A POLITICAL HISTORY OF JAPAN DURING THE MEIJI ERA 18671912 PREFACE
AT no time since the Ru, sso Japanese War has the interest in
Japans foreign policy been so widespread as at present., and
seldom, if ever, has it been more difficult to comprehend Far
Eastern affairs. In 1904 and 1905 the sympathy of the whole
Anglo-Saxon world was given unreservedly to the Japanese in their
struggle with Russia, mainly because it was popularly, though
erroneously, believed that they were engaged in a quixotic
enterprise, the aim 1 of which was to defend the integrity of China
and preserve the independence of Korea against the aggressive
designs of the Colossus of Northern Europe. But during the past
decade that judgment has been reversed, and the combat is now
regarded as having been a war of expansion, upon the part of Japan
no less than that of Russia. Korea and the three Eastern provinces
had been the prey of Russia, but as a result of the war they became
the quarry, of Japan. In what other light are subsequent events the
annexation of Korea and the consolidation of Japans interests in
Manchuria to be interpreted Ever since September 1914 Japans action
as a member of the Entente Allies group has been shrouded in
mystery. The military expedition against Kiao chau obviously was
undertaken by the Japanese in order to rid themselves and their
allies of the menace of a German naval base in the Pacific, But why
was the successful issue of that exploit followed almost imme
diately by an attempt to settle their differences with China And
why were the Japanese tertns presented at Peking so ambiguously
worded that for the time 5 Preface being it was impossible to tell
exactly what they were Why was anultimatum forwarded, and backed up
by a display of force And why did the Japanese Government at the
very last moment withdraw the most objectionable group of its
demands These questions and m ny others of similar import were
asked in almost every capital of the Western world, but no
satisfactory answers were forthcoming from responsible authorities.
In the House of Commons Sir Edward Grey said no more than that to
the best of his knowledge no accurate version of the Japanese
demands had been published. Was it that he did not know what they
were at the time he spoke and had not been consulted or informed by
the Japanese Foreign Office before the drive aglainst China had
been initiated The State Department at Washington issued a brief
statement to the effect that Japans action involved no breach of
the existing treaties, a note which if not particularly informing
was at least reassuring. Why was the British Foreign Secretary even
less ex plicit Had the Japanese Government violated the spirit of
the Anglo-Japanese Alliance If not, then the British Government
must have approved all of Japans demands, Group V as well as the
others. In Japan itself there was almost as great uncertainty as to
the significance of the Cabinets action at Peking. Were the demands
and the ultimatum 1 merely a device to win the support of a
chauvinistic nation for the Government, a pre-election policy to be
discarded as soon as it had served its purpose, or was it an
outcome of the stampeding of the Cabinet by its strong policy
members Some countenance is lent the former hypothesis by the fact
that as soon as the election campaign had terminated successfully
for the Government the drive upon China slackened but ifthis
interpretation be accepted, then why did the Cabinet, even though
it enjoyed the support of a majority of the members of the Lower
House, resign a few months later Was Count Okumas resigna-6 Preface
tion the consequence of his foreign policy, or of the bribery
scandal which involved one of the members of his Cabinet, Baron
Oura, the Minister of Agricul ture and Commerce If the former, who
exerted the pressure Certainly not the people, for there were no
popular demonstrations of hostility against the Governments Chinese
policy, in Tokyo or elsewhere...
General
Imprint: |
Kessinger Publishing Co
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
November 2007 |
First published: |
November 2007 |
Authors: |
Walter Wallace McLaren
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152 x 22mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
380 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-548-77172-3 |
Categories: |
Books >
Humanities >
History >
General
Books >
History >
General
|
LSN: |
0-548-77172-3 |
Barcode: |
9780548771723 |
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