The Fall of a Giant (5)
"You've got mail. It's from Japan."
"Oh—thank you."
Whew… this damn popularity of mine.
Even now, the endless echoes of people seeking Yujin Kim—the great hero of Asia—still seemed to ring through the War Department in Washington, D.C.
If it's from Japan, I don't even need to check. Must be like those people who send New Year's cards. Do they even have something like Chuseok greeting cards too?
But the moment I saw the sender's name, I rubbed my eyes—and took a brief moment to reflect on my past life.
—Greetings, General Kim.
Thank you for the invaluable insight you provided during our last meeting… Thanks to the great favor you have bestowed upon the Empire, we have now broken free from the sinister collusion of petty schemers, and the entire nation stands united, preparing for a vigorous leap into the future…
The Imperial Army shall take the lead in guiding our people down the righteous path, and I too, as a member of the army, will devote myself wholly to the nation. Please take care of your health. Thank you.
—From Hideki Tojo
…What the hell is this?
I would've rather received seven chain letters for good luck. I'd have been happier getting hit with smallpox or conscription notices than this.
What the hell is happening in Japan? Did these lunatics actually pull off a coup or something?
I flipped through newspapers, checking for any major developments in Japan—but there was nothing particularly notable being reported.
And yet… I couldn't shake off the unease.
Not exactly a great way to start the day.
***
September 2, 1925.
A Navy airship—USS Shenandoah—was caught in severe weather and crashed, killing 14 crew members.
The Navy was thrown into chaos.
"The Shenandoah Refused to Launch—Why Was It Forced to Take Off?"
"A Disaster Caused by Pressure from Above! 'We Must Showcase Naval Aviation!'"
"A Tragedy Born of Prioritizing Publicity Over Safety!"
Honestly, I could understand why the "seals" (the Navy) ended up like this.
In this ruthless era of disarmament, they must have been desperate to prove: "We're worth the budget! Don't cut funding!"
We weren't much different.
Across the country, stunt flights, nonstop flights, transatlantic attempts—aviation was all the rage. If you didn't ride that wave, you had no right to complain about taxpayer money.
Of course… that doesn't mean launching an airship in bad weather was remotely sane.
Still, I could at least understand the motivation.
But the incident didn't end there.
"Tourists Flood In from Across the Nation!"
"Hyenas Scramble for Souvenirs—Desperate for Even a Fragment of the Airship!"
"Where Has American Civic Consciousness Gone?"
"United States"… indeed.
Truly awe-inspiring.
Before federal investigators even arrived, spectators flooded the crash site—looting it like a spectacle. The landowner even started charging admission fees.
Did this incident end as mere criticism of materialism and hedonism?
Of course not.
The spark came from the Navy Secretary's remarks.
"Some people place far too much expectation on aviation. Yes, there have been remarkable achievements. But as long as the Pacific and Atlantic exist, the United States remains safe from any aerial invasion."
People had died.
And yet the man responsible for the Navy—who had pushed for the flight—used the tragedy to downplay aviation.
And the man who embodied air power, who took pride in it down to his bones—Billy Mitchell—finally snapped.
After his term ended in March, he had been reassigned as an air officer in San Antonio's Eighth Corps.
A demotion in all but name.
At the time, the U.S. military often used temporary ranks—meaning officers could lose rank when reassigned. But even then, it wasn't common to strip a brigadier general back down to colonel.
Mitchell was one of those rare cases.
Wherever people gathered, whispers about him spread.
Retaliation. Demotion. Exile.
Even his aviation colleagues still called him "General Mitchell." His popularity made this more than just internal military business—it became public gossip.
And then—
Not long after the Shenandoah disaster, Mitchell called the press himself and released a 6,000-word statement.
The very strategic bombardment he dreamed of?
Its first target… became Washington, D.C.
"Many have asked for my opinion on this terrible tragedy. After careful consideration, I will now present my views."
Don't.
Please. Don't.
You're a soldier. Why are you grabbing a microphone? Media play is fine—I do it too—but this? This has no brakes.
"This disaster is the direct result of the incompetence, negligence, and almost treasonous administration of national defense by the War and Navy Departments."
He did it.
This madman actually did it.
I read through the statement—printed in every newspaper—like a Nagasaki resident watching a mushroom cloud rise.
"All aviation policy and systems are controlled by those who know almost nothing about flying.
The air arm is merely their subordinate, and officers sent to Congress by the War and Navy Departments have consistently provided incomplete, misleading, or false information. Those who spoke the truth—or refused to agree with ignorant superiors—were forced out or denied promotion."
I had misunderstood Billy Mitchell.
I suddenly remembered what I'd said to MacArthur before.
I had assumed—naturally—that Mitchell thought like I did.
That this was calculated politics, like how MacArthur and I used the press.
But this wasn't that.
This was a declaration of war.
"—The War and Navy Departments, funded by taxpayers, have formed a cartel to preserve their institutions regardless of public welfare… Their handling of aviation over the past years has been so disgraceful that any man with pride would feel ashamed to wear the uniform…"
I didn't even need to return to D.C. to know.
Anyone reading this right now was probably trembling with rage, crumpling the paper in their hands.
"—We all make mistakes, but the criminal errors committed by the Army and Navy in aviation matters expose their incompetence. If we continue to hide these facts, we cannot maintain faith with our fallen comrades."
Six thousand words.
Every single one packed with raw, unfiltered condemnation of the Army and Navy.
Was the situation in aviation really this bad?
I couldn't say I understood aviation deeply.
I couldn't even begin to imagine how they had been treated—how much they had suffered under ignorance and bureaucracy from above.
After this statement, public opinion completely flipped.
People now cursed the military as corrupt and incompetent, while Mitchell was hailed as a crusader fighting a great evil.
But…
Would this statement really change anything?
***
There is no organization in this world more conservative than the military—one that values authority so deeply and enforces absolute obedience from top to bottom.
Once a subordinate openly spits in the face of his superiors like this, then no matter how righteous or justified his statement may be, the military has no choice but to oppose him.
The reaction from the top brass was both fierce—and decisive.
"Colonel Mitchell is being brought before a court-martial."
"Unbelievable. In times like these, was any other branch really doing better? As if they're the only ones that matter, while everyone else is just dirt-eating grunts."
"Still, bringing up 'non-experts' is a bit—"
"Oh? And are you some kind of administrative expert to be saying that?"
The atmosphere in the War Department wasn't much different when I returned.
Even those who partially agreed with Mitchell—or thought he had a point—didn't dare say it out loud.
Just how heavy was the mood?
"…I really don't understand why he would do something so… reckless."
Even Douglas MacArthur—a man unmatched in going his own way—looked troubled.
And the one who responded to Mitchell's utterly self-destructive challenge…
…was someone who surpassed all expectations.
"Refer him to a court-martial."
"Mr. President?"
"The Secretary of War will carry out the order."
A man who had gained national fame by suppressing a police strike as governor—his first step toward the White House.
Calvin Coolidge had no intention of letting Mitchell slide.
***
"Among us, there are soldiers who seek to inflame the hearts of the public and manipulate opinion in order to bend civilian government to their will."
A routine presidential visit—offering encouragement to veterans at the American Legion and US MILK.
At first, it was just another dull event.
It didn't take long for the reporters' eyes to sharpen.
"Budgets, appointments, military regulations—these are all matters to be decided by authorities elected by the people. The moment the military dictates to civilian authority is the moment this nation's liberty begins to end."
He never named anyone.
But no one present failed to understand who he meant.
And some clearly understood how the president had defined Mitchell's actions.
As for me—dragged there as the Chief of Staff's aide—I felt like my soul was leaving my body.
Why did it feel like his gaze kept landing on me? Probably my imagination… right?
After the event, General Hines quickly approached Coolidge, clearly sensing something.
"Mr. President. That remark just now—was it perhaps—"
"It was not directed at any specific individual."
With that, he shut down the conversation completely. Hines didn't have the nerve to press further and stepped back.
"Wait."
"Yes, Mr. President."
"That aide there—is he perhaps…?"
"Major Yujin Kim, sir."
"…I see."
Impossible to read. Completely.
Just as Hines was about to speak again, Coolidge finally said:
"May I borrow this officer for five minutes?"
"Of course."
…Here? Now?
General Hines sold me out instantly—"I'll be waiting in the car!"—and vanished, leaving me alone with this unfathomable man.
Coolidge took his time before speaking again.
"…I hear you've accomplished quite a lot."
"I've only done my duty, sir."
"I hear the Japanese cabinet struggles to control its military."
What?
Is this man really a politician?
The topic jumped around like Spider-Man on caffeine—I could barely keep up.
"I've heard you… inspired their military, in a way."
"That's a misunderstanding. Not at all. If anything, I merely told them what they wanted to hear, given the circumstances."
Deny. Immediately.
No idea what this is about—but denial comes first.
"That is, in fact, the greatest virtue of a politician. I noticed it during your testimony on tanks before Congress—you seem to understand politics quite well. It left quite an impression on me as President of the Senate."
(The Vice President serves as President of the Senate. Same as during that tank testimony.)
I didn't know what he was getting at.
But something—something cold—was starting to creep up inside me.
…Wait.
That statement earlier—
That wasn't just about Billy Mitchell, was it?
Was I… included too?
***
"These accidents are the direct result of the incompetency, criminal negligence, and almost treasonable administration of the national defense by the Navy and War Departments."
— Billy Mitchell
"Any organization of men in the military service bent on inflaming the public mind… is an exceedingly dangerous undertaking… Whenever the military starts dictating to civil authority… the liberties of the country are beginning to end."
— Calvin Coolidge
As always—historically grounded.
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