Yang Smuts No matter what the Japanese think, when the Anglo-Japanese Alliance existed, Southern Africa still had some regard for its ally obligations. Now that the Anglo-Japanese Alliance has disintegrated, Southern Africa no longer has the slightest concern.
What's more, Hashimoto Co., Ltd. returned the stolen goods and obtained the stolen goods, making Yang Shimozi even more emboldened.
Regarding Yang Shimozi's request, Hirota Hongyi expressed his clear rejection, especially the last two points, Hirota Hongyi firmly disagreed.
Yang Smuts was not polite and asked the Japanese government to give Southern Africa a clear answer within three days. If the Japanese government did not agree to Southern Africa's request, the Southern African Indian Ocean Fleet would not allow Japanese ships to pass through the Strait of Malacca.
The Changi Naval Base that we spent so much money to buy is finally starting to work.
Nowadays, Japan's economic dependence on Europe is actually not high. Japan mainly obtains various resources needed for development through the United States. If you add the oil purchased by Japan from Port Elizabeth, the trade volume between Japan and Europe is actually less than
Not as high as the trade volume with southern Africa.
Even so, if the Indian Ocean Fleet blocks the Strait of Malacca, it will also cause heavy damage to the already struggling Japanese economy.
Although Japan is the victor of the world war and has nominally entered the ranks of great powers, in fact Japan's economy is very dangerous and it relies very heavily on foreign trade. Military expenditures account for more than 30% of government expenditures all year round. This is a sign of militarism.
s consequence.
With Japan's national strength, it is simply unable to compete with the old imperialist countries. Although the British Empire is in decline, it still has its power with the support of southern Africa. Although France and Italy cannot build BIG 7, they have vast colonial capabilities in North Africa.
Inject fresh blood into the development of France and Italy.
Relatively speaking, Japan is much worse. It is only because of the people's concerted efforts to tighten their belts that they have "Nagato" and "Mutsu". If Southern Africa blocks the Strait of Malacca, it will make the already overwhelmed Japanese economy even worse.
, it is estimated that Japan will be forced to embark on the path of independence early.
The Japanese government was not reconciled to the increasing pressure in southern Africa. On the second day after the Indian Ocean Fleet seized the "Fuki Maru", the Japanese government hoped that MacArthur could mediate, and on the other hand decided to dispatch the battleship "Hyuga" and
The battleship "Ise" visits the Lion City.
The visit was fake, but Hong Guoguo's demonstration was real. On the one hand, Japan wanted to test the strength of the East India Fleet, and on the other hand, it also wanted to test the bottom line in southern Africa.
It is a pity that Southern Africa did not give the Japanese a chance to demonstrate. They directly rejected the "exchange" request of "Hyuga" and "Ise" and allowed the warships of the Japanese Combined Fleet to station at Changi Naval Base.
The reason is of course very good. Changi Naval Base has not yet been built.
"Hyuuga" and "Ise" are "Ise" class battleships built by Japan during the World War. There are two sister ships of the same class. These two battleships were originally the third and fourth ships of the "Fuso" class battleships.
, however, during the construction process of the "Fuso" class battleship, the Japanese military found that the "Fuso" class battleship had fallen behind, so it upgraded and modified the No. 3 and No. 4 ships that had not yet started construction, so the "Ise" class came into existence.
Battleship.
The firepower of the "Ise" class battleship is equivalent to that of the "Fuso" class battleship. It is equipped with 12 45-caliber 14-inch (355 mm) twin guns, 45,000 horsepower, a maximum speed of 23 knots, and an economical speed of 14 knots, with a long endurance.
9680 nautical miles, pretty strong on paper.
However, like the British and American navies, the biggest problem of the "Ise" class battleship is that it is only equipped with four 8cm high-angle guns when leaving the factory. The air defense effect is basically negligible, and it basically has no ability to resist when faced with aircraft bombing. This is
The biggest weakness of the "Ise" class battleship.
Therefore, even if the Indian Ocean Fleet agrees to the entry of the "Hyuuga" and "Ise" class battleships into Changi Naval Base, I am afraid that the combined fleet will not be able to achieve the purpose of demonstration, but will instead expose the weaknesses of the "Ise" class battleships.
It doesn't matter. Surface battleships are not like submarines. No one can see them if they stay under the water all day long. Brad's office has already obtained various information about the Japanese Combined Fleet through different channels, not to mention the weaknesses of the "Ise" class battleships.
, even the main gun calibers of "Nagato" and "Mutsu" have been clearly investigated by Brad's office.
This really has nothing to do with Roark. "Nagato" and "Mutsu" are so big that even Zang can't hide them. As long as they have a photo, the experts in Brad's office can easily calculate the size of "Nagato" and "Mutsu"
The caliber of the "Mutsu" main gun.
"The Japanese are really too arrogant. They should be taught a lesson." MacArthur did come to Changi Naval Base, but not to mediate, but to add fuel to the fire.
In the entire Pacific region, Japan is now the United States' biggest opponent.
Therefore, MacArthur was also happy to see the outcome of the Indian Ocean Fleet's blockade of the Strait of Malacca. Perhaps MacArthur hoped that southern Africa and Japan would start a war. That would be in the best interest of the United States.
"You should also take action. If Japan cannot buy steel from the United States, can Japan afford to build a combined fleet?" Tang Li didn't like MacArthur's hypocrisy. Americans were like this, making money while taking eye drops, without delaying both ends.
"No, no, no, we in the United States advocate free trade. Selling scrap ships is an individual act of a company. The gain of dismantling scrap ships outweighs the losses. The cost of recycling the little steel is higher." At this time, the United States started free trade and added tariffs to
Where did free trade go at 50 percent?
Anyway, it’s all about doing what’s beneficial to the United States.
"Haha, every ton of steel you sell to Japan now will be used as artillery shells by the Japanese. If a war breaks out between the United States and Japan, have you considered the consequences?" Tang Li didn't take it seriously. Don't think that only the United States is.
In this way, the same is true in southern Africa. It is also a story of a boy who slays a dragon and eventually becomes a dragon.
"Whether a war will break out is a matter for Congress. As a soldier, I only do what I should do -" MacArthur also had self-consistent logic. Objectively speaking, the United States is now strong enough to ignore Japan.
This is really not bragging. Japan's economy relies heavily on the United States. It can be said that without the United States, there would be no Japan today.
During the World War, Japan received a large number of orders from the United States, especially silk fabrics and ships. Japan's economy once prospered due to orders from the United States.
Unfortunately, the good times did not last long. As the economies of various countries gradually recovered after the economic crisis, a large number of products from Europe and the United States once again poured into Japan. Japanese industry was retreating steadily. From 1920 to 1921 alone, Japan's total industrial output dropped by 19.9%, of which the shipbuilding industry dropped by 88.2%.
%, mining industry 55.9%, machine manufacturing industry 55.9%, pig iron 16.7%. Prices of major industrial products fell by 55%-82%. Exports fell by 40.3%, and the balance of payments deficit reached 350 million yen.
Under such circumstances, the Great Kanto Earthquake occurred in Japan in 1923. Most of the buildings in Tokyo and Yokohama were destroyed, and property losses amounted to 10 billion yen. This made the Japanese economy, which was already in a deep depression, even worse. In order to get out of the predicament,
, the Japanese government had to borrow money from the United States to survive. In the past two years, the total amount of external borrowing reached US$910 million. The economy has only slightly improved this year.
Now you understand why Japan wants to expand abroad. It can be said that without war and plunder, or external blood transfusions, the Japanese government would collapse in minutes.
After all, loans have to be repaid, plus huge interest payments, and Wall Street tycoons never show mercy.
Therefore, no matter whether Japan is willing to do so or not, Japan will embark on the path of external expansion, and it will be useless even if God comes down to earth.
This is also a deadlock. Japan relied on the dividends from foreign wars to get to where it is today step by step.
Now that the entire country of Japan has been kidnapped by the navy's red deer, it is impossible to return to the path of peaceful development and can only slide step by step into the abyss of war.
MacArthur and Tang Li are both soldiers, and the topic must be inseparable from the true strength of the United Fleet.
On this issue, Tang Li and MacArthur finally had a common language.
"The strength of Japan's Combined Fleet can only be used to bully the Russians. Moreover, the Combined Fleet's victory in the Russo-Japanese War was also due to the hostility of the world towards Russia at that time. Otherwise, the Combined Fleet would be scum." MacArthur disdained the Combined Fleet.
Gu, this is understandable. Strategically, we despise the enemy, but tactically we value the enemy.
"The Combined Fleet is empty-handed. If we really want to go to war with Japan in southern Africa, the battleships of the Combined Fleet will be sunk by the Indian Ocean Fleet in minutes -" Tang Li was also confident.
"Why?" MacArthur was curious.
MacArthur was confident. This was based on the fact that the strength of the U.S. Navy far exceeded that of the Japanese Combined Fleet. After all, Japan had two BIG 7s and the United States had three. In terms of the total tonnage of the battleships, the United States could also crush the Combined Fleet.
, Japan’s battleships are only 300,000 tons, while the United States and Britain are both 500,000 tons.
Looking at it this way, Tang Li's confidence is not without confidence. After all, the Southern African Navy is also part of the Royal Navy.
Of course, even without the help of the Royal Navy, the Southern African Navy has confidence in facing the combined fleet.
But as for why, Tang Li remained silent. No matter how MacArthur asked, Tang Li would not say anything.
It cannot be said that although the Combined Fleet is the imaginary enemy of the Southern African Navy, the United States is not much better. When frictions between Southern Africa and the colonial government of the Philippines continued, the Indian Ocean Fleet also regarded the U.S. Navy as the imaginary enemy.
To be honest, the U.S. Navy is indeed stronger than the Combined Fleet, but its strength is limited. Unless the U.S. warships also undergo large-scale modernization, they will not have much ability to resist the torpedo planes and bombers in southern Africa.
In other words, the holding time should be longer or shorter.
Of course, it is not impossible for the Japanese government to fight back against southern Africa. On August 11, the Japanese government submitted a request for arbitration from the League of Nations regarding the seizure of "Fuki Pills" in southern Africa. It is hoped that the League of Nations can enforce the law impartially.
This is another delusion. If you think about which countries control the League of Nations, you will know who the League of Nations will speak for.
