"Secretary Daniels, how many capital ships are currently under construction?" President Woodrow Wilson inquired.
In a time of national crisis, only a robust military can ensure security. This was particularly true for the navy, whose ability to keep enemy forces at bay depended on its capacity to withstand potential assaults by the German fleet.
"Mr. President, in addition to the two *Pennsylvania*-class battleships already in service, we have three *New Mexico*-class battleships under construction, expected to be commissioned by the end of the year. Next year, we anticipate the commissioning of two *Tennessee*-class and three *Colorado*-class battleships. Notably, the *Colorado*-class will feature 16-inch (406 mm) main guns, which surpass the caliber of the largest German battleships. With these ten formidable battleships, our navy will have a reasonable measure of self-defense," Secretary Daniels explained.
"Sixteen-inch guns—can they effectively counter the powerful German battleships?" President Wilson seemed intrigued.
"Sir, our 406 mm guns, based on British technology, have a barrel length of 45 calibers. In terms of firepower, they are roughly equivalent to the German navy's 15-inch (380 mm) guns with 50-caliber barrels," Daniels replied.
"Why can't we equip even more powerful main guns?" President Wilson frowned. If American battleships could surpass German battleships in combat effectiveness, his concerns would be alleviated.
"Mr. President, our domestic technology cannot yet produce such large-caliber naval guns. The only reason we obtained the British designs was by making it a condition when selling battleships to them. To create more advanced weapons, we first need to fully understand and master these technologies. Unfortunately, this will take time. However, I am confident that we will soon be able to manufacture even more formidable naval guns," Daniels assured him.
President Wilson nodded in acknowledgment, recognizing the limitations of technological advancements. Achieving significant progress in a short period was unrealistic, especially given America's technological foundations lagged behind Europe's. Catching up was already a considerable achievement.
"We are constructing more powerful battleships, but what about the Germans? Surely they won't remain idle," Secretary of State Bryan interjected. After all, with the immense war reparations Germany had obtained, it was unthinkable for them not to invest in their military.
"There is no concrete information yet about Germany's next generation of capital ships, but we cannot rule out the possibility of their quiet construction. In response, the Navy Department has initiated designs for follow-up classes of battleships. After the *Colorado*-class, we plan to build two *North Carolina*-class and four *South Dakota*-class battleships. If the 50-caliber 16-inch guns are ready by then, we will use them; otherwise, we'll have to stick with the 45-caliber version," Daniels elaborated.
Although each of these battleships would require substantial funding, President Wilson resolved to press forward. Spending heavily on military development was far preferable to facing defeat and paying crippling war reparations. Germany's exploitation of France and the Kingdom of Italy during the war had already made Americans wary—and envious. The reparations, totaling 70 billion marks (approximately $14 billion), equated to nearly twenty years of U.S. federal revenue, which exceeded $700 million annually.
"Additionally, Mr. President, the Germans deployed aircraft in both major naval engagements, with increasingly significant results. According to our intelligence, Germany has equipped a type of large vessel serving as a floating airfield, enabling planes to take off and land at sea to attack warships. From current reports, these vessels are extraordinarily effective. Several battleships have already been sunk by German aircraft," Daniels reported.
"The Germans have once again outpaced us," President Wilson sighed.
"We must begin research in this area and find a way to catch up. Otherwise, we will surely suffer the consequences," he asserted.
"Understood, Mr. President. I have instructed the intelligence agencies to prioritize gathering information on German aircraft carriers. However, their secrecy is tight, and useful intelligence has been scarce. It seems we may have to develop our carriers independently, which will require significant funding," Daniels added.
"Allocate more resources to this endeavor. No matter how challenging it may be, we must succeed in developing such capabilities. We cannot afford to fall too far behind Germany, or we will ultimately pay the price," Wilson declared.
"Understood, Mr. President," Daniels affirmed. With the president's clear support, subsequent work, especially securing funding, would proceed more smoothly.
"The army's armament must also be strengthened. Germany's widespread use of tanks on the battlefield allowed them to easily break through the Allied lines. The United States cannot lag behind in this regard," Wilson reminded them.
"Yes, Mr. President. We have obtained technical blueprints for tanks from the British. However, since their designs are notably flawed, we do not plan to replicate them. Instead, we aim to digest these technologies and develop more advanced tanks ourselves," Secretary of War Garrison responded.
President Wilson nodded approvingly. "That would be ideal."
Both the U.S. Army and Navy were actively enhancing their capabilities to prepare for any future German aggression.