"Why focus on defense? Don't we have any ability to fight back? ”

When Emperor Hirohito listened to the answer of Chief of Staff Sugiyama Moto, he did not reply immediately, but frowned and pondered for a while before speaking slowly.

"I'm sorry! Your Majesty! Give me sin! Judging from the current situation of the Pacific War, we can only choose to focus on defense, and the 'absolute defense circle' I just mentioned can not only ensure that all important natural resources in the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere that we occupy are occupied by the British and American allies, but also protect the territory of our empire from being invaded, and ensure that the sea lines of communication controlled by the empire can be safely navigated, and control every move of all the ethnic groups in the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Circle that we have established! ”

Chief of Staff Sugiyama Mototo, immediately replied respectfully with a nervous attitude.

"Do you feel that we still have any hope of victory in this war?"

Regarding the Chief of Staff Sugiyama Moto's answer, Emperor Hirohito looked at the other party with a blank face and said in a serious tone.

"This ......"

Being asked by such a divine turn, Chief of Staff Sugiyama Yuan was suddenly covered in cold sweat, and was speechless for a while, unable to answer.

"Yes? Or not? ”

But Emperor Hirohito didn't intend to let him go, and continued to ask questions.

"If we can give us a little more time, and if we can get more natural resources to manufacture more advanced weapons and equipment to revitalize the Empire's navy, land and air force, with the Empire's invincible Iron Army, it will definitely be able to defeat those American troops who emphasize democracy and are greedy for life and fear death!"

In this regard, Chief of Staff Sugiyama Motoya also took a deep breath, stubbornly replied, using the excuse that weapons and equipment and natural resources are inferior to those of the US military.

"That's right! Your Majesty! What we lack now is the same strong industrial production capacity, natural resource capacity, and more advanced weaponry as the US military, otherwise if we fight in hand-to-hand combat, the individual quality of the officers and men of our empire will definitely be able to defeat those who rely on advanced weapons and equipment to defeat the large number of US troops, and they will be looking for teeth all over the ground! ”

Before Emperor Hirohito could reply, the new Prime Minister Hideki Tojo also stood up immediately, and quickly echoed the words of Chief of Staff Sugiyama Moto.

"Is it true that with advanced weapons and equipment, and ample ammunition, you can win and defeat those arrogant American troops?"

Regarding Hideki Tojo, who suddenly stood up and interjected, Emperor Hirohito narrowed his eyes in displeasure, stared at him and said coldly word by word.

"Yes! Your Majesty! ”

Being stared at by Emperor Hirohito like this, Tojo Hideki suddenly trembled in his heart, the chrysanthemum tightened, he broke out in a cold sweat, and replied with anxiety on his face.

"Then why did the Germans give you so much advanced weaponry, and military supplies, as well as aircraft carrier fleets, and aircraft; But you still lost the island of Munda and the New Georgia Islands for me? And there are heavy casualties there, and now they are even more forced by the US military to not even have much power to fight back, so they can only think about defense? ”

"What do you mean, I don't understand, I can't figure it out!"

When Emperor Hirohito heard this, he immediately asked with a sneering smile.

"Your Majesty! At that time, because of the advanced weapons and equipment of the German army, there were many imperial pilots, and officers and soldiers who were not familiar with the use, and the mixed aircraft carrier fleet of Halsey, which fought with us, was also strongly supported by Nimitz, which was the main battlefield in the Central Pacific. I'm afraid that Halsey's aircraft carrier fleet will be eliminated from the competition and will not be able to continue to participate in the Pacific War! ”

In response to Emperor Hirohito's unusually serious concern about the situation in the Pacific War and the defeat of his annoyed troops, Hideki Tojo immediately replied with a cold sweat on his head.

When Emperor Hirohito heard that the U.S. aircraft carrier fleet had also suffered heavy losses, his gloomy complexion eased slightly.

"So what is the current situation of the allies such as Britain, the United States, and Canada? Have you been aware of their movements? ”

But a moment later, Emperor Hirohito continued to ask with a frown.

"Ahh This ......"

In this regard, Hideki Tojo, who was able to answer just now, was stunned for a moment and couldn't answer.

Because the navy has not yet given him a briefing on the current situation of the US military, and he has been busy with the anti-Japanese affairs of various nationalities in his Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Circle in the past few days, as well as other miscellaneous matters, he really has no clue about the next combat target of the allied forces such as Britain, the United States, and Canada.

"According to the intelligence we have, the next target of the U.S. military is likely to continue to concentrate forces in the southwest Pacific and advance, as for the movement in the Central Pacific, we estimate that they may attack the Marshall Islands!"

"So what we just called the 'absolute defense circle' is to prevent the invasion of British and American troops, and to carry out strikes!"

"Moreover, our ultimate attempt is to rely on the islands of the 'absolute defense circle' that we have established to gradually consume and exhaust the British and American aircraft carrier fleets and their living forces, and force the British and American aircraft carrier fleets and the combined fleet of the empire to engage in a large-scale frontal naval decisive battle, and achieve the final victory, so that Britain and the United States and other countries will recognize the hegemony of the empire in the Pacific, so as to hold peace talks and end the war!"

"At that time, the empire will be able to obtain more overseas colonies and natural resources, so that our empire's industrial capacity will be upgraded to a higher level, and the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Circle will be better built!"

When he saw Hideki Tojo standing like a fool, the chief of staff on the side, Sugiyama Moto, immediately spoke.

Originally, these two people were not very eye-to-eye, but for the liberation of the siege that had just helped each other, the chief of staff Sugiyama Motocai was able to support back to Hideki Tojo.

"How long will it take you to decide the winner of this war? One year, or two years? ”

In response to the chief of staff, Sugiyama Motoyo, who replied in a high-spirited manner, Emperor Hirohito continued to ask without much emotional fluctuations.

“......”

Hideki Tojo, who was so abnormal today and stumped by one question that was more difficult to answer, and the Chief of Staff Sugiyama Moto, and the ministers of civil and military affairs who had never spoken, were all collectively speechless, and their expressions were dumbfounded.

"What's wrong? Don't you have a sense of time for this war? Or are you not confident that you will be able to defeat the enemy? ”

Looking at the ministers of civil and military affairs in front of him standing in a petrified manner, without saying a word, Emperor Hirohito squinted his eyes again and snorted coldly.

"I'll give you a year to end this war in the Pacific, and if any of you don't get it done, then you can do it yourself! I'm going to punish you well! ”

Then, before Emperor Hirohito could come to his senses, he gave a battle time with a cold gaze and gave an order in an irrefutable tone.

In this regard, all the ministers of civil and military affairs were trembling and shocked, because Emperor Hirohito had never tried to speak with such a strong tone and attitude since Japan's war of aggression against the outside world.

This is the first time that he has been so forceful, even with an irresistible posture, to force everyone to complete the combat mission.