Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 398



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#2 Part 8. Proposal from the Far East (3)

To be exact, it must have been a story that came out during a secret meeting with Ichiro Motono, the Japanese ambassador to Russia, not long ago.

“Your Majesty, Japan has also made us a similar proposal. They have already sent troops to Tsingtao and a fleet to the Mediterranean, but they cannot directly support the Eastern Front. In return, they have promised to provide us with more weapons, ammunition, and raw materials than we have now, and have demanded the entire Kwantung Province.”

“What? These fucking monkeys-”

“Your Majesty, think differently. Perhaps we can use this to our advantage… … .”

Sazanov’s eyes sparkled for a moment. At that moment, he was considering selling the Far East at a high price, since it was no longer possible to maintain it.

He took a deep breath before he could begin his story. He had to prepare himself to persuade the Tsar in a flattering tone that he should give up the entire Far East that he had been able to win in the last war.

That is why Sazanov first approached the Tsar with another topic.

“Your Majesty, we need to discuss this before that.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s the Far East’s management problem.”

He placed his finger on the Far East, located at the edge of the map that lay before the Tsar’s table.

“When the war ends in any form, our Russian Empire will have to concentrate on the western side of Europe. We will have to declare a temporary retreat from the vast and virtually uncontrollable Far East.”

Sazanov swallowed hard as he spoke. Even he knew that his words were false. It was ridiculous to even mention that we should voluntarily give up control of Manchuria, which we had finally seized at the cost of 300,000 casualties in the Far Eastern War.

“A retreat from the Far East? That’s impossible!”

“Your Majesty, our economy can no longer sustain itself. After the war, we will have to support the troops that suffered great losses in the devastated European sector and restore our ruined economy. The Far East, which costs too much to maintain, is a luxury.”

He judged that in the long run he had no choice but to retreat from the Far East. On the eve of the Far East War, the British Foreign Secretary Lansdowne had said that whether Russia won or lost the war with Japan, Britain would face a situation that was advantageous to it either way.

Because if they were defeated, Russia would suffer a huge loss of war funds and human lives, which would put its system in crisis, and even if they were victorious, they would eventually collapse due to excessive expansion, unable to control their own size. And Sazanov could see why he said that.

The giant known as the Russian Empire had already grown so large that it would be on the verge of its final breath if this war ended. If proper measures were not taken now, the empire would fall apart like a bloated ball that cannot withstand the pressure and bursts.

Like a cow with a stomach full of gas. That was the future that had to be stopped.

“Seventy-six percent of the entire empire’s budget is now in deficit. Furthermore, the Far East is too far away and too difficult for us to manage. We have the natural ports of Lushun and Dalian, but the constant dispatch of fleets and troops and fortification work there is costing astronomical amounts.”

“In that case, wouldn’t it be better to just sell it to them at a high price?”

The Tsar hit the nail on the head. What Sazanov wanted to say was exactly what the Tsar said. For today’s Russia, the Far East was a bright apricot and a burden.

It might be different in a few decades, but right now, it would be painful to give it to someone else, but it was a place that was too burdensome to keep.

Although cabinet ministers sneered at Sazanov’s cautiously proposed Far East plan after the war, calling it a “grand retreat,” ultimately everyone, whether for or against, agreed on one thing.

Regarding the view that the Far East cannot be managed in the current situation, then the issue was who should be given the huge Manchurian pie and how much, and Sazanov decided to reinterpret this part and use it.

At that time, he had already gathered various information from the Russian ambassador in Korea. The imperial family and some officials were pushing forward a plan to support Russia in this war and send a large army in order to fulfill their debts from the previous war, territorial ambitions, and political intrigues.

“Korea is now internally divided into two major groups.”

“Split in two?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The Korean royal family and some officials who wish to provide us with assistance, and the Korean military and cabinet who oppose this and demand strict neutrality.”

Sazanov kindly explained to the Tsar why the military and the cabinet were so vehemently opposed to sending troops, as this was connected to the intentions of Witte, who had been entrusted as plenipotentiary at the Treaty of Portsmouth.

“Their confrontation is ultimately tied to the issue of stabilizing South Manchuria. In any case, we need to give strength to the Korean emperor who is calling for war, saying that he will repay the favor he received from us, even though he has set some outrageous conditions.”

“But how are we going to get them to join the war? Didn’t you say that the cabinet and the military are staunchly opposed to it?”

“Perhaps we can find a way out here. But the Tsar must be determined… … .”

“I’ll listen and then decide.”

He didn’t like the Tsar’s answer, but he pretended to think about it for a moment. Then he took a deep breath as if he had made up his mind, stood upright in front of the Tsar, and spoke.

He also had the intention of making the Korean government pay a price for annoying the Russian Empire. It was like some sort of pecking order.

“What the Japanese cabinet offered us this time was simple and clear. They wanted us to sell them the entire Kwantung Province in exchange for preserving the value of the collapsing ruble and paying for supplies needed for the front line.”

“If you’re talking about Guandong Province, do you mean Lushun and Dalian?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Tsar frowned. No matter how much he hated the Korean government that was watching his liver, it was nothing compared to Japan. They were always potential enemies targeting Russia’s Far East.

“But it seems like it would give them a chance to breathe. I don’t feel like it.”

The Tsar vaguely remembered what the Minister of the Navy had said. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance, which had seemed destined to fizzle out since the last war, had not collapsed, but rather had developed more closely.

It was a natural necessity, but it was a mutual need. Britain needed Japan, who had driven Russia into a crisis, even though she had been defeated. They were as desperate as they had been defeated in the war, so they readily accepted the leash offered by Britain, and in this way the British gentleman was able to obtain a watchdog to represent his interests in the Far East.

And in return, Japan received a very generous offer from Britain, including a deferral of urgent loan payments and, most importantly, a large fleet of naval battleships. Thanks to this, Japan was able to maintain its title as having the strongest fleet in Asia.

“I know nothing about military affairs, but if we hand over all of Kwantung Province to them, Korea will be completely surrounded.”

The Tsar also raised concerns about another point: that this might create a new security threat for the Korean Empire, and furthermore, it might even lead to a threat to the Russian Empire.

Moreover, this problem might have caused resentment in the Korean Empire, which was forced to cooperate even more closely with Russia, which was retreating from the Far East.

“We must be careful about this issue. It is also true that it is risky to treat our traditional allies in the Far East in this way.”

“But think of it differently, Your Majesty. Two dogs want one big piece of meat that we have. But one of them listens to us and wags its tail, while the other, perhaps because it is full, is not as loyal as before.”

“Then, surely that piece of meat-”

“You are wise, Your Majesty. That is exactly it. We must sell Kwantung Province to Japan at this moment, not to Korea, on a grand scale. Only then can we stimulate Korea, which is hesitating, and move in the way we want.”

He spoke as he looked out over the entire Guandong Province. Originally, 100,000 troops had been deployed there, but now only a quarter of his troops remained.

And by 1916, the Minister of War said, even the remaining troops would have to be sent to the Western Front.

“For us, Russia, the preservation of Kwantungism is no longer a problem. The Galician front is at a crossroads, whether it will collapse or not.”

Sazanov said with a stern expression. He intended to put chains on Korea, which was being greedy and disobedient, just as Britain had put chains on Japan.

But this method was to be continued in a very Russian way, unlike that of the English, who were scheming, intriguing, and skilled in swindling, or the French, who were vain and showy.

“We have to force them to support us. We have to let them know our position, as they do not understand the subject and keep increasing their value.”

“Is that connected to handing over Kwantung Province?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, think carefully. Since the Treaty of Portsmouth in 1904, the defense treaty between Russia and Korea has been dissolved, while Japan has formed the Russo-Japanese Alliance on the occasion of this war.”

As early as 1915, the two countries signed a secret alliance.

Although the target was a limited, temporary alliance against Germany, Sazanov thought that it did not matter. They desperately needed an ally like Japan, who was willing to supply them with weapons and supplies.

“Then we must make Korea aware of this fact here. If we are going to give up the Far East, which will be difficult to maintain after the war anyway, we must show that we will give priority to a ‘real ally’ who is more useful to us.”

He emphasized the word “alliance” when he spoke. His words were quite credible, based on information that 5% of the artillery and 10% of the infantry already deployed on the entire front were being supplemented with equipment and supplies imported from Japan.

“If that happens, won’t Korea fall to the Teutonic Order?”

“That won’t happen. I believe that the Korean government is neither stupid nor emotional to that extent. Rather, compared to our government, there are many people who make rational decisions to the point of being cold.

Sazanov said with a bitter laugh. Well, that’s what the Russian ambassador to Korea said. The Korean Empire was a system maintained by an emotional imperial family and a rational cabinet and military that checked and restrained each other.

“And this will also help to reorganize the Far East issue after the war. If we divide Manchuria between Korea, our traditional ally in the Far East, and Japan, which is seeking to improve relations due to this war, we will be able to achieve a certain balance.”

“But what if the Korean government refuses to intervene?”

The Tsar asked cautiously. He asked with a voice that suggested something was off, but Sazanov’s answer when he returned was firm.

“At that time, we just have to hand over all of South Manchuria to Japan and receive more supplies and funds.”

“… I don’t feel like carrying the luggage. Still, I feel sorry for the Koreans who fought and shed blood together with me.”

“Your Majesty, look at the situation at the front with a cool head. It is a matter of life or death for our two-headed eagle. Forget the friendship of ten years ago. One thing is certain: if we do not act now, they will use us to demand more.”