() The success of Pearl Harbor has created a special atmosphere in Japan. They hope that all their opponents will be like the United States and wait there to be beaten.
This kind of thinking is completely wishful thinking. Anyone with a little bit of brain knows that the Pearl Harbor incident was an exception, the product of a variety of accidental factors, and it is impossible to repeat it. After the whole world was involved in the war, various countries began to think about it.
The protection of ports and other places has been doubled, and there is almost no possibility of a sneak attack. However, Japan still stubbornly wants to replicate the Pearl Harbor incident...
This time they set their sights on Ryukyu, which is where China's East China Sea Fleet is stationed. It hoards the elites of the Chinese navy and poses a major threat to Japan's homeland. Moreover, it is also the east gate of China. If you want to attack China's homeland, just
Ryukyu must be captured first, which is a battleground for military strategists. The first stop for Japan's external expansion is Ryukyu, followed by North Korea and Taiwan. However, Japan lost Ryukyu after losing to China last time.
This time, Japan did not hesitate to set its sights on Ryukyu. Yamamoto Isoroku's combat plan was similar to the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, that is, to concentrate all Japan's existing aircraft carriers and launch a surprise attack on the Chinese fleet in Ryukyu.
, knock this nail off in one fell swoop.
Hirohito has a soft spot for this plan, and the reason is very simple, that is, from the bottom of his heart, he cannot see the possibility of defeating China in a head-on battle, so he can only place his hope on sneak attacks. Japanese soldiers are very particular about bushido.
God, but their superiors highly value strategy and use scheming and deceit...
While Hirohito was thinking about this plan, the life of Japan's last elder, Saionji Kongwang, also came to an end. Japan's political arena is a typical gerontocracy. Some people are often criticized by all parties when they serve as prime minister.
They have to bear all kinds of responsibilities and pressures, and are typical doormats and dirty buckets. They also face the risk of being assassinated. But once they retire, life becomes extremely comfortable. Not only can they have their say in everything, but they also don’t have to bear any responsibility.
The prime minister standing on the stage had to listen to their advice and even scolding with an open mind.
As Japan's last elder, a student of Ito Hirobumi, Saionji Konobo has unimaginable influence. Especially after the death of Yamagata Aritomo, the era of Saionji Konobo calling the shots came. It's just that the old guy is smarter and deliberately
Keep yourself out of the situation and rarely express your opinions publicly, creating an illusion of weakness.
In fact, the public of Saionji Temple has countless ways to embarrass Hirohito, but the old guy has given up. As the saying goes, a tiger will not bite when it is old. This is the truth. The public of Saionji Temple does not want to cause trouble to his descendants. He is already old.
There is not much time left to live, so why offend the young emperor.
However, after the outbreak of World War II, Japan was involved in the war, and everything lost control. The power of the military expanded crazily. Prime Minister Hideki Tojo obeyed Hirohito, and Hirohito continued to destroy Japan's
In the political landscape, the emperor directly intervenes in more and more affairs.
As a veteran politician, Saionji Konobo is the most disgusted with such actions that undermine the political pattern. If a regime wants to be stable, it must achieve a balance of forces among all parties. The Japanese emperor only serves as a national symbol and does not participate in specific activities.
Decision-making and specific affairs are handed over to the prime minister. This arrangement not only limits the emperor's power, but also protects the emperor's sanctity. Only by not doing anything can you avoid making mistakes.
If you don't make mistakes, you can always maintain the sanctity of the emperor. Only then can all Japanese people be willing to kneel at the feet of the imperial power and fight for the Japanese empire. As for the prime minister, he can become a scapegoat at any time and be driven out of office to alleviate public resentment.
Hirohito obviously did not understand the mystery. Especially after he lost to China, he became more and more obsessed with power. He continued to strengthen his power, participated in more and more affairs, and even bypassed the prime minister and directly contacted military generals.
Formulating war strategies all made Xiyuanji Gongwang feel a little scared.
It's just that Gong Wang of Xiyuan Temple has reached his last years, and the old guy no longer has the power to change anything.
"Senior, it's time for you to take medicine!"
A very pretty Japanese girl gently helped Xiyuanji. The old guy's face was covered with age spots, his eyes had become cloudy, and his body was like a piece of rotten wood without any vitality. Despite the pretty and charming girl,
The old guy didn't bother to take another look, or even say a word.
He reluctantly swallowed the pills, drank some more water, and then looked straight at the door, as if waiting for something.
At this time, there was a sound of footsteps outside the house. Not long after, two Japanese people wearing kimonos came to the house of Xiyuanji Temple one after another. These two people were not ordinary people. The leader was Okamura.
Ningji, he commanded the campaign to attack the Philippines, beat MacArthur to a pulp, and was hailed as a new generation of famous generals by the Japanese Army.
Behind Okamura Neiji is Ishihara Kanji. He participated in the formulation of the Nanyang Strategy and is considered Japan's best staff officer. The two people came to the room of Xiyuanji Temple one after another.
The powerful senator was staring blankly at the door. Both of them hurriedly took a few steps and then knelt down in front of Gong Wang of Xiyuan Temple.
"Senator, we are late, please forgive me!"
Xiyuanji Gongwang finally regained his consciousness and nodded stiffly, "You are all useful talents of the empire. You have to fight for the future of the empire. Only I am a waste waiting to die!"
"Senior, please don't say that. Japan's future depends on your planning. Without you, what the empire would become is simply unimaginable."
Okamura Neiji wanted to say something else, but Xiyuanji Temple shook his hand and sighed: "Stop talking, this is what you think. In the eyes of others, I have long been a useless old man."
There is a saying that old age without death is a thief. In the eyes of others, that is probably the case for me."
There was a strong sense of desolation in the words of Lord Saionji. Neji Okamura was also very emotional in his heart. Lord Saionji was originally a very detached elder, but since the end of the First World War, he and Qiao Yu reached an agreement on joining forces.
After interfering in the Soviet Union's cooperation policy, Xiyuanji Gongwang was labeled as a weak faction.
Especially after the Sino-Japanese War and the peace agreement signed by Saionji Gongwang, the exception was made in the end. Not only did they spit out a large number of colonies, but the chaebol's assets in China were also severely damaged. Japan originally suffered heavy losses.
Gongwang of Xiyuan Temple was also severely hit, and even somewhat unable to recover.
Since then, the veteran has been living in seclusion in a villa on the outskirts of Tokyo, living in seclusion and rarely saying a word. He did not even come forward for important matters such as Japan's participation in World War II.
However, in the eyes of Okamura Neji and Ishihara Kanji, Saionji Konobo’s status is not just that of an expired elder. Saionji is also their leader, their mentor, and the leader of the Co-Prosperity Ministry.
The secret protection of Xiyuan Temple Gongwang allowed them to enjoy themselves like a fish in water.
In fact, Saionji Konobo also has another identity, that is, the director of the Co-Prosperity Department. This Co-Prosperity Department has always been the most mysterious organization in Japan. The founder is Ito Hirobumi. The goal of the Co-Prosperity Department is very clear, that is
Do everything possible to help Japan completely occupy China.
And this kind of occupation is not just conquest, but also complete integration. In Ito Hirobumi's view, Mongolia and the Manchus have successfully occupied the Central Plains, and Japan also has this opportunity. And if Japan wants to become stronger, it is indeed inseparable.
The vast China.
In order to seize control of the Central Plains, Ito Hirobumi formulated a detailed invasion plan. This plan not only superficially occupied territory, but also supported pro-Japanese forces, carried out cultural propaganda, undermined China's national self-confidence, and divided various classes of Chinese society.
First, they bribed the upper class, then used economic means to control the lower class, and finally used the army to eliminate those notorious warlords. Then Japan aggressively occupied China under the banner of saving China.
This plan is a whole system, extremely huge. After Ito Hirobumi formulated this strategy, he received the support of Emperor Meiji, and then established the Ministry of Co-Prosperity specifically to implement this plan.
After the establishment of the Ministry of Co-Prosperity, Japan's all-round propaganda on China has been launched, and their work has been very effective. The most typical example is the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1898, when China suffered a disastrous defeat, the entire Beiyang Navy was wiped out, and tens of thousands of people in Port Arthur were massacred.
After the massacre, China paid compensation of 230 million taels of silver and ceded the island of Taiwan.
This can be said to be unforgettable hatred, but what is strange is that after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894, China did not develop a strong anti-Japanese tendency. On the contrary, China actually had a strong pro-Japanese force.
A large number of foreign students went to Japan to study, and officers went to Japan to study at the Japanese Military Academy. Economically, Japan intervened in the Northeast, and Japanese products appeared all over the country. Chinese politicians and even Manchu nobles were vying to build relationships with the Japanese.
, To build friendship, Chinese literati also constantly praise Japan and advocate learning from Japan.
The reason why this kind of counterintuitive thing happened is because of the existence of the Ministry of Co-Prosperity. They bribed Chinese social elites, influenced Chinese students studying abroad, and trained a large number of pro-Japanese bureaucrats and scholars. They helped Japan weaken China from different angles. I don’t know.
Unknowingly, they became good helpers for Japan's invasion of China. Some people still couldn't see the situation clearly and thought they were saving the country and the people.
Ito Hirobumi insisted that attacking the city is the bottom priority and attacking the heart is the top priority. If you want to annex a behemoth like China, you must use gentle methods as much as possible and avoid direct use of force, which will only arouse the dissatisfaction of the Chinese people.
Being able to make such a plan, Ito Hirobumi has to be said to be a political genius. After his death, the Co-Prosperity Ministry fell into the hands of Saionji Konobo. He also faithfully implemented Ito Hirobumi's legacy, but Qiao Yu's
The rise of Japan completely disrupted the hard work of the Ministry of Co-Prosperity of Japan. When Japan established the Ministry of Co-Prosperity, it saw that China was falling apart, so it was able to divide China through tolerant policies. However, after Qiao Yu unified China, Japan lost this
The premise is that the value of the Ministry of Co-Prosperity has plummeted.
The Duke of Saionji Temple said with dim eyes, "I am ashamed of Ito-senpai for not realizing his plan. The future of the empire depends on young people like you!" (To be continued.)