November 22, Tokyo, Japan. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

After receiving the signal from the US government to mediate, Prime Minister Gonbei Yamamoto did not dare to do it alone, so he summoned Aritomo Yamayama, chairman of the Privy Council, Nobuaki Makino, minister of foreign affairs, Isaki Takahashi, minister of finance, Yukihiko Kusunse, chief of the army staff, Yoshimichi Hase, minister of the sea Minoru Saito, and chief of the naval command department Goro Ijiin, to sit down in front of the emperor and convene a meeting of the Imperial Council.

The meeting began at half past two in the afternoon and lasted until six o'clock. For more than three hours, everyone was arguing fiercely.

At this moment, Prime Minister Gonbei Yamamoto raised his head and quietly looked at Emperor Taisho, who was sitting on it with an expressionless face, and while sighing secretly, his spirit couldn't help but be in a trance.

The largest part of Japan's economic income is the export of raw silk to the United States and woven cloth to China. The largest sources of Japanese industrial production, including coal and iron slag, were cheap raw materials plundered from China. However, with the rise of the Communist Party of China, China and Japan continued to fight each other, and after the import of raw materials into China was completely interrupted, and Japan had to buy coal and ore from Europe and the United States at sky-high prices, Japan's industry and economy suddenly suffered a heavy blow.

As a result, the four islands, which had suffered from a lack of supplies and extremely low food rations, began to cheer when they heard the news that the army had chosen to take action in Manchuria. No one thought that the empire would lose this war, because of the victory in the Russo-Japanese War, many people had a kind of blind confidence in the imperial army. They had already begun to fantasize about how to make the cowardly Shina pay a heavy price after the war in order to recover the losses of the empire.

So, just when everyone was expecting it, the battle reports on the front-line battlefield kept coming. To everyone's surprise, the Imperial Army first suffered a massive defeat in the Army, and then a crushing defeat in the Navy. Even, at this time, the Tsushima Strait and the vicinity of the Sasebo Military Port were all interrupted due to the continuous sneak attacks by the Shina submarines.

No one knows better than Gonbei Yamamoto what the defeat of the naval battle meant for the country. The Japanese archipelago itself is inherently resource-starved, and if it were to suffer another blockade, its economy would be on the verge of collapse.

Gonbei Yamamoto is not a fool, he understands that with Japan's current economy, it is already a heavy chariot that cannot drag the war against China.

At this moment, the meeting was still in a heated debate, and just after Prime Minister Yamamoto's mood was becoming more and more agitated, he saw that Prime Minister Takahashi stood up in a clear manner. He stepped forward, bowed to the absent-minded Emperor Taisho, and said, "The meeting has been going on for three and a half hours, and although a decision has still not been reached, the situation is already at a point where there is no room for delay. IMHO, the imperial treasury is now saddled with serious debts and deficits that can no longer support the ever-expanding war. So, my opinion, accept the mediation of the United States and hold peace talks! ”

Everyone was stunned by this unexpected move and stared upward, but Emperor Taisho was still expressionless, with an absent-centered appearance.

"Our army believes that not only should we send troops, but also that we should have enough troops. As long as the Imperial Army gathers 12 to 15 divisions in Korea, it can advance to the territory of China in one go and completely occupy Manchuria. When the time comes, not to mention being able to disperse domestic contradictions and pressures, and obtaining abundant resources, the national fortunes of the empire will definitely take a major turn! Hasegawa was anxious after hearing this, and he didn't care about the gloomy face of Yama Prefecture Aritomo next to him, so he directly expressed his opinion. Peace talks? How can peace be negotiated? The account of tens of thousands of imperial warriors who spilled blood in Manchuria and Korea has not yet been calculated, and the rights and interests lost in China have not been recovered. Now go to peace talks? Isn't this groveling? No, absolutely not.

Saito Minoru glanced at Hasegawa, who was angry, and resolutely began to speak: "It is impossible to gather heavy troops in Korea. If the situation is like this, the only way to agree with the Minister of Finance is to agree with it! ”

"If it weren't for you incompetent naval red deer, how would the situation have gotten to this point?" Hasegawa Yoshido had made up his mind to fight, and when he heard that the navy wanted to compromise, he immediately began to accuse. The navy and the army already had a deep contradiction, and it coincided with the naval fiasco, so how could he not humiliate him when he seized the opportunity.

"Then why don't you say that it was the assertion of your army red deer that dragged the empire into its current unfavorable situation?" Minoru Saito was also enraged, and he also began to pick thorns: "Look at you, what kind of battles are you fighting?" There is no plan, no plan, in the face of the enemy's attack, there is no way to retreat or retreat. I can't see anything but chaos! War is continuous, and it requires courage to attack the other side wave after wave, and the enemy cannot be allowed to breathe in the slightest. But what about you? Now that we are fighting and stopping, we are completely following the enemy's strategy, and I can't come up with any way except knowing how to increase my troops. Without gaining any advantage, it is really reckless to want to gather heavy troops in Korea and start a decisive battle! ”

"Humph! Your navy is not reckless, your navy has a plan, otherwise it would not have been defeated! After Hasegawa snorted coldly, there was another round of ridicule.

Seeing that the sea and land families had gone beyond the scope of discussion and turned into a fight, Prime Minister Gonbei Yamamoto had to speak: "In front of the emperor, everyone is so disproportionate, and do you still have the demeanor of a courtier?" What we are discussing today is how to respond to the good offices issued by the United States Government. In an eventful season, I hope that you can encourage each other. ”

Although Gonbei Yamamoto was also born in the navy, he is the prime minister of the cabinet after all, and he must still give face to the face. So, after apologizing to Emperor Taisho, Hasegawa Yoshimichi closed his mouth.

At this time, Foreign Minister Nobuaki Makino cleared his throat. As the second son of Okubo Ritsu, who was a hero of the Meiji Restoration, he had been engaged in coordinated diplomacy for a long time, and he was well aware of the internal mystery of the US government's mediation, so he said: "If we reject the mediation of the United States, it will be difficult for us to get help from other countries in world opinion." ”

Seeing this scene, Prime Minister Yamamoto Gonbei's brows suddenly relaxed. Now that the army is the main battle, the navy is in charge of peace, and the minister is on the side of the navy, although the attitude of Yama Prefecture is unclear, he is definitely on the side of the army. Now that the foreign minister is also on the side of the navy, things will be much easier. Just when he nodded secretly, wanting to make a final decision, he didn't want Makino Shinxian to speak again.

"However, if the good offices of the Americans are accepted, then the Great Japanese Empire at the negotiating table is bound to suffer great humiliation on the terms now offered by the Shina people. Therefore, my opinion is that while holding talks after accepting the good offices, we can seize a favorable opportunity on the battlefield to deal a severe blow to the people of China and win more favorable conditions for our side. ”

"What His Excellency Makino said is really the words of the old man who seeks the country!" Hasegawa Yoshimichi was the first to applaud. As soon as this proposal came out, not only the army applauded, but even the navy was somewhat moved.

Takahashi next to him heard how a few people opened their mouths to fight, but he sighed worriedly. After a long time, I only heard him say helplessly: "I just want to know now, how many people you still have to mobilize, and how long you still need to fight." As a result of the war, the empire's investment losses in China have exceeded 200 million national dollars, and with the debts and deficits of this year, we can no longer afford the huge military expenditures. ”

"Gentlemen, now you must endure what you can't endure, and you can't endure what you can't. Remembering the inner state of Emperor Meiji at the time of the intervention of the Three Kingdoms, I tearfully endorse the Foreign Minister's proposal. This is the voice of Yukihiko Kusunase.

At this point, the decision of the meeting has been made, and Yamamoto Gonbei can only cry out in vain at first. He glanced at the other side, sitting upright like a mud bodhisattva, and did not say a word from beginning to end, and finally sighed and said: "Since you have made up your mind, then I will leave first, and the American minister is still waiting for my news." ”

After the salute, Prime Minister Gonbei Yamamoto hurriedly left the palace and returned to the prime minister's residence.

He was not lying, and the US minister to Japan was indeed impatient. Three days have passed since His Excellency Xiao Mubai, who helped China, convey his goodwill, but these Japanese dwarves are still pushing back and not giving any reply, and it is absolutely impossible for the minister to have no resentment in his heart. Although I feel sorry for these Japanese, I have to be patient. Having already communicated with China, he also knew that the current Far East region still needed a slightly more powerful Japan. After all, China's rising China seems to have some tendency to go off the rails; After all, the weak, counterbalanced Far East is a long-term and must adhere policy of the US government.

Therefore, after seeing Gonbei Yamamoto, the minister immediately got up and asked, "Your Excellency the Prime Minister, can you give me an answer now?" Your Excellency President Wilson has asked me to convey to you that the United States is very concerned about the conflict between China and Japan in the Far East. He believes that a peaceful Far East is a Far East that conforms to the interests of all countries! ”

"Your Excellency, please rest assured that it is also the responsibility of our Imperial Japanese Empire to maintain peace in the Far East. Just now, the Chinese Government has made a resolution to formally accept the good offices proposed by the US Government and hold talks with the Chinese. Gonbei Yamamoto smiled slightly and gave the answer that Americans wanted to hear the most.

"Thank God! I will convey the goodwill of Your Excellency the Prime Minister to Your Excellency Xiao Mubai of China as soon as possible. I'm sure he's been looking forward to this wonderful news for a long time! When the American minister heard this, he smiled a little. Such an outcome is definitely what the US government likes to see the most.

Gonbei Yamamoto nodded, but his mind was blank. Is it really okay to talk while fighting to promote peace? At this moment, he really didn't dare to ask himself for this answer.