated, and he squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth to reply:

“…… All right! You win! Dwight. David. Eisenhower! I'll listen to you for everything! You damned devil! ”

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After once again breaking through his moral lower limit and forcing President MacArthur to submit by the most despicable means, Admiral Eisenhower walked out of the White House with a blank expression on his face, filled with all kinds of confused thoughts, but without a trace of the joy of victory.

There was silence around the White House, and with the exception of a few guards, the vast majority of the insurgents were directed to several strategic stockpiles in the capital, where they were stockpiled with food, fuel, and alcohol to prepare for a banquet to celebrate. Some people don't know whether they are drunk or too excited, and they actually fire guns in the streets. One of the stray bullets coincidentally hit the flagpole on the roof above the White House foyer, causing the Stars and Stripes tied to it to fall down along with the broken flagpole...... The Star-Spangled Banner is full of craters and scorch marks. Falling silently on the dusty ground, Admiral Eisenhower only felt as if his heart had tightened inexplicably, and he was speechless for a while.

At the same time, from the White House behind him, President MacArthur's hoarse singing voice happened to come quite appropriately:

Yes! What do you see at the dawn that makes us so proud?

Rejoice at the last light of dawn, whose flag always flies high in the heat of battle!

The fire was raging, the cannon was rumbling, and we saw the heroic banner on the fortress, still standing after the darkness!

Yes! Do you think the Star-Spangled Banner will stand still, fluttering in the land of the free and flying in the homeland of the brave?

……

For a moment, Admiral Eisenhower only felt a fierce emotion boiling in his chest, shame, shame, helplessness, despair, anger and other inexplicable things, but he did not know how to evacuate and calm down.

When the founding fathers of the United States of America and the presidents of the White House hoisted the Star-Spangled Banner, their hearts were probably filled with confidence in the "Manifest Destiny" that this great nation would be able to dominate the world in the future and prosper forever...... However, the fact is that there is no such thing as an endless feast, and everything will come to an end after all.

But while the United States has come to an end, the American nation will not die like this. In the near future, there may be more suffering and catastrophe, but there will be a new America, like a phoenix that has flown out of flames and ashes, born in this land that has withstood the most severe tests...... Thinking of this, Admiral Eisenhower finally calmed down again and muttered calmly:

“…… Let our generation bear all the guilt and shame! As long as you can give your children hope for the future! (To be continued.) )