A Loose Bandage Pt. 6
October 1905 – August 1906
- Colonel JOHN J. PERSHING sat quietly in a group of foreign
observers, watching the Russian and Japanese dignitaries haggle over
the most minor terms. Growing increasingly frustrated by the seemingly
unending negotiations, Pershing was the official American
representative (Pershing thought of himself more as a legal spy) at
the treaty hearings. He had no official capacity but to sit and
observe, as he had been doing for the past year and a half. Sick of
Manchuria and the Japanese, he would be sorely glad to return to the
United States.
- The Treaty of Port Arthur is signed on October 12, 1905. Mediated by
the British government, the treaty brought the Russo-Japanese War to a
close. In the months since the Russian victory in the Battle of the
East Sea, the Japanese advance, out of supplies and running out of
men, had been pushed back towards the Yalu River by General
Kuropatkin's counterattacking army. Finally, the Japanese had thrown
in the towel. The war, however, had left both the Russians and the
Japanese virtually toothless. Neither can afford much more of the war
and a peasant's revolt is slowly simmering in western Russia,
diverting precious troops from the Far East.
The Treaty of Port Arthur leaves Korea independent, outside the both
Russian and Japanese spheres of influence, protected by several
European nations and even by a slight contribution of the United
States, who want to dispel Japanese illusions of grandeur in the
Pacific. Manchuria stays within the Russian sphere, as does Sakhalin
Island.
- Congress signs the Williams Act. Some progressives cry out that the
bill does not change enough, as it only forbids shippers from
receiving credits. Others recognize this as only a first step in the
ultimate strengthening of the ICC. Meanwhile, Washington is being
virtually run by the members of Root's Cabinet, while Root tramples
around Nicaragua with President Zelaya, trying to negotiate a deal to
build the canal.
Many in the United States are puzzled by their new President. The man
seems to be thoroughly uninterested in his office. However, at the
same time, he seems to exude energy and intelligence when he is
passionate about something. Not prone to making decisions on his own,
Root turns often to his Cabinet, who clearly have an expanded role in
the new administration. Root's personality is, indeed, difficult to
describe. Despite these tendencies, most ignore the oddities
(deficiencies?) of Elihu Root. After all, he doesn't have to actually
change anything. The United States is happy right where it is.
- That is, until Upton Sinclair published his novel "The Jungle,"
exposing the horrid conditions of the meatpacking industry and causing
a roar of outrage from the public. The uproar causes the President (or
his Cabinet, anyhow) to force through the Meat Inspection Act,
granting Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson the authority to
conduct meat inspections and condemn any unfit for human consumption.
- The Russian government finds itself in a reputable position, for the
first time in many years. Not only does it have money to spare, for
once, but it is in fairly decent standing with the Russian people
themselves. Earlier in the year, when Tsar Nicholas had tried to
revoke his promise of a representative assembly, the nation had
simmered in rebellion, a powder keg ready to blow. However, the Tsar
himself had fixed that. A few shots fired by Imperial troops here and
there to remind the rabble who's boss…and, then, call of the attack
dogs and protect them to win their affection. The Tsar's plan was
working perfectly, or at least it appears to be to the people who
count.
The Tsar decides to leave the Duma to its job: keep the people happy,
but do nothing of meaning. Amidst the protests of conservatives and,
especially, those of his wife, Nicholas grants the peasants their
precious assembly. Not only that, but he reforms the Russian work-day,
not to the eight hours requested by that priest, Gapon, but to a still
respectable ten hours a day. The peasants are as happy as they've been
since the days of his grandfather, and the Germans appear to be
nonplussed by the Russian victory, despite their verbal support. As
the Russian Empire moves to tighten and solidify the nature of its
relationship with Britain and France, Germany scrambles to secure its
own alliances.
- A massive earthquake strikes San Francisco, demolishing entire
blocks and setting neighborhoods ablaze. Only the quick actions of
General Frederick Funston saves the entire city from joining the
conflagration. General Funston declares martial law and orders
military engineers to dynamite blocks of buildings in order to form
fire breaks. As many as 3,000 people lie dead, while another 225,000
are left homeless. At the time, San Francisco only had a population of
400,000.
- The Japanese economy collapses less than ten months after the
signing of the Treaty of Port Arthur. The disastrous war has caused
irreparable damage to the Japanese nation and its pride. However, as
the Japanese slowly begin to rebuild, the entire population focuses on
one goal and one goal alone: getting even with the Russian Empire.
First, however, the Japanese need to rebuild their economy and then
their military, a task not easily done when men like Secretary of War
Theodore Roosevelt watch warily from across the Atlantic.
October 1905 – August 1906
- Colonel JOHN J. PERSHING sat quietly in a group of foreign
observers, watching the Russian and Japanese dignitaries haggle over
the most minor terms. Growing increasingly frustrated by the seemingly
unending negotiations, Pershing was the official American
representative (Pershing thought of himself more as a legal spy) at
the treaty hearings. He had no official capacity but to sit and
observe, as he had been doing for the past year and a half. Sick of
Manchuria and the Japanese, he would be sorely glad to return to the
United States.
- The Treaty of Port Arthur is signed on October 12, 1905. Mediated by
the British government, the treaty brought the Russo-Japanese War to a
close. In the months since the Russian victory in the Battle of the
East Sea, the Japanese advance, out of supplies and running out of
men, had been pushed back towards the Yalu River by General
Kuropatkin's counterattacking army. Finally, the Japanese had thrown
in the towel. The war, however, had left both the Russians and the
Japanese virtually toothless. Neither can afford much more of the war
and a peasant's revolt is slowly simmering in western Russia,
diverting precious troops from the Far East.
The Treaty of Port Arthur leaves Korea independent, outside the both
Russian and Japanese spheres of influence, protected by several
European nations and even by a slight contribution of the United
States, who want to dispel Japanese illusions of grandeur in the
Pacific. Manchuria stays within the Russian sphere, as does Sakhalin
Island.
- Congress signs the Williams Act. Some progressives cry out that the
bill does not change enough, as it only forbids shippers from
receiving credits. Others recognize this as only a first step in the
ultimate strengthening of the ICC. Meanwhile, Washington is being
virtually run by the members of Root's Cabinet, while Root tramples
around Nicaragua with President Zelaya, trying to negotiate a deal to
build the canal.
Many in the United States are puzzled by their new President. The man
seems to be thoroughly uninterested in his office. However, at the
same time, he seems to exude energy and intelligence when he is
passionate about something. Not prone to making decisions on his own,
Root turns often to his Cabinet, who clearly have an expanded role in
the new administration. Root's personality is, indeed, difficult to
describe. Despite these tendencies, most ignore the oddities
(deficiencies?) of Elihu Root. After all, he doesn't have to actually
change anything. The United States is happy right where it is.
- That is, until Upton Sinclair published his novel "The Jungle,"
exposing the horrid conditions of the meatpacking industry and causing
a roar of outrage from the public. The uproar causes the President (or
his Cabinet, anyhow) to force through the Meat Inspection Act,
granting Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson the authority to
conduct meat inspections and condemn any unfit for human consumption.
- The Russian government finds itself in a reputable position, for the
first time in many years. Not only does it have money to spare, for
once, but it is in fairly decent standing with the Russian people
themselves. Earlier in the year, when Tsar Nicholas had tried to
revoke his promise of a representative assembly, the nation had
simmered in rebellion, a powder keg ready to blow. However, the Tsar
himself had fixed that. A few shots fired by Imperial troops here and
there to remind the rabble who's boss…and, then, call of the attack
dogs and protect them to win their affection. The Tsar's plan was
working perfectly, or at least it appears to be to the people who
count.
The Tsar decides to leave the Duma to its job: keep the people happy,
but do nothing of meaning. Amidst the protests of conservatives and,
especially, those of his wife, Nicholas grants the peasants their
precious assembly. Not only that, but he reforms the Russian work-day,
not to the eight hours requested by that priest, Gapon, but to a still
respectable ten hours a day. The peasants are as happy as they've been
since the days of his grandfather, and the Germans appear to be
nonplussed by the Russian victory, despite their verbal support. As
the Russian Empire moves to tighten and solidify the nature of its
relationship with Britain and France, Germany scrambles to secure its
own alliances.
- A massive earthquake strikes San Francisco, demolishing entire
blocks and setting neighborhoods ablaze. Only the quick actions of
General Frederick Funston saves the entire city from joining the
conflagration. General Funston declares martial law and orders
military engineers to dynamite blocks of buildings in order to form
fire breaks. As many as 3,000 people lie dead, while another 225,000
are left homeless. At the time, San Francisco only had a population of
400,000.
- The Japanese economy collapses less than ten months after the
signing of the Treaty of Port Arthur. The disastrous war has caused
irreparable damage to the Japanese nation and its pride. However, as
the Japanese slowly begin to rebuild, the entire population focuses on
one goal and one goal alone: getting even with the Russian Empire.
First, however, the Japanese need to rebuild their economy and then
their military, a task not easily done when men like Secretary of War
Theodore Roosevelt watch warily from across the Atlantic.
