“When Saionji and Katsura Taro alternated as prime ministers, the Portuguese were only willing to communicate with Saionji and ignored Katsura. Military cooperation came to a halt, and heavy artillery technology was not allowed to be authorized by Skoda from Austria-Hungary.
At that time, many people said that the Portuguese did not like the military to interfere in politics, but now it seems that they just hate the military road, and they do not only like to communicate with the rich and powerful."
In a private room of a French restaurant, Yamamoto Gonbei laughed heartily and said to Togo Heihachiro, Saito Minoru, Okada Keisuke, Kato Yusaburo, Yamashita Gentaro and others.
As the oldest man in the navy, Yamamoto Gonbei attached the greatest importance to the development of the navy, and he dedicated his life to the Japanese navy.
Yamamoto Gonbei was born in the Satsuma domain. He participated in the Satsuma-British War and the Boshin War in his early years, and joined the navy after the war. In 1869, he entered the naval training center and became a naval officer after graduation. He studied in Germany. After returning to Japan, he served as captain of Kaohsiung and Taka Chiho.
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In 1891, he served under the Navy Minister Saigo Yumichi and had a certain say in the construction of the Japanese Navy. In 1895, he was appointed as the Director of Naval Affairs.
During the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1898, he served as adjutant to the Navy Minister, Director of Military Affairs and a member of the General Officers' Conference, responsible for operational guidance.
From 1898 to 1906, he served as Minister of the Navy in the cabinet of Aritomo Yamagata and Hirobumi Into. He presided over the naval armament expansion plan and participated in the preparation and launch of the Russo-Japanese War. In 1904, he was promoted to admiral.
In 1906, Togo Heihachiro, the commander-in-chief of the Maizuru Fort, who was almost ready to retire, was appointed as the commander of the combined fleet, and successfully won the Russo-Japanese naval battle.
In 1913, he was elected Prime Minister. During his term, he carried out reforms and abolished the active-duty military attache system. The following year, he was forced to step down due to the Siemens incident. In 1923, he formed a cabinet again, implemented martial law during the Great Kanto Earthquake, and promulgated the Public Security Law, which was criticized.
There was widespread opposition. He later resigned due to the Humen Incident.
After retirement, he served as a powerful warlord of the Satsuma faction and served in the navy. In 1928, he was awarded the Grand Order of the Chrysanthemum. He died in 1933.
Yamamoto Gonbei was known as the "Minister Gonbei" as early as when he was still a leftist. In name, he actually commanded the Japanese Navy.
It ranges from the formulation of the theory of sea control in the war against the Qing Dynasty, the establishment of the combined fleet, the proposal of the Sixty-sixth Fleet and the Eighty-eighth Fleet, as small as the retirement of old officers, the promotion of the Hammock, and the victory of the two ships with rapid-fire cannons in the battle against the Qing Dynasty.
The appointment of Yin Dong Youheng and Togo Heihachiro as fleet commanders all clearly show his personal characteristics.
It can be said that it was precisely because of Yamamoto Gonbei, the oldest and oldest member of the Japanese Navy, that the navy could not fall behind in the confrontation with the army's Yamagata Aritomo and Katsura Taro.
"What your Excellency the Prime Minister said is absolutely true. The Portuguese ignored Katsura Taro, and they must have seen the stupid and greedy ugly face of Army Red Deer." Kato Saburo responded.
Saito Minoru said happily: "Japan is an island country, so its strategic center naturally revolves around the navy, and our biggest potential opponent is the United States.
Why do the Portuguese have good relations with Japan? Isn't it because they think that we and they can join forces to attack the United States?
Those idiots in the army thought that the reason Portugal was so generous to Japan and listed as the most favorable country was because its army was powerful and could threaten the United States!"
"The Portuguese are really lucky to have met their king Pedro III, who had only seen them for 4,000 years. Portugal and Brazil reunited as one, dominating South America and the Imbilia Peninsula. This is something that previous Portuguese monarchs could not have imagined.
Pedro III was wise and had a long-term vision. He knew that Japan was Portugal's best ally. When our navy was in the most difficult time, he provided help in the most difficult time and reached a strategic partnership.
Now that the Yamashiro super-dreadnought-class strategic ship has finally been settled, the more advanced Yinshi-class super-dreadnought strategic ship will be jointly built by the two countries, two of them and two of ours."
As the fourth generation head of the Japanese Navy, Togo Heihachiro and his naval colleagues are very concerned about the world naval situation.
However, due to Japan's limited national and financial resources, it obviously has a good design plan, but it has to compete with the government and the army for budget. Fortunately, Brazil is a rich man, and now it is much smoother.
"There was King Kong-level cooperation in the past, and there is Yinshi-level cooperation now, and there will definitely be more cooperation in the future. The Eighty-fourth Fleet can be said to be a sure thing, and the Eighty-sixth and Eighty-eighth Fleets are also promising in the future!"
The Japanese Navy has always been ambitious and has followed the trend. The Sixty-sixth Fleet, the Eighty-fourth Fleet, the Eighty-sixth Fleet, and the Eighty-eighth Fleet followed in sequence, one step at a time, allowing Japan to occupy a place in the world's naval community.
"Yes, I still have to thank the Portuguese Emperor.
When our navy approached the Portuguese Admiralty to discuss cooperation on super-dreadnought strategic ships, the Portuguese Admiralty was actually more inclined to seek cooperation with Europe.
If Pedro III hadn’t made the final decision, how long would our plan for four super-dreadnought strategic ships have been delayed?”
Yamamoto Gonbei was also very grateful to the Portuguese Emperor. Without his approval, the Portuguese Navy might not approve the cooperation plan.
Because of the happy cooperation of the Kongo class, when the Yamashiro was in trouble, the Japanese Navy of course thought of the Portuguese Empire, which had been upgraded from Brazil.
However, in this era, people generally believed that the United Kingdom had the strongest navy, followed by France and Germany. Although Japan stunned the world in the Battle of Tsushima, their actual naval technology level was considered to be on the same level as Austria-Hungary and Italy.
The Portuguese Admiralty, of course, also wants to develop the latest and most powerful super-dreadnought-class battleships. Naturally, they prefer France and Germany.
The United Kingdom and Portugal are currently friendly on the surface, but in fact they have fallen out. It is impossible to obtain newer technologies. However, France and Germany have great demand for Portugal, and they are also very open to technological openness.
When it comes to naval cooperation, Portugal can be said to have a great advantage. Japan, Italy, and Austria-Hungary can take whatever they ask for without any difficulty. For Germany and France, Portugal can achieve cooperation by paying some costs.
"Cooperating with Portugal is the best solution for our navy. Britain is not so friendly to us now.
The current Anglo-Japanese alliance is more maintained by us. It would be great if we could reach a Portuguese-Japanese alliance with Portugal." Tomosaburo Kato said in a hopeful tone.
The Japanese Navy does not have many political talents. Tomosaburo Kato is the next generation political leader of the Navy.
"Portugal does not have many interests in the Far East, while Britain has great interests in the Far East. This is often in conflict with us in Japan.
Britain has many enemies, mainly in Europe, but Japan cannot help, so Britain is slacking off in the Anglo-Japanese alliance.
The most important threatening rivals of Portugal and Japan are the United States, and we have natural space for cooperation.
There was still great hope for an alliance between Portugal and us before, but I don’t know what the Katsura Taro government of the Army has done? Portugal does not mention the alliance at all now, and the relationship has always been a strategic friendly partnership."
"Your Excellency Prime Minister, Portugal has agreed in principle to the naval cooperation plan with us, but they have set a premise, which is the issue of the ownership of Wake Island."
Kato Tomosaburo solemnly said to Yamamoto Gonbei: "Wake Island, this small island in the center of the Pacific, the United States has not paid much attention to it now, but its location is very important and it is a strategic location.
Portugal's issue with the ownership of Wake Island is to test our strength, and we must get it no matter what.
Now Portugal has assisted us with a large amount of funds and metal steel for the Yamacheng. This is a deposit for us, and our deposit is Wake Island.
If Wake Island is not obtained, the naval cooperation agreement may be invalidated."
This chapter has been completed!