Chapter 766: Choice (10)
Zhukov's call back came soon. On the one hand, he said that the war in Central Asia was reaching a critical moment and there must be no hesitation or deployment of troops. On the other hand, he believed that now was not the time to use large-scale troops against Japan and dispatched 10,000 to 20,000 troops. Just make a point, regardless of victory or defeat, the Far East troops must enter the highest alert state - although he judged that this was not the starting point of the Japanese attack.
What made Stalin laugh and cry the most was that Zhukov actually believed that the 10-15% transit fee was reasonable, but his reasons sounded more connotative and more tactful than Vasilevskiy: "Comrades on the intelligence front revealed that Germany has put submarines Deployed to Japan, if we are unwilling to pay the transit fee, Germany will definitely use materials as a means to bribe Japan to provide a base for breaking the border. By then, the losses will be further increased. It is better to satisfy Japan's greed and let it escort our army. Choose the lesser of two evils..."
In the final analysis, before the current ability to go to war with Japan, we can only temporarily tolerate and appease Japan. Zhukov specifically pointed out that Vladivostok and the Soviet port cannot be destroyed, otherwise even if there are supplies, they cannot be unloaded.
After soliciting opinions from the Communist Party of China, most people agreed with the term "prudence". On the one hand, they asked Japan to punish those responsible, and on the other hand, they expressed temporary restraint. Stalin could only hold his nose and order war without declaring it. The Far East The Soviet army was ordered to deploy an army to attack the Kwantung Army. As a result, they encountered trouble at the beginning of the battle - the Japanese army had a lot of 75mm anti-tank guns, and then there were a lot of No. 3 assault guns. The Soviet armored forces encountered Unprecedented blockage prevented them from moving, and the air force units taking off were also intercepted by Japanese fighter jets. Although the Bf-109 has short legs, it is very competent in defending key areas. In addition, the Kwantung Army has built several anti-Soviet radar stations, so it knows the situation clearly. Umezu Yoshijiro, who rushed back to Xinjing to take charge, reported to Tokyo the enemy situation on the front line and asked for additional assistance.
It was not until the morning of the next day that Prince Higashikata Minuhiko and Ishihara Wanji found out about the matter between the navy and the Soviet Union. They were so angry that they cursed the navy Malu, but after just a few words, Ishihara Wanji stopped. A staff officer handed him a note, saying that it was from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that the delivery of the list of supplies to the Army stipulated in the Japan-Germany Material Support Treaty would begin in the near future.
"It's not a small gesture." Looking at the equipment and quantity on the list, King Higashino Miyazaki sighed, "The Germans spent so much money on it, and now even I believe that Tsukahara received political donations..."
"No, what about the seized supplies?" Ishihara Wanji tapped the table lightly and analyzed, "This is a preferential condition from Germany. The interception of supplies itself is a windfall. The navy cannot just use the army as a gun, but the benefits are If you take it all to yourself, you have to let them spit out some.”
"I'll call the Military Command..." King Higashikata Minuhiko reacted immediately and nodded repeatedly, "We must share at least 30%!"
Just as he was about to pick up the phone and dial the number, a staff officer suddenly rushed in in shock: "Oh no, the navy's personnel situation is in great turmoil!"
"What?"
"His Majesty has just issued an edict to remove Admiral Horikichi from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet..."
"Ah?" Prince Higashikata Minuhiko and Ishihara smiled dumbfounded, "What's going on?"
"I heard that Admiral Hori sent a fleet to hijack a Soviet ship..."
As soon as the staff officer said something, he was interrupted by Ishihara Wanji: "Don't talk nonsense, that is an American ship."
"Yes, it's an American ship!" the staff officer said while wiping his sweat. "I heard that he mobilized the fleet without going through the military command department, and he had a quarrel with the commander-in-chief of the military command department, His Highness Fushimi Miyahiro Prince Kyoto. The latter was angry He has to be hospitalized, and General Hori himself refused to resign. In order to give an explanation to the Soviet side, His Majesty had no choice but to issue this edict to let him serve as a full-time military counselor. General Hori will probably comply with the edict..."
"Your Highness, please call Marine Minister Yamamoto. What's going on? Why is the Navy in such trouble?"
Prince Higashino Miyazaki picked up the phone and complained to Yamamoto: "What kind of trouble are you making... It's a war now! We must unite sincerely... The army doesn't quarrel with the navy now, why does the navy itself? Are you quarreling? General Horikichi has returned from victory. Why did you get rid of his post? Don’t use the title of military counselor to prevaricate me, it’s for retirement!”
Yamamoto Isoroku smiled bitterly: "Your Highness, I don't want to do it either. How about you persuade His Highness, Chief of the Military Command Department, to resign or persuade His Majesty to withdraw his order?"
"I...forget it." King Higashikata Minuhiko thought of the royal military order that Hirohito had given him, and instinctively objected, "How dare I reach out to the navy? I'm so impatient... But those supplies You can't take advantage of the fact that we have to score some points, but we have to bear the burden. The Soviet army is attacking the Kwantung Army and the front line needs assistance. "
"Horikoshi has already made an agreement with General Umezu. You can ask the Kwantung Army directly."
"Nonsense!" King Higashikata Minuhiko put down the phone and commented, and then said, "Umezu is a very cunning kid. He has hooked up with the fleet without saying a word. No, I have to ask clearly."
The telegram came half an hour later. Umezu told the inside story frankly, saying tactfully that the Kwantung Army was "passively involved" and said that the Navy would probably give half of the supplies, about 250,000 to 280,000 tons, and that the Navy was escorting the ships. After investigation by the Army Air Force, it was found that what he said was true.
Ishihara Wanji stared at the map and thought for a while: "Don't go ashore in Kanto Prefecture. Go directly to North Korea and transport it to Manchuria by rail. Tell Umezu to give him 200,000 tons and leave 50,000 to 80,000 tons for the Korean army. In addition, he He was not given the reinforcements and supplies he needed, and was allowed to rely on his own strength to repel the Soviet harassment, and was never allowed to advance north. This will never happen again! "
"Wouldn't this be the case next time?" King Higashino Higashikata laughed, "You are easy to talk to."
"The done deal is done. Besides, we have taken so many advantages, of course we can only handle it with care. Could it be that we should imitate the military command department and mess up the Kwantung Army, and do Manchuria still want it?" Ishihara Wanji said sincerely, "Your Highness, let's deal with the front line Be a little more tolerant. As long as it doesn't go against the strategy and overall direction, you can implement the instructions of the base camp thoroughly, and help them fight for the benefits as much as possible. What is Horikichi risking his reputation by giving money, cars, and things to his subordinates? We can’t learn this, but we can relax in other aspects.”
"Yes, yes." King Higashikata Minuhiko said again as usual, "Very good, very good. I agree with everything you said, and I will do it according to your opinion. However, is the strength of the Kwantung Army enough? Don’t be like Nomon Han who suffered a loss and didn’t dare to report it to Tokyo.”
"No, the Soviet army will not be able to take advantage this time unless they give up on the Eastern Front." Ishihara Wanji comforted him, "The war in Europe was fierce, the Soviet army was retreating steadily, and General Horikichi also saw the opportunity to attack the Russians. What's more, the Manchuria Defense Line has been operating for many years, and the Tiger Head Fortress is a top priority. How can it not be stopped? However, one thing must be guaranteed no matter what, it cannot advance northward, and the situation will never be allowed to expand, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable. Let’s make it clear to Commander Umezu.”
Prince Higashikata Minuhiko nodded: "Of course, I will send him a telegram to prevent him from getting dizzy."
After receiving the telegram from the General Staff Headquarters, especially after seeing the words "This will not happen again" and "Allocate 50,000 to 80,000 tons to the North Korean Army", Umezu Yoshijiro laughed meaningfully: "Secretary General Ishihara is indeed a sensible person, very good , Very good! The Kwantung Army resolutely obeys His Highness’s wise decision.”
After receiving the warning telegram from King Higashinominiya Minuhiko, Umezu Yoshijiro smiled even more: The base camp had the same considerations as him. Everyone was cautious and just gave the Russians a beating. Now this polar bear still has some strength. , at least wait until the Germans drain all their blood before taking action, there is no need to rush.
Ishihara Kanji used 50,000 to 80,000 tons of supplies as a cost, eliminating the worries of Umezu Yoshijiro's "private collusion" and "killing first and reporting later", which was certainly beneficial to the Kwantung Army. However, after the Korean army took 50,000 to 80,000 tons of supplies for no reason, Likewise, he is also grateful to Tokyo. Ishihara Wanji has been in the center for a long time, and he has begun to manage things both vertically and horizontally. He is no longer as messy as before, and has learned to deal with all aspects of relationships tactfully. Soon, North Korean Governor-General Koiso Kuniaki also sent a telegram, expressing his "firm support and implementation of the base camp policy."
The same thing happened, but the Army remained calm, while the Navy stirred up turmoil.
The personnel adjustment order was quickly sent to the fleet. Everyone, especially the young men below the lieutenant colonel, were in an uproar. They did not take the hijacking of the US aid ship seriously at all. Instead, they believed that Horikichi's move had done a great service to the country: to obtain the goods intact. More than 600,000 tons of supplies and more than 40 ships are not a small number. They are almost as good as the results of the last joint fleet's hard work in Europe for more than half a year. They are enough to build several aircraft carriers! They thought this was completely a personal revenge of Prince Fushimi Gong Bogong, so they all clamored to write a letter to collectively try to retain the chief.
Horiti Yoshiyun smiled calmly: "I understand the intentions of all the gentlemen. Since Your Majesty has given orders, ministers must obey them. This is the way to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic... After the new chief takes office, you must continue to fulfill your duties and work bravely. Serve the country!”
"Gentlemen, please!" He bowed to everyone, and then left the bridge without looking back, and the commander's tower burst into tears.
On December 16, 1943, Horikichi resigned from the position of commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, and was replaced the next day by Yokosuka Governor Shiro Kawako.
After Oikawa took office, a series of personnel adjustment orders were issued like a stream of water: General Koga Mineichi, the deputy director of the Military Command, resigned and took over the position of Oikawa Koshiro in the Yokosuka Governorate; Lieutenant General Seiichi Ito, Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet, served as Deputy Chief of the Military Command Department. Since Prince Fushimi Miyahiro Kyōge was hospitalized, Ito Seiichi was actually temporarily in charge of the Military Command Department. His relationship with Prince Fushimi Miyahiro Kyōi and Ishihara Kanji It is very similar to King Higashikaru Miyazaki Minuhiko, but it is a pity that Ito's ability is not as good as Ishihara Kanji, and Prince Fushimi Miyahiro Kyo does not have the same unreserved trust in him as King Higashikuru Miyazaki Minuhiko. Many things still remain the same. Make up your own mind; Shigeru Fukuru took over the position of Military Affairs Director-General of Ito Seiichi.