World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

Operations Chief Kantaro Suzuki couldn't help but speak up: "Your Excellency, this is tantamount to voluntarily relinquishing control of the sea..."

"Do we still have the right to relinquish control of the sea?" Yamamoto retorted coldly. "Suzuki-kun, please tell me, what do we have left to contend with Lanfang's four Bismarck-class battleships for control of the sea? The Katori? The Mikasa? Or those old pre-dreadnought battleships with a speed of less than 20 knots?"

Suzuki opened his mouth, but ultimately lowered his head in dejection.

"Second," Yamamoto continued, "Immediately take stock of all remaining resources. Shipyards, factories, warehouses, schools—all naval facilities and assets—register them all. I need to know what we have left and what we can still do."

The Minister of General Affairs immediately nodded: "It's already underway, Your Excellency. Preliminary statistics show that the four major naval factories—Kure, Yokosuka, Sasebo, and Maizuru—are basically intact, but some equipment is outdated. The Naval Academy and Naval University are operating normally, but student morale..."

"I'll handle the morale issue," Yamamoto interrupted him. "Third, and most importantly—preserve talent. All experienced officers, technical officers, engineers, and skilled workers are on the protection list. These people are the future of the navy; not a single one can be lost."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: "I know this sounds pessimistic. But we must face reality: the Navy cannot fight again in the short term. What we need to do is not fantasize about miracles, but preserve our foundations and wait for the right opportunity."

"Waiting for what opportunity?" Chief of the Naval General Staff Shigetaro Shimada asked bitterly. "Will Lanfang give us time? Their warships are right outside..."

"So they need more time," Yamamoto said calmly. "The four Bismarck-class ships are powerful, but their numbers are limited. Lanfang needs to control Southeast Asia and deal with the changing situation in Europe; it's impossible for them to devote all their strength to Japan. As long as we demonstrate a sufficient... threat, but not enough to force them to launch a full-scale attack, they will choose negotiation over landing."

"A threat?" Intelligence Chief Hideki Yamamoto asked, puzzled. "What threat do we have now?"

"We have an army," Yamamoto said expressionlessly. "Seventeen divisions, five hundred thousand regular troops, plus a million reservists after mobilization. If Lanfang wants to land on the Japanese mainland, he will have to face this force. And they... don't have enough army."

He walked back to his desk and sat down: "So, the strategy going forward is clear: the navy preserves its strength to avoid a decisive battle. The army projects power to deter a landing. Diplomacy seeks engagement and probes for negotiations. This triad approach buys time."

The officials exchanged bewildered glances. The strategy sounded reasonable, but it implied a harsh reality: the navy had been relegated to a supporting role, or even… a discarded pawn.

"Your Excellency," Shigetaro Shimada finally couldn't help but ask, "what about the future of the Navy...?"

"The future of the Navy depends on the future of the Empire," Yamamoto interrupted him. "If the Empire can survive this crisis, the Navy will have a future. If the Empire falls... then nothing else matters."

He glanced at the clock on the wall: "Gentlemen, get to work. I need to see a detailed defense deployment plan and resource list by tonight."

"yes!"

The officials left one by one. In the end, only Yamamoto Gonnohyōe remained, sitting alone in the empty office.

He opened the drawer, inside was a document left by Yashiro Rokuro. He opened it, and the first page read: "The defeat in this battle was not due to the lack of courage of the soldiers, nor the weakness of the warships, but rather the defeat of the times."

Yamamoto closed the file and shut his eyes.

The downfall of an era. Well said.

But a defeat is a defeat. History will not change its outcome because of your reasons.

When he opened his eyes again, only unwavering determination remained. No matter how difficult or humiliating, he had to lead the navy forward.

Because he is Yamamoto Gonnohyōe. Because the Navy... still needs him.

Kure Naval Base, 3 PM

The rain had stopped, but the sky remained overcast. In Kure Harbor, a dozen or so warships lay silently at the dock. Among them were the battleships Katori, Kashima, and Aki, as well as the older Shikishima, Asahi, and Mikasa…

These steel behemoths, which once represented the glory of the Imperial Navy, now look exceptionally old and forlorn.

On the dock, sailors were busy. Not preparing for war, but unloading cargo—moving unnecessary equipment and supplies off the ships to reduce weight and prepare for evacuation at any time.

"Hurry up! The commander orders all non-essential supplies to be moved to the shore warehouse!" a major commanded loudly, his voice filled with suppressed anxiety.

"Sir, do we have to move these shells too?" a young sailor asked, pointing to a small mountain of 305mm shells.

"Move it! Move it all! We won't need it anymore!" the major roared, then realized what he had said, his face stiffened, and he turned and walked away.

The young sailor stood there blankly, staring at the gleaming yellow shells. They were no longer needed. These words pierced the hearts of every naval officer and soldier like a knife.

In the distance, on the bridge of the Katori, Captain Matsuji Ijuin stood by the window, silently watching the harbor. He was a fifty-year-old veteran of the navy, a veteran of the Russo-Japanese War, who had commanded cruisers and destroyers, and had only taken command of the Katori two years ago.

I thought this was the peak of my career, but I never expected it to become the end.

"Captain," the first mate walked in, his face grim, "we just received orders that all ships should be ready to depart at any time, but the destination is not the open sea, but... the Seto Inland Sea."

Ijuin Matsuji nodded, unsurprised: "We're retreating."

"But..." the vice-captain clenched his fist, "are we just going to retreat like this? What about the grudges we owe our brothers in the East China Sea..."

"Revenge?" Ijuin turned around, looking at his deputy, who was only in his thirties. "What will we use to avenge him? The Katori, an old ship launched in 1906? These old cannons with a range of only 18,000 meters? Or our tactics... sinking the enemy before they can even see them?"

The deputy captain was speechless.

"Kobayashi-kun," Ijuin's voice softened, "I know you're unwilling to accept this. I'm unwilling too. But the reality is, we've already lost. Now, the only thing we can do is not to die, but to survive. To save these ships, to save these people, and wait for the future... wait for a future opportunity."

"Will there be another chance in the future?" the vice-captain murmured.

Ijuin did not answer. Because he did not know the answer either.

Just then, the port alarm suddenly sounded shrilly!

"Artillery fire? No, it's a submarine alarm!" came the shout from the watchtower.

Ijuin rushed to the porthole and saw several white torpedo trails rapidly extending into the harbor from the sea outside! The target was... the three Tenryu-class light cruisers undergoing repairs at the dock—Tatsuta, Tenryu, and Yubari!