Pearl of the Orient Seas: World War II

Chapter 2: Japan's Invasions

Ten years after the Paris Peace Conference, the United States suffered something better known as the "Great Depression." A major fall in stock prices began around 4th of September, 1929, followed by a stock market crash in October. It sent Wall Street to a panic and wiped out millions of investors. By 1933, some 15 million Americans were unemployed and nearly half the country's banks had failed. The United States suffered high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement. This effected many countries across the world. Many economies fell and weakened and many people lost their jobs. The Japanese Economy suffered retrenchment after the boom of the first world war. For most of the decade, the real economy remained dull with low economic growth, mild deflation and an unsettled financial system.

Japan, 1931

"Sir, there has been reports of detonating of a dynamite near a part of the South Manchuria Railway close to Mukden," a soldier said with a fake, worried face. Kiku turned to him with a calm expression.

"Take me there," he ordered. The soldier took him to the railway. The explosion was so weak that it failed to destroy the track. In fact, a train passed over it and arrived at Shenyang without any difficulties. Wang arrived and Kiku looked at him with squinted eyes. "You did this?"

"M-me?! I just arrived!" Wang protested. "There is no way I could've done that!"

"There is no way I could've done it either. You are the one to blame,"

Kiku turned to leave as Wang kept shouting his name. The soldier from before smirked. The plan had worked. Kiku was infuriated with the incident, responding with a full invasion on Manchuria with the Kwantung Army. He established a puppet state named Manchukuo, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy.

"Japan," Kiku's boss started. "because of your full invasion on Manchuria, the population has been increasing." he said. Kiku nodded in agreement while pouring tea on the cups.

"I've decided to continue invading other territories to solve our financial problems." he announced. "I also plan to leave the League of Nations."

Berlin, 1940

Ludwig, Feliciano and Kiku were all sitting in front of a long table like in the Paris Peace Conference. They were signing the Tripartite Pact. It was directed primarily at Alfred. It is the desire of the three countries to extend cooperation to nations in other spheres of the world that are inclined to direct their efforts along lines similar to their own for the purpose of realizing their ultimate object, world peace.

"The pact consists of assisting one another with all political, economic and military means if one of the Contracting Powers is attacked by a Power," Ludwig explained sternly. "Do you understand?"

"Of course! We are friends, Germany!" Feliciano shouted while throwing his hands in to the air. He immediately hugs Ludwig which groaned in annoyance. "We are too!" Feliciano turns to Kiku and hugs him. Kiku abruptly pushes Feliciano away. The italian looks at him with puppy dog eyes.

"I-I am terribly sorry but you invaded my personal space!"

Feliciano sighed and laid his head on two hands.

"Oh, just sign the treaty, will you?" Ludwig said, turning to Kiku. "Japan, you have to recognize and respect our leadership in the establishment of a new order in Europe. In return, we respect your leadership in the establishment of a new order in Greater East Asia." Ludwig discussed. Kiku nodded in agreement. "You must know that this pact will be valid after you sign it,"

Ludwig watched Feliciano sign the treaty without hesitation. "There! We'll be best friends forever!"

"We shall call this alliance 'Axis Powers.'"

"I want to strengthen my position in terms of my invasion in China by moving through Southeast Asia." Kiku brought up

"France had long occupied parts of the region, and since I now controlled most of France through Petain's puppet government, France had already agreed to our occupation of its Indo-China colonies," Germany responded.

"I shall occupy the Cam Ranh naval base and the British base in Singapore. I heard there were American and British troops there,"

"Then, it is settled.."

United States, 1940

"Hm? What's that, Tony?" Alfred asked his friend. "You found interesting news from Japan? What is it?"

Tony spoke in an unusual language that only Alfred seemed to understand. Alfred's eyes widened in shock and his mouth fell agape.

"He's invading other territories?! That's not fair, dude! I'll show him who's the boss with my totally heroic plan!" Alfred shouted with pride. "How do I show him that I am against his invasions on other territories? Tony, help me dude!"

Tony again spoke and Alfred jumped high in the air.

"That's it! I'll stop sending iron and oil to Japan! Thanks Tony!"

Alfred jumped around in the air while Arthur watched with worry. "Um.. should I be concerned about this?" he asked Tony. The alien shrugged and watched Alfred fall face first on the floor.

Japan, 1941

"Japan, America stopped sending you iron and oil. We lost access to three-fourths of its overseas trade and 88 percent of its imported oil. It seems that he made an embargo," Kiku's boss discussed while under a kotatsu table.

"What?" Kiku asked in shock. He looked down on the ground and bit his lip. "Due to this sudden halt, war with the United States is inevitable."

"I agree, Japan. You must keep invading other territories. Employment is slightly going up."

Japan left the League of Nations (which was an international organization created after the First World War to provide a forum for resolving international disputes) in 1933. It kept invading other territories to solve the country's financial problems. The alliance "Axis Powers" was formed in 1940 in Berlin, Germany when the Tripartite Pact was signed.