Chapter 295

Navy's Choice-

On July 30, 1912, Emperor Meiji, who ruled Japan for 45 years, died of illness./.qΒ5\\. It's time to 'green') After Emperor Meiji's death, the 34-year-old Prince Karen ascended the throne and changed the yen name to "Taisho", which was taken from the sentence "Tycoon is the way of heaven". Japan entered the Taisho era since then.

The huge foreign debt, trade overtake, and the deficit budget are a reflection of the difficult financial situation in Japan at the end of Meiji. In 1911, Otara Reijiro complained to the army general Aritoshi Yama Prefecture that if this continues, the hard currency maintained by the government will soon be consumed. The near-term reason for this situation is the sluggish output, resulting in the imbalance of the balance of payments, but the long-term reason for the expansion of the army to prepare for the long-term oppression of the finances, and the domestic market is difficult to develop and grow healthily due to the contradiction between landlordship and capital system. This seemingly hopeless stubborn disease was alleviated by the "God Blessing" brought by the First World War.

Although the war only broke out for several months, everything happened to the Japanese people. The factories that once had to reduce production and lay off large numbers of employees were not only overtime, but also recruited new workers. The surge in exports and the continuous inflow of hard currency, although it only took several months, it created Japan's wartime positive prosperity.

Stimulated by the wartime prosperity, it was extremely natural for rural population to move to cities with a large number of job opportunities. The expansion of factories absorbed labor freed from the countryside. Almost every day, at train stations in Tokyo and any other big city, there were a large number of ordinary people who entered the city with their luggage to look for jobs.

In Tokyo in October, an autumn rain adds a bit of coldness to this late autumn. On the streets of Tokyo, you can also see some farmers who have no skills coming to Tokyo to find a new life. These farmers who sleep on the streets did not find a new life in the capital of Japan. Perhaps, in the past, they could have had a meal and a half meal through the genius in the countryside. However, in Tokyo, because they did not find a job, they could only eat in the wind and dew and endure hunger.

Through the window, Keiji Hashimoto stood by the window helplessly, looking at the poor people wandering under the rain eaves on the street, but he did not feel any sympathy. He just looked up at the sky with some sadness. The dark rainy weather was very similar to his mood at this time. This afternoon in the intelligence room of the third part, he heard a very unexpected news from his boss. According to his old and sophisticated person, his future in the navy may soon end.

Due to the fact that the "Hammock" is far behind, Hashimoto did not enter the fleet after graduating from the Naval Military Academy, but entered the third part of the Navy Command. This was a certain exile, which means that there was no bright future in his navy.

"Damn hammock number!"

Thinking of the navy's perverted "hammock number" Hashimoto cursed in his heart, his words were full of injustice.

The hammock number is the announcement of the Navy's admission test results starting from the Navy's admission test results. Just to the ‘green’) Every student of the Navy knows his ranking changes anytime and anywhere. There is a Japanese Navy called

The thing is · that is, the hammock number. The naval soldiers sleep in a large room in a team. There are all regulations on who sleeps in which position, according to the ranking. In fact, the naval soldiers do not sleep in a hammock and sleep in a bed, but according to the naval habits, they are still called the hammock number.

The hammock number at graduation will be with people for the rest of their lives. There are two ways to get rid of this unlucky hammock number. One is to find a way to get a good grade at the Navy University to improve the hammock number. The other is to make some achievements in research and training to make meritorious contributions and receive awards. However, both methods are almost impossible. First of all, the admission order of the hammock number at the Navy University is based on the hammock number at the Navy. Only if the hammock number is in the first exam will the hammock number at the later level be missed. The latter method is that since everyone usually does the same thing, even if they work hard, they can't tell. Even if they are better and worse in the same period, it depends on the hammock number that has been with the rest of their lives. In short, it is particularly evil.

Today, the boss unexpectedly told him that due to the suppression of the army, the military command may need some people to retire from active service. Who will he take off from the head? There is no doubt that it must be the hammock number behind. Although he didn't know whether the news was true or false, Hashimoto knew that if the news was true, then he would definitely retire.

"Green! Business is good now!"

Hashimoto comforted himself in his heart. At this moment, he was even somewhat grateful that he had married a rich girl. When he graduated from the Naval School, the joint fleet of the Japanese Sea Battle was a great victory, and the naval status was unprecedentedly high. As a "young and promising" naval officer, he married a businessman's daughter and received a lot of dowry.

Maybe you can run a factory, it seems...

"bell……"

Just then, a sudden burst of rapid phone ringing sounded his thoughts.

"Mosey!"

As soon as he answered the phone, he heard what was coming from the other end of the phone. Hashimoto, who was not wearing a military cap, rushed out of the office and rushed towards the telegraph room. As the officer on duty, he had to upload the emergency telegraph to the chief as soon as possible.

As soon as he rushed into the telegram room, amid the "tick" telegram sounds in the telegram room, Hashimoto saw that the sergeants and officers in the telegram room were all pale and looked frightened.

"What's going on!"

Hashimoto shouted and took the telegram one by one. He just glanced at the content of the telegram. He felt a little dazed. Just to 'green')

The First Fleet!

After the distraught Hashimoto took the telegram, left the confidential telegram room and returned to his office, it took him a few minutes to come back to his senses, but even after he came back to his senses, his mind was still blank, and he even forgot the normal notification procedures, but picked up the words directly.

"Please answer the call from the Chief of Shimamura and report to him if there is an emergency!"

Calling Chief Shimamura Soo directly, for Hashimoto, he had never had the courage in the past, but today, he was shocked by the shocking news, but subconsciously called the Chief Military Command.

Shimamura Suo, who had not fallen asleep for a long time, sat blankly, thinking about his thoughts.

"Why hasn't the fleet sent a telegram yet?"

Although he had considered the unexpected consequences of the fleet, the fleet had no strangeness of information for several hours, which made him feel a little uneasy. As the chief of the Navy Command, it was with his support that he sent the first fleet to China.

But now, people have to feel strange, but the fleet has lost contact.

If China had a powerful navy, perhaps he would be in the military command now, waiting for news of the naval battle, but facing the powerful first fleet, China had no power to fight back at all. What should I worry about?

What's there to worry about! In fact, no one will worry about it, but the reality that he still had not contacted the fleet until he left the military command, made him think too much.

"Hope is just a technical problem!"

The explanations of the communication officers of the Military Command made Sooshimamura calmer.

"bell.……"

The phone rang in the corridor next to the residence of the Chief of the Navy Commander's Office, and the police on duty who were resting next to the phone quickly answered the phone.

"Mosie! Mosie!...Hi!Hi!"

The police quickly put down the phone and ran quickly to the chief's bedroom. After a minute, Shimamura Soo, dressed in a kimono, walked to the phone and picked up the phone.

"I am Shimamura, you are that one!"

What emergency incidents will be reported at this time?

"Your Excellency, I am the third officer on duty at the duty of the third part, Major Keiji Hashimoto!"

"Oh, is there anything to report?"

"Your Excellency, we have received a report from the Saseburg Guardian, which comes from "Xigomaru"..."

"Xihou Maru"?

He frowned as he heard the name of the ship mentioned on the other end of the phone, Shimamura frowned, and he couldn't remember the name of the ship at all. Just go to 'green')

""Xigomaru" is an army's requisition ship! It belongs to the Japanese cruise company!"

The first fleet?

Shimamura reacted immediately, but he was still a little confused. However, he said everything, just put the earpiece he held in his left hand as close as possible to his ears to avoid any missed hearing.

The silence on the other end of the phone made Hashimoto take a deep breath. If he could, he would never be willing to be the one who reported the demise, but he had no choice.

"The First Fleet suffered an air attack and may lose all warships!"

What!

A shocking shout came from the phone. Hashimoto quickly pulled the receiver slightly away from his ears. Then he heard the other side of the phone shouting like a dream. Impossible, absolutely impossible. Only minutes later did he hear the Chief Shimamura Soo on the other end of the phone say.

"I will rush to the military command in half an hour and collect relevant information immediately. I want you to report it to me in person!"

"Hi!"

When I put down the phone, another Cao Cao ran in quickly.

"Your Excellency, we have received another same telegram!"

Next, telegrams continued to gather in front of Hashimoto, and with these telegrams sent by the troop transport fleets, they clearly conveyed a message - the First Fleet was finished, and the First Fleet had become history. In front of him, he used the names of warships that he had longed for. Now, those warships have been sunk and sunk. Just to the ‘green’)

More than ten minutes later, another Chief Cao rushed over.

"Your Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs sent a staff member who has received important information from China to ask us to distinguish it!"

"Oh, hurry up, invite him in!"

Half an hour later, when General Shimamura's car arrived at the military command, Hashimoto had received nearly 60 telegrams and three official letters from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and copies of the telegram. It can be said that through the analysis and sorting of the content of the telegram, he had vaguely inferred the process and results of the entire naval battle.

"Are you Major Hashimoto?"

Seeing the strange officer of the Grand Secretary who was greeting him, Shimamura Soo asked, his face looked calm at this time.

"Yes, sir, we have now received fifty-seven telegrams, three official letters and copies of the telegram from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs..."

"Let's talk about it when you go in!"

Shimamura Suo snorted coldly, and then walked quickly towards the office. At the same time, he turned his head and said to the entourage.

"Immediately notify all the staff officers attending the military order meeting and come to the military order headquarters to hold an emergency meeting!"

More than ten minutes later, the guards outside the office of the General Secretary of the Military Command heard the roar and shouting sound from the General Secretary's office. The sound was angry, heartache, and reluctant shouting.

After another half an hour, in the military command conference room, Shimamura Soo, who looked tired and serious, slowly stood up and said.

"I believe you should be very concerned about the first fleet sent to China! We have received some information now, please report the current situation to Major Hashimoto!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Shimamura Suo closed his eyes. The general's order made Hashimoto Kyoji stand up quickly. Most of the generals in the house didn't know this major. Compared to being curious about Hashimoto, they were more curious about the fleet and why this emergency meeting was held.

"First of all, the information we currently have comes from reports from the merchant fleet, and has not been further confirmed yet!"

After making the emphasis, Hashimoto reported the information he had already mastered.

"The first telegram we received was sent by the army's requisition ship "Xigomaru". At 3:15 pm this afternoon, the First Fleet and the Escort Fleet were attacked by the China Jiangsu Army Air Force. It used aircraft airdrop bombs and torpedoes to carry out multiple attacks on the First Fleet. The formation where the "Xigomaru" is located was escorted by the Third Fleet. After two rounds of attacks, the "Kingang", "Hire", "Anthoma", and "Tsukuba" were sunk by the Chinese Air Force... "

"What!"

Shocking sounded in the conference room, and people whispered to each other, and they couldn't believe it at all. In their surprise, Hashimoto Keiji was still reporting coldly. He knew that perhaps today was a disaster for the Japanese Navy, but for him, it might mean the beginning of his success in the navy.

As long as the chief and the generals in the house remember him, he will be promoted soon, and his "excellent performance" in this incident will also give him some degree of "promotion bonus points". It doesn't matter if the generals appreciate him, they can make up for those.

"...The first team, "Shejin", "Hanoi", "Anyun", and "Samo", were also sunk in another wave of offensives."

One sentence of words that shocked everyone was spit out of Hashimoto Keiji's mouth. Hashimoto was still reporting amid the surprise of people.

"Afterward, we received reports from the 32 requisitioned merchant ships including "Zawakawa Maru", "Haikawa Maru", and "Sadu Maru". One hour ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an emergency letter asking the Military Command to confirm the authenticity of the information. The news came from the Embassy in China. Chinese President Yuan Shikai urgently met with his adviser He Changxiong tonight and informed him of the results of the Jiangsu Army Air Force. He Changxiong then reported the matter to the embassy. The content was basically consistent with the information we have now. At present, the embassy is waiting for our answer!"

After Hashimoto Kyoji finished the report, the entire conference room was quiet and everyone was silent. Although Hashimoto Kyoji had said that the news had not been confirmed yet, at this time, they no longer doubted it.

The first fleet is over!

The eight most elite battleships of the Imperial Navy were sunk like this! Before even their main guns could play a role in naval battles, they became targets of the Chinese air force, and were sunk, and the warships sank into the sea.

Overnight, the navy that could have forced a powerful country like Britain to make concessions disappeared. Apart from a few old-style battleships, the Japanese Navy had no warships to be proud of. This battle not only allowed the Japanese Navy to retreat to the level before the Japanese-Lu War, but more fatally, Japan lost the foundation for taking advantage of the situation in this war. Without a navy, who would pay attention to this country?

But in addition to the pain, everyone in this conference room could feel a hint of shame and anger
To be continued...