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The so-called "mainland policy" has always been the top priority of Japan's foreign policy, and even national policy! Just a year before Hirschmann's visit to Japan, it was about the time when the Nationalist Government won a phased victory in the Northern Expedition. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiichi Tanaka convened an important national policy meeting called the "Oriental Conference" and formulated the "China Policy Program."

Of course, since the composition of the Chinese Nationalist Government is very different from its history, the threat to Japanese interests in China is also greater. Therefore, this "China Policy Program" is also different from the historical one.

This program not only put forward the "theory of the Manchurian speciality". Moreover, it has also established a policy of firm support for the "legitimate government of Beijing" and the fight against the "Wuhan regime". Not only did it provide a large amount of weapons and equipment to the warlords and send a large number of military advisers, but it also dispatched the navy to carry out "embargo inspections" on the ports controlled by the Nationalist Government, prohibiting all weapons and equipment and military-related equipment from falling into the hands of the Nationalist Government. In addition, Tanaka's cabinet sent troops to Shandong and Shanghai, and the Nationalist government in Wuhan temporarily suspended the Northern Expedition because of the threat of war from Japan, while shifting its focus to land reform.

But contrary to Tanaka's expectations, at the same time that the Wuhan Nationalist Government "gave in", Soviet aircraft carriers and battleships swaggered towards the Pacific Ocean.

And after Japan further threatened to "block" the Soviet fleet from approaching China. The Soviet heavy bomber group came to Japanese airspace for a day trip every once in a while!

In July 1928, the German military delegation, which had been pinned on by Tanaka Yoshiichi, told Japan very simply: Germany could only support the Soviet Union, and if there was a conflict between the Soviet Union and Japan, Germany would give as many heavy bombers as Stalin wanted! And there will be no help to Japan......

And Japan's traditional ally, Britain (which is no longer an ally). Instead, they are willing to sell some advanced fighter jets and aircraft engines to Japan. But the British government also made it clear that in the event of a war between the Soviet Union and Japan, the British Empire would abide by neutrality, and it would be truly neutral!

Britain's support for Japan during the Russo-Japanese War would not have happened now.

This means that the British government will not help Japan raise military spending, and Japan must implement "cash settlement and transportation at its own expense" for weapons and equipment that Japan needs to import.

On the one hand, there was a Russian-German collaboration, and on the other hand, Japan was fighting alone. The Second Russo-Japanese War had not yet begun. The Japanese Empire was already in an extremely disadvantageous position.

It was under these circumstances that the Imperial Council of the Five Ministers was convened on July 20, 1928.

Prime Minister Tanaka Yoshiichi stood up, bowed to the pale-faced Emperor on the throne, and then began to speak: "Gentlemen, now our empire is facing a difficult juncture unprecedented in decades......" He frowned bitterly and said slowly, "The Wuhan regime in China has posed a major threat to the interests of the empire in China, so it is included in the "China Policy Program". It was proposed to intervene with troops in order to take control of the Northern Branch, secure the lifeline of the empire in Manchuria, and contain or destroy the Wuhan regime in China. ”

Tanaka stopped here, his eyes full of pain, and the muscles on his face trembled slightly. "However, the heavy bombers of Red Russia have violated our airspace for several days, and they have already posed a serious threat to the imperial capital of Tokyo. However, our army and naval aviation are really powerless to intercept them because of the outdated and backward fighters. If the "China Policy Framework" is rashly implemented again. I'm afraid it will endanger the very foundation of the country! He nodded and motioned to War Minister Yoshinori Shirakawa, "Shirakawa-kun." Could you please explain the threat posed by the Red Russian bombers to the Reich and the state of the Army Aviation? ”

With a distressed expression, the short Lu Xiang Shirakawa stood up, bowed respectfully to the emperor on the throne, and just as he was about to speak, Emperor Hirohito's muffled voice spoke first.

"I already know the situation of the Red Russian bombers and the army and naval aviation. Zhu Qing should talk about countermeasures. ”

Hirohito was different from his brain-dead father, Emperor Taisho, who would not pretend to be a puppet without saying a word at the Imperial Council, and showed unusual enthusiasm for political issues.

"Your Majesty, the army and navy are currently stepping up research on air defense countermeasures." Yoshiichi Tanaka took up the question, "and made contact with Germany and England." The British side has agreed to sell new fighters and engines......"

The Emperor asked: "When will Britain's new fighters arrive, and how will their engines perform?" Can it be compared with the German engine used by Red Russia? ”

This question is more professional, and Tanaka Yoshiichi can't answer it at all, so he can only look at the Minister of the Navy, Keisuke Okada. Okada was four years older than Tannachu and was born in the Westernized navy, so he also knew more about the development of foreign weapons.

He got up and replied: "Your Majesty, at present, the world's aero engines are divided into two routes: liquid cooling and gas cooling. The UK is leading in liquid cooling, while Germany is leading in gas cooling. ”

"Oh, so can the Empire introduce British liquid-cooled engines?" The emperor asked.

Again, this is a very professional question. Fortunately, Keisuke Okada had already done his homework and consulted experts from Mitsubishi and Nakajima.

"It is possible to introduce it, but it is very difficult," Okada replied, "because of the complex structure of the liquid-cooled engine, which requires extremely high processing technology, it will be difficult to introduce it." Moreover, the UK also has technology export restrictions. It is impossible to transfer the most advanced technology......" he paused, then made his point clear, "so the Navy is inclined to cooperate with Germany." ”

Hearing this opinion, the emperor was stunned, he knew that the Japanese navy was more pro-British.

He looked at Okada, who continued: "Germany is not only willing to provide high-power air-cooled engine technology, but also willing to cooperate with us in the development of new warplanes and warships. We are willing to provide all the technical drawings of the Soviet aircraft carrier, send engineers to help us develop new aircraft carriers and other naval capital ships, and cooperate in the development of high-power marine propulsion equipment.

In addition, Germany is also willing to sell equipment that is extremely critical to the shipbuilding industry, including large hydraulic presses, ultra-large hot rolling mills, and large acid open-hearth furnaces...... And these are all things that Britain and the United States are unwilling to sell.

Moreover, over the past few years, Germany has managed to raise the level of heavy industry in the Soviet Union and Italy. Therefore, the Navy believed that the Germans were genuinely prepared to transfer key technology to Japan. ”

High-power aero engines, high-power marine engines and large hydraulic presses, not to mention in the 20s, are also "national weapons" in the 21st century. It can be extremely difficult to obtain these technologies. And Hirschmann has now agreed to transfer "openly" to Japan!

It's no wonder that Keisuke Okada and the Japanese Navy are tempted.

Emperor Hirohito turned his gaze to Tanaka Yoshiichi again, because he also knew that the Germans would not offer so many good things to Japan unconditionally.

"Your Majesty, Germany demands that our Reich abandon the China Policy Program and maintain peace with the Wuhan government in China for at least five years. Otherwise, for the sake of maintaining barter trade relations with Red Russia, Germany can only fully support Red Russia in the future Russian-Japanese conflict......"

This is the purpose of Yoshiichi Tanaka to convene this meeting of the five ministers of the Imperial Palace!

The Emperor asked: "If we persist in implementing the China Policy Program, can the Empire be sure of victory?" ”

"Sure," Tanaka replied. "It's just that the price is quite heavy!"

A Soviet aircraft carrier plus an obsolete battleship plus a few old cruisers and destroyers certainly could not deal with the powerful Japanese Navy. And although the Wuhan government can rely on its huge grassroots forces to mobilize millions of soldiers to fight a people's war, it does not have enough weapons to equip them.

Therefore, as long as Japan is willing to pay the price -- a few hundred TB-2s a day to Tokyo for a day trip, and then drop a few hundred tons and 1,000 tons of bombs or something -- it can still destroy the Wuhan regime.

Emperor Showa then asked, "What does it mean to maintain peace with the Wuhan government for at least a few years?" Is it to sit back and watch the Wuhan government unify China? ”

"No, according to the Germans, the Red Russians now only want to maintain the Wuhan government's rule south of the Huai River. The interests of our empire in Manchuria and North China will not be affected. But the Wuhan regime was very different from the Feng regime in Beijing, and it was a radical revolutionary government with the aid of Red Russia. Even if our empire directly intervenes in the civil war in China, I am afraid that it will not be sure to win, and it is very likely to trigger a decisive battle between the empire and Red Russia. Therefore, a few years of harmony, although it can enrich the national strength and preserve the foundation of the empire, it is also a danger for raising tigers. It's really hard for the ministers to decide......"

Sure enough, it's not good to be left, and it's not right either! Emperor Hirohito glanced at the five ministers of the cabinet and one important minister with a sad face. He suddenly took a breath and said in a long and vague tone: "The four seas are all brothers, why are you in too much of a hurry." ”

Then the Emperor rose from his throne and departed, accompanied by the Minister and his attendants. The ministers and important ministers present already understood what Emperor Hirohito meant: expressing one's will in a vague and ambiguous waka song is a characteristic of Japan's domestic politics, and this has the advantage of allowing those in power to shirk their responsibilities.

Hirohito's words "all the seas are brothers" has a special meaning. When Emperor Meiji decided to start the Russo-Japanese War, he said, "We are all brothers in the four seas, so why nothing is wrong to start a fight." Therefore, the meaning of "brothers from all over the world" is to want to fight. And the meaning of "why is it too anxious to fry each other" can be understood literally -- now is not the time, there will be a chance to fight again in the future, and a few years of harmony will turn the Wuhan government into a tiger? The emperor didn't believe it. And the area controlled by the Wuhan government is not a lifeline for Japan, so it can't attract so many TB couriers for this, right? Wait until Japan has enough air power

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