Fall of Giants

As they watched a fighter called Benny the Yid pounding the brains out of Bald Albert Collins, Fitz resolved to avoid the topic of the German peace offer. He knew that Gus was heartbroken at the failure of Wilson’s initiative. Gus asked himself constantly whether he could have handled matters better, or done something further to support the president’s plan. Fitz thought the plan had been doomed from the start because neither side really wanted peace.

In the third round Bald Albert went down and stayed down.

“You caught me just in time,” Gus said. “I’m about to head for home.”

“Looking forward to it?”

“If I get there. I might be sunk by a U-boat on the way.”

The Germans had resumed unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1, exactly as foretold in the Zimmermann intercept. This had angered the Americans, but not as much as Fitz had hoped. “President Wilson’s reaction to the submarine announcement was surprisingly mild,” he said.

“He broke off diplomatic relations with Germany. That’s not mild.”

“But he did not declare war.” Fitz had been devastated by this. He had fought hard against peace talks, but Maud and Ethel and their pacifist friends were right to say there was no hope of victory in the foreseeable future-without extra help from somewhere. Fitz had felt sure that unrestricted submarine warfare would bring the Americans in. So far it had not.

Gus said: “Frankly, I think President Wilson was infuriated by the submarine decision, and is now ready to declare war. He’s tried everything else, for goodness’ sake. But he won reelection as the man who kept us out. The only way he can switch is if he is swept into war on a tide of public enthusiasm.”

“In that case,” said Fitz, “I believe I have something that might help him.”

Gus raised an eyebrow.

“Since I was wounded, I’ve been working in a unit that decodes intercepted German wireless messages.” Fitz took from his pocket a sheet of paper covered with his own handwriting. “Your government will be given this officially in the next few days. I’m showing it to you now because we need advice on how to handle it.” He gave it to Gus.

The British spy in Mexico City had got hold of the relayed message in the old code, and the paper Fitz handed to Gus was a complete decrypt of the Zimmermann intercept. In full, it read:

Washington to Mexico, 19 January 1917

We intend to begin on 1 February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavour in spite of this to keep the USA neutral. In the event of this not succeeding we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following terms:

Make war together.

Make peace together.

Generous financial support and an undertaking on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you.

You will inform the president of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the USA is certain, and add the suggestion that he should on his own initiative invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves.

Please call the president’s attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace.

Gus read a few lines, holding the sheet close to his eyes in the low light of the boxing arena, and said: “Alliance? My God!”

Fitz glanced around. A new bout had begun, and the noise of the crowd was too loud for people nearby to overhear Gus.

Gus read on. “Reconquer Texas?” he said with incredulity. And then, angrily: “Invite Japan?” He looked up from the paper. “This is outrageous!”

This was the reaction Fitz had been hoping for, and he had to quell his elation. “Outrageous is the word,” he said with forced solemnity.

“The Germans are offering to pay Mexico to invade the United States!”

“Yes.”

“And they’re asking Mexico to try to get Japan to join in!”

“Yes.”

“Wait till this gets out!”

“That’s what I want to talk to you about. We want to make sure it’s publicized in a manner favorable to your president.”

“Why doesn’t the British government simply reveal it to the world?”

Gus was not thinking this through. “Two reasons,” Fitz said. “One, we don’t want the Germans to know we’re reading their cables. Two, we may be accused of forging this intercept.”

Gus nodded. “Pardon me. I was too angry to think. Let’s look at this coolly.”

“If possible, we would like you to say that the United States government obtained a copy of the cable from Western Union.”

“Wilson won’t tell a lie.”

“Then get a copy from Western Union, and it won’t be a lie.”

Gus nodded. “That should be possible. As for the second problem, who could release the telegram without being suspected of forgery?”

“The president himself, I presume.”

“That’s one possibility.”

“But you have a better idea?”

“Yes,” Gus said thoughtfully. “I believe I do.”

{IV}

Ethel and Bernie got married in the Calvary Gospel Hall. Neither of them had strong views about religion, and they both liked the pastor.