Well, that's the end for any ambitions Tojo has. Outright getting rebuked by the Emperor, with the Emperor not even bothering with the courtesies that Japanese society mandates even when reprimanding subordinates...goodbye, Mister Tojo.
The Sun, The Stars and The Sickle: Alt-WWII and a Tripolar Postwar World
- Thread starter WaterproofPotatoes
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If there is one thing that can be taken for granted, it is the stubborn durability of Hideki "The Razor" Tojo.
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Is the worship of Japan's emperor by its citizens kind of exaggerated? It feels like the OTL Japanese army was a wild animal that could not be tamed.
It is, actually. The idea the Emperor is absolute is just that: an idea. In practice, even back then the Emperor was just too busy with religious and ceremonial affairs to really get involved in the government. That, and the government's own faction-fighting meant the Emperor was usually an arbitrator.
Though, that also meant that if the Emperor actually intervened, it means shit is getting real. And in Tojo's case, millennia of cultural inertia plus that hideous debacle at Xuzhou means the Emperor's intervention is undoubtedly long overdue.
Though, that also meant that if the Emperor actually intervened, it means shit is getting real. And in Tojo's case, millennia of cultural inertia plus that hideous debacle at Xuzhou means the Emperor's intervention is undoubtedly long overdue.
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The OTL IJA was just that. To grossly oversimplify things, civilian government lost control of the military in 1932 and the military effectively controlled civilian government by 1936.
Exactly! This was a meeting called to clamp down on several issues which needed firm, unambiguous and permanent resolution with no chance of re-litigation. Tojo, driven by his stubbornness, hoped his devotion to the Emperor would see him rehabilitated, but he lost. Tojo was never good at seeing where and when a cause was lost.
Yeah, OTL Japan was basically a military dictatorship from the mid-30s until the end of WWII...
The dark lining to the Silver Cloud here is that it does give a small bump to Terauchi's idea that the Military should not be interfered with by civilian authorities and thus a slight move back toward OTL. On the other hand, Terauchi in this regard is definitely inside the tent pissing out and the heavy involvement of the Emperor (which it has its own negatives and positives long term) means that that can be controlled.
As far as I can tell, Terauchi while perhaps not as well off as Kishi, would have been able to pay for any damages up to and including if the entire restaurant had burned down. I presume he is still living as frugally as iOTL.
I'm not sure who (if anyone) got bumped for Captain Miyabara to get his own research section, but frankly, given the support within the Military, I wouldn't be that surprised if a new research section was created. As the Japanese move south, issues with Waterbourne diseases will get more difficult rather than less and more research teams will be needed. (Maybe Taiwan could use its own research section?) Worst case there, both Singapore and the Philippines would likely accept such a research section.
And just as a true sign that this is a brighter timeline than our own. Too bad you've already said what happens to Unit 731 iTTL.
Tojo will never get promoted again. As others have asked, does he end up finding only one honorable way out?
As far as I can tell, Terauchi while perhaps not as well off as Kishi, would have been able to pay for any damages up to and including if the entire restaurant had burned down. I presume he is still living as frugally as iOTL.
I'm not sure who (if anyone) got bumped for Captain Miyabara to get his own research section, but frankly, given the support within the Military, I wouldn't be that surprised if a new research section was created. As the Japanese move south, issues with Waterbourne diseases will get more difficult rather than less and more research teams will be needed. (Maybe Taiwan could use its own research section?) Worst case there, both Singapore and the Philippines would likely accept such a research section.
And just as a true sign that this is a brighter timeline than our own. Too bad you've already said what happens to Unit 731 iTTL.
Tojo will never get promoted again. As others have asked, does he end up finding only one honorable way out?
The dark lining to the Silver Cloud here is that it does give a small bump to Terauchi's idea that the Military should not be interfered with by civilian authorities and thus a slight move back toward OTL. On the other hand, Terauchi in this regard is definitely inside the tent pissing out and the heavy involvement of the Emperor (which it has its own negatives and positives long term) means that that can be controlled.
As far as I can tell, Terauchi while perhaps not as well off as Kishi, would have been able to pay for any damages up to and including if the entire restaurant had burned down. I presume he is still living as frugally as iOTL.
I'm not sure who (if anyone) got bumped for Captain Miyabara to get his own research section, but frankly, given the support within the Military, I wouldn't be that surprised if a new research section was created. As the Japanese move south, issues with Waterbourne diseases will get more difficult rather than less and more research teams will be needed. (Maybe Taiwan could use its own research section?) Worst case there, both Singapore and the Philippines would likely accept such a research section.
And just as a true sign that this is a brighter timeline than our own. Too bad you've already said what happens to Unit 731 iTTL.
Tojo will never get promoted again. As others have asked, does he end up finding only one honorable way out?
Good observations!
In no particular order,
The Emperor was very careful to say that this issue needed to be brought to an end, but not a word on how it should end. The Imperial hand cannot run the risk of appearing to favour any one outcome. Similarly, Tojo had long been making a nuisance of himself, attempting to re-litigate the debacle at Xuzhou over and over again, and now appearing to threaten the solution that the Army had already agreed on. To the Emperor, that is a bad sign- it is a sign that Tojo is willing to break from the traditionally Japanese value of decision by consensus and continue to be a problem. He wasn't getting it when it was delivered with the expected niceties, so there was nothing left but a curt approach. Tojo, however, is too durably stubborn to consider the honourable option at this point. Clearly, in his view, Prince Nashimoto was more concerned about making this go away than resolving it to satisfction, to ensure yet another order or decoration. Then there is the existing animosity- Tojo resents Prince Nashimoto for sandbagging him by refusing to allow him to gas Xuzhou, thus losing the battle for him, if you were to ask Tojo.
Terauchi does indeed live frugally for a man with wealth as vast as his (and it is indeed vast), although perhaps not frugally enough if you were to ask commanders like Yamashita
As for now-Captain Miyabara's promotion, there is always something that can be done in situations such as these. I would imagine his superior, in the interests of Japan and the Army was offered a promotion to Major and a new research section in Taiwan, or keeping his rank and returning to Japan, and perhaps a lower-tier order for meritorious service. Now- Second Lieutenant Miyabara, the Iron Blossom of Dairen, has a career officially in recruitment, but really now in PR for the Army- the Samurai and onna-bugeisha serving Japan together in the Empire.
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Good observations!
In no particular order,
The Emperor was very careful to say that this issue needed to be brought to an end, but not a word on how it should end. The Imperial hand cannot run the risk of appearing to favour any one outcome. Similarly, Tojo had long been making a nuisance of himself, attempting to re-litigate the debacle at Xuzhou over and over again, and now appearing to threaten the solution that the Army had already agreed on. To the Emperor, that is a bad sign- it is a sign that Tojo is willing to break from the traditionally Japanese value of decision by consensus and continue to be a problem. He wasn't getting it when it was delivered with the expected niceties, so there was nothing left but a curt approach. Tojo, however, is too durably stubborn to consider the honourable option at this point. Clearly, in his view, Prince Nashimoto was more concerned about making this go away than resolving it to satisfction, to ensure yet another order or decoration.
Terauchi does indeed live frugally for a man with wealth as vast as his (and it is indeed vast), although perhaps not frugally enough if you were to ask commanders like Yamashita
As for now-Captain Miyabara's promotion, there is always something that can be done in situations such as these. I would imagine his superior, in the interests of Japan and the Army was offered a promotion to Major and a new research section in Taiwan, or keeping his rank and returning to Japan, and perhaps a lower-tier order for meritorious service. Now- Second Lieutenant Miyabara, the Iron Blossom of Dairen, has a career officially in recruitment, but really now in PR for the Army- the Samurai and onna-bugeisha serving Japan together in the Empire.
Well, forcing it to end quickly really limits the number of options that the Army has. A quick positive result for Miyabara and Yoshioka was certainly possible and was done. A quick *negative* result for Miyabara and Yoshioka (equivalent of a drumhead court-martial) either isn't possible or would cause *massive* resentment within the IJA, in the story, there was difficulty getting anyone to prosecute, if this is changed to make it quick and predetermined to convict, you might have military *judges* refusing orders..
So for Tojo, this was essentially the final straw. And Prince Nashimoto doesn't care enough about much in the Military and certainly not enough about Tojo to spend political capital to save him from the Emperor.
My guess is that Terauchi really can't live much more frugally without being viewed as improper to his station by the remainder of the Nobility.
With the Emperor wanting this to go away, *always* something. I personally recommend Kaohsiung or Tainan for this in order to study the Kaoping (the largest river on Taiwan) rather than Taipei.
Serving with Naginata and Scissors!
I'm actually surprised that only 50 years later that the information that the Emperor was involved and what was said in that session is now available to the public. (Though I don't know how you get around that in story telling)
Well, forcing it to end quickly really limits the number of options that the Army has. A quick positive result for Miyabara and Yoshioka was certainly possible and was done. A quick *negative* result for Miyabara and Yoshioka (equivalent of a drumhead court-martial) either isn't possible or would cause *massive* resentment within the IJA, in the story, there was difficulty getting anyone to prosecute, if this is changed to make it quick and predetermined to convict, you might have military *judges* refusing orders..
So for Tojo, this was essentially the final straw. And Prince Nashimoto doesn't care enough about much in the Military and certainly not enough about Tojo to spend political capital to save him from the Emperor.
My guess is that Terauchi really can't live much more frugally without being viewed as improper to his station by the remainder of the Nobility.
With the Emperor wanting this to go away, *always* something. I personally recommend Kaohsiung or Tainan for this in order to study the Kaoping (the largest river on Taiwan) rather than Taipei.
Serving with Naginata and Scissors!
I'm actually surprised that only 50 years later that the information that the Emperor was involved and what was said in that session is now available to the public. (Though I don't know how you get around that in story telling)
Prince Nashimoto has the enviable position of not having to care about what Tojo thinks. He's old enough that he could retire and it would not be looked upon with shame. He is also Chief of the General Staff, and as such, there are only two people he must answer to- Army Minister Prince Kotohito Kan'in (the Emperor's great uncle) and the Emperor himself. As CGS, he has performed well and has the respect of his superiors and subordinates, so Tojo can really do nothing to assail his position.
Count Terauchi is also sure to participate in acts of magnamity expected of a wealthy noble, such as paying off the debts of young subordinates of good character, patronage of the arts and sciences, trying to teach Douglas MacArthur how to play shogi...
It was a challenge getting the source of the Emperor's quotes... it happens to be from Admiral of the Fleet Osami Nagano's memoirs, which maybe somewhat canted in his favour. Plus, there is nothing salacious about the Emperor at all, only that he, in Nagano's view at least, provided good counsel.
ahh kk.Japanese chess!
So 9x pawns. 1x king & the rest I presume are the equivalent to knights, castles, bishops etc? (Except given appropriate Japanese names)
Per Wiki
9 pawns
2 knights
2 lances
2 silver generals
2 gold generals
1 rook
1 bishop
1 king
and certain pieces can be promoted; captured enemy pieces can be put back into play too.
That's the smallest variant of shogi, this is the next size up, Chu (medium) Shogi:
That's about the largest playable variant, there are ones with hundreds of pieces and thousands of squares, but they are more like works of art than actual playable games.
If Yamashita does well, he might get elevated to baron. I wonder how the Tiger's going to react to that
If Yamashita does well, he might get elevated to baron. I wonder how the Tiger's going to react to that
Ah, you did notice how I alluded to some sort of reward for him in the latest update!
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