731 Japan's decision

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On July 1, Nagumo Tadaichi's fleet had reached its final attack position.

At this last moment, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again played its usual diplomatic tricks against the Third Reich.

The Japanese Foreign Minister declared: "We hope to avoid an armed conflict with the Soviet Union until the strategic conditions are ripe." ”

In order to make the German government aware of this concept, and to make Reinhardt not insist on the exchange of diplomatic notes on the Japanese army going north to the Soviet Union, at least for the time being, the Japanese side also explained to Germany in detail a number of reasons:

Although the Japanese could not launch an attack on the Soviet Union, they could guarantee that in the event of a war with the United States, the Japanese navy would intercept all American ships bound for the Soviet Union.

That's a very intriguing answer.

The Japanese have always been adept at playing with intrigues, such as this one with their commitment to Germany.

Although the Japanese army did not want to provoke the Soviet Union in the north, since the Japanese army was at war in the United States, they could cut off all material shipments from the United States to the Soviet Union by the way.

This is equivalent to doing the Germans a favor in disguise.

At the same time, even if the United States cut off its material aid to the Soviet Union, it did not directly provoke the Soviet government, which was also a means for Japan to avoid hostility with the Soviet Union.

However, the Japanese Foreign Minister finally said that if Ribbentrop still insisted on the Kwantung Army's assurances on the northward advance into the Soviet Union, since in this case we had no choice but to make a statement:

Japan, in principle, would prevent the United States from sending war materiel to the USSR through the Sea of Japan.

However, from a strategic point of view, the Japanese base camp believed that it was still necessary for them to avoid the Soviet Union from fighting against Japan in the short term, which meant that the Japanese navy could not intercept the entire Soviet Union.

Such a statement was tantamount to a huge discount on Japan's commitment to assist the German army in blockading the Soviet Union.

Yes, the Japanese army could indeed cut off American transport ships. But if the Soviet Union had sent its own transport ships to bring back supplies from the United States, then the Japanese Navy would have spared these Soviet transport ships.

In other words, as long as the supplies of the United States to the Soviet Union were hung with the flag of the Soviet Union, the Japanese had an excuse not to attack them.

Of course, the arrogant stronghold finally made a decision: if the German government refused to agree to Japan's proposal, then they could only choose to postpone the signing of the treaty with the Germans.

The Japanese base camp, which had already given up on advancing northward, now had no desire to provoke the Soviet Union.

At least, in the short term, they won't feel the urge to do so.

If the Germans had not asked them to attack the Soviet Union, the Japanese base camp would have had no choice but to refuse the demands of the Third Reich.

However, the Japanese don't need to worry so much. Reinhardt did not insist that Japan fight against the Soviet Union at the same time as the United States.

As for why, not only the militarists in Tokyo or anyone else did not understand, but even many in the German Foreign Office did not understand.

However, joining forces with the Japanese army, this is not a calculation of one plus one equals two.

First of all, if Japan diverts its energies and moves north into the Soviet Union, then their forces for American combat will be greatly reduced.

Reinhardt knew that even Japan, which was going all out, was no match for the U.S. military, and if they were to share their energies with Germany against the Soviet Union, the U.S. military might be able to easily push Japan down.

Moreover, deep down, Reinhardt did not want the Third Reich to join forces with the so-called Great Japanese Empire.

Today's Germany is a highly prestigious presence in the world and in the world. Moreover, the German propaganda team has been trying to make the image of the Third Reich in the international arena a symbol of justice.

Japan, on the other hand, not only abused biological and chemical weapons, carried out inhumane experiments, but also caused massacres on a large scale, and its reputation in the international community was extremely poor.

If it joins forces with Japan, then Germany carefully prepared it before. This image was burned.

In the end, just emotionally, Reinhardt didn't like the crazy country of Japan at all.

Now that Japan could offer to help blockade the supplies sent by the United States to the Soviet Union, Germany would gladly agree.

But if Japan wants Germany to make any commitments, then sorry, Reinhardt will not give any black and white response.

In any case, the Japanese side has made up its mind to deal a heavy blow to the United States in the Pacific.

As early as May 1940, Roosevelt ordered the Pacific Fleet, which had completed its annual routine exercises, not to return to the West Coast of the United States, but to stay at Pearl Harbor to deter Japan. This has already touched the psychological bottom line of the Japanese Navy and left the foreshadowing of war.

Of course, this was like Roosevelt's obvious provocation to Japan, as if he was forcing Japan to declare war on the United States.

And the Japanese base camp actually endured it, and I have to admire the endurance of the Japanese.

As a result of his patience, Roosevelt immediately announced a total oil embargo on Japan, which was undoubtedly fatal to Japan, which was extremely short of resources.

For this reason, Japan, which could not bear it, had no choice but to attack Pearl Harbor and make a deadly gamble.

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