State, War, and Navy Building
Washington, D. C.
June 1905
A few days later, the American press learned of Roosevelt’s diplomatic triumph and widely praised him, as did the foreign media. Later that week, Roosevelt scheduled a cabinet meeting. When he arrived in the room, the cabinet rose to their feet and gave him a standing ovation. Roosevelt beamed as he raised his hands in the air, pretending he didn’t care to receive the adulation that, in fact, he craved. He finally sat down, with the others following his lead, and the meeting began.
“Gentlemen, this is indeed great day! At least now, I believe we can be instrumental in ending this ridiculous war. And the world will see the United States is the active broker in bringing peace to the world. I’ve received some preliminary feedback from both the Russians and the Japanese. They are agreeable to having the peace negotiations take place here in the United States. We haven’t determined a site for the peace talks yet.
“Here’s a little background you should know. The Japanese readily agreed to peace talks a few weeks ago. They have proven to be very reasonable, and I have no doubt they will be approaching the negotiations in good faith.” He poured himself a glass of water and drank deeply before speaking again.
“It’s the Russians about whom I have questions. They have been unreasonable from the start. I find them a very difficult people to understand. I need to enter these negotiations with a much greater understanding of Russia than I have now. I’ve got to learn how they think, what drives their actions, and what their politics are really like. Hence, gentlemen, I have a request. Please search among your staffs and find me an expert on Russia. Find me someone who speaks the language, who is up-to-date on their internal politics, and who understands the Tsar. Find me someone who can think like a Russian. I can’t stress how critical it is to find such a person. I need this man to prepare me for the peace talks, and I need him soon. Please notify me directly when such a man is identified.”