“And your view on the possible invasion of Australia?”
“Not practical beyond the occupation of a few coastal enclaves to deny the enemy the use of air bases and anchorages. Darwin, Cooktown, or other landings in the Cape York area may be advisable, but no general invasion aimed at central or southern Australia would be possible.”
“Yes,” said Ugaki. “The army has told us it would take twelve divisions to invade Australia, and we simply do not have them, let alone the sea transport to move them and keep them supplied. I tend to agree that Australia might be raided, but never occupied. But it might be strangled to death, smothered, isolated to a point where it no longer poses a threat as an enemy base of operations. This is the point of Operation FS.”
“At the same time,” said Yamamoto, “we cannot allow the enemy to regroup their naval forces. We must therefore also see this operation as a means of seeking out and destroying the American Navy.”
“Agreed,” said Fukada, looking at the Captain now, and realizing he had been dominating the discussion while Harada brooded silently. Yamamoto noticed this, and turned to invite the Captain’s thoughts on the matter.
“Captain? Do you have anything to say on this?”
Harada shrugged. “Well sir, while it is all sensible from the standpoint of strategy, it is still very far from the mission we set before us when I took the risk of contacting you. Here we are talking about destroying the American Navy, but we came here hoping to find a way to avoid further escalation of the war—a way to find peace.”
“I understand what you are saying,” said Yamamoto. “My heart has been heavy with that question since the war began, but here we are, faced with a growing enemy, clear opportunities, and with the matter of peace not even ours to negotiate. It must be handled at the highest levels of our government. Given the situation as it stands, perhaps we must see the operation before us as a means of clearly demonstrating to the Americans the futility of further hostilities.”
“Perhaps, perhaps. Do you honestly believe that the United States will cease operations in the Pacific and sue for peace if we succeed here? Suppose we take Fiji and Samoa? Will they quit? From this point forward, they will get stronger and stronger. Their first offensive occurred at Guadalcanal, but it seems to me that it will simply be aimed somewhere else when it comes. Has anything been communicated to them aside from our continual fervor in prosecuting this war? How can we ever expect them to reciprocate to any diplomatic initiative if we stand ready to annihilate their fleet and carry out further offensives like this?”
“Talk softly,” said Fukada, “but carry a big stick. Isn’t that a famous maxim of American foreign policy? What were they doing in the Philippines? Who did they take those islands from? Why did they impose an embargo on Japan, as they now support our enemies in China? America was never our friend, until they beat and harnessed us like a man might tame a wayward horse. I will agree with one thing, Captain. They will not stop this war for the niceties of diplomacy. It is simply too late for that. I supported your plan to seek accommodation, but things are as they are. It is a matter of survival for us now, and you know full well what is coming. From my perspective, it is imperative that we support Japan to create the most unassailable military situation possible. That is all this discussion is about. Operation FS will start us down that road.”
“Will it? Right now MacArthur is sitting in Brisbane and scheming on how he can mount an offensive aimed at New Britain.”
“You made sure he’d make it there,” said Fukada quickly. “I had other ideas.”
“Don’t bring that up now,” Harada hardened his stance, straightening in his seat. “Understand my point. We can’t take Australia. You pointed out the futility of that just a moment ago, and even the Japanese Army itself opposes any such planning. Now you can run your operation FS and possibly succeed, but all it will do is buy a little more time. The Americans already have five fleet carriers in the Pacific by now. That matches your Kido Butai, and the Midway disaster should be a strong warning to you—they know how to fight with those carriers. They’ll add three Essex Class carriers within a year, and more and more will come. If we sink one, they’ll build three more to replace it. That’s the war you’re looking at soon, and the missiles under our forward deck will only take us so far down this road to the unassailable position you fantasize about. Well, no position on this earth will ever be unassailable—not in this goddamned war. It will be no holds barred. Understand? Nothing we do here will stop the Americans from continuing to prosecute this war. We must either make peace, or dig in for the whole show, and you and I already know how that ends.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way,” said Fukada. “If we are clever, resourceful—if we pick our engagements with good foresight and planning, then we can stop them. The Enola Gay need not ever come anywhere near our shores.”
Ugaki smiled. “This one tells us how we can win the war, this other one tells us we must lose it, come what may.”
“I beg to differ,” Admiral,” said Harada. “My executive Officer tells you how we can fight this war, but he is also smart enough to know we simply can’t win it. I’ll tell you that. He won’t.”
Fukada folded his arms. “We may not be able to win this war decisively, but at the very least, we can prevent them from winning it. We can make their road to our homeland so costly a venture that they may have no other choice but to seek a negotiated settlement. If we act now, and vigorously, then we might dictate terms favorable to Japan. If we equivocate at this key juncture, wasting time in seeking negotiations that you already know the Americans and British will not entertain, then we lose the advantage we have now. Face it, Captain. Our enemies will not give us peace now. It’s too late. The only way we can have that is to take it from them, show them there is no alternative, and there is no better time than this moment. You know that, as well as I do. The real difference is that I’ll admit it, and speak my mind, but you won’t.”
“Gentlemen,” said Yamamoto. “It is clear you have differing views on this matter. I have heard both, and while I look for a way to end this war as swiftly as possible, I am a realist. Given that we cannot now proceed with a negotiated settlement, I can only do what honor demands, and seek the most advantageous outcome possible for the forces under my command. I have asked, and you have answered, Captain Harada. You have placed your ship at my disposal, but now I must ask you if you can continue to lead your ship and crew if the only immediate choice before us is renewed offensive operations. We will soon have to take steps to check the threat in the north posed by the Siberians. I expect they will attempt further operations by mid-May. Until then, we have time that cannot be wasted, six precious weeks that cannot see our forces sit idle. If we do so, the Army will withdraw its support and return units to the homeland. So I have decided. Operation FS will proceed immediately, and if you are true to your word, I will expect the full cooperation of your ship and crew.”
Harada shrugged, but said nothing. It was clear to Yamamoto that he was a reluctant warrior, but he also thought that of himself. His studied eye had taken the measure of the man. There was a reserve of calm water in the center of his soul that will be the source of his real strength. His Executive Officer puts on the brave front, and he is the hot volcano wanting to explode as that monster did in the Sunda Strait. Together the two may balance one another, as yin and yang, but I must watch this relationship carefully.
“Admiral Ugaki,” he said. “Please brief us on the planned offensive.”