The Rising and Setting Sun
"The early 20th century saw new empires rise and the old ones crumble. The quest for supremacy in the Far East saw the United States of America, a rising imperial power, clash with what remained of the Spanish Empire. Though the acquisition of Cuba in the 19th century had removed the main source of tension between the Spanish Empire and the United States, Theodore Roosevelt's imperialistic ambitions saw the United States turn their gaze to the far east. More specifically, the Philippines. The Spanish Empire, a once a colonial superpower spanning all known areas of the globe, had been reduced to but a husk of it's former self, and many Spanish feared the empire was on it's last legs. As the empire took it's last breath, the opportunistic new powers of Germany, Japan and the United States took their chances at carving apart what remained of the Spanish colonial empire. A rebellion in the Philippines presented the the United States with the opportunity they needed to secure the archipelago for themselves. The explosion of the USS Maine in the port city of Manila was the perfect excuse for the United States to further expand their colonial empire. Puerto Rico was quickly secured, bringing to an end Spain's 4 century long reign over the Americas. The Philippines were secured not that much later, with peace being signed only a few months after war had been declared. All of Spain's colonies in the New World were transferred to the United States, with the Spanish West Indies being partitioned between the United States and Germany, with Germany receiving everything south of the equator and the United States receiving everything north of the equator."
-History of the Philippines
"As China was picked apart by the western powers, a new Asian hegemon had risen. The Empire of Japan, having masterfully avoided the fate of their neighbours, had reached a point where she was confident in her ability to stand toe-to-toe with the West and even wage war against them. Seeking to carve out their own sphere of influence in Korea and Manchuria, Japan turned their sights on the Russian Empire. Though long past it's prime, the Russian Empire was still a formidable power, but Japan still believed the Imperial Navy and Army could deal the first proper defeat to a European imperial power, something that no nation had managed to achieve for centuries. If successful, Japan would solidify their position as an equal among the Western superpowers. Russia, however, desired a sphere of influence in Manchuria to access the region's bountiful natural resources and secure the warm water Pacific port of Port Arthur, which Russia needed to secure their trade with the United States. Hostilities began with a Japanese naval attack on Port Arthur in 1904. Japan was quick to secure naval dominance, but struggled to score much victories on land. Japan had not taken into account Russia's increased ability to supply the Far East thanks to improvements made to the Trans-Siberian railway the previous year. Despite the Russian Pacific fleet being all but destroyed, Russian land troops forced the Japanese into a costly war of attrition, one Russia was bound to win. Japan's fragile economy could not sustain such a war, and in 1905 the Japanese government was forced to withdraw from Manchuria. Celebrations broke out all over Russia at the news, from St Petersburg to Vladivostok. The Russian people had not had a victory such as this in a long time, but the Russo-Japanese War restored confidence in the Tsar. For Japan, their imperialistic ambitions on mainland Asia were essentially neutered. For the next decade, Japan adopted an isolationist policy, resolving that mainland Asia was not to become part of the Japanese sphere of influence. Though as the world descended into a war on the scale that had never before been seen in all of human history, the young and opportunistic power would get another chance to establish the empire they desire..."
-The Meiji Restoration
Treaty of Portsmouth
- Mutual engagement to respect the independence and territorial integrity of the Korean Empire.
- Recognition by Russia of Japan's preponderating interests in Korea and of the right of Japan to give advice and assistance to Korea tending to improve the civil administration of the empire without infringing the stipulations of article I.
- Engagement on the part of Russia not to impede the commercial and industrial undertakings of Japan in Korea, nor to oppose any measures taken for the purpose of protecting them so long as such measures do not infringe the stipulations of article I.
- Recognition of the right of Japan to send for the same purpose troops to Korea, with the knowledge of Russia, but their number not to exceed that actually required, and with the engagement on the part of Japan to recall such troops as soon as their mission is accomplished.
- Mutual engagement not to use any part of the territory of Korea for strategical purposes nor to undertake on the coasts of Korea any military works capable of menacing the freedom of navigation in the Straits of Korea.
- Mutual engagement to consider that part of the territory of Korea lying to the north of the 39th parallel as a neutral zone into which neither of the contracting parties shall introduce troops.
- Recognition by Japan of Manchuria and its littoral as in all respects outside her sphere of interests.
- This agreement to supplant all previous agreements between Russia and Japan respecting Korea.