Go Down Fighting by Len Levinson

Author:Len Levinson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AudioGO
Published: 2014-01-15T16:00:00+00:00

General Hall’s headquarters was a conglomeration of Quonset huts built by the Corps of Engineers near the Tadji airstrips. General Hawkins climbed the steps to the hut where General Hall’s office was located, and stepped inside.

A circular fan on the ceiling moved the humid air around, and Master Sergeant Seymour Bunberry, the Persecution Task Force’s sergeant major, sat behind the front desk. Sergeant Bunberry was built on the porky side, wore glasses, and puffed a curved Sherlock Holmes–styled pipe.

“General Hall wants to see me,” General Hawkins said.

“Have a seat, General.”

General Hawkins sat on a folding wooden chair nearby, wondering what General Hall wanted to see him about. It had been a few days since they’d talked last, and there’d been little Japanese activity on the southern flank of the American lines. General Hawkins had been told previously by one of General Hall’s aides that a major offensive was being planned to clear out the remaining Japs on the east side of the Driniumor River. General Hawkins surmised that his division might have to play a part in the operation.

He looked up and watched other officers come and go. He nodded to them and they nodded back at him. They all knew each other well, sometimes too well.

General Hawkins glanced at his watch. It was 1500 hours on the button, the time of his appointment, and yet he had to wait. Officers had to wait to see him at his headquarters, and now he had to wait at General Hall’s headquarters. No matter how high up you were in the Army, there was always somebody higher. Sitting on top of them all was the President of the United States, and he had to go to Congress or directly to the people when he wanted to get something done. Even the President had to eat shit once in a while.

Finally Sergeant Bunberry called his name. “You can go in now,” he said.

General Hawkins stood and walked through the maze of canvas-lined corridors until he came to General Hall’s office. He went inside and reported, saluting and standing at attention.

“Have a seat, Clyde,” General Hall said.

“Thank you sir.”

General Hall had been reading documents, and laid a handful on his desk. He had salt-and-pepper gray hair shorn short and a salt-and-pepper mustache. His face was tanned and rugged, and he looked like a tough guy who didn’t take any shit from anybody.

“Hear the news about Tojo?” General Hall asked.

“No sir.”

“He resigned two days ago. I just found out about it this morning.”

General Hall was shocked. General Hideki Tojo had been prime minister of Japan since 1940, heading a government that was essentially a military dictatorship, with Emperor Hirohito as the figurehead. Tojo had always been The Enemy to General Hawkins. It was hard to believe that he would suddenly resign.

“I wonder why he left office,” General Hawkins said.

“He’s losing the war, why else? Results are all that matter in war, isn’t that so?”

“Who’s in charge now?”

“General Koiso and Admiral Yonai. They’re sharing power for the time being.

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