On the evening of June 28, 1915, the island nation's army secretly set out from its homeland under the escort of its navy, heading for Southeast Asia.
By the morning of July 3, the Combined Fleet of the island nation's navy bombarded Hanoi, enabling the 1st Army Division to land with barely any resistance. By the end of the day, they had seized control of the city.
On July 4, the Combined Fleet escorted the 2nd Army Division in an assault on Saigon, capturing the city almost effortlessly. French colonial officials stationed there, who had been awaiting German representatives, fled without a second thought.
France's colonial forces in Indochina were already sparse, consisting mostly of locally recruited militia. Despite their numerical strength of over a hundred thousand, these troops lacked morale. When faced with the advancing island forces, they scattered in disarray. The entire Indochinese colony, ripe for the taking, fell into the hands of the invaders like an overripe fruit.
On July 5, the 3rd Army Division moved against British Malaya, while the 6th Division targeted Singapore. The colonial officials and garrison troops fled without mounting any resistance.
By July 7, the 4th and 5th Divisions launched an attack on Burma, prompting British forces and officials to retreat to India.
In mere days, the island nation seemed to have taken all of Southeast Asia. Although their occupation was still limited to a few areas, their advance appeared unstoppable. With British and French colonial authorities abandoning resistance, these territories would soon fall entirely into their grasp.
Even the island nation's own leaders were astonished at the ease and speed of their victories, having captured vast swathes of land in one fell swoop. Emboldened by their success, some radical army leaders even called for campaigns into India and Australia, proposing an expansion into these strategic territories.
Fortunately, cooler heads within the government prevailed. Orders were issued to solidify control over the newly occupied colonies and prepare for an inevitable German counterattack. More troops and military supplies were dispatched to Southeast Asia, recognizing that the homeland might soon be cut off from the colonies if the German navy launched an offensive.
The island nation's audacious actions sent shockwaves around the world. Few had anticipated they would dare to seize Southeast Asian colonies at such a time, particularly Indochina, which France had already ceded to Germany. Although the transfer had not yet been completed, the colony was effectively German territory. The invasion was a blatant provocation against Germany.
Of course, with a state of war already existing between the island nation and Germany, their aggression toward German territories was to be expected.
However, the British colonies in Southeast Asia, though not formally German, were understood to be future spoils for Germany once Britain was defeated. The island nation's actions were tantamount to snatching prey from a lion's jaws. Moreover, Britain had been their ally until recently; the annulment of their alliance made their betrayal all the more flagrant and despicable, earning universal condemnation.
Yet the island nation, known for its shameless pragmatism, was indifferent to such criticism. What mattered to them was the tangible benefits of their conquests.
In Berlin, at the imperial palace, Emperor QinTian convened his military and political leadership in his office. The atmosphere was heavy, the emperor's expression dark and foreboding, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. The gathered officials mirrored his mood, with the military officers visibly seething. Some among them seemed eager for action.
The war had been expected to conclude after Britain's defeat, with little need for further major campaigns. For the military leadership, this was a disappointing prospect. Now, the island nation's provocations offered them a fresh opportunity to extend the conflict.
"Gentlemen," QinTian began coldly, "it seems the entirety of Southeast Asia will soon fall into the hands of the island nation. Their actions are a direct slap in the empire's face!"
It had been assumed that Germany's earlier warnings would deter the island nation. After all, compared to the might of the empire, they were but insignificant ants. Yet they had boldly risked everything, launching a full-scale offensive on Southeast Asian colonies.
Though these territories were only nominally or imminently German, Germany had not yet established control. Now, their occupation by the island nation not only tarnished Germany's prestige but also bolstered the enemy's power.
"Your Majesty, the island nation's actions are suicidal! Do they not realize they are provoking the wrath of the empire? Should we launch an expedition, we will crush them utterly!" Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg declared indignantly, comparing the island nation's audacity to an ant challenging a lion.
"Your Majesty, their actions have inflicted a severe blow to the empire. We can no longer stand idly by. We must deploy our forces, defeat the islanders, and reclaim our colonies!" Foreign Minister von Jagow added fervently.
"Your Majesty," began War Minister and Chief of the General Staff von Falkenhayn, "though the army's main strength is preparing for operations against Britain and suppressing insurgents in the East, we can spare one or two corps for a Far Eastern campaign. That should be more than sufficient to defeat the islanders. Their army, despite defeating Russia over a decade ago, has stagnated, while our forces have evolved into the world's foremost military power."
"Your Majesty, the island nation's navy poses little threat. Apart from their four Kongo-class battlecruisers, the rest of their fleet consists of pre-dreadnoughts and obsolete vessels. A single fleet from the imperial navy will suffice to annihilate them," Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz asserted with confidence.