Chapter 96
Aftermath of War (1)
"Extra! Extra! The results of the Mexico-France war are in!"
A boy in New Orleans was selling newspapers.
"The results are in? Give me one."
A passerby, eager to hear the results of the war, unfolded the newspaper, but the content was completely different from what he expected.
-France! Collapses in Mexico!
-Defeated France, Citizen Revolution Erupts!
"···France lost? Hey, is this article true?"
You'd have to ask the boy selling newspapers on the street to confirm the truth, but it was a shocking result.
"They say the peace negotiations are over, with England mediating, so it must be true, right?"
"Ugh, this."
It wasn't just that man. Everyone had a similar reaction when the boy sold newspapers.
"The Caribbean and South American colonies of France, their fleet, war reparations?"
"They say they left the North American colonies alone, at least."
"The king was beheaded because a revolution broke out…."
Mexico's victory had an impact on many countries around the world, but the country that was most shocked, besides the parties involved, was the United States.
Americans didn't think of Mexico as a competitor. The Mexican Empire was big, but it had a small population, and most of them were natives working on farms.
For most Americans, Mexico was a backward agricultural country, not a 'white country' like Europe or the United States. They even signed an agreement a few years ago to accept immigrants if they handed over those 'mere beasts' of natives.
That country defeated France? France, which had lost its hegemony after Napoleon's downfall, but a country that had once terrified all of Europe?
This event was shocking not only to ordinary Americans who didn't know much about Mexico's development, but also to the US president and political and business leaders.
"We need to come up with a plan!"
"What kind of plan do we need to make because Mexico beat France?"
"Have you forgotten that Mexico is right next door to us? We need to increase our defense budget!"
Henry Clay Sr., of the Whig Party, spoke passionately, but the Democratic members of Congress didn't even listen.
A strong federal army is like increasing the power of the federal government. It was an argument that the Democrats, who advocated for states' rights and a limited federal government, had to oppose.
"I don't understand why we need to increase the defense budget when we're not going to war with Mexico right now. Mexico won this war because of its new warships, not because they mobilized a lot of soldiers."
John Caldwell Calhoun, who had once been vice president, refuted that, and the Democrats agreed.
"That's right!"
"We just need to develop new warships! We don't need to increase the defense budget much!"
Henry Clay felt disgusted by the Democrats, who were only thinking about political logic in this national crisis, but he didn't give up his argument.
"The navy is important, but if our United States and the Mexican Empire go to war, the main battlefield will be land, not sea. You must know that."
"There's no war crisis right now. There's no particular conflict between our United States and Mexico. Don't you think it's excessive to already talk about preparing for war?"
When Calhoun said that, the Democrats agreed again.
"That's right! If war breaks out, we can just draft people. We'll all have to draft people if war breaks out anyway. Our United States doesn't have a smaller population than Mexico, so there's no need to make the federal army unnecessarily large!"
The Mexican government conducted a population census in 1838 and didn't disclose the details, but they did disclose the total population through the media, which was 10.82 million.
On the other hand, the US population, which was surveyed this year, 1840, reached 17 million. Even if Mexico's population increased in two years, there would be a difference of at least 5.5 million.
5.5 million is a huge population, half of Mexico's population. With such a huge size difference, how could the army lose, even if it's not a naval battle? And the United States isn't a poor country that can't supply them.
So there's no need to be scared and expand the army now. That was their argument.
It was a fairly reasonable argument, but Henry Clay immediately refuted it.
"No war crisis? Everyone will agree that Mexico is close to England. It was a known fact, but it was clearly proven again in this peace treaty."
He was referring to Mexico handing over French colonies to England as a mediation fee. This was such a clear fact that there was no refutation. Henry Clay continued his argument.
"That England and our United States have a huge problem. Yes, I'm talking about the Oregon boundary dispute. I don't think you Democrats are unaware of this."
"Ahem…"
The Oregon issue was a very sensitive issue in current American society. Oregon was the only passage to the Pacific.
The Democrats and Whigs, who clashed over almost every issue, were in agreement on this territorial issue, and the Democrats, who were wary of a strong federal government, were actually more expansionist.
This was inevitable, because the expansionist atmosphere in the United States wasn't because one politician or one party was advocating for it, but because the American people wanted it.
When there was no refutation from the Democrats, Henry Clay pulled out his trump card to drive the point home.
"And there's one more thing. I'll bring a witness to talk about this issue. Is that okay?"
"Yes, I allow it."
Richard M. Johnson, the Senate Speaker, answered.
"Mr. Smith, please come up."
A young white man went up to the witness stand of the US Senate.
"Everyone. Mr. Carter Smith here, in his teens, immigrated to the Mexican Empire with his family, at his father's decision, and recently returned to the United States after going through various things. Since he was in Mexico until recently, he knows a lot about Mexico."
Clay hadn't met Carter Smith by chance.
The young man, now in his mid-twenties, hated the Mexican Empire. His father was killed when the Rangers in Texas were wiped out by the Mexican Empire army seven years ago.
Most of the American immigrants were complying with the Mexican Empire's control, but Smith had no intention of doing that.
It wasn't because he was patriotic to the United States. Since France had lost the war, the United States was the only country that could fight Mexico and win.
The first step in Smith's plan, who was wandering around Mexico, fueled by his burning desire for revenge for losing his father to the Mexican Empire army, finally began.
'First, I need to let these clueless bastards know how dangerous Mexico is.'
"Mr. Smith, can you tell us about the weapons the Mexican army used when they fought the Comanches?"
Carter Smith, asked by Henry Clay, spoke in detail about the performance of the weapons the Mexican army had.
"A six-shot pistol? We have that in our United States too. I heard it was invented in '36?"
"Yes, that's right. Samuel Colt invented it. But it has a lot of shortcomings, so it's still being improved. The problem is that Mexico had already completed and was using that weapon in 1833."
"···Seven years ago? Is that true?"
Carter Smith remembered the uncles of the Rangers who had survived the battle seven years ago, saying that the Mexican army used pistols that could fire six shots in a row.
"Yes, that's right. I remember clearly. I heard testimony from many people that the Mexican Empire army fired six-shot pistols in Texas."
The Democrats' attitude began to change little by little.
"Mr. Smith, tell us the number of cavalry the Mexican Empire mobilized when they subdued the Comanche tribe."
"10,000. They were all professionally trained cavalry."
'Actually, according to my investigation, it was 7,000.'
The important thing is that these arrogant Americans feel a sense of crisis, isn't it?
"10,000 cavalry!"
Cavalry was still a powerful type of troop. The United States also operates cavalry, and they know how expensive cavalry is.
The Mexican Empire has 10,000 cavalry. It was much more than the United States. Cavalry takes a long time to raise, so you can't just draft them.
Seeing the Democrats showing signs of unease, Henry Clay drove the point home.
"The Mexican Empire easily defeated the Comanche tribe, but our army still hasn't been able to deal with the Comanche tribe. Even the Comanche tribe, which was cut in half when they left Mexico. Do you still think we don't need to increase the defense budget?"
The American Indian Wars were ongoing. The Comanche tribe was by far the most troublesome enemy, and Clay said they were cut in half, but in fact, they had absorbed surrounding tribes indiscriminately and had become much larger than before.
The Democrats couldn't refute, the momentum shifted to Clay, and the defense budget increase he proposed was eventually passed.
"Ahem… We need to get rid of those Comanches, let alone Mexico, so let's pass this."
***
"The effects of war are definitely huge. Even marriage proposals are coming in from foreign royalty."
A marriage proposal came in, suggesting that we marry the princess of the Empire of Brazil to my younger brother.
It's the first time a royal family has been involved, as both I and my siblings have all married into noble (landowner) families, both domestically and internationally.
Even though it's called the Empire of Brazil, its bloodline is from the Braganza Dynasty, which has ruled Portugal for over two centuries.
It's a bit absurd that they didn't say anything until now, but they brought it up as soon as news of our victory over France spread, but it's the destiny of nobles and royalty to marry quickly, so it's unavoidable.
"But isn't that something that Mother and Father should decide?"
That's how my siblings' marriages have always been. It was usually my mother who looked into it, and my father who gave final approval. There's no room for me to consult.
"Actually, it's not just Brazil that sent a marriage proposal. The Hohenzollern dynasty of Prussia also sent a marriage proposal."
The Hohenzollerns are a dynasty so old that even I knew about them in my previous life. It's a very tempting offer for my father, who values family.
"Do you want to hear my opinion on which of the two families we should choose?"
If it's between the two, it's obviously Hohenzollern. In terms of history or recognition, Hohenzollern is more prestigious than the Braganza family.
"No, we've decided to go ahead with the marriage of the Brazilian princess to your younger brother. The Hohenzollerns didn't propose to your younger brother, but to your son, Carlos."
"···Carlos is only five years old."
"Yeah. The Prussian princess is two years old."
Now I understand why my mother came to consult with me. Carlos is my son, but he's also the crown prince.
The marriage of a royal family with no right to succession, or even if they have it, but their rank is very low, is just a sign of goodwill, but Wilhelm I and I are the first in line to succeed in the Mexican Empire and Prussia.
This kind of royal marriage is a major diplomatic event for each country, because marriage often leads to an alliance between countries.
"I see. Prussia…"
I fell into thought for a moment.