Cash-Loaded Fleet

Chapter 34 - Back Entrance

Eighteen aircraft carriers and forty destroyers, as well as over a hundred maritime defense ships. Having secured that promise to pay for their construction, Minister Shiozawa attempted to cut off the funding discussions. He decided it was too dangerous to rely any further on an individual like Binta Satsutaba. However, Binta showed no sign of accommodating Minister Shiozawa's thoughts and unilaterally proposed further support.

"We will provide the construction costs for these repair ships as well. With the war underway, repair cases are sure to increase dramatically. By deploying repair ships strategically, there will be no need to return to the mainland for minor damage repairs. This will undoubtedly improve the turnover rate of escort ships such as coastal defense ships and anti-submarine vessels."

Currently, domestic shipbuilding and repair facilities are operating at full capacity. Thanks to Binta's financial support, both the number and capacity of these facilities have improved significantly compared to the past. Furthermore, expansion and new construction are also underway. However, the strong demand is still surpassing the processing capacity of these shipbuilding and repair facilities. Additionally, adding the repair of damaged ships to the workload will undoubtedly overflow the facilities. But with multiple repair ships, the situation will certainly improve to a significant degree. As Binta suggested, by strategically deploying repair ships to key locations outside the mainland, the turnover rate of vessels will increase, and there will be fuel savings. Minister Shiozawa decided to accept Binta's offer based on this assessment.

"Now, changing the subject, is the list we talked about completed?"

Binta quickly changed the topic as if the funding discussion had been settled. Minister Shiozawa also wanted a time-efficient approach.

"It is. Regarding the prisoners of the Pacific Fleet, we have confirmed the names and ranks of all of them. The same goes for those who died on their way to the mainland or in mainland hospitals."

In the Battle of the Marshall Islands, the Pacific Fleet lost nearly 400.000 officers and men at once. Furthermore, all the ships that participated in the naval battle were sunk, so there are few survivors, and their number is less than ten percent of all officers and soldiers. Binta had requested the prompt creation of a list of survivors from the Navy Ministry.

Normally, the request of a Special Mission Commander who is treated as a civilian would be completely ignored. However, if it's a request from a major sponsor, it cannot be dismissed. Moreover, it was necessary for the Imperial Japanese Navy, and since Binta's intended use was recognized as a means to bring the United States out of the war, the work was expedited.

The list will be used to harass President Roosevelt. Of course, Binta himself will oversee the production and editing. The Hull Note angered the Japanese people. It will be sent to the American media and the president's political opponents, the Republican Party, along with this list.

In the United States, it has already been announced to the public that the Pacific Fleet was defeated in battle against the Combined Fleet. However, the details of the content have not been disclosed. To be honest, if it were revealed that every single ship was completely destroyed, it could potentially cause panic not only in Hawaii but also on the West Coast.

Therefore, the Japanese government will inform the American people on behalf of the US government. By announcing the list of prisoners along with this fact, even President Roosevelt wouldn't be able to escape it. The announcement will be provocative, emphasizing that it was President Roosevelt who pushed for the war. The Hull Note should be the most convincing evidence of that.

Additionally, the real names of the captured soldiers and their stories will be included. A sailor who died while wanting to return to his hometown, a mechanic who jumped into a burning ship to save comrades but never returned, a senior chief petty officer who protected young sailors from exploding shells with his own body and was cut to pieces, a young officer who suffered severe injuries and died while murmuring the name of his fiancée left in the homeland. Each of them was wounded and fell for the sake of defending their country and protecting their loved ones. Of course, at the end of these stories, don't forget to include words that honor the courage and dedication of American soldiers as part of the Empire of Japan and express condolences.

As a result, Americans might think the following: The soldiers of the Pacific Fleet fought admirably. But, wasn't it President Roosevelt himself who caused their unjust deaths? And, isn't this unfortunate war between Japan and the United States really a personal war of President Roosevelt?

On the other hand, a similar measure will be taken with the Japanese public. The problem is not the United States but President Roosevelt and his entourage. So, the tales of heroism from the soldiers of the Pacific Fleet will be shared with the Japanese people, who have a penchant for sob stories, at a carefully chosen time. If the hostility is directed towards President Roosevelt as an individual rather than the United States or its people, the hurdle for peace can be expected to be lowered accordingly. If Japanese people come to hate Americans, the possibility of achieving peace, which should be possible, will be lost.

Of course, when praising the enemy, there will be a need for appropriate preparations. There are small-minded individuals in every organization who loudly proclaim things like, "What's the matter with praising the enemy?" So, dealing with those aspects falls under the responsibility of Minister Shiozawa, who oversees politics and personnel in the Imperial Japanese Navy. However, Binta was optimistic about this. As far as Binta was concerned, Minister Shiozawa was a suitable choice. At the very least, he is more reliable than his predecessor Admiral Oikawa.

In any case, the necessary material for the time being has been collected. The Hull Note served as concrete evidence of provocation against Japan. The list of prisoners proved the disastrous defeat at the Battle of the Marshall Islands. And, the heroic stories of the Pacific Fleet soldiers can be a versatile tool depending on how they are used to lower the hurdle for peace or turn President Roosevelt's sentiments against him. Mixing these three components together and turning them into a paper bomb to throw at President Roosevelt. That was Binta's immediate task.

'Publicity is the foundation of economic warfare, after all.'

When it comes to similar products, the one with the better promotion sells more. With a slight difference in quality, it is possible to reverse the situation depending on the promotion. The gap between Japan and the United States is too significant to be described as slight, but for Binta, the propaganda war is a top priority. Above all, it offers excellent cost-effectiveness. It is far cheaper than building warships. Moreover, its political impact is significant despite its low cost. Especially in a country like the United States, where public opinion can significantly influence politics.

Furthermore, no matter what Japan does, it cannot defeat the United States. It is simply impossible to subdue the United States militarily, such as occupying the mainland, and even occupying Hawaii is doubtful. In other words, forcing the United States to surrender militarily is impossible.

'For Japan, the best option is peace with the United States.'

Considering the disparity in national power between Japan and the United States, Japan has to use every resource at its disposal to secure a stalemate. That's why every necessary measure needs to be taken. For the necessary expenses, Binta had no intention of sparing any cost.