Chapter 3, Part 4

The next morning, January 5, 1946

White House, Washington DC, United States of America

Harry Truman sat alone at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, mulling over the latest reports confirming the existence of a of a new 8th continent. Two days earlier, when he had received the initial reports of a pony populated continent suddenly appearing in the middle of the Atlantic he had dismissed it as a mere hoax by members of his cabinet. Initially, he had been amused. But as they kept on insisting about the validity of these strange reports he had gradually lost his temper. There were more important issues at hand, such as helping the economy get out of recession and reintegrating the boys who were coming back home from Europe and the Pacific into the workforce.

However, the pictures taken by airplanes of the Equestrian continent and the detailed reports of the crew of the USS Alabama had laid all doubts to rest in the mind of the President. Later today, he would be tasked with informing the population that the unthinkable had happened. An Atlantis had seemingly risen in the Mid-Atlantic.

Part of him wanted to defer to having his Press Secretary Charlie Ross deliver the news to the American people. Ever since he had authorized the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan four months earlier, members of the tabloid press had been publishing damaging insinuations about his mental health, implying that he was unfit to serve. Rambling on about civilized ponies on a distant isle that had suddenly brought itself into existence would serve as “evidence” to substantiate the insipid rumor mongering of the press. However, he knew that he had an obligation to break the news to the American people and to the world as a whole. “The Buck Stops Here” was his personal motto. He intended to live up to it.

Fortunately, he had received word from the British ambassador that the United Kingdom had also made observations confirming that the islands exist, along with the pony civilization present. Clement Attlee, the newly inaugurated British Prime Minister, was prepared to address the British people as well tomorrow about the new discovery. This would help validate Truman’s claims. Furthermore, he had instructed the White House Press team to publish the photos of the neo-continent.

According to the reports gleaned by the USS Alabama the equine residents of Equestria, one of the countries on the new continent, spoke fluent English. How this was possible was perturbing to Truman. “Perhaps they are alien visitors who have been observing our planet for several generations,” thought the President. He would have relegated such thinking to the imaginations of a science-fiction author, such as H.G. Welles. However, after the sudden appearance of modernized, intelligent, English speaking ponies, nothing could be ruled out.

He had already ordered Malin Craig, the Secretary of State, to prepare a list of possible ambassadors to be sent to the new continent. He wanted to ensure that this “Second Colombian Exchange,” as some within his administration were referring to the discovery of this new continent as, was more peaceful and mutually beneficial than the last.

Additionally, the diplomatic situation with America’s erstwhile ally, the Soviet Union was worsening. Already the post-war hope of peaceful cooperation between great powers was beginning to appear endangered. In Iran, the superpowers stared each other down, with the Soviets backing communist separatists in the north of the country and in Greece the Soviets were backing communist rebels who were doing battle with the democratic state backed by the British. While Truman hoped that the Soviets would rectify their behavior in the near future, he also realized that steps had to be taken to contain Soviet expansionist tendencies. He intended to integrate the new pony continent firmly into the western economic and diplomatic sphere.

He pulled out a piece of paper and began to write down the text of tonight’s radio address. It would prove to be one of the most monumental addresses in world history.