Black Gold, Black Heart

1.

The conference at London was tense. The atmosphere was thicker than Stalin's forearms, albeit he was not present. The Soviet representative, Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, stared directly at his American counterpart, James Byrnes. Neither blinked for a long... long time.

"You must withdraw." the Ruskie simply took off his spectacles, cleaned them with a napkin, and placed them in their original position. "You are violating Iran's sovereignty. Withdraw or face the consequences."

Molotov continued to remain cool, though he begun to perspire. "We invaded a part of Iran four years ago," he explained. "And need I remind you that Britain engaged in that offensive? Why does Britain not withdraw?"

"Frankly, that issue concerns His Majesty's government," Byrnes announced. "The Iranian government no longer requires the presence of your troops on their soil. The war is over. It's time to make changes."

"Indeed," he rebuffed. "It is time for a change... and on that note, perhaps it is the responsibility of your government to act in the interests of the world community."

"I'm sorry?" again, Molotov cleaned his glasses. "The United States are the only ones wielding atomic weaponry. If you do care for stability in the newer world, than perhaps you would not threaten the security of all others by independently controlling it."

"What the hell?" Byrnes slammed his fist on the table. "It's our weapons! It's Iran's land! I don't know what game you're playing here, but if you refuse to cease and desist with your occupation of Iranian soil, then we will... no longer tolerate you."

There were a few gasps and murmurs in the background. As always, Molotov remained unfazed. "What do you mean? Do you not tolerate us now? Is our very existence a threat to yours?"

"Yes! Yes, it is!" Again, but now combined with cheers and hisses. It was beginning to feel less like a peace conference and more like a football match. Molotov seemed angry all of a sudden. He cleared his throat, then gestured for his comrades to stand up.

"Are you suggesting that you will be willing to use atomic weapons against us... if we refuse to follow your demands?" he stayed quiet for a moment, then stood up himself. "Yes, we are." and then they all left.
 
1.
"Are you suggesting that you will be willing to use atomic weapons against us... if we refuse to follow your demands?" he stayed quiet for a moment, then stood up himself. "Yes, we are." and then they all left.

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Secretary Byrnes will probably lose his job over this. The President makes foreign policy, the Secretary works for him to enact it. Nobody wants to go to war at this point over Iran of all places.
 
2.

"I'll expect your resignation by tomorrow morning." President Harry Truman's glare only repeated that order. Byrnes nodded, accepting his fate. Even a man as stubborn as that ex-senator from South Carolina realized, at the very least, that he was permanently done with the current administration, no matter the reason.

Truman sat alone in his office. He seemed quiet, agitated only internally. If the Ruskies will do what we ask, he thought. Then the whole thing will blow over.

They won't dare to anger us... not over Iran, they won't! he took off his glasses and put them on the desk. Besides, we have atomic bombs... they know we're not afraid to use them.

In the Kremlin, Joseph Stalin and his advisers sat in unease... well, the Chairman seemed to not be worried. He simply put his pipe between his lips, looking at the ceiling. Molotov anxiously waited for permission to speak. It was never good when he was quiet, but in all fairness it was never good when he was loud.

"Tell them," he ordered all of a sudden. "Our troops, that is... that if any one of them are to cross back into Azerbaijan, they will be shot. Cowardice was never acceptable... from anyone!"

"Yes, sir!" they all exclaimed in uniform. He waved toward the door, and the peons exited the room. He continued to stare at the ceiling, smoking his pipe. After a guard closed the door, he sighed. Another war... Well, what can you do?
 
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Well the face off has been set. Who will blink first and how will the public react when they find out Truman plans on bowing down to a Russian hard line in Iran?
 
3.

"The Soviets refuse to withdraw." Acting Secretary of State Dean Acheson handed Truman a folder. He cautiously skimmed it, then dropped it on the desk. He stood up and looked out the window for a moment. Out of sheer adrenaline, he slammed his fist on the documents, whose impact created a resonating much louder than it should've been.

"What the hell?" he demanded of his advisers. "I mean... what the hell? Don't those bastards in Moscow know that we're not just gonna give up on Iran? Don't they know the British won't give up on fucking Iran? Me, I vowed before Congress that I won't go into a war over Mideastern or Neareastern oil... but we can't let him bully us like this!"

"There must be other options," opted Secretary of War Robert Patterson. "To exhaust before resorting to military force. After all, the Soviets still have ten million soldiers, and manpower is still king in terms of the battlefield." Truman almost smiled at the man's wit... almost.

"Hmm..." Secretary of the Navy James Forestall licked his lips. Everyone turned in his direction, and he failed to act surprised. "In all fairness," he begun. "We are the dominant power, well... for the time being. Seeing as we are, there is no reason we shouldn't make sure the Soviets know it."

"What'd you mean?" asked Truman, less than comfortable. "We can get a carrier group... to the Persian Gulf, that is. You know what? One destroyer would do! A display of force. We won't fire unless they do, but by God we're not afraid to."

It seemed that all of the other Secretaries present agreed to an extent, but couldn't bring themselves to admit it. Truman sat down. He sighed, then took out a pen and wrote down something on an official stationary. "I'm going to regret this."
 
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4.

The USS Wisconsin made her way without incident into the Gulf, and anchored not too far from Bushire. Clark Lawrence Green, the destroyer's captain, looked warily at the warm sea. He could only wonder how and when they would be struck: a torpedo in the early morning? An airstrike around noon? Maybe some sailor with an ideology would set fire to the engine room...

He went down to the officers' conference room for lunch. The chefs served penne with a white Italian sauce, as well as Danishes for dessert. He had to admit, the Navy kept them well fed.

After their meal, he went to the bridge. Two ensigns were sharing a carton of cigarettes on the deck. What the hell, he thought. It very well may be their last. He, however, remained anxious. Whatever his superiors may have "informed" him, it wasn't going to be a display of force. It was going to be the first shot of war.

Eventually, after eleven PM, he went to sleep. He didn't succeed in that task at first, but eventually he... adapted. No doubt half a shot of whiskey helped him. It was three hours later, as he was dreaming of a warship flying red flags crushing the Wisconsin when three Soviet gunboats approached the American destroyer.

Fighting broke out almost immediately. No one was sure who fired first, it just happened. It was an actual effort to eliminate the maritime threat, but it was done. Ten dead Americans, thirty wounded. No Soviet prisoners... well, it didn't surprise anyone. It wasn't going to be a time of respectful conduct.
 
The USS Wisconsin was the name of a Battleship. At least in OTL. Also would not the ship have radar manned and alert ? Also would the Russians actually have gunboats in the Persian Gulf/Indian Ocean shortly after WW2?
 
The USS Wisconsin was the name of a Battleship. At least in OTL. Also would not the ship have radar manned and alert ? Also would the Russians actually have gunboats in the Persian Gulf/Indian Ocean shortly after WW2?

The Soviets and the British invaded Iran in 1942, thus generating the current crisis. I'd assume, perhaps incorrectly, that they did have gunboats stationed at some of those warm water ports. As for the radar and discrepancies of that sort, I guess I didn't focus enough attention on those details. I apologize. :eek:
 
5.

As soon as Iran spiraled into endless fighting between British and Soviet troops, so too did Germany, once again, turn into a battlefield.

Berlin... that was a massacre, in a way. While the RAF did mobilize Lancasters from airbases in their zone, and from a carrier in the North Sea, that was all they did to back up their troops in eastern Germany. It took the Soviet Army no more than thirteen hours to "clean up" the pockets of American, British, and French troops in that city. There were less than 500 POWs in total.

In the rest of Germany, the fighting was slower and equally painful. The Red Army did have the numerical advantage, but it was not as if those troops occupying western Germany were "used" WWI vets. In the first week of the war, the Soviets moved forward only three miles at the cost of eleven thousand men... approximately.

"It's time, Mr President!" Forestall shouted. "The Ruskies are winning! The only way to stop them now is by using our arsenal of atomic bombs!" Truman looked up at him resentfully. "It would be criminal at the very least to do such a thing."

Forestall scoffed. "Do you need so the irony, sir? The blatant hypocrisy? Do you not remember Japan?" Truman slammed his fist on the table. It was starting to leave scratches. "This is different! Hiroshima was a last resort... it always is! If we still have a fighting chance, then we're going to fight without exterminating Moscow! Is that clear?"

Forestall nodded, and so did the others. They left after a few moments, and he slammed his fist again. Shouldn't have listened to the bastard, he concurred with his previous thoughts. One day, I know that he will... he'll try to take matters into his own hands... he felt a chill go through his body. After recovering, he simply turned on the radio and listened about the onslaught.
 
Well the blood is flowing in Germany and it will soon be flowing in Russia. Will the US activate its Navy in Japan and attack Vladivostok and other Pacific bases? Might the US contemplate getting Japan on the action of keep them tied up to Japan? Also with all the crap save China from falling to the Communists?
 
6.

Douglas MacArthur was in the conference room of the Allied occupation headquarters in Tokyo, discussing the possibility of reinforcing Kai-shek's troops in China when an aid, wearing the stripes of a captain, rushed inside. A rear admiral gave him a displeasing glare, but MacArthur simply asked, "What's wrong, son?"

The captain panted. A secretary gave him a glass of water, which he instantly emptied. He sat down, and started to speak. "Protesters... protesters outside." MacArthur seemed unfazed by this, but regardless he asked his advisers to excuse him as he stepped out of the room.

Looking out a nearby window, he did see many, many demonstrators. Many of them were wearing Hachimakis, and it appeared that a column were carrying a banner. It was in Japanese, so he couldn't understand it, but what it did say was "Out with Yanks, You're as Bad as the Rusks!"

He tried to ignore this commotion, slightly comforted by the presence of soldiers outside the building, some of them manning machine guns. Three armed parks were parked out front, and it appeared that more were going to arrive. He went back to the meeting.

A few minutes later, gunshots echoed. A major ran into the room, but bothered to salute. "Sir! The protesters are getting violent! We must use maximum force to disperse them!" MacArthur sat down and thought. He nodded. "You have my authorization... just make sure it doesn't get out of hand."

"Sir, yes, sir!" the major ran out of the room, but the men didn't continue to talk. What was there to discuss? The shots only intensified, so did the chants and the shouting. MacArthur's breathing heavies, as his eyes consistently leer toward the hallway, where he expected a few men carrying stolen machine guns would come running in from and shooting him up.

In several minutes, MacArthur was told that, per his authorization for "maximum force," a regiment of Lees arrived in the city. He was somewhat confused as to how that was possible, since there were no armored or calvary divisions on Honshu.

The violence didn't decrease... at all. Overhearing radio communication, it appeared that one of the tanks were captured and had to be destroyed by the one behind it. Somehow, one of the protestors was armed with a bazooka rocket, which he used against a tank.

Furthermore, sharpshooters were stationed on top of rooftops. While they did manage to take out large portions of protestors, they simply took the buildings they were stationed on. There were also reports that soldiers were being lynched in certain areas.

"We have to leave!" pleaded a colonel. "Let's go onboard the Boxer, or maybe Guam... sir, please! We have to act!" MacArthur simply shook his head. "We are still running an occupation, so we have to maintain the occupation. This riot will be put down, I assure you."

Eventually, a wing of Douglas A-20 Havocs flew over the city. But they didn't drop ordinary bombs, not even those used in firebombing. They were hollowed out, carrying canisters. Once they landed on the ground, they released their contents.

That really caused people to flee. Many fell on the ground, coughing. Quickly infantry arrived in the city, and backed up the remaining forces there. MacArthur, and all of his advisers, sighed of relief. But they knew this was only the beginning of something much worse.
 
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