[Illustration: “It was not because they knew how to fight; it was because they meant to stay there till they died.” Frontispiece_] THE INVASION OF AMERICA A FACT STORY BASED ON THE INEXORABLE MATHEMATICS OF WAR BY JULIUS W. MULLER Author of “The A. B. C. of Preparedness.” [Illustration: colophon] NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 681 FIFTH AVENUE 1916 Copyright, 1915 BY E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY PREFACE In January, 1915, Mr. G. T. Viskniskki, manager of The Wheeler Syndicate, asked me: “Assuming that an enemy landed an army on the American coast, what could we actually do with our actual present resources used to their fullest possible extent?” This story was written as the answer. I hesitated a long time before I did it. I feared and fear still the dangers to which the possession of military power drives Nations, and which are particularly great in the case of a Republic. The obvious danger that a Nation like ours if powerfully armed may be too easily impelled to war, is great enough. But still more grave is the danger of a deep and fatal change in our National spirit, our ideals and our attitudes toward the world outside of our own borders. Therefore when I did write the story I did it with no unworthy design, and not for the sake of taking advantage of the popular interest in the subject. The story was written without any idea of suggesting that any Nation or group of Nations may mean to attack us. It was written with no desire to “scare” the people of the United States into giving thought to the army and navy. I should hold it a sad reflection on our country to assume that it must be aroused by terror or hatred into setting its house in order. I beg my readers to accept the story in this spirit. There are eight words, uttered by one of the greatest of simple men. They are: “With malice toward none, with charity toward all.” Let that spirit dominate whatever this Nation may do for military Preparedness, and there will be no danger that the Preparedness shall become Bellicosity and curse the land.