Chapter 49: A Deceitful Cooperation

“The German naval shipyard at Kiel needs an order for 4 cruisers. If Japan doesn’t buy them, perhaps the Chinese will be interested in naval construction,” Akado said with a smile, questioning Yamashita who sat before him.

Yamashita Konosuke lowered his head with great resignation. “That’s no problem. As long as the quality is up to standard, Japan is willing to purchase 4 German cruisers.”

He had already promised to provide Akado with 5 million US dollars in funds to compensate for the profits Germany would lose from canceling the continued export of steel helmets and bayonets to China. Moreover, he had purchased 100,000 Mauser rifles at twice the international price to equip the local garrisons composed of Koreans.

Of course, the ammunition for these rifles would also be supplied by Germany. For this, Japan would have to import a bullet production line to be installed in the suburbs of Pyongyang, and additionally purchase 100 million rounds of standard German 7.92mm caliber bullets. Akado also “generously” gifted Japan 30 obsolete Maxim heavy machine guns.

Japan had also reluctantly purchased 70 obsolete biplanes, because if they didn’t buy this equipment, these planes would be sold to China. Although it wouldn’t cause Japan too much trouble, if they didn’t buy these planes, Akado had threatened that Japan would see new Fokker biplane fighters exported to China.

Although in the process of haggling, Akado promised Yamashita that Germany would carry out modern modifications on these old planes, allowing them to carry a small torpedo. These planes would be responsible for the anti-ship attack missions of the Japanese Navy stationed in Korea—even though these planes were not much stronger than the ones they were currently using.

Yamashita’s visit to Germany this time could be described as providing charcoal in a snowstorm for Akado. Through negotiations, Germany obtained the urgently needed 17 million US dollars in funds from Japan, and Japan, at least on the surface, had successfully imposed an arms trade embargo on China, adding frost to the snow for the backward Chinese military industry.

“Don’t be so pessimistic, Mr. Yamashita,” Akado said with a smile. “We will dispatch engineers to Japan to help the Imperial Japanese Navy build the world’s most advanced submarines. I personally guarantee you that these engineers are the best experts in all of Germany.”

Hearing this, Yamashita Konosuke’s expression improved slightly. After all, another important mission for his trip to Germany this time was to obtain German support to develop the submarine technology of the Great Japanese Imperial Navy.

“We want your engineers in the Netherlands!” Yamashita said after some thought. “They must be technical engineers who have participated in front-line submarine production.”

“Three,” Akado said, holding up three fingers. “We will dispatch 30 technical personnel to support your submarine construction, but only 3 of our technical engineers from the Netherlands can go.”

“We need 70 submarine manufacturing technical personnel, and at least half must have participated in submarine construction in the Netherlands,” Yamashita haggled.

Akado thought for a moment, then held up 5 fingers. “Five. A technical expert group of 50 people, with 5 key technical personnel who have participated in submarine construction in the Netherlands. No more than that.”

“We…” Yamashita was about to say more but was cut off by Akado.

“We in Germany deeply regret the matter of Jiaozhou Bay in Far East China. Right now, many Germans have hostile feelings towards Japan. This is the limit of what we can provide. No more,” Akado said with great displeasure.

Yamashita Konosuke felt an urge to go crazy. In this negotiation, Akado kept bringing up Japan’s invasion of Shandong. But this time, Japan was the one asking for a favor, visiting their home, and was now being tripped up by its own victory. It was truly a situation that made one not know whether to laugh or cry.

“Alright! Five! No less! When I return to my country, these people must go with me,” Yamashita compromised with a face of worry and bitterness.

“That’s no problem. However, given that these engineers and designers are precious resources, we do not recommend they travel on the same ship. After all, one shouldn’t put all their eggs in one basket, right?” Akado said with a smile.

“Additionally, we also need to cooperate in the field of aviation,” Yamashita continued. “We would like to cooperate with a German airline company to produce new torpedo attack aircraft. For this, we will have to ask for General Akado’s help.”

“Which company do you hope to cooperate with?” Akado asked, pretending not to know the answer.

“We plan to cooperate with the Heinkel company. After all, we have cooperated before,” Yamashita Konosuke said with a smile.

Akado nodded. “It is a very good aircraft production company, very famous in our Germany.”

Ernst Heinkel’s aircraft production company was founded in 1921 and operated within Germany. Immediately after, the company threw itself into what “he called an ‘adventurous game of hide-and-seek’ with the inspectors of the Allied Military Control Commission.”

Heinkel was a successful aircraft designer in World War I. The company he founded in 1921 openly violated the Treaty of Versailles, signing cooperation agreements with the United States and Japan to produce a small seaplane that could be equipped on submarines for these two countries. He produced the parts for these aircraft in his factory in the small town of Warnemünde on the Baltic Sea, and then sent these parts to Sweden to be assembled into planes.

“But I think we should have a broader cooperation,” Akado said with a wicked smile, like a devil tempting someone into a trap. “This way, we can better reflect the friendly mutual trust between our two countries in technical cooperation.”

“What do you mean?” Yamashita asked with some confusion.

“We have many advanced weapons factories that are all under the surveillance of the Allied Military Control Commission. This makes our cooperation full of difficulties,” Akado said with a shrug of his hands. “And you happen to be a member of the Allied Military Control Commission, are you not?”

“What do you mean by that? Do you hope that our Great Japanese Empire will withdraw from the Allied Military Control Commission? That’s impossible,” Yamashita said, shaking his head.

Akado also shook his head. “Of course not. Rather, I hope that the Japanese officers in the Allied Military Control Commission will provide intelligence for several of our companies, intelligence sufficient to cope with surprise inspections,” Akado said, then looked at Yamashita Konosuke.

“That’s no problem. We can provide intelligence to Heinkel, for the benefit of both our sides,” Yamashita nodded, but then immediately put forward his own demand. “However, we will only provide intelligence for the enterprises with which we have military cooperation. Your own, we will not interfere with.”

“Then let’s talk about what equipment you are interested in,” Akado immediately said to Yamashita. “I think there are many areas where our two sides can cooperate.”

Yamashita thought seriously for a moment before speaking. “Our navy needs a high-speed reconnaissance aircraft. The Heinkel company has provided some data. It is an export version of a high-speed reconnaissance aircraft they secretly developed for you. We are very satisfied and plan to order one physical aircraft.”

“Absolutely no problem,” Akado said generously.

“We need 30 luxury cars produced by the Daimler-Benz company. 500 high-power car engines. High-power! Powerful enough to move very heavy vehicles,” Yamashita continued with his lion’s-mouth demands.

“No problem! I will personally provide you with 5 additional latest model Mercedes-Benz luxury cars,” Akado did not spare his bribes, holding out one hand and saying, “Off the books.”

Yamashita nodded and said with satisfaction, “Thank you for your generosity, General Akado! I very much hope to become a friend with whom you can speak about anything! Tomorrow afternoon, I will have my country’s naval attaché in Berlin pay you a visit. Whatever you need him to do, you have only to ask.”

After seeing off Yamashita Konosuke, Akado’s face was still plastered with a smile as if it were a mask. He waved frequently at Yamashita’s departing car.

Gehr, at his side, asked without looking away, “Sir, are you really planning to give up such a large arms market as China? General von Seeckt is still over there on the Chinese side.”

“Seeckt has advised Mr. Chiang Kai-shek to build military-industrial enterprises locally in China. So our next step in exports to China will not be mainly weapons and equipment, but will shift to exporting simple military production equipment,” Akado said with a smile while waving his hand. “They’ve fallen for it.”

“Then what about the two transport ships still in the port? They are full of bullets ready to be shipped to China, about 200 million rounds, and 2,000 Maxim heavy machine guns,” Gehr asked, leaning close to Akado’s ear. “Cancel it?”

“Are you stupid? Cancel it? Are we going to return the money we’ve already received to our other Chinese friend, Mr. Yan Xishan?” Akado was taken aback for a moment, then reprimanded, “Is the handling fee cheap? Are you going to pay for it?”

“Then what should we do?” Gehr asked blankly.

“Of course we continue to sell it to China!” Akado said with feigned displeasure. “Just change the departure time of these two ships. They already left the port last night, didn’t they?”

“Yes, sir!” Gehr smiled.

In the car, watching Akado recede, Yamashita Konosuke’s eyes also became sharp. He snorted coldly. “Baka, this damned German.”

“Mr. Yamashita, since this German is so unfriendly, why did you agree to his later demands?” Yamashita’s aide asked, turning back from the passenger seat.

“I promised that Japan would help him keep an eye on the Allied Military Control Commission. In return, can’t we also keep an eye on how much weaponry Germany is producing?” Yamashita Konosuke sneered. “The more enterprises he cooperates with us, the more detailed our intelligence on Germany will be.”

“Sōka, so that’s how it is,” the aide nodded in sudden understanding.

On the other side, after smiling, Gehr asked again, “Sir, then if all our enterprises have the Japanese helping to keep an eye on the Allied Military Control Commission, won’t the Japanese also have a clear idea of the weaponry we are producing?”

“A clear idea?” After Yamashita Konosuke’s car was no longer in sight, Akado burst out laughing. “The true size of the real Heinkel company and Daimler-Benz company… even if I lent the Japanese the files to look at, they wouldn’t believe it. Heh heh.”