No, it gives you casualties per battle, which you could add up if you were bothered enough.
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No, it gives you casualties per battle, which you could add up if you were bothered enough.
Well crunching some numbers based on the screenshots, here are the casualties so far:
Korea: 252,878
China: 233,397
Total: 486,275
Korea: 252,878
China: 233,397
Total: 486,275
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Yes, things are about to get messy politically!
An economic rationalist justification of war? I'm sure that the Royalists would like to have you as one of their economic theorists Enewald!
Thanks Omen, things continue to be exciting!
I decided to bother. Here's the stats according to the save file:
Korea: 274 241
China: 238 056
Total: 512 297
Interesting that it wasn't as bloody and one sided as I had thought. While I was playing it I just kept seeing those big numbers of Korean casualties with half that Chinese and got the feeling that the war was going absolutely terribly. Still, it was an incredibly bloody war!
Should have the second part up in the next few days.
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Chapter VII Pt. 2: Every Inch Soaked in Blood
Chinese troops continued to build up menacingly along the front line, and Heonjong was growing increasingly concerned. It was of even greater concern that the immense numbers of defenders simply held their ground rather than advancing upon the numerically inferior invaders. The generals were speculating that the Chinese were preparing for a devastating counter offensive to drive the Koreans out.
Fortunately, for whatever reason, the Chinese never implemented their plan if they ever had one. Perhaps it was a fear of the immense casualties that would be required to drive the Koreans out, even with numerical superiority. Perhaps it was the ongoing war with the Russians, which was not going favourably for Beijing. Perhaps it was that several more Korean victories in late April and early May meant that China had effectively lost any vestige of control in Manchuria. Whatever the cause, in mid May the Dragon capitulated to the Tiger, ceding full control of Manchuria.
The victory was bitter sweet. The Joseon patrimony had been recovered, and in the eyes of the world much prestige had been earned. Whether or not Korea had been strengthened by this victory, however, was a question that many in Korea were asking, including Heonjong. It was a question that was galvanising the court. On the right courtiers were calling for a conscription program to bolster the army, and the increasing of military funding. On the other hand, the left were calling Heonjong the worst and bloodiest butcher in Korean history, and demanding further democratisation in order that the Emperor be prevented from declaring war on a whim in the future (completely ignoring the fact that most of the court, including many of the Internationalists who were now joining this camp, were in favour of the war).
Gojong in his new role championed the 'hawk cabinet', calling for the vast expansion of military powers and funding so that future wars against China would be less bloody. While Heonjong found himself gravitating towards such an argument, he did not want to give power to Gojong while he made his bed with the New Traditionalists. Thus, Heonjong pragmatically chose to walk the middle of the line. He refused to increase military funding or implement conscription, but made no concessions to further democratisation either.
During this period of turmoil Heonjong also saw to the repayment of the considerable debt the war had incurred. Unfortunate timing saw that this economic recovery was only temporary, however. The Suez canal project proceeded onto its next stage and required more funding from Seoul. Heonjong was forced to take out a new, even larger loan to afford it. Korea would struggle economically over the next few years as it repaid the debt.
The aftermath of the war had important consequences on the international scene as well. China, having lost Manchuria, was now losing the status and influence of its Manchurian elite. Their domination of Chinese government was quickly slipping as the native Han were gaining in influence.
Secondly, although Korea had been recognised as a great power for some time already, the other great powers had hitherto continued to look down upon Korea as inferior. This latest victory raised the esteem of Korea to the point where Germany now considered the rising power an equal. An offer of alliance was extended with the goal of containing Russian ambition. Heonjong eagerly accepted the chance to work with another great power.
The biggest consequence of the war was felt politically, however. The galvanising of the court had worked out heavily in favour of the left, and Bae Gwok was elected as Prime Minister for the first time in his long political career. The Radicals immediately set about implementing laissez faire and free trade policies and proceeded to destroy the fragile, recovering post-war economy. In just three days economists were predicting that Korea would be bankrupt within the year, and so Heonjong overruled the Radicals' policies, decreeing that protectionist tariffs must be raised. Bae remained obstinate, and so Heonjong sacked him and appointed Kwan Ahn as Prime Minister, handing majority control to the Internationalists.
This created even greater turmoil. The Radicals were outraged and began demanding immediate democratisation. The New Traditionalists took advantage of the dissonance to begin political manoeuvring to regain influence. The court was in chaos, and Heonjong knew he needed to regain control, so he ordered parliament to be locked and decreed that court would not be called until order was restored. The last straw was when Bae died on October 15th. While it was not unexpected, given he was now 62 years old, many claimed it was under suspicious circumstances and that he had been poisoned.
A group of militant Radicals, identifying as Anarchists, cooked up a plot. Heonjong had begun many public appearances in order to strengthen his power and influence amongst the people and prevent a general uprising, and this provided the perfect opportunity. On 2nd November 1883 a bomb was thrown into Heonjong's carriage as he travelled through the streets of Pyongyang. Korea's first Emperor was dead.
Heonjong's funeral procession
Heonjong's 45 year reign had been one of the longest in Korean history, and by far the most successful. The man who propelled Korea from obscurity to prominence on the world stage and finally rebuked the Dragon had met an ignominious end at the hands of bloodthirsty Anarchists.
After the funeral, and a period of grieving, Gojong Joseon-Kims was sworn in at 20 as the second Emperor of Korea. After a proscription was issued against the Anarchists, and public executions held, the young Emperor grew fearful of a similar fate. He immediately reopened parliament and convened court. Naturally he had to step down as leader of the New Traditionalists, and they elected Taejo Kims, Baekje's 17 year old nephew. Contrary to the expectations of the Traditionalists, however, Gojong did not appoint them as the majority party. Instead he maintained the Internationalists in power, and began making overtures towards the left of the court in an attempt to prevent further disturbances.
Photo of Gojong taken just before coronation.
Part of these overtures was permitting the Socialists a place in court. This enraged many on the right, particularly the New Traditionalists, but Gojong argued that the actual size of their political supporters was small, and the damage they could do in court similarly limited. The damage they could do by rousing the lower classes and using their status as an outlawed political party to their advantage, however, was far greater. Not all were placated by this, but it prevented a backlash.
The Royalists also underwent a restructuring due to religious changes. For some time Christianity had been a rising force in Korea, and the Royalists had a particularly large number of them. Chung-Ho, who had been raised by a Catholic father and Buddhist mother, had been heavily influenced by both religions, and in 1879 he had founded the Donghak church, blending both. By 1883 the majority of the Royalists followed this denomination, and so with the blessing of most of his party membership Chung-Ho changed the name of the party to the Donghak Party.
The policies of the Royalists were largely unchanged, but Chung-Ho declared that he would be championing a religious revolution in Korea. He felt that politics in Korea were too secular, and that to ignore the tension between Christianity and Buddhism was foolish. He sought to ameliorate that tension by spreading his religion, which he professed would appeal to both followers of traditional Korean rites and the new Western beliefs. He saw himself as a 'conservative progressive' and a force for positive change in Korea. This restructuring led to the abandonment of the party by some. A small exodus occurred as the more traditional conservatives left for the New Traditionalists, and those who could stomach Kwan Ahn's more liberal politics left for the Internationalists.
During this time the Socialist Party was fully incorporated and they elected Choi Gwang-Eun as their leader. The Radical party was also permitted to reform, and after recovering from the blow they had taken after the proscriptions, they now elected Kim Jwa-Jin as their leader.
Despite the chaos of the court, however, Korean society at large maintained stability. Korea's industrialisation was proceeding at great pace, and the Empire's budding capitalists had initiated a successful railroad program. Meanwhile, China's defenses continued to fail to repel the Russian invaders, even with British aid. It seems as though allied Sino-British forces had inflicted considerable damage upon the Russians, however, as they were not recognising the war as in Russia's favour. Also in December the Sicilians declared war on Egypt again, declaring they would recover their former colony of Sidi Barrani region. Gojong deigned to protect his investment and honoured the alliance.
In December Gojong claimed his first international diplomatic victory, even though he had nothing to do with it. The diplomatic mission that had been started by Heonjong, and had been working for years to bring the Japanese Republic to the warm embrace of Seoul, finally reported success. The Republic now accepted Korea's protection and conceded a variety of trade concessions and mining rights to the Empire. There was some resistance to this within Japan, but Gojong heeded advice from the court to keep a small garrison in Edo this time to prevent another uprising.
Meanwhile the war in China petered out once again without the exchange of land. While the Russians had suffered a terrible toll, they had occupied nearly half of China, so they were able to negotiate a treaty that favoured them in a small way. A return to status quo was agreed, but this included the UK relinquishing China from their protectorate.
Gojong was now to be truly tested on the international scene. First the Sicilians landed a small detachment of troops in Johore on 2nd May, which was of little concern, but before Korea could even transport troops to drive out the invaders, the Germans called for Korea to honour its agreement to contain Russian aggression. The Germans had not started the war, and Russia was weakened from its recent war against the Sino-British alliance, so Gojong and his new ally in Edo declared war upon Russia on 10th June 1884.
Immediately he and his generals drew up a grand invasion plan of the Russian Far East. Three armies were sent across the border immediately, with several more marching north to reinforce them. Meanwhile, the Korean navy disembarked defenders onto the Johor peninsular in July, and they succeeded in obliterating the Sicilian invaders by August.
In October Korean industrial research into improving the production of coal was declared a success. Gojong now heeded the right of the court and granted a large stipend to army researchers. Schematics for the machine gun were purchased from France, and the task for the researchers was to implement its production and training of the armed forces in its use across Korea.
The war against Russia was significant for Korea, as it was the first war against another great power. Gojong was literally salivating at the potential ramifications of a Korean victory. If victory over China had garnered such respect on the international stage, how favourably would Europe view Korea if it succeeded in chastising the great bear? As news of Korea's first victory in battle came in November, this excitement was only reinforced.
Hope for the victory of the entire alliance was somewhat diminished in December, however, when the Austrians declared war on Germany. Korea honoured the alliance, but were logistically incapable of providing any real aid against the Habsburgs. Thus in January Korea secured a peace with Vienna.
Despite the euphoria that Gojong was riding on, hoping to bolster Korea's prestige and his own popularity and power by a grand victory, Korea's position was precarious. The casualties from the war with China were immense, and the armed forces had not fully recovered yet. Neither had the Empire at large, and political instability still loomed as a threat. Moreover, with Germany now fighting a two front war, it was uncertain how long they would be able to resist the Russian offensive. Nevertheless, there was no turning back now. It was time for Korea to sink or swim.
Chinese troops continued to build up menacingly along the front line, and Heonjong was growing increasingly concerned. It was of even greater concern that the immense numbers of defenders simply held their ground rather than advancing upon the numerically inferior invaders. The generals were speculating that the Chinese were preparing for a devastating counter offensive to drive the Koreans out.
Fortunately, for whatever reason, the Chinese never implemented their plan if they ever had one. Perhaps it was a fear of the immense casualties that would be required to drive the Koreans out, even with numerical superiority. Perhaps it was the ongoing war with the Russians, which was not going favourably for Beijing. Perhaps it was that several more Korean victories in late April and early May meant that China had effectively lost any vestige of control in Manchuria. Whatever the cause, in mid May the Dragon capitulated to the Tiger, ceding full control of Manchuria.
The victory was bitter sweet. The Joseon patrimony had been recovered, and in the eyes of the world much prestige had been earned. Whether or not Korea had been strengthened by this victory, however, was a question that many in Korea were asking, including Heonjong. It was a question that was galvanising the court. On the right courtiers were calling for a conscription program to bolster the army, and the increasing of military funding. On the other hand, the left were calling Heonjong the worst and bloodiest butcher in Korean history, and demanding further democratisation in order that the Emperor be prevented from declaring war on a whim in the future (completely ignoring the fact that most of the court, including many of the Internationalists who were now joining this camp, were in favour of the war).
Gojong in his new role championed the 'hawk cabinet', calling for the vast expansion of military powers and funding so that future wars against China would be less bloody. While Heonjong found himself gravitating towards such an argument, he did not want to give power to Gojong while he made his bed with the New Traditionalists. Thus, Heonjong pragmatically chose to walk the middle of the line. He refused to increase military funding or implement conscription, but made no concessions to further democratisation either.
During this period of turmoil Heonjong also saw to the repayment of the considerable debt the war had incurred. Unfortunate timing saw that this economic recovery was only temporary, however. The Suez canal project proceeded onto its next stage and required more funding from Seoul. Heonjong was forced to take out a new, even larger loan to afford it. Korea would struggle economically over the next few years as it repaid the debt.
The aftermath of the war had important consequences on the international scene as well. China, having lost Manchuria, was now losing the status and influence of its Manchurian elite. Their domination of Chinese government was quickly slipping as the native Han were gaining in influence.
Secondly, although Korea had been recognised as a great power for some time already, the other great powers had hitherto continued to look down upon Korea as inferior. This latest victory raised the esteem of Korea to the point where Germany now considered the rising power an equal. An offer of alliance was extended with the goal of containing Russian ambition. Heonjong eagerly accepted the chance to work with another great power.
The biggest consequence of the war was felt politically, however. The galvanising of the court had worked out heavily in favour of the left, and Bae Gwok was elected as Prime Minister for the first time in his long political career. The Radicals immediately set about implementing laissez faire and free trade policies and proceeded to destroy the fragile, recovering post-war economy. In just three days economists were predicting that Korea would be bankrupt within the year, and so Heonjong overruled the Radicals' policies, decreeing that protectionist tariffs must be raised. Bae remained obstinate, and so Heonjong sacked him and appointed Kwan Ahn as Prime Minister, handing majority control to the Internationalists.
This created even greater turmoil. The Radicals were outraged and began demanding immediate democratisation. The New Traditionalists took advantage of the dissonance to begin political manoeuvring to regain influence. The court was in chaos, and Heonjong knew he needed to regain control, so he ordered parliament to be locked and decreed that court would not be called until order was restored. The last straw was when Bae died on October 15th. While it was not unexpected, given he was now 62 years old, many claimed it was under suspicious circumstances and that he had been poisoned.
A group of militant Radicals, identifying as Anarchists, cooked up a plot. Heonjong had begun many public appearances in order to strengthen his power and influence amongst the people and prevent a general uprising, and this provided the perfect opportunity. On 2nd November 1883 a bomb was thrown into Heonjong's carriage as he travelled through the streets of Pyongyang. Korea's first Emperor was dead.
Heonjong's funeral procession
Heonjong's 45 year reign had been one of the longest in Korean history, and by far the most successful. The man who propelled Korea from obscurity to prominence on the world stage and finally rebuked the Dragon had met an ignominious end at the hands of bloodthirsty Anarchists.
After the funeral, and a period of grieving, Gojong Joseon-Kims was sworn in at 20 as the second Emperor of Korea. After a proscription was issued against the Anarchists, and public executions held, the young Emperor grew fearful of a similar fate. He immediately reopened parliament and convened court. Naturally he had to step down as leader of the New Traditionalists, and they elected Taejo Kims, Baekje's 17 year old nephew. Contrary to the expectations of the Traditionalists, however, Gojong did not appoint them as the majority party. Instead he maintained the Internationalists in power, and began making overtures towards the left of the court in an attempt to prevent further disturbances.
Photo of Gojong taken just before coronation.
Part of these overtures was permitting the Socialists a place in court. This enraged many on the right, particularly the New Traditionalists, but Gojong argued that the actual size of their political supporters was small, and the damage they could do in court similarly limited. The damage they could do by rousing the lower classes and using their status as an outlawed political party to their advantage, however, was far greater. Not all were placated by this, but it prevented a backlash.
The Royalists also underwent a restructuring due to religious changes. For some time Christianity had been a rising force in Korea, and the Royalists had a particularly large number of them. Chung-Ho, who had been raised by a Catholic father and Buddhist mother, had been heavily influenced by both religions, and in 1879 he had founded the Donghak church, blending both. By 1883 the majority of the Royalists followed this denomination, and so with the blessing of most of his party membership Chung-Ho changed the name of the party to the Donghak Party.
The policies of the Royalists were largely unchanged, but Chung-Ho declared that he would be championing a religious revolution in Korea. He felt that politics in Korea were too secular, and that to ignore the tension between Christianity and Buddhism was foolish. He sought to ameliorate that tension by spreading his religion, which he professed would appeal to both followers of traditional Korean rites and the new Western beliefs. He saw himself as a 'conservative progressive' and a force for positive change in Korea. This restructuring led to the abandonment of the party by some. A small exodus occurred as the more traditional conservatives left for the New Traditionalists, and those who could stomach Kwan Ahn's more liberal politics left for the Internationalists.
During this time the Socialist Party was fully incorporated and they elected Choi Gwang-Eun as their leader. The Radical party was also permitted to reform, and after recovering from the blow they had taken after the proscriptions, they now elected Kim Jwa-Jin as their leader.
Despite the chaos of the court, however, Korean society at large maintained stability. Korea's industrialisation was proceeding at great pace, and the Empire's budding capitalists had initiated a successful railroad program. Meanwhile, China's defenses continued to fail to repel the Russian invaders, even with British aid. It seems as though allied Sino-British forces had inflicted considerable damage upon the Russians, however, as they were not recognising the war as in Russia's favour. Also in December the Sicilians declared war on Egypt again, declaring they would recover their former colony of Sidi Barrani region. Gojong deigned to protect his investment and honoured the alliance.
In December Gojong claimed his first international diplomatic victory, even though he had nothing to do with it. The diplomatic mission that had been started by Heonjong, and had been working for years to bring the Japanese Republic to the warm embrace of Seoul, finally reported success. The Republic now accepted Korea's protection and conceded a variety of trade concessions and mining rights to the Empire. There was some resistance to this within Japan, but Gojong heeded advice from the court to keep a small garrison in Edo this time to prevent another uprising.
Meanwhile the war in China petered out once again without the exchange of land. While the Russians had suffered a terrible toll, they had occupied nearly half of China, so they were able to negotiate a treaty that favoured them in a small way. A return to status quo was agreed, but this included the UK relinquishing China from their protectorate.
Gojong was now to be truly tested on the international scene. First the Sicilians landed a small detachment of troops in Johore on 2nd May, which was of little concern, but before Korea could even transport troops to drive out the invaders, the Germans called for Korea to honour its agreement to contain Russian aggression. The Germans had not started the war, and Russia was weakened from its recent war against the Sino-British alliance, so Gojong and his new ally in Edo declared war upon Russia on 10th June 1884.
Immediately he and his generals drew up a grand invasion plan of the Russian Far East. Three armies were sent across the border immediately, with several more marching north to reinforce them. Meanwhile, the Korean navy disembarked defenders onto the Johor peninsular in July, and they succeeded in obliterating the Sicilian invaders by August.
In October Korean industrial research into improving the production of coal was declared a success. Gojong now heeded the right of the court and granted a large stipend to army researchers. Schematics for the machine gun were purchased from France, and the task for the researchers was to implement its production and training of the armed forces in its use across Korea.
The war against Russia was significant for Korea, as it was the first war against another great power. Gojong was literally salivating at the potential ramifications of a Korean victory. If victory over China had garnered such respect on the international stage, how favourably would Europe view Korea if it succeeded in chastising the great bear? As news of Korea's first victory in battle came in November, this excitement was only reinforced.
Hope for the victory of the entire alliance was somewhat diminished in December, however, when the Austrians declared war on Germany. Korea honoured the alliance, but were logistically incapable of providing any real aid against the Habsburgs. Thus in January Korea secured a peace with Vienna.
Despite the euphoria that Gojong was riding on, hoping to bolster Korea's prestige and his own popularity and power by a grand victory, Korea's position was precarious. The casualties from the war with China were immense, and the armed forces had not fully recovered yet. Neither had the Empire at large, and political instability still loomed as a threat. Moreover, with Germany now fighting a two front war, it was uncertain how long they would be able to resist the Russian offensive. Nevertheless, there was no turning back now. It was time for Korea to sink or swim.
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Great AAR you've got going here!! I'm rather hooked.. And I've nominated it for this week's Weekly AAR Showcase!! So congrats, good sir, and I'll be reading along!
Thanks very much RedTemplar! Welcome, I'm glad you enjoy it. I really appreciate the nomination!
That war with China was epic! Great work.
Interested to see how you handle the Russian war.
Rensslaer
Interested to see how you handle the Russian war.
Rensslaer
I've just found this AAR thanks to the weekly showcase award (congrats!) and I must say that I'm enjoying it immensely! Your updates are well written and very clearly illustrated. I particularly like the detail you shower upon what is an every day pop up message in the game (an example from the last update would be when Wang Chhan ceded from Siam). My only criticism (and it's a minor one) is that sometimes you jump between past and present tense, but aside from that I think this AAR is brilliant - keep up the good work and consider me subscribed!
Thanks Enewald! Well it's a bit of a cost/benefit analysis there. Is it really worth 8-10 badboy for a strip of frozen Russian Far East? I would like to grab Sakhalin, but it's just two provinces, so rather costly. The most annoying thing was that I got an acquire state CB on Russia while I was still at war with China and I couldn't use it! We'll see though!
Indeed. Thankfully my border with them is fairly limited.
Thanks Rens and welcome! I'm honoured that you're reading!
It was indeed an epic war. I hope they tone down China in the future. Their incredibly huge population means that they can research just fine without civving. I tag switched to check out what army research they had, and it was on par with the average South American country. It was certainly more advanced than what I had!Thanks Iain, welcome! I am a big fan of your Suenik AAR! Made me laugh so hard reading through it back in the day! I like to imagine details like that as I play, so I try to include them in my writing when possible. And yes, that's a fair criticism. It's a severe fault of mine, I get in trouble for it all the time! I drove my honours supervisor mad switching wantonly between past and present tense. I don't know what it is... I just don't tend to pick up on it!
A new kind, a new war...things seem to be looking up
Yes! And a war that doesn't involve endless hordes of technologically advanced Chinese troops! Looking up indeed!
The next update is going to be a little delayed. I am swamped with assignments due in this coming week, so it's all hands on deck for Uni work this weekend. Also I have now passed on the Weekly Showcase Award, so be sure to check it out!
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This AAR is awesome! Is that Excel you've been using for your graphs, or another program?
Thanks Avindian, and welcome! No I haven't been using Excel. It's a neat little site that you can find here.
Next update should be up tomorrow. Screenshots are ready, just got to write it!
Chapter VIII: The Emperor's New Clothes
As the new year dawned, the war in Russia went well and Korea continued to prosper. The same could not be said for the United Kingdom. The latest victim of the Anarchist plague, Queen Victoria and her court were sent fleeing to France where Louis-Napoleon gladly entertained his benefactors. Taking advantage of the chaos and discord, the Irish seized the opportunity to revolt.
With an independent Ireland and a fragile Republic of Britannia in place of the mighty United Kingdom, it seemed as though there was great opportunity afoot for those who might seek to expand at their expense. Still buoyed by the ongoing successful war against Russia, Gojong began animatedly discussing the possibility of invading British India. The court warily urged the Emperor to calm himself and see the current war to completion before even entertaining such thoughts.
Several more territories fell to the Koreans in the coming months, and an invasion of Sakhalin was launched. With the territory so close to the Korean heartland, Gojong announced his plans to incorporate it into the province of Gando. The war had not progressed well enough that the Russians would even consider such a claim legitimate, however, so the overeager Emperor was forced to wait. Also of interest came the news that the Republic of Britannia had launched a war to reclaim the Irish provinces.
Ultimately, Gojong's ambition would never come to fruition. When a report arrived by wire, stating that there was a large body of Russian troops exceeding 50,000 in size, the Emperor grew increasingly nervous. Shortly following this Russian ambassadors arrived offering a cessation of hostilities. Immediately Gojong's demeanour changed from nervousness to arrogance. He accepted the ambassador's proposal and sent them back to Moscow, then paraded around the court declaring his great victory over Russia and how he had forced them to concede to the might of Korea. Following this 'great victory' the Emperor called a huge celebration in the court, and once again began discussing his plans for the invasion of British India. This caused a great disturbance in the court, and many whispers echoed through its halls over the competence of their new Emperor.
Fortunately the Emperor did not appear to be totally beyond reason. The court managed to talk him down from invading British India, arguing that even with an unstable government, their hordes of red coats would be more than a match for Korea's still modernising army. Gojong instead decided to switch his attention to domestic greatness.
He declared a new plan to vastly expand Korea's industrial capacity. In a long address he made in Seoul on 3rd June 1885, the Emperor decried the bankruptcy of his father's support for liberalism. For too long, he asserted, the liberals had been given the opportunity to propel Korea into the modern world, and they had failed. Gojong announced that the government would take over industrialisation, and the program would be headed by Chung-Ho Seong and the Donghak party. This provoked yet more disturbance, in the court and the empire at large.
Regardless of the opposition to it, Chung-Ho proved up to the task. Where it had taken two decades to achieve the level of railroads Korea had now, the Donghak commissioned a network to be built in the remainder of the provinces that would be completed in the next two years. A slew of new factories were also scheduled to be opened.
Unfortunately these steps came as too little, too late. The world had been viewing Korea as a stagnating power since its meteoric rise into the ranks of the great eight. Its industrialisation had been slow, and while its military victories significant, they had come at an incredible cost. The last straw was Gojong's cowardly exit from the war with Russia - the world was losing faith in Korea's greatness.
The signs were subtle at first, but soon enough it became obvious. Korea was no longer invited to the diplomatic tables of France, Britain or the US. Korea's network advised the court that overtures were instead being made to the Ottomans. Gojong declared this would not do, and with the support of most of the court, a declaration of war was sent to the Ottoman Sultan. The message sent stated that the Sultan dallied in the affairs of those above his station, and that Korea would restore its honour. The ambassador did not return.
With war declared, allies were brought in on both sides. Gojong and the court had been impetuous and had not thought to consider the Ottoman's allies. Fortunately, the Russians deigned not to break the recent truce, but the remainder of their allies joined the fray, including Korea's former friend, the North German Federation. The court began grumbling and blaming Gojong for this, claiming that if he had not bowed out of the Russian war then the Germans would not have turned against them.
Shortly after this declaration, the Russians agreed to a white peace with the Germans. Even more surprisingly, the Austrians are losing the war in their attempt to reclaim Bohemia! Perhaps the Germans will escape from this unscathed... which does not bode well for Korea. Only time will tell... in the meantime, Egypt advances into Palestine.
The Sicilians soon see the futility of continuing their war, and in September offer peace. In October troops are loaded onto Korea's only fleet and shipped off towards Egypt. Another fleet is commissioned in order to alleviate this problem. The Portuguese land a small detachment of troops in Borneo early December, but there is little that can be done about this yet, as the fleet is somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean by now.
The declaration of war was not enough to stem the bleeding of Korea's esteem. In the new year ambassadors from many of the great powers arrive. They warn Korea that their war is not viewed with any justification, and that they should not be meddling in the affairs of the great powers.
Fortunately Korea gains the chance to re-convince the world of its greatness in April. The Suez canal is finally unveiled, with invitations sent across the world. The war with the Ottomans was still being fought in Palestine, and they were months from the Suez at least, so many accepted the invitation. Korea's aptitude in engineering once again raised the esteem of Korea, so significantly in fact that the French, US, Austrian and Mexican governments re-invited Korea to their tables.
Meanwhile, the British seemed to be set to reincorporate the Irish soon. The thought of a resurgent British Empire under Anarchist reigns sent chills down Gojong's spine. The Germans also continued to resist the Austrians, but the war seemed to have ground to a standstill.
By May the Egyptian offensive had been crushed and the Ottomans now advanced into the Sinai. The Suez was under direct threat, but fortunately the display of the canal had finished and the world's dignitaries already departed. Still something needed to be done soon as the Ottomans were quickly securing Egyptian soil.
Fortunately the fleet arrived in the Mediterranean in July and troops were soon disembarked in Suez. The battle was won and the troops dispersed to defeat the Ottomans and reclaim lost territory. At this stage peace was offered by both the Portuguese and Germans. The offer of the former was immediately accepted, but the Germans demanded peace with the Ottomans too, so their offer was politely declined.
The Ottoman advance was halted and their forces decimated. The only small hitch was when reinforcements arrived from Palestine and threatened to wipe out the smaller Korean force in Suez. A hasty retreat was sounded, and the troops consolidated to return to the Suez in September. The Egyptians also signed a peace with the Ottomans, alleviating the need to defend their territory.
The third battle of Suez was won by the end of September, marking the end of the Ottoman advance. The remainder of their troops were hunted down, and once dealt with Korean troops advanced into Palestine. More troops were planned to be transported as soon as the fleet returned to the mainland.
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By the beginning of the next year trade routes had changed to factor in the Suez. In spite of the war, ships flowed freely through the newly built canal, and Korea levied a highly profitable toll. Korea's own trade was greatly bolstered by the ability to reach Europe much easier than previously possible.
The war in Palestine took a turn for the worse when Ottoman reinforcements arrived. The Korean troops were now outnumbered and it was unknown when more troops from Korea would arrive. When news arrived in the court, it was advised that the generals were retreating to Egypt where they would await the arrival of more troops, but Gojong proved his timidity once again when ambassadors from Germany arrived. Peace was accepted, with the Ottomans too, on 25th January 1887.
Despite this, Gojong once again threw a large celebration in honour of his 'victory'. He even commissioned a painting of himself as the 'defender of Egypt'. Gojong's arrogance and meaningless affectations were becoming a source of great discontent. Whispers in the court became increasingly virulent.
Still the court managed to look to the positives. Korea had regained its status as a great power, and the empire was stable... which was more than could be said for the British or the Japanese. The Irish had completely reversed the war and were now occupying a large portion of the isles, whereas in Japan the old samurai order rose up en masse against the republican government, seeking the restoration of Shogunate rule. Under advisement from the Traditionalists, Gojong wasted no time in exploiting this opportunity.
A deal was struck with the new self styled Shogun, Tokugawa Aiko. In return for monetary and military support, the Shogun would agree to restore Emperor Meiji and rule alongside him. With Korean support, the insurgents proved successful, and by late May the Emperor left his exile in Seoul to reside in Edo once more. A new diplomatic mission was established to bring Japan into the Empire's fold once more, though there was now competition from the Russians.
The next outbreak of Anarchist plague arrives in China. The court was rudely awakened to the fact when retreating rebels fled across the border into Gando province. After resupplying with the local towns, they immediately marched back towards Chinese territory, so they were left to their own devices. Better that they make trouble for the Chinese, after all.
In October new elections began, and the eastern half of Gando had finally been officially incorporated as a state of the Korean Empire. Efforts were now focused on incorporating the western half. Surprisingly, the incorporation of the nomadic Jurchens as limited citizens did not significantly impact upon the literacy of the empire, and it remained steadily increasing. The latest census estimated over 30% of citizens were now literate!
The war in Britain came to an end at the end of October, with the Republic being forced to recognise Irish independence - for the time being at least. Throughout the end of the year and the beginning of 1888 the Russians continued to cause problems in Japan, slowing the progress of the diplomatic mission.
The elections came to an end in April, with the Internationalists returned to power. They paid lip service to Gojong, thanking him for the industrial program he had set in motion. They now vowed that their more free market approach would be sufficient to continue the industrialisation of Korea.
Gojong permitted them the chance to prove this. Meanwhile, the research into machine guns had reached completion in November. Gojong now commissioned researchers to improve the administrative capabilities of the empire. Now with nearly 8 million people, 2.73 million of which were ethnically identified as Korean, the current administration was no longer up to the task.
Also in November, Gojong lost patience with the Internationalists. The economy was in sharp decline, and so using this as justification the Emperor reappointed Chung-Ho. Kwan Ahn was furious, but also tired. He resigned from his position and returned to his home in Sunheong. In his stead, a wealthy industrialist by the name of Syngman Rhee was elected to the party leadership. Syngman was rather more seditious than Kwan, and began stirring up anti-Gojong sentiment. His efforts were subtle, however, and the Emperor proved oblivious to it.
The new year saw progress in Japan, despite Russia's counter efforts. The Donghak party also implemented a new program of further industrialisation, particularly in the new state of HaIshenwai. Korea's industry was now significantly improved.
More revolutions broke out in February of the new year. Seems the new Irish state was not as stable as it first appeared. Reactionaries overthrew the republic and set up one of the old aristocratic families of Ireland on the throne. Gojong was growing uneasy at the volatility of the times. However, that unease was soon turned into excitement when said volatility presented an opportunity. The instability of the Republic of Britannia meant that it was now unable to administer its colonies properly. In May the state of New Zealand declared independence.
News also arrived from the West. Russia had declared war on Persia earlier, drawing in the Chinese. Beijing now acceded to the Russian demands for Birjand late in May. Soon after that, the war over Bohemia finally came to an end. It had been a stalemate for some time, with the front line fluctuating back and forth across German and Austrian territory. The Austrians finally decided they had lost enough troops and gave up.
Gojong now decided to capitalise on Britain's loss. His reputation had suffered heavily and he needed a real victory. Preparations for war were begun in June when the resources that had been committed to the construction of two naval bases were freed up. Some unwelcome news also arrived in September, advising that the botanical expedition to Palmyra had met an ignominious end.
By October preparations were completed. Troops were loaded onto the two fleets and shipped over to New Zealand. Late November war was declared, and shortly thereafter troops poured onto the beaches of Hokitika. Gojong would have his victory... he would not be known as the timid Emperor!
As the new year dawned, the war in Russia went well and Korea continued to prosper. The same could not be said for the United Kingdom. The latest victim of the Anarchist plague, Queen Victoria and her court were sent fleeing to France where Louis-Napoleon gladly entertained his benefactors. Taking advantage of the chaos and discord, the Irish seized the opportunity to revolt.
With an independent Ireland and a fragile Republic of Britannia in place of the mighty United Kingdom, it seemed as though there was great opportunity afoot for those who might seek to expand at their expense. Still buoyed by the ongoing successful war against Russia, Gojong began animatedly discussing the possibility of invading British India. The court warily urged the Emperor to calm himself and see the current war to completion before even entertaining such thoughts.
Several more territories fell to the Koreans in the coming months, and an invasion of Sakhalin was launched. With the territory so close to the Korean heartland, Gojong announced his plans to incorporate it into the province of Gando. The war had not progressed well enough that the Russians would even consider such a claim legitimate, however, so the overeager Emperor was forced to wait. Also of interest came the news that the Republic of Britannia had launched a war to reclaim the Irish provinces.
Ultimately, Gojong's ambition would never come to fruition. When a report arrived by wire, stating that there was a large body of Russian troops exceeding 50,000 in size, the Emperor grew increasingly nervous. Shortly following this Russian ambassadors arrived offering a cessation of hostilities. Immediately Gojong's demeanour changed from nervousness to arrogance. He accepted the ambassador's proposal and sent them back to Moscow, then paraded around the court declaring his great victory over Russia and how he had forced them to concede to the might of Korea. Following this 'great victory' the Emperor called a huge celebration in the court, and once again began discussing his plans for the invasion of British India. This caused a great disturbance in the court, and many whispers echoed through its halls over the competence of their new Emperor.
Fortunately the Emperor did not appear to be totally beyond reason. The court managed to talk him down from invading British India, arguing that even with an unstable government, their hordes of red coats would be more than a match for Korea's still modernising army. Gojong instead decided to switch his attention to domestic greatness.
He declared a new plan to vastly expand Korea's industrial capacity. In a long address he made in Seoul on 3rd June 1885, the Emperor decried the bankruptcy of his father's support for liberalism. For too long, he asserted, the liberals had been given the opportunity to propel Korea into the modern world, and they had failed. Gojong announced that the government would take over industrialisation, and the program would be headed by Chung-Ho Seong and the Donghak party. This provoked yet more disturbance, in the court and the empire at large.
Regardless of the opposition to it, Chung-Ho proved up to the task. Where it had taken two decades to achieve the level of railroads Korea had now, the Donghak commissioned a network to be built in the remainder of the provinces that would be completed in the next two years. A slew of new factories were also scheduled to be opened.
Unfortunately these steps came as too little, too late. The world had been viewing Korea as a stagnating power since its meteoric rise into the ranks of the great eight. Its industrialisation had been slow, and while its military victories significant, they had come at an incredible cost. The last straw was Gojong's cowardly exit from the war with Russia - the world was losing faith in Korea's greatness.
The signs were subtle at first, but soon enough it became obvious. Korea was no longer invited to the diplomatic tables of France, Britain or the US. Korea's network advised the court that overtures were instead being made to the Ottomans. Gojong declared this would not do, and with the support of most of the court, a declaration of war was sent to the Ottoman Sultan. The message sent stated that the Sultan dallied in the affairs of those above his station, and that Korea would restore its honour. The ambassador did not return.
With war declared, allies were brought in on both sides. Gojong and the court had been impetuous and had not thought to consider the Ottoman's allies. Fortunately, the Russians deigned not to break the recent truce, but the remainder of their allies joined the fray, including Korea's former friend, the North German Federation. The court began grumbling and blaming Gojong for this, claiming that if he had not bowed out of the Russian war then the Germans would not have turned against them.
Shortly after this declaration, the Russians agreed to a white peace with the Germans. Even more surprisingly, the Austrians are losing the war in their attempt to reclaim Bohemia! Perhaps the Germans will escape from this unscathed... which does not bode well for Korea. Only time will tell... in the meantime, Egypt advances into Palestine.
The Sicilians soon see the futility of continuing their war, and in September offer peace. In October troops are loaded onto Korea's only fleet and shipped off towards Egypt. Another fleet is commissioned in order to alleviate this problem. The Portuguese land a small detachment of troops in Borneo early December, but there is little that can be done about this yet, as the fleet is somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean by now.
The declaration of war was not enough to stem the bleeding of Korea's esteem. In the new year ambassadors from many of the great powers arrive. They warn Korea that their war is not viewed with any justification, and that they should not be meddling in the affairs of the great powers.
Fortunately Korea gains the chance to re-convince the world of its greatness in April. The Suez canal is finally unveiled, with invitations sent across the world. The war with the Ottomans was still being fought in Palestine, and they were months from the Suez at least, so many accepted the invitation. Korea's aptitude in engineering once again raised the esteem of Korea, so significantly in fact that the French, US, Austrian and Mexican governments re-invited Korea to their tables.
Meanwhile, the British seemed to be set to reincorporate the Irish soon. The thought of a resurgent British Empire under Anarchist reigns sent chills down Gojong's spine. The Germans also continued to resist the Austrians, but the war seemed to have ground to a standstill.
By May the Egyptian offensive had been crushed and the Ottomans now advanced into the Sinai. The Suez was under direct threat, but fortunately the display of the canal had finished and the world's dignitaries already departed. Still something needed to be done soon as the Ottomans were quickly securing Egyptian soil.
Fortunately the fleet arrived in the Mediterranean in July and troops were soon disembarked in Suez. The battle was won and the troops dispersed to defeat the Ottomans and reclaim lost territory. At this stage peace was offered by both the Portuguese and Germans. The offer of the former was immediately accepted, but the Germans demanded peace with the Ottomans too, so their offer was politely declined.
The Ottoman advance was halted and their forces decimated. The only small hitch was when reinforcements arrived from Palestine and threatened to wipe out the smaller Korean force in Suez. A hasty retreat was sounded, and the troops consolidated to return to the Suez in September. The Egyptians also signed a peace with the Ottomans, alleviating the need to defend their territory.
The third battle of Suez was won by the end of September, marking the end of the Ottoman advance. The remainder of their troops were hunted down, and once dealt with Korean troops advanced into Palestine. More troops were planned to be transported as soon as the fleet returned to the mainland.
By the beginning of the next year trade routes had changed to factor in the Suez. In spite of the war, ships flowed freely through the newly built canal, and Korea levied a highly profitable toll. Korea's own trade was greatly bolstered by the ability to reach Europe much easier than previously possible.
The war in Palestine took a turn for the worse when Ottoman reinforcements arrived. The Korean troops were now outnumbered and it was unknown when more troops from Korea would arrive. When news arrived in the court, it was advised that the generals were retreating to Egypt where they would await the arrival of more troops, but Gojong proved his timidity once again when ambassadors from Germany arrived. Peace was accepted, with the Ottomans too, on 25th January 1887.
Despite this, Gojong once again threw a large celebration in honour of his 'victory'. He even commissioned a painting of himself as the 'defender of Egypt'. Gojong's arrogance and meaningless affectations were becoming a source of great discontent. Whispers in the court became increasingly virulent.
Still the court managed to look to the positives. Korea had regained its status as a great power, and the empire was stable... which was more than could be said for the British or the Japanese. The Irish had completely reversed the war and were now occupying a large portion of the isles, whereas in Japan the old samurai order rose up en masse against the republican government, seeking the restoration of Shogunate rule. Under advisement from the Traditionalists, Gojong wasted no time in exploiting this opportunity.
A deal was struck with the new self styled Shogun, Tokugawa Aiko. In return for monetary and military support, the Shogun would agree to restore Emperor Meiji and rule alongside him. With Korean support, the insurgents proved successful, and by late May the Emperor left his exile in Seoul to reside in Edo once more. A new diplomatic mission was established to bring Japan into the Empire's fold once more, though there was now competition from the Russians.
The next outbreak of Anarchist plague arrives in China. The court was rudely awakened to the fact when retreating rebels fled across the border into Gando province. After resupplying with the local towns, they immediately marched back towards Chinese territory, so they were left to their own devices. Better that they make trouble for the Chinese, after all.
In October new elections began, and the eastern half of Gando had finally been officially incorporated as a state of the Korean Empire. Efforts were now focused on incorporating the western half. Surprisingly, the incorporation of the nomadic Jurchens as limited citizens did not significantly impact upon the literacy of the empire, and it remained steadily increasing. The latest census estimated over 30% of citizens were now literate!
The war in Britain came to an end at the end of October, with the Republic being forced to recognise Irish independence - for the time being at least. Throughout the end of the year and the beginning of 1888 the Russians continued to cause problems in Japan, slowing the progress of the diplomatic mission.
The elections came to an end in April, with the Internationalists returned to power. They paid lip service to Gojong, thanking him for the industrial program he had set in motion. They now vowed that their more free market approach would be sufficient to continue the industrialisation of Korea.
Gojong permitted them the chance to prove this. Meanwhile, the research into machine guns had reached completion in November. Gojong now commissioned researchers to improve the administrative capabilities of the empire. Now with nearly 8 million people, 2.73 million of which were ethnically identified as Korean, the current administration was no longer up to the task.
Also in November, Gojong lost patience with the Internationalists. The economy was in sharp decline, and so using this as justification the Emperor reappointed Chung-Ho. Kwan Ahn was furious, but also tired. He resigned from his position and returned to his home in Sunheong. In his stead, a wealthy industrialist by the name of Syngman Rhee was elected to the party leadership. Syngman was rather more seditious than Kwan, and began stirring up anti-Gojong sentiment. His efforts were subtle, however, and the Emperor proved oblivious to it.
The new year saw progress in Japan, despite Russia's counter efforts. The Donghak party also implemented a new program of further industrialisation, particularly in the new state of HaIshenwai. Korea's industry was now significantly improved.
More revolutions broke out in February of the new year. Seems the new Irish state was not as stable as it first appeared. Reactionaries overthrew the republic and set up one of the old aristocratic families of Ireland on the throne. Gojong was growing uneasy at the volatility of the times. However, that unease was soon turned into excitement when said volatility presented an opportunity. The instability of the Republic of Britannia meant that it was now unable to administer its colonies properly. In May the state of New Zealand declared independence.
News also arrived from the West. Russia had declared war on Persia earlier, drawing in the Chinese. Beijing now acceded to the Russian demands for Birjand late in May. Soon after that, the war over Bohemia finally came to an end. It had been a stalemate for some time, with the front line fluctuating back and forth across German and Austrian territory. The Austrians finally decided they had lost enough troops and gave up.
Gojong now decided to capitalise on Britain's loss. His reputation had suffered heavily and he needed a real victory. Preparations for war were begun in June when the resources that had been committed to the construction of two naval bases were freed up. Some unwelcome news also arrived in September, advising that the botanical expedition to Palmyra had met an ignominious end.
By October preparations were completed. Troops were loaded onto the two fleets and shipped over to New Zealand. Late November war was declared, and shortly thereafter troops poured onto the beaches of Hokitika. Gojong would have his victory... he would not be known as the timid Emperor!
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How about proper industrialization before WC?
Sage advice. But Heonjong was committed to liberal economics, and Gojong is rather impetuous! I tend to base my decisions more often through what fits RP wise rather than what is necessarily the best strategy.
Well, while Heonjong was the better statesman no doubt, his dogged commitment to liberalism despite the fact that it quite clearly wasn't industrialising Korea quickly enough was probably the largest contributor to Korea's fall from grace. Gojong made many mistakes to be sure, but his industrialisation program couldn't be faulted.
Going to be another bit of a delay, sorry all. Assessments at Uni again. Should hopefully have another update for you by the end of next week though.
Sickness has teamed up with University work to conspire against my free time. Thusly, I have no update for you yet. But do not despair my fellow AARlandians, I shall have another before long, I promise you this!
In the meantime, why not mosey on over to the AARland Choice AwAARds and vote for your favourites! NB: Not a plug! Go vote for someone far more deserving than I!
In the meantime, why not mosey on over to the AARland Choice AwAARds and vote for your favourites! NB: Not a plug! Go vote for someone far more deserving than I!