November 26, 1941. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info Xinjing.

Yamashita returned to Shinkyo and went directly to see Commander Umezu.

Umezu saw him and said, "It's hard work." You have a new appointment, have you heard? ”

Although Commander Umezu attacked the Soviet Far East, changed the pattern of the Far Eastern theater of operations, and greatly influenced the European theater, he achieved brilliant results and reached the highest point of his life. Even so, there was no trace of joy on his face. Only he knows the joys and sorrows of war.

Yamashita said: "I heard some rumors, but the details are not clear. "Yamashita has been killing happily lately, and he has received an order to study the battle plan in the Pacific, so he is also full of worries.

Umezu said: "It's going to Nanyang." Right now, the Southward Plan needs you very much. In addition, after you, we Kwantung Army troops will also be transferred. ”

Yamashita said: "I understand that the troops in Vladivostok must be mobilized. ”

Umezu said: "Yes. The troop carrier has left Japan and is bound for Vladivostok. Vladivostok was transferred except for a few garrisons. ”

Yamashita said: "Cooperate with the actions of the navy to start a war in the vast Pacific Ocean, think about it, although it is not in line with our ideas, we must cooperate to complete this plan." Although Yamashita Fengfumi was a member of the Northeast Army, he obeyed the dispatch and went to participate in the Pacific War, which shows his attitude.

Umezu said: "I am not very optimistic about this huge plan, and it is certainly not as great as the results of our war against the Soviet Union on land." ”

Yamashita said: "So we need our army to take action on land." ”

Umezu said: "Actually, their actions should be half a year late, and if there is half a year, we can completely manage the situation in Northeast Germany and Far East Germany." ”

Yamashita said: "Now, in the battle for the Far East, the Kwantung Army has lost more than 300,000 troops, and at present, there are 400,000 people in the Far East, and a large part of them have to deal with the Soviet Army in the west. ”

"Because of our great victory, the base camp has replenished us with a large number of recruits, and at present, the recruits are already partially on the way. The attack on the Pacific required experienced units of the Kwantung Army. There will be no major battles in the Far East and Manchuria. This is their judgment. ”

Yamashita said: "I always had a feeling of insecurity, that Manchuria was dangerous. ”

Umezu said: "Do you mean the Northeast Democratic Alliance?" ”

Yamashita said: "Yes, the Northeast Eighth Route Army." They seemed to have kept their promise to operate only in the western Mongolian region, and the eastern part was in a state of disappearance, and famous generals such as Yang Jingyu and Zhao Shangzhi also often appeared in the Mongolian region, and their commanders often appeared in Chongqing and Yan'an. In my judgment, their strategic purpose is not necessarily Mongolian. ”

Umejin said: "But in the previous stage, they occupied Outer Mongolia. The elimination of 10,000 of us in a period of time means that they have gone at least 100,000 people. From this point of view, their main forces are in Outer Mongolia and Inner Mongolia. does not pose a threat to us. When we have stabilized the Far East and our forces are ready, I am ready to launch a major crusade in the spring and autumn of next year to completely wipe out the democratic coalition forces in northern and eastern Manchuria. ”

The two knew that after the war of the anti-Japanese coalition forces in the previous stage, at present, the hinterland of the northeast is becoming more and more northernized, and except for Xinjing, Mukden, Harbin, and Luda, which also manage some rural areas, other cities have no rural areas. Out of the city is the territory of the anti-Japanese coalition army. The territory occupied by the Imperial Army was like a net, the network lines were roads and railways, the nodes of the network were towns and mines, and the rest of the area was lost. If this continues, next year's military rations will have to be mobilized from Central China.

Yamashita said: "It's a pity that this plan was disrupted by Guan Teyan, otherwise it would have been realized now." Now that the situation has changed, I hope that this plan will be successfully implemented. ”

Umezu said: "However, your considerations are far-reaching. I will reconsider the arrangement of the Kwantung Army in accordance with your ideas. However, the Kwantung Army was insufficient, and this was indeed the biggest problem. ”

It turned out that the Kwantung Army believed that the anti-Japanese coalition forces in Manchuria were dependent on the Soviet Union. The Soviet regime in the Far East collapsed, and they collapsed without a fight. Unexpectedly, however, the anti-Japanese coalition forces in Manchuria occupied more rural areas in a month or two. The original estimate was completely wrong. Neither of them wanted to admit it, but there was nothing they could do. You can't bring back troops from the Soviet Far East. The only hope was for the Kwantung Army to increase its troops.

Yamashita said: "My second concern is the Baikal line. I fear that next year the Soviet troops will counterattack and recapture the lands of the Far East. You know, we are inferior to the Soviet army in terms of equipment. This must be acknowledged. We can not worry about the Northeast Democratic Alliance, but we must be careful of the Soviet army. ”

Umezu said: "The movements of the Soviet army are related to the offensive of the German army. You know, recently Semenov has been propped up by the Germans and organized a provisional government. This would be a great blow to the will of the Soviet Union to resist and buy us time on the Western Front. ”

Yamashita said, "I hope so." It is hoped that Hitler will not make any more mistakes and defeat the USSR as soon as possible. In this way, we will have access to the vast expanse of land east of the Ural Mountains. The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere is complete. ”

Umezu said: "Both of your considerations are important. What are your considerations about Nanyang? ”

Yamashita said: "The first thing is to defeat the British army in Singapore. In this way, we take control of the choke point of the Pacific Ocean. Thereafter, in the rapid occupation of the Malays. The Malay natives are different from the Chinese people, and their history is to choose different suzerains. The Japanese army, our Great Japan is coming, it is their new suzerain, and it is also their eternal suzerain. ”

Umejin said: "In the Pacific theater, the indigenous people are not the problem, the British are not the problem, the problem is the United States. Can those stupid guys in the Navy wipe out the Pacific Fleet? ”

Yamashita said: "In other words, I must have the Navy not prepared to destroy the entire US Pacific Fleet." However, I am confident in the combat capability of the Army. ”

Umezu said: "Yes, I am also confident. A new era of our Great Japanese Empire began, and it was another glorious era. Good luck. There is one more thing, that is, the elevation of the Kwantung Army to the general army, and I plan you to be the commander of a front army. Now that you've carved out a situation in the Pacific theater, come back and take on greater responsibility. ”

Yamashita said: "Yamashita must live up to its mission!" ”

Two people have the same mind.

They were all core confidants of the emperor, both were military attachés in embassies abroad, and both were founders of the Showa warlords, and they all firmly supported the emperor's southward expansion policy. Their support comes at no cost, because their political interests outweigh everything else.

They all knew the hidden worries of victory in Manchuria and the Far East, but they had no choice, knowing that there were thorns and cliffs in the future, and they would go down.

Yamashita is alone, and he will make a great record in the Pacific Campaign. Because he is a member of a secret organization that collects wealth for the royal family, he will have many wonderful stories. His troops will sail to the South Seas to occupy the colonies and expand the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. The difficult question of troop mobilization will be left to Umezu.

Attacking the Soviet Union and flanking the Soviet Union must not affect the implementation of the southward expansion policy. This was the consensus reached by the Kwantung military first and the base camp. This is why the Kwantung Army also transferred troops to the Pacific theater at such a critical moment.