That night, Japanese Ambassador Hayashi Gonsuke approached Zhu Erdian and clearly expressed the hope that Britain would come forward to mediate the Sino-Japanese war.

Japan has finally backed down. Zhu Erdian had already received authoritative information before the arrival of Hayashi Quansuke, and the cabinet of Shigenobu Okuma had collapsed due to the defeat of Shandong, and the political party Saionji Gongwang had once again ascended to the throne of prime minister.

It's a long story. Since the launch of the Chinese army's counterattack on October 12, the information that the dispatched troops have been engaged in a bitter battle has been continuously transmitted back to Japan, which of course caused a shock to the military department. The news was suppressed, and the General Staff Headquarters sent a supervision team headed by Major General Tanaka of the First Department (Operations Department) to Shandong in order to assess the situation of the battlefield and make real intelligence support for the base camp's decision-making.

Rear Admiral Tanaka and his entourage returned to Japan in an incomplete manner (losing Shibuya Kawanakasa, a highly regarded intelligence expert), and truthfully reported to the General Staff Headquarters and the Ministry of War the extremely disadvantageous situation of the dispatch army, and Major General Tanaka made it clear that if the base camp could not mobilize three divisions into the Shandong battlefield within 10 days, the defeat of the dispatch army would be irreparable.

How easy is it to mobilize three divisions? The military department did not dare to hide it any longer, and finally the minister of Guò reported to the emperor.

The news of the defeat of the Dispatch Army in China was like a bombshell exploding in the Imperial Palace, triggering a violent upheaval in Japanese politics.

According to Major General Tanaka's observations, it is not clear that three complete divisions will be lost in China this time. A great defeat unprecedented since the founding of the Meiji army came, and it is not surprising that the contradictions between the various Japanese factions suddenly erupted due to the defeat at the front.

Between the General Staff Headquarters of the Army and the Ministry of the Army, and between the Army and the Navy. There was a quarrel between the military department and the cabinet. The Cabinet categorically rejected the Ministry of War Ministry's proposal to mobilize another 3~4 divisions due to extreme financial difficulties, and at an emergency cabinet meeting, the Minister of Finance ridiculed the Minister of War, General Okaichi Nosuke, who advocated an increase in troops, saying, "That is to start an all-out war with China, and it is better to enter Manchuria from Korea than to attack Shandong across the sea." At least maritime transport is much safer. However," the Minister of Finance accentuated his tone here, "it will be difficult for the finances to support it again!" Foreign exchange reserves are less than 200 million yen. In order to avoid financial collapse. I request my resignation. ”

Foreign Minister Kato made it clear that he supports the finance minister, "Britain and France are both clearly opposed to our expansion of the war!" And the attitude of the United States has been pro-China and hateful to Japan since the Russo-Japanese War! Last year alone, the United States invested $19 million in China. The Anglo-Japanese alliance has existed in name only, and now it is not at all the form of the Russo-Japanese War. Frankly. In the case of the defeat in the Shandong War. There is no longer a single power on the side of Japan. Diplomacy is unprecedentedly bad, and we must adopt a national policy of keeping the light in the dark and trading time for economic and military recovery. ”

Prime Minister Shigenobu Okuma, who is over 70 years old and chairs cabinet meetings, has no military background. He has been following Okubo since he was young, and has always been engaged in foreign affairs and finance, and has never been in the military.

Shigenobu Okuma naturally rejected the resignation of the Minister of Finance, "At this time of crisis, how can you be rash and do your duty to repay the country?" Is there no way for the sending army to hold on? He set his sights on Admiral Hirokashi Ichinosuke.

Shigenobu Okuma was not an advocate of sending troops to China, but at that time, the army controlled by Yamayama had the upper hand, and the navy coveted Shandong's oil, so it led to the implementation of the Shandong Raid Plan. The army also invited such an important town as Terauchi Masayi, who knew that in less than a month, the battle would be like this! The three divisions were surrounded in different areas, and the last division, which had not yet fallen into the encirclement, was forced to the point of getting on the boat to escape. Not only that, but even the navy has suffered, although the losses of the navy are not large, and the capital ships are still safe and sound, but the opponent is China, not Britain, France, Russia, Germany and the United States, how can they make such a wolf? Still being condemned by Britain, France, and Russia for failing to fulfill the obligations of the Entente?

"Your Excellency! The secret increase in troops in China was more than three times that of the sending army, and there were planes to help in the war, and the sending army was not cowardly, but could not support it. Okaichi Nosuke hated Terauchi Masatsu in his heart, but it was about the face of the army, and he had to excuse Terauchi, "All the departments of the dispatch army are the essence of the army, and there is no room for loss." Please make a quick decision. If I can't accede to the Army's request, I ask to meet the Emperor alone! ”

Although Shigenobu Okuma has no experience in the army, he also knows the weight of the four divisions he sent in the army, and no one dares to make the decision to abandon the four divisions, that responsibility is too great!

Without waiting for Shigenobu Okuma to make a statement, Foreign Minister Kato spoke again, "Could it be that the army is fighting without knowing the enemy's strength?" Is this how the Army is responsible to the Emperor? Three times as much as our army? Even if we increase the number of divisions by three regiments, will the Chinese not continue to increase their troops? ”

This challenge is very tricky, and it can be regarded as hitting the key point of the army. At the beginning, some people raised the question of the strength and equipment of the Chinese army, but the army swore that the army that had defeated Russia was so brave that one Japanese soldier was enough to fight five Chinese soldiers! Why do you forget the original boast now?

"Don't dwell on the old things," Shigenobu Okuma had a hunch that his political career was over due to the defeat in Shandong, "the key is not to lose four divisions!" How many divisions can we mobilize now? ”

This is not only a question of soldiers, but also about money and weapons, and someone immediately answered the Prime Minister's question, "In terms of existing stocks, at most one more division will be mobilized!" ”

The military is the most complex group in human organization, and in addition to the human factor, weapons, clothing, equipment, horses, grain and grass must be considered, and the subsequent assistance must be considered. Especially fighting outside the borders. For eight or nine years, Japan has been living a life of austerity in finances since the Russo-Japanese War was burdened with heavy debts, with insufficient operation of military factories and shrinking capacity, and the stocks of four divisions and regiments were basically eaten up when they went out to fight.

The transition from peacetime to war takes time and requires careful organization. Not to mention that the country has no money, even if the country is financially rich, it is not easy to convert steel, explosives, and wood into weapons that soldiers can use.

"Then mobilize a division!" Shigenobu Okuma made a decision.

It was necessary to report to the Emperor, and there was no room for manoeuvre in continuing to reinforce the troops to avoid the total annihilation of the dispatched army.

Thereupon. The 11th Division was sent to reinforce Shandong...... But continuing to mobilize will not be possible.

The General Staff Headquarters conducted a war game deduction, believing that the reinforcements of the 11th Division could not save the sending army from the critical situation, and even the 3rd Division, which was encircled in Gaomi, let alone the 18th and 6th Divisions. The staff headquarters, which calmed down, was worried that China would make a move in South Manchuria, and calculated the comparison of troops, South Manchuria only had two divisions, the 5th and 12th, but the strength of the Chinese army was as high as four divisions! The only gain of the Russo-Japanese War was the acquisition of a port and a railway, and if the Lushun and South Manchurian railways were lost, Japan would really be beaten back to its original shape!

From having no one in sight to fearing the enemy like a tiger, the Japanese Army made a big turn in less than a month.

It seems to be to prove the judgment of the General Staff Headquarters. On the day of the landing of Japanese reinforcements. In less than two days, the 18th Division Headquarters and the 23rd Brigade were all shattered, and Lieutenant General Mitsutomi Kamio committed suicide and martyrdom. The Chinese army liberated a large number of troops at once. The 24th Brigade, which forced the main force of the rescue division, to turn around and flee. Throw away the armor and retreat all the way to the dragon's mouth. Barely stood on its feet with the support of the ships of the First Fleet with naval artillery fire. The 6th Division was abandoned.

On the day of the landing of the 11th Division, on which infinite hopes were pinned, it suffered a blow to the head, and a large number of Chinese planes violently bombed the beachhead landing site, leading the 43rd Wing, the vanguard of the 11th Division, which lacked air defense experience, to suffer heavy casualties. At least 300 wounded soldiers were sent back to the warship, and the morale of the 11th Division was beaten to freezing point before the enemy could be engaged. On the same day, the Chinese army launched a fierce attack on the Gaomi encirclement, and the 3rd Division's telegram for help flew to the headquarters of the dispatch army like snowflakes, and Terauchi Masashi was at a loss. To the east are the 1st and 6th divisions of the Chinese army, which are heavily armed, and before the arrival of the 11th Division, the 9th Division, which has suffered at least half of the loss of combat strength by Yan Zhan, is completely on the defensive, where can the 3rd Division be saved!

The follow-up troops are troubled by funds and equipment and are unsustainable, and the front is fighting like this, and the only thing left is to sue for peace! Although a group of middle-ranking officers from the General Staff Headquarters and the Ministry of the Army were still clamoring for expanding mobilization and speeding up military production, and even threatening to punish anyone who dared to surrender or sue for peace, the senior generals of the army all believed that the Shandong strategy was a complete failure. All that needs to be done now is to rescue the 6th and 3rd Divisions, and no matter what method is used, the tragedy of the 18th Division must not happen again.

At the beginning, it was not without opposition to sending troops to China, and Xiyuan Temple Gongwang was a heavyweight veteran who clearly opposed the use of fire and robbery. Now that the battle has been lost, it naturally gives the opposition an excellent weapon. Saionji Konozomi immediately met with the emperor and strongly demanded the removal of Shigenobu Okuma, the reorganization of the cabinet, and the categorical withdrawal of troops from China.

In fact, Shigenobu Okuma is a person on the line of Saionji, and Saionji proposed to remove Okuma in order to give the other main battle of Oyamatoyama Prefecture a good look.

Behind Saionji stood the increasingly powerful group of political parties, who were the biggest rivals of the feudal lord MasaŬ headed by Aritomo Yama. Saionji Konobo was not a pro-China person, and the reason why he opposed war with China was entirely for the sake of Japan. It can only be said that the Xiyuan Temple faction has a more sober and practical understanding of the Japanese political and economic situation than the Yamayama faction.

The so-called patriarch in modern Japanese politics is a rather unique concept of politics. It is specially designed to receive the edicts of Emperor Meiji and Taisho Emperors, enjoy the "Father's Privilege" treatment, and have the responsibility of "Kusuke Daimasa", namely Kuroda Kiyotaka, Ito Hirobumi, Yamaguchi Aritomo, Matsukata Matsukata, Inoue Shin, Saigo Norimichi, Oyama Iwa, Katsura Taro, and Saionji Konozo.

According to the Meiji Constitution promulgated in 1889, the Senate and the Privy Council, the Cabinet of the Interior, the Ministry of War, and the Cabinet were all auxiliary organs of the Emperor, but the Constitution did not stipulate the powers and duties of the Senators. In this way, the patriarch becomes a supra-constitutional existence without legal basis.

Although the legal status of the senator was weak, his role in influencing the will of the emperor was far greater than that of the Privy Council, the Ministry of War, and even the Minister of the Interior. Especially after the middle of the Meiji era, the senators have been the most important political force in Japanese politics. From 1885 to 1901, nine of the 10 cabinets were formed by the senators. During this period, the core of the patriarchal government was Hirobumi Ito and Aritomo Yamaguchi, so it is also called the "Izan" period. After 1901, although the functions of the senators were divided between the Privy Council and the Ministry of War, because they held the privilege of recommending the prime minister, they were still the center of the emperor's political decision-making, and controlled the political situation behind the scenes. The second-generation patriarchs, Katsura Taro, and Saionji Konobu were supported by Aritomo Yamaguchi, who was a representative of the feudal forces, and Ito Hirobumi, who was a representative of the political parties. took turns to form a cabinet, so it was called the "Longan Era".

Emperor Taisho had some problems in his brain, and he couldn't really control the situation like his father. Relying on the patriarchs, the defeat of Shandong was a huge blow to Taisho, the brain-dead emperor, and he immediately asked the Xiyuan Temple Gongwang, "How can I withdraw the army from China?" ”

Of course, it was negotiated and settled. After a heated debate in the Imperial Council, the Lordship and faction prevailed, and the Emperor deposed Shigenobu Okuma and appointed Saionji Konobo to form a cabinet to clean up the mess. The faction in Shanxian County temporarily lost the right to speak due to the defeat in Shandong, and could not prevent the Xiyuan Temple, which was a political party, from coming forward to form a cabinet.

The first thing Xiyuan Temple did when he came to power was to order the 11th Division, which had already landed, to hold its position and not to attack on its own initiative, and at the same time to seek a peaceful solution to the Shandong problem through diplomatic channels. Their most reliable allies were, of course, the British.

The military department put forward the bottom line of the peace talks, that is, the Chinese side opened the encirclement and allowed the 6th Division to withdraw from Longkou and the 3rd Division from Jiaozhou Bay. At this time, the military department, including the civilian officials, did not dare to make greater concessions.

Since the First Sino-Japanese War, Japan's triumphant form shì was reversed by the defeat of Shandong. (To be continued......)