In the plan of understanding put forward by the United States, the Americans first expounded the new US considerations on US-Japan relations, and the US Government hopes that the Japanese and US governments will recognize each other as equal independent countries and as Pacific powers adjacent to each other. It is hoped that the two Governments will affirm that their national policies are the same in their desire to establish lasting peace and usher in a new era of trust and cooperation based on mutual respect.

Under such a premise, the US Government hopes that the two governments will express their views on the European War and the Sino-Japanese War, which are in full swing at this time, and according to the understanding proposed by the United States, "The Japanese Government affirms that the purpose of the Axis Alliance is defensive and is to prevent the expansion of the military balance to countries that have not yet participated in the European War." The Government of Japan declares that it has no intention of evading its obligations under the existing treaties and that its military obligations under the Axis Coalition will be fulfilled only in the event of an active attack by Germany, a signatory to the Axis Coalition, if it is attacked on its own initiative by a country that has not yet participated in the war in Europe. At the same time, the U.S. Government affirms that its attitude toward war in Europe is that it will never be swayed by an offensive alliance that assists one side attacking the other, now and in the future. The U.S. Government affirms that the United States is unswervingly opposed to war, and therefore its attitude toward war in Europe is that it will be decided only on the basis of the consideration of defending its own interests and security, both now and in the future. ”

In connection with the ongoing Sino-Japanese war, the President of the United States recognized the following conditions, which, if guaranteed by the Government of Japan, could be used to advise the Chiang regime to make peace. The first is that China must be an independent country, and Japan cannot destroy China. This is the premise. The United States does not want Japan to enter Chinese mainland, and is more worried that Japan, which lacks effective checks, will rapidly expand to the point of threatening American interests.

secondly, the Japanese army retreated from Chinese territory, did not annex Chinese territory, and did not compensate; The open-door policy will be restored, but the interpretation and scope of its application will be discussed by Japan and the United States at an appropriate time in the future.

The last was the merger of the Chiang regime with the Wang government, mainly with the Chiang regime as the main body, and the establishment of a pro-Japanese and pro-Anglo-American coalition government. At the same time, Japan has taken it upon itself to refrain from emigration to Chinese territory in large quantities or en masse. The United States and its allies recognized Manchukuo.

On naval and aviation forces and maritime relations in the Pacific. This is what Japan is most concerned about right now. This is stated in the Memorandum of Understanding: "Japan and the United States shall not deploy naval or air forces that threaten each other in order to maintain peace in the Pacific." The details will be discussed separately by Japan and the United States. After the Japan-US talks reach an agreement, the two countries should send their fleets to each other for courtesy visits. to congratulate the Pacific on the arrival of peace; After the China incident is resolved. The Government of Japan is in accordance with the wishes of the United States Government. It was agreed to quickly mobilize those who could be decommissioned from the country's ships currently in service, mainly in the Pacific, in accordance with the treaty signed with the United States. About the tonnage of ships of this class, etc. It will be decided separately at the Japan-US talks. ”

In addition, Japan is most concerned about trade and financial cooperation between the two countries and the economic activities of the two countries in the southwest Pacific; it is important to know that the United States has been playing the role of Japan's nurse in the war of aggression against China before, and if the United States can continue to play the role of its true colors, Japan believes that its imperial hegemony will be completely successful. The United States proposes that after this understanding is reached and agreed by the two governments, Japan and the United States should guarantee the supply of goods that each country needs and that the other side has. At the same time, the two governments should take appropriate measures to restore normal trade relations that existed during the period of the Japan-US Trade Treaty. If the two governments want to conclude a new treaty, they can study it through the Japan-US talks and conclude it as is customary.

In order to promote economic cooperation between the two countries, the United States should provide Japan with sufficient credit loans to develop East Asian industry and commerce, improve the economic situation in East Asia, and realize Japan-US economic cooperation. In view of Japan's pledge not to use force but to pursue its development in the South-West Pacific by peaceful means, Japan's activities wishing to produce and acquire oil, rubber, tin, nickel and other materials in the region should be assisted and supported by the United States.

In order to stabilize the increasingly tense situation in Southeast Asia, the United States suggested that the two governments immediately formulate a policy for stabilizing Pacific politics, and put forward three proposals: "First, the Japanese and American governments will not allow European countries to accept territorial cession or merge with existing countries in East Asia and the Southwest Pacific in the future. Second, the governments of Japan and the United States shall jointly guarantee the independence of the Philippines, and if it is attacked by a third country without provocation, the two countries should consider ways to provide assistance. Third, Japanese immigrants in the United States and the Southwest Pacific shall be treated in a friendly manner and treated equally with other nationals. ”

Later, the United States also proposed that the two countries hold talks between senior government officials in the hope of finally obtaining an understanding from the other side, and the US Government believes that the talks between the representatives of Japan and the United States should be held in Honolulu. The meeting shall be presided over by President Roosevelt, representing the United States, and Prime Minister Konoe, representing Japan, and shall be limited to five delegates on both sides, excluding experts, secretaries, etc. At the same time, observers from third countries are not allowed to attend the talks.

The Japanese still believe in the sincerity of the Americans, because after all, although this plan of understanding is a secret plan, that is to say, it is limited to the secrets of the high-level knowledge between the United States and Japan. In addition, Japan is even more clear about the origin of this US-Japan understanding proposal, and it is not at all what it seems, but it was first proposed by the Americans.

In fact, before that, Tadao Ikawa, a former official of the Ministry of Finance and a member of the board of directors of the Central Treasury of the Industrial Association at the time, had secretly had personal contacts with Droot, secretary general of Melino University, the highest Catholic university in the United States, and Bishop Walsch, who were visiting Japan, on the issue of adjusting diplomatic relations between Japan and the United States.

And this Ikawa Tadao is directly related to Prime Minister Konoe, although he is not authorized by the Japanese government, but to a certain extent, he can represent Konoe Fumima. After returning home, the two American missionaries contacted President Roosevelt, Secretary of State Hull, and Secretary of Posts Walker. The head of the military affairs bureau of the Ministry of the Army, Muto, and the chief of the Iwabe Military Section, explained their private work between Japan and the United States through Tadao Ikawa. Foreign Minister Matsuoka also had initial contact with the two American missionaries, but he was not very enthusiastic.

Two missionaries, Draut and Walsch, met with Roosevelt and others. Soon a telegram was sent to the Japanese side, and their work was promising, so the Japanese ambassador Nomura went back to the United States one after another.

Later, Tadao Ikawa, who was in contact with Prime Minister Konoe, and Osashi Iwabe, who assisted Ambassador Nomura in his work, and Draut and Walsch, who had extremely secret ties with the US leaders, discussed in secret a trial plan for adjusting Japan-US diplomatic relations. At that time, the U.S. authorities and the Japanese embassy authorities also participated in the work, and finally the Japan-U.S. understanding was drawn up.

It can be said that this plan of understanding is the result of the efforts of the United States and Japan, and since the Americans have the time to accompany them in formulating this plan, it can be said that the Americans are still very sincere in improving Japan-US relations.

After receiving this document, the Japanese top brass was overjoyed. Especially Fumima Konoe, who served as prime minister. As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Konoe had received from Tadao Ikawa's letter a few days ago a proposal that was largely the same as the Japan-US plan of understanding. But for the rest of the heads of the government and the base camp. The plan was sudden, and the situation developed beyond their expectations.

On the night of August 15, a joint meeting was held at the Imperial Palace of the Emperor of Japan under the chairmanship of Fumima Konoe. It was the Prime Minister who explained what had happened. The meeting ended with a free discussion. After that, he decided to wait for Foreign Minister Matsuoka to return to Japan for further research. Decide on attitude. However, the majority of people are inclined to accept the Japan-US understanding.

However, the Japanese did not know that the Americans had put forward three preconditions for Secretary of State Hull when they submitted the US-Japan understanding, Secretary of State Hull pointed out at the time. It is necessary to take the four principles that he has long emphasized as the premise of the negotiations. The four principles are: "1. Respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all States. 2. Uphold the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. 3. Uphold the principle of equality, including equal opportunities for trade. Fourth, we should not undermine the status quo in the Pacific region except by peaceful means. ”

I don't know why Ambassador Nomura did not report Secretary Hull's statement that the so-called four principles should be used as a precondition for negotiations. The Japanese side judged that even though the current Japan-US understanding proposal is only the basic plan for future informal talks between Japan and the United States, judging from the process of formulating it, it is actually the first proposal made by the US side. Therefore, the Japanese side believes that if all of them are accepted, the epoch-making adjustment of Japan-US diplomatic relations will be brought about like lightning, and this will be the starting point for a major change in the history of the world.

However, Matsuoka believes that although Japan does need to reconsider the deteriorating US-Japan relations, he is not in favor of adjusting Japan-US diplomatic relations by currying favor with the United States, believing that such a move will not only be difficult to achieve in the end, but will also have the opposite effect and will be dangerous.

He advocated that the Japanese Government should use the Triple Alliance to contain the United States, prevent the United States from participating in the war in Europe, and make it no longer interfere in the China incident. In early August, the Japanese government held a joint meeting to hold a joint meeting. Foreign Minister Matsuoka first spoke at the meeting, saying that he intended to propose to the United States a compromise draft of a Japan-US neutrality treaty.

Foreign Minister Matsuoka said, "From the point of view of the American tradition, it is estimated that such a proposal will not be accepted, but at present, the world is in an extraordinary state, so can you give it a try?" The Foreign Minister stressed the basic policy of taking the following three points as the conditions for negotiations: 1. Contribute to the handling of the incident in China; 2. It does not violate the treaties of Japan, Germany and Italy; 3. Do not undermine international trust".

Everyone else objected, but Foreign Minister Matsuoka did not retract his opinion. After that, the Japan-US understanding was deliberated, and the proposal for amendment was decided mainly by absorbing the foreign minister's proposal.

On the morning of 16 August, the army held a summit meeting of the General Staff Headquarters and the Army to decide on the policy to be accepted in principle.

The Japanese army and navy held that it is not impossible for the government to hold talks with the United States, but it must abide by five purposes: 1. It must not violate the spirit of the Japan-Germany-Italy Triple Alliance. 2. Contribute to the resolution of the China incident. 3. Do not undermine international trust.

It will contribute to the expansion of Japan's entire national strength. Fifth, it is conducive to the re-establishment of peace in the world.

The top brass of the Japanese army and navy unanimously believes that the current situation of the United States is not good; first of all, its armament is not ready to fight in the two oceans at the same time, and the main reason is that the number of US land forces is too small at present, although the United States has been constantly recruiting new recruits since the outbreak of the war in Europe. New units were formed, but according to intelligence sources, the actual strength of the US Army so far did not exceed 300,000.

In addition, it is difficult to say that the US defense industry has been fully expanded, and although there are a large number of arms companies in the United States, the production capacity of its standard weapons is not high. The most important thing is that public opinion in the United States is not consistent, the United States is a democratic country, and American democracy is more independent and thorough than that of Britain and France. If the U.S. government wants to do something, especially if it participates in an international war, it will be difficult to win popular support if there is a disagreement in domestic public opinion.

If the people in the United States do not support the war. Then even if the U.S. government wants to fight, it can't. According to the estimates of the Japanese side. If the United States were to enter the war, it would take more than half a year, or even longer, for the mobilization of public opinion at home alone.

On the other hand, Germany's anti-blockade against Britain was a success. It seems that the United States seems to urgently need to strengthen its assistance to Britain at this time. The situation is not in favor of the United States right now. This starts with the establishment of the Defense Production Administration in the United States on April 7; On May 11, the arms lease bill was passed: on May 25, it was announced that the Navy would patrol all lines; June 27th. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's declaration of an indefinite state of emergency and other actions showed some clues, and it is precisely because of this that the Japanese army and navy made such demands.

After the military's opinion was fed back to the Japanese government. The government immediately convened a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister to discuss the feasibility of the proposal proposed by the base camp. The overwhelming majority of Japanese officials believe that the real intention of the United States in proposing the understanding is to seek temporary stability in the Pacific Ocean in order to defeat Germany, and that if Japan accepts this proposal in principle, it can hardly be said that there is no contradiction with the spirit of the trilateral treaty between Japan and Germany.

After all, the reconciliation between the United States and Japan is to better clean up Germany, and as an ally of Germany, if Japan agrees to the conditions of the United States, this will undoubtedly be a betrayal of Germany and Italy.

Based on this understanding, the Japanese Government, after careful consideration, has decided to try to reverse the United States' intentions and make it possible to maintain the spirit of the Triple Alliance and readjust diplomatic relations along the lines of the Japan-US understanding. Even if it is somewhat detrimental to the Triple Alliance, I hope to take this opportunity to resolve in one fell swoop the unresolved China incident that has been pending for many years.

However, Ambassador Nomura did not report on the four principles mentioned by Secretary of State Hull at all, and because the issues to be resolved in the current peace talks are extremely complex, and the contradictions between Japan and Japan in the peace talks are very acute, it can be said that the Japanese Government and the head of the base camp are extremely concerned about the Japan-US understanding. However, in view of the fact that the policies of Japan and the United States are at odds with each other, there was no hope of a successful agreement from the day the negotiations between Japan and the United States began.

The prelude to the US-Japan peace talks has been played, but Chen Feng knows nothing about it, he himself has been crazy with busyness during this time, and the continuous meetings have made an iron man like Chen Feng feel quite tired.

On 20 August, Chen Feng rushed to Datong by special plane after a meeting of government departments, where he was going to preside over a group wedding for senior officers of the 40th Group Army. Originally, the entire wedding should have been held a long time ago, but according to Chen Feng's order, all officers and cadres at and above the division and brigade level in the entire theater must find the woman they like within three months, then get married, complete the major event of starting a family, and then be a colonel-level officer who meets the conditions.

But due to the continuous war, this matter was postponed again and again, and now it was easy for the war to end temporarily, so Chen Feng immediately put this matter on the agenda.

After detailed planning by the Eighth Theater Commander's Department, the entire theater held a group wedding ceremony with the group army as a unit, starting with the 40th Group Army, and then the 49th, 52nd, 59th, 61st, and the theater headquarters in turn.

Today, the whole city of Datong can be described as jubilant, the city is full of lights, the streets inside and outside are cleaned up and renewed, and at the same time, there are a lot more soldiers patrolling and guarding in the city, and the city is full of soldiers with loaded guns. The common people in the city all know that the soldiers of the 40th Group Army stationed here are going to have a happy event, but they didn't see that the military masters almost emptied the meat in the Datong City Market a few days ago, and I heard that this time there is more than one military master getting married, and it seems that there are dozens or hundreds of military masters marrying daughters-in-law together, and there are many discussions in Datong City for a while.

It was already past 11 o'clock at noon on 20 June when Chen Feng and his entourage arrived in Datong City, and they set off from Guisui at about 9 o'clock this morning, and the fighter planes took off directly from Guisui Airport and then landed at the airport in Datong City.

When I came to the barracks, there were a lot of people here, and there were more than 20,000 soldiers who came to watch the ceremony, plus a large number of onlookers, and the scene was very lively. Chen Feng's arrival quickly ignited the atmosphere of the scene, and after Li Wensheng and others welcomed Chen Feng into the auditorium, the whole wedding officially began.

According to the marriage list reported by the headquarters of the 40th Group Army to the Theater Commander's Department, a total of 39 officers at and above the division and brigade level and 224 officers at the colonel level attended the group wedding. The highest rank is Li Wensheng, commander-in-chief of the group army, and the lowest is the major officers at the battalion level, and Chen Feng is the main marriage of all of them. (To be continued......)

PS: There is something at home today, and the update is late, forgive me!