Nanyang Storm 1864

1903st January 5

Tokyo

At the Imperial Conference of the Emperor of Fusang
Emperor Meiji sat high above, and all the military and political officials of Japan were present. Everyone's expression was solemn, and the meeting was filled with a strong atmosphere of war.

Latest news from Tsarist Russia

Tsar Nicholas II dismissed the Minister for Far Eastern Affairs, Witte, and instead appointed the radical national expansionist General Bezobrazov to formally implement the so-called "new policy," also known as the "Yellow Russia Plan."

echoing this

A wave of war cries swept across Russia, calling on the people to "shed blood and sacrifice" to "defend the motherland," creating a tense atmosphere of war and putting pressure on both Japan and Russia at the front-line negotiations.

Tsarist Russia adopted a tough stance, refusing to back down on the affairs of Northeast China and Manchuria, and also refusing to acknowledge Japan's special interests, displaying contempt in both its actions and words.

The smooth progress of the Trans-Siberian Railway construction gave Tsarist Russia ample confidence.

"...

"This is utterly outrageous! The Russians deserve to die! The Imperial Army is fully prepared for war. May Amaterasu protect us, victory is assured! Please, Your Majesty, allow us to go to war!" Former Prime Minister Yamagata Aritomo said firmly.

"Your Majesty, let's begin the war."

"Your Majesty, the glory of the Great Fusang Empire rests on this moment. We must teach Tsarist Russia a lesson and prove our capabilities."

"I agree, the only response is war."

His speech won the unanimous approval of army generals such as General Kuroki Tamemoto, Marshal Oyama Iwao, and Lieutenant General Kodama Gentaro, the Vice Minister of the Army, who all expressed their agreement.

Their anger was not without reason; General Kuropatkin, the Russian Minister of War, had devised an extremely arrogant battle plan.

After the news was leaked, the entire nation of Japan was shocked and considered it an intolerable disgrace.

The Russian side planned to rely on its existing forces in the Far East to withstand the Japanese invasion for six months, which was the defensive phase of the operation.

Once the Trans-Siberian Railway is completed, it will be able to continuously transport large numbers of troops and combat supplies to the Far East, assembling a super-powerful military force of over 50 men.

Then they landed directly on the Japanese mainland, utterly defeated the Japanese, captured the emperor, and completely destroyed the Japanese nation, and so on.

This operational plan was approved by the highest levels of the Tsarist Russian government, fully demonstrating their arrogance and overconfidence, and showing that they did not take the Japanese seriously at all.

This completely broke the Japanese's defenses.

Compared to the Royal Army's clamor about declaring war, Vice Admiral Togo Heihachiro of the Japanese Navy appeared much calmer, his brow furrowed as he remained silent for a long time.

Seeing his silence, Cabinet Minister Katsura Taro asked, "Togo-kun, it seems you have reservations about the army's stance. Could you explain why?"

Lieutenant General Togo Heihachiro glanced coldly at the high-ranking army officers across from him who were clamoring for war. He felt contempt for these war-loving army idiots, who were all warmongers and impulsive brutes.

He considered it for a moment with restraint, and then said;
"Your Majesty the Emperor, Your Excellencies."

My concern is that the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

The Great Fusang Imperial Navy Combined Fleet has absolute confidence that it can defeat and completely annihilate the main force of the Russian Pacific Fleet, thus opening up a safe sea route for the transport of our army troops.

Even if Tsarist Russia mobilized its fleet and troops from Europe, the Combined Fleet was fully confident in its ability to cope.

Please remember that in our south, there is always a powerful enemy watching us like a thorn in our side!

The Royal Navy of Chu is not an outdated force like that of Tsarist Russia. Its training standards have always been world-class, and its combat power is extremely strong, in no way inferior to the navy of my great Fusang Empire.

When two tigers fight, one will surely be injured.

I worry that a powerful enemy from the south might take advantage of the situation and invade, and a hasty response could lead to unforeseen and serious consequences.

His words were met with frequent nods from Admiral Yamamoto Zenbei, who immediately responded after finishing his speech.
"Indeed, this has always been a major concern for us."

Just last year
The State of Chu also dispatched a powerful fleet to intimidate Germany. On its return journey, the fleet stopped in Nagasaki and Ryukyu, clearly intending to flex its muscles against us, which is truly infuriating.

The State of Chu is like a giant crocodile lurking at the bottom of the water, always ready to strike when you least expect it.

From the Spanish to the Americans, from Colombia to Madagascar, and more recently the Dutch and British, almost all of them suffered great losses at the hands of the Chu Kingdom, losing large tracts of territory.

With such a dangerous enemy always lurking nearby, how could one not feel a chill in one's heart?

If all attention is drawn to Tsarist Russia and the danger behind us is ignored, it will be extremely detrimental to the Japanese Empire. This must be taken seriously.

The navy's cautious opinion cast a shadow over the cabinet ministers, whose faces turned quite grim.

What are you afraid of?

The Great Chu Empire was a dark cloud that always hung over the heads of the Fusang people, so thick that the sun could not be seen. They regarded it as a sworn enemy for decades or even centuries, and no one dared to take it lightly.

The Great Chu Empire boasts a powerful industry, a large population, and ranks among the world's leading powers in foreign trade and economic output. Its vast territory is the envy of the Fusang people. In every aspect, it far surpasses the Fusang Kingdom.

Limited by its extremely scarce domestic resources, Fusang's industrial development has been fraught with difficulties, with an annual steel production of only a pitiful few hundred thousand tons, not even a fraction of that of its counterpart.

Today, the powerful Combined Fleet is entirely purchased from Britain. It only has the capability to build 5000-ton heavy cruisers, and can only purchase more powerful battleships from abroad. However, this is not a long-term solution.

Faced with the comprehensive and powerful industrial and military strength of the State of Chu, they could only feel a deep sense of powerlessness.

Seeing the solemn expressions on the faces of the cabinet ministers, General Kuroki Tamemoto frowned in anger and said in a deep voice.

"It's really strange that your navy is constantly on edge, fearing the people of Chu, but our Great Japanese Imperial Army is not afraid at all."

Please do not exaggerate. No matter where the battlefield is, the Imperial Army of Great Fusang is not afraid of the challenges from the Chu people and has full confidence that it can defeat them.

I want to remind you
Fusang has signed a military alliance with the world's most powerful nation, Great Britain. How dare those people from Chu challenge it?

It sounds more like a joke.

What kind of soldier is one who lacks the courage to face a real enemy? He's nothing but a coward, a laughingstock.

"Damn it! How can those army idiots, whose brains are filled with nothing but muscles, possibly understand the terror of true naval power? Without the cover of the Combined Fleet, your soldiers can only swim across the strait." Navy Minister Yamamoto Zenbei was furious and rebuked him.

The army, of course, did not have to directly confront the powerful forces of the Chu Kingdom's Royal Navy. Moreover, these arrogant generals often proclaimed that the defeat at Hirata Lake was an indelible disgrace, stabbing the heart of the Japanese navy.

The long-standing conflict between the two armies erupted at this time.

As expected, Navy Minister Yamamoto Zenbei's words provoked the anger of senior army officers, who began to criticize him, calling him a "coward" and a "weakling."

The naval officers were not to be outdone, responding with "Stupid, vulgar, a bunch of idiots from the city!" The two sides started arguing right in front of the Emperor, and this was not the first time.

Emperor Meiji was also very troubled. Although he was the emperor of an unbroken imperial line, in the eyes of these arrogant and fierce soldiers, he was only superficially humble and respectful.

Seeing that their argument was getting more and more outrageous, Prime Minister Katsura Taro coughed a few times. After the argument subsided slightly, he spoke up.
"This matter is of great importance and should be handled with utmost care."

Containing the southward expansion of Tsarist Russia was the core demand of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, and the British would certainly play a crucial role in this matter.

We must maintain close communication with the British through our foreign affairs department to eliminate any potential threats from the State of Chu, so that we can focus on dealing with Tsarist Russia.

at this point
There is a necessary tacit understanding between Japan and Britain, and the concerns of the Admiralty must be taken seriously.

Please refrain from saying anything unpleasant. At this critical juncture, when the fate of our nation hangs in the balance, we should unite as one to confront this challenge, rather than blaming and undermining each other.

Negotiations between the foreign affairs department and Tsarist Russia will continue until a united front is formed.

Just waiting for the right time

The army and navy must join hands and work together to confront the powerful enemy, Tsarist Russia, and fight to the death to achieve victory. Only in this way can we fulfill our century-old dream of moving north and realize our grand ambition of the mainland policy. I implore you!

After he finished speaking, he bowed deeply.

At this moment, the other ministers also bowed in return, saying humble things such as "I am truly ashamed" and "I have troubled you."

It seems that the heated argument just now was just an illusion.

The parties quickly reached a consensus, and finally Emperor Meiji spoke, urging, "The prosperity of the Empire depends on this battle; you must all do your utmost."

"Hi Yi!"

All the civil and military officials bowed, creating a scene of harmonious relations between the emperor and his subjects.

Actually

As soon as they left the palace, the army and navy factions glared at each other, almost staging a shouting match at the palace gates, before turning away in displeasure.

No matter how powerful the Chu royal navy is, the Fusang army won't feel anything; that's a big problem for the navy, and it's none of their business.

Officials throughout the Army General Staff were eagerly preparing for this battle. This was a golden opportunity to make a name for themselves and go down in history, and they couldn't let those cowards in the Navy ruin it.

The Japanese Combined Fleet was even more furious. Most of their senior officers were from prestigious families in the Satsuma Domain, many of whom had studied in England, ate steak and drank coffee, and considered themselves superior to the army's idiots.

The Fusang Allied Fleet knew it was no match for the powerful Chu Royal Navy.

The gap between the two sides cannot be bridged by boasting, nor can it be resolved by fanatical samurai spirit or reckless charges. Naval battles rely on large ships and powerful cannons, which those army idiots know nothing about.

A bunch of stupid country bumpkins, utterly unreasonable.

After Prime Minister Katsura Taro proposed a feasible plan, the Navy Ministry reluctantly agreed.

As long as the Anglo-Japanese Alliance can restrain the State of Chu from acting rashly, the worries about the rear will be eliminated.

Therefore, the Japanese Combined Fleet was quite confident in implementing its northward "continental policy" to completely defeat and annihilate the Russian fleet, which also aligned with the interests of the navy. (End of Chapter)