1890 King of Southeast Asia

On January 14, almost all newspapers published in Japan published the same photo, and they were all front-page headlines.

This is a picture of a sinking warship, which looks a bit miserable in black and white.

There is no flag on the warship, and the hull number can't be seen. The text next to it is: the South China Navy warship is sinking.

At the top of the newspaper, it is written in the largest bold font: "Great victory, the Imperial Navy has a great victory over the South China Navy..."

On January 14, after the newspaper was published, the whole country of Japan was boiling, and the enthusiasm for war rose sharply.

Many people immediately went to the conscription office to become a glorious army stag or trainee sailor.

More people are already looking forward to the days after victory. How much territory can they get from South China? China is also involved. Can the scope of the colony be expanded? And so on.

Most Japanese are optimistic that peace is coming. Of course, it is limited to Japanese civilians, or ordinary people who are ignorant.

People with certain information channels know that the Japanese Navy did not encounter the main fleet of the South China Navy this time, but it was still badly injured.

"Fortunately, the transportation mission was successfully completed, even if some warships were lost, it was worth it." Yamagata Aritomo drank tea slowly.

"Hai! God bless Japan, the commerce-breaking fleet sent by South China has discovered the transport ship, but its fleet is immersed in the entanglement with the escort warships, and the transport fleet is safe and sound." Kato Tomosaburo nodded very fortunately.

At the same time as the battle broke out in the northwest of Ryukyu, the South China commerce-breaking fleet and the Japanese escort fleet also fought in the northeast of Japan.

Their battle was much more intense than the battle in the northwest of Ryukyu. South China had a Java-class battleship with several destroyers leading ships against the third and fourth ships of the Kongo class, Haruna and Kirishima.

The Java class has a high speed, heavy armor, and nine 356mm 50-caliber guns, so it is not inferior even in a one-on-two battle.

If they really had to fight, the Java could rely on its performance advantage to wear them both down, but after the Haruna was moderately damaged and the Kirishima caught fire, the Java retreated.

In the eyes of the Japanese, the departure of the Java was very difficult to understand, but it did not affect their view of this as a "victory".

"After this batch of materials returns to the country, military production must keep up as soon as possible. We can't achieve absolute victory at sea anyway, and there is no point in continuing the war."

"The navy's first task at present is to preserve its strength and prevent the enemy from landing. After the enemy lands, destroy its logistics supply lines, rather than fighting head-on."

Yamagata said softly in a gentle and unquestionable tone.

"Hai!" Kato Tomosaburo lowered his head unwillingly.

They all knew that no matter how the war was fought on the battlefield, Japan had already lost, unless Japan could push back.

Otherwise, as long as Nanhua continued to blockade Japan, not a near-shore blockade, but a long-range blockade, Japan would have no chance of turning over.

As for how to blockade? Nanhua's territory stretches from Malacca to Hawaii, and can easily cut off Japan's external shipping routes.

Even if Nanhua loses its main naval battleship, Japan cannot win this war.

The most important Southeast Asian shipping routes, the sea areas south of Ryukyu are all places beyond the reach of the Japanese, but they are also the sphere of influence of Nanhua or Huaxia.

At the beginning of the war, Nanhua destroyers frequently appeared in the South China Sea, prohibiting all Japanese ships from moving.

Hiring foreign cargo ships? Forget it, the war broke out in Europe, and the ships were very tight at this time, and pirates were also rampant.

Hiring ships, even at a high price, is also very rare.

As for going south to attack Nanhua's core hinterland Borneo? Nanhua Navy has more than 300 warships, of which only seven are main battleships, more than a dozen cruisers, and the rest are destroyers.

The archipelago is densely covered with islands. If you rush in rashly, and a destroyer emerges to carry out a torpedo attack, I don't know how much results you can get.

Not to mention that Nanhua also has a dense torpedo boat force like flies.

In short, the cost-effectiveness of attacking Nanhua is very low, but it is not possible not to fight, because Nanhua will block Japan's trade routes.

Therefore, the plan of decisive battle on the mainland proposed by the army has been recognized by most people, dragging the war until Nanhua can no longer bear it and ending the war decently.

As for why they did not surrender directly? It is not because they can't put down their face, but because Nanhua refused to accept negotiations on the grounds of being attacked, that is, refusing the Japanese to surrender.

Japan had no choice but to fight a decisive battle on the mainland.

…

"Take a warship that hit a reef and sank as a record, publicize it widely, and make it known widely. It's really... a meeting of lost imperial soldiers!" Sakutori Saburo blushed slightly, holding a wine glass in his hand.

"Captain, you are drunk, go back and rest, you are drunk..." The first mate pulled him over nervously.

This is a private party. Although the Settsu was slightly injured, it also needed to queue up for repairs. This gap period is the holiday for the crew of the Settsu.

Taking advantage of the holiday, Sakutori Saburo wanted to exchange feelings with the loyal first mate, but the more he drank, the more he wanted to drink. After three rounds of drinks, he hadn't even taken a few bites of food.

As expected, he was drunk.

"I'm not drunk! I just want to say it!" Sakutori Saburo stood up.

"Mama-san, I have booked several rooms around. I don't want anyone who shouldn't be there to show up. Do you understand?" The first mate had no choice but to open the door and shout to Mama-san.

"Guests?! I understand. Clear these rooms and don't let anyone get close." Mama-san wanted to refuse, but the first mate took out a stack of banknotes from his pocket.

Senior naval officers are very wealthy, and the first mate gave a reason that Mama-san couldn't refuse.

"The positioning of the Settsu is to go to the north to perform escort missions."

"The main guns of the Settsu can't fire in full salvo, and eight guns are not indispensable. Going to the north to cover the army's attack is the best choice."

"Go, I'm not a coward who is afraid of death, but this tactic is completely meaningless. Let's fight a decisive battle or avoid a battle. What does it mean to use the Settsu as cannon fodder?"

Sakutori Saburo expressed his dissatisfaction drunkenly.

He was dissatisfied with Japan's strategy of neither attacking nor shrinking on defense, and turning a blind eye to Nanhua's commerce-breaking tactics.

"Captain, you are drunk, let's go back first." The first mate was very scared.

These words can't be said casually, isn't this asking for trouble?

"Go, that glorious Imperial Navy has fallen and is gone. I have a feeling that it will never come back. Japan will never have a glorious navy again."

"Go! If there is such a day, please let me die on the ship and go to heaven with the glorious navy..."

Sakutori Saburo howled like a ghost, and then lay on the ground. He was still crying even when he fell asleep.

"Sakutori-kun, do you think so?"

"Don't worry, I will!"

"Heaven..."

The first mate muttered to himself while drinking a little wine, his eyes blurred.