In June, it is already very hot in Tokyo, with temperatures often reaching more than 30 degrees Celsius. The wind blowing from the sea not only did not effectively cool down, but made the air feel wet and wet, which made people very uncomfortable.

Now in Tokyo, the streets are very depressed, and after the Chinese Navy began to implement an all-round blockade against Japan, Japan's economy has begun to regress rapidly. A large number of factories have closed down because they could not get raw materials and the products they produced could not be sold. At present, in the whole of Japan, except for the military manufacturing plant, which is still quietly running at full speed, the rest of the factories have almost stopped production.

Industrial losses are not the most severe. Although a large part of Japan's industrial facilities have been destroyed by the Chinese navy, this is not the most fatal blow to Japan. Japan is not a food-producing country in the first place. After the blockade, it was even more impossible to buy food from abroad. It is very difficult to even go out to sea to fish, and those arrogant medium-sized ships will not care about the life or death of those fishing boats, once they are discovered, they will be directly sunk, or even destroyed. Over the past two months, tens of thousands of fishermen have been killed or injured in Japan. As a result, Japan's fishing volume has dropped to one-third of its usual level. This is also the result of many fishermen taking advantage of the evening time to go out to fish. This directly led to the shortage of food supplies in Japan. With the Japanese government giving priority to the army, most civilians had no access to food at all and had to go to the field to find business. Wild animals and wild vegetables, as long as they can satisfy their hunger, have become the target of these Japanese people. But even so. There was still a famine in Japan. In some remote areas. Someone has already begun to appear starving.

Government of Japan. A repressive rule was imposed on what is now Japan. All cities have a curfew in place at night. The streets were filled with trained soldiers, and although this ensured the stability of Japan, it also caused more and more dissatisfaction in the hearts of Japanese civilians.

On the evening of June 16, in Shibuya, Tokyo, in a streetside tavern, two Japanese officers were drinking Japanese sake as light as water and dishes on the table. It's all the usual stuff too. It's just that at this time, it's still very precious. As can be seen from the epaulettes of the two, they are both high-ranking and powerful people in the Japanese army, a major general and a large sa. The name of the major general is Masashi Terauchi, baron, the brigade commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade. Osa is Yusaku Uehara, the third director of the General Staff Headquarters. At the time when the Army was now in control of Japan, both men were powerful figures.

"Those damn Americans. They had so many powerful battleships empty, and they were still defeated by the Shina people. It's just too incompetent. If the Imperial Navy had so many advanced warships, the final victory would have belonged to the Empire! After Yusaku Uehara drank a glass of sake, he cursed, he worked in the staff headquarters, so he could naturally know the latest battle report.

"Yes! The people of China were victorious again. In the entire Far East and Pacific region, there is no country that is their opponent, which is not a good thing for the empire! Wang Yuze, the emperor of China, has always hated the empire. The current predicament of the empire is all caused by the people of China. Masaki Terauchi also said.

"While the empire is in a difficult situation right now, we are not without hope. The allies of the Empire, the fleets of Britain, France, and Russia, were soon about to fight the Shina in a decisive battle. The British, French-Russian Far Eastern Fleet, with almost thirty battleships, would definitely be able to defeat the China. When the time comes, the predicament of the empire will be lifted. Your Excellency Temple, I have heard that some people are very restless now, trying to undermine the stability of the empire. These people, all traitors, should be shot! Yusaku Uehara scolded fiercely.

"Yes, these traitors should be shot!" Masaki Terauchi also echoed. However, there was a hint of unnaturalness in his eyes. Recently, as the situation has become worse and worse, the Japanese emperor has frequently summoned some moderate ministers in an attempt to overthrow the current Yamaguchi Aritomo cabinet and then make peace with China to end the war. It's just that this has already attracted the attention of the Army. Terauchi Masashi is a Japanese nobleman, and at the same time he has an elite infantry brigade, so he is naturally the target of those people.

Overall, the situation in Japan, while calm, is actually undercurrent. Both the Japanese establishment and the moderates are waiting for the outcome of the decisive battle between the combined fleets of Britain, France, and Russia and the home fleet of the Chinese Navy, so as to make corresponding decisions. This also represents two ideas in Japan, one is dominated by the Japanese Army, hoping to fight to the death with China in order to ensure Japan's status and interests. On the other hand, Japan's strategy of wanting to defeat China and rise to prominence is wrong, and that if Japan wants to rise, it must be dependent on China, hoping to withdraw from the war as soon as possible and make peace with China. However, at present, the great power of Japan is still in the hands of the Japanese Army, which has a hard-line attitude. Even Emperor Meiji could hardly influence the current political situation in Japan.

In addition, Russia and France, which were at war with China, were relieved of their confidence when they learned of the defeat of the U.S. Navy. In Siberia, the large-scale war between the Russian army and the squadron suddenly stopped. It was as if the two sides had entered a phase of confrontation. It can also be seen from this that Russia is also waiting for a decisive battle between the combined fleets of Britain, France and Russia and the home fleet of the Chinese Navy.

The French government has also quietly taken measures to respond. For example, the French ** team, which is now in the Indochina colony, was ordered to shrink the defensive line and stop fighting with the squadron. If the combined fleets of Britain, France and Russia cannot defeat the home fleet of the Chinese Navy, these French ** teams will probably surrender to the ** squadron immediately. For France, the Indochina colony was very important. But if they don't want to lose too much, they can only choose to break the wrist of the strong man. Moreover, their main interests are not in Asia. In Africa and the Americas, they still have many colonies, and even if they lose their colonies in Indochina, France will not be affected too much, and they will not be as passive as Britain. Therefore, the French government has already made a decision to make peace with China as soon as it is defeated. After all, the rise of Germany has put a lot of pressure on France. Compared with China, Germany is France's mortal enemy, and there is no need for France to fight to the death in the Far East and China.

The next political trend of the world's major powers has almost all been concentrated on the decisive battle between the joint fleet of Britain, France, and Russia and the home fleet of the Chinese Navy. Whether the West still rules the world or whether the West withdraws from the Far East depends on the outcome of this war.

On the morning of June 16, the combined fleet of Britain, France and Russia passed through the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and entered the Andaman Sea.

On the afternoon of June 17, the British, French, and Russian combined fleets entered the Strait of Malacca, preparing to cross the strait and enter the South China Sea. On the same day, the main force of the Chinese Navy's home fleet sailed out of the military port and into the South China Sea, preparing to meet the combined fleet of Britain, France and Russia. The submarine forces of the Chinese Navy in Subic Bay, also led by the mother ship, entered the South China Sea.

On the morning of June 19, the combined fleet of Britain, France and Russia crossed the Strait of Malacca and arrived in Singapore. During this period, they were not intercepted by the Chinese navy, which allowed the combined fleets of Britain, France and Russia to easily access the important waters of the Strait of Malacca. The combined fleets of Britain, France and Russia were very cautious and seemed to be ready for war.

"Your Excellency, this is Singapore, the seat of the former Governor's House of the Straits Settlements. It's just that now this is already the territory of the Chinese! Whether the George flag of the British Empire can be planted here again depends on our war! "On the bridge of the battleship 'Majesty', the flagship of the combined fleet of the British, French and Russian tripartite, the chief of staff of the combined fleet, Frederick? William? Sir Richards said.

"We're going to win! The British Empire will not be defeated, especially not by these yellow-skinned monkeys! "Algernon, commander of the Combined Fleet? McLennan? Sir Lyons said confidently. After the defeat of the US Navy, it also put a lot of pressure on them. The British Prime Minister, the Marquess of Salisbury, personally sent them a telegram asking them to win the victory, which made the whole fleet feel a great pressure.

"Your Excellency, you are about to enter the South China Sea. The Chinese must be waiting for us somewhere. It's just that I don't know if they have the guts to stand up to us! "Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet, Frederick? William? Sir Richards said.

"Not busy, send a couple of battleships into the Singapore Strait. Since this is no longer part of the British Empire, the cities that the British Empire has worked so hard to build cannot be given to the Chinese in this way. If the Chinese want, then give them a ruin! "Algernon, commander of the Combined Fleet? McLennan? Sir Lyons said.

"What? To destroy Singapore? Your Excellency, there are too many civilians in Singapore. We can't do anything to these civilians! "Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet, Frederick? William? Sir Richards objected.

"There are no civilians in Singapore, only our enemies! Besides, can those yellow-skinned monkeys be considered human? "Algernon, commander of the Combined Fleet? McLennan? Sir Lyons said disdainfully.

"No, Your Excellency, you can't do that!" Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet, Frederick? William? Sir Richards objected.

"I'm the captain, I'm in charge! Order, the battleships 'Pafleur', 'Nile', 'Trafalgar', 'Mars' and 'Caesar' enter the Singapore Strait and destroy Singapore! "Algernon, commander of the Combined Fleet? McLennan? Sir Lyons gave the order strongly! (To be continued.) )

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