World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

"It's not provided free of charge," Chen Feng corrected. "It's for sale. The country of Sakura funded it, and Lanfang built it."

"price?"

Chen Feng quoted a figure: "The cost of a single vessel is 25 million US dollars. Four vessels bundled together will cost 100 million US dollars."

"What?!" Yamamoto almost jumped up. "Twenty-five million US dollars? This...this is too expensive! Even the latest battleship of the Milica only costs eighteen million US dollars!"

"But would Meilika's warships be sold to Japan?" Chen Feng countered calmly. "Even if they were willing to sell, would they provide the latest design and construction technology? And even if they did, would Japan dare to buy them?"

The three questions struck Yamamoto's heart like three hammer blows.

He fell silent. Chen Feng was right. The US and Britain wouldn't sell their newest battleships to Japan; it was a political issue. Even if they did, they would be outdated designs. And how would Lanfang react if Japan bought battleships from the US? The war two years ago was still fresh in their minds; the shadow of the Huaihe bombardment of Tokyo lingered.

"The twenty-five million US dollars isn't just the price of the warship itself," Chen Feng continued. "It includes the complete set of design blueprints, transfer of construction technology, engineer training, and... subsequent upgrade support. In other words, what Japan bought wasn't just a ship, but the entire capability to build battleships."

He looked at Saionji: "Your Excellency should understand what this means for Japan. With these four 'Ise-class' ships, the Japanese Navy can rebuild the Combined Fleet. With the construction technology, Japan can build more warships on its own. This is not just a military transaction; it is an enhancement of national capabilities."

Saionji's fingers tapped lightly on the table. He was calculating, weighing his options.

One hundred million US dollars. That's equivalent to two hundred million yen. That's almost a third of Japan's annual fiscal revenue. But what if it's paid in installments, or if it can be offset by other means…

He suddenly understood Chen Feng's intention.

"Lord Chen," Saionji began slowly, "you just said that technology could be exchanged for manpower. Do you mean these four warships will be used to offset the costs of fifty divisions from the Sakura Kingdom?"

Chen Feng smiled. This time it was a genuine smile.

"Lord Saionji is indeed astute. Yes, that's exactly what I meant. Sakura doesn't need to pay cash, but simply fulfill its promise—to form fifty divisions and deploy them to the battlefield when needed. In return, Lanfang will build four 'Ise-class' battleships for Sakura and provide the complete technology."

He looked at Yamamoto: "In this way, Japan's finances are not under pressure, the navy has an opportunity to rebuild, and the army has a reason to continue expanding. It's a win-win-win situation."

Yamamoto's mind was racing. Twenty-five million dollars per ship, four ships for one hundred million dollars. That amount would be more than enough to cover the equipment and maintenance costs of fifty divisions. In fact, the total cost of fifty divisions would likely be less than fifty million dollars.

The remaining fifty million dollars represents the Navy's net profit.

No, it's not the navy's profit, it's the value of the warships themselves. But these warships were acquired at the cost of the army's "life-risking wages"...

This thought stirred a complex mix of emotions within him. On one hand, as a naval commander, he was excited about the possibility of rebuilding the Combined Fleet; on the other hand, he also felt a sense of exhilaration—trading the sacrifices of the army for the revival of the navy seemed morally...pleasant!

But soon, reality overwhelmed moral considerations.

Japan needs a strong navy. Without a navy, Japan will forever remain a second-rate power. As for the army, those idiots, they're meant to fight anyway. Fighting in Europe is fighting, fighting in Asia is fighting too. Since they're going to fight anyway, why not use their "labor fees" to exchange for something better?

Chen Feng noticed the change in Yamamoto's expression. He knew that the Minister of the Navy had wavered.

"General Yamamoto," Chen Feng spoke up at the opportune moment, "I know this price is high. But think about it, besides Lanfang, who else can offer Japan such an opportunity? Britain? France? Meilika? They're all busy fighting wars right now, their own shipyards are too busy to handle anything else, how could they possibly build warships for Japan? Even if they were willing, would their technology be the latest? Would their terms be more favorable than ours?"

He paused, then lowered his voice:

"More importantly, what will the world be like after this war? If Germany wins, Japan, as Germany's ally, will naturally get a share. If Germany loses, but Japan has demonstrated sufficient value in this war, Britain and the United States will reconsider Japan's position in the Far East. But in either case, a strong navy is a bargaining chip."

Yamamoto took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. He looked at Saionji, his eyes asking for instructions and exerting pressure.

Saionji knew she had no way out. Chen Feng had planned everything perfectly. Using warships to offset the division's expenses not only solved Japan's financial difficulties and satisfied the navy's desires, but also bound Japan's strategic relationship with Lanfang (and Germany).

Killing three birds with one stone.

Could he, as the Prime Minister of Japan, refuse? If he did, Japan would lose the opportunity to rebuild its navy and to secure a better position in the postwar world. More importantly, refusing Lanfang would mean choosing isolation—what would become of Japan, a nation without allies, warships, and burdened with heavy debt, in the coming global restructuring?

He dared not think.

"Mr. Chen," Saionji finally spoke, his voice tinged with weariness, "we need to discuss some details."

The detailed negotiations lasted for two hours.

Wang Wenwu brought over a formal draft contract, a hefty thirty pages long, covering every aspect of the technology transfer, payment methods, construction schedule, acceptance standards, and most importantly—the transfer of wartime command.

"Article 52," Wang Wenwu read the contract clause aloud, "If either of the signatories becomes involved in an armed conflict during the term of this agreement, the supreme command of the fifty divisions (or their successors) of the Sakura Empire Army will be automatically transferred to the General Staff of the Lanfang Republic Army until the conflict ends or the parties reach a separate agreement."

Saionji frowned: "What is the definition of 'supreme command'? Does it refer to strategic command, or does it include specific tactical command?"

"Including everything," Chen Feng replied directly, "from troop movements, operational objectives, and logistical support to specific tactical deployments. Of course, we will respect the command authority of Japanese officers and will also listen to their opinions when making decisions. But the final decision rests with the Lanfang General Staff."

"This is tantamount to handing over fifty divisions entirely to Lanfang," said Saionji. "The Sakura Kingdom government needs to retain a certain degree of oversight."