The day of the demagogue

The Triumph of the Demagogue

The president called for quiet. His voice sharp with anger. The telegram boy looked about the room, the lad was visibly shaking. A Navy Yeoman knocked on the door, and saluted and handed the President another telegram.

In an ash tray cigarette burned away to nothing.

In an Ante chamber the Ambassador was praying quietly.  He was not supposed to do so in public.  That upset people. The regime was sensitive about how other saw it.

An aide approached the Ambassador and Demanded he follow him

This was it then, the horse had left its stall. The  farm, the country had been gambled. It was more than a case of losing their shirts. If something went wrong they would hang.

The man he served had escaped a firing squad at least twice. This time there would be no intercession, no truce, no amnesty.

The Americans made him wait

He could  hear their President curse.  He saw Marine, and Navy officers enter the office. They glared at him, but said  nothing

Through the thick carpets and  heavy oak doors. The diplomat heard their President express himself.

``They should know their place…Their  leader was a demagogue.  A man who should have been hanged.  A bandit that had taken  power with a revolver in his pocket. A religious bigot. A fool who ranted and raged about lost territories. He had even given himself a stupid title..Warleader or something’’

Quite frankly the time was to kick him square in the pants. The President was reading the reports, from the British.  The British were screaming about false uniforms , cover of darkness. A betrayal

The Ambassador looked at his watch. Now was the moment  

``Turn the son of a bitch on’’

 In accented English, the minister for information spoke.  His parents had sacrificed much for his  Jesuit education, now it  must not fail him. The British were by no means vanquished.

Now waited for the photo finish, which would decide their fates. The rent was in the bookies hands

The minister spoke to the American people. He asked them for understanding he begged them for patience.

They had not wanted war. They had only acted, to protect themselves. They wanted the Americans to intervene to help them. To help them defend the common Christian civilisation, of Europe,  of the British commonwealth of America. They had acted to save lives. Surely the Americans did not want war between two great nations. Not when the real enemy the godless monster lay unchecked to the East

``Turn  that off.. the President barked

Send him in’’

The Naval officers spoke first, crowding him. Shouting threatening, pounding fists. Talking of ships and guns.  An Army officer from the Air corps  made horrible allusions about bombs and gas

The American president  spoke.. he spoke of his anger, and  his contempt..how he wished the British had finished them off in the last war

``If you ever pull something like this again…another stupid operation like this one and I swear…’’

The Ambassador from Eire breathed in…the  gamble had worked. They would be allowed to keep their gains,  in return for entering the war