Ch.213Dora Dora Dora

# Pearl Harbor Attack Shocks America

The meaning of those words was clear.

They implied that Ethiopia could administer punishment to Italy themselves.

Unlike forty years ago and even now, when Ethiopia could only helplessly endure, they could now march directly to Italy and receive their surrender.

“That means!”

“We will grant Your Majesty the authority to punish Benito Mussolini as well. Furthermore, we will help modernize Ethiopia while assisting with Russian business expansion and the development of resources such as iron ore, gold, and natural gas.”

Haile Selassie’s eyes gleamed with newfound intelligence.

They were saying Ethiopia could punish that despicable man who deserved to be strangled.

These were terms he could certainly accept.

Moreover, the promise to help with modernization appealed to him.

As for resources, Ethiopia lacked the capacity to develop them anyway, so there was nothing he couldn’t offer if they provided modernization and a reasonable share.

“Yes, I agree. Of course. Revenge against those who invaded my homeland is necessary. My soldiers should rightfully sweep across the Italian peninsula.”

Haile Selassie clenched both fists.

He would absolutely fulfill this dream.

He would achieve the remarkable feat of becoming the first African nation to conquer a European country.

“Exactly right. We will support Your Majesty with all our might. Now then, to commemorate Ethiopia becoming the first African nation to achieve equal standing with Europe, shall we take a photograph?”

“Oh, not a bad idea. A photo is essential for this historic day.”

On this day when Ethiopia achieved equal standing with the European powers.

A photograph was indeed necessary.

Ethiopia’s entry into the Anti-Comintern Pact was supported by nations capable of fighting Italy, including Russia as the main axis, Turkey, the Balkans, and Austria. However, Britain and France were furious at Russia for arbitrarily including an African nation in the Anti-Comintern Pact.

How dare they include an African nation while they were fighting amongst themselves!

“Damn it, the Russian Empress must have flowers in her head. How could she bring an African nation into the Anti-Comintern Pact? Did she develop some special affection?”

“They say the Ethiopian Emperor is a descendant of King Solomon, so he’s not just any African ruler.”

Despite adding various justifications about how this would help defeat Italy, it was clearly a move to antagonize Britain and France.

Yes, Russia’s thuggish behavior wouldn’t end here.

Let’s see what happens after Germany is captured.

***

US Military Government, Washington DC

MacArthur and Huey Long held several meetings in Washington DC, the capital of the US Military Government.

However, they had not yet reached a complete agreement.

Having come this far, MacArthur couldn’t consider dismantling the existing military government system and joining the United States Alliance.

Huey Long, too, had been elected as the legitimate president of the United States.

He didn’t want to relinquish the presidency so easily.

“Haven’t we seen enough of each other’s worst sides? Let’s end this civil war. I’ve said multiple times that I wanted to overcome the Great Depression first and then beat down the KFC. I’ve always been anti-communist. Why would I join hands with those guys?”

“Hmm.”

MacArthur frowned.

At this point, he couldn’t doubt Huey Long’s words.

After all, Huey Long had never shown any pro-communist tendencies.

His current desire to end the situation was intended to prevent further damage.

Since they had already shed considerable blood in suppressing the American Communist United States, continued fighting between the Military Government and the United States Alliance would weaken America for some time.

“The Russian Empress also attempted socialist policies while being a royal to win over the people’s hearts during their civil war. Of course, the situation was different since the Tsar was fighting the Bolsheviks at the time. We haven’t had any battles between us.”

“So what does the President want?”

“Let’s reunite. We both need to compromise. I’ll cede significant authority to the Chief of Staff. We need to unite now. Strange currents are flowing within the South as well.”

In previous meetings, Huey Long and MacArthur had engaged in a power struggle over who would lead the United States.

Now Huey Long was offering to accommodate MacArthur’s military as much as possible, making maximum concessions to reunite.

MacArthur’s side also recognized Huey Long’s greater legitimacy, but something more urgent than the man before him was circling in MacArthur’s mind.

Before the meeting, the Okhrana had delivered information:

-Japan appears to be targeting Pearl Harbor. The Tsar has ordered preparations.

MacArthur had responded with bluster, asking if he needed to do whatever their Tsar commanded, but it still bothered him.

Honestly, what would those fighting China hope to achieve by attacking America now?

Would the Japs really antagonize America just for oil?

That didn’t make much sense.

“Strange currents?”

“Southern businessmen are talking about becoming truly independent as the United States Alliance, separate from us.”

“The Dixie folks dare?”

In this case, it really would be better to simply unite.

Regardless of the Japanese or whatever else, the right move now was to reunite and establish a united system.

“So this is no time for us to fight. The Chief of Staff needs to stop the Southern businessmen’s reckless actions.”

“Hmm.”

Perhaps it was time to accept. He’d held out long enough and seemed to have secured many rights.

“Chief of Staff! We have an emergency!”

“Eisenhower, what’s with all the commotion?”

His head was already complicated enough, and now Eisenhower was barging into the meeting room in such a hurry.

Had the Japs actually attacked Pearl Harbor?

“The Japs have attacked Pearl Harbor!”

He had wondered about the possibility, hoped it wasn’t true, but the Pearl Harbor attack had actually happened.

At first, he thought it might be a joke or that his ears were deceiving him, but Eisenhower’s stern face made it clear he was serious.

“What did you say?”

The prophecy of Tsarina Anastasia had finally come true.

Even Huey Long, who was listening alongside him, was dumbfounded.

Those crazy Japs should have just continued their barbaric acts in China. Instead, they had finally gone and done it.

MacArthur felt dizzy as he received the damage report.

***

The Pacific

Yamamoto Isoroku, Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, had tried to delay the attack as much as possible or at least threaten the Americans first, but in the end, he couldn’t change Tojo Hideki’s mind.

In reality, since Tojo Hideki was the Joint Commander of the Imperial Japanese Army, Navy, and Air Force with the stated goal of annihilating China, Yamamoto Isoroku couldn’t refuse.

“Look here, Commander. We just need one decisive strike to bring America to the negotiation table to secure our dominance in the Pacific and oil supplies. Wasn’t this operation plan originally proposed by you? Now is the time. America is still disoriented like a divided China. This is the moment to deliver a decisive blow. Remember the Battle of Tsushima. With that single battle, we took control of the Russo-Japanese War.”

When ordered, he had to obey. In the end, he had no choice but to accept.

Moreover, the Combined Fleet had only been doing menial tasks in China until now, so they wanted to make a big splash this time.

Admiral Nagumo Chuichi, who commanded the First Air Fleet in the original history, was particularly enthusiastic about this operation, leaving Isoroku with no choice.

Given the usual friction between Yamamoto and Nagumo, this also involved internal hierarchy issues.

Furthermore, at this time, the American fleet stationed in Hawaii was similar to the original history, but their air force was weaker than before.

According to intelligence on the US Pacific Fleet from Yoshikawa Takeo, who had examined Pearl Harbor considering America’s civil war, and briefings from Lieutenant Commander Suzuki, if Pearl Harbor were attacked by surprise, America would be severely damaged for some time.

Unlike the original history where they overestimated Oahu’s air power, the operation seemed feasible due to America’s delayed weapons development.

Emboldened by this briefing, the operation—a show of force that was more than just a show—was approved.

Different from the original history, this Pearl Harbor attack had three objectives:

1. Destroy the fuel storage facilities to paralyze the Pacific Fleet.

2. Inflict maximum damage on the paralyzed Pacific Fleet.

3. Use the remaining fleet as hostages to bring America to the negotiation table.

America, having been slapped in the face, would have to come to the negotiation table without even knowing why Japan had done this.

But would they actually come to the negotiation table?

After being suddenly attacked without knowing why?

Of course, Japan would eventually demand recognition of Pacific dominance and oil supplies, but regardless, Japan’s time-honored tradition of war without declaration had begun.

“Since we’ve started, we need to do this properly, being careful about our code system leaks.”

Yamamoto Isoroku decided to execute the operation as perfectly as possible.

With a single attack, he would cripple the Pacific Fleet beyond recovery.

With this sole thought in mind, he repeatedly urged Admiral Nagumo Chuichi.

Meanwhile, Pearl Harbor was peaceful as usual.

Although MacArthur had been informed about the Pearl Harbor attack through the Okhrana, he hadn’t believed it, and in truth, the warning came somewhat late.

Despite the Pearl Harbor attack occurring almost two years earlier than in the original history, due to the civil war’s influence, the fuel storage facilities were fully stocked, and the US naval and air forces in Hawaii were not particularly weak.

Pearl Harbor had been reinforced to maintain neutrality during the civil war, partly to pressure Japan to stay out of American affairs.

Even under these conditions, the Japanese Combined Fleet believed the operation could succeed and proceeded with their plan.

“When will the civil war on the mainland end?”

“Probably soon. Fortunately, MacArthur and Huey Long aren’t fighting. We just need to relax here as usual.”

“True. Those Jap bastards wouldn’t dare touch us anyway.”

Unlike the chaotic mainland, it was a peaceful day on Oahu Island. The fleet’s crew was somewhat relaxed as the civil war was nearing its end.

But this particular day was problematic.

Even skilled crew members tended to relax when not affected by the civil war.

Today, however, the atmosphere felt strange.

“Hey, James. What’s that?”

In the distance, something like flies was flying toward them.

“Wait, is that…?”

They realized too late that those were enemy aircraft.

BOOM!

Japan had finally begun the attack on Pearl Harbor.

“Make sure to destroy the fuel storage facilities!”

From the 1st Air Fleet’s Akagi and Kaga, the 2nd Air Fleet’s Soryu and Hiryu, to the latest Shokaku and Zuikaku that had been commissioned a year earlier than in the original history—

Naval aviators from each carrier launched in waves from the 1st to the 3rd, with time intervals between horizontal bombers, torpedo bombers, dive bombers, and fighter escorts, hammering Pearl Harbor.

By the 1st and 2nd waves, the Pacific Fleet was already too damaged to resist Japan, and anti-aircraft facilities were destroyed.

BOOM! KABOOM!

“The…the fuel storage has exploded!”

In the 3rd wave, Japanese forces destroyed the fuel storage facilities at the cost of taking casualties.

In the original history, this had been difficult due to the characteristics of carrier-based aircraft, Japan’s limited number of bombers, and the 54 tanks that made up the fuel storage facilities. Now, they managed to destroy more than half of those 54 tanks.

Only the submarine base remained relatively intact.

The Pearl Harbor attack in spring 1940, earlier than in the original history, effectively neutralized the Pacific Fleet.

It was such a perfect victory that there was even talk within Japan about possibly landing in Hawaii.

Of course, the Combined Fleet didn’t escape without casualties.

But they were confident they had seized control of the Pacific and wouldn’t let it go.

The US Military Government and United States Alliance, stunned by the slap in the face, finally came to their senses when Japanese Ambassador to the US Nomura Kichisaburo requested recognition of Japan’s Pacific dominance and oil exports.

And Japan’s Pearl Harbor attack…

“In my lifetime, I will turn those Japs’ islands into a hell on earth!”

…resulted in MacArthur accepting Huey Long’s proposal and the re-establishment of the United States of America.

***

Winston Churchill’s planned offensive still seems lukewarm.

The European front has barely changed.

Germany is still stubbornly holding out, which is understandable.

They don’t want to taste the humiliation of Versailles again, especially since they’re not the aggressors but the ones being invaded.

However, there are signs of fractures within the Allied forces.

The cause is Churchill’s failed offensive, raising doubts within the Allied forces about whether Britain can be trusted.

Moreover, with France somehow holding back Italian forces from below, it’s becoming difficult to trust Britain.

“Your Majesty. It’s exactly as you predicted.”

Speak of the devil.

The Okhrana branch seems to have brought something significant.

Seeing Boris Savinkov’s broad smile, it’s probably not about Europe, but Japan?

“As I predicted?”

I still asked cautiously, just in case.

It could just be that something good happened to Savinkov.

But I’ve always been lucky in this world.

“Yes. Japan has finally attacked America’s Pearl Harbor.”

So they finally attacked.

Well, this has plausibility. Even if not for oil, Japan is ultimately aiming for the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.

“Really, I’m speechless.”

Our Japan has truly gone mad.

Honestly, my reaction was more like: is this even possible?

History has changed so much—how could anyone predict this unless it was a natural disaster?

Moreover, Japan has been fixated on China.

Perhaps Japan is just Japan after all. Their expansionist desires cannot be ignored.

“How extensive is the damage?”

I wonder if it’s worse than in the original history? Or perhaps Hawaii was also caught up in the civil war, with fewer fleet resources?

I’m quite curious to see how this will unfold.