Iron Cross

The storm of personnel adjustments continues:

On December 18, Tsukahara 243 was promoted to general and immediately transferred to the reserve force. The "political donation case" was dropped because there was no solid evidence. The decision to retire Tsukahara was firmly opposed by Ito Seiichi. He persuaded Fushimi Miyahiro Prince Kyoto in the hospital, believing that since Horikichi had been removed, in order to ensure a smooth transition of the fleet, Tsukahara should not move, but the latter hated him deeply. If Tsukahara is unwilling to cooperate, how can he be willing to cooperate? Finally, Ito Zhengichi came forward to persuade him to take a step back and to be promoted to general before retiring.

Oikawa Furushiro, who took over the position of commander of the Combined Fleet, made a request, believing that Kusaka was not suitable to stay in his current position anymore, and suggested that the position should be swapped with "Golden Mask" Ugaki Matoi again, who returned from the Aviation Sentai. The Combined Fleet served as the chief of staff. At the same time, Horikichi's number one confidant Rear Admiral Matsuda Chiaki was ordered to retire, and Colonel Kamishugege took over as the first chief of staff of the Combined Fleet. The entire Combined Fleet Headquarters was filled with panic and an atmosphere of imminent storm.

After Tsukahara retired, the first candidate for the position of commander of the mobile fleet fell on Ozawa Jisaburo. Ito thought that Ozawa would accept it calmly, but unexpectedly, changes soon appeared.

On the 19th, Ozawa sent a message back from Germany: He clearly refused to take over as commander of the mobile fleet due to lack of ability and qualifications. He also stated that he was unwell after the Battle of the Atlantic and needed to recuperate. Ito felt deeply regretful. Prince Fushimi Miyahiro Kyo instead nominated Takasu Shiro, who had just been promoted to general. Among the four general promotion lists proposed by Horikichi, Kondo Nobutake and Takasu Shiro were passed in the first batch. Tsukasa The principle is to retire after approval, so the nomination of Solu Renyi simply went silent without even making a sound.

But something happened that made everyone drop their glasses: Takasu Shiro, who had served as the commander of the aviation fleet and had always thought he was a member of the fleet, rejected the nomination and made it clear in public that unless Horikichi returns as commander of the combined fleet, officer, otherwise he refused to serve as commander of the mobile fleet. On the afternoon of the 20th, the furious Prince Fushimi Miyahiro Kyoto announced that he would be transferred to reserve service.

"So, the Commander of the Mobile Fleet has a difficult delivery?" Yamamoto looked out the window thoughtfully and asked Inoue Narumi behind him.

"After Takasu Shiro, the Military Headquarters contacted Hosei Goshiro again, but he also rejected him." Narumi Inoue sighed, "Today at noon, Ito Seiichi even asked someone to ask me if I would take over. I quickly declined. It's really funny. ”

"Can't find anyone?"

"Of course you can't find one. You have to know aviation warfare and not be a Horikichi. How can it be so easy to find? I dare say that none of the qualified lieutenant generals are willing to get close to His Highness." Narumi Inoue said with a sarcastic expression. He said in a tone of voice, "Even Takasu Shiro is unwilling to work under Oikawa Koshiro. This shows that the personnel adjustment has reached a dead end. Unless Ito takes over on his own, Oikawa Koshiro's position will be unstable."

Inoue Narumi's words hit the mark on the deal between Oikawa Koshiro and Fushimi Miyahiro Kyooh: the former took over the combined fleet and made a smooth transition, the latter tried his best to eliminate Horikichi's influence, and when the time was right, Oikawa Koshiro became the commander-in-chief of the Military Command Department. .

Yamamoto Isoroku sighed: "If Yamaguchi-kun is still alive, it will be his turn now."

Inoue Narumi shook her head disapprovingly: Yamaguchi Takan was only in the 40th batch of marines, and there were a large number of people ahead of him. He couldn't even get through the 39th batch of Tsunoda Kakuharu alone. The current selection range for mobile fleet commanders is still roughly 35 and 35. Issues 36, 37, and 38, and the previous 34 issues are basically not considered. The next 39 issues are that Ito Seiichi and Tsunoda Kakuji are qualified.

"I heard that Koshiro Oikawa asked Tsunoda and Nishimura to report their directions as soon as he took office, but they both ignored them and didn't even reply to the telegram. They went directly to North Korea to unload the goods."

To Narumi Inoue, the whole thing is really funny: the fleet and the captured fleet are in the Sea of ​​Japan, and can be found in less than 2 hours by aircraft reconnaissance. Two stupid young men, Tsunoda and Nishimura, dared to use "radio silence" to The newly appointed commander of the combined fleet had no excuses, which really left people speechless. He estimated that Oikawa Koshiro was already furious.

"Oikawa Koushiro also planned to take away Tsunoda and Nishimura, but Ito Seiichi disagreed. He thought that too many people were taken away. If this continues, the fleet will be forced to turn back. The situation must be maintained now. The commander must bend I heard that a large number of fleet staff members have resigned, and resignation reports are piling up. Even Kusaka Ryunosuke, chief of staff of the mobile fleet, also submitted resignation reports..."

"Ito still has foresight, but it's a pity that he can't save the whole situation." Isoroku Yamamoto was worried. "Fortunately, the U.S. Pacific Fleet was defeated by Horikichi and huddled in Pearl Harbor without daring to move. Otherwise, who would lead the troops in this situation? Whoever gets out will die!"

"Isn't that right? The dignified mobile fleet can't even choose a commander. Now it's Tsunoda who heads the Second Air War (the First Air War was originally held concurrently by Tsukahara), but Tsunoda is not on the same side as them at all. Needless to say, Nishimura , other lieutenant generals, such as Mikawa Junichi, Takagi Takeo, Shima Qinghide, Kurita Takeo, Endo Kiichi (in charge of the submarine force), there is no need to ask, they are all Horikichi's team."

"He has a good way of running a business and winning over his subordinates." Yamamoto laughed at himself, "Why wasn't he so determined when he followed me? And the matter of Takasu Shiro, I can't figure it out even if I break my brain."

"That's because Hori Teikichi made him a general!" Inoue Narumi commented, "In this expedition, in terms of seniority, Kondo Nobutake ranked first; in terms of military exploits, Tsukahara Nishizo ranked first; in terms of hard work, Kusaka Renji ranked first; Takasu Shiro was not the best in any aspect, but Hori Teikichi put him on the list of generals for promotion, and he was the second in line. If I were Takasu Shiro, I would think so too. Generals, generals... There are only a few generals in the 35th term!"

"You sound like you are complaining that I didn't make you a general."

"I don't think so. It's not my turn to be a general yet. If anyone wants to be a general, it will be Ozawa-although I rank higher than him, but now he doesn't want to come back!"

Yamamoto Isoroku sighed. He saw through Ozawa's evasion at a glance, but no one could blame him. Ozawa is doing very well in Germany. He is an admiral of the German Navy (recently promoted) and a Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. His house, car, position and money are all first-class. Planes and warships are being built. If Ozawa could not control himself, there would be a lot of beautiful women from Italy, France and Germany waiting to throw themselves into his arms. Although there is a Marshal in charge in name, people who know him well say that Ozawa is actually the real commander and he must be mentally ill to come back to wade into this muddy water. Not to mention Ozawa, none of the Japanese advisory group following Ozawa in Europe is willing to come back.

"It's said that loyalty to the emperor and patriotism are important, how come it suddenly becomes like this?"

Inoue Narumi laughed: "Commander, why do you still have the old ideas? Loyalty to the emperor and patriotism are right, but the treatment must keep up, otherwise why is the treatment of the navy always better than that of the army? These people went to Europe and saw the situation in Germany and Italy, and of course they had to compare them in retrospect - they were not bad in terms of military exploits, and they also did real good for the empire. In this case, why can't you consider yourself?"

"But the treatment of officers is already good, you see, the general is 6,600 yuan a year, the lieutenant general is 5,800 yuan..."

"Compared with ordinary people, of course it's not a small amount, and compared with the same rank in Germany, it's not bad, but compared with the armaments?" Inoue Narumi shook his head disapprovingly, "The annual salary of 20 generals can't buy A Zero fighter, the annual salary of a lieutenant general is not enough to fire a round of salvo, how much are they worth? 2 billion? 3 billion? 5 billion yen? "

"But..."

"It is said that the reward money Hori Teikichi got from Germany was as high as 50 million yen, a small half of which was given to officers, and most of it was given to soldiers and fallen soldiers. The most ordinary second-class soldier received a reward of the total income of 4 years of service. This time, the reward after returning home was very ordinary, and even the salary during the trip to Europe was not reissued. Have you heard that anyone is making trouble?"

"I thought Hori Teikichi was a good commander, and his subordinates were loyal to the country."

"You have been away from the front line for a long time, and it is normal that you don't know many things." Inoue Narumi rolled his eyes helplessly, "Although there is no clear evidence, the news I have come across is: Lieutenant General, 300,000 yen per person , Major General 200,000, and so on. Those who made special contributions like Kondo, Tsukahara, and Kusaka all made millions, and Kakuda was estimated to have 500,000. In addition to cash, there were cars and things. Everyone who followed Hori Teikichi got rich, either with a villa or a car... It's just that they were not as outstanding and prominent as Tsukahara - only this guy really went to the outskirts of Tokyo to buy a luxury villa according to Hori Teikichi's instructions. I still don't understand why Tsukahara was singled out for a reason when so many people got benefits? "

"Because Tsukahara was Hori Teikichi's right-hand man and was on the list of those who were promoted to generals, he would feel the pain immediately after being cut off - political struggle!" Yamamoto Isoroku sighed, "Many things that I didn't understand before, I understood after becoming the Minister of the Navy. In Japan, politics is like this , you should also pay more attention, it will be your turn in a few years. "

"Tsukahara is also a man, he didn't say a word." Inoue Narumi sighed, "I thought he would at least defend himself."

"Naive, is it useful to defend yourself?" Yamamoto Isoroku shook his head disapprovingly, "Just like Hori Teikichi, is it useful for him to give in? It's better to just turn against him."

Inoue Narumi sighed: "With so much money, it's no wonder that he would go all out to fight the Soviets. How can he take money and not do anything?"

"It's shallow to think so. Would Hori Teikichi fight the Soviet Union for such a little benefit? He saw that the Russians were powerless, further improved his own prestige, and at the same time sold favors to the German side. On the other hand, he also gave people a reason to remove him from his post without implicating me. This is called killing two birds with one stone. In politics, who cares whether you do things or not, the interests are the most important. "