[centre] [b]November, 1937[/b] [img]http://histclo.com/imagef/date/2015/09/mjp-pos32s.jpg[/img][/centre] [b]Hsinking, Manchukuo[/b] As the sun sunk below the rocky Manchurian horizon, the city of Hsinking was only beginning to awake. Formerly known as Changchun, the City of the Long Spring had become the capital of the new Manchurian state, sponsored and recognised by the Japanese as the legitimate successor to Qing and the true heirs to China. The loss of Korea and Taiwan in the Second-Sino Japanese War of 1935 had rocked the foundations of the puppet state and only now was the dust beginning to settle. Japan had been hit hard. But now, she was getting back up and throwing herself into the fray. The Imperial Palace, built by the Japanese for the newly-crowned Kangde Emperor, had become a symbol of the New Order they wished to establish in Asia and beyond. 43,000 square metres had been designated by the Japanese and at the request of the Emperor Puyi, it'd been built in the style of the Forbidden Palace. But the Emperor, despite his polite attitude towards the Japanese, was a reluctant ruler. The Japanese were foreign to these lands and treated his people with disdain and disgust. Rumours of the atrocities committed by the Kwantung Army had grown since their redeployment to Korea in 1935 and the limited Japanese presence had only escalated dissent. "I am still most uncomfortable with such a large, foreign army returning to Hsinking, Prime Minister Jinghui" replied Puyi carefully. "I respect the intentions of the Heavenly Sovereign in the East but the war is over. We don't require Japanese help any longer". "My Grace" began Jinghui before hesitating. "You must...understand the position we are currently in. As well as the likelihood of a Republican invasion increasing by the day, we have certain responsibilities to uphold". The warlords eyes flickered to the walls and Puyi grimaced. It was widely-thought the walls of the Imperial Palace were bugged and the disappearance of several chamber maids confirmed it in the eyes of the Kangde Emperor. "Has he arrived yet, Jinghui?" said Puyi quietly, sitting back into his chair and closing his eyes. "He is, my Grace. General/Ambassador Tanigawa arrived two hours ago to Hsinking and wishes to meet with you as soon you'll allow it. He's currently in the outer court, awaiting your response" replied Jinghui, bowing his head. Puyi flared his nostrils but said nothing. He knew his position and the precarious nature of it. His life was one gunshot away from an "accident" at the hands of Japanese assassins and despite his private objections, he dared not bite the hand that fed him. The Japanese had given him a second chance, one that had been snatched away from him over 25 years before. Yet he felt no loyalty to them. "Send him in" said Puyi finally. "Of course, my Grace" said Jinghui, bowing low and stepping out of the room. The few minutes that Puyi had to himself allowed him to think. The Kwantung Army had pulled out of Manchukuo during the tail-end Second Sino-Japanese War of 1935 to help the war effort in Korea, an ultimately hopeless endeavour that led to the seppuku of its former General. The small contingency they'd left behind had allowed the native Manchurian Imperial Army to grow in power and size and the attempts at reigning in the Manchurians by the Japanese had been gaining traction in recent months. Then, there was the matter of the alleged biochemical . As far as Puyi had known, it didn't officially exist but the worrying rumours had caught his attention. Subsequent investigations hit dead ends and newspaper reports were censored but the idea that such an organisation even possibly existed was alarming. General Tanigawa's loud entrance interrupted his train of thought. "I am most honoured to be in your presence, My Grace" barked the new Japanese Ambassador, bowing and placing his forehead to the ground in respect. Puyi stood up from behind his desk and plastered a smile to his face. "I look forward to a long and prosperous relationship, Tanigawa-san" said Puyi, switching to stilted Japanese and stepping forward to shake the mans hand. Tanigawa pulled himself to his feet and Puyi finally got a look at the face of his new Japanese "ambassador". He was in full army attire but had allowed a powerful moustache to grow above his top lip, probably to distract the fact he stood at a mere 5 feet tall. [i]Damned Nip[/i]. [b]Tokyo, Empire of Japan[/b] The rapid reshuffling of the Japanese cabinet had ended almost 8 months ago but Konoe was still struggling to see the benefit of the many military men sat in front of him. Not that he made such objections public. Since the loss of territory to China and the new Republic of Korea, the installation of several powerful figures from the Navy and Army were taking Japan in a new direction. The time to lick wounds and decide on their next move was long over, they had argued. Now it was time to strike back. "Well, my friends, it seems as though the world has gone mad" began Tojo, Minister of War, to the sound of light chuckling from the cabinet. "With the demise of America, only Europe continues to stand in the way of Japanese and Greater Asian Prosperity. While the Dutch, French and British continue their rape of Asia, western ideals grow with strength in China and India. Rightful Japanese land now lies under the control of communists and republicans. Koreans and Taiwanese have been taken from the Heavenly Sovereigns light and into the darkness of the West. Our honour has been hit especially hard and will continue to be so as long as men live in squalor across Asia, giving the land that the Gods made to the white men. Our first priority should be the requisition of territory that belong to the Asian race. We must fill the power vacuum before someone else does". There were some light nods of agreement across the table as Tojo continued. "From Hawaii to India, the scourge of European ideals exists. But this is not the 1800's anymore, friends. Pax Britannica is over. Pax Americanna is over. It is time for the Emperors chosen people to lead Asia and the world to prosperity. And I believe we should begin immediately. In Hawai'i, hundreds of thousands of native Japanese emigrated from their homeland to spread our culture, our language and our race across the sea. And after decades of slavery, it is now the time to set them free. In the Phillipines, centuries of Spanish and decades of American rule have left the Filipinos poor and desolate, a people in chains. But what of the Koreans and Chinese under Japanese sponsorship? They grew in character, they became a rich and worthy people. So now, friends, I believe is the time for battle. Whether it is with the Chinese in Manchukuo or the Americans in Hawaii, it is imperative that we strike hard and soon". Tojo nodded to indicate he was finished and sat down. Konoe mulled on his words for a few moments before saying anything. "We had a report on Hawaii from a few years ago that indicated the Hawaiin population of Japanese men were uncomfortable with the idea of returning under our rule but even more uncomfortable with injustice of American rule. They left this nation to seek their fortunes in Hawaii and were put on large plantations to work for the bare minimum. America no longer exists, gentlemen. Where does this leave the Japanese population abroad?" said Konoe, balancing his head But we must remember - war is a costly business. The outcome should out-weigh the means. What will a war with the multitude of American states do for Japan?" "It's easily ours to win, Konoe-san. Japan's honour has been damaged in the eyes of the world" replied Anzai, Minister of the Navy. "What the Imperial General Headquarters proposes is a war to invade and occupy Hawaii, under the pretext of freeing the Japanese people from American rule. Post-war, we propose an effort to keep America in its current state of disunity, where it cannot possibly interfere in Japanese operations in the Pacific. I would also like to remind the cabinet of the current Japanese naval strength, which according to our most recent survey, rivals only the British Royal Navy in size and potential power. Plans for such an operation were drawn up several years ago following our investigation into potential dissent among the Hawaiian-Japanese and I believe with a little bit of tweaking, our forces can easily overwhelm the current defences on Hawaii and other Pacific territories". Konoe hesitated. "I'm not certain the Emperor would support such a war. What benefits can we extract from the Hawaiian archipelago, apart from the obvious tactical ones?" he said, grimacing slightly. "I must agree with Konoe-san" said Ochida, Minister of Foreign Affairs. "An invasion would be extremely costly and may potentially damage Japanese standing with the American states. It could even present a reason to unify the American states against a Japanese invasion". "That is why acting quickly is paramount. A occupation of Hawaii, supported by a large minority of the populace, can cement Japanese superiority in the Pacific and then we can begin operations in the European colonies" retorted Tojo. "I must say, gentlemen, your apprehension surprises me. Operations such as this will regain lost honour for our Empire and you seem to be almost hesitant in the idea that Japan should once again take its place at the world table". Konoe sighed deeply and sat back. He was questioning his [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yIfl41ytZM]honour[/url]. "May I remind you, Konoe-san, the Imperial General Headquarters acts only on the advice of the cabinet but is ultimately concerned with the opinion of the Emperor in matters concerning war" continued Tojo with a slight air of smugness. He was right, of course - the Army and Navy could act independently of the government if it chose to. Emperor Hirohito, while nevertheless a supporter of the government, had lost faith in the constant bickering of his ministers since the Second Sino-Japanese War and had been looking to men such as Tojo in recent months for advice. "Perhaps, Tojo-san but you must remember the actions of the Military reflect widely on the government and people, who will receive the blame for any 'mishaps' during your operations" replied Konoe, his jaw clenched. The two men, sat across the table, stared at each other for a considerable amount of time, each weighing up their options. "Your concerns are duly noted, Prime Minister" said Tojo finally.