"How could this happen? Why has this occurred? How could we allow the German fleet to break into Tokyo Bay? Do you understand what this means? Lord Yatsudai, the Empire will suffer catastrophic losses because of this!" Counselor Reijiro Kurashima accused.
General Yatsudai Rokuro's face turned pale, and he remained silent, allowing the other cabinet ministers to lay blame upon him. He, too, was deeply frustrated. Although the defense of the coast had been entrusted to the Navy, he had already exhausted every effort in the defense of the Uraga Strait. Yet, despite all his efforts, the Germans had forced their way through. It was not his fault— it was simply that the Germans were far too formidable.
"When the German warships passed through the strait, they detonated a mine. But, regrettably, the German ships' defenses were so extraordinary that even the mine caused little damage. Our coastal defense forces also launched a full-scale attack to try to stop them. Yet, they failed. The Germans' defenses were too powerful for our coastal artillery to break." General Yatsudai Rokuro appeared utterly helpless.
The other ministers exchanged glances, stunned by this revelation. They had assumed the failure to defend the strait was due to the Navy's poor resistance, allowing the German fleet to breach Tokyo Bay. However, now that they knew the Navy had done everything in their power, there was little to reproach them for. After all, the Navy was just as unwilling for this to happen.
"Enough, everyone," Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu said. "Blame serves no purpose now. The question is, what shall we do next?" His gaze turned to Army Minister Okada Shinobu.
It was clear that the Germans had taken the risk of entering Tokyo Bay to force the island nation to accept their terms. Had they been willing to relinquish Germany's colonies in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, perhaps this catastrophe could have been avoided.
At present, the greatest obstacle to the Japanese government accepting Germany's demands was the Army. If the Army refused, there would be no way forward.
Okada Shinobu, feeling the weight of everyone's gaze, sensed immense pressure.
"Gentlemen, Southeast Asia is the cornerstone of the Empire's resurgence; we cannot surrender it! The Elders would never consent to such a thing," Okada Shinobu said, forcing the words out.
"But Tokyo is the very heart of the Empire. If Tokyo is destroyed by the Germans, the consequences will be far graver," Foreign Minister Kato Takaaki countered.
"If Tokyo is destroyed, we can rebuild. But if we lose Southeast Asia, reclaiming it would be virtually impossible," Okada Shinobu was resolute, unmoved by the argument.
Prime Minister Okuma sighed deeply. The greed of the Army was infuriating. Their avarice would ruin the entire nation. Moreover, Okuma knew that as long as Yamagata Aritomo and Oyama Iwao refused to compromise, Okada Shinobu would never yield.
"I have given the order to send our remaining destroyers to attack the Germans. But, frankly, I have no confidence that they can hold back the German assault!" General Yatsudai said.
The ministers knew that General Yatsudai's order was essentially a death sentence for the remaining Japanese destroyers. The Japanese Navy, already decimated in its main strength, stood no chance against the mighty German fleet. Even with torpedoes, the destroyers were unlikely to make much of an impact.
Yokosuka Naval Base, a key stronghold of the Combined Fleet, had once housed the ships that defended Tokyo. However, there were few warships left in the base now. Only a dozen destroyers remained. The rest had been lost in the final confrontation with the German expeditionary fleet.
"Woo!"
A shrill alarm blared through the air, waking the sailors. Without hesitation, they donned their uniforms in the shortest time and rushed to their stations. Although they were unsure of the situation, their long-standing training ensured they moved quickly.
They knew that the bulk of their Navy had already been annihilated by the Germans, which meant they had no strength to continue fighting. Many had resigned themselves to never sailing again. However, the sudden alarm injected a sense of uncertainty into their hearts, mingled with a glimmer of excitement.
"Warriors, the vile Germans have breached the Uraga Strait. The coastal defense forces, those fools, couldn't stop them. Therefore, the higher-ups have ordered us to launch an immediate attack and sink every German warship that has entered Tokyo Bay with our torpedoes. Think about it— if we allow the Germans to occupy Tokyo Bay, they will surely destroy Tokyo just as they have other cities. We've already lost many of our brothers to the Germans. We cannot afford to lose more lives! Even if it costs us our lives, we must stop the Germans!" The commander at Yokosuka Base rallied the sailors through loudspeakers.
He successfully stirred their spirits. None of the sailors wished to see Tokyo fall into German hands. Tokyo was their capital! If it too were destroyed, the nation would never hold its head high again.
At the same time, stopping the Germans meant protecting their fellow countrymen, their families. They had no other choice.
The remaining dozen Japanese Navy destroyers sailed swiftly from Yokosuka Naval Base toward the Uraga Strait, hoping to intercept the German fleet at the strait's mouth. If they could gain an advantage from the terrain, perhaps they could halt the Germans.
But sadly, by the time the Japanese destroyers arrived, the five German battlecruisers had already passed through the Uraga Strait, along with several light cruisers. Other cruisers and destroyers followed in succession. Attempting a torpedo attack would undoubtedly result in heavy retaliation from the Germans' overwhelming firepower. The difficulty of successfully sinking any of the German warships seemed almost insurmountable.
Yet, despite these odds, the Japanese Navy's commanders issued the order to attack. The dozen remaining destroyers charged toward the German expeditionary fleet.