of Liberty. It will be remembered as a time when freedom
loving peoples everywhere, their hearts aflame with the glory of the
task, rose up to expel forever the totalitarian Marxists, and tear free
from all the galaxy the shackles of dictatorial communism.

Lastly, let me apologize if my words are not fair, my manner of speech
unsubtle. I am neither orator nor philosopher, but a plain thinking
Christian general of Southern stock, born on the Earth, proud of my
roots and my heritage.

But let none doubt my integrity and insight on this matter, which I
have studied closely, and made my life's work. For God does not always
choose the sophisticated or genteel to do His holy bidding. Like
George Washington before me, I do not pretend to know all the
subtleties of diplomacy and constitution which lie before us, only the
true and unalterable road which our armies must follow to secure the
liberty and prosperity of future generations.

With your blessing I will carry our proud banner to heights our
forefathers could not have dreamed, and the God-given torch which they
passed down to us shall not diminish, but shine from every corner of
the galaxy, eternal beacon of peace and freedom.

I know in my heart that you will hear my entreaty, and grant me the
moment for which I am destined.

God bless America!

Yours in Liberty,

Gen. Charles William Hayes
Secretary of State

Among the inaccuracies and half-truths contained in the Secretary's
call to arms were the following, pointed out by some, but not generally
regarded as important.

1) General Hayes referred to the 'Communist Coalition' as if it were a
single nation. Its actual name was The Coalition of Independent
Socialist States, and it was not a nation at all, but rather a military
alliance, similar to NATO.

2) He spoke of having 'engaged and defeated the combined fleets' of
the Coalition, when in fact he had only beaten the Tri-Colony Defense
Force under Col. Ivan Dubcek, already weakened by the frontal assaults
of the Belgians and Swiss. The Coalition First Command Fleet, under
the command of Gen. Helmut Itjes, had engaged the enemy in defensive
skirmishes only, holding its own while evacuating roughly one-third of
the inhabitants of the planets Premislyde and Goethe. Athena II,
because of its proximity to the American thrust, was wholly lost.

3) The Athena Star System had not been referred to as Tarkus Minor for
nearly eighty years, since an