Blub Empire
29-01-2007, 20:19
Backround
The Tripartite Intervention or Triple Intervention (三国干渉, Sangoku Kansho?) was a diplomatic intervention by Russia, Germany and France on 23 April 1895 over the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki signed between Japan and China ending the First Sino-Japanese War.
Per the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, Japan was awarded the Liaodong peninsula including the harbor city of Port Arthur, which it had conquered from Qing dynasty China during the First Sino-Japanese War. Immediately after the terms of the treaty became public, several European countries (each with its own sphere of influence in China) expressed concern about Japanese territorial ambitions on the Asian mainland and the possible impact of the terms of the treaty on the stability of China. The European powers of Russia, Germany and France offered 'friendly advice' to Japan to return the territory to China in exchange for a larger indemnity, or to face war.
The Japanese government reluctantly agreed to this, as British and American diplomatic intercession was not forthcoming, and Japan was in no position to militarily resist the three major European powers. On 5 May 1895, Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi announced the withdrawal of Japanese forces from the Liaodong Peninsula in exchange for an additional indemnity of 30 million kuping taels (450 million yen). The last Japanese troops departed in December.
Much to Japan's astonishment and consternation, Russia moved almost immediately to occupy the entire Liaodong Peninsula and especially, to fortify Port Arthur. Germany, France and even Great Britain took advantage of the weaken China to seize port cities on various pretexts, and to expand their spheres of influence.
This humiliation at the hands of the European powers helped lead to Gashin Shōtan or 'Persevering through Hardship' (for the sake of revenge) to increase heavy industry and strength of the armed forces, especially the fleet, at the expense of individual wants and needs.
Three years later..
Emperor Mutsuhito sat in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo concemplating the floor-sized three-dimensional map of Japan, parts of Chinna, Russia and the Philippines. A team of artists had gone through great lengths to make each detail of the scale model map as perfect as possible. Small, flagged markers detailed military positions and landmarks.
Field Marshal (I'll be using WWII ranks since I can't find the appropriate ones) Ishi's staff watched as the Field Marshal pleaded his case to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, I beg of you to consider how this makes our nation look. The west treats us as dogs! This traitorious act cannot go unchallenged any longer. It has been almost three years and we have not responded to the dagger in the back of Japan."
Admiral Oto couldn't help but agree, nodding his head. "We have the most powerful navy in Asia. We probably could have held out against the Germans and French at sea then, and we have grown in strength since. Mikasa is complete ahead of schedule and the fleet is ready. We can force their hand now."
Mutsuhito bowed his head in thought. He was a calm man, gentle, he wrote poetry. He was also wise enough to leave military decisions to his advisors. "We must negotiate first. I will leave the final decision in your hands after we have recieved word from the Russians."
Diplomatic Package to Russia
"Greetings. It is regretable that an honorably bargained treaty has been met with lies and deception. We have been played falsely in these recent years and the shame that your nation along with others has forced upon us is deep. We are forced now to deliver the ultimatium that Russia must think carefully over. We demand the return of Port Arthur to Japanese control. Further, Russia will withdrawl half of its Pacific fleet to the western hemisphere and move what is left of their ships to Vladivostok. This will insure no further acts of warfare by the Russians and assure us that no coups will occur."
The Tripartite Intervention or Triple Intervention (三国干渉, Sangoku Kansho?) was a diplomatic intervention by Russia, Germany and France on 23 April 1895 over the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki signed between Japan and China ending the First Sino-Japanese War.
Per the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, Japan was awarded the Liaodong peninsula including the harbor city of Port Arthur, which it had conquered from Qing dynasty China during the First Sino-Japanese War. Immediately after the terms of the treaty became public, several European countries (each with its own sphere of influence in China) expressed concern about Japanese territorial ambitions on the Asian mainland and the possible impact of the terms of the treaty on the stability of China. The European powers of Russia, Germany and France offered 'friendly advice' to Japan to return the territory to China in exchange for a larger indemnity, or to face war.
The Japanese government reluctantly agreed to this, as British and American diplomatic intercession was not forthcoming, and Japan was in no position to militarily resist the three major European powers. On 5 May 1895, Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi announced the withdrawal of Japanese forces from the Liaodong Peninsula in exchange for an additional indemnity of 30 million kuping taels (450 million yen). The last Japanese troops departed in December.
Much to Japan's astonishment and consternation, Russia moved almost immediately to occupy the entire Liaodong Peninsula and especially, to fortify Port Arthur. Germany, France and even Great Britain took advantage of the weaken China to seize port cities on various pretexts, and to expand their spheres of influence.
This humiliation at the hands of the European powers helped lead to Gashin Shōtan or 'Persevering through Hardship' (for the sake of revenge) to increase heavy industry and strength of the armed forces, especially the fleet, at the expense of individual wants and needs.
Three years later..
Emperor Mutsuhito sat in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo concemplating the floor-sized three-dimensional map of Japan, parts of Chinna, Russia and the Philippines. A team of artists had gone through great lengths to make each detail of the scale model map as perfect as possible. Small, flagged markers detailed military positions and landmarks.
Field Marshal (I'll be using WWII ranks since I can't find the appropriate ones) Ishi's staff watched as the Field Marshal pleaded his case to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, I beg of you to consider how this makes our nation look. The west treats us as dogs! This traitorious act cannot go unchallenged any longer. It has been almost three years and we have not responded to the dagger in the back of Japan."
Admiral Oto couldn't help but agree, nodding his head. "We have the most powerful navy in Asia. We probably could have held out against the Germans and French at sea then, and we have grown in strength since. Mikasa is complete ahead of schedule and the fleet is ready. We can force their hand now."
Mutsuhito bowed his head in thought. He was a calm man, gentle, he wrote poetry. He was also wise enough to leave military decisions to his advisors. "We must negotiate first. I will leave the final decision in your hands after we have recieved word from the Russians."
Diplomatic Package to Russia
"Greetings. It is regretable that an honorably bargained treaty has been met with lies and deception. We have been played falsely in these recent years and the shame that your nation along with others has forced upon us is deep. We are forced now to deliver the ultimatium that Russia must think carefully over. We demand the return of Port Arthur to Japanese control. Further, Russia will withdrawl half of its Pacific fleet to the western hemisphere and move what is left of their ships to Vladivostok. This will insure no further acts of warfare by the Russians and assure us that no coups will occur."