US envoy Hopkins left Tokyo aboard a B-17 bomber, flying back to the United States. Foreign Minister Shigenori Tōgō personally saw him off at the airport. This time, Hopkins departed with a smile. Overall, his trip to the Island Nation had gone quite smoothly.
Although the Island Nation people had displayed tremendous greed during the talks, that did not amount to much. So long as they threw themselves fully into the war and launched an attack on Germany, that was what the US government wanted to see.
After all, the benefits promised by the US government could only be realized after Germany had been defeated. If they lost the war, then naturally none of it could be honored.
The US government was no longer afraid that the Island Nation would go back on its word. According to the intelligence they had obtained, the Island Nation had indeed completed its war preparations. The arrow was already on the string and had to be loosed. Besides, if the Island Nation truly dared delay again, the United States could immediately impose sanctions. After all, the supplies promised to the Island Nation would only be shipped there after the war broke out. If the Island Nation wanted to keep receiving supplies from the United States, it had to fulfill its promise and declare war on Germany.
After Hopkins left, the Island Nation government entered the final stage of war preparations. The Island Nation's Army and Navy had issued emergency combat-readiness orders. Great numbers of soldiers were returning to their barracks, awaiting further orders. The top brass of the Island Nation's Army and Navy were also discussing how to launch the attack. Since they held no overwhelming advantage, if the Island Nation wanted victory, it had no choice but to take the blade along a