"The Independence (German) people reacted extremely violently to the actions of the Reich in Manchuria. Not only did they categorically refuse to recognize the imperial occupation of Manchuria, but they also adopted multiple sanctions in the economic and military fields: all kinds of minerals and raw materials related to the war were currently listed as prohibited items by them and stopped being exported to the empire; Military exchanges between the two sides have also been cut off, and the Independence has withdrawn all their technicians from the Empire. If it was just a material embargo, as long as we captured Manchuria or even the whole of China, we would be able to plunder enough replacements, but the key point was that the other side also suspended the technical support of the imperial army! Whether it's a high-powered aero engine or a well-designed heavy tank, we're at least a decade behind each other; Now that the other side has stopped transferring technology to us, this is undoubtedly a catastrophic blow to the imperial army. Japanese War Minister Motoyama said at the meeting with apprehension.

"Shishan-kun, you don't have to be too ambitious to destroy your own prestige. The Imperial Army's victory in past wars was not due to advanced equipment, but to the determination of millions of soldiers loyal to the Emperor to give their lives for victory at any time. If we only talk about the strength of our weapons, we would have been defeated by Lu in Manchuria a long time ago, where would we still be in today's situation? Army General Hideki Tojo pushed the lens on the bridge of his nose and said with some annoyance. Since returning from a trip to Germany, the whole person in front of him seems to have changed his soul, from a fighter who enthusiastically supports westward expansion to a straw bag who looks forward and fears the enemy like a tiger. Now he even doubts whether he has been bought by the Germans and has become a mouthpiece lackey of the Berlin government; If it weren't for that, how could he have repeatedly shown such a cowardly attitude. Completely out of step with the spirit of the army?

Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka Yoshi nodded and said, "What Tojo-kun said is good. The Great Japanese Empire has risen. There is no need to look at the face of Europe in everything; At present, the offensive of the Kwantung Army in Manchuria is in full swing. Sanctions imposed by a single country should not be a reason for us to abandon this great form. Taking a step back, even if we fail to acquire the technology of the independent country because of this, the imperial army has absolute quality suppression relative to the Chinese army, and our victory will not be lost in our hands. In less than half a year, China will be conquered by us, and when the situation is irreversible, the independent country will only choose to accept this established fact in the end. ”

Seeing that the shape was no longer beyond his control, he could only choose to remain silent in the midst of many concerns. However, even so. The Japanese base camp was also increasingly dissatisfied with his appearance: a weak-willed land minister was no longer suitable to lead the Japanese army during the war, and this position required a man who was good at action and resolute. At a headquarters meeting at the end of March, he was forced to resign as Minister of War under pressure from everyone; Hideki Tojo, who had served as chief of the General Staff of the Kwantung Army, ascended to the top and took charge of the supreme military power of the Japanese Army. And Tojo, who was born in the Kwantung Army, undoubtedly has a very different attitude towards the war provoked by his own family than his predecessor; At the beginning of his tenure, he made a frenzied speech that fascinated the officers and soldiers, calling on the Japanese soldiers to fight bravely in the great year of the year 2600 and thus win the most glorious victory in history.

The spring breeze is green, the flowers are weaving, and the Berlin Imperial Palace has ushered in a lush and beautiful season. In that solemn study, which represented the supreme power of the empire. Qing Ying also kept abreast of everything that was happening in the Far East through the reports sent back by the guò intelligence services. The offensive of the Japanese Kwantung Army seemed unstoppable. Nearly 500 kilometers had been advanced in just ten months, and the progress had far exceeded the results they had achieved on the last two occasions on the land. This situation has long been expected by the German military: after all, today's Japan has changed dramatically from the ant-like existence of the early 20th century, and its national strength is nearly ten times that of that year; However, it faced an opponent who had been held back by years of armed division and warlord warfare, and had spent what little vitality it had on infighting. Under the elimination of the other's strengths, the superior has already been decided.

"Your Majesty, the Japanese offensive in Manchuria is fierce, and it is definitely not good news for us. If the Nanking government soon succumbed to successive defeats, Germany would have lost the objective conditions for interfering in the affairs of the Far East for a great extent; The Japanese could most easily apply the Monroe Doctrine of the United States to Asia, and together with the established facts they have gained, to counter our sanctions. At that point, we will have no choice but to change our current position in a disgraceful manner and choose to re-establish cooperation with the victorious Japan. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Newwright said in a deep voice.

Qingying smiled and said confidently: "Regarding the attitude of the Nanjing government, you don't have to worry about it at all. The fact that Germany had clearly demonstrated its opposition to Japan's westward advance gave them hope to continue fighting; Mr. Chairman was not a man who would give in so easily, and Japan's ambition to end the war on the mainland in a short time was destined to become nothing more than an illusion. As long as this war can drag on until the middle of next year, I will be able to completely stop the Japanese warplanes by draining the fuel. Therefore, Mr. Newwright, all you need to do is put pressure on Japan and show sympathy and support to the Nanking government, and Dr. Schacht and General Manstein will take care of the rest of the business. ”

"Your will will be fulfilled." Nuwright Kong claims to be and no longer has any excessive opinions. In the face of the monarch in front of him, he has been accustomed to the days of relying on his snort in his ten years as a minister--this is not because he is afraid of the imperial power, but because the other party is more accurate in controlling the situation than himself; The Emperor always seems to have a sixth sense like a saint prophet, and has almost always led the empire to the heights of victory so far. Although his decision-making power was inevitably weakened as a result, Newright undoubtedly hoped that the situation would last forever; As long as Germany can continue to move from victory to victory; What does it matter if you can only do things according to the rules?

As time passed, the war in the Far East continued to develop as Qing Ying had predicted. At the beginning of June, a large Japanese fleet carrying 15 divisions launched a landing in Pudong, and the front of the troops was directed towards the imperial capital more than 100 kilometers away; The goal of the Japanese base camp was clear: they wanted to destroy the enemy's heart by smashing the Yellow Dragon with a single move, so as to force the other side to bend the knee and sue for peace in the face of a catastrophic situation.

Although the Nanjing Command was well aware that the beachhead defense was irreplaceable in annihilating the enemy, the overwhelming naval artillery fire of the opposing navy would make any soldier unable to gain a foothold under this devastating blow. In order to preserve their strength, they could only withdraw the main forces to the depth of the defense; However, this gave the Japanese time and space to calmly assemble on the beachhead, thus making the balance of power concentrated on the battlefield even more unfavorable to them. As the continual exchange of transport ships flowed onto the beach, Japanese personnel, mules, horses, vehicles, and baggage poured onto the beach like a tidal wave, and their strength swelled dramatically, and soon became extremely difficult for the Nanking Command. Even though retreating to the depths is only a thirst to delay the time of death, Nanjing is helpless; Who has made himself completely devoid of sea and air forces that can compete with each other, and this is also the sad scene of every agricultural country in the face of an industrial country!

In the midst of the collapse of the front line, the Central European Empire, thousands of miles away, became the only hope for the Nanking government. They feel hopeful that the Berlin government is providing comprehensive assistance to them through a variety of means; The first shipments had arrived in Cam Ranh Bay in German Indochina by guò and then by land into the territory of the Gui family. Although this still could not change the overall disparity in strength between the two sides, it greatly strengthened the Nanjing government's determination to continue fighting: one day, it would no longer fight alone, and the day when the German-led Central European bloc stood on its side would be the beginning of Japan's defeat.

In the blink of an eye, the thick smoke of artillery fire has been enveloping the land of East Asia for nearly half a year. The Japanese army, which had absolute superiority in technology and equipment, was wreaking havoc everywhere, and every day a large number of good news of the enemy's annihilation came from the front line: the Kwantung Army had captured the whole of Manchuria and rushed into the North China Plain like a raging wave, and the Battle of Songhu in the south had also won a decisive victory after an unprecedentedly fierce sustained struggle, and the enemy's capital Nanjing was already far away. However, the Japanese base camp is gradually feeling anxious. The other side, which had already moved the government to an inland mountain town, refused to surrender; They ignored their various hints and insisted on continuing the current battle. The initial strategic goal of defeating the enemy within half a year set by the base camp has now come to naught; At the same time, however, it has brought about an increasingly severe situation that Japan is facing.

The advance of the Japanese Army began to slow down. This was not because the resistance of the other side had increased significantly, but because the excessively large occupied area had contained a large number of living forces of the Japanese army; If the Japanese were to continue to make considerable progress, they would have to increase their forces in the East Asian theater of operations, and their mobilization and war costs would far exceed initial expectations. And that's all, with Japan's national strength, it is enough to win the war against China; The point is, however, that Germany's sanctions against Japan have been further intensified as the war continues, and have now reached an unbearable level of severity. With oil also included in the embargo, the relationship between the two countries is at an unprecedented low point; War clouds loom over the South China Sea, and a storm is imminent. (To be continued......)

PS: Today, I ordered Niang Yan zhòng to have a convulsion, and it lasted an hour and finally came up