Ascending to Glory
- Thread starter Nagisaki
- Start date
Part 5
I'm done! This is only a fraction of what I intended to have written, but I need a break from this for a bit. Imma go back to writing Code Geass fanfiction and return to this after I feel refreshed to write in AH.
Because of this, the overseer of the port of Uraga, the Uraga bugyō, at the entrance to Edo bay had one of his yoriki (think samurai questors in terms of what they did) row out to the USS Susquehanna, Perry's flagship, but he was refused access, as Perry carried a letter from the President of the United States, he refused to meet with anyone not of worthy rank to receive such a letter. Therefore, a few days later, another yoriki rowed out to the fleet, pretending to be the Uraga bugyō, and was allowed to meet with Captain Franklin, the captain of the USS Susquehanna. While the yoriki tried to direct them to go to Nagasaki, the designated port for foreign contact, Perry insisted that he had a letter from the President of the United States and if he could not have it delivered then he would land troops in Edo and deliver it personally, burning the city down to do so if need be.
Meanwhile, the actual Uraga bugyō sent a messenger to Edo to request the Shogun’s orders. The only problem with that was the fact that Shogun Tokugawa Ieyoshi was very sick and near death. Therefore, a rōjū (member of the council of elders) decided on 1 July that simply receiving a letter would not be a violation of Japan’s sovereignty. Therefore, Perry was asked to move his fleet a bit to the southwest to near Kurihama, in modern-day Yokosuka, where he was allowed to land on 14 July.
He was not discreet about his landing. He landed with 250 sailors and Marines in the boats of 15 ships after a 13-gun salute from Susquehanna. Marines presented arms, and a band played ‘Hail Columbia.’ An official was formally presented the letter afterwards. Perry’s squadron departed on 17 July for China, promising to return in Spring of 1854 for a reply. Days after Perry’s departure, Shogun Tokugawa Ieyoshi died, and was succeeded by his son, Tokugawa Iesada, leaving effective administration in the hands of the Rōjū led by Abe Masahiro. Abe felt that it was currently impossible for Japan to resist the American demands by military force, and yet was reluctant to take any action on his own authority for such an unprecedented situation. Attempting to legitimize any decision taken, Abe polled all of the daimyo for their opinions. This was the first time that the Tokugawa shogunate had allowed its decision-making to be a matter of public debate, and had the unforeseen consequence of portraying the Shogunate as weak and indecisive.
The Shogunate received many different responses to the poll. The results of the poll also failed to provide Abe with an answer, as of the 61 known responses, 19 were in favor of accepting the American demands, and 19 were equally opposed. Of the remainder, 14 gave vague responses expressing concern of possible war, 7 suggested making temporary concessions and two advised that they would simply go along with whatever was decided. The only universal recommendation was that steps be taken immediately to bolster Japan’s coastal defenses. Fortifications were hurriedly built close to current day Odaiba in order to protect Edo from a subsequent American naval incursion. The only specific response that Abe got was from the Daimyo of Satsuma. Lord Shimazu suggested that the Americans be granted the status of the most favoured nation in order to protect against any future incursions by the Western Powers. In addition there seemed to be some Japanese expatriates in the United States that wish to return home, and allowing trade might let them. In the end, it was left to Abe to decide, he was effectively the Shogun’s regent, after all.
It's in the best interest of the Netherlands for Japan to be opened, as it means more trade in the far east for them. Besides, that update was pretty much all OTL.
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Part 6
Update time? Update time.
After some debating with the other members of the regency council, Abe ultimately decided not to grant extra privileges to the United States. From his perspective, it would damage relations with countries that may be even more powerful than the United States. There was also always the possibility that the expedition could have been bluffing about the power that their country possesses. Either way, soon the Dutch at Nagasaki passed along information that the countries that had fought in the Opium War were planning on coming to Japan, ready for some good old imperialism- I mean trade. With some Opiates in store, of course.
This was all too true. Only days after Commodore Perry departed from Edo Bay, Russian Vice-Admiral Yevfimy Putyatin arrived in Nagasaki and spent a month trying to force the Japanese to sign a treaty with him. Soon, other countries decided to join the bandwagon, readying expeditions of their own.
However, even Perry himself was on a ticking clock. With the election of 1852, Whig President Millard Fillmore was replaced with Democratic President Franklin Pierce. Pierce was a ‘doughface,’ meaning that he was a Northerner who sympathised with the South. Pierce had less interest in the far east, and more interest in placating the South, who didn’t seem to be satisfied even with the Compromise of 1850. He was also a supporter of making the Colonial Affairs Department an official part of the US government. However, the Senate was refusing to budge. They wanted something in return. Soon, they would get it.
In February of 1854, Commodore Perry returned to Japan. After some negotiations on the location of the summit, they met at the village of Yokohama, and began discussions of a treaty. After the signing of the treaty, the Americans presented the Japanese with a miniature steam locomotive, a telegraph apparatus, various agricultural tools, and small arms, as well as one hundred gallons of whiskey, clocks, stoves, and books about the United States. The Japanese responded with gold-lacquered furniture and boxes, bronze ornaments, porcelain goblets and upon learning of Perry’s personal hobby, a collection of seashells.
Perry then dispatched Saratoga home with the signed treaty, while the rest of the squadron went to survey Hakodate, Shimoda and the site of the future consulate. The Saratoga arrived in San Francisco in late March. However, after arriving at San Francisco, the man realised there had been a mix up, and he had the treaty in the wrong language. The treaty had been written in 4 languages, twice in English, and once in Chinese, Japanese, and French, for the 5 main countries who were watching the treaty. The Japanese somehow got the Chinese one, the British had both English ones, and the Americans had the Japanese one. France had their respective one, and the Chinese observer who was supposed to help translate got nothing. Nevertheless the man bearing the treaty began a 5 week journey across to country to bring the treaty to Washington after about a week in San Francisco[1]. For the rest of that story, I'll explain after the lecture is over.[2] After departing Shimoda, the fleet returned to the Ryukyu Islands, where Perry swiftly drafted the Compact between the United States and the Ryukyu Kingdom, which was formally signed on 11 July 1854.
In March 1854, the steamer Black Warrior stopped at the Cuban port of Havana on a regular trading route from New York City to Mobile, Alabama. When it failed to provide a cargo manifest, Cuban officials seized the ship, its cargo, and its crew. This started a crisis between the United States and Spain. The United States sent Spain an ultimatum to release the ship and it’s crew, as well as apologise for the incident, in early April. Spain refused, as the US had disbanded much of its military after 1848, and the Spanish didn’t see them as a threat. Spain formally rejected the ultimatum in July, calling the demands “outrageous.” The ultimatum had been worded carefully, so when Spain rejected the ultimatum in the way that they did, they alienated the other powers of Europe who would otherwise have helped them.
The crisis continued until October, when the US ministers in Spain, Great Britain, and France met in Ostend, Belgium. They drafted a manifesto stating that the US should attempt to purchase Cuba and, failing that, should not consider war to be unthinkable. Luckily, the meetings were kept secret. The manifesto was read to Congress in November.
The minister for Spain, acting on his own, offered that his government would forgive Spain if they allowed Cuba to be bought for $100 million. This was promptly rejected, and in response, an angered Spanish diplomat declared the any American ships docking at Spanish ports would have to pay 6% higher fees than anyone else. Believing this, President Pierce made a speech before a joint session of Congress on protecting their right to free trade, the exploitation of Cuba, the Monroe Doctrine, and Manifest Destiny, and since he felt negotiations had failed, formally asked Congress for a Declaration of War on Spain. The house voted in favour of it. After ratifying the treaty with Japan, the Senate also voted in favour of a declaration of war. On 29 November, 1854, it was presented to President Franklin Pierce, who signed the document. It was now official, the United States of America was at war with the Spanish Empire.
***
Good Afternoon, class. I hope you enjoyed your break. Great job on getting all assignments done. As a reward for all the students getting an A on the exam, I will read out another part of Mackenzie's biography soon. Until then though, back to the lesson.After some debating with the other members of the regency council, Abe ultimately decided not to grant extra privileges to the United States. From his perspective, it would damage relations with countries that may be even more powerful than the United States. There was also always the possibility that the expedition could have been bluffing about the power that their country possesses. Either way, soon the Dutch at Nagasaki passed along information that the countries that had fought in the Opium War were planning on coming to Japan, ready for some good old imperialism- I mean trade. With some Opiates in store, of course.
This was all too true. Only days after Commodore Perry departed from Edo Bay, Russian Vice-Admiral Yevfimy Putyatin arrived in Nagasaki and spent a month trying to force the Japanese to sign a treaty with him. Soon, other countries decided to join the bandwagon, readying expeditions of their own.
However, even Perry himself was on a ticking clock. With the election of 1852, Whig President Millard Fillmore was replaced with Democratic President Franklin Pierce. Pierce was a ‘doughface,’ meaning that he was a Northerner who sympathised with the South. Pierce had less interest in the far east, and more interest in placating the South, who didn’t seem to be satisfied even with the Compromise of 1850. He was also a supporter of making the Colonial Affairs Department an official part of the US government. However, the Senate was refusing to budge. They wanted something in return. Soon, they would get it.
In February of 1854, Commodore Perry returned to Japan. After some negotiations on the location of the summit, they met at the village of Yokohama, and began discussions of a treaty. After the signing of the treaty, the Americans presented the Japanese with a miniature steam locomotive, a telegraph apparatus, various agricultural tools, and small arms, as well as one hundred gallons of whiskey, clocks, stoves, and books about the United States. The Japanese responded with gold-lacquered furniture and boxes, bronze ornaments, porcelain goblets and upon learning of Perry’s personal hobby, a collection of seashells.
Perry then dispatched Saratoga home with the signed treaty, while the rest of the squadron went to survey Hakodate, Shimoda and the site of the future consulate. The Saratoga arrived in San Francisco in late March. However, after arriving at San Francisco, the man realised there had been a mix up, and he had the treaty in the wrong language. The treaty had been written in 4 languages, twice in English, and once in Chinese, Japanese, and French, for the 5 main countries who were watching the treaty. The Japanese somehow got the Chinese one, the British had both English ones, and the Americans had the Japanese one. France had their respective one, and the Chinese observer who was supposed to help translate got nothing. Nevertheless the man bearing the treaty began a 5 week journey across to country to bring the treaty to Washington after about a week in San Francisco[1]. For the rest of that story, I'll explain after the lecture is over.[2] After departing Shimoda, the fleet returned to the Ryukyu Islands, where Perry swiftly drafted the Compact between the United States and the Ryukyu Kingdom, which was formally signed on 11 July 1854.
In March 1854, the steamer Black Warrior stopped at the Cuban port of Havana on a regular trading route from New York City to Mobile, Alabama. When it failed to provide a cargo manifest, Cuban officials seized the ship, its cargo, and its crew. This started a crisis between the United States and Spain. The United States sent Spain an ultimatum to release the ship and it’s crew, as well as apologise for the incident, in early April. Spain refused, as the US had disbanded much of its military after 1848, and the Spanish didn’t see them as a threat. Spain formally rejected the ultimatum in July, calling the demands “outrageous.” The ultimatum had been worded carefully, so when Spain rejected the ultimatum in the way that they did, they alienated the other powers of Europe who would otherwise have helped them.
The crisis continued until October, when the US ministers in Spain, Great Britain, and France met in Ostend, Belgium. They drafted a manifesto stating that the US should attempt to purchase Cuba and, failing that, should not consider war to be unthinkable. Luckily, the meetings were kept secret. The manifesto was read to Congress in November.
The minister for Spain, acting on his own, offered that his government would forgive Spain if they allowed Cuba to be bought for $100 million. This was promptly rejected, and in response, an angered Spanish diplomat declared the any American ships docking at Spanish ports would have to pay 6% higher fees than anyone else. Believing this, President Pierce made a speech before a joint session of Congress on protecting their right to free trade, the exploitation of Cuba, the Monroe Doctrine, and Manifest Destiny, and since he felt negotiations had failed, formally asked Congress for a Declaration of War on Spain. The house voted in favour of it. After ratifying the treaty with Japan, the Senate also voted in favour of a declaration of war. On 29 November, 1854, it was presented to President Franklin Pierce, who signed the document. It was now official, the United States of America was at war with the Spanish Empire.
***
Sorry this took so long, everyone.
[1] He couldn't just take the boat he arrived on back because the Saratoga left him in Honolulu to take a trade ship back to the US.
[2] This means I'll write a narrative update to go along with this soon.
[1] He couldn't just take the boat he arrived on back because the Saratoga left him in Honolulu to take a trade ship back to the US.
[2] This means I'll write a narrative update to go along with this soon.
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Yes, interesting in the Chinese sense. (what happened there in the 1850s? That's the only hint I'll give.)
Questions on the lecture (Part 6)
um... one moment
***
Now I will take questions on the lecture.
How did no one notice that they had the wrong copy of the Treaty until weeks/months later?
The treaties were put into bags to avoid the spray of the sea from ruining the paper. I guess there was a mix up. I mean, the British noticed it within a few days, but the guy transporting the American copy didn't notice until after he boarded the boat from Honolulu. It really doesn't make sense as why they wouldn't check it... but stranger things have happened. Wait until I get to tell you about the time that Nanjing fell because someone had the wrong fortification type set up and they didn't notice until enemy troops were taking the city.
Part 7 preview
Alright! The next update is nearly done! Just to water your appetites, I'll give you a preview of things to come (it's a narrative):
Joshua slowed down as the memory washed over him like a tidal wave. Putting his hands on his knees, he closed his eyes so as to catch his breath. He let the feeling of dread wash over him, as the memory subsided, he opened his eyes to blurry vision. He felt water running down his face. Wait… it’s not even raining… he thought, before coming to a realisation: he was crying.
***
Also, question, should I separate the narrative and textbook updates in the Threadmarks or should I leave them as they are?
Joshua slowed down as the memory washed over him like a tidal wave. Putting his hands on his knees, he closed his eyes so as to catch his breath. He let the feeling of dread wash over him, as the memory subsided, he opened his eyes to blurry vision. He felt water running down his face. Wait… it’s not even raining… he thought, before coming to a realisation: he was crying.
***
Also, question, should I separate the narrative and textbook updates in the Threadmarks or should I leave them as they are?
