Castro's Bomb (62 page)
The army had learned that a people might just fight like sons of bitches for their own country and, even though outgunned, inflict serious casualties on a well armed invader.
There were some in congress who wanted more of a presence in South Vietnam, which was threatened by a communist takeover, but JFK was fighting the urge.
There were twenty thousand American military currently in that divided land and he was of the opinion that it was more than enough.
If the current pro-American government in South Vietnam couldn't stand without more help, then so be it.
No land wars in Asia, he kept repeating to himself, no land wars in Asia.
The door to the Oval Office swung open.
Kennedy was startled.
He wasn't expecting anyone and the intrusion was a serious breach of protocol.
Press Secretary Pierre Salinger rushed in.
His face was pale.
"Mr. President, there's been a tragedy.
Lyndon Johnson was just shot by some Cuban exiles in Miami who may have been associated with that Esteban character.
Sir, he's dead.”
Robert Conroy
www.spectrumliteraryagency.com/conroy.htm
After taking early retirement from automotive management, Conroy decided to combine his loves of history and writing. After discovering that Kaiser Wilhelm had plans to invade the U.S., he wrote his first alternate history, “1901,” in which the invasion took place. "1901" was a Book of the Month Club Alternate. Altogether, five of his novels have been published and three were nominated for the Sidewise Award, with “1942” winning the award for 2009. He has also written for Military History Magazine. He finds alternate history fascinating and the possibilities never-ending. He will not run out of plots.
Conroy has an MBA and, when not writing, is adjunct faculty at Macomb Community College where he teaches business. He has a married daughter and two grandsons, and lives in southeastern Michigan with his wife of forty-plus years along with a very spoiled Border Terrier.