[Anti-Japanese Iron Blood King] Chapter 850: Gambler (Ask for subscription!) , ask for a monthly pass, ask for everything! ）

On July 14, 1940, the Japanese invaded northern French Indochina and at the same time sent troops to advance to Thailand. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

The French army, like their compatriots in Europe, was an insult to the French Army's reputation for its consistent bravery and skillful fighting. Even more insulting to Napoleon's prestige, after only a simple resistance, he was forced by the Japanese to sign an alliance under the city. The French colonial authorities recognized not only the right to station Japanese troops in northern French Indochina, but also the right of Japanese control over the Haiphong airfield and the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway.

The Thai army was even more unbearable, and after only symbolic resistance, they agreed to sign an alliance treaty with Japan, which also included a secret clause stipulating that Japan would help Thailand recover the territory lost to the British, and that Thailand would provide all obligations under this treaty for the right of Japanese transit and important supplies in the war between Japan and China and the West. The Treaty of Alliance replaced the previous Thai-Japanese Agreement, and the Japanese army gained more privileges in Thailand.

Since the Japanese army withdrew after only a slight attempt to deter France and Thailand, the French colonial authorities recognized some of Japan's privileges in French Indochina, but their attitude was not very respectful, and there was a great posture of non-violence and non-cooperation.

In addition, the attitude of the French colonial authorities changed radically after the sudden change in the attitude of the United States, especially after the visit of the US special envoy to China, the announcement of a series of actions by China and the United States on the US aid plan for China, and so on.

In the eyes of the French, the United States was a prelude to going to war. Although the United States entered the war against Germany, the relationship between Japan and Germany is now known to the world, and the two brothers and Italy wore a pair of trousers, and Emperor Hirohito, Hitler and Mussolini were like brothers. Once the United States declares war on Germany, Japan will certainly not stay out of it.

Moreover, France was now fighting Germany, although the resistance in France itself was largely over. But far from Germany and within the reach of the German army, the French colonial authorities did not mind being a fighter for France.

The American team's declaration of war was to help both the British and the French, and the French colonial authorities had realized that their bad relations with the Japanese were inevitable, so after obtaining the consent of the United States, the French began to cause trouble for the Japanese.

Less than one month after the signing of the economic agreement between the Japanese Foreign Minister and General Amway of French Indochina, and less than 10 days after the French colonial authorities recognized Japan's right to garrison troops and controlled the Haiphong airport and the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway, they proposed to halve the 100,000 tons of rice exported to Japan in October to 50,000 tons.

At this time, the situation in Japan was extremely bad, and Japan's grain was already very insufficient, and about 9 million koku of rice had to be imported from French Indochina and Thailand.

Japan was very helpless about this, and after deliberations, the Japanese government decided to agree to the proposal of the French colonial authorities. To the dismay of the Japanese, however, Japan had just agreed to the proposal of the French colonial authorities, who offered to reduce the contract volume by half for August and September.

The Japanese Government has realized that this uncooperative attitude of the French colonial authorities may be due to the instigation of the American, British, and French Gaullists and the local diaspora. It can be expected that from now on, it will become more and more difficult for Japan to obtain rubber and other strategic materials such as tin and manganese from these countries and regions.

As expected, the United Kingdom made a decision on July 19 to ban rubber exports from Malaysia to Japan and the yen group.

In view of the series of measures taken by the United States, Britain, and France in Southeast Asia, especially the failure of the Japan-Netherlands and Japan-US negotiations after three months, and the fact that various countries have strengthened their war preparedness against Japan, they have deeply felt that China, the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands have increasingly increased political, economic, and military pressure on Japan.

Therefore, the Army and Navy Department of the headquarters camp was determined to take some actions to make the United States, Britain, and other countries face up to the Japanese Empire, and even if the Supreme Council of the Empire postponed the decision to take a comprehensive policy toward the south, it would first promote the long-pending military cooperation between Japan and French Indochina, and send some troops to the southern part of French Indochina.

In other words, the Japanese military department has decided to adopt a limited military confrontation with the United States, Britain, France, and other countries before the highest level has made a decision on a full-scale invasion of Southeast Asia, and has decided to launch a military offensive against the southern part of French Indochina.

However, Japan is a strange country, although the military power of Japan is now controlled by the military headquarters headed by the Showa warlords, but in foreign relations they have to pay attention to the opinions of the foreign minister, although the leaders of the navy and army have decided to launch a military attack on the southern part of French Indochina, but the bigwigs of the navy and army are worried that the foreign minister Matsuoka will oppose it.

Because they knew very well what Foreign Minister Matsuoka was thinking, the old fellow had always advocated that as long as there was no determination to fight against the United States and Britain, they could not begin to launch an attack on the southern part of French Indochina.

Attacking northern French Indochina was nothing, given its proximity to China's Guangxi and Guizhou, and the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway, which was well reasoned to march into the Japanese Empire.

This was not the case in southern French Indochina, which was close to the Malay Peninsula and was an inherent traditional British sphere of influence. Moreover, it is not far from the Philippines, a colony of the United States, and if it is attacked, it will inevitably panic the British and American governments, and Foreign Minister Matsuoka has repeatedly expounded his views on different occasions.

On July 20, when the two military chiefs of the army and navy met with the foreign minister on the issue of the military agreement, the foreign minister made it clear that as long as there was no intention of capturing Singapore, he would stick to it. Therefore, the base camp has expressed its attitude that if it is hindered by the United States and Britain in the implementation of the above-mentioned measures, it will "not hesitate to fight against the United States and Britain."

However, as a practical problem, although the Japanese army and navy at that time thought about starting a war with the Western countries in Southeast Asia, Japan was not prepared for a full-scale war at all. They believed that the march to the southern part of French Indochina was only a warning to the United States, Britain and France, and did not want to provoke a full-scale war between Japan and the above-mentioned countries.

Of course, neither the army nor the navy nor the prime minister Konoe believed that Japan's presence in southern French Indochina would be the starting point for an immediate resort to force against the United States and Britain.

Foreign Minister Matsuoka, however, warned the Japanese government at the subsequent Imperial Council: "The Empire's actions are likely to lead to the danger of conflict with Great Britain, and furthermore, the Empire has not yet conducted an in-depth study of whether the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands will set off a total embargo against Japan because of their presence in the southern part of French Indochina." This was a grave mistake, so the advance into southern French Indochina could well have turned out to be a step that would affect the fate of the empire. ”

But no one heeded Matsuoka's warnings, and the Japanese government at this time had apparently lost its mind, and they did not realize that a march into southern French Indochina would be a crucial step in determining Japan's fate.

If this step is taken, then Japan will completely become hostile to the United States and Britain, and if it is withdrawn, there will still be talks between the United States and Japan. Apparently the Japanese upper echelons did not realize this, at the instigation of fanatical militarists. The Japanese government still decided to take a risk, typical of the gambler's mentality.

On 22 July, the Army and Navy Headquarters of the Japanese base camp drew up a "Plan for Promoting Policies in the South" and decided to submit it to the Joint Advisory Meeting.

There are three articles in the "Plan for the Promotion of Policies in the South": the first is to promote the policy towards French Indochina, especially in connection with the question of the recall of representatives to the Dutch East Indies, and to quickly establish military cooperation with French Indochina between Japan and French Indochina for the purpose of defending stability in East Asia, including the stationing of the necessary troops to the south of French Indochina in addition to the established contents.

Article 2: Necessary diplomatic negotiations shall be conducted in order to achieve the above objectives, and preparations for the entry shall begin expeditiously. Preparations for the entry have been completed and French Indochina has not yet accepted our request, the movement should begin. At that time, if French Indochina resists, we will immediately use force.

Article 3: In the course of implementing this policy, if it is hindered by the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands and is unable to open up the situation, and Japan reaches the point where it can no longer bear it for the sake of self-survival and self-defense, it will not hesitate to make a desperate war against the United States and Britain.

On the same day, after a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Konoe and Itagaki and others presented their decision in writing to Emperor Hirohito of Japan. (To be continued.) )