When Chaos Reigns: A Political Thriller, page 1
IN PRAISE OF “WHEN CHAOS REIGNS”
“An informative and compelling story. Given current events, When Chaos Reigns is a read of the plausible danger facing America."
– – ROBERT T. BUCKNER
“When Chaos Reigns is a novel of contemporary interest as we see both Chinese forces maneuvering against US forces in the Pacific and Russia wreaking havoc in Europe. Perhaps the work is predictive of what we should expect to see in the near future. Read it to find out!."
– KENN RIORDAN , JR, FORMER OSD STAFF OFFICER FOR MISSILE AND CHEM / BIO COUNTER-PROLIFERATION
"Drawing on his experience as commander of US Army Kwajalein Atoll/Kwajalein Missile Range, as a West Point & US Naval War College graduate, retired Colonel Scott Cottrell provides a fascinating tale of global intrigue and political tensions intertwined with well-researched historical facts in When Chaos Reigns. With the recently heightened tensions in US-China relations, this book may soon be all too real."
– DOUG NICHOL
"Buckle Up! From the beginning, When Chaos Reigns is a gripping page-turner for sure. A history lesson steeped in suspense, with a storyline of world events plausible enough to take your breath. A must-read for ALL wishing to know how tomorrow's headlines could read. This stuff could really happen!"
– DAVID BISHOP, GRADUATE OF THE CITADEL
"When Chaos Reigns leaves your head swirling as you consider its possibilities. The plot line makes you feel like you're reading the unnerving news reports of a parallel world that could easily become those of our own.”
– JOHN CLEVELAND
"When Chaos Reigns centers on a real-life Pacific scenario that kept me spellbound with every turn of the page. It is not the end of current world headlines but the beginning of the chaos wrought by a dominating evil empire that must be recurringly reigned in. Or chaos will reign."
– STAN PARKER, SGT MAJ, (RET)
U. S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES.
"I totally enjoyed [When Chaos Reigns]. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. ... This author puts a spellbinding grip on his readers, far better than nearly everyone else of a similar bent I've read. He writes like John le Carré.
– JOHN WOODWARD
WHEN CHAOS REIGNS
A POLITICAL THRILLER
SCOTT COTTRELL
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously unless otherwise historically correct.
Copyright © 2023 by Scott Cottrell
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.
When Chaos Reigns
Editor: Nancy Laning
Cover Design Lead: Raeghan Rebstock
ISBN 978-1-954000-58-2 (Paperback)
ISBN 978-1-954000-59-9 (eBook)
Published 2023 by Publish Authority,
300 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 100
Roswell, GA USA
PublishAuthority.com
Printed in the United States of America
To Peggy, my wife and my best friend,
CONTENTS
Foreword
Prologue
Introduction
I. The Story Before the Story
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
II. The Story
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Epilogue
Afterword
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Endnotes
Glossary
A Note of Thanks
FOREWORD
Kwajalein Atoll? Am I the only one with no idea what or where the Kwajalein Atoll is? It is hardly a household term. However, now, perhaps it should be. The atoll, known as Kwajalein, lies in the Marshall Islands in the west-central Pacific Ocean, 2,400 miles from Honolulu, Hawaii, consists of 97 islands and islets with a total land area of six square miles, and has a long militarily strategic history. Today, Kwajalein is a part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site and is integral to the defense of the United States. Who doesn't use the Global Positioning System (GPS) on occasion? Kwajalein is one of the five ground stations used to control GPS. This U.S. Army facility and Washington, D.C., are two settings for the novel. Colonel Scott Cottrell, US ARMY (Ret) knows more than a little about the facility. One of his prestigious assignments was Commander of the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll/Kwajalein Missile Range. For the reader, that is looking through the lens of actual experience and expertise.
When Chaos Reigns is loaded with twists and turns of political intrigue and military strategy. Here again, Scott Cottrell's education at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, his graduate studies and military assignments add a depth of knowledge not often seen in works of fiction. A credible contemplation of a current-day war with China would demand that level of knowledge.
What about Scott's novel, When Chaos Reigns? "Outstanding" would describe it. So would stating that it is captivating, historically pertinent, and an enjoyable read. Scott has managed to intertwine a compelling fictional story with contemporary history, both military and political. I was taken by how a seemingly simple, personal event can lead to circumstances of utmost global importance. If one has the slightest curiosity concerning the intricacies of the political motivations and decisions that have guided or misguided America's foreign and domestic policies since World War II, this novel will not disappoint.
J.M. Patton, author of A full Measure trilogy
PROLOGUE
This fictional story takes place in the present day central and western Pacific and several other places around the globe. It is a blend of history, historical and current-day facts, and fiction. There is a group of atolls and islands called the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific, and the US Army has a world-class missile range in Kwajalein Atoll of the Marshall Islands called the Reagan Test Site. There was a significant operation in Kwajalein Atoll during World War II called Operation Flintlock, and the US conducted hydrogen bomb testing in the Marshall Islands in the 1950s.
The South China Sea, including the island groups of the Paracels, the Spratly Islands, and Scarborough Shoals, is a contested area in the western Pacific, with known oil reserves and even more extensive but unproven oil and gas reserves near the Philippines. The US has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, one of several countries, including China, contesting for control of portions of the South China Sea and its island groups. The Philippines claim Scarborough Shoals as its own. Taiwan also has vital economic interests in the South China Sea and is at its northern end.
However, the storyline is fictional. Any similarities of the fictional characters to any actual person, except where noted, are incidental. Some actions and comments have been attributed to several historical figures to facilitate the storyline but are not intended to enhance or diminish their character.
Please note the President of the US (POTUS) in this story is fictional and is not listed as either Democrat or Republican. There is no intent to disparage any individual or entity of the US government. The primary purpose of this fictional work is to highlight constitutional issues currently practiced by our government, specifically as they relate to the military. The story also highlights how faith can play a significant role in the military and our everyday lives.
The maps (included) portray the location of the Marshall Islands, specifically Kwajalein Atoll, in relation to the central Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea.
Chapter end notes are used after selected passages to give credit for information gleaned while researching this fictional story. The author also uses experiences from his four years at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and twenty-nine years on active duty in the US Army. This experience includes two years on Kwajalein as the Commander and almost ten years in County Public Works agencies to add color and background to the storyline.
NOTE: Named characters and military and other abbreviations are provided in the Glossary at the back of this book, following the chapters' Endnotes.
INTRODUCTION
President Roland Justice was in no mood for a recalcitrant and blustery Senate bent on finding him guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors. Just who did they think they were? He, Roland, was the elected President of the United States—the POTUS, the most powerful man on the face of the earth, leading the most powerful nation in the history of mankind.
As he took the podium in the Rose Garden that morning for the hastily called press conference, most reporters and onlookers expected to hear his formal resignation or some sort of remorse on his part.
Were they ever in for a surprise!
PART I
THE STORY BEFORE THE STORY
CHAPTER 1
THE MARSHALL ISLANDS— HISTORY, FACTS, AND FICTION
Pokak Atoll, Marshall Islands, August 21, 1526
The heat and humidity were brutal. Captain Alonso de Salazar thought he was hallucinating when he caught a glimpse of the tiny, flat coral atoll, literally in the middle of nowhere, halfway between the Hawaiian Islands and Australia, neither of which the Spaniard was even aware. His planned circumnavigation of the globe, a la Magellan, had been fraught with problems. In fact, his was the last ship remaining in the troubled convoy that started with seven ships under Garcia Jofre de Loaisa in 1525 from Spain.1 Not wanting to waste any more time, de Salazar dutifully recorded his observation of this dry, low-lying, and apparently unoccupied atoll for posterity. He continued slowly west along the inter-tropical convergence zone—the doldrums in the vernacular or the capa caida in his native Spanish. La zona de las calmas ecuatoriales for those who had the time to spell it out. Little did he know of the existence of the other atolls and islands to the southwest of this atoll and the role this group of atolls and islands would play in the future.
Amata watched the Spanish galleon disappear in the distance. Uncertain of its intent, he quickly completed his fishing and gathering on Pokak Atoll (a.k.a. Taongi) in the Ratak (eastern or sunrise) Chain of atolls and islands. Boarding his out-rigger canoe, he headed for the larger Kwajalein Atoll in the Ralik (western or sunset) Chain.2 An unusual site in other parts of the world, this small boat had one out-rigger, a central mast with a triangular sail made of coconut palm fronds, and a simple rudder for steering fast and close to the wind. Most unusual was the map Amata now used to return to Kwajalein. It wasn't a map at all— it was some sort of stick chart used by the Micronesians for navigating the waters in that part of the world. The shape and alignment of the sticks showed the various waves, swells, and oceanic streams as they hit and rebounded off the islands. These actions remained constant enough for the trained eye and allowed navigation over long distances in and around the Ralik and Ratak chains of atolls and islands where Amata lived. Amata's great-grandfather claimed that their ancestors used the stick charts when they left Palau, Papua, and other parts of the western Pacific seeking new homes to the east—in the Marshall Islands. The folks in Panape, Kosrae, Truk, Yap, and Kwajalein all had their own stick charts. Perhaps the strange ship that passed by had one too!
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, June 25–30, 1788
Captain John Marshall piloted his ship, the HMS Scarborough, through the shallow waters of the multitude of small coral atolls and islands, sweating in the 89-degree heat and 95 percent humidity. He and Captain Thomas Gilbert of the HMS Charlotte had been transporting convicts from Great Britain to Botany Bay in Australia while also seeking a new route to China.3 Captain Marshall was aware of this group of islands from sailors' tales and logs of the numerous European ships that had passed that way since the 1500s. He had heard about Alonso de Salazar's visit. But this was the first time he had cruised the crystal-clear waters, visited the coral islands and deep-water lagoons, and met with their curious people. Captain Marshall noted the plentiful coconut palm trees, the abundant fishing, and the vibrant reefs. Had he more time to spend, he might have enjoyed a brief respite on the white sandy beaches shadowed by the brilliant, green, tall coconut palm trees—all lit up by the bright sun in a dark blue and cloudless sky. But he had business to attend to. So, Marshall mapped the islands and atolls and named them after himself, as only an 18th Century British Naval Captain of His Majesty's Royal Navy could do.
Amata watched intently as the two English ships set sail. He was amazed at the double-deck, triple-masted ships of war with their large white sails and iron cannon. Over the years, his father and grandfather had regaled him with tales of these ships and the fair-skinned sailors and Marines they held. Several of these erstwhile sailors had been shipwrecked or cast out of their ships over the years and taken up with some local women—a few fair-skinned, blue-eyed Marshallese children on Ebeye and Kwajalein were a testament to that. Amata was also aware of a Catholic priest in Kwajalein Atoll and another on Majuro Atoll to the southeast. Their strange God, His Son Jesus, and the Virgin Mary were contrary to Amata's notion of the world. But a number of his friends seemed to respond to their message. He was certainly not about to add a picture of a cross to his heavily tattooed body.
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, February 28, 1889
Hans Wilhelm hated his job, the islands he had to live on, and the people he had to work with. Since the Kaiser had officially taken possession of these god-forsaken coral atolls, there had been trouble for Hans and those like him. Few fruits and vegetables grew in the Marshall Islands, at least not in the thin layer of soil, and most not naturally. The coconuts and coconut milk were tasty once you got them open, but that was about it, except for maybe the coconut crabs, whose giant claw was delicious compared to his smaller one. The breadfruit tasted like dry wood chips, the bananas were small and dry, and the rat population was ever-expanding as European ships had been divesting themselves of these ugly stowaways for centuries. The chickens the Spaniards had shipped in since the mid-1500s, and the ones the Germans brought were scrawny at best. However, the copra was a different matter altogether. A product of the coconut, the copra, or coconut meat, was a valuable source of coconut oil for the European markets.
As early as the 1860s, German companies had been setting up shop in the central Pacific, especially in the Marshall Islands. Hans worked for one of the largest companies, Jaluit Gesellschaft, which had been turning a nice profit for years. But once Germany bought the Marshall Islands from Spain in 1884 with simultaneous increased taxation and control by the Kaiser's government,4 the margins had been dwindling, and so had the perks that people like Hans had come to expect. Adding to his displeasure of the Marshall Islands, American missionaries from Hawaii and the mainland United States were constantly harassing him about safe working conditions and twisting his arm to allow their "converts" to have Sundays off! Maybe it was time to try another profession, Hans mused to himself as he told Amata to tighten the rope that secured the shipment of copra bound for Europe.
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, November 17, 1914
World War I had been going on for months with no end in sight. Ensign Fujiyama of the Imperial Japanese Navy was less than thrilled to be in the Marshall Islands, in the middle of nowhere, and on seemingly insignificant spits of land. What good could ever come from this place? Fujiyama wondered what the Germans, the Spaniards, or even American missionaries had ever seen in these atolls and islands. Copra was becoming a thing of the past, whether for its oil or the cattle fodder it became, as natural oil pumped from the ground rapidly replaced it in Europe and elsewhere. These little islands and their native inhabitants were useless, in his opinion. The people were lazy, and the lands had no natural resources to speak of that might serve Japanese interests. However, those were thoughts that would never cross Fujiyama's lips aloud. One did not question His Imperial Highness or the Admiralty who worked for Him.
