Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 977: Chapter 240: The British-Japanese Secret Agreement in Southeast Asia

“A blessing in disguise, politics is sometimes just such a comedy,” he reflected. The British Government had originally harbored doubts about supporting the Japanese, fearing that it was like trying to prop up a failing wall, unable to recoup the investment cost.

But once the Holy Roman Empire supported the Spaniards, the British Government had no other choice. If they did not act, they would soon have no foothold in the Southeast Asia region.

Britain did not have many interests in Southeast Asia, and it seemed that being squeezed out would not cause much loss. However, things are not always what they appear on the surface.

A glance at the map revealed that Southeast Asia was perfectly situated between the Far East and India. Once pushed out, Britain’s dominant position in the Far East would also be compromised.

Of course, they had another option—Australia. But that would involve a major detour!

Britain could not afford such a distraction. The Royal Navy was unable to navigate through the Suez Canal, and the existing pressure was already immense; taking a roundabout route would make life intolerable.

Under these circumstances, Britain could only bring in external forces to balance the powers in the Southeast Asia region and alleviate its own pressures.

…

As the Spaniards arrived at New Frankfurt Port, Ito Hirobumi, representing the Japanese Government, signed the “Anglo-Japanese Southeast Asia Secret Pact” with British Foreign Minister George in London.

The treaty stipulated:

1. Both contracting parties mutually recognize their right to protect their interests in Southeast Asia. If Japan’s “special interests” in Southeast Asia are threatened by another country, both nations have the right to intervene.

2. If one contracting party goes to war with a third country to protect the aforementioned interests, the other party shall remain neutral and provide assistance within its capacity.

3. If one contracting party is attacked by two or more countries, the other shall provide military support.

4. During peacetime, the navies of the two countries shall collaborate to maintain their advantages in the seas of Southeast Asia and the Far East.

…

Supplementary Agreement: In view of the needs of the Japanese-Spanish War, Britain will sell 3 battleships, 5 cruisers, 7 destroyers, and several auxiliary warships to the Japanese Government.

The treaty is valid for five years. Thereafter, based on the specific circumstances, the two countries will decide whether to renew the agreement.

Apart from the different targets, this Anglo-Japanese secret pact was essentially a replica of the historical “Anglo-Japanese Alliance.” The only difference was that the situation in Southeast Asia was even more complex, making both Britain and Japan reluctant to publicize the news of the alliance.

Though the Royal Navy was considered the best in the world, when it came to the speed of deploying fleets in Southeast Asia, they were still no match for the Holy Roman Empire.

If the fleets of both countries set sail from their home countries simultaneously, the fleet of the Holy Roman Empire would arrive at least half a month earlier, highlighting the strategic importance of the Suez Canal.

To avoid this disadvantage, the only solution was to station significant forces. Theoretically speaking, as long as the Royal Navy was twice the size of the Shinra Navy, they could maintain their advantage.

As long as the Royal Navy could block both the Strait of Gibraltar and the Red Sea, they could confine the Shinra fleet within the “Mediterranean bathtub.”

After all, the Royal Navy had superior combat strength, and under equivalent fleet sizes, the Shinra Navy was no match for them.

Of course, this was only in theory. In practice, it would prove to be completely ineffective.

A maritime blockade was only effective against smaller nations. Against a behemoth like Shinra, the Royal Navy’s blockade would at most cause some economic losses.

Apart from infuriating the Vienna Government and compelling the Shinra Empire to invest more in shipbuilding, it would hardly be deterrent.

Though they couldn’t win, Britain couldn’t lose either. With the Royal Navy’s strength, they inherently held an unbeatable position.

The eventual outcome would likely be that Britain would lose its colonies in Africa, while Shinra would likely lose its colonies in Southeast Asia and America.

Perhaps the two countries would even engage in an aerial duel, bombing each other back and forth. It’s possible that several sub-states along Shinra’s coast would suffer the ravages of war.

But overall, both sides would be big losers, and the only winners would be the uninvolved bystanders.

Without turning against each other overtly, if the Anglo-Japanese secret pact were exposed, it would force countries like the Dutch and the Spaniards to band together with Shinra.

Two against three felt like a loss to the British, while the Japanese simply didn’t dare to join the fray. Though both were great powers, the Spaniards, as a kind of gatekeeper of great powers, were simply not in the same league as the Shinra Empire.

If things really went south, who could guarantee that the British would be reliable? If they suddenly decided to send a fleet straight to Tokyo, the Japanese Government would not be able to cope.

Even if the British Government were willing to help, by the time the Royal Navy arrived, it would only be able to help collect the dead.

“Revenge, what’s the use of that?”

“With the Japanese Empire’s resources, losing once means no chance of recovery. There will be no ‘next time.’ One can’t expect the Holy Roman Empire to admit defeat and pay reparations to help them rebuild their navy, can they?”

…

The Spaniards, who had just arrived at New Frankfurt Port, were currently holding a celebration banquet. After drifting at sea for so many days and finally docking, it was time to relax.

“Sir Witte, hasn’t Governor Chandler arrived?”

Halfway through the banquet, Admiral Falkenhein, the fleet commander, realized that one important guest had not arrived.

As a foreign affairs officer, Sir Witte smiled and replied, “I’m very sorry. His Excellency the Governor had some urgent matters and couldn’t come. He asked me to convey his apologies.”

From his sincere smile, it was apparent that he was truly apologetic, but that was not what Admiral Falkenhein needed.

Spain wanted to defeat the Japanese and regain the Philippine Islands; they greatly needed the support of the Governor of Austrian Nanyang. Governor Chandler’s absence indicated his reluctance to get further involved in the Japanese-Spanish war.

Although the two nations were allies, national interests still had to be spoken of. The Vienna Government fulfilling the treaty it had previously signed with Spain was already a considerable gesture of friendship.

For further support, it depended on what the Spanish Government was willing to offer. Unfortunately, Spain’s resources were too limited to afford the price.

Otherwise, Spain would have long ago bought the support of European countries, persuading the Continental Alliance to pass a resolution demanding the Japanese to withdraw from the Philippine Islands.

Even if it were the British Government instead of the Japanese Government, it would have to think thrice before acting against a collective decision from the Continental Alliance.

In fact, Spain had opportunities. If they had joined the Anti-French Alliance before Russia entered the war, they could have exchanged that decision for full support.

Unfortunately, the Spanish Government’s indecision cost them that chance, and they were a step behind Russia in entering the war, significantly lowering their leverage.

Though they obtained the position of a victorious nation and received some spoils of war, expecting the Holy Roman Empire to help regain the Philippine Islands was now evidently insufficient. @@novelbin@@

After a brief awkward moment, Admiral Falkenhein quickly recovered and politely responded, “No problem, it’s understandable that His Excellency the Governor is very busy. However, concerning the maintenance of the battleships, when can we begin?

Sir Witte, as you know, our fleet has traveled thousands of miles from our homeland, and we’re about to engage in another major battle. The battleships urgently need maintenance.”

The fact that the fleet had traveled thousands of miles and only required “maintenance” and not “repair” proved the quality of the French battleships and also showcased the professionalism of the Spanish Navy.

Compared to the miserable Russian fleet of the original timeline, the Spaniards were much luckier.

“The repair yard is ready and could start at any moment. However, due to the large scale of your fleet, one repair yard might struggle to complete the maintenance quickly.

If you are in a hurry, I would personally recommend distributing the fleet among several yards for maintenance. With our technical capabilities, if split, it could be done in a week.”

Money on the table is money earned. Whether providing logistical support or performing naval maintenance, it’s all paid for.

In dealing with clients, Sir Witte always offered warmth akin to the sun. As long as the customer could pay, he would do everything possible to meet their needs.

Regarding the outcome of the war, it wasn’t actually that important. If the Vienna Government wished, even if the Spanish Navy suffered a complete loss, they could immediately help them construct an even stronger fleet.

The enemy was the same. As long as the British were willing, no matter the losses sustained by the Japanese, replacements could be arranged immediately.

In a sense, the key to deciding the outcome of the Japanese-Spanish war wasn’t on the battlefield anymore but depended on the maneuvers between great powers.

Admiral Falkenhein joyfully said, “The sooner, the better. The people of the Philippines are waiting for us to rescue them!”

Even though he was unaware that Britain and Japan had already colluded, Admiral Falkenhein understood the rationale that ‘the longer the night, the more dreams will occur.’

The Philippine Islands were a treasure trove, not only coveted by the Japanese but nearly every Colonial Empire had fantasized about them.

For a short period, everyone had tacitly recognized the Philippine Islands as Spanish colonies, but due to political elements, it wasn’t convenient for nations to make a move.

However, if the situation dragged on, things would be different. Once the international community believed Spain couldn’t reclaim the Philippine Islands, their ownership claims would be lost.

With a change in ownership, the original political factors would vanish, and everyone could make their moves without reservation.

Especially the Anglo-Austrian countries, both powerful enough to take the Philippine Islands from the Japanese, were particularly concerning to Admiral Falkenhein.