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Chapter 25: Wider World Gazette, Edition 5: 1860-1920, China, Japan, and Choson (Korea)
Edition 5, 1860-1920, China, Japan, and Choson (Korea)
China - During the Second Opium War (1859-1863), Peking is occupied directly by the British, and the Empress Cixi is killed in the fighting (or so the official reports say, it is more likely that she is executed by the British forces. The British are certain that she was in part behind the uprisings that broke out in 1859. Emperor Qixiang (Emperor Tongzhi in OTL) remains on the throne, as a puppet of the British. Unrest in China grows swiftly due to British and other foreign interferences in China. There are many protests against the Unequal Treaties and foreign meddling. In 1900, as chaos reigns due to the assassination of Queen Victoria, fresh uprisings break out across China. A war-lord from Xian named Lu Guo Wei gains a large following and by 1902 has set up a new government openly challenging Emperor Qixiang. The Emperor is overthrown when Peking is sacked by Lu’s army in 1904. In October, the Fùhuó (resurgence) Dynasty is declared in Xian (Peking was damaged in the fighting, and the British have been launching counter attacks against Lu, who is now Emperor Fùhuó). In early 1905, the Treaty of Shanghai is signed between “New China,” Britain, and Prussia (the other major European player still active in China). In short, the Europeans recognize the new Dynasty and pledge to not meddle further in Chinese affairs. All the previous “unequal treaties” are repudiated, with the exception that Hong Kong will remain under Prussian control for 100 years, and Shanghai will remain under British control for the same length of time. It will take nearly a decade for Fùhuó to solidify full control over China, but by 1915 the nation has recovered from the rebellions and started to rebuild. The Emperor invites foreign investors and engineers and starts an aggressive campaign to modernize, with mixed results. In 1920, bowing to pressure, a western-style constitution is adopted, formalizing the Fùhuó Dynasty’s power structure, but creating a true parliament for the first time, and granting new freedoms and rights to the citizens at large. Fùhuó will die in 1922, and succeeded by his son.
Japan - Japan emerged from its own civil war in 1909, after a decade of fighting between imperialists and republicans, modernists and traditionalists, with the pro-western Republican faction having won the long struggle. General Katsunan Suko, the leader of the republican armies, was elected President of the Republic of Japan in 1910. He would be reelected in 1916, and retired in 1922, before passing away the following year. Under his leadership, and that of his successor, President Yoshi Muraoka, Japan began rapid industrialization, continuing to build on the network of railways built by the British between 1870-1899. China and Japan would emerge into an uneasy rivalry between to be the premier Asian power by the 1940s.
Choson - Choson initially resisted foreign contact when Britain showed up in force in China and Japan in the 1850s and 1860s. However, when King Gojong died unexpectedly in 1883, Britain stepped in to prevent a civil war. The conflict lasted until 1889, when a new King was finally agreed upon. While Choson officially remained independent, it became a defacto British protectorate after 1889. This was solidified in 1892 when Incheon and Busan were given to the British as special port cities. When the revolutions broke out in Japan and China after the assassination of Queen Victoria in 1899, there was a fair amount of unrest in Choson. However, the monarchy and government stuck with the British and never lost power. After both China and Japan gained independence, there was a growing fear among many in Choson that both nations might try and take over their much smaller country. As a result, the government made numerous overtures to London to solidify the Choson-British relationship.
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Quick filler update covering a few things from China, Japan, and Korea*.
Life's been kinda crazy the past few weeks (work, mostly), so I haven't had a lot of time to write. Hoping to get the next regular update done soon. Also working on some ideas for the next chapter of the American Universes story that is set ITTL.
Also I've been working with some people on the flag request thread to get some flags made up for the TL. I'll hopefully post those soon as well.
China - During the Second Opium War (1859-1863), Peking is occupied directly by the British, and the Empress Cixi is killed in the fighting (or so the official reports say, it is more likely that she is executed by the British forces. The British are certain that she was in part behind the uprisings that broke out in 1859. Emperor Qixiang (Emperor Tongzhi in OTL) remains on the throne, as a puppet of the British. Unrest in China grows swiftly due to British and other foreign interferences in China. There are many protests against the Unequal Treaties and foreign meddling. In 1900, as chaos reigns due to the assassination of Queen Victoria, fresh uprisings break out across China. A war-lord from Xian named Lu Guo Wei gains a large following and by 1902 has set up a new government openly challenging Emperor Qixiang. The Emperor is overthrown when Peking is sacked by Lu’s army in 1904. In October, the Fùhuó (resurgence) Dynasty is declared in Xian (Peking was damaged in the fighting, and the British have been launching counter attacks against Lu, who is now Emperor Fùhuó). In early 1905, the Treaty of Shanghai is signed between “New China,” Britain, and Prussia (the other major European player still active in China). In short, the Europeans recognize the new Dynasty and pledge to not meddle further in Chinese affairs. All the previous “unequal treaties” are repudiated, with the exception that Hong Kong will remain under Prussian control for 100 years, and Shanghai will remain under British control for the same length of time. It will take nearly a decade for Fùhuó to solidify full control over China, but by 1915 the nation has recovered from the rebellions and started to rebuild. The Emperor invites foreign investors and engineers and starts an aggressive campaign to modernize, with mixed results. In 1920, bowing to pressure, a western-style constitution is adopted, formalizing the Fùhuó Dynasty’s power structure, but creating a true parliament for the first time, and granting new freedoms and rights to the citizens at large. Fùhuó will die in 1922, and succeeded by his son.
Japan - Japan emerged from its own civil war in 1909, after a decade of fighting between imperialists and republicans, modernists and traditionalists, with the pro-western Republican faction having won the long struggle. General Katsunan Suko, the leader of the republican armies, was elected President of the Republic of Japan in 1910. He would be reelected in 1916, and retired in 1922, before passing away the following year. Under his leadership, and that of his successor, President Yoshi Muraoka, Japan began rapid industrialization, continuing to build on the network of railways built by the British between 1870-1899. China and Japan would emerge into an uneasy rivalry between to be the premier Asian power by the 1940s.
Choson - Choson initially resisted foreign contact when Britain showed up in force in China and Japan in the 1850s and 1860s. However, when King Gojong died unexpectedly in 1883, Britain stepped in to prevent a civil war. The conflict lasted until 1889, when a new King was finally agreed upon. While Choson officially remained independent, it became a defacto British protectorate after 1889. This was solidified in 1892 when Incheon and Busan were given to the British as special port cities. When the revolutions broke out in Japan and China after the assassination of Queen Victoria in 1899, there was a fair amount of unrest in Choson. However, the monarchy and government stuck with the British and never lost power. After both China and Japan gained independence, there was a growing fear among many in Choson that both nations might try and take over their much smaller country. As a result, the government made numerous overtures to London to solidify the Choson-British relationship.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quick filler update covering a few things from China, Japan, and Korea*.
Life's been kinda crazy the past few weeks (work, mostly), so I haven't had a lot of time to write. Hoping to get the next regular update done soon. Also working on some ideas for the next chapter of the American Universes story that is set ITTL.
Also I've been working with some people on the flag request thread to get some flags made up for the TL. I'll hopefully post those soon as well.
- Eckener
- Word Count: 740