O'hara's Choice - Leon Uris [128]
The British soldier in the colonies is apt to act superior, imperious, and fortified with the righteousness of his God.
The American “empire” was gained through internal expansion, the use of slave labor, and dismissal of the Indian.
America’s future role as a world power is not for the conquest of territory but for commerce with sufficient naval power to keep her shipping lanes open and her advance bases protected.
We will certainly choose the wrong side at times and be called into combat or have to impose stern measures, but the ROLE of the Americans and the American psyche will enable us to befriend native populations. Guided by propositions of equality and basic decency, our garrisons could become welcomed.
The United States Marine Corps has established itself as the American gold standard. The Corps is a state of collective willpower. When we depart a post, we will leave the footprint of democracy.
“Random Study Sixteen” was writ. Two years, even more, had been compressed into seven months, but to what avail? Unprinted, shelved, never to see the light of day?
To beat the fists against the walls in frustration? Amanda. Your man is so down. I’ll be long gone when that terrible war against the Japanese must be waged. What can be more bitter now than to prophesy unheard?
Fuck them all. Give me a command aboard a battlewagon squiring drunken sailors to the brig . . .
. . . so . . . the Marines will parade until there are three or four of us left and then the barracks will be turned over to the secretary of agriculture and the ground ripped up and planted with an experimental crop of turnips.
Major Ben, get back up here and let’s cry in our beer, together. Come on, Ben, let’s get the fucking deal over with.
Zachary trudged over to the office, three flights up, and dialed open the safe. He took “Random Sixteen” out, added the final sheets, and tied them all together in wide red ribbon, then locked the safe.
It was only two-thirty in the afternoon. Where was Ben? No need to hurry, Ben, nothing to celebrate.
Come on, O’Hara, stop feeling sorry for yourself. You’re bleeding all over the place. Cheer up, you’re going to see Amanda soon.
Let’s see. A little horseback ride in the nippy air would bring me around. He left a note for Major Ben as well as a message at the desk and returned to his quarters for some heavier clothing.
Zach got along well with Bountiful, a fine old ceremonial beast. As they trotted out of the stable, a first little snow was piddling down. Zach was saluted through the guard post and rode onto the path that circled the island.
Bountiful was very happy for the stretch. Horse and rider made down a short bluff to the big eucalyptus tree where he and the major usually rested on their morning drill.
Zach dismounted and pressed his forehead against the horse’s neck and explained to the animal why he was so screwed up and watched their breaths crisscross. He dug into his jacket—
“Ahoy!” a voice sounded.
Christ, now I’m hearing things, Zach thought.
“Ahoy! Ahoy! Ahoy!”
“Yo! Over here, Major!”
Ben’s horse skidded down the bluff, half blinded by the snow. He came alongside and leaped from his saddle onto Zach, taking them both to the ground.
“We got them!” Ben shouted, taking off his campaign hat and slapping it on Zach, back and forth. “We got them! We got them!”
On their feet, they stomped out a Cherokee war dance, howling like wolves. Zach leaped up, grabbed a branch of the tree, and did a backflip off it.
“We got them!”
They hollered and beat on each other until they fell into each other.
Ben related his titanic struggle in meeting after meeting. One by one, he convinced the navy into his camp, even Chester Harkleroad.
“It was tough-titty treading all the way. They couldn’t envision the landing boat, they couldn’t envision turning over command at the water’s edge. They were shitty. As the days wore on, they began to realize what we were driving at. Never used the word Japan once, but the line of logic was so pure no one didn’t