Chapter 1013： New game (1/2)

The topic of going south and north again appeared in the imperial meeting. However, unlike the past, the strategy of going south is now bankrupt.

Since the plan to seize the Philippine Islands has failed, there is no need to think about the follow-up Nanyang Raiders. If the European Union can interfere the first time, it can interfere the second time. If you continue to go south without knowing the life and death, then you are tired of performance.

From an overall point of view, although Japan suffered heavy losses in the Philippine war, they were not completely unprofitable.

Among them, the biggest benefit is to obtain a modern fleet. In the past, they had all the battleships that they had money and couldn't buy.

From the perspective of the total tonnage of warships alone, the Japanese Navy has become the world's fifth naval power after Britain, Austria, Russia, and West.

If nothing happens, after the Philippine War, the Japanese government auctioned the warships they bought back home, and their rankings could surpass Spain and Russia and become the world's third naval power.

If other factors are not considered, then this is the highlight of the Japanese Empire. It is a pity that behind this dazzling glamour, there is still an empty treasury.

Based on the current situation in Japan, if it does not expand abroad, it is impossible to support such a fleet, even if it is not enough to invest all the government's fiscal revenue.

”From the current situation, it is indeed easier to go north than go south. The problem is that the empire's finances can no longer support a war.

North Korea is not a cause for concern, but we cannot but consider the reaction of xxx. Even though they have fallen, they are still a giant to us.

Once a war breaks out, we cannot end it unilaterally. If the war continues, the empire is likely to be dragged to death. ”

It is not that Kuroda is timid, but that the Japanese government's finances are too bad. Although the Philippine Islands are prosperous, they still have no time to operate. The plundered wealth is simply not enough to support the war.

There is no money in the pocket. Although the neighbors have fallen, they have a solid foundation, and with the current strength of the Japanese Empire, there is no guarantee of victory.

Yamaxian Yutomo: ”Kuroda, right now is the best opportunity to go north. Because of the Philippine campaign, our neighbors have relaxed their vigilance against us. They are fantasizing that we and the Spaniards will lose both.

But they forgot that although we suffered heavy losses in the war, the military strength of the empire is constantly growing, and the strength of the two sides has changed.

The limited finances of the empire restrict the development of military power, and we cannot feed such a large army in peacetime. Our national strength determines that the military power of the empire is now at its peak, at least for the next two decades.

If we don't take advantage of our current advantages to knock our neighbors down and open up enough living space for the empire, we will have no chance in the future.

We have no choice. For the future of the Great Japanese Empire, even if the risk is great, it must be done. What's more, the risk is not great now, even if it fails, the old things of 1874 will be repeated. ”

Ambition not only comes from strength, but also from the ”face” of a corrupt empire. Anyone who fails to invade can be compensated, what else is there to be afraid of?

Even if you lose the war, the big deal is to do a few more times, and the matter will pass. Maybe you can still take advantage of it.

No matter how powerful such a country is, it cannot be feared. It is more cost-effective to be an enemy than to be a friend.

In a sense, the ambitions of the Japanese government were indulged by the **** empire. If there is a change of master, Japan would be maimed in 1874, and there would be no such thing...

In addition to the softness of the persimmon, the more important thing is that you don't need to encounter foreign powers when you go north.

The main reason is that the tsarist government has been very busy in the past 30 to 40 years. It first captured Constantinople, and then taught the restless Prussia. It is now busy going south to India.

The government’s strategic focus did not shift eastward, and the pace of expansion of the Russians in the Far East naturally slowed down, and the tentacles had not had time to penetrate into North Korea.

With the lessons of the failure to go south, this is the time when the Japanese government fears the powers most. Although they did not lose the wind against Spain, they couldn't be arrogant if they didn't win.

Seeing no one answered, Emperor Meiji frowned and asked, ”Does the Admiralty have different opinions?”

”No!”

The Secretary of the Navy Xixiang replied slowly.

According to the practice of the Japanese military, the navy will oppose any proposal made by the army, and vice versa. What's more, the battle for expansion routes is still involved, and the competition should be more intense.

However, Xixiang's Daoism is hard to say. No matter how strong the reasons are, the southward strategy has failed. As the base camp of the southward faction and the leader of the invasion of the Philippines, the Admiralty is naturally to blame.

Even the Admiralty cannot carry such a large responsibility. In order to avoid political liquidation in the future, they have to make compromises now.

In fact, not only the Admiralty, but the top Japanese government are grasshoppers on a rope. Hardly resisting the European Union is dead and dead, and making compromises cannot be explained to the country.

If you want to land safely, you must find an excuse that can be accepted by the people. Although ”Sound from South to North” is a bit far-fetched, it is better than nothing.

The current Japanese citizens have not yet reached the craziest time, as long as they finally win the victory and have a decent trophy, they can explain the past.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Meiji said indifferently: ”If everyone has no opinion, then we are ready to negotiate with the European Union.

Prime Minister, if you know the European Union best in Europe, you will be in charge of the negotiations. Don't want to save the Philippine Islands, get compensation for the Empire as much as possible!

For the issue of going north, the military came up with a plan as soon as possible. We can't afford to lose anymore. You should know the consequences of another accident. ”

It can be seen that Emperor Meiji was very dissatisfied with the current situation. However, apart from warnings and beatings, he couldn't do anything else. The depression can be imagined.

”Yes, Your Majesty!”

...

After a gambling game was over, I immediately went to another gambling table. Facing a gambler-style government, Ito Bowen has nothing to say.

Knowing it was wrong, the Japanese government had no choice. It's easy to leave the gaming table. The question is, what happens to the debts left behind after closing?

Regardless of the joy of ”government bankruptcy-debt restructuring” in European countries, if the Japanese government dares to follow suit, it will immediately become the ”chicken” used to warn monkeys.

Don't mention any Anglo-Japanese alliance, which involves vital interests. It is useless to care about any alliance. In this regard, the British government is the most realistic.

To describe it with the most popular sentence in the international media: ”It must be the land power country that dares to rely on Britain's account.” If you want to be more specific, you can also add a Russian Empire.

So far, only the Tsarist government has been able to successfully rely on the British and have not received ”kind condolences” from the Royal Navy.

Including the countries of the European Union, they are now playing bankruptcy, and there is still no one who says that they are ready to fail to pay the bill. All of the requirements put forward are: part of the loan interest reduction or exemption, or grace payment time.

People have a backstage, and they really have no money. The British government is not doing it well, and the creditors can only accept debt restructuring in tears. At any rate, it is better to recover the cost than to lose everything.

If you change to the Japanese government, don't think about this kind of treatment. The strategy of going south has failed, and the Russians have not moved east. Japan's value to Britain has dropped to a low point, and it is not worth the British government to sell their face.