Chapter Two, Part Three: Gearing Up!
May 1938 - Apr 1939
On 12th of July 1938, the European powers signed the Treaty of Munich. Basically, it allowed the Germans to gain control over a strategically important region of Czechoslovakia with no opposition from the UK or France. Once again, the western democracies showed their weakness, while fascism is on the rise.
However, several months later, the Czechoslovakian government managed to convince the Allies to expand their alliance. How this will affect future developments in Europe remains to be seen, but most Japanese diplomats think that the main intention of this move is to scare the Germans, not to actually oppose them.
Progress is being made in all vital areas of technological development. Several of the newest projects include modern technologies and equipment like radar, new, heavier types of tanks, advanced amphibious warfare equipment and combat radios that are to be used on the battlefield. It is rumoured that the pace of technological advancement has impressed the Emperor Himself.
The Imperial Japanese Army has grown to an impressive force. Numbering more than 400 brigades, including 190 infantry ones, it is now clearly dominant in the region. Army modernisation was a top priority in the previous years and the results are now evident. Every nation which wants to achieve rapid expansion needs a sizeable modern force and finally, the IJA is living up to this description.
Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces consist of 12 marine brigades organised in one SNLF corps. Currently more marines are being trained, but the admirals are cautious about this experimental formation. Clearly, the marines will have to prove themselves in battle.
The Emperor approved the plans of airforce expansion with much enthusiasm and issued a special recommendation to the Imperial quartermasters and businessmen which described the assigned plans as a "matter of national security which should be given top priority". As a result, Japanese aircraft production sky-rocketed and it is expected that the airforce will be greatly expanded in a relatively short period of time.
The construction of an impressive battleship named Yamato will be finished in June 1940. This warship will be the most modern one of all Japanese capital ships - a fine example of the Empire's growing power. It will not be the end of the IJN's expansion, though. In fact, the shipyards are already asking for new construction orders.
As new industrial complexes are being established and new industrial expansion programs are being developed, the Japanese armament industry continues to prosper. The manufactured equipment is more and more modern and the industrial efficiency is at its highest. All this, however, is extremely demanding resource-wise and so it happens that this is the area which the Empire struggles with the most.
After receiving confirmation that isolationism in the Guangxi Clique is fading and after taking the grave state of Japanese strategic stockpile of rare materials (and, to a lesser extent, metals) into consideration, the Emperor decided to
authorise the use of force in China as soon as our new alliance with the Guangxi Clique is secured. Countless Chinese provocations and the passive stance of the western powers have convinced the Emperor that war is inevitable and that further delays no longer suit the Empire's best interest. The Kwantung Army have orders to respond to any future Chinese provocation (which will no doubt happen) with force. Japanese-Soviet border is to be secured and the army groups stationed there have to adopt a defensive posture, unless the Soviet leadership decides to start a conflict on a grand scale.
All Japanese generals and admirals have been ordered to prepare for war. The Imperial logisticans and quartermasters have to make sure that sufficiently high supply and fuel stockpiles are secured before the outbreak of hostilities. The Emperor requests information about the time required for army mobilisation.
For the duration of war, a common
High Command consisting of the officers of the Army and the Navy will be established. The IJA will have a final say in the matters of war strategy, but the IJN have full control of its assets (including aircraft) and will aid the IJA with its advise and experience. The only person authorised to overrule the decision of the High Command will be the Emperor Himself.
In addition to documents, the chief officers of the Army and the Navy received personal notes from the Emperor. While the exact content varied from note to note, the meaning was exactly the same in all cases.
Give Me resources.
