America was in an equally desperate position. Polk's sudden death and the British betrayal had thrown the government into chaos.
Polk had actually been a very hardworking president. By contrast, Acting President Dallas was a bona fide playboy. Though he was already fifty-five, he was still going strong, often wandering back and forth between parties and debauchery.
The mountain of affairs fell to the new vice president. He had never dreamed of entering the White House; he knew his abilities were limited. But he had little regard for Polk, whom he considered a country bumpkin.
Becoming acting president was simply a matter of needing someone to take the blame. Ever since the trade agreement with Britain had been torn up, the British had begun imposing a series of trade sanctions.
The British, already in the throes of an economic crisis, had long wanted an outlet for their frustrations. Turning domestic tensions abroad was easier than resolving them at home.
Although the British and French had been locked in a bitter fight in Spain, neither side acknowledged that a war was taking place.
The French had deployed the Foreign Legion, while the British had sent the Irish to the Spanish battlefield. Britain and France were evenly matched, but the United States was another matter.
To be frank, no European power really took the United States seriously. Historically, the Americans' repeated victories over the British had not been due to some miraculous feats by anti-British heroes.
In fact, during their several naval clashes, the British hadn't lifted a finger. If the two sides had squared off in earnest, the Americans wouldn't have stood a chance.
The people at the top knew this, but ordinary people didn't. All they knew was that Acting President Dallas had sold out the country. Trade protection benefited