Chapter 135 How to Solve the China Problem?
"Ludwig, how much do you know about Japan?"
Karl Haushofer asked Hirschmann in the sky above the Pacific Ocean. The performance of the Do-X seaplane seemed to be quite reliable, and it had flown for thousands of kilometers without any problems. Moreover, the plane was very comfortable and spacious, with luxurious guest rooms and restaurants, almost the same as those in luxury cruise ships.
After discussing "European economic issues" with Hirschmann for a day, Karl Haushofer had been convinced by Hirschmann's point of view, and believed that there was only one way out for the German and European economies - to form a strong and united European Community! If it cannot be achieved through peaceful negotiations, then there can only be war! Through war, Germany's leadership in Europe was established, and then the European Community was organized with Germany as the core.
And this war for European leadership will undoubtedly be a world war! If Germany is preparing to fight a world war, it must consider the issue of finding allies.
"Japan is our potential ally," Hessman looked out the window at the vast Pacific Ocean below, "but this country is a little weak. If we don't want them to cause us trouble in future wars, we must carry out comprehensive and in-depth cooperation with them. Of course, they also have leading advantages in some areas, which is worth learning from."
"Japan's leading advantage?" Karl Haushofer thought for a while, "Their navy is okay, and their army is also second to none in East Asia, but their air force is a little weak. If we can strengthen their air force, Japan may dominate the East Asian continent. At that time, this country may contain the Soviet Union, and it may also shake the colonies of Britain and France in Asia..."
Japan will also attack Pearl Harbor and drag the United States into the world war in advance! Hessman still looked down on Japan, this "pig teammate". However, the allies he can choose are really limited-although the powerful Soviet Union will cooperate with Germany in military technology and industry, cooperation is one thing, and alliance is another.
"I think it is difficult for Japan to dominate the East Asian continent at present, otherwise you and I would not visit Japan at this time." Hessman said, frowning slightly, with a complicated expression.
By 1928, the capital of the new Chinese government was not in Nanjing, but in Wuhan. The real leaders of the revolutionary army were not surnamed Jiang, but were surnamed Zhu, Zhou, Mao, and other great men. In addition, Liao Zhongkai, who should have been assassinated in history, and Deng Yanda, who was killed, are now sitting on the stage.
The movement that took place in 1927, which almost cleared out the grassroots organizations of the Communist Party, did not happen in the history of this time and space. Of course, the Nanchang Uprising, the Autumn Harvest Uprising, and the subsequent ten-year land revolution war would not have happened.
Because the Wuhan government, which now controls southern China, is actually the product of the union of the left and the Bolshevik Party, and this government not only has a strong control over the grassroots society - it has hundreds of thousands of party members as its foundation - but also maintains friendly relations with the Soviet Union.
It is precisely because of the relationship between the Wuhan government and the Soviet Union that the Japanese government's hostility to the Wuhan government of China has risen to the point of approaching war. The Soviet Union announced that it would transfer the aircraft carrier "Karl Marx" and the battleship "Paris Commune" to the Pacific Fleet in order to put pressure on the Japanese side.
It was also because of the relationship between the Wuhan government and the Soviet Union that the Japanese government's hostility towards the Wuhan government of China rose to the point of approaching war. The Soviet Union announced that it would transfer the aircraft carrier "Karl Marx" and the battleship "Paris Commune" to the Pacific Fleet in order to put pressure on the Japanese side.
After receiving this news, the Japanese authorities also took tit-for-tat measures and announced that they would send a fleet to intercept the "Karl Marx" and the "Paris Commune".
On May 10, 1928, Stalin sent a formation of 16 TB-2 bombers to fly near the Japanese airspace near Kyushu and was discovered by the patrolling Type 15 flying boat (seaplane). Then more than a dozen Type 3 carrier-based fighters took off from the Sasebo base to intercept, and the result was that the Japanese lost face.
The speed of their most advanced Type 3 carrier-based fighters was not as fast as the Soviet TB-2 heavy bomber! The former was powered by a 450-horsepower Nakajima Kotobuki air-cooled engine of unreliable quality, and it was a biplane with a maximum speed of only 241 kilometers per hour.
The TB-2 was equipped with four Siemens "Neptun" engines, with a total thrust of 3,520 horsepower, and the TB-2 was a monoplane with a maximum speed of 270 kilometers per hour. It far exceeded the Japanese Type 3 carrier-based fighter.
Therefore, no matter how the Japanese aircraft chased, they could only follow the Soviet TB-2 and eat dust - this was because the Soviet pilots deliberately slowed down to seduce the Japanese aircraft!
In the end, the Soviet aircraft had enough of the Japanese and flew away in a swagger. However, one of the Japanese Type 3 carrier-based fighters crashed into the sea due to engine failure (probably because it flew too hard and overheated), drowning a pilot. And this time, the "TB Express" was just the beginning of a series of airspace violations!
This endless "visiting incidents with exposed aircraft" not only made the Japanese lose face, but also sounded a wake-up call for them - the strength of the Soviet Red Air Force far exceeded that of Japan's army and naval aviation. If the Japanese dared to intercept Soviet ships, then Sasebo, Kure Naval Port and Tokyo would be ready to be bombed!
Then, the Japanese studied photos of the Soviet TB-2 bomber and found that this aircraft was almost identical to the German J.28 transport aircraft (passenger aircraft), except that the engine was slightly larger (the J.28 transport model was equipped with a 750-horsepower air-cooled engine produced by BMW). Then the Japanese inquired about the export of the German J.28 transport aircraft through their diplomatic agencies in Germany. It turned out that the Soviet Civil Aviation Administration was the largest buyer!
Knowing the gap and finding the Soviet teacher, the Japanese, who are good at learning, naturally thought of cooperating with the Germans-although the two sides were opponents in World War I, the relationship between Japan and Germany after the war was actually good. Many Japanese army officers studied in Germany, and Japan's representatives to the Allied Military Control Commission also kept the Germans informed, so the Germans could get the news of all temporary inspections of the Military Control Commission in advance.
Moreover, under pressure from the United States, the alliance between Japan and Britain was terminated on December 13, 1921. Instead, it was replaced by the Anglo-American-Japanese-French Treaty, which did not have any military alliance nature and was actually useless.
Having lost the Anglo-Japanese alliance, Japan naturally could not expect Britain to provide any help at this time - Britain was relatively strict in exporting military technology, so after the alliance ended, the military cooperation between Britain and Japan basically ended, and Japan did not get any help from Britain.
At that time, the United States and Japan were each other's imaginary enemies, so the United States naturally would not provide aviation technology assistance to Japan.
In this case, the only country the Japanese could turn to for help was Germany, which provided aviation technology to the Soviet Union.
The purchase of the Do-X seaplane and the invitation of Karl Haushofer to visit Japan were a test of the possibility of cooperation between Japan and Germany.
"General," Hessmann knew that Japan was very important to Germany's future. He thought, "I think you should tell your Japanese friends that it is irrational to go to war with the Soviet Union at the moment... Japan and the Soviet Union should find a compromise on the Chinese issue."
"Oh, Ludwig, don't you agree with Japan destroying the Wuhan government?" Karl Haushofer frowned. "The Soviets will probably not choose to go to war. This year is the beginning of the Soviet Union's first five-year plan. Although Stalin acted very tough, a full-scale war was definitely not his option. The Red Army's planes could only drop a few thousand tons of bombs on Tokyo at most, and the Japanese should be able to withstand it."
Herssmann nodded and said, "General, I agree with you." He paused. "But once Japan goes to war with the Wuhan government, it will lose the value of cooperating with us. Because whether they win or get stuck in the quagmire, they are trapped on the Asian continent... Therefore, we should exaggerate the strength of the Soviet Union to scare the Japanese. At the same time, we can try to mediate the differences between the Soviet Union and Japan. I think the Soviet Union and Japan can divide their spheres of influence in China. China is large enough, and the areas currently controlled by the Wuhan government are mainly the spheres of influence of Britain and France."
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The Chinese issue has been a headache for Luo Luo. Not only does it have the taste of readers, but also the aunt's pliers. Luo Luo doesn't want to be a eunuch, so he can only arrange this choice that seems reasonable to Luo Luo. Historically, the power of the Guozu in the middle and grassroots levels was very large. More than half of the people in the Huangpu Army were Guozu and Bolsheviks, and most of the rest were fence-sitters. The principal had very few confidants at that time, which was why he could not establish grassroots rule later. The people he started with were non-Guangdong people in the Guangdong faction, there were really few, and some Huangpu students. It was not easy to seize power with such a small amount of power. But it is too difficult to do things after taking power. No matter how good the plan is, it is equal to nothing if no one executes it. Therefore, the principal is a leader with insufficient execution ability. It is not easy for him to accomplish those things in history. So don't say bad things about him. If there is anyone who should be held responsible, it is the Guozuo and the Bolshevik Party in Guangzhou at that time. They are more powerful than the principal, and with the aid of the Soviet Union, it is easy to take down the principal. If it was Taizu or Mediterranean, the problem would have been solved long ago. So Luo Luo arranged it like this, and arranged a ruthless person. Then the Chinese issue was written and ended. From then on, Germany only had an alliance with Japan, and did not aid China.