I love it when the AI actually executes a decent land grab of opportunity, supposing of course that the CB is for Korea, and not say a humiliation.
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Sorry it's been 2-3 days since I last did feedback! Busy week!
Thanks! The rules limit me to only so many conquests at a time, so Alaska might be on my list after I've reconquered Sakhalin, or maybe even Okhotsk, but it's not a top target right now. But yes... You can count on there being a "reckoning" with Russia coming again, one of these days.
Welcome, Earl Aed! Again, I apologize for not replying before now. Glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for taking the time to say hi!
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect with China, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I was doing okay, even against the huge stacks. Whether I can keep them out of Korea beyond the first wave is the REAL question!
It sure intends to try! As a matter of fact -- not sure if I've shown this yet, but Japan has begun improving relations with three relatively friendly or less-threatening world powers. The USA, UK and the North German Federation. There are reasons, from the Japanese role-playing perspective, to respect and admire each.
Well... I may be happy just to get the war over with, for now. At the very least, we'll come back for them with revenge in our hearts later!
Do I want Mongolia? I'm not sure. I'll have to take a closer look once I get there. It would only involve me further with Russia. But we'll see.
Thanks, LD! The naval superiority is key -- if I couldn't keep them from my shores, I'd be toast.
Indeed, this is true. But it's my fear that winning battles isn't going to fully enable me to get a peace deal. I need to at least probe to see if their provinces can be taken. More of that ahead! This is role-playing, to a large degree, but it's also a Sun Tzu-ish strategic reality.
Good CBs are hard to come by. I've been reading other AARs and getting used to the concept of "initiating" or "crafting" a CB. Look forward to trying that out.
Thanks for your comments folks! I have an update written. May post it tonight, or tomorrow, or soon anyway.
Thank you to TristamShandy for featuring this AAR as the Weekly AAR Showcase!
Rensslaer
Nice and easy Korean war... Is this the time to go for Alaska, surely a war with Russia is coming again?
Best policy ever
Thanks! The rules limit me to only so many conquests at a time, so Alaska might be on my list after I've reconquered Sakhalin, or maybe even Okhotsk, but it's not a top target right now. But yes... You can count on there being a "reckoning" with Russia coming again, one of these days.
Welcome, Earl Aed! Again, I apologize for not replying before now. Glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for taking the time to say hi!
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect with China, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I was doing okay, even against the huge stacks. Whether I can keep them out of Korea beyond the first wave is the REAL question!
It sure intends to try!
As a matter of fact -- not sure if I've shown this yet, but Japan has begun improving relations with three relatively friendly or less-threatening world powers. The USA, UK and the North German Federation. There are reasons, from the Japanese role-playing perspective, to respect and admire each.Well... I may be happy just to get the war over with, for now. At the very least, we'll come back for them with revenge in our hearts later!
Good luck in your war! Take Manchuria from them....... and add Mongolia just for fun
Do I want Mongolia? I'm not sure. I'll have to take a closer look once I get there. It would only involve me further with Russia. But we'll see.
Thanks, LD! The naval superiority is key -- if I couldn't keep them from my shores, I'd be toast.
Well if he sends a scout ahead of the main army, say an irregular bridge
Indeed, this is true. But it's my fear that winning battles isn't going to fully enable me to get a peace deal. I need to at least probe to see if their provinces can be taken. More of that ahead!
This is role-playing, to a large degree, but it's also a Sun Tzu-ish strategic reality.Good CBs are hard to come by. I've been reading other AARs and getting used to the concept of "initiating" or "crafting" a CB. Look forward to trying that out.
Thanks for your comments folks! I have an update written. May post it tonight, or tomorrow, or soon anyway.
Thank you to TristamShandy for featuring this AAR as the Weekly AAR Showcase!
Rensslaer
Japan might be sending a tentative offensive into Chinese territory, to test it out, but there was no reason or desire for Japan to remain at war when she didn’t have to be. An envoy was sent to the Chinese court to inquire about peace terms, now that the Japanese blockade and several battles had blunted the Chinese sword.
This overture was rebuffed. The Chinese were confident in ultimate victory, despite some peculiar setbacks on the battlefield. A mere few thousands of troops lost were nothing to them. They would overwhelm Japan’s army in Korea, before long.
In the midst of all the turmoil of the Chinese war, a victory, of sorts, was achieved on the world’s cultural battlefield. A colonial dig in southern Korea brought in many artifacts which were of international interest. This resulted in an improvement of prestige for Imperial Japan, which helped at the trading ports where Japanese merchants competed with others for deals around the globe.
Japan, using techniques of warfare learned from the Europeans, was “rotating” its armies. If one became very worn down, during combat, it was sent south, while another army came north in its place. This preserved those armies, and men, for later battles, allowing them to rest and recover.
However, the Chinese were grinding away at Japanese armies at a rate greater than what could be recovered, fully. So Gen. Nogi was forced to lead the fledgling, newly recruited, Korean Army north to Pyongyang prematurely, to push the Chinese back.
There was little doubt he would succeed – the Chinese were badly beaten down themselves. But he had not had sufficient time to train his new troops. It was necessary.
Many of the battles Japan fought with China were “lost” by Japan – Japanese troops ceded the battlefield – but Japan was nevertheless satisfied with the result. In mid-April, Gen. Shimamura had successfully killed nearly 3 times as many Chinese as he had lost, himself. When he retreated, it was in the confidence that he had reduced the Chinese ability to wage further war in Korea. This was not an isolated incident.
Our army in Jilin was met, at the end of April, by a force of Chinese twice their number. But they held their own, and wore the Chinese down. They would attempt to hold on to this territory, and not retreat, and lose the gains they had already made in subduing the countryside.
Japan used its naval superiority to make landings on the Chinese coast, now that Korea was more or less secure. Landings were made at HaIshenwai, north of the Korean border, along the Manchurian shore nearest to Japan, and also at Port Arthur, a peninsula sticking out into the Korean Sea.
The Chinese, always ready with an army, attacked Gen. Toshimichi Uryu’s troops at HaIshenwai, but the Japanese held their ground, killing more of the enemy than they lost themselves.
The Battle of Jilin was won. Not decisively, but Japan held the ground, which was important in convincing the Chinese to come to the negotiations table (they had already turned down yet another overture of peace).
When landed at Port Arthur, Gen. Shimamura had immediately marched much of his army north, into Mukden. At the end of May, he attacked a defending Chinese force, there. But attack was his specialty, and he outflanked and outfought the enemy, causing great loss and destruction to their army.
After causing 14,000 casualties to the enemy, Shimamura knew that he was best on the attack, and so he immediately marched against Jinzhou, which was defended by an army large enough that he thought it a good opportunity to kill Chinese. He arrived at the end of June, but found difficulty in initial skirmishes with the wooded nature of the territory, which limited his reconnaissance.
After clashing intermittently for a week and a half, Shimamura realized he was not achieving his aims, and his troops were tired. More Chinese kept arriving to cause trouble. Disappointed in himself, he withdrew to Mukden.
There, reinforced, when in dire need, by Gen. Nogi, Gen. Shimamura held off one attack. But then more Chinese armies kept coming. The blood started flowing. At the beginning of August, even on the defense, Shimamura was leading his army in tactics that killed 1,600 Chinese soldiers per day, for the loss of only a handful of his own. But the Chinese kept coming…
On August 11, the Chinese yielded, having lost 20,000 soldiers to Shimamura’s 5,000 lost. Another envoy was sent to the Chinese after this significant victory at Mukden…
…and once more the Chinese sniffed at the offer.
Frank evaluations back home were increasingly shaded by the fact that Japan was running out of soldiers, even when the Chinese were falling at rates of 4:1 or even 10:1.
Shimamura met another onslaught at the end of August, turning them back with a 2:1 ratio of casualties. But yet another army arrived, and the Battle for Mukden began again. Fortunately, at his back, Port Arthur was finally subdued, allowing the possibility not just of reinforcement, but of refuge, should the need arise.
In fact, Shimamura did find it necessary to retreat to the safety of Port Arthur at the beginning of September, 1873. But he used this defeat only to collect fresh troops and set off again – this time for an attack, where his tactics would be most effective. The slaughter at Mukden began seeping more Chinese blood into the frozen soil.
Finally, HaIshenwai fell to Japan. These territorial gains would, it was hoped, speak more loudly to the Chinese sensibilities, and help them to realize that Japan would not be defeated. Not, at least, unless all her soldiers had died. It was hoped this war could be ended before
The slaughter continued at Mukden, much as it had since the battle was joined in May. Gen. Shimamura continued his amazing record, outwitting the Chinese at virtually every turn of the campaign.
Japanese armies eventually filtered their way to some of the inland provinces of Manchuria. Often, they were turned out by Chinese armies. In December, Japan landed a fleet in Utchan, in the northern wastes of Manchuria, where the difference between that and Siberia was only a matter of national control. They were met by a much superior force of Chinese.
But with such a small Japanese force, only so many of the Chinese troops could converge upon them at one time. And Japanese technical superiority helped kill many more of the enemy than they lost themselves, as was becoming typical in this war.
Nevertheless, such a thoroughly outnumbered force could only hold up so long under continuous attack. Especially when (the drawback of the frontage thing) the tired Chinese front line troops could give way to fresh troops that were in the vicinity who would take over where the others left off. Eventually, Gen. Inoue had to retreat to Boli, along the Pacific coast. At the same time, a battle was lost at HaIshenwai, and so two defeated armies made their way to connect at Boli.
In December, in peripheral news, France declared war upon the Netherlands. There might, indeed, be a battle to determine which of these two powers – France, based in Indochina, or the Netherlands, based in the East Indies – was to dominate Asia.
Japan, of course, wished to prevent any country, other than her, dominating Asia. But so long as this war with China continued, such was a question entirely out of her hands.
Japan was having enough trouble just determining who would be the victor in Manchuria. As many Chinese as had died in this war, so far, and with two provinces already fallen to Japan, but with fewer and fewer reserve troops and an unstable situation at everyplace these soldiers met, it was still unclear who would prevail in the end. Or even when the end might be.
You know, the sprites of the Japanese/Chinese armies are kinda fun, considering the technological comparison.
Oh, this whole Chinese affair is getting quite bloody ( to the Chinese ) , but even then, I assume there are still hordes of them to kill ... so this war is not decided. Anyway, if you don't run out of able bodies ( and that is still a somewhat big if ), you should probably win this. Too bad this is not a war of your own device, otherwise it would had been a nice opportunity to grab some land from China ...
) , but even then, I assume there are still hordes of them to kill ... so this war is not decided. Anyway, if you don't run out of able bodies ( and that is still a somewhat big if ), you should probably win this. Too bad this is not a war of your own device, otherwise it would had been a nice opportunity to grab some land from China ...
How about Taiwan and Hainan? Since you have naval superiority those should be easy gains to bring to the table...
Thanks! Got a tiger by the tail, for sure!
Lots of harvesting, indeed!
lol I'd not thought of that, but you're right!
Might be a glitch. Then again, it might be that some of my military techs are bottom rung, and maybe in those areas China is ahead of me, so the computer thinks I only deserve the less civilized avatar. Maybe that's a "swordgun" the samurai is holding! Thanks! I'm going to see how much Easternizing I can do to those Europeans... one of these days, anyway. Welcome, Juan de Marco!Oh, this whole Chinese affair is getting quite bloody ( to the Chinese
Yeah -- not decided, by a longshot. And bloody on both sides. Proportionally, I can't tell -- I might likely be losing!
I can add a wargoal to take some of their territory if I start really winning. We'll see. Definitely top targets! They're easier to take, because they're separated from the mainland (Taiwan anyway -- I think there's a "straits crossing" for Hainan, but I'm not certain). At least they would be if they didn't have gigantic armies guarding them!
Okay... I'll post an update in a few hours, I think. I've actually got two ready, so I'll keep up my pace of an update every couple of days.
I've been trying to keep more or less 10-20 years behind gameplay. I think I'm 18 years ahead now, and loving it!
Anyone else new want to say hello before the next update? Thanks again, everybody -- readers, and especially commenters!
Rensslaer
you should continue until they are ready to cede one or more states ... and rebuild armies from there!
you should continue until they are ready to cede one or more states ... and rebuild armies from there!
If I could, I would... But I don't think I can this time around!
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Through the rest of December, the Chinese armies kept flowing into Mukden, while Gen. Shimamura kept using defensive advantage to inflict grievous losses upon them. But, as was the ability of China, the armies kept coming, like a flow of water.
But then, in mid-December, a competent Chinese general – Gen. Guan Xingde – arrived, and the battlefield situation changed dramatically. Shimamura had finally met his match, with Gen. Guan. He withdrew to Port Arthur, again, after suffering the first real defeat of his career.
In January, battles were constant throughout northern Korea and eastern Manchuria. Some battles showed favorable ratios of casualties in Japan’s favor, but other battles were relatively evenly matched, and those were typically to the disadvantage of Japan, as they could afford to lose fewer troops.
Gen. Inoue was doing well against the Chinese at Boli, but his troops were very ragged and tired – his resistance could not keep up. Gen. Terauchi won an important battle at Hamhung in mid-January. After the battle, though, he had to sit idle for weeks, recovering from the exhaustions of battle, and reassigning mangled units into new, composite units.
Around that time, Gen. Shimamura attacked at Mukden again, hoping to regain his luck in battle, but he was turned away again with about equal losses. His army was just too spent to do much in battle anymore. This was becoming typical of all of Japan’s armies.
So Shimamura took refuge at Port Arthur, hoping to have time to recover and regroup. But, this time, the enemy did not allow him that time. They marched upon Port Arthur immediately, and battle was joined at the end of January, 1874.
This time, however, Shimamura was fighting on “friendly” territory – occupied, but subdued – and his defensive arrangements were fine. He was able to inflict a modicum of the old loss ratios upon the Chinese – around 5:1 casualties, at times. The Chinese withdrew, this time. One of the few times the Chinese had ever retreated, rather than simply throw more troops in.
It was that, perhaps – a signal that Japan could continue to inflict massive casualties upon Chinese armies – that brought the Chinese diplomats to the table, for the first time. At their own initiation, this time.
When they offered a peace along the Korean border, and acknowledgment of Japanese hegemony over Korea – a status quo peace – Japan’s officials were quick to accept. This war had cost Japan far too much already. It could only be seen as useful because of the experience learned by her army, and in large degree the confidence that they could hold off an army as huge as China’s.
At the close of the war, 43,000 Japanese had died at Mukden or Port Arthur, but this compared with 100,000 Chinese losses at those battles. An astounding record of death and destruction that Japanese leaders found frightening.
Had they westernized their country, learning the arts of war, only so they could fight these horrific modern wars? Many consoled themselves, knowing that indeed, it was so, but that without wars such as this, Japan might well find itself subjugated to China or a European power in a more direct fashion than Russia had already tried. What was clear was that Japan could never return to the philosophy of isolation she had had in the past – it would not work in a changed modern world, and if Japan intended to survive, she would have to engage with the rest of the world.
Japan intended to survive.
Since Japan has mostly shed its traditional habit of isolation, it’s time to give you a short tour around the world.
While China and Japan waged their long war, the British and Americans had made peace – a status quo peace that guaranteed the border of Maine. Spain still held Puerto Rico and Cuba, in the Mediterranean. Mexico had won a portion of northern Peru. Chile had shrunk in size at the expense of Argentina and Brazil.
The Prussians had formed the North German Federation, and were locked in a peaceful rivalry with Austria over leadership of the German peoples. Portugal had been rumped – the Netherlands now owned her territory inland of Lisbon. Portugal retained, however, a portion of Morocco, which was shared with Spain. The French had taken the Algerian and Tunisian coasts. Belgium remained independent, which had been a matter in question for a while, decades back.
Africa, other than Morocco, remained pretty much as in our timeline. Same with the Middle East, with the exception that the Russians now owned the Trucial States (now the United Arab Empirates) of the Persian Gulf, and Spain owned lower Arabia.
France was still at war with Spain and the Netherlands. In November, 1874, they accepted the Dutch offer of Bali and various other East Indian islands in return for peace.
In August of 1874, the Ottoman Turks decided it was time for them to regain these territories from Spain, and they declared war. The Austrians joined that war alongside the Ottomans (strange bedfellows, but just wait!). The French, then, intervened on the side of the Spanish, which was a peculiar arrangement considering their late war. But they were seeking Ottoman Libya as war spoils, so it made sense in a Machiavellian sense. The French also began invading Austria.
Asia, you will, by now, be relatively familiar, as this was more a region of interest for the Japanese. The Philippines remained a possession of Philip’s descendants, the Spaniards.
The Dutch still owned the East Indies, by and large (with the exception of French and Portuguese possessions there, and some independent lands), and had a strong presence in the Asian region (the Spanish, not so much). Britain’s influence was mostly in India, still, not in any of the rest of Asia.
It was France who had invested herself wholeheartedly into Indochina, having even taken over Siam. Because of this, Japan still regarded both France and the Netherlands as their most likely southern rivals. Russia remained her nemesis to the north.
And Japan had made efforts to ingratiate herself with Britain, the United States and the Germans (numerous improvements of relations, esp. with USA).
In 1874, there were 5 true “great powers” worldwide, ranging from Britain to France to Russia to Germany, Austria and the USA. The Netherlands, Mexico, Ottomans and Swedes ranked high also. Spain had fallen to 14th rank, under Japan and Two Sicilies.
As for Japan, considered, by some measures, the 12th rank nation in the world, she owed that status to her significant prestige (having fought off Russia and China, and thrown off her cloak of ignorance to become a contender on the world stage), and to her significant military strength. Her industry was impressive, considering her uncivilized status not long before, but was nothing to compare with countries that had been industrializing for decades.
In August, Japanese philosophers published a great work in empiricism, which greatly influenced the direction of Japanese scientific research (research points improved from 14 to 17).
There were many directions researchers could have concentrated upon. Machine guns, army professionalism (+100% military tactics – very important), iron steamers, Malthusian thought (education, plus colonial migration), clean coal (major improvements in mining), publishing industry (regular clothes factories, which are important, but this is in line to mechanical production and interchangeable parts, which are critical), railroads (Japan had none, but in many ways this was a lesser priority), and basic chemistry. Basic Chemistry won out, as Medicine was next in line, and that was a critical western advancement Japan needed. Not just to improve her armies, but also population growth and potential colonization efforts throughout the Pacific.
Bleh, Portugal.
Also, the UK not interfering in Asia (as you stated) is kind of in contradiction with the fact she is diffusing into China.
Anyway, good to hear that Cuba and Haiti are now in the Med. It'll be cheaper for me to visit them *nitpick, cough, nitpick*
Also, the UK not interfering in Asia (as you stated) is kind of in contradiction with the fact she is diffusing into China.
Anyway, good to hear that Cuba and Haiti are now in the Med. It'll be cheaper for me to visit them
*nitpick, cough, nitpick*
Agree with Athalcor, if the British keep pushing in Asia you might have an even nastier neighbour bordering Korea soon enough
I love the concept behind this, along with Japan's (reluctant) realization that there can be no hermit kingdoms in the modern world. It is not a case of (reluctantly) accepting the least bit of western ways, but of making a mad scramble for every bit of western science and technology that can be stolen, pried loose or (reluctantly) purchased.
Glad to have spotted this one - I'd have missed it without the showcase. My own play as Japan in AHD went much differently - I was too aware of my potential weaknesses to take China or Russia on without help and so opted for massive industrialization and the creation of a massive sphere of influence.
You have done about as well as could be expected and certainly better than I could... gaining (and keeping) Korea is no small thing, and standing toe-to-toe with Russia and China requires a pair of big brass ones.
Now it is time to master the arcane arts of the smoking houses, and to learn to build the far-shooting guns with exploding shells, and to craft the iron-skinned ships to swim upon the waters. Then let the barbarians marvel, and know fear!
PS Have you considered a visit to Brunei? It is lovely at this time of year.
Glad to have spotted this one - I'd have missed it without the showcase. My own play as Japan in AHD went much differently - I was too aware of my potential weaknesses to take China or Russia on without help and so opted for massive industrialization and the creation of a massive sphere of influence.
You have done about as well as could be expected and certainly better than I could... gaining (and keeping) Korea is no small thing, and standing toe-to-toe with Russia and China requires a pair of big brass ones.
Now it is time to master the arcane arts of the smoking houses, and to learn to build the far-shooting guns with exploding shells, and to craft the iron-skinned ships to swim upon the waters. Then let the barbarians marvel, and know fear!
PS Have you considered a visit to Brunei? It is lovely at this time of year.
lol Yes -- looks like it didn't get fixed much between release and 1.3. Do the expansions nerf the UK quite a bit?
Bleh, Portugal.
Also, the UK not interfering in Asia (as you stated) is kind of in contradiction with the fact she is diffusing into China.
Anyway, good to hear that Cuba and Haiti are now in the Med. It'll be cheaper for me to visit them
Yeah, Portugal is having a bad century.
lol @bout Cuba and Haiti in the Med. Can't believe I wrote that! Actually, I was just role-playing as a geographically ignorant Japanese fellow... lolYou're right about the UK in pure geopolitical senses. But from a role-played Japanese perspective, they have ABSOLUTELY no idea how powerful Britain really is (they hear stories, but are the stories to be believed?), and in a very real sense aren't quite sure how powerful the rest of the European countries are, except for Russia. And as for Russia... Maybe they were just lucky, and all Japan needs to do is get the drop on them, right?
So... FROM a purely Nippon-centric point of view, Britain is a "non-player" in "Asia" because even though they control India, they have yet to touch any sea that Japan considers close to them. They're not a Pacific power -- they're a European and Indian Ocean power. And that, to Japan, seems very much less threatening than France and the Netherlands, who are more or less looming over (or under??) Japan and the rest of Asia.Agree with Athalcor, if the British keep pushing in Asia you might have an even nastier neighbour bordering Korea soon enough
I've not actually played very many V2 games -- is it typical that Britain takes more than 3 states from China? Or does it cool down at some point and become just a hyped-out British India/Burma?
Welcome, Director Porter!
Most excellent to have you drop by! Glad you saw it -- I've been keeping relatively quiet about it I guess. This just sort of popped out of nowhere, from a grand-scale planning point of view. Kind of a notion turned into reality. And I'm somewhat surprised at how much fun it is, and how much fun other people are having watching! Did you do an AAR on your Japan game? I don't remember it, but it's possible I might have missed it since I was absent/busy for about a year.Thanks about the concept! I always like realism in AARs, and Japan is just so unique a country. This is sort of the impression I got from them, while studying Japanese history. Like, late to the party, but catching up as fast as they possibly can!
And... on the subject of Brunei, here and elsewhere, I've had a tendency to ignore the "obvious" and "smart" things to do in favor of what seems logical from the perspective I'm role-playing. And while Brunei would certainly be smart, and don't think it's not occurred to certain Japanese leaders, but it's not on the immediate radar screen. Priorities are elsewhere.As for China and Russia, it's become my habit (in most of my games - recently at least) to throw myself into a risky situation and see if I can cope. I'm tremendously aggressive, by nature, maybe because I'm so good at getting out of the messes I create (except in Kriegsgefahr, where I may have set myself too tall a challenge! lol). But here I have the added bonus of role-playing people who really don't know any better.
On other subjects, LOVE the cat picture on your Inkwell -- sorry about your loss. We have 4 cats, and one of them has some poundage on yours! One of our cats is 21, and still relatively spry. Cats are such a part of our lives! ... I mentioned in Special Providence that I've been reading HistoryPark: Who Wants to Be Napoleon gradually, but determinedly. I'm about 1/3 of the way through now. It's always been a goal of mine to read one of your projects from beginning to end, and instead I've been reading spots here and there over the course of years. This is my effort to fix that. You are one amazingly talented tale-crafter and skilled writer, my friend!
I really love the story you put together of the Park, and the guys playing, and of course your intensely realistic battle scenes, etc. Immense pleasure! Looking forward to the rest of it!Another update in a couple of days, I think. Trying to put another together tonight. Can't keep myself from playing the game -- having too much fun! But I also have other things to do/write tonight, so we'll see how far I get with the writing.
Thanks again for those who are reading, and especially for those who have been commenting!
Rensslaer
I lust for the day Japan can actually snipe some territory instead of a white peace; but you did spectacularly against the Chinese. Onwards to empire!
That was a tough war against China, but the Emperor was right to make peace when he did. Korea is safe for the time being, and will be a solid base for expansion. I suppose the ideal scenario would be for the UK to attack China just before your truce expired, beat them up for a few months and then Japan could attack into Manchuria. Some useful coal provinces there, as well as a substantial populaiton boost for the Empire. However, I image that Russia is also looking for an opportunity to expand their eastern holdings. Japan must prevent the establishment of Vladivostock at all costs!
After reading the last 4 updates, and the attempts of Japan to modernize, I sit back to relax for the evening, I find "The Last Samurai" is on TV. Quite a fitting end to the night if I say so myself. Epic war with China, the first of many I fear. I'll save my compliments for I think they would not do justice.