Chapter 57: I, Churchill, Shall Never Reconcile with the Americans
Michael Collins found the world to be truly extraordinary.
He was responsible for supplying the Irish Republican Army units with desperately needed funds, weapons, and intelligence, serving as the main driving force behind the Irish War of Independence.
At a time when they were struggling with poor equipment and faltering progress, the “Ring Carnival” in Chicago and the verbal skirmishes between America and Europe unexpectedly opened a window for them.
After the Sun newspaper relentlessly exposed the British Empire’s dark secrets, sparking significant global reaction, the Irish Republican Army, as the current force directly resisting the British Empire, gained sympathy and donations from around the world!
So far, the “donated war funds” that had reached his hands amounted to as much as £400,000!
In addition, passionate Irish youths from various countries, especially Irish-Americans, inspired by the ideal of “liberating the homeland,” began returning to Ireland to join the resistance.
For a time, the strength of the Irish Republican Army swelled to unprecedented levels.
All of this compelled Michael Collins to travel to Chicago to personally thank the Sun — which had become a banner for Irish people worldwide — believing that strengthening ties with the paper could only benefit the Irish Republican Army.
There, in Chicago, he encountered a mysterious Irish-American named Gordon Stanson.
The man claimed to have a batch of weapons and ammunition ready to be delivered to designated locations in Ireland, asking if Collins wanted them.
Michael Collins:!
Of course he did!
One must understand that to suppress the rebellion, the British had imposed an all-encompassing blockade on the island of Ireland.
Smuggling in some newspapers was no problem, but sneaking in large quantities of weapons and ammunition... The British Army would be more than happy to show their gratitude to the Irish transport captain!
Funds were no longer an issue for him now, but without the means to smuggle large arms shipments, the resistance would be limited to guerrilla tactics and remain insignificant.
Did this mysterious Irish-American really have a way?
Soon after, Michael Collins quietly and smoothly received a large cache of weapons and ammunition at the designated location.
He was stunned!
Since when had the Irish developed such a formidable force capable of silently breaching the British Empire’s tight blockade?
After his shock came jubilation.
Excellent, excellent — now they could properly teach the British a lesson.
...
The Irish unrest did not escape the notice of the British intelligence agencies.
Although they were unaware of the large arms shipments, they were fully aware of the surge in Irish-Americans joining the rebellion.
This intelligence was immediately presented to Winston Churchill, then Secretary of State for the Colonies of the British Empire.
As Ireland was a British colony, it naturally fell under Churchill’s jurisdiction.
Known for his hawkish and resolute demeanor, Churchill was livid upon reading the report.
“Whether there’s famine or not, the Irish breed like rabbits; why aren’t more of them dying?”
“America should have locked up those lunatics at the Sun long ago! Letting them slander the British Empire so blatantly is a naked provocation!”
“Isn’t it enough that they’re arming themselves at home? Now they have the audacity to reach into His Majesty the King’s territory?!”
“We must crush the despicable conspiracy of American collusion with Irish traitors with the strongest and swiftest measures!”
To demonstrate his resolve to suppress the rebellion and defend British rule, the Secretary of State decided to personally go to the front lines in Dublin to oversee operations, so that those rebels and their American backers would taste the iron fist of the British Empire.
It was well known that Secretary Churchill possessed extraordinary military acumen.
And so, the Secretary was ambushed.
Churchill traveled by special train, escorted by an elite guard, en route to Dublin Castle.
As the train traversed the idyllic Irish countryside, he gazed out the window, still contemplating whether to establish concentration camps in Ireland to deal with guerrillas more effectively.
To cope with escalating violence in Ireland, Britain had deployed over 7,000 troops, mostly British veterans demobilized after the Great War.
These veterans were seasoned in brutal tactics, such as slaughtering unarmed prisoners, but even that seemed insufficient now.
Suddenly—
“Boom!!”
A violent explosion rang out; the rails ahead were blown up by pre-set explosives! The locomotive, pulling several carriages, derailed abruptly and overturned with screeching metal sounds.
Immediately, dense gunfire erupted from the hillsides and woods flanking the railway!
But no longer was it the sporadic Lee-Enfield rifle fire associated with the Irish Republican Army; it was—
“Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat!!!”—the continuous, terrifying roar of Browning heavy machine guns!
At least five or six M1917 Browning heavy machine guns thundered, unleashing a fiery hail of metal over the train. British guards trying to disembark to organize resistance fell by the dozens.
Reinforcements hurried from nearby barracks after receiving distress calls, but—
“Thunk! Whizz—Boom!!”
Mortar shells screamed through the air, delivering deadly blasts!
The reinforcements faced even fiercer fire.
The ambushing rebels wove a dense net of interception with submachine guns and heavy machine guns, even launching rapid mortar strikes with twelve mortars.
The British commander watched in horror as the rebels’ firepower and tactical coordination far exceeded expectations. They could not even approach the train, and after leaving dozens of dead and wounded behind, they were forced to retreat in disarray.
Inside the carriage, Churchill was dazed and disoriented, his glasses shattered.
Irish Republican soldiers wielding Thompson submachine guns stormed in and rudely dragged the Secretary and his entourage out of the carriage.
“Well! Isn’t this our esteemed Secretary of State for the Colonies? Come, let’s take a photo first!”
Michael Collins, having secured precise intelligence and executed a brilliantly planned ambush, smiled warmly as he greeted a war correspondent accompanying the troops.
Standing beside the wrecked train, the air thick with gunpowder and blood, flashes illuminated Churchill’s pale, disheveled visage—an image forever captured.
As Churchill staggered to his feet, barely able to discern his surroundings, a rage nearly bursting his mind surged forth.
The weapons slung over the Irish guerrillas’ shoulders and in their hands all gleamed with cold American steel;
In the distance, mortar base plates bore unmistakable American military markings;
Even several young men barking orders spoke English with Brooklyn or Boston accents!
He clenched his fists tightly, his body trembling with fury.
America! How dare you!!
This was a sneak attack! A shameful sneak attack by America!
If only he had known the Irish were no longer a ragtag band armed with outdated rifles who fired a few shots then fled, how could he have traveled so lightly?
How could Winston Churchill himself have become a prisoner?!
A humiliation beyond shame! An utter disgrace!
Damn it! I will never forgive the Americans!
...