Tens of thousands of demonstrators crowded the Y-shaped street in front of the old Army Military Academy site, holding banners and slogans, shouting slogans such as "Heaven punishes the traitors of the country" and "Give me Manchuria". From time to time there were angry voices.
The people ignored the obstruction of the military police on duty and threw stones at the building in the distance.
The news that Ishihara Kanji was dismissed because he refused to carry out Emperor Hirohito's order to counterattack the East Asian continent was revealed by someone unknown, which stimulated the fragile and sensitive nerves of the Japanese.
People who have lost their minds think that Ishihara has blasphemed the God in their hearts and is an unforgivable sin! You know, although Ishihara Wanji once led Japan to victory after victory, with the complete defeat of the Imperial Army in the Asian continent,
The halo on Ishihara's head has gradually faded away... The culprit who led the army to failure dared to openly violate the emperor's will, which is really intolerable.
Ishihara Wanji stood in front of the open window of his office, listening to the thunderous angry shouts outside, his face turned ashen.
Major General Shintaro Imada, the chief of operations who was stripped of his post along with Kanji Ishihara, looked worried: "Your Excellency, the staff headquarters is now surrounded by people, and we have no way to get out..."
"Totally unreasonable!"
Ishihara Wanji closed the window with a bang, isolating the office from the noise and noise outside, and returned to the sofa to sit down:
"These people don't know how to advance or retreat. They simply don't understand that I am actually saving their lives and the lives of their families... Tojo's approach is an uncontrolled consumption of the empire's national power. From now on, the islands will never have peace."
Got it!"
Colonel Yamaguchi Sadao, the suspended head of the strategy and tactics section of the headquarters, asked with some confusion: "Your Excellency, the Chinese do not have a capable navy, so the empire is not afraid of their revenge at all, right?"
"Confused!"
Ishihara pointed to the top of his head: "Yamaguchi-kun, have you forgotten the superiority of the air force in the South China Army? Just watch, they will not give up!"
Yamaguchi Sadao suddenly realized it, with a look of shame on his face. Major General Wakamatsu Yuichi, the General Affairs Director of the General Staff Headquarters who was also suspended, looked worried: "Yes, in order to prevent earthquakes, most of the buildings on the archipelago are wooden structures. Once attacked by the South China Air Force,
The incendiary bomb attack had disastrous consequences!”
"This possibility is not small!" Ishihara smiled sneer: "When the city of Tokyo burns into a sea of flames, those people who are shouting outside will know that their current impulse is just to push themselves and their families to the grave. It is really stupid.
"
Major General Kato Kabutei, the former Third Chief of the General Staff Headquarters, looked at his watch and said anxiously:
"Your Excellency, Tojo-kun is about to take office at the General Staff Headquarters, but there has been no news from Itagaki-kun. I don't know what your Majesty will think of your petition. Should he be lenient and re-appoint you as the commander-in-chief, or is there something wrong?
Further penalties... Sir, what do we do now?
Ishihara closed his eyes and meditated for a moment. When he opened his eyes, his sharp eyes were on the expectant faces of Imada Shintaro, Kawabe Torajiro, Wakamatsu Yuichi, Kato Kabutei, Okamoto Kiyofuku, Nishenli, Miyama Kaizou, and Sanada Tsutomu.
Ichiro, Yoshitake Yasumasa
, Yamaguchi Sadao, Kinoshita Tamon and other generals of the General Staff Headquarters, as well as Major General Shibayama Kaneshiro, Director of Arms of the Army Ministry, who was dismissed for resisting Tojo Hideki's strategy at the Australian Imperial Palace Meeting, and Lieutenant Colonel Seiichi Nakajima, Chief of Personnel Section.
pass by:
"Gentlemen, Your Majesty's decree has been made. My position as chief of staff will definitely be irreversible. Please stop holding on to unrealistic hopes... The purpose of my appeal is to avoid exposing the emperor to blind actions.
The huge disaster caused by the troops and the people, as for my personal future, I don’t care... I want to ask now, if I just go to the South American continent to live in seclusion as a civilian, are you willing to continue to follow me?
Me?"
Major General Kiyofuku Okamoto, the former Fourth Chief of the General Staff Headquarters, said hesitantly: "Your Excellency, our family members are all in the archipelago, and we cannot let go of our family ties with them..."
"That's okay!"
Ishihara smiled and raised his hand: "Over the years, I have purchased some fields and manors in the neutral country of Argentina, and invested in many industries. You can take your family over with you by then. Everyone is too tired to follow me these years, so take this opportunity
It’s an opportunity to take a break and wait for things to turn around!”
The former head of the general affairs section of the headquarters, Colonel Miyama Kaizou, advised: "Your Excellency, I don't agree with you waiting passively. You should go to the Imperial Capital of Australia, follow the example of Tojo-kun, and get along with His Majesty day and night. With your ability, you will have the opportunity to come back in the future.
It is not a good idea to regain control of the General Staff Headquarters and continue to command the army...to escape from South America!"
Shintaro Imada glared at Kiyofuku Okamoto and Kaizou Miyama:
"Okamoto-kun, Miyama-kun, if you don't want to follow Ishihara-kun, just say it clearly. Has Ishihara-kun made any mistakes in his decisions over the years? He said he wanted to go to South America to live in seclusion. Of course he has his reasons... Look at it now
The irrational and angry people outside only know how to fight and fight, but they don’t understand what a losing war means to the empire..."
Shibayama Kenshiro also said: "If Ishihara-kun is not with your majesty, your majesty may still feel guilty after hearing about the failure, but if Ishihara-kun is with your majesty, your majesty will definitely abandon Ishihara-kun... because of the use of
Ishihara-kun means that His Majesty and everyone else are not as good as Ishihara-kun. Isn't this a smear on His Majesty's face?
"Therefore, at this time, Ishihara-kun chooses to live in seclusion and let His Majesty, the cabinet and the important ministers calm down, which is the best policy!"
The generals were either stunned or deep in thought, and many of them were worried about their future. After all, working in the General Staff Headquarters, their qualifications were much higher than the average person. Leading troops to fight and lead a side should be within easy reach, but if they blindly
Follow Ishihara Wanji to live in seclusion, God knows what will happen in the future.
Seeing this, Ishihara Wanji's heart sank, and he waved his hands and said: "Imada, Shibayama, everyone has his own ambitions, and we can't force it... Tojo may go to the General Staff Headquarters to perform his duties at any time. I know that some of us
People who are eager to perform in front of the new chief executive in order to regain their authority, and therefore do not want to suffer with me, can leave my office now...
"Don't worry, His Majesty only asked you to temporarily suspend your duties this time, but he did not deprive you of your military duties. I believe that as long as you keep a distance from me, Tojo will let you resume your duties. After all, the work of the General Staff Headquarters also needs to maintain continuity.
, you are all carefully selected by me, have good abilities, and you all have the opportunity to stay, and due to the departure of some people, many positions are vacant, so you have a high chance of promotion!"
More than 20 generals from the staff headquarters looked at each other. After a moment of silence, some people began to walk out the door. Kinoshita Tawen hesitated for a long time, but the mission he shouldered finally forced him to turn around and leave. In the end, only Imada was left in the chief's office.
Shintaro, Kawabe Torajiro, Shibayama Kenshiro, Nakajima Seiichi and Wakamatsu Yuichi and five others,
Nakajima was so angry that he was trembling all over, pointing at the back of the crowd: "These traitors, scum, have no moral integrity, Nakajima is really ashamed to be associated with them!"
"It's good to go, it's good to go. I don't have to worry about the arrangements of the people around me after I leave..." Ishihara Wan'er said very openly: "The so-called people go to have tea to cool down. This has been true in ancient and modern times. I can't complain.
They! I am very satisfied to have the five of you by my side."
Ishihara Wanji waved his hand and motioned for his five confidants to sit down on his left and right, and then continued: "Now the empire's hegemony has reached its peak. It seems that it is only one step away from the final victory, but in fact it contains a huge crisis.
, I have done what I should do, and I am not sure how to maintain it next. Therefore, this dismissal may be regarded as an opportunity for us to survive in death!
"Based on my understanding of Your Majesty, even if he blames me for not obeying his orders, he still trusts my vision to some extent. If the counterattack on the East Asian continent fails, then we must find the next aggressive direction for the empire to contain and weaken the allies.
strength, so the possibility of appointing me as the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Army in South Africa is still very high!
"The 3rd and 13th divisions, which are currently waiting for final shipment, are stationed at the Shinagawa military camp near the Tokyo Bay pier. Once I am officially appointed, I can choose any division to transfer their combat convoys.
, to escort us away. As long as we get to South America, the sea will be vast for fish to leap, and the sky will be high for birds to fly. I believe we can definitely create a career!"
Kenshiro Shibayama looked excited: "Sir, it turns out you have a perfect plan, now I feel relieved!"
Ishihara smiled and sighed: "It all depends on what His Majesty makes up his mind... If His Majesty hates me to the core, then I may really take off my armor and return to the field, and hide out with a group of confidantes to avoid defeat.
Then suffer disgrace!”
There was silence in the conference room. Just then, the phone rang. Ishihara Wanji stood up nervously, quickly walked to the desk, picked up the phone receiver, and asked calmly: "
I am Ishihara, who are you?"
"Ishihara-kun, this is Itagaki. I have arrived at Haneda Airport now... After consultation between His Majesty, the Cabinet and the Ministers' Meeting, His Majesty has officially appointed you as the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Army in South Africa to contain the strength of the U.S. Army. Congratulations, Ishihara
Sir!" Itagaki Seishiro's hearty laughter came.
Ishihara Wan'er was overjoyed and said repeatedly: "Thank you, thank you, Itagaki-kun, Ishihara really doesn't know how to repay your kindness!"
Itagaki Seishiro smiled and said: "We are good friends, so don't say thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been Prime Minister for five years, and the whole family would be honored... You really want to thank you."
, just thank Konoe-kun and Nagano-kun... During the imperial meeting,
Before the ceremony, Nagano-kun and Oikawa-kun reached an agreement. Later, Konoe-kun, with the support of Oikawa-kun and I, unified the thinking of the cabinet. Konoe-kun negotiated with His Majesty behind closed doors for more than an hour. When he came out, His Majesty's eyes were open.
I was made famous by Konoe-kun, so I got this appointment!"
Ishihara Wanji asked gratefully: "Have the Prime Minister and Nagano-kun come back? I want to thank them in person!"
Itagaki Seishiro said: "They are all still in Australia... Australia's current development is very gratifying, and industry and agriculture have made great progress. It is the end of the year, and Konoe-kun needs to work with His Majesty and the cabinet ministers to formulate a plan.
In the one-year industrial and agricultural development outline, Nagano-kun is going to inspect the shipyard in Darwin Port, where the five Akizuki-class destroyers customized by the Navy are being built. Nagano-kun will not worry unless he takes a look with his own eyes!
"In addition, His Majesty has decreed that you should go to South America as soon as possible to take up your post. It is best to leave today! So, if you want to treat me, please do it next time!"
Ishihara Kanji immediately understood that this was because Hirohito did not want him to fall out with the new commander-in-chief Hideki Tojo, so he said: "Itagaki-kun, my place is now blocked by a protesting crowd. Please go to the Shinagawa military camp and adjust your equipment for departure.
The chariot brigade of the third division has arrived at the staff headquarters, and I want to leave by car. The commander of the third division, Lieutenant General Sakurada Takayoshi, was promoted by me. As long as you show His Majesty's decree, Sakurada will take the order!"
The hearty laughter of Seishiro Itagaki came from the microphone: "Don't worry, I happened to pass by the Shinagawa Military Camp when I was returning from the airport. Even if there is no order from His Majesty, wouldn't Sakurada give me the respect of the Prime Minister?"
"Please!" Ishihara Wanji said and put down the phone. Imada Shintaro and others had already gathered around, jumping for joy and saying congratulations on fulfilling your long-cherished wish.
Ishihara smiled with a smile on his face:
"Everyone go back and sort out your things. We will meet downstairs in an hour and wait for the arrival of the tanks of the Third Division. The journey is thousands of miles away. Let's think about what to say when we go back. It's best to take your family with you. I have already
We contacted the shipping company and prepared three 10,000-ton passenger ships, which are enough for everyone to take away all their valuable property and all their families without any worries!"
Wakamatsu asked ambiguously: "Your Excellency has prepared so many ships, don't you want to take away all your confidante?"
Ishihara Wanji's expression was as it should be: "Is there anything wrong with this? Although South America also produces beauties, they are not as outstanding as the beauties I have collected in the past few years. If I don't bring them with me, wouldn't I worry about my head?
Will it be green?"
Upon hearing this, Imada Shintaro and others burst into laughter again, and the dark clouds in their hearts were swept away.
An hour later, Ishihara Kanji appeared in the lobby on the first floor of the military building in a general uniform. Eight guards respectfully held the backpack Ishihara Kanji had packed and stood beside him. Imada Shintaro and others arrived one after another. Ishihara
Wan'er looked at his watch, expecting that the chariot of the Third Division would be arriving soon, so he led everyone towards the door, and collided head-on with Hideki Tojo, who was arriving arrogantly with more than a dozen generals.
In the past, Ishihara Wanji must have just greeted him as "Private Tojo", but now he was neither humble nor overbearing, smiling, nodded slightly to Hideki Tojo, and stood aside.
Hideki Tojo ascended the highest throne of the Army and was in high spirits. When he saw Ishihara Wanji and the people around him looking dejected as they fled, he couldn't help but stop and stood next to Ishihara Wanji:
"Ishihara-kun, after thirty years in Hedong and thirty years in Hexi, you didn't expect me to take over your position, right? What do you have to say now?"
Ishihara Kanji suddenly stretched out his hand and grabbed Tojo Hideki's hand. Tojo was so frightened that Hideki couldn't hold back, but Ishihara Kanji simply put Tojo's two hands together and grabbed them hard and refused to let go.
Said loudly:
"Tojo-kun, although we have different political opinions, our love for the empire is evident. Although I have a feeling that your plan this time is very risky and the possibility of failure is high, I still wish you success immediately.
, this is an explanation to the empire, to you and me!
"If you fail for a moment, don't be discouraged. Remember to negotiate with the Military Command to withdraw the fleet and prevent air strikes from the South China Army. I'm worried that they will retaliate and may even burn Tokyo to ashes! Once such a tragic situation occurs
, I hope Tojo-kun will put major things first and organize the relocation of factories, enterprises and people as soon as possible. Australia and South America are both good choices. Please, Tojo-kun!"
After saying that, Ishihara smiled and let go of Tojo Hideki's hands that were almost bruised from holding them, bowed at almost 90 degrees, and then looked straight at Tojo Hideki.
Tojo Hideki felt that his hands were so painful that he almost lost consciousness. Then he saw Ishihara Wanji looking at him with a serious face. For a moment, he didn't know whether he was deliberately pretending to be crazy or was really planning to turn a fight with him into friendship. He couldn't help but be stunned.
.
At this time, the roar of a diesel engine, as well as noise and noises could be heard outside the building, and then Prime Minister General Seishiro Itagaki and Commander of the Third Division, Lieutenant General Takayoshi Sakurada, strode in.
Itagaki Seishiro smiled and greeted Tojo Hideki and Ishihara Kanji. Sakurada Takayoshi already knew that Tojo Hideki was the chief of staff at this time, so according to regulations, he saluted him as the supreme commander first, and then saluted his immediate boss Ishihara Kanji.
He saluted and then stood behind Ishihara Wanji.
At this time, Tojo Hideki did not know that Ishihara Kanji had already served as the commander of the South American Army, and asked Seishiro Itagaki strangely: "Itagaki-kun, what is Sakurada doing here at this time?"
Itagaki Seishiro smiled and said: "Tojo-kun was one step ahead of me. I didn't know that His Majesty had appointed Ishihara-kun as the commander of the South American Army. The third division had already been assigned to the South American Army. Now Sakurada-kun is here to greet the commander.
Take office."
Tojo Hideki was surprised. After a while, he smiled coldly to Ishihara: "Ishihara-kun, I can't tell, but you are quite good at maneuvering. You just resigned from the post of chief of staff and you got a good job. I admire you."
!”
Ishihara Wanji did not feel dissatisfied and said again: "Tojo-kun, no matter what misunderstandings we had in the past, please put national affairs first. If there are any problems that are difficult to solve in the future, please be sure to call me and I will do my best.
Help you make the right decision!
"Now that the empire has reached a critical stage where it is necessary to swim against the current or retreat if it does not advance, let us put aside all differences and disputes and work hard for the future of the empire!"
Seeing the General Staff Headquarters and the remaining generals from the Army Ministry appearing at the stairwell and around the hall, and Prime Minister Itagaki Seishiro looking at him eagerly, Tojo Hideki had to consider the impact, and finally put down his arrogance and smiled at Ishihara.
He bowed back and said, "Ishihara-kun's efforts for the empire over the years have also been seen by Tojo. If Tojo does not do well in the future, please take care of me!"
Ishihara smiled, stepped forward to help Tojo Hideki, held his hands and shook them, then let go, bowed again, showed a sincere smile, and then turned around and left. Imada was surprised.
Shintaro and others and Sakurada Takayoshi quickly followed.
Itagaki Seishiro sighed to Tojo Hideki:
"Once the generals and prime ministers have made peace, from now on Tojo-kun will be in charge of the center, and I will be responsible for the daily management and logistical support of the army. Ishihara-kun will be at the front fighting for the empire. With such cooperation, why worry about the great cause of the empire not being prosperous? Tojo-kun, I will see you off.
Send Mr. Ishihara off. His Majesty ordered him to leave for South America today. I don’t know what year or day we can meet him in the future..."
After that, Itagaki Seishiro also went after Ishihara Kanji and others.
Hideki Tojo subconsciously came to the door of the building, watched Ishihara Wanji, Itagaki Seishiro and others get on the armored personnel carrier of the Third Division, broke through the blocking crowd, and walked away, muttering in his heart: "This Ishihara Wanji
, are you really surrendering to me, or are you trying to stabilize me and plot a comeback?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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