We all know that the Brits helped China westernize in 1865 hoping to bring them into their sphere of influence, that backfired and now China dominates Asia and the Pacific. Could this be avoided?
Maybe it can be delayed, but it seems inevitable that China will eventually become a major world power. However, you could push it back to the late 20th century if you keep the Qing Dynasty in power. Maybe if the Yong hadn't taken power in 1882, Japan and Britain might still have colonies in Asia. In fact, it's possible that the Sino-American alliance wouldn't have been signed at all, which would have major impacts on the Great War (if this ATL 1920s even has a war at all).
OOC: I'm assuming that the UK tried to help the Qing Dynasty, but unintentionally sparked a massive anti-Manchu uprising that led to the establishment of a new dynasty. Also, "westernize" and "sphere of influence"? Somebody's been playing Victoria II.
You're going to need a china screw until some other nation can effectively claim power over the region. Maybe having the Taipeng rebellion fail but cause massive destruction, or maybe with the introduction of ideas like Technocracy and anarchism be more radical.
Candidates for establishing power in the vacuum are really limited to 3, The USA, Mexico, Gran Columbia, or if you delay it enough India.
Given that at this point in time Japan seemed to be on the bring of a major civil war, couldn't we have someone strong and smart in charge instead of the faltering Tokugawa Shogunate?
Possibly. Even with better leadership, I can't see Japan ever posing a serious threat to a nation as large as China. Remember, the Japanese "Empire" only consisted of one island, Taiwan, which Japan wouldn't have even gotten in the first place if Britain hadn't sold it.
Possible, but not likely. I think you'd need either a Britwank or a Chinascrew to do that.Could the UK have challenged China and potentially stopped its rise to power
Possible, but not likely. I think you'd need either a Britwank or a Chinascrew to do that.
I doubt they could have won. Russian transportation systems were notoriously poor until Tsar Mikhail II instituted new infrastructure laws.Or a more aggressive Russia. If the Russian Empire had remained autocratic and expansionist, conflict with China would be almost inevitable.
I doubt they could have won. Russian transportation systems were notoriously poor until Tsar Mikhail II instituted new infrastructure laws.