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Text Chapter 593 Winning over Japan

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    In mid-January 1926, there was no end in sight for West Borneo.

    The decisive bombardment by the Hunhe and the Phenom was effective. Not only did it scare the thugs into fleeing into the depths of the rainforest, but even the local ordinary people who were watching the excitement began to evacuate West Borneo.  The Dutch colonial government in Batavia also did not dare to neglect. Not only did they mobilize the only two cruisers, they also sent more than 700 soldiers to maintain public security and arrest the murderers who participated in the riots and killed the Chinese, hoping to resolve the crisis as soon as possible.

    But what makes Lord Deco uneasy is that more and more warships are gathering in the waters off West Borneo.  No one expected that the British Empire, which was in deep post-war decline, would be so determined this time. Not only did the entire Far East Fleet be dispatched, but three cruisers from the Mediterranean Fleet were also transferred to Malaya to prepare to support the Far East Fleet if necessary.

    Not to be outdone, the young Chinese Navy also dispatched a fleet of 2 battlecruisers, 4 heavy cruisers and 15 other ships amid the passionate protests in the country.  What worries the UK the most is that unlike the last Sumatra oil field crisis, this time the Chinese Navy has also dispatched a large number of submarines. In the past three days alone, five new submarines with a displacement of about 800 tons have been discovered, and one of them even  Appears at the entrance to the South China Sea in the Strait of Malacca.

    Traces of submarines have been found in the Bashi Strait, Balintang Strait, Palawan Islands and other areas!

    This unabashed mobilization of naval power into the South China Sea has made the whole world hold its breath. Even the most optimistic European newspapers have changed their tone and believe that war will break out within a few weeks.  Japan, which has always coveted Nanyang, will naturally not miss this opportunity to study the Chinese and British navies. As both sides continue to mobilize their forces southward, there are also heated discussions within the Tokyo Combined Fleet headquarters. For them, this is a peek at the Chinese and British trump cards.  good chance.  But when it comes to action or participation, even the most optimistic Japanese generals shake their heads.

    The reason is simpleno money.

    The impact of the Great Kanto Earthquake on Japan was really great, two years later today.  The hardest-hit areas in Tokyo are still full of shantytowns.  Food prices have skyrocketed again.  Faced with this situation, Crown Prince Hirohito strengthened the imperial power after supervising the country and appointed Nagata Tetsuzan to be responsible for trading machines for resources with the Soviet Union.  Scrap steel is also imported from the United States for resmelting.  Due to the huge reconstruction needs of the Soviet Union, Moscow, which lacked gold reserves, was eager to exchange precious metals for industrial equipment and save foreign exchange and gold.  Nagata Tieshan finally proposed nationalizing the Soviet Union.  We will vigorously weaken the power of domestic chaebols and turn them into manufacturing tools for the country to exchange resources.  Hirohito then appointed Okamura Neiji to be in charge of Guinea immigration. It was his active work that enabled 470,000 Japanese to land in Guinea in the name of "clearing wasteland and growing food for the empire", and in just three years, millions of acres of cultivated land were reclaimed.  Used for growing rice and rubber.

    Although the two have worked hard and the national treasury has gradually become richer, they cannot change the fundamental situation in which people's suffering has increased and the United States has taken the opportunity to dump, leading to the shrinking of the manufacturing industry.

    The chaebols also hated Nagata Tetsuzan deeply because all their exports were confiscated and wealth flowed into the national treasury instead of their pockets.  The army unanimously accused Nagata Tieshan of being an army traitor.  Because the tank division plan was rejected again.  But the Japanese navy supported the policy in the opposite direction, as most of the revenue from this trade was used for naval expansion.  Hirohito's support made the navy very happy, in order to counter the Taiwan Island-class heavy patrol.  After the modified Aoba class with eight 203mm naval guns was launched.  Construction of four more wonderful heavy cruisers began.  However, the four heavy cruisers, which almost drained the national treasury, finally passed the budget and received news that the 1925 naval plan was approved by the Congress of the Republic of China.  The plan of 2 first-class battleships, 4 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, 2 aircraft carriers, 26 destroyers and 4 auxiliary ships has made Japan very worried.

    Just at this time.  Wang Rongbao, a representative of the Democratic Party and former ambassador of the Republic of China to Japan, returned to Japan in a hurry to seek support.  However, the Japanese government is lukewarm towards the former ambassador. This shows that they do not believe that the Democratic Party can do much. On the contrary, they attach great importance to the Washington Naval Treaty China Supervision Team, which suddenly and quietly visited in advance.

    In order to supervise that countries do not violate the treaty, treaty signatory countries have similar supervision agencies to regularly check whether countries comply with the treaty.  Leading the Chinese delegation this time was Zheng Zuyi, Chief of the Naval General Staff. It was he and Cheng Biguang who teamed up to fight the first real naval battle of the Republic of China in the Yellow Sea.  But from a naval perspective, the Battle of the Yellow Sea was a failure!  Not only did the losses exceed those of Japan, the Anhai and Zhenhai were also severely damaged.  The navy has even downgraded its use. If the naval treaty had not restricted the act of decommissioning without reason, the two ships might have been deleted from the Navy of the Republic of China.

    At the Yokosuka Naval Shipyard, Zheng Zuyi led a naval delegation to inspect the newly laid keel of the Myoko heavy cruiser.  Naturally, Japan will not open up its high secrets to possible enemies, but in fact, all countries have a tacit understanding. Everyone checks the hull size and then makes a plan as long as it is not too obvious.  After the inspection, the Japanese Navy held a feast to entertain the Chinese delegation. Not only did the Japanese NavyAll high-level officials came, and even the current Marine and Finance Minister Biao personally came from Tokyo to attend the dinner.

    The luxury of the navy is unimaginable to the outside world. Even though Japan is in deep suffering after the earthquake, the table is still piled with expensive delicacies such as cod, fresh scallops and caviar.  Popular wines in Europe, Japanese rice wine and Chinese liquor are consumed more like running water.

    In order to find out the specific data of the two first-class battleships in China's 1925 naval plan, Zheng Zuyi was almost surrounded by Japanese naval officials. All topics were related to the two new battleships and the crisis of West Borneo.

    "Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, I heard that your country is planning to build two new battleships? Will they use American 40mm naval guns? Your country already has eight battleships. Aren't you afraid of causing disputes between our two countries and destroying peace in Asia?"  The person asking the question was Lieutenant General Gentaro Yamashita, who had led his fleet to attack Taiwan aggressively after the Battle of the Yellow Sea, but in the end faced the Chinese navy that had no way out of its cave but had no success.

    This question made Finance Ministry Biao and other Japanese navy bosses prick up their ears. They actually didn¡¯t care about the two battleships.  Because in the eyes of the Japanese Navy, China is a typical mainland country, and the naval talent reserve is too poor. It is difficult to say whether four such good Taiwan Island-class heavy cruisers can be used to their full capabilities in their hands, but for the vague Sino-US cooperation  Deeply concerned.

    There is a chance of winning against the Chinese navy, but it is very bad against the Chinese and American navies.  Although this is probably extremely small.  But the Japanese navy did not dare to relax its vigilance.  Especially now that the trade between China and the United States is obviously complementary, and Yang Qiu suddenly visited the United States regardless of the crisis, the associations brought about are too great.

    Before coming to Japan, Zheng Zuyi received instructions from the General Staff.  So I had already thought about what to say: "Lieutenant General, you are wrong. Our country currently only has 6 capital ships, and 2 American battleships have been returned. As for the 2 Combined Forces-class battleships purchased from Europe, they will be retired after the new battleships are put into service."  dismantling, so we do not think that the new ship will cause regional tension. On the contrary, the European colonists returning to Asia are the source of unrest. They are deliberately creating ethnic conflicts and trying their best to dump goods into our two countries. I believe you must be deeply aware of this.  same feeling."

    After finishing speaking, he deliberately sighed and asked: "As for the artillery, our country did offer to purchase 40 mm artillery from the United States, but unfortunately the offer was too expensive. I wonder if your country's 41 mm artillery can be sold?"

    ¡°Just kidding, of course you can¡¯t sell Nagato¡¯s 410mm artillery, that¡¯s a technology that took Japan decades to break through!  But Ministry of Finance Biao was surprised that China was willing to dismantle two Joint Force-class battleships.  Although this kind of battleship is too old.  However, it is still possible to defend coastal waters such as the Bohai Strait.  He didn¡¯t believe it: ¡°General, are you serious? Your country really wants to dismantle two battleships? Then do you want to dismantle them and build two more to replace them?¡±

    "We originally submitted four 35mm battleships, but the Minister of Defense believed that the technology was insufficient. Congress only agreed to allocate funds to build two ships. Alaspeople born in the army don't understand the navy at all." Zheng Zuyi said on the side  He said while shaking his head.  What he said is true or false. The Navy did submit a plan for four ships, but it was cut into two ships. In the end, the 360mm naval gun was given priority in order to consider speed. The navy was very resentful about this.

    36 mm?  Finance Ministry Biao and Japanese naval officers couldn't believe that Yang Qiu actually chose this caliber!  Is there no breakthrough in large-caliber naval gun technology?  This is possible, after all, the United States sold 305mm naval gun technology at the time of the Anhai class.  However, large-caliber naval gun technology will not be easily taught by other countries. If it were not for the Anglo-Japanese alliance, Japan would still not be able to produce a 41 mm super naval gun.  Since it is 35 mm, it is nothing more than the level of the Fuso and Ise classes (Japan designated the two British Lion class ships as the Ise class), and it will not pose a threat to Nagato even if they are built.

    However, Ministry of Finance Biao was still worried and blurted out: "Does your country really want to build a 36 mm first-class battleship?"

    Zheng Zuyi pretended to realize that she had slipped up, looked around and then laughed: "Soon, our country will announce the details in accordance with the treaty. Please wait patiently."

    Seeing that he was unwilling to answer directly, Gentaro Yamashita made a toast and pretended to be worried: "Why build a battleship with such a small caliber? Britain, France and the United States are eyeing us in Asia, and even the Netherlands is inciting the natives. This caliber cannot be used at all.  Dispel their hostility."

    Zheng Zuyi agreed with this sentence: "Lieutenant General Yamashita is very right. This is what I am most worried about. Due to various reasons, our country is still unable to build larger warships, so countries such as Britain, the United States, France and the Netherlands are becoming more and more unscrupulous! I think,  Although our two countries have had misunderstandings and unhappiness in the past, as the only two big countries in Asia, there are not only Chinese expatriates but also expatriates from your country in the Nanyang region. At present, they are still engaged in some menial jobs, and many resources and oil have been used.  Colonists plundered, and even small countries like Portugal controlled the eastern part of Timor Island to explore for oil! So I think we should form a cruise fleet and regularly go to Southeast Asia to protect expatriates from oppression.¡±

      Before tonight¡¯s banquet, the Japanese Navy had actually thought about supporting China.  Because there are many Japanese expatriates in Nanyang, supporting China's autonomy means giving the country's expatriates greater opportunities. Moreover, Japan now also has the idea of ????breaking the pot and breaking it. After all, the country is already like this. Who is not supported by support?  The key is how much benefit you can get.

    Zheng Zuyi knows Japan well, which is also the key to why he suddenly came to check on Miao Senior in advance.  Because Japan is now almost dominated by the navy, and the army is severely suppressed, so whether the navy supports it plays a key role.  I saw him put down his wine glass and spoke slowly: "Maybe I am too abrupt. Forming a cruise fleet is just my personal idea. But when I came, the Presidential Office heard that your country was facing difficulties in pioneering in the mountainous forest areas of Guinea and was unable to solve the problem.  There is a serious food shortage, so I am very worried about the livelihood of the Japanese people, and specifically asked me to bring 100 small tractors specially designed for mountains and hills. Our Navy Department has also raised 3,000 tons of rice, hoping to alleviate the food shortage in your country."

    "In addition!" He took a deep breath and took out the last card he brought: "I would also like to take advantage of your hospitality to convey a message to your country. Our Prime Minister hopes to visit Tokyo in the near future to find ways to restart normal relations between our two countries.  Chance!"

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