Chapter 687: Yamagata Aritomo's Back-Attack (Third Update, Please Subscribe)
Japan's invitation to the Ming fleet to visit directly further confirmed the British judgment that the Meiji government had already sided with the Ming Empire.
The British side had no choice but to make such a judgment. After all, after Iwakura and others returned from their visit, Japan not only sent a large number of students to the Ming Dynasty, but almost all the Japanese high-ranking officials, including Iwakura, became Ming fans. They always mentioned the Ming Dynasty.
Even Fukuzawa Yukichi, who advocated "leaving Asia and joining Europe", seriously studied the "Ming Dynasty". He also highly praised this rising Western "Ming Dynasty" and repeatedly called them the "light of Asians".
Now Japan's invitation has filled the British with a sense of crisis. All this just proves their initial speculation - the Ming Dynasty has already extended their hand to Japan.
In order to stop the Ming Dynasty and, of course, to stop them from further threatening British interests in East Asia, the British government directly expressed its support for the Tokugawa family, and even Minister Parkes publicly declared that "Britain is happy to develop a new relationship with the Tokugawa Shogun."
With the support of Britain, Tokugawa Shigemitsu's army launched an attack on Kyoto.
The flames of war once again broke out in Japan.
Unlike the Meiji government's new army which was mainly composed of peasants, the army under Tokugawa Shigetsugu were all from samurai families. Compared with the inadequately trained government army, Tokugawa Shigetsugu's army was more powerful. After receiving assistance from the British, they defeated the government army one after another and headed straight for Tokyo.
The Meiji Restoration government, which was short of troops, had no way to resist the attack of the Tokugawa army.
"Now, we must consider establishing a rear-end assault force!"
In front of Ito Hirobumi, Army Minister Aritomo Yamagata spoke in a very excited tone.
"Now the Tokugawa rebel army has surrounded Nagoya. Once the Nagoya garrison is defeated, they will soon head straight for Tokyo. The government army, which is mainly composed of peasants, is no match for the samurai rebel army. However, the military supplies of the Tokugawa rebel army all come from the rear. We can send two or three brigades by sea, land in the Tsu area, and take advantage of the empty rear to directly cut off their logistics. In this way, no matter how brave the Tokugawa rebel army is, what can they do without ammunition? The rebel army will collapse without being defeated!"
As the Army Minister, Aritomo Yamagata did have his own unique way of employing troops. Even though he had tried his best to suppress the development of the navy in the past few years, it did not prevent him from looking at war from the perspective of overall warfare. In another world, the biggest turning point of the Southwest War was his establishment of the "Back Shock Army" and its landing in Hinagu and Yatsushiro south of Kumamoto. As a result, the Satsuma army was caught in a situation where it was attacked from all sides. The Satsuma army retreated across the board, and the government army tracked and pursued them, and finally defeated them.
This time, Aritomo Yamagata was just following the same method.
"Do we have any other troops we can mobilize?"
Ito Hirobumi asked with a frown.
Although he was the Minister of Industry, he knew that the government army was stretched to the limit. As a small country, although the Meiji government tried its best to build a strong army in the past few years, it was limited by financial resources and other reasons. It was not until three years ago that the four garrisons of Tokyo, Osaka, Chinse, and Tohoku were established, with a total of only 15,000 officers and soldiers. In January 1873, after a long period of preparation, the Army Department finally expanded the four garrisons into six garrisons of Tokyo, Sendai, Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Kumamoto.
But after the Emperor passed away last year, rebellions broke out everywhere, and the government army had to attack everywhere. The Kumamoto Garrison was besieged by the Saigo Army in Kumamoto, the Nagoya Garrison was besieged by the Tokugawa Army in Nagoya, and the Osaka Garrison was simply a shame for all the garrisons. After a fierce battle, they were so frightened by the attack of the samurai that they surrendered directly to the Tokugawa Army.
Now the Hiroshima Garrison is used to guard against the Saigo Army in Kyushu, and the Sendai Garrison is used to guard against the private soldiers of the various feudal domains in the northeast. The Tokyo Garrison... This is the last armed force of the Meiji government to defend Tokyo, which means that they can't draw any troops to form a "rear impact force". But
"The Hiroshima garrison can still be mobilized."
Aritomo Yamagata said directly.
"The navy's fleet is also in Hiroshima. They can board the ship directly from Hiroshima and, under the escort of the navy, launch an attack from behind, thus..."
Without waiting for Aritomo Yamagata to finish his words, Hirobumi Ito refused directly.
"No, Hiroshima Garrison is the last obstacle between Honshu and Kyushu. In the past few months, we were able to stop the Saigo rebels from entering Honshu because of the naval fleet stationed in Shimokakuseki and the Hiroshima Garrison."
Thanks to the recovery of the warships of various feudal domains and the return of the navy to the government, the rebels might have built an army with more combat effectiveness than the government army by relying on the laid-off samurai. However, they did not have a naval fleet, and it was for this reason that their rebellion was confined to Kyushu.
"As long as the Hiroshima Garrison is there, we can prevent the Kyushu Saigo rebels from landing, so the Hiroshima Garrison must not be mobilized!"
"Sir, the Kumamoto Garrison is still holding back Saigo's main force. At least before Kumamoto is occupied, Saigo will never land on Honshu. According to Saigo's habits, he will only consider attacking Honshu after he controls the entire Kyushu."
Yamagata Aritomo knew Saigo Takamori very well. Although that guy had a very high reputation, he was by no means a master of military operations.
"Besides, I have another idea."
Looking at Ito Hirobumi, Aritomo Yamagata said.
"Since the government has decided to invite the Ming fleet to visit Japan, let's invite them to visit Hiroshima!"
Yamagata Aritomo's suggestion made Ito Hirobumi and the Navy Minister Kawamura Junyoshi look at him in surprise and exclaimed.
"Invite the Ming fleet to visit Hiroshima!"
"Yes, as long as the Ming fleet is in Hiroshima, even if Saigo wants to land, he will never take that risk. After all, the Ming fleet is very powerful!"
How can it not be powerful!
Apart from anything else, just the "Nanhua" battleship is enough to dominate the entire East Asia. Since last June, when the Ming Far East Fleet led by the "Nanhua" battleship arrived in Naha, this fleet has caused an unprecedented sensation in Japan.
That is the most powerful fleet in East Asia!
For Aritomo Yamagata, who was short of manpower, he had been thinking about the Ming fleet since the day he planned to establish the "rear attack army".
"Yoshi, you are using the Ming army to intimidate the Xixiang rebels!"
Ito Hirobumi couldn't help but praise.
"With the Ming fleet here, we don't have to worry about the possible attack from the Saigo traitor. Even the British fleet will be restrained."
In the eyes of these people, the Ming Dynasty was so powerful that it would definitely be able to deter the British and prevent them from acting rashly.
Wouldn't it be a waste if we don't take advantage of such powerful allies?
Ito Hirobumi, who had originally opposed Yamagata Aritomo's transfer of the Hiroshima garrison, agreed almost without thinking.
Then, Ito Hirobumi looked at the Navy Vice Admiral Kawamura Junyoshi and asked.
"The Navy can probably send the Hiroshima garrison to the Tsu area."
"Oh, don't you know the situation of the navy? Although we can't fight, we can still transport troops."
What Kawamura Junyi said was true. After all, the Japanese navy did not have much combat power at the moment. Even in the Southwest War in another world, the Japanese navy only served as a transport ship. As for combat, at most they only fired a few shots at their own people during the Anti-Qing War.
Of course, this does not prevent Japan from invading Taiwan in another world. It was by relying on such a navy that was unable to engage in naval battles that it successfully forced the Qing Dynasty to pay a compensation of 500,000 taels and recognize Japan's sovereignty over Ryukyu.
This seemingly incredible thing is actually not difficult to understand when it comes to Yuet-ching.
Ito Hirobumi nodded.
"In that case, let's settle it."
(End of this chapter)
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