strength for President Davis, that he may continue to lead us in the paths of righteousness and truth, and for his Senate, that they may continue to provide wise and Godly counsel to him. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, who washes away our sins, and will receive us when we arrive at the gates of glory. Amen.”
Brushing the dust from their knees, the two stood up, and resumed scanning the fence in silence.
Chapter 2: Richmond, Virginia, Confederate States of America
“ So you will send troops?”
J efferson Davis III, third President of the Confederate States of America, regarded his visitor to the Southern Executive Mansion with some amusement. He crossed his manicured hands over his paunch, leaned back in his chair, and cocked a quizzical eyebrow.
“I admire your nerve, sir,” he consulted his notes, “If I understand your original letter to me rightly, you are offering an alliance between Germany and the Confederacy, but you are not even an elected member of your country’s Congress.” There was a pause while this was interpreted, and the slight, mustached German replied with a few words.
“Not yet,” replied the interpreter. The German spoke at more length, and the interpreter continued, “President Davis, I am very much in favor of the policies and the aims of the Confederate States of America, especially with regard to the racial problems you encounter. I myself advocate a similar policy for Germany.”
“But you have no Negroes in Germany, do you? I do not see how you can make slaves of free German citizens.”
“To be sure we have no Negroes,” replied the other. A faint almost-smile played beneath the dark mustache of the younger man as his words were interpreted. “We do, however, have Jews in Germany—several million of them, in fact. If I understand your country’s situation correctly, your views on Jews and mine are in almost complete accord.”
“Waall,” drawling the word, “we don’t make slaves of them like we do the Nigras. But you’re right—we don’t allow them to marry outside their own race, and we don’t allow them to own property.” He sipped at his iced tea.
“What I am asking, Mr. President, is the chance to make a union between Germany, with our powerful advanced industry—”
“—which was almost destroyed by the last war,” interrupted Davis, pertly.
“Indeed, almost destroyed, but we Germans, as you are no doubt aware, can work hard to rebuild what we lost in a matter of only a few years.”
Davis nodded, seeming to acknowledge the point. “Go on.” He noted the other’s rather shabby suit, patched and darned in a few places, which contrasted with his own dapper appearance.
“Our industry complements your almost limitless natural resources, which at the moment find it hard to command a market.” This last was painfully true, as Davis was all too well aware. The so-called “Allies” in the Great European War had claimed to be fighting a moral war, and as such had severed all commercial ties with the slave-holding Confederacy, at least for the duration of the conflict. The Triple Alliance powers had either possessed no merchant navy to speak of, or were blockaded so effectively by the British fleet that trade with them had been impossible. Japan, as a scarcely combatant member of the Allies, had proved the Confederacy’s only constant trade partner, albeit with a relatively low volume. And thanks to the Yankees’ control of the Panama Canal, all shipping between the Confederacy and Japan had either to sail round Cape Horn, or to take the long way round, easy prey for British commerce raiders.
“Take our industry, and put it with your resources, together with your surplus labor force. An alliance with Germany,” the German politician went on after a significant pause, “would greatly help you and us.”
“So what exactly do you want from me?” Davis leaned forward, and changed
Brushing the dust from their knees, the two stood up, and resumed scanning the fence in silence.
Chapter 2: Richmond, Virginia, Confederate States of America
“ So you will send troops?”
J efferson Davis III, third President of the Confederate States of America, regarded his visitor to the Southern Executive Mansion with some amusement. He crossed his manicured hands over his paunch, leaned back in his chair, and cocked a quizzical eyebrow.
“I admire your nerve, sir,” he consulted his notes, “If I understand your original letter to me rightly, you are offering an alliance between Germany and the Confederacy, but you are not even an elected member of your country’s Congress.” There was a pause while this was interpreted, and the slight, mustached German replied with a few words.
“Not yet,” replied the interpreter. The German spoke at more length, and the interpreter continued, “President Davis, I am very much in favor of the policies and the aims of the Confederate States of America, especially with regard to the racial problems you encounter. I myself advocate a similar policy for Germany.”
“But you have no Negroes in Germany, do you? I do not see how you can make slaves of free German citizens.”
“To be sure we have no Negroes,” replied the other. A faint almost-smile played beneath the dark mustache of the younger man as his words were interpreted. “We do, however, have Jews in Germany—several million of them, in fact. If I understand your country’s situation correctly, your views on Jews and mine are in almost complete accord.”
“Waall,” drawling the word, “we don’t make slaves of them like we do the Nigras. But you’re right—we don’t allow them to marry outside their own race, and we don’t allow them to own property.” He sipped at his iced tea.
“What I am asking, Mr. President, is the chance to make a union between Germany, with our powerful advanced industry—”
“—which was almost destroyed by the last war,” interrupted Davis, pertly.
“Indeed, almost destroyed, but we Germans, as you are no doubt aware, can work hard to rebuild what we lost in a matter of only a few years.”
Davis nodded, seeming to acknowledge the point. “Go on.” He noted the other’s rather shabby suit, patched and darned in a few places, which contrasted with his own dapper appearance.
“Our industry complements your almost limitless natural resources, which at the moment find it hard to command a market.” This last was painfully true, as Davis was all too well aware. The so-called “Allies” in the Great European War had claimed to be fighting a moral war, and as such had severed all commercial ties with the slave-holding Confederacy, at least for the duration of the conflict. The Triple Alliance powers had either possessed no merchant navy to speak of, or were blockaded so effectively by the British fleet that trade with them had been impossible. Japan, as a scarcely combatant member of the Allies, had proved the Confederacy’s only constant trade partner, albeit with a relatively low volume. And thanks to the Yankees’ control of the Panama Canal, all shipping between the Confederacy and Japan had either to sail round Cape Horn, or to take the long way round, easy prey for British commerce raiders.
“Take our industry, and put it with your resources, together with your surplus labor force. An alliance with Germany,” the German politician went on after a significant pause, “would greatly help you and us.”
“So what exactly do you want from me?” Davis leaned forward, and changed
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