Despite the valiant fighting of the British Navy and Army, due to lack of preparation, the German forces in Norway were increasing day by day, and the British army was unable to compete with the German army, and the Anglo-French forces were forced to abandon the competition with Germany in Norway in desperation. At the end of April, the Germans occupied all of Norway.

The German operation in Norway was victorious, and for the German Navy, although the Norwegian campaign lost some surface ships, the overall losses were not large. The occupation of Norway ensured the supply of iron ore to Germany (and the British could no longer get large quantities of ore and timber from Scandinavia). After Norway was occupied by the Germans, the German Navy's forward base was greatly extended to the north, creating extremely favorable conditions for the subsequent attack on the British mainland.

The failure of the Anglo-French expedition to Norway led to the collapse of Chamberlain's cabinet, and on 10 May 1940, Chamberlain handed over the post of British Prime Minister to Admiral Chugur.

China, Beijing, the Supreme Command of the Chinese Federation.

"It seems that this world war is really inevitable."

Wu Peifu, president of the Chinese Federation, who was dressed as a generalissimo, looked worried when he looked at the report on the war situation in Europe sent by the relevant departments.

On May 17, 1940, President Cao Kun died of illness while serving in Beijing, and Wu Peifu became the new President of the Chinese Federation in accordance with the provisions of the Chinese Federal Constitution as vice president. Wu Peifu, who has been in politics for many years, never imagined that he would become China's president in such a way. Cao Kun's sudden death seemed to herald an ominous coming, and shortly after the outbreak of war in Europe, Wu Peifu received the rank of marshal at the suggestion of Yang Shuoming, the Minister of Finance, who suggested that "the country should move to a wartime system as soon as possible".

Now Wu Peifu already feels that the clouds of war are approaching China.

As the current helmsman of China, if he is not careful, he will be doomed.

"The Soviet army has not yet occupied the entire territory of Finland, and it will not move against our country for the time being, and what our country has to defend now is Japan." War Minister Cai Ye said.

"What is the state of Japan's military strength in Eastern Siberia?" Wu Peifu's voice was a little hoarse.

"The total strength of the Japanese Army in Eastern Siberia is about 200,000, 1,500 tanks, more than 1,000 artillery pieces, and more than 700 combat aircraft of various types." General Zhang Xiao, chief of the General Staff, said, "These are the strength of the regular army, and there are about 100,000 militia-like civilian armed groups, and as of this year, the total number of Japanese immigrants in Siberia has totaled more than 300,000, most of whom have received some military training." Once Japan goes to war with our country, its army strength can be increased by more than two to three times. The Japanese Navy has a fleet stationed in Kamchatka, with 2 battleships, 4 aircraft carriers, 22 light ships such as cruisers and destroyers, and 10 auxiliary ships. ”

"I heard that Japan is also building a super battleship similar to the German Navy's 'Großdeutschland', right?" Wu Peifu asked.

"It does." Admiral Shen Honglie, Chief of Staff of the Navy, replied, "Japan has taken extreme secrecy measures against the construction of this ship, and the specific data of this ship is not yet known, but we can almost determine that the tonnage of this ship should be more than 120,000 tons, and the caliber of the main gun should be more than 460 millimeters." ”

"I heard that the main battle of the Norwegian British and German navies was defeated, and the British army suffered a loss, and it suffered on this huge ship of more than 100,000 tons." Wu Peifu said, "How many tons is the largest warship in my country at present? I remember 80,000 tons, right? If Japan goes to war with Japan, the sea is the key, and if this is true, then we will have already lost before we can fight. ”

"Don't worry, President, such a giant ship is also under construction in our country." Admiral Tang Qianming, Minister of the Navy, glanced at Yang Shuoming and said to Wu Peifu, "It is expected that it will be completed this year, and it will be able to enter service in the navy next year and form combat effectiveness." ”…,

"What?" Wu Peifu couldn't help but be taken aback when he heard Tang Qianming's words.

"It's also for the sake of secrecy," Tang Qianming glanced at Yang Shuoming again, and explained to Wu Peifu, "President Cao Da knew it when he was alive, but President Cao Da died early and didn't have time to explain to you. ”

"It's not too late to know." Wu Peifu took a breath, and the expression on his face was much more relaxed, "It's always a good thing to be prepared." ”

"What other plans do we have to hide from President Wu, we can tell them all today." Yang Shuoming looked at everyone, smiled, and said.

After listening to Yang Shuoming's words, Cai Ye and Tang Qianming turned around and beckoned, and several officers immediately stepped forward, opened the briefcases in their hands, took out the document bags printed with the word "top secret" inside, and put them in front of Wu Peifu.

"Oops! In other words, this time you can enter a big war with Japan! Wu Peifu's face showed a rare look of excitement, he rubbed his hands, and impatiently took a document and opened it.

At about the same time, at the Kure Naval Shipyard in Japan, Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet and commander of the First Fleet, was writing something in the cabin of a cruiser.

"There are a series of legends about the Japanese Navy in the world today, and the most notable of them is the construction of the super battleships 'Yamato', 'Musashi', 'Shinano', and 'Azuchi'. At present, the largest warship possessed by Britain and the United States is at best 80,000 tons, but this warship is unexpected, shocking both at home and abroad - with a full load displacement of 140,000 tons. With the construction of these four giant ships, they experienced a thousand sorrows and joys. ”

"Until now, the Japanese people have been completely ignorant of the construction of warships, and the fact that the naval authorities were able to build such a huge warship behind their backs shows the good intentions and the grandeur of their courage."

"Japan's great achievement in building the world's largest warship will forever be recorded in the annals of world history, along with the name of the Japanese nation. Although Germany had already built 170,000 tons of warships, Japan did not win the crown of the world's largest ship. However, it is an indisputable fact that Japan has the ability to build such a giant warship, and it will be a great spiritual force for the rejuvenation of the Japanese nation. However, from a strategic and tactical point of view, why create such a huge warship? ”

"The construction of the four giant ships was carried out in an attempt to scrap the Washington disarmament treaty. After the First World War, in order to redivide the spheres of influence in the Far East and the Pacific, the imperialist countries held the Washington Conference on the Limitation of Naval Armaments and the Far East and the Pacific Region, also known as the 'Pacific Conference'. The participants included 9 countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Japan, China, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands. At the meeting, the Washington Disarmament Treaty was signed, which stipulated the ratio of the navies of each country, and stipulated the tonnage of capital ships, the maximum displacement of warships, the maximum caliber of artillery, and so on. The "Washington Disarmament Treaty" in this book refers to this treaty.

"After the abrogation, four super-giant warships were successively equipped with keels on the slipways surrounded by large walls in Nagasaki, Kure Port, and Yokosuka. The Shinano and Yamato ships were originally built in the dockyards. The fact that the wall was used to conceal the truth shows that the naval authorities have indeed racked their brains in order to achieve the goal of secretly building ships. ”

"In 1936, when international tensions were rising, the Washington Disarmament Treaty was still in force, and under this treaty, the three major naval powers of Japan, Britain, and the United States had to restrict the construction of warships."

"In the aftermath of World War I, politicians knew that the competition between Britain and Germany had sown the seeds for the war, and they feared that the rivalry between the Japanese and American navies would eventually lead to World War II. As a result, the disarmament treaty was skillfully formulated at the Washington Conference, which was a historical success. The Japanese plenipotentiary Marshal Tomozaburo Kato had made a great contribution to the conclusion of this agreement, and the praise from the British and American press rained down on him, thus enhancing the prestige of the Japanese navy. ”…,

"Japan, which is ranked as one of the 'three major countries in the world' with its incredible magnificence, undoubtedly relies mainly on its national strength and the prestige of its large navy. However, Marshal Kato was not inferior to world-famous statesmen such as Belfort in Britain and Hughes in the United States, but he also took the lead in breaking the deadlock in the conference on many occasions, so this is not unrelated to the world's high opinion of Japan. ”

"Marshal Kato, upon his return to Japan, faithfully adhered to the Washington Disarmament Treaty, was willing to be the third largest naval force in the world, and looked forward to continuing to strengthen the national power in peaceful days. At that time, Kato, who had mastered this strategic leadership, was silent in both the hardliners in the navy and the young men in the army. ”

"Unfortunately, Marshal Kato died before he could completely dispel the dissatisfaction with the naval ratios created by the Washington Disarmament Treaty, and the Japanese Navy lost a prominent iron-fisted weapon, and the hardliners began to raise their heads, advocating a revision of the trilateral naval ratios and, if not fulfilled, the abrogation of the treaty. At the time of the London Disarmament Conference in 1930, the influence of Marshal Kato was still there. Prime Minister Okada, Finance Biao, Nomura, Yamanashi, Hori, and other resourceful generals worked out the key terms of the agreement. Prime Minister Minnet and I became their white spoon successors. ”

"As we all know, the London Conference was the one that decided the fate of the 'Washington Disarmament Treaty'. In view of the significance of this meeting, the parties to the agreement convened a preparatory meeting in London. On the Japanese side, I was elected as a representative in my capacity as a rear admiral and attended the preparatory meeting. At that time, both the 'treaty faction' and the 'opposition' had great hopes for me. But when I came back from the conference, I said frankly: 'There is no hope for the conference, and the next good thing must be considered.' 'I have been in contact with British Prime Minister John Macdonald, and he is indeed a remarkable politician. Talking to him is like talking to a gracious veteran. ”

"As I had predicted, the Second London Conference broke up, and it can be said that this outcome had been expected by the Japanese Navy for a long time. The only thing left was to extend the treaty on the construction of warships, which had expired, by five years. During this period, the parties held several compromise talks, which the British and Americans saw as the only measure they could count on and tried to maintain the peace. They believe that naval competition is largely preventable as long as warships are not rebuilt. ”

"At that time, the whole world was watching Japan's attitude. In the autumn of that year, Japan unilaterally declared that the extension of the Washington Treaty was null and void, and issued a notice that Japan had decided to withdraw from the agreement. At the time, the uproar this decision caused in the world was beyond the scope of pen and ink. In short, at a time when the world political situation is full of clouds, if Japan agrees to extend the agreement to stop the construction of warships, this will surely become a ray of light to the east, and they hope to dispel the dark clouds that have enveloped the world and strive for the arrival of light. However, this bright vision was driven into the abyss of disappointment. ”

"Such a major decision is not an easy one for Japan to make. The 'moderates' within the navy had been working hard for a long time, and the senators were worried that the world situation was unfavorable to Japan. However, the fury of the 'shipbuilding competition', which has already seized the authority of the navy, has become unstoppable. ”

"The timing of the installation of the keel of the battleship 'Yamato' at the Kure Port shipyard was almost the same time as the announcement of Japan's withdrawal from the treaty. The announcement of the withdrawal from the Washington Treaty and the start of construction of the Yamato battleship coincided in time, something that even the gods could hardly do. There are certain reasons why Japan has been able to achieve this. ”…,

"Japan has long been determined to build a ship, and various design drawings have been prepared for a long time, and as early as a year ago, the preparation of the slipway and the assembly of materials have already begun. Without these preparations, it would have been impossible for the construction of a giant ship to happen at the same time as the abolition of the treaty. Moreover, Japan, like Britain and the United States, has stopped building warships for 13 years, and besides, Japan lacks experience in building warships of more than 35,000 tons. The Anglo-American side is no exception. However, after so many years, the Japanese Navy was able to build 140,000-ton warships from the 35,000-ton class. In the past, even British and American experts believed that the construction of warships of more than 50,000 tons was unthinkable, which shows that Japan's shipbuilding technology and courage were unexpected. Japan's purpose in building giant warships was that once the situation of competition in building ships reappeared, Japan would not be able to overwhelm Britain and the United States in terms of quantity, but would also surpass them in quality, so it decided to build large warships that Britain and the United States could not imagine at all. Another important consideration is that large warships of 140,000 tons cannot pass through the Panama Canal, so even if the United States succeeds in copying it in the future, it will be difficult for the fleet to move from the Atlantic to the Pacific. ”

"The Yamato, which was started at the same time as the withdrawal from the treaty, was actually designed while the treaty was in force, and the keel was installed in the midst of the world's calls for the extension of the treaty restricting the construction of ships. I would like to add here that the construction of giant warships, although contrary to the spirit of the Washington Disarmament Treaty, is by no means intended to provoke war. The real intention was to use the power of the Great Navy to enhance Japan's international status. Marshal Kato's major strategic thinking still fundamentally dominates the navy. The 140,000-ton ship was like a steel barrier, counting on its role in negotiations with Britain and the United States. No country dares to underestimate Japan's position of strength, and this is the guiding ideology of Japan's construction of giant ships. ”

"I remember that His Excellency Mitsumasa, Minister of the Admiralty, said in response to a question in the Diet: 'The Imperial Navy does not have the strength to compete with the three countries of Britain and the United States, and does not want to do so in the future.' This clear and extremely important statement by Prime Minister Minère expresses the Navy's conviction. At this time, the battleship "Yamato" had already entered the dockyard, and the construction of "Musashi", "Shinano", and "Azuchi" had also been decided. ”

"Not only that, but His Excellency Mitsumasa Yonechi, Minister of the Navy at that time, and I were firmly opposed to the further strengthening of the military mutual assistance agreement between Japan, Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union. In particular, I was in a-for-tat confrontation with the Army, not giving an inch, and I was not afraid, and I declared at that time: 'We will never do a foolish thing of making Britain and the United States enemies.' He said that even if the "Yamato" giant ship was built, this firm strategic belief would never change. ”

"But there is no doubt that being the first to build a giant warship casts an ominous cloud over the world. During my tour of Europe and the United States, public opinion circles all questioned Japan's construction of giant ships. The famous British reclusive journalist Gu Yin (former editor-in-chief of the British Morning Post) was a reporter at the time of the alliance between Japan and Britain, and was an out-and-out pro-Japanese faction. He said to me, 'I think that the construction of giant ships will be beneficial to Japan from the perspective of maritime power, but will it bring disadvantages to Japan's national situation?' I am deeply concerned about this. At the end of the conversation, I said to him: 'Why don't Britain and the United States allow Japan to have a navy commensurate with their national strength?' If this can be acknowledged, all problems will be easily solved. In the big picture, I hope that Britain and the United States will have this bit of political style. To my remark, Gouin replied that he felt the same way, and deeply regretted it. ”

"When I went to the United States again, I had a conversation with Hansen, a world-renowned naval correspondent for The New York Times? Baldwin talked. He said: "I heard that there were 12 anti-aircraft guns on the battleship Yamato with a caliber of 5.5 inches alone. I was amazed at how much he knew about it. At parting he said: 'We have put the matter of disarmament on the shelf of each other, and it seems that we have to fight.' Let us meet again at the Conference on Disarmament after the end of the war. What he did not know was that there was clearly no disarmament conference left. ”

(To be continued)