Since the Meiji Restoration, Japan has become stronger. In addition to traditional handicrafts and light industry, sea transportation is also the pillar of Japan. Maritime transportation in island countries is very important. Japan has established a complete shipbuilding system from scratch. Warship manufacturing is just the foundation, and more importantly, the shipbuilding industry, forming one shipping company after another.

Historically, during World War I, Japan's revenue in shipping and shipbuilding was no less than that in military orders. It was only through these that Japan was able to become a creditor country from a debtor country before the war, and digested a lot of technology. At the Paris Peace Conference, it became a powerful force second only to Britain and the United States. This was also the basis for Japan's daring to provoke wars in World War II, or even compete with the United States.

Because of the emergence of the Northwest, all this has been greatly reduced, and the economic damage has also affected heavy industry and shipbuilding. Japan's current manufacturing capacity is far less powerful than later generations, and it has not been given a steady stream of bonuses to the war. Instead, it is because the relationship between the Northwest has been involved in the war. It now seems to be in a fierce manner, and it is randomly mobilized hundreds of thousands of tons of warships and 400,000 troops. But in fact, this series of actions are subtly swallowing Japan's power and causing him to sink.

War is always a destructive activity, not a production activity, especially a large-scale war. Unless enough compensation can be obtained, it will be a loss-win result. Japan did not realize that the Northwest he challenged was no longer the original Northwest. Yang Yuanzhao spent several years in the Westernization Movement, and with the help of the huge industrial workers accumulated over 20 years, he used various methods to continuously increase the number of this industrial workers. The Northwest has become a world-class factory. Not to mention Japan's manufacturing level, compared with the United States, it has quietly surpassed the huge profitability and production capacity, which is enough to bear the consumption of war. Japan hits the stone with eggs.

At the Imperial Front Meeting, the plan discussed was that Japanese cargo ships could not be used, and there was no way to use them. Before landing in Qingdao, Japanese cargo ships of at least 300,000 tons were destroyed. To a certain extent, this has already hit Japan a huge blow. The northwest and Japan have declared war. Cargo ships with Japanese flags must be targets of attack on the sea, so they cannot be dispatched and can only find ships from other countries.

Japan vigorously developed maritime shipping, but Japan could not monopolize the entire Japanese shipping industry. In addition, Britain and France recently placed part of military orders for Japan, and this part of the order was given, but there were many additional conditions. Many of them had additional conditions for cargo shipment, so many foreign ship owners came to meet opportunities. When the Japanese military machinery was completely used, it immediately attracted thousands of ship owners.

From Japan to Tianjin, China, it was only a voyage of hundreds of nautical miles, and it was given a three-fold price. I went there to find such a good thing, and there was no Japanese ship owner making trouble and competing for the price. The ship owners suddenly felt that it was a good thing like a pie falling from the sky. As for the possible threat, how far is it? Besides, where are they? They are high-ranking foreigners. Do the Chinese dare? None of the ship owners care about the reminder of the Japanese military headquarters, so they responded carelessly.

Even the British and French ambassadors knew about this. They didn't care much and even provided some help. Although in the war in Qingdao, Britain and France saw the opportunity earlier and retreated in advance, there was no help from the Japanese. Otherwise, the Japanese would have escaped some.

But in the eyes of Britain and France, what is the Japanese? Take British and French warships to rescue the Japanese. Don’t joke. They are land-based turrets with many 15-inch cannons and a large number of submarines. Although the submarines of this era do not have much attack power once they are exposed, if they hit each other, a large-caliber torpedo can severely damage a main battleship. If three or five are hit, even the battleships will be impossible. This is also the fundamental reason why Britain and France ran away. I thought that some of the Japanese should be able to escape, but I didn’t expect that the Japanese army was so poor that they were wiped out.

Now, Japan is preparing to launch a large army and fight a thorough battle with the Northwest in Qingdao, which is exactly in line with the British and French plots. Because of European relations, Britain and France can use very little power in Asia, so the battle to attack Qingdao is only a few naval forces, and the army only has a few battalions of India and part of the French army in Indochina. Now, Japan is preparing to fight with the Northwest to a certain extent. To a certain extent, it is a huge benefit for Britain and France, a weakening Northwest approach.

The rise of the northwest was too rapid, and even outside the vision of Britain and France, it had already become a powerful force. After Britain and France paid attention to it, it could not weaken it. Especially the battle between the northwest and Russia made them realize that the newly rising Northwest could already confront Russia head-on, and it could still win against Russia with a million Russian army. Such strength was no longer easy for Britain and France to deal with. Unless Britain and France could do their best to send millions or even more troops across the sea to fight, they could only watch.

In fact, the situation at that time was completely different from that in 1840. Britain was deeply trapped in the confrontation between Europe and Germany. Germany was the most dangerous enemy. Because it was too close, China, which was thousands of miles away, although the rise of the northwest was a little troublesome, if Germany could be solved and the power of the entire Europe could be integrated, it would be nothing even if China was strong. It could only be said that the rise of the northwest was at the moment.

Britain and France have huge interests in China and Asia. When curbing Russia, the fundamental reason for choosing Japan rather than China was to be vigilant. China was too big. Napoleon once said that China is a sleeping lion. He would rather he never wake up. Such a country with a huge territory and the largest population in the world. Once it has enough industrial strength and the strength it shows, another big country will appear.

Even if there is not much force intervention, Britain and France try their best to find a way. China has changed and there is a faint trend of a great power. Unfortunately, they are trapped in the European battlefield and cannot control it. They have to rely on Japan. Japan is a member of the Allied Powers, but they only ask for help from the Allied Powers, but Britain and France have asked the Japanese army and navy to support the European battlefield several times, but Japan always refuses, and even speaks at the money for shipping, which makes Britain and France helpless.

Now, it is a god-given opportunity. Japan has been completely furious by the Northwest. The 400,000 army is a standing division. Its combat effectiveness should be good. At least it can hold back the Northwest. As long as China's situation maintains its current situation before defeating Germany, it is very important for Britain and France, which is conducive to maintaining their colonies and influence in East Asia.

Britain and France knew the importance of the Northwest to Germany. Although they didn't know why the just-risen Northwest actually had such strong production capacity. It can be said without hesitation that at least 30% of Germany's current military supplies were supplied by the Northwest, which was of great help to Germany. And I heard that the airship was also supported by the Northwest.

It can be said without hesitation that many important changes in Germany have direct relationship with the Northwest. This close connection has made Britain and France unable to sleep or eat, and have been considering how to destroy it, but there is no chance. Now that Japan is taking action and falling into war, its production capacity will definitely decline, and Japan's naval power will also play a certain role in curbing the shipping in the Northwest to a certain extent, which is also a direct support for the European war situation.

Through discussions between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its own country, Britain and France still provided real money for Japan, with a total of 12 million pounds of low-interest loans. This part of the money was directly paid by Britain and France in East Asia, and then supplemented by Britain and France. It has to be said that Britain and France have a deep foundation. Apart from the fact that hundreds of years of colonial rule and the accumulated wealth, except for part of the government's expenses, the rest were accumulated, 12 million pounds, and they were taken out as if they were taken out, and they were also delivered directly to the Japanese bank. In addition to these direct cash support, there were also some small warships and some of the weapons that were directly allocated to Japan, which can be said to have invested a lot of money.

With these support, Japan took a breath a little while. The 12 million pounds of funds are equivalent to more than 100 million yen. It is a huge shot of a strong man for Japan's meager military expenditure. This is a considerable wealth. You should know that in terms of the current British main ship, a Queen Elizabeth-class is only 2.5 million pounds. This is almost 5 battleships. The large and small battleships that the Japanese Joint Fleet sank together, which is the number, may be a little more, but with this, many things can be recovered.

In addition to direct financial support, the key is to shipping, nearly 3 million merchant ships with a total of more than 100,000 tons, including about 100 British ships, 75 French ships, and 125 American ships. These ships can almost transport 400,000 troops to China at one time. However, with logistics supplies and various heavy weapons, it takes two to three times. After absorbing the lessons from the last time, Japan did not dare to attack the Northwest without logistics support.

Japan has started a huge state machine. Compared with China, Japan, which has undergone the Meiji Restoration and has certain signs of modern states, has already had the prototype of a modern country in the war mobilization and integration capabilities, but it is still far from the Northwest and European powers. It has a little movement and a lot of unnecessary actions. This move was immediately known by the intelligence personnel in the Northwest, and quickly informed the country of the country through wireless telegrams, preparing to inform the country of being vigilant. This time, Japan has almost mobilized the entire army. (To be continued.) h211
Chapter completed!