early morning. May 15th was another hot day. The army still occupied the palace, and the original order had not been cancelled.
At 6:15, Attendant Toda tried to go to the Imperial Library again, but failed to enter this time. A young officer was ordered not to let anyone in. Toda pretended that he was taking the emperor to safety because the air-raid warning had not yet been lifted. But it doesn't work no matter what. An older officer reasoned that since the rebels could all break into the imperial library to search for undiscovered recordings, it didn't matter if one person was allowed in.
After entering the Gobunku, Toda told the chief attendant, Shotoku Fujita, that the rebels might rush in at any time, and there might be a physical fight. The Emperor must be awakened. At 6:40, Hirohito appeared in his pajamas. The events of the evening grieved him. "Don't they understand my true intentions?" Tears welled up in his eyes. "All the officers and soldiers of the Guards Division must assemble. I will give instructions personally."
A gentle-tempered attendant, Mitsui Anya, was selected to contact the military through the sentry line. He walked less than fifty meters when he met an elderly officer. The officer asked: "Are you a squire?"
That officer is General Tanaka. He was a well-educated man who strictly abided by discipline. He studied at Oxford University in his early years. Like Tojo, he served as the commander of the military police in the Kwantung Army. He personally came to restore order. He had arrested a rebel major and ordered Colonel Yoshiga to withdraw all his troops to their original positions.
"Don't be afraid," he said to the attendant. He bowed and handed Mitsui a large business card; Mitsui also gave him a business card of his own. The two bowed to each other again. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," the general said. "Everything will be under control within an hour, please don't worry. All troops need to be withdrawn."
Major Denaka personally controlled the Japan Broadcasting Association building for two hours. He used a gun to force Morio Tateno, who was about to conduct an early morning news broadcast, to give him the microphone so that he could broadcast it to the whole country. Tateno came up with several excuses: an air raid warning was about to be issued, and it could not be broadcast without permission from the Eastern Military District; in addition, he also had time to notify local radio stations for nationwide broadcast.
Tateno went to the control room and asked to speak to General Tanaka's office. The technician understood and began to speak into the phone that had been cut off by the rebels. He excused himself by saying the phone was out of service. Tian waited for a while, helpless, but a lieutenant became angry at the continued delay and stabbed the technician with a pistol and threatened him. If he didn't hurry he was going to shoot.
Stop him in the dark. "I must convey our feelings to the people," he told Tateno. His tone was more pleading than demanding. In Tianzhong's hand, he held a roll of speech notes hastily written in pencil. Tateno read the first few words, "Our troops have been protecting the palace"
Tateno asked them to be patient. "We will do our best to contact the Eastern Military District." The bell in the phone room rang, shortening the riddle. The technician answered the phone and looked at Tateno uncertainly. The call came from the Eastern Military District. Asking to speak to "the officer in the studio."
Tianzhong took the microphone. Listen tamely. He originally promised to give up the rebellion. But he broke his promise, and now he is directly ordered to stop by his superiors, but he still asks for a chance. In order to give a final explanation to the public, but Tateno clearly saw that the other party did not agree. Dianzhong put down the phone dejectedly. All is lost.
At 7:21, Tateno broadcast a special announcement to the whole country: "Today at noon, the Emperor broadcast the edict. All citizens must listen to the Emperor's voice with respect. Electricity will be sent to areas without electricity during the day. Factories, train stations and Government departments and the public can listen to the radio. You can hear the radio at 12 noon today." Tateno thought, it was just a circle. On December 8, 1941, he was the first to use this microphone. A person who announced the start of war.
Organized resistance to surrender has finally come to an end, but there are still numerous intransigent people and groups prepared to risk their lives to prevent it. Palace staff feared another attempt to destroy recordings of the emperor's speeches. Even taking the audio record from the safe on the second floor of the Imperial Palace to the courtyard was dangerous.
A set of audio records stamped with a "copy" stamp was placed in a square lacquer box with the Emperor's coat of arms. He was led out from the maze-like dark corridor in a swaggering manner by the Chief of the General Affairs Section of the Imperial Household Ministry, Kitesuhiko. Another set of records stamped "Original" was placed in a servant's lunch box, and he carried it out hanging on his shoulder.
Both of them arrived downstairs safely. Sohiko wrapped the box with a piece of purple furoshiki, got into a royal car and headed to the studio. He handed the box to another official, and he left in a police car. The copy was safely delivered to a backup studio in the basement of the Japan Broadcasting Association building, and the original was delivered to the association president's office and locked in a safe.
The result of Tianzhong¡¯s call with the Eastern Military District was that the military police were sent. As soon as the gendarmes arrived, all the rebels in the Broadcasting Association building silentlywithdraw. Tianzhong did not return to the Army Ministry. One of his ideas was to show his sincerity and end the violence appropriately. Together with Lieutenant Colonel Shiizaki Erlang, his steadfast companion from the beginning, he strolled to the square in front of the palace. Here, in a final futile gesture, they distributed leaflets calling on the nation to rise up and prevent surrender.
At 11:20, Tianzhong pulled out the pistol that had shot Lieutenant General Mori, pointed it at his forehead and fired a shot. Shiizaki stabbed himself in the abdomen, then raised the pistol, pointed it at his head, and pulled the trigger.
Although His Majesty the Emperor did not come in person, the Yuyin broadcast was still very solemn. Studio 8 was packed with NHK staff and witnesses from the Cabinet, the Intelligence Bureau, the Imperial Household Ministry and the Army. Almost at the same time as he committed suicide in the moonlight, the president of the Broadcasting Association took out the audio record marked "original" from the safe. Some suggested giving it a trial run first, but would this be disrespectful to the emperor? The consensus was that it would be wise to give it a try first to avoid mistakes.
The emperor¡¯s voice alerted a military police lieutenant standing outside the eighth broadcast room. He drew his saber and shouted: "If you broadcast surrender, I will kill you all!" An army lieutenant quickly caught him and asked the guards to take him out.
In the broadcast room, Japan¡¯s most famous broadcaster, Nobuken Wada, looked pale. Sitting nervously in front of the microphone, staring at the minute hand of the clock and the hour hand overlapping at twelve o'clock. At 12 o'clock, he said: "This broadcast is extremely important. All listeners are asked to stand up. His Majesty the Emperor now reads the imperial edict to the Japanese people. We broadcast Yuyin with respect."
After playing the national anthem "The King's Generation", there was a pause, and then came a voice that few people had heard: "Speak to my loyal and good subjects. After observing the general trend of the world and the current situation of the empire, I decided to take extraordinary measures to clean up the situation ¡¡±
The whole country of Japan listened with all their attention, and the high-pitched, almost distorted sound made people awed. Strange royal language. Plus the radio reception is poor. Only a few of His Majesty's subjects could understand what he was saying. It was obvious that there was only surrender or something equally disastrous happened.
"Open the path of justice, cultivate a noble spirit, and work hard. Keep pace with the world. Carry forward the inherent glory of the empire."
There was silence. Audience standing or kneeling quietly. His face twitched, unable to control his emotions anymore. Millions of people wept, perhaps more than at any other time in the history of the world at one time. However. Despite the humiliation and grief, there is also an undeniable sense of salvation. The terrible burden of years of war, death and destruction was finally lifted.
In the imperial library, the emperor was also listening to his own voice attentively through the radio produced by the American Radio Company before the war. In the Imperial Palace, Kido's reaction was one of mixed emotions, and he was secretly proud of the realization of the cause to which he was committed.
In a dark auditorium in the base camp, hundreds of officers, including Umezu, dressed in neat and gorgeous military uniforms, white gloves, and medal sabers, stood and listened with tears streaming down their faces. But for some officers, the war was not over yet. At the Atsugi base not far from Tokyo, Colonel Kozono, commander of the 302 Naval Air Force, climbed onto an earthen platform near the runway and gave a speech to the pilots. He said that the order to surrender meant the end of the state, and obeying this order was tantamount to treason. Come with me, he shouted, and destroy the enemy.
His words lit up the hearts of dozens of people and shouted "Long live!" At the Oita base in northeastern Kyushu, Vice Admiral Ugaki, Yamamoto Isoroku's chief of staff before his death and now the commander of the Navy's "Kamikaze" force, and equally determined to fight and die. He feels responsible for Yamamoto's death - he can't forget the moment his superior died in a plane crash. Not long ago, he wrote in a letter to Colonel Watanabe: "I must pay the price." The emperor's words increased his sense of shame. He is more obligated than ever to follow in the footsteps of all the "Special Forces" he has sent out to die.
"The sound of the crane" (the crane is the Japanese emperor's crown or symbol of the royal family, just as the British use the crown to represent the monarch, and the ancient Chinese jade seal.) spread to troops thousands of miles away from home and as far away as Australia. There was a staff officer named Yamamoto Tomomi who felt frustrated when he found that the voice that was higher than ordinary people was trembling hesitantly.
Why did I bow in the direction of the palace so many times in the past? However, due to being infected by the sobs of the people around him, he could not restrain himself from crying. Out of habit, he turned to face the Emperor's coat of arms hanging above the door of the headquarters building and gave it the last words that a Japanese soldier should do. A gift. He then put on civilian clothes to avoid being captured by the approaching Chinese troops.
On the Goto Islands, Captain Tsuneo Shimura, who once stubbornly defended the Maeda Highlands, is still fighting guerrillas. In order to break out to the north, he is trying to steal a Chinese military vehicle. Suddenly, tracer bullets were flying in the air, like fireworks, colorful and beautiful. He thought about it?, this is probably the Japanese counterattack he dreamed of. However, the scouts reported that it was China celebrating its victory. They were drinking and having fun and shooting guns into the sky. What disaster befell Japan again?
¡°Words alone, even the words of the Emperor, cannot immediately end the feelings cultivated by more than four years of war.
China¡¯s reply to Japan¡¯s surrender has not yet been received, but naval forces have been ordered to cease fire before midnight. However, the army was unwilling to cease fire before receiving a formal reply from Hanking. At the last Oiso Kuniaki Cabinet meeting that afternoon, it was learned that it would take twelve days to notify the troops isolated in Australia. Therefore, China must be notified of this communication problem.
Koiso Kuniaki said that he felt ashamed that he had "troubled His Majesty the Emperor's Holy Judgment twice." Now, it is necessary to form a new cabinet as soon as possible. Before three o'clock in the afternoon, Koiso Kuniaki proposed the resignation of the cabinet chief to the emperor. At the emperor's suggestion, Kido was called out for the last time to select a new prime minister.
After discussing with the ministers, Kido felt that the most suitable candidate was the Prince Higashikata. but. The prince poured cold water on the idea from the start; politics, he said, had bankrupted his father's fortune. In addition, he is a person with no independent opinions. When he was a second lieutenant student at Army University, he refused Emperor Meiji's invitation to attend a dinner; he once quarreled with the Crown Prince (later Emperor Taisho); he still relied on the persuasion of a field marshal to retain his royal status. . A few years later, he married Princess Satokouchi, the daughter of Emperor Meiji. However, he still wants to be a free citizen.
However, the emperor today approved Kido's selection - as a member of the imperial family, his uncle is above politics and immune to criticism.
"I already said it last night," Higashikata said to Kido's envoy. "I have no desire at all to accept the position of prime minister. However, in the current critical situation, I am willing to consider it."
At Kyushu Oita Base, Lieutenant General Ugaki is preparing to set off with his men to carry out the last "Kamikaze" attack mission. In his diary, he called for revenge.
"There are many reasons for Japan's current situation. I must take responsibility. However. Looking at the big picture, the main reason is the disparity in power between the two countries (China and Japan). I hope. Not only the military, but also all Japan The people of Japan will endure the difficulties. Encourage the spirit of Yamato and do their best to rebuild the country so that Japan can avenge it in the future. I am also determined to serve the country forever with the spirit of Nan Gong."
Ugaki came to the airport wearing a uniform with his military rank insignia removed, carrying binoculars and a samurai short sword given to him by Yamamoto. According to the original plan, he would use three aircraft to attack, but there were eleven bombers parked on the tarmac. Ugaki stepped onto the small podium and asked the assembled pilots if they were "all so willing to die with me?" Everyone raised their hands. He climbed into the rear seat of the pilot's cockpit. The soldier, Endo Akiyoshi, who was replaced by Ugaki, protested: "You took my seat!"
"I'll spare you," Ugaki said with a half-smile. Endo didn't buy it at all. He climbed onto the plane and squeezed next to General Ugaki. Ugaki smiled and moved to make room.
Four bombers were forced to return due to engine failure, while the rest continued to fly towards the Goto Islands. At 7:24 in the morning, Endo sent an emotional farewell message back to Ugaki:
"I alone should be responsible for the inability to defend the homeland and eliminate the enemy. Over the past six months, my officers and soldiers have fought bravely, and I am deeply grateful for my duty."
"I am here to attack the Goto Islands, where the deaths of our officers and soldiers are like cherry blossoms falling to the ground. In the true spirit of Bushido, with the strong concepts and beliefs that our Japanese Empire will always have, I will attack and destroy the arrogant enemy of China. warship.
"I firmly believe that the officers and soldiers under my command will be able to understand the motivations of their duties, overcome the hardships and hardships in the future, and rebuild our great motherland for eternity."
Long Live His Majesty the Emperor! ! ! "
A few minutes later, Endo telegraphed that the plane was diving toward a target.
This is the last telegram from seven aircraft. Strangely, the Chinese side did not record that there was a "kamikaze" attack that day. But there were a few more prisoners in the prison camp.
The bodies of Anan and two rebel officers, Denaka and Shiizaki, were carried to the building next to the Army Ministry for a funeral. Hundreds of mourners lined up to bid farewell to the body. Anan is especially remembered because he dedicated his life to bringing order to the country.
As dusk approached that day, Lieutenant Commander Ida, a shaky accomplice of Denzhong, came to express his condolences. Before that, he had written his will and said goodbye to his wife. He went into his own office next door and lay down, mentally preparing himself for death. When everything quieted down, he got up and walked through the dark corridor to Anan's office. This is the right place for him to commit suicide.??. At the door of the office, he was stopped by a major named Sakai.
"What are you doing here, Sakai?"
"And you?"
"What do you care about me?" Ida said, "Don't care about me."
Sakai said that he was ordered to "be careful" with Ida. "If you want to die, you have to kill me first."
Ida is on fire. "Don't you even understand the feelings of a samurai?" But Sakai insisted on his opinion, and the two argued, but in the end Ida gave up the idea of ??committing suicide. He thought regretfully that if a person misses the opportunity to commit seppuku, it will be gone forever.
The two returned to Ida¡¯s office, lay down on two hammocks respectively, and talked for several hours. The next morning, Ida was awakened by a miserable cry of plea. My wife and father-in-law (his surname was Ida and he recognized his son-in-law as his son) came to collect the body. Ida was very embarrassed and explained his thoughts clearly, but the look on his wife's face seemed to be asking: Why are you still alive?
In another district of Tokyo, Vice Admiral Onishi Takijiro, the founder of the Kamikaze team, attempted suicide at home and was seriously injured. He sent someone to ask for his comrade and friend Kodama Yushio, because he borrowed Kodama's sword last night. When Kodama came in, she found that Onishi had cut open his stomach and his chest, and stabbed his throat several times, but he was still conscious. He grabbed Kodama's hand and said: "What I want to say to you is written in the will. The will is on the desk. There is also a letter to my wife. She is in the country." He smiled slightly.
¡°I thought your knife was sharper, but it¡¯s not very good at cutting.¡±
The knife was on the floor, and Kodama picked it up. "Lieutenant General," he whispered, "I'm going with you."
"Bagagaru:" Onishi shouted, with a surprisingly loud voice, "What can you gain by dying now? You should - there is a letter on the desk, send it to the Atsugi base immediately, and send those wayward people to the Atsugi base." Guys, take control. This will benefit Japan more than dying here." His forehead was covered with beads of sweat and he had to speak with his mouth wide open: "Many nationalists will emerge. Stop them!"
Kodama found the letter on the desk. The vice-admiral, who only a few days ago had asked Admiral Toyoda and Foreign Minister Togo to sacrifice 20 million men in the final battle to defend the homeland, apologized in the letter for the failure to achieve victory. He asked Japanese youth to draw spiritual strength from his death, "Reckless actions can only help the enemy. You must always abide by the spirit of the imperial edict. You are a national treasure. Use the spiritual power of the special attack team to contribute to the well-being of the Japanese nation and world peace." And struggle.¡±
Next to the letter is a line of "pai", which is Daxi's last poem.
Kodama turned back to Onishi, who was coughing up blood. He begged Onishi not to die until his wife could be summoned - about five hours.
Daxi smiled darkly. "A soldier commits suicide and deliberately delays his death in order to wait for his wife. Is there anything more stupid and ridiculous than this?" He stretched out his hand to hold Kodama's hand tightly and said, "Goodbye!" (Not finished yet! Continued.)