Chronicles of Toria: Setting the Stage (Vol. 0)

(Act 1) Chapter 1 - The Battle of France

1936

During the General Elections of 1936 on February 20th, the Liberal-Social Democratic coalition had lost a number of seats in that election, but they still had enough seats in the National Diet to maintain a majority government. In short, the "Navy" government was still in power.

For the Imperial Japanese Army, which had been increasingly sidelined by the government in favor of the Imperial Japanese Navy and harassed by the IJN-led Tokko, Special Higher Police, the general election results were the final straw. The two remaining factions, the Tosei-ha and the Kodo-ha, who were in a shaky truce, began planning a coup d'etat to "free" Japan from the yoke of the IJN and the Western democratic government. Yet the plan was doomed to fail from its onset.

Moles, double agents, and old-school interrogations would lead the Tokko, and thus the IJN and the government, to discover the plot. Although they had the evidence to arrest the plotters, a decision was made to instead use the attempted coup to completely "cure" the IJA of its Gekokujo thinking. But in reality, it was just a calculated move to re-establish the IJA with a much more cooperative leadership and junior officers, and most importantly, an IJA indirectly subordinated to the navy.

Each side carefully made its preparations, plans, and counter plans. However, the cracks within the Toseiha-Kodoha truce had begun to grow, as both sides suspected that the other would turn their guns against them before or after the coup. Then, on February 25th, the Kodoha leadership made its decision.

February 26, 1936

In the early hours of 5:00 a.m., the city of Tokyo was awakened by the sounds of gunfire on the streets. The coup attempt had started, but it began days earlier than the appointed time because the Kodo-ha, in an attempt to seize total control of the nation and destroy the Tosei-ha, had made the fateful decision to attack as soon as possible, even if meant doing so without a plan.

However, the Tosei-ha had noticed the Kodo-ha movements, which started at 3:30 a.m., prompting them to make their own unplanned moves as well. The situation, fueled by distrust between the factions, led to complete chaos in the city.

Kodo-ha and Tosei-ha forces fought against each other for control of strategic areas or on their way there. The streets of Tokyo had become a battlefield, fueled further as the IJN Marines and police forces, preemptively stationed in each key area, began engaging the rebellious army forces. What ensued was a three-way battle in the heart of the nation.

The still unharmed administration gathered and quickly began ordering the loyal reserve forces into action. As loyalist forces entered the city of Tokyo from land, sea, and even air, the two rebellious armies were forced to retreat and take positions in improvised defensive areas. There they began their bitter last stand against the government forces, exchanging fire until the morning of the next day.

The sieges of the rebellious strongholds became so intense that the failed coup became the first combat action taken by the Imperial Japanese Air Service, using dive bombers to bomb the stronghold buildings with as much precision as possible. The fighting only ended by the middle of February 27th when the last Kodo-ha and Tosei-ha strongholds were destroyed, with many of the plotters and junior officers choosing to commit Seppuku instead of capture.

With the rebel forces defeated, the government moved swiftly to capitalize on the ongoing confusion and convinced the emperor to condemn the army's actions and declare the disbandment of the IJA. With their only obstacle now completely removed, the government would begin a series of searches and trials to decide the fate of every individual who served in the IJA. Some would receive lenient punishment, while others would receive the death penalty.

In one stroke, the disbanded IJA had been completely purged of its radical and insubordinate elements. However, not all was good, as the IJA officer corps and high-ranking echelons had been practically reduced to just a quarter of their original strength. In practical terms, the former IJA had effectively been beheaded by its own government.