Objectively speaking, Hideki Tojo's downfall is actually a black pot for the Japanese emperor...... Because Hideki Tojo was loyal to the emperor, most of his decisions were made with the emperor's consent. Pen fun and pavilion www.biquge.info

In fact, before Hideki Tojo became chief of staff, he did not even have the authority to command the army in battle as the prime minister of Japan, and he has only been chief of staff for a few months now...... Hideki Tojo naively wanted to control the army and navy at the same time in this way, resolve the contradictions between the two, and make them unanimous with the outside world, but there is a saying that "freezing three feet is not a day's cold." The contradictions between the Japanese army and navy are caused by the conflict of interests and long-term competition in various fields, and they can by no means be resolved after unified command.

Therefore, Hideki Tojo does not need to be responsible for the United States occupying the Mariana Islands and Iwo Jima and bombing Tokyo based on these islands, and the Japanese emperor should be responsible for this.

However, the emperor of Japan at this time was a god-like existence in the eyes of the Japanese, and no one would blame the emperor...... So I can only let Hideki Tojo carry this black cauldron.

After Hideki Tojo stepped down, Japan had to find another person to serve as prime minister...... To be exact, we are looking for two people, one as the prime minister and the other as the chief of staff, because Hideki Tojo is a person who holds two positions.

In view of the current state of affairs...... The navy has been almost wiped out, and only the army is still fighting decently in the Central Asian theater, so in order to encircle the army, it is necessary to find someone from the army to be the prime minister.

After the cabinet ministers turned over the army generals, they found that those with prestige and ability could not get away from the front line, and only Koshiki Kuniaki was serving as the Minister of Extension, so there was no need to think about it, Koshiki Kuniaki was immediately pushed to the position of prime minister.

Koji Kuniaki trusted Ishihara Waner, who was currently teaching national defense studies at a university, and immediately after taking over this mess, he asked Ishihara Waner for advice.

"Ishihara-kun!" Xiao Ji Guozhao very politely beckoned Ishihara Waner to sit down, and then frowned and said: "I think you also know the current situation in Japan, we can now say that we are fighting on several sides at the same time, Manchukuo was attacked by the Chinese army, and almost the entire Zhongchang Railway was lost within a few days, and the victory or defeat on the Chinese battlefield was undecided, and the Philippine battlefield was attacked by the Americans, and now the American bombers began to bomb Tokyo again...... What do I think we should do now? ”

Ishihara, known as Japan's No. 1 soldier, thought for a moment and replied, "Your Excellency, there are solutions, but I don't think we can do it!" ”

"What's the solution?" Xiao Ji Guozhao's eyes couldn't help but light up, and at the same time, there was a little doubt on his face...... If there is a way to solve these problems, what can't be done?

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister!" Ishihara replied, "The way is ...... Taking advantage of the fact that we still have some troops on the battlefield in China and have just won a battle, we should immediately negotiate with Chiang Kai-shek, so that it is possible to fight for a better condition! ”

"Negotiation?!" Xiao Ji Guozhao couldn't help but be stunned when he heard this, and then shook his head in disappointment.

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister!" Ishihara said: "With the current situation, it is impossible for us to win this battle or force the Americans to sit back at the negotiating table!" So...... It will not be beneficial for Japan if the war continues to develop. ”

"I know!" Xiao Ji Guozhao nodded silently: "But...... Do you think they will agree to negotiate now?! ”

When Koji Kuniaaki is talking about them, he is referring to the Emperor of Japan, the newly appointed Chief of Staff Umezu Mijiro, and the Cabinet Ministers...... They are still pursuing a strategy that borders on madness in a decisive battle with the enemy.

Ishihara said helplessly: "That's why I said we can't do it!" ”

Kokoku Showa and Ishihara Waner were right, but in fact...... Xiao Ji Guozhao is just hanging the name of a prime minister, he basically has no real power, and the deputy chief of staff even openly said to Xiao Ji: "It is better not to open your mouth when fighting a prime minister who does not understand the modern art of war!" ”

As a result, Japan's military and political affairs were once again separated, and from this point of view, it was quite correct for Hideki Tojo to grasp all the military and political power in his hands.

At this time, Japan politically and strategically demanded that Japan make peace with China...... At this time, I can still find a step down to make peace with President Chiang, after all, the Japanese army has already defeated the national army in the "Operation No. 1" plan.

However, the real power figures, led by Umezu Mijiro, still fantasized about being able to fight a decisive battle with the US military and then bring the US military to the negotiating table.

Umezu Mijiro looked at the map and said, "In the next war, we will focus on the Philippines!" ”

"The Philippines?" Qin Yanzaburo, the deputy chief of staff, asked: "What about the Chinese battlefield and Manchukuo?" ”

"Let's be clear!" Umezu Mijiro replied: "Our target is the Americans, and our main enemy is also the Americans...... Even if we recapture Manchukuo and complete the 'Operation No. 1' plan, what can we do? Will the Americans give up attacking Japan? ”

The United States, of course, will not give up attacking Japan.

Tojo Hideki also did not think that the United States would give up attacking Japan, and Tojo's strategy was that if the "Operation No. 1" plan was successful, then Japan would consider abandoning the Japanese mainland and transferring the main strategic battlefield to Manchukuo, so Manchukuo was important.

But after Umezu Mijiro took office, this strategy was completely abandoned, so Manchukuo was of course less important than Japan itself, so the strategic focus should of course be the US military rather than the Chinese army.

Umezu Mijiro continued: "Ladies and gentlemen, there is only one way we can go now, and that is to fight a decisive battle with the American fleet, and defeat the United States in a decisive battle in order to force it back to the negotiating table...... And the location of this decisive battle is Leyte Gulf! ”

"Yes!" The surrounding chiefs of staff responded one after another.

"It's time for a decisive battle!" Umezu Mijiro clenched his fists.

"It's time for a decisive battle!" The chiefs of staff shouted loudly.

……

From a modern point of view, this is a very strange phenomenon...... Everyone knows that even if Japan inflicts heavy losses on the American fleet in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, or even defeats the American fleet, the United States will not be able to negotiate with Japan.

The reason is very simple, the United States and Japan at this time are no longer an order of magnitude, at this time, the United States can build two planes if it is shot down, and two warships can be built immediately after being sunk...... For a war that is sure to be won, there is no need for the United States to take the initiative to seek negotiations.

This was undoubtedly a major miscalculation by Japan, and it was because of this miscalculation that Japan desperately held out on the battlefield where there was little hope. (To be continued.) )