March 16th, 1939 and April 2nd, 1939
March 16th, 14th year of Showa
Meeting of the gosho kaigi (five minister conference)
“Well, what happened in Europe, Hachiro-san. I heard of a new crisis in the former Czechoslovakia.”
“Hai, Konoe-san. Three days ago, the Slovak president Jozef Tiso, a former catholic priest, visited Hitler in Berlin. Two days ago, the Slovak diet assembled and unanimously declared independence. Yesterday, the Czech president Emil Hacha was summoned to Berlin and apparently informed of a looming German invasion. As Czechoslovakia was indefensible after the loss of their border fortresses in the Sudetenland, he complied with the German demands, and ordered a capitulation of the Czech army. The Wehrmacht has taken control of focal points in Czech towns by now. Today, Hitler visited Prague and proclaimed Bohemia and Moravia a German protectorate and part of the Reich.”
“And again, there is no reaction from the British or the French, Hachiro-san? Do they still think they can appease Hitler?”
“No, Tojo-san. They are like paralyzed rabbits facing a snake. They issued diplomatic protests, but no threats of war. The only relatively stable democracy in Central Europe has ceased to exist. The western powers are toothless.”
Slovak president Jozef Tiso meets Adolf Hitler
April 2nd, 14th year of Showa
Meeting of the gosho kaigi (five minister conference)
Hachiro reported about the European crisis again.
“Since we met two weeks ago to discuss the situation in Europe, a lot has changed. Germany went on with their diplomatic bullying of neighbours to press their claims. Lithuania had to cede a small territory which had been part of East Prussia before the Great War. Hungary has annexed a part of the now-defunct Czechoslovakia and Italy has declared war on Albania. They had more or less controlled the country over the last decade anyway, but now they apparently decided to annex it completely.
Britain and France do now try to establish a new Entente against Germany. They have proclaimed guarantees of independence for Greece and Poland. The Eastern European countries, especially Romania and Hungary lean towards Germany however. Together with the Fascists in Italy and Spain, this threatens the century-old hegemony of France and Britain in Europe. The only indecisive country seems to be the Soviet Union. Despised by both sides, they do perhaps have their own agenda. And this agenda could become a threat to us in the future if they try to expand further in Asia.
By now there is a loose ‘axis’ of fascist nations, especially Germany, Italy and Spain. And there is an alliance between France and the United Kingdom. Most democratic nations in Europe do of course favour the two western powers. Most of the fascist nations favour the German bloc. If the situation escalates and a war breaks out in Europe, most of the continent will be involved on one side or the other. If the Soviet Union stays neutral, it’s hard to tell who will win such a war.”
For more than two years now, Yamamoto had told the other cabinet members not to forget about the United States. And now they still thought totally eurocentric. The new powers of this century wouldn’t be the European states with their constant conflicts, but the United States and Japan, perhaps even Russia. “Let’s not forget the United States. They intervened in the Great War and even if their role wasn’t that big, they are tremendous strong. They are probably stronger than all the European nations.”
Hachiro nodded. “Yamamoto-san is right. The United States are quite isolationist, but if they choose sides, they’ll most likely join Britain and France. But I don’t see them joining a war. They’ll boycott belligerents or at least those they do not favour, but I don’t think the Americans will intervene in a new European war.”
