Happy International Mechanical Engineering Day
Chapter 4:The Interwar period(kinda)
With the end of the Spring War, the Imperial Fleet was sent to withdraw the Imperial Army from Nelma and return it to Kansai. Now Go-Hanazomo had a major problem on his hands. During the war the empire had borrowed heavily to maintain a higher number of troops than it could effectively support, and the interest from the loans the government had taken threatened to drive the empire in bankruptcy. The Emperor had to take serious steps if he wanted to have enough gold to repay these 2 loans, in April 1439 and June 1440 respectively. This was why when the Imperial army unloaded from their ships in Kansai they were told that their funding would drop to 50% and that 10000 men of the 15000 man army would no longer be support and should disband. There was much disgruntlement among the veterans who had seen their friends die of frost-bite outside the walls of Nelma, but being a mere 10000 men, the empire remained stable. Naval expenditures were also cut in half, and all money previously going towards research, now flowed into the Imperial treasury, for Go-Hanazomo knew that the inflation that would be caused by this policy was far better than the higher interest rates of an extended loan or outright bankruptcy.
With his country's fiscal crisis under firm control, Hanazomo know turned his attention to the maps from Nelma. The world was far wider than he had imagined, meaning Nippon's opportunities were also greater than he had previously imagined. While the Emperor was idly considering his massive want for world domination, he was rather rudely interrupted by a messenger from Uesugi Norizane. Apparently Ashikaga Mochiuji, the military commander of the Kansai region, so angered by the disrespect for the veterans returning, was in complete rebellion.(not the real reason the event gave, but i figured it was a nice tie-in). Uesugi, always loyal to the empire, had his own personal army, 25000 men strong, awaiting orders in Tohoku. Hanazomo, though knowing that calling for a noble's aid would cause a massive loss of face for the Emperor, called on Uesugi's army nonetheless, mainly because he did not want to spend the money need to field an army capable of quelling this revolt.(Call on Uesugi Norizane in the Eikyo War). 2 months later, on April 7th, the rebellion was crushed. Apparently not getting the message, 8 days later Mochiuji's sons, Haruo and Yasuo joined their father. They were also crushed.
The next year passes peacefully enough, but on September 29, 1440 China declared war on the Chagatai Khanate, a remnant of the Mongol Horde. Nippon eagerly joined the war, wanting to repay the mongols for their attempted assault on Japan in 1279, one hundred sixty-one years ago. By Jan 6, '41, the Nipponese M.E.F., Mongolian Expeditionary Force, had boarded the transports in the Amakusa sea and was ready to make way for Shanghi, from where they would march inland and help end the Mongolian War. The real reason for this was that the Emperor wanted Chinese forces ready to be commited to a Korean War as soon as possible. On January 9th, deciding that maybe third time was lucky, Yuki Ukitomo raised the remnants of Ashikaga Mochiuji's army, and he was also crushed, finally ending the Eikyo War. By March, the M.E.F. had disembarked, and were beginning the Long March. Four months later, in the June of '41, they reached the border, were they then skirted the Chinese armies sieging both Qilian Pendi and Qinghai, instead sieging Sichuan, where they annhilated a small defense force of 500 cavalry.
Things were looking up for the Nipponese Empire in the summer of '41, with high stability, no opposition to their military might, and a well lubricated economy. This all was threatened by the murder of the Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshinori. He was feasting when he was brutally murder by a rival, to be brief. (for more information see Origami Empire: A Nipponese AAR). This event, understandably caused a fair amount of commotion, even triggering a revolt in Kansai, which was barely put down by the now reduced Imperial army. A week later, more ikki showed up, demanding the same thing: reduction fo taxes and annulment of debts. To their complete surprise their request was granted.(Reduce Taxes in Kakitsu Ikki). Go-Hanazomo might not be the cleverest man alive, but when crushing them did not work, he figured maybe working with them would. Also the nobles had been so snooty lately, he figured that this would teach them a lesson or two.
The Mongolian War continued to drag on. It was now June, '42. Finally Sichuan fell. The M.E.F. moved on to Urumqi, for the Chinese had taken Qilian Pendi and Qinghai, and were now occupied by the siege of Qaidam Pendi. Four months later, for no apparent reason, the peasants of Kansai rebelled, managing to capture the city before they could be stopped. The Kanto regiment, in kanto, was Ready to Rout this Reasonless, Ruined Rebellion. They aRRived and Routed the Rowdy, Raucous, and Raunchy Rebellion. :rofl:
They then laid siege to the city.
By late April '43, Urumqi fell and the Emperor offered peace under the following terms:
a) Sichuan, A.K.A Xinjiang, would be a Nipponese Province
b) They would pay 50,000 gold in indemnities.
The Khanate agreed. Go-Hanazomo rationalized the capture of Sichuan by saying that the Chinese would surely take one of the captured provinces, either Qinghai or Qilian Pendi. Also, the Emperor was not worried by these Msolems, for he could be tolerant of both Moslems and Konfucians. (I know christians will show up, but he doesn't).
Much to the Emperor's chagrin, when the Chinese did settle for peace, in July 1443, they did not demand a province, thus trapping the M.E.F. in Sichuan. On the other hand, with the chinese at peace, they would move their armies back to the east, putting them in perfect support position for the Korean Invasion!
Next Post: The Second Spring War!
