In the event of a conflict, the two heads of the Government-dispatched observer missions were detained together, and the conflict became so intense. Seeing the attitude of the Germans, anyone with a little diplomatic knowledge can sense the seriousness of the problem.

And poor Foreign Minister Matsuoka Yoyo didn't know anything about the ins and outs of the matter at this time. He can only jump to his feet and let the Italian ambassador Toshio Shiratori, that is, the w who signed the telegram, in the shortest possible time, use all means to understand the facts from the Germans, whether it is smashed with money or human lives, even if it is expensive, only with accurate information can he make a correct judgment and then come up with a corresponding solution.

It's really unbelievable, how big a basket the group of idiots in the army stabbed, Matsuoka Yoyo feels that his stomach problem is about to be committed again.

The seizure of a group of foreign government mission personnel is not a trivial matter, and if it were placed on two mutually hostile countries, it would almost amount to a declaration of war in disguise. The Germans have always attached great importance to diplomatic etiquette, and they will never do such a flagrant violation of diplomatic norms for the sake of a small conflict.

What the hell did those guys do in France? Matsuoka really couldn't think of it. But as a foreign secretary, he is well aware of his responsibilities. In the event of such a serious diplomatic incident, if it is not handled properly, the consequences will be unimaginable. It's okay to lose his official position and dismiss himself, but if he destroys His Majesty's goal of the Emperor's Eight Desolations and One Universe, then he will become a sinner for the ages of the Great Japanese Empire.

Thinking of this, Matsuoka didn't dare to slack off, and hurried straight to the prime minister's office with this telegram. Ten minutes later, the sweaty Konoe Fumiro took Matsuoka Yoyo straight to the Emperor's Palace. Forty minutes later, the first emergency meeting of the Imperial Court in the 15th year of Showa in the palace conference room was lively.

"Personally, I believe that this is a serious diplomatic matter, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must shoulder their responsibilities and handle this matter with all their might. In accordance with international diplomatic practice, we must lodge a protest with the German government as soon as possible, and demand that they immediately release the detained imperial officials, and at the same time, the Great German Empire must publicly apologize to the Japanese Empire for this incident and make corresponding compensation. ”

Speaking was the Imperial Interior Minister Eiji Yasui, the most important of the cabinet ministers most distantly associated with the incident, who offered his opinion in his usual slow and logical tone.

"It is true that the Foreign Ministry should take responsibility for the negotiations, but I think it is too early to lodge a protest with Germany, and we must be cautious about this."

Lieutenant General Hideki Tojo, Minister of War, now had a layer of sweat on his bald head, glistening in the orange-yellow light of the conference room.

"What Tojo Riku said is right, until we understand the truth of the whole matter, we can't act rashly, this is related to the overall strategy of the Imperial Kingdom, and we can't be hasty."

After speaking, Konoe Fumiro glanced at the internal minister Yasui.

"Guys, the question now is, who knows what's going on there? It was your army personnel who were being detained, and the army didn't know anything about it? Didn't their trip in Europe be reported to the War Ministry? ”

Admiral Yoshida Zengo, the Minister of the Navy, frowned, but everyone could see the sneer on the corner of his mouth.

"Your Excellency Yoshida, although this Dispatch Observer Group to Germany was organized by the Ministry of the Army, all the arrangements for the itinerary after leaving the country were coordinated by the personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and I just learned that this kind of thing happened."

Tojo glared at Yoshida on the other side and said coldly.

"So, how much does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs know about this matter, and has it any further information from the German side?"

Yoshida tilted his head to look at Matsuoka.

"I've called the German embassy and I'm very confused. The German ambassador, General Otto, did not know exactly why the German side was holding the personnel of our mission. In fact, when I asked him, he didn't even know it was happening. It seems that the German side has not yet informed their embassy in Japan, and from this point of view, the problem is definitely more serious than we thought. ”

Foreign Minister Matsuoka had a sad face.

Damn army idiots, Matsuoka now simply wants to bite those detained Japanese officers to death. What did they do that the Germans had done to keep the news from their own embassy?

Originally, the army delegation to Germany was scheduled to leave after the Triple Alliance was reached, but the anxious guys in the Ministry of War couldn't wait, and they had to go to the German-French front line to do field research before France surrendered, to observe the new weapons and equipment used by the German army in actual battles and the effects of their use, as well as the role of the new tactics used by the German army in actual combat.

In doing so, they have violated the principle of prudence in Japan's diplomacy, and such a brazen investigation of the German contingent at such a delicate moment is likely to irritate the nerves of Britain and the United States and other countries, and deepen their vigilance and attention to Japan. Therefore, from the very beginning, Matsuoka raised his concerns with the head of the Ministry of War in charge of this matter, and hoped that the army observer mission to Germany would be able to depart after the signing of the Triple Alliance Treaty as planned.

However, as the news of the German victory continued to arrive, Matsuoka was immediately carried away by the general optimism in Japan at the time, and after repeated lobbying by the army, he agreed as if by a ghost. Looking back now, Matsuoka regrets his decision at the time.

Now, no matter how this incident is resolved, it will have an impact on the southward expansion strategy that the Japanese Empire has just developed. It is inconceivable that all of Japan's strategies since then have been based on the trilateral alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan, and it is really unthinkable that such an inexplicable thing should happen at the critical moment before Germany and Japan are preparing to start substantive negotiations.

Matsuoka's only hope now is that things don't get so bad that they can't be saved, and if that happens, his own foreign minister will be the end of it.

Protest to Germany and demand an apology and compensation?

Matsuoka glanced at Yasui indignantly. This idiot, he knew something and dared to protest to Germany. If possible, Matsuoka was willing to apologize to Germany and compensate for the damages, as long as German-Japanese relations could be restored to the status quo ante and Germany agreed to an alliance with Japan.

"Until then, the Army had been proposing an alliance between Japan and Germany, and I had always said that we needed to consider it carefully. Judging from the events that have taken place so far, my fears are justified, because Germany has no sincerity in forming an alliance with Japan, and it is a challenge to the national dignity of the Japanese Empire by ignoring international diplomatic norms and wantonly detaining members of the Japanese military delegation.

I think we have to react to this as soon as possible at the moment, because it has a stake in the face of the Japanese Empire in the international community. If we are hesitant to deal with such a thing, how will the world powers view Japan, and how will the people view the government? Moreover, if this matter is not handled well, it will not only cause damage to the national prestige of the Japanese Empire, but also the mighty imperial authority of His Majesty the Emperor. At that time, how will we face His Majesty the Emperor, how will we face the trillions of citizens of the Imperial Kingdom?

I believe that how to maintain the dignity of the Empire of Japan, how to maintain the authority of His Majesty the Emperor, and how to maintain the confidence of the people in the government are the first issues that we need to consider at present. ”

The Minister of the Navy glared at Tojo's bald head on the other side and said impassionedly.

"What does Yoshida mean is that we must immediately lodge a protest with Germany and make representations, so what should we do about the southward expansion policy that we have formulated before, and abandon it?"

Tojo asked loudly as he glared at Yoshida with undisguised anger.

"Southward expansion is a national policy that we have long decided. At present, preparations for the "southward expansion" have begun in various sectors of Japan. Only by advancing southward and gaining access to the resource production base in Southeast Asia can Japan take the leadership of Asia, and only by obtaining these resources can we have the strength to confront the enemy on the other side of the ocean.

It's something we've all agreed to before, and now you're raising objections, what exactly do you want to do. As I have said a long time ago, the policy of southward expansion cannot be changed under any circumstances. ”

Konoe Fumiro frowned and said lightly.

"I'm not against going south, Your Excellency Prime Minister. I just don't think we should be in an alliance with Germany. They will push us into a situation of direct confrontation with the United States. I understand the importance of going south to Japan, and as you just said, going south is the only way out for Japan right now. But it would be unwise for an alliance with Germany to draw the attention of the United States before we had even completed preparations for the southward advance. ”

"Aren't we being taken seriously by the United States right now? Isn't it true that we are being suppressed by the United States? They have already scrapped the trade agreement, the United States is preparing to stop exporting machine tools and scrap steel to us, and their congressmen have proposed to their Congress to stop exporting rare metals and chemical raw materials to us. What's next? Let me tell you, it's oil! They control most of our oil sources. They have already pinched Japan's neck, and if the United States suddenly stops exporting oil to Japan, how long will we be able to hold out? You also said in the last meeting that in a year and a half, we only have enough oil in storage for a year and a half, and if you continue to drive your damn Ford, you may not be able to hold out for even a year and a half. In this way, how will we continue to fight, and how can we accomplish His Majesty's goals without the necessary resources. ”

Tojo loudly questioned the disdainful Minister of the Navy.

"That's why I don't think there should be anything to do with Germany. Moreover, we are also taking this opportunity to express our attitude to the United States, which will be an excellent opportunity for us to improve relations with the United States. If the United States lifts or eases its trade embargo on Japan as a result of Japan's changing attitude toward Germany, we will have more supplies and better prepared for our southward expansion strategy. At that point, even if we had to go to war with the United States, we would have a better chance of winning with better supplies to prepare. In addition, my car was assigned to me by the Military Command Department, so I can walk to work if necessary! ”

Yoshida said loudly.

"What you said is unfounded, and it is absolutely impossible for the United States to relax its suppression of Japan because of our opposition to Germany. Our contradictions with the United States are in China, not in Europe. You don't see the benefits of our alliance with Germany at all. Germany's victory in Europe will draw the attention of the United States to Europe, and the Americans will never allow Germany to rule in Europe. Germany will hold all the attention of the Americans in Europe, so that we can prepare for the southward march under the noses of the Americans. Moreover, Germany's influence in Europe and the world is what Japan needs most at the moment. As long as Germany exerts pressure on the European countries, we will easily take over the colonies from those countries, without even using imperial force.

If we do not form an alliance with Germany, it will be exponentially more difficult for us to seize those colonies, and I wonder how many of His Majesty's Army soldiers will shed blood, wounds, and even give their lives to seize those precious resources. ”

The green tendons on Tojo's forehead flared up, and Yoshida's sudden excuse made him feel very angry, if it weren't for the fact that this was a meeting in front of the Imperial Palace, and His Majesty the Emperor was still sitting at the end of the conference room, he would almost point his finger at the nose of this navy bastard and curse his mother.

"Didn't our navy shed blood and sacrifice for the empire? You Army ......"

Yoshida also glared at Tojo with an angry eyebrow.

"Ladies and gentlemen, have you forgotten where you are?"

Fumiro Konoe finally couldn't help it, and he scolded loudly.

"This is in front of His Majesty the Emperor, you are all important ministers of the empire, how can you quarrel loudly like civilians in the market, please respect yourself!"

Tojo and Yoshida fell silent for a moment, and then hurriedly bowed their heads to the emperor who was sitting behind a separate desk at the end of the conference room. Matsuoka, who was left alone and depressed, secretly rubbed his eyebrows, as long as the cabinet meeting was not prepared in advance, it would definitely become like this, shirk each other's responsibilities and quarrel with each other, and every time they could go off topic and run two miles, I didn't expect them to dare to maintain this style in front of the emperor.

"We convened this imperial meeting mainly to discuss how to solve the detention of the Army Observer Group, and we can discuss issues such as the southward expansion at the cabinet meeting."

Prime Minister Konoe glanced at his serious-looking colleagues.

"We currently have two response options. One is to immediately protest to Germany, as proposed by the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of the Sea, and to make follow-up demands depending on the development of the situation. On the other hand, I proposed to the Foreign Minister and the Minister of the Mainland that we treat this matter with caution, and that everything be aimed at preserving the relations between the two countries, and that we refrain from making any reaction that would provoke Germany until the truth is known.

This was a matter for Germany's relations with Japan, and had a direct impact on the future strategy of the Japanese Empire. That is why I have asked for the convening of this Imperial Council, and we should choose the manner in which we should ask His Majesty the Emperor to make a holy judgment. ”

With that, Konoe and his cabinet members bowed their heads respectfully to the Emperor.

The Japanese Emperor Hirohito, who had maintained his almost stiff and serious expression until then, sat silently behind the snow-white tablecloth-covered desk. The group of cabinet members were arguing like that below, and he didn't even shake his eyebrows. Now it is finally time for him to make his final comments, and if he speaks, no matter which side he supports, it will affect the future direction of Japan.

At that time, the emperor's mouth could not be opened casually, any word was an imperial decree, and even the toughest military system could only obey orders obediently, which could be distorted, but it could never be violated. Emperor Hirohito, unlike his grandfather Meiji, was mild-mannered by nature, even cowardly, and when there was some disagreement in the cabinet discussion, as long as it was not about national strategy or a clear written order was required, he would not hesitate to use the skill unique to the emperor in order not to offend anyone, that is, to use his obscure imperial grammar to express some vague opinions that make people scratch their heads. The meaning of the words is so ambiguous that even he can't figure out the best, anyway, let the people below figure it out for themselves, and whoever reacts quickly will be advantageous.

This is why the will of the emperor can be distorted by those below. If you do it below, even if you completely disobey his will, you can be forgiven, and you can still get his praise, which is very comforting. If you smash it, then I'm sorry, I misinterpret the holy will, make my own opinions, and act recklessly, any one of which is enough to break the corpse into ten thousand pieces. Many people didn't react until the end, and it turned out that the guy was ready to pay the bill afterwards at the beginning.

Now Hirohito was about to present his summary report, when suddenly, the door to the conference room was pushed open, and a guard officer hurried closer.

"Your Majesty, ladies and gentlemen. The Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs sent me this document, and I heard that the German Embassy had just sent it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ”

"Hurry up and get it."

Konoe Fumiro hurriedly stretched out his hand to the guard officer.

"What! Japanese servicemen organized and participated in the assassination of the German Führer! ”

Everyone present, including the emperor, was stunned by the news.