Iron Cross

"Onboard!", "Onboard!"

On the morning of September 29, deafening cheers rang out in the streets of Tokyo. The atmosphere was so warm and the sound was so loud that it far drowned out the sounds of warships docking and motorcades advancing. The main force of the combined fleet sailed into Tokyo Bay late at night on the 28th. It was not until early morning that all the battleships and some large-tonnage merchant ships docked. The warships that failed to dock could only stay on the sea waiting to enter the port. In order to welcome the huge combined fleet, Tokyo Bay has been cleared in advance, and all ships must make way for the fleet. When they line up to leave the port, they all sound their whistles respectfully in salute.

Lieutenant General Kurita Takeo estimated that the scale of the welcome ceremony in Tokyo was still too low. After learning that the United Fleet had returned victoriously, the entire city fell into a carnival. All citizens were mobilized to clean the streets and roads, set up flags, banners, slogans, and set up equipment everywhere. The Arc de Triomphe was decorated with lights and decorations, but there was no red carpet. All Tokyo residents, including students from schools at all levels, were on holiday. The government designated blocks and organized street parades to welcome them. To paraphrase Prime Minister Ugaki Kazunari's words - "We must Let all the people witness the majesty and magnificent martial arts of the imperial army!”

At 7 o'clock in the morning, the organized crowd was standing respectfully in the street, holding national flags or small victory flags in their hands. The docile characteristics of the Japanese people were clearly revealed. Although they were in a very urgent mood, they were all in order and not in a hurry. Dare to take a step beyond the realm of possibility.

At eight o'clock sharp, accompanied by the majestic "March of Warships", the loudspeaker began to broadcast the "Report on the Victory Return of the Combined Fleet Expedition to Europe and America" ​​that had been drafted in the past few days. The male and female announcers read it out in an excited tone, although the situation of each battle had already been It is well known to the public, but this is the first time that they are told together:

"...In this expedition, the combined fleet has traveled all over the five continents, shocked the seven oceans, fought hundreds of thousands of miles back and forth, and sunk millions of enemy ships. Our army's losses were negligible, less than one in ten...opened up thousands of miles of waves, spread The country is powerful in all directions!”

Although Japan's rhetorical techniques are always shocking, the figures used this time are quite honest and not exaggerated at all. Even the word "million" is worthy of it - the cumulative tonnage of warships sunk by the combined fleet has already exceeded one million tons. I can only describe my own losses as slightly shrunk, not less than one out of ten, but nearly 15%, almost seven less than one, because among the battleships alone, Mutsu, Hiei, Haruna, Feiying, Hayabusa, etc. were lost. A large number of warships, plus the losses of cruisers, destroyers, transport ships, merchant ships, etc., the combined tonnage loss is by no means small compared to Japan's size.

But this loss was selectively ignored because it was insignificant compared to the results of the battle. Even the battle losses announced in the battle results were greater than the actual battle losses. The military command department was trying to make up for the lies and flaws in the previous "great victory" at Midway Island. , all the aircraft carriers that had sunk long ago were arranged for this expedition. Fushimi Miyahiro King's abacus was very good. Although Shimada was the one who lied about the military situation, it was Yamamoto Isoroku who lost the battle and actually lost the warships. He was so lucky that he wore a pair of trousers with Horikichi, so that the latter could It’s not a big deal if the government “shares” some of the losses, and it can also be explained to the people.

Of course, this was a shady move - even if Horikichi protested, the relationship between the entire combined fleet and the Navy Ministry headed by Yamamoto Isoroku would be damaged in the future, and the Military Command would not be at any risk. But he never expected that Horikichi's illustrious military exploits were so amazing. If the losses at Midway were not included, it would not seem "credible". The losses of the other three aircraft carriers were "framed" on him (only one of the four aircraft carriers lost in the Battle of Midway was originally announced), which actually made the record of the expedition to Europe and the United States look more convincing.

Now in the minds of the Japanese people, Horikichi has successfully surpassed Yamamoto Isoroku to become the leading general, even eclipsing Togo Heihachiro's name. Marshal Togo defeated only the Russian Navy. Although the Russian Navy was a little stronger than the Japanese Navy, it was not the best in the world. The British and American navies that Horikichi dealt with were among the best in the world in terms of size and strength, not to mention that the combined fleet also destroyed Panama. The feats of building the canal, attacking New York, harassing Australia and New Zealand, and conquering Ceylon far exceeded the value of the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

Horikichi's popularity within the Navy is even higher. Although Yamamoto won at Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Nanyang, he suffered a disastrous defeat at Midway. Since the Battle of the South Pacific, Horikichi has gone through dozens of battles, large and small, with almost no defeat and no losses. Not too big, the losses in the Battle of Tarawa were already relatively high. More importantly, after continuous operations, the combined fleet earned Japan a lot of money and endless face. The materials and equipment Germany promised to support exceeded 9 Yamatos. The trophies seized during the operations and the use of German The supplies obtained through the credit policy have replenished the already empty national treasury and naval expenditures.

Anyone with formal military education can see that Japan's strategic posture has greatly improved, and the overall spillover effects are continuing: after occupying southern India, trade between Japan and Germany became closer, and Southeast Asia's agricultural products, rubber, and mineral resources continued to flow. The land was imported into Europe via sea routes, while European industrial products, weapons and equipment, and Middle Eastern crude oil also began to be imported into India. Although Germany's own fuel supply is still relatively tight, it is much better than a year ago. Hoffman readily promised to provide sufficient fuel to India. There is no need to worry about fuel issues, as all crude oil from Borneo is shipped back to Japan for use.

At ten minutes before nine, Hirohito, surrounded by a large group of followers, appeared on the street in a neat military uniform and on a white horse, causing cheers from the people. He was followed by a large number of military and political officials. All cabinet members including Prime Minister Kazunari Ugaki attended and stopped at the triumphal arch built at the entrance of Hibiya Park, south of the Imperial Palace.

"Here they come! Here they come!" Someone shouted first, and then everyone around shouted. Everyone stretched their necks to look, and only heard a rumbling sound coming from a distance.

Everyone was talking and laughing, except Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi, who looked unhappy. On the one hand, he failed to "frame" Hori Teikichi, who not only readily accepted all the losses that did not belong to him, but also took the responsibility for the loss of some islands in the South Pacific. On the other hand, the two sides had already exchanged views on the arrangements for the welcome ceremony last night. Hori Teikichi insisted that the people at the forefront of the team today were not the senior officers of the fleet, but all the tablets and spirit banners of the dead, which looked white from a distance.

Moreover, Hori Teikichi also deliberately distinguished the levels of each battle. The first level was the dead in the South Pacific Battle, followed by the dead in the Indian Ocean Battle, the Atlantic Battle, and so on. Especially important people were specially indicated by the spirit banners, including the name of Navy Colonel Ishii Takashi (Captain Haruna). As for the dead Marines in the Tarawa Battle who appeared last, the scene was almost a row and a piece, which looked really shocking.

This scene on the day of the triumph was really disappointing, but under the principle of "political correctness", no one dared to say anything. All the soldiers and civilians, including Hirohito, Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi and others, bowed to the spirit tablet and sent it off respectfully.

After this group of teams, it was the turn of Hori Teikichi to appear with the fleet officers.

Japan is a country with independent command authority. The commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet is not subject to government jurisdiction in theory. He is appointed by the Emperor and commands the fleets. The Chief of the Naval General Staff only exercises command authority. When Hirohito is present, he must report directly to him: "Your Majesty, Hori Teikichi, received military orders and led the fleet to go on an expedition. He fought with the enemy dozens of times and lived up to his orders. Today, I have returned victoriously with the army. I have come to see you and report the victory. Long live Your Majesty!"

"You have returned triumphantly and have made great contributions! General Hori Teikichi is the first meritorious, and I am very pleased..."

The Minister of the Interior, Yukichi Kido, added: "The commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet has made outstanding contributions and is admired by the whole country. Your Majesty has ordered: to be promoted to Marshal and Admiral of the Navy, and to be awarded the Grand Order, the First Class Merit, and the Third Class."

" I am deeply terrified. This victory is due to the great blessing of Your Majesty and the bravery of officers and soldiers at all levels. My small contribution is not worth mentioning..."

This is routine humility. Hori Teikichi's contribution is really remarkable. Even if Fushimi Palace is reluctant, these commendations are indispensable when discussing merits. But what makes everyone feel particularly strange is the team accompanying Hori Teikichi to the audience: According to past practice, the fleet commander must bring all senior officers with him when he meets the emperor. If he goes to the palace to thank the emperor, generally speaking, the rank of lieutenant general is enough. Only in a particularly grand ceremony will the rank of major general be the turn. But this time, Hori Teikichi's choice of accompanying personnel is very interesting. He brought all the lieutenant generals, and only a few major generals such as Kakuta and Shibasaki, but he brought several other officers.

Among the people who accompanied the audience, Hirohito still had more or less impressions of Lieutenant Generals such as Kondo Nobutake, Takasu Shiro, and Tsukahara Jishizo, but he didn't know the others very well.

"Let me introduce to your majesty, Rear Admiral Shibasaki Keiji, who led 5,000 isolated troops to defend Tarawa, and persevered for 58 days under the pressure of the enemy army and heavy siege, destroyed an enemy battleship, wiped out nearly 10,000 enemy troops, and finally survived with only 22 people..."

"What a hero!"

"Rear Admiral Kakuji Kakuda, brave and unstoppable, led his troops to sink nearly 20 enemy battleships..."

"Captain Fuchida Mitsuo, the flight commander of our carrier-based aircraft aviation squadron, has been fighting on the front line since the Battle of Pearl Harbor, commanding all carrier-based aircraft and making many contributions to the country."

Fuchida was received by Hirohito once, so he still had an impression and nodded to him.

"Lieutenant Commander Murata Shigeharu, commander of the torpedo attack group of our carrier-based aircraft formation, has made outstanding contributions, and the destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York is his masterpiece."

"Major Commander Egusa Takashige, commander of the carrier-based aircraft formation's carrier-based bomber attack group, dropped 16 bombs and hit 16 in the first Indian Ocean Campaign, and led his troops to sink more than 400,000 tons of enemy ships."

"Sergeant Akamatsu Sadaaki, an excellent commander of the fighter group of our carrier-based aircraft formation, has 64 personal achievements, took off 5 times in one day, shot down 9 enemy planes, and is the Navy's top ace pilot..."