1932: Playing with the Japanese Communist Party with a doll

"...Is there no other solution?"

Although he fully understood Fujiwara no Kanezane's intentions and knew the other party's difficulties, Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi was still unwilling to accept the loss of his position as the "Chief of Military Commanders".

If everything could go as planned, by changing the "Minister of the Naval General Staff" to the "Chief of the Naval General Staff", making it an independent organization, completely sidelining or even expelling pro-treaty generals such as Taniguchi Naomasa, then the Naval General Staff could truly become an organization that could compete head-on with the Ministry of the Navy.

Although the Naval General Staff is certainly not as good as the Army General Staff, it is not much different. Being able to lead all of this and actually serve as the Chief of the Naval General Staff for a few years will undoubtedly benefit himself and his family's future.

"It's not that there is absolutely no solution.

"Alas?

Prince Bogong was stunned for a moment, then became ecstatic:

"Your Majesty, please give us your instructions!!"

"Uncle, you don't have to be so polite every time.

Fujiwara Kanezane smiled:

"I can't tell you exactly how to communicate with His Majesty and how to convince him, but after returning home, there are two things I need you to do.

Prince Bogong understood.

Here's the deal.

Do me a favor and I'll help you get the position.

"...Your Highness, please speak!"

"First, mobilize the power of your Fushimi Palace and do your utmost to promote peace between Japan and the United States, and between China and Japan..."

M

Prince Bogong was silent for a while, then asked seriously:

"Your Highness, putting China aside, do you truly believe that peace can exist between Japan and the United States, or between us yellow people and white people?"

Although he asked this question, in fact, Fushimi-no-Miya was already doing this, but he just didn't do it so obviously.

As mentioned earlier, even though Prince Bogong was considered by outsiders to be a "firm supporter of the Fleet Faction," he was essentially just a member of the royal family seeking power.

So, since Ms. Field had visited Japan in person, Japan-US relations had clearly eased, and Hirohito had set the tone, as a member of the imperial family, how could he not make some adjustments?

People who can't read the atmosphere won't be able to survive in Japan.

In the past, my good friend Kanji Kato and I would shout things like, "There will inevitably be a war between Japan and the United States," and "The war against the United States begins now," but it was just talk.

But the problem is that Prince Bogong is not just himself, nor is he only influenced by Hirohito's will. He has a lot of people's opinions to consider behind him.

These people often study and work in Europe and the United States for a long time and lack a good impression of those places.

"So, when it comes to propaganda, personal preferences cannot override national interests. Everything must be considered rationally."

Knowing what Prince Hiroyuki was asking, Fujiwara no Kanezane shook his head.

"Uncle Bogong, I don't have a good impression of most European, American, and white people, but this does not prevent me from being willing to cooperate with them on some issues. There is cooperation in struggle, and there is struggle in cooperation. This is the normal state between countries.

"Besides, Ms. Field is different from ordinary Omega monsters. She is not only a rational person, but also extremely values ​​life and is unwilling to easily provoke a war. We can take advantage of this."

"I know you are right, but, with all due respect, Your Highness, your attitude towards the United States has been seen as weakness by some people back home.

"Hahahahaha... What do fools think of me? It's none of my business."

Fujiwara no Kanezane laughed loudly upon hearing this:

"I am concerned about national interests. Why should I care about their clamor? My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror. Everything I do is just!"

A

Prince Bogong was speechless for a moment after being shocked by these inexplicably domineering and inexplicably igniting words. After a moment, he nodded heavily and said:

"I understand, Your Highness. I will do as you say."

Although he had no idea what Fujiwara no Kanezane planned to do to achieve his goal without affecting himself, Prince Hiroyuki still agreed without hesitation.

This is the buff that a continuous winner carries—a prestige so huge that people are willing to believe it without thinking.

In fact, in Japan, the mindless worship of Fujiwara no Kanezane is a belief ingrained in many Japanese, especially young people.

Young, handsome, noble, high status, outstanding means, kind and loving, brave and good at fighting... he is simply the monarch that the Japanese dream of.

Japan, a small and poor country, cannot have the strength and courage to constantly try and adjust between multiple routes like China, so it can only gamble, betting that the right person will always be right.

At least, so far, Fujiwara no Kanezane has not missed a beat, and every victory seems incomprehensible, but it will bring huge benefits to Japan;

If that's the case, who else can I trust if I don't trust him?

Stud poker is sometimes really a kind of wisdom.

"Then, Your Highness, what about the second thing?

"The second thing..."

HM

property market

Prince Bogong, having received his answer, left the dock in a hurry without saying anything. Fujiwara Kanezane watched the boat rushing towards a Japanese warship on the sea with a deep look in his eyes. The agent beside him added softly:

"Commander, on that ship..."

"Yeah, I guessed it."

On that ship, should be the elites of the "Fleet Faction"?

Haha, they actually let an important member of the royal family come out to test him. It seems that the marshal not only "has not given up his evil intentions", but also is not "being used by radical officers" as recorded in history!

M

On the other hand, Prince Hiroyuki returned to the ship and reported the results of the negotiations with Fujiwara no Kanezane to the "mastermind behind the scenes" who had been waiting for a long time.

Judging from Prince Hiroyuki's attitude when speaking, he treated this seemingly ordinary old man with the same respect as he treated Fujiwara no Kanezane.

There is only one reason. The man, who is over 80 years old, is named "Togo Heihachiyoshi"

He was a samurai of the Satsuma clan, a participant in the Battle of the Beiyang Sea, president of the Naval Academy, a veteran of the Meiji era, commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, a hero of the Russo-Japanese War, tutor to Emperor Hirohito, a count, and a naval marshal.

It is no exaggeration to say that he was the most influential person in the Japanese Navy during the Taisho period and the early Showa period, far surpassing the newcomer Fujiwara Kanezane.

It has long been a practice in the Japanese Navy, especially among the "foreign hardliners" that any important issue must first be decided after hearing the opinion of this marshal.

Therefore, no matter how many navy ministers and chiefs of the Naval General Staff the navy has changed, Togo is the real stabilizer, the kind of person whose words can often change the political direction. Even the royal family Prince Bo Gong must respect him.

Due to political considerations and health reasons, Togo Heihachiro had not been directly involved in naval affairs, but this time he had to travel to Taiwan with Prince Bo Gong.

His purpose was to hear Fujiwara no Kanezane's opinion as soon as possible, and he was willing to harm his already frail body for this.

In the past, who would have thought that a young man in his twenties, who wasn't even qualified to offer tea to His Excellency the Marshal, could actually achieve this?

...This was the first task he proposed: to promote peace between Japan and the United States, and between China and Japan, to fully develop peaceful exchanges with the US Navy, and to create as much as possible..."

MM

Marshal Dongxiang sat there leaning on his cane without saying a word, but some hard-line young naval officers behind him were extremely dissatisfied. Before Prince Bogong finished speaking, someone shouted:

"Too weak!

"Boneless!"

"How can you give in to the Omi demons like this?"

Putting aside national interests, if they don't go to war with Europe and the US, especially the US, how will these young officers achieve promotion?!

The army has the Chinese army to kill people, but what can their navy fight?

Should we attack those small Chinese gunboats, or the "Republic Navy"?

At present, the group of people in Japan who are most opposed to Fujiwara no Kanezane, whether in the army or the navy, basically have this mentality, believing that Fujiwara no Kanezane is blocking their path to promotion and wealth.

After all, such outrageous things as “Why is Hachimangu’s head red?” are something that even the most radical leftists/rightists have never thought of;

Just like no one ever thought that Hirohito actually intended to make Fujiwara no Kanezane the crown prince, and the latter actually refused.

However, everyone still had some rationality and did not shout out words like "Heaven's punishment", otherwise today's scene would have been very embarrassing.

Togo Heihachiro ignored the shouting of the young people and looked at another "young man" beside him:

"Kato, what do you think?"

M

Kato Kanji, the high-ranking Japanese naval commander who accompanied Marshal Togo and Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi to Taiwan, was also the benefactor who carried Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi down from the battlefield after he was injured in the Battle of the Yellow Sea.

He was a core figure in the Japanese Navy's "fleet faction". After the London Naval Disarmament Conference ended that year, he cried out in tears, "The war against the United States begins today! We must take revenge!"

After hearing the Marshal's words, Kato bowed slightly, coughed lightly, and then slowly replied:

"If it's just propaganda to paralyze the enemies in Europe and America, it's not a bad idea.

UH

噫?

publicity?

paralysis?

The young lieutenants were immediately embarrassed.

They were so excited just now that they didn't actually hear what opinions and subsequent considerations Prince Seihiro Yoshihiro conveyed to them from Fujiwara no Kanezane. They just got furious when they heard the word "peace".

“Hmm

Marshal Dongxiang nodded, glanced at the young officers calmly, and reprimanded

road

"You're so restless, you're totally useless! Get out!"

"yes.."

After being scolded by their idol, the officers left dejectedly, leaving only a few senior officers such as Togo, Hirokuni, Kato and personal aide-de-camp Kotsugihara Nagase in the room.

After the flies that had been swarming around him for the past few days flew away, Togo Heihachiro, who had been feeling a bit of an "idol burden" from his fans, felt relieved. He tugged at his collar and continued asking:

"And what's the second thing he wants you to do?"

The second thing is that he wants us to fully support his Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere campaign, fully cooperate with the Greater East Asia Conference, and fully support him.

Togo Heihachiro frowned.

The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere has become a national-level strategy, there is nothing much to say about it. The key is the "Greater East Asia Conference" scheduled to be held in July-August this year.

So far, only Japan, the Mongolian Autonomous Committee, and the Five-Star Eastern Republic have publicly expressed their intention to sign up for the conference. Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand are waiting and watching, and at most have promised to send representatives to observe.

It was obvious that Fujiwara no Kanezane wanted Prince Yoshihiro to bring in more Southeast Asian countries;

Obviously, Prince Bogong himself does not have this ability, and the only one who has this ability is the Japanese Navy.

Hiss... Could it be that he guessed I was here?

So smart?

As expected...

"Your Excellency, Marshal, Prince Kanezane also said something else.

"What?"

"He said the navy shouldn't focus on the tiny country of Japan. East Asia and the world have vast possibilities. Why should the Japanese Navy be limited to just the Japanese Navy?"

MM

After understanding the whole story with Prince Bo Gong, Togo asked the former to withdraw on the pretext of physical fatigue, but kept Kato Kanji and expressed his will in a semi-obscure way:

"Kato, when you get back, make peace with Okaku and Taniguchi!

The implication was to reconcile with the "treaty faction", agree to Fujiwara no Kanezane's conditions, and fully support the other party.

"This

The latter looked around to see if there was anyone around and whispered:

“Marshal, he did not agree with His Highness Bo Gong to take the valley entrance.

"It doesn't matter whether we take Taniguchi or not. What matters now is that for the sake of the Japanese Navy and our own future, we can't hesitate any longer.

"You mean, we should place a big bet now?