Joint Crisis Committee: the Empire of Japan Shumun Xvii
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JOINT CRISIS COMMITTEE: THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN SHUMUN XVII Topic 1: Russo-Japanese War Topic 2: The Development of the Protectorate of Korea Topic 1: Russo-Japanese War Assessment of the region Currently, there are three major powers standing in the way of our nation’s expansion. China has been overrun by western powers and thus provides a toehold for these powers in the region. France, Germany, and Russia all have made agreements to control railroads and other infrastructure in China. Furthermore, our nation has been embarrassed on the world stage despite our military victories in China (Koda 15). Positions of other nations in the region In 1895, we won the Liaotung Peninsula, Formosa (now Taiwan) by defeating China. However, the European powers of Germany, France and Russia have conspired against us and forced us to return the Peninsula to the Chinese. Today, this strategically important peninsula is leased to the Russians and they have established a railroad branch at its tip. This is unacceptable considering the cost in Japanese blood to win the peninsula (Koda 15). Now, Russia is again threatening our interests on the Manchurian Peninsula. Today, they have a naval base at Port Arthur, a Russian port in China, and they refuse to recognize our interests in Korea. Furthermore, since 1900, Russia has kept thousands of troops on the Manchurian Peninsula, ostensibly to protect its interests in China. Manchuria is dangerously close to Korea, a small nation which cannot defend itself from both Chinese and Russian aggression. Our foreign policy In 1898, our policy decision making group, the Genro, decided that we would remain neutral in foreign affairs since our nation does not have the power to battle with Russia, Germany, or France. This policy is known as “Submit to any hardships to achieve revenge.” However, within the Genro and the general population, there is disagreement about the direction our nation should take. Some members of the Genro support allowing Russia to remain in Manchuria in return for a Russian agreement to respect our nation’s interest in Korea. Other members favor reaching some sort of agreement with either England or Germany. Members who favor an agreement with either England or Germany generally do not believe that our nation will be able to win a war against a major western power (Moody 30). Our military Our military now is extremely well organized. It is currently split into two parts, the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Imperial Japanese Army. Both parts are under the control of a Joint Chief. Currently, our fleet has six battleships, 6 armored cruisers, 12 cruisers, 22 destroyers, and 28 torpedo boats. Since 1895, we have been increasing the size of our fleet significantly (Koda 30). Introduction: The Russo-Japanese War began on February 8th, 1904 when the Japanese launched a surprise naval attack on Port Arthur. The strike was a retaliation following the Russian rejection of a Japanese plan to divide Manchuria and Korea into spheres of influence. History: The Russo-Japanese War developed out of a rivalry between Russia and Japan for dominance of Manchuria and Korea. In 1898, Russia had pressured China into giving them a lease for Port Arthur (Lü-shun)—a port of strategic importance located in southern Manchuria at the tip of the Liaotung Peninsula. Russia thus began an occupation of the peninsula, even though (in cohort with other European powers) they had forced Japan to relinquish their right to occupation, which they had begun following their victory over China in the Sino-Japanese war of 1894 and 1895. Russia continued to add to Russo-Japanese tensions when they entered an alliance with China, and against Japan—an alliance that granted them the right to extend the Trans-Siberian Railroad across Chinese held Manchuria to their seaport of Vladivostok, and gave them control of an important strip of Manchuria. Even though Russia had built up their Trans- Siberian Railroad, they still did not have the transportation facilities needed to reinforce their limited troops in Manchuria. The Japanese took advantage of this, and had steadily expanded their army since their war with China in 1894, and by 1904 had gained a marked superiority over Russia in the number of ground troops in the Far East. This fact alone made Japan’s initial war strike all the more achievable, and resulted in an attack on Port Arthur. The Japanese and Russians thus entered a series of military conflicts in which the former suffered humiliating defeats. Japan sent an army into Korea in March of that year, which quickly was overrun. In May, Japanese army landed on the Liaotung Peninsula, and on May 26 it cut off the Port Arthur garrison from the main body of Russian forces in Manchuria. The Japanese then pushed northward, and the Russian army fell back to Mukden after losing battles at Fu-hsien (June 14) and Liao-yang (August 25), south of Mukden. In October, the Russians went back on the offensive with the help of reinforcements received via the Trans-Siberian Railroad, but their attacks proved indecisive owing to poor military leadership. The Japanese began a long siege on Port Arthur after several military assaults on it had failed. The Russian military leadership was highly divided, and in an act of pure corruption on January 2, 1905 the incompetent commander of Port Arthur surrendered to the Japanese without consulting his officers and with three months’ provisions and adequate supplies of ammunition still in the fortress. The final battle of the war was fought in Mukden in late February and early March of 1905—between 330,000 Russian and 270,000 Japanese troops. The fight was long and relentless, but eventually Russian general Kuropatkin broke off the fighting and sent his forces to the North—letting Mukden fall to the Japanese. Losses in this battle were exceptionally heavy, with approximately 89,000 Russian and 71,000 Japanese casualties. In the following naval battle of Tsushima, the Japanese gained a decisive upperhand— previously they were unable to secure their hold on the seas, and this was well timed as the Japanese government was now financially exhausted. This loss, along with growing unrest in Russia in regards to the war, brought Russia to the peace table. This war, and the loss of it, is credited as one of the main roots of the Russian Revolution. Works Cited: Koda, Yoji. "The Russo--Japanese War." Naval War College Review 58.2 (2005): 10-44. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Jan. 2016. Moody Jr., Peter R. "Genro Rule In China And Japan: A Comparative Perspective." Journal Of Chinese Political Science 12.1 (2007): 29-48. Political Science Complete. Web. 10 Jan. 2016. CITINO, ROBERT M. "Japan's First Big Surprise." Military History 29.5 (2013): 48-57. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Jan. 2016. HUDSON, ROGER. "A Game Of Battleships." History Today 62.11 (2012): 16-17. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Jan. 2016. Wolf, David, and John W. Steinberg. The Russo-Japanese War In Global Perspective : World War Zero. Leiden: Brill, 2007. eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 11 Jan. 2016 "Russo-Japanese War | Russo-Japanese History." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.. Topic 2: The Development of the Protectorate of Korea Introduction The relationship between Korea and Japan has been long and complicated. Starting in 1592, Japan has aspired to take over Korea and claim it as their own. This struggle between the two neighboring countries continues and is the main reason for the start of the Russo-Japanese War. History In 1392, Yi Seong-gye established the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) after a coup in 1388. King Sejong the Great (1418–1450) implemented numerous administrative, social, and economic reforms, established royal authority in the early years of his rule and promulgated Hangul, the Korean alphabet. Korea began to develop its own customs and customs similar to those of China, whom they had a close relationship with. 1392-1897 Choson (Yi) Dynasty 1418-1450 Reign of King Sejong 1592-1598 Imjin Wars (Hideyoshi Invasions) 1724-1800 Reigns of Yongjo and Chongjo 1600-1850s Two centuries of peace 1850s-1910 Foreign skirmishes threaten Korea From the late 16th century, the Joseon dynasty faced foreign invasions, internal power struggle and rebellions. Internal conflicts within the royal court, civil unrest and other political struggles plagued the nation in the years that followed. This struggle within Korea worsened when the Japanese decided to invade Korea between 1592 and 1598. The Japanese invasions of Korea comprised two separate, yet linked operations: the initial invasion in 1592 and a second invasion in 1597. There was a brief truce made between the two countries in 1596 but it was called off in 1598 when the Japanese invaded for the second time. The conflict ended in 1598 with the withdrawal of the Japanese forces from the Korean Peninsula after a military stalemate in Korea's southern coastal provinces. The invasions were launched by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, also known as the Imjin Wars, with the intent of conquering Korea and China, which were ruled by the Joseon and Ming dynasties. Japan quickly succeeded in occupying large portions of the Korean Peninsula, but the Ming Dynasty quickly came to the rescue. There were also miscommunications and wrong disbursements of Japanese supply fleets along the western and southern coasts that were enacted by the Joseon Navy. The Japanese armies and navies were forced to withdraw from Pyongyang. Although, the Japanese continued to occupy Hanseong (present-day Seoul) and the southeastern regions. Afterwards, guerrilla warfare was waged against the Japanese by Joseon civilian militias which put a hold on Japanese attacks.