Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 144



Only Noblemtl

#144. World’s collide (5)

“Minister, the Korean embassy has requested a meeting.”

“suddenly?”

“I think it’s because of the Far East issue.”

Foreign Minister Delcasse looked puzzled, but quickly understood after hearing what his staff had to say.

The Korean Empire was suddenly put in a pinch during the negotiations between Russia and Japan taking place in the Far East.

That’s probably why I came here asking for help.

Unfortunately, the French Republic was too weak to help them, but the story needed to be heard.

If it is a story that suits France’s national interests, a tolerant attitude that fully listens to even the most clamorous stories from small countries is always necessary.

“Ah, Construction. It seems like it’s been a while since I last saw you, since the inauguration.”

“Mr. Foreign Minister, this is an urgent matter.”

Hong Jong-woo, the Korean Empire’s ambassador to France, skipped even the greeting and sat down immediately, sweating profusely without even being invited.

Then he asked if there was any cold water, and when the clerk brought him a cup, he drank it without even taking a breath.

After catching his breath for a moment, he looked at Delcasse and said.

“You must prevent a war between Russia and Japan. Things are moving quickly.”

“It’s a bit embarrassing to suddenly bring up this topic, but it’s not that we don’t know him. But Japan won’t attack Russia, right….”

“These are the data confirmed by our military intelligence agency. They were transmitted from our home country, so please take a look for yourself.”

Delcase looked at the French translation of the documents he had handed him. They were quite detailed and confidential documents.

The Japanese military’s plan to increase military power, fleet reinforcement project, and military expenditure chart were all trending upward.

“Their spearheads are pointed at Russia. And they have every confidence and real basis to believe that they can wage war and win. As you know, Minister, aren’t Russia and France allies?”

“That may be true, but would Japan really attack Russia?”

“There will be more than enough. Japan’s power in the Far East is greater than Russia’s power. If France does not mediate, Japan, backed by Britain, will attack Russia. Then the peace of Europe will be shattered.”

“That is an exaggerated delusion, sir. The threat of war in the Far East cannot disturb the peace of Europe.”

“If a real war breaks out, you will be in trouble. Our very existence will be threatened.”

I think his name was Hong Jong-woo, and his French was quite fluent. He was said to be the first Korean to study abroad in France, so he was no ordinary person.

Minister Delcasse felt like meeting him in private rather than on official business.

The French language is inversely proportional to the mystique of the Orient. Even though I was busy with work, if I had sat down, I would have had a drink somewhere nice.

“As you know, England-”

As if he had anticipated what Delcasse would say, Hong Jong-woo immediately interjected. He knew it was rude, but he thought he would understand given the time constraints at this point.

“They are at war with the Transvaal Republic in South Africa. But they will end the war within a year. They have mobilized a huge army of over half a million men and have taken over the entire Transvaal, so resistance will be quickly suppressed. Now the question is what happens next. Will Britain, having settled the South African issue, leave the Far Eastern issue alone?”

“Are you asking us to intervene in Far Eastern affairs?”

“If Japan and Britain join forces to destroy your ally, Russia, won’t there be many more difficult situations in the future? Minister, the biggest axis that has been keeping the German Empire in check could collapse.”

It was a passing grade in that it was a small country in the East and had such knowledge of the current situation in Europe. So it must have been trying its best to survive by exploiting the gap.

“Hmm, but it’s true that I can’t completely believe it. Your intentions are clearly mixed up···.”

“My country is on the verge of destruction by war, so why should I lie to you? Only the French Republic can overcome the present crisis.”

He seemed to be in a hurry. Foreign Minister Delcasse decided to listen to his story further.

“The recent ominous state of the German Empire has reached the Korean Empire in the Far East. In such a situation, if your ally Russia loses its military power in a war with Japan….”

“The siege on the German Empire is lifted, is that it?”

Hong Jong-woo nodded silently.

“But the Russian Empire is huge, and it has a fleet that is second only to Britain and our France. No matter how strong Japan becomes….”

“Whether Japan or Russia wins this war, it will be a loss for both sides. If Japan wins, Russia’s forces will naturally withdraw, which will not only deter Germany, but also further widen the gap in naval power with Britain due to the recent Fashoda incident.”

“Why is it a loss for us when Russia wins?”

“They will expand their power in the Far East in the aftermath of their victory. I believe you understand what I mean.”

Minister Delcasse felt as if something big had fallen on his mind.

It was one of the scenarios France most avoided.

Instead of Russia cooperating with France in Europe and keeping Germany in check, it is turning its energies to advancing into the Far East, becoming a mere presence.

So, when we lent 500 million francs in loans, we looked at the Far East with a critical eye.

However, since they had a lot to be sorry about, they didn’t say anything special.

If Russia wins the war against Japan and advances into the Far East, including Manchuria, France will be in trouble.

Germany’s strategy of isolating France and, conversely, encircling them from both the east and west may be completely destroyed.

“And Russia will suffer the aftereffects of overextension… and it will not be easy to escape from it. Then the French Republic will return to the situation it was in the early 1880s. France will be isolated in Europe.”

If that happens, France’s foreign policy will return to square one after 20 years. And while the German Empire’s power has become much stronger than it was 20 years ago, France’s has not.

It was a time of great turmoil, from the extreme domestic political turmoil represented by the Dreyfus Affair, to the rebuilding of the navy due to the rise of the Young School, to the collapse of the trans-Africa policy due to the Fashoda Affair, and various scandals.

If France fought Germany one-on-one now, it would lose.

This was certain.

The belligerent military clamored for revenge for the humiliations of 1871, but Delcasse knew that it was not France, but an alliance centered around France, that could stop the maddened Prussian war machine.

“What are your intentions for returning to your country?”

“It is for survival and the protection of sovereignty. If war breaks out now, our country will inevitably suffer great damage. Minister Delcasse, please mediate between them yourself. There is no need to risk the war in Asia spreading to the European mainland.”

The logic of the Korean Empire’s public works was firm.

If a war between Russia and Japan cannot be prevented, France will suffer great losses regardless of who wins.

If Russia won, they would have to focus on the Far East, and if Japan won, the collapse of Russia would mean the loss of the most important force to check Germany. In addition, there was the problem of the colonies in Indochina being in danger.

“Anyway, if war breaks out, only Germany will be happy.”

“Britain will also be thrilled. One of the two fleets, the French Oriental Fleet and the Russian Pacific Fleet, which had been overwhelmingly superior to their naval forces in East Asia, will be destroyed or damaged and will be unable to operate for a while, which may put even more pressure on you···.”

For Delcasse, it was a nightmare. Britain was untrustworthy, Germany was loathsome but difficult to defeat.

In the end, he had to choose as the Foreign Minister of the French Republic. He could not bring further chaos to the still chaotic French Republic.

“I will consider intervention positively.”

“Please give me a definite answer. Our Emperor has also sent a personal letter to His Excellency the President of the French Republic. You must intervene. Otherwise, not only Asia but all of Europe may be engulfed in war.”

Hong Jong-woo put a lot of pressure on Delcasse. If they were not interested in the Far East, the basic strategy was to make them interested.

When the military chief sent a secret telegram from his home country, he almost fainted, but he had to come forward shamelessly for his country. If he brought up Germany, the object of the French people’s fear and hatred, they would not think lightly.

“Understood. I will urgently contact your country and our ambassadors in Qing.”

And that strategy worked.

It was refreshing to see Delcas hastily directing the Foreign Ministry staff and seeing the arrogant high-ranking officials of the Ministry floundering.

Yes, we must move quickly and save our allies.

Hong Jong-woo stood up from his seat, once again impressed by the insight of the Military Affairs Bureau chief.

Now the French Republic will begin to move faster than ever before.

***

“I am General Kim In-su, a secret envoy sent by the Emperor of the Korean Empire.”

“Nice to meet you. Thank you for coming all this way.”

The Lushun fleet also received a secret envoy from the Korean Empire in a hurry.

They said that an official ship from the Korean Empire government would soon arrive in Port Arthur, and they sent quite a large vessel.

The emperor’s closest aides came all the way here in person.

Although he was superior in rank to Vice Admiral Stark, the commander of the Port Arthur Fleet, he politely welcomed the envoy of the Emperor of the Korean Empire.

He was supposed to meet with Admiral Alexeyev, the Governor-General of the Far East, but he was currently away. That’s why the second-highest commander, Vice Admiral Stark, greeted him.

“What’s going on?”

“His Majesty the Emperor is curious about the intentions of the Commander of the Lushun Fleet, Zuo Xia.”

“Hmm? What is the main office’s intention?”

Speaking fluent Russian, Chief In-su Kim handed him the letter he had brought.

It is a secret letter sent to him directly by the Emperor of the Korean Empire.

“It’s about whether you can send troops to us in case of emergency.”

“His Majesty is concerned about what is happening. If the Russian Empire abandons us and retreats to Manchuria-”

“That will never happen. Why would we give up on returning home?”

“His Majesty the Emperor would like to hear a definitive answer from the Commander-in-Chief on that matter.”

What the Emperor of the Korean Empire wanted to know was whether the Russian army in Port Arthur would intervene in the event of a Japanese invasion of the Korean Peninsula.

Although the home country had not yet established a full-scale plan for such a case, there was an order from the Governor-General of the Far East, Admiral Alexeev.

It was an order to dispatch one regiment and a flotilla to Hanseong if requested by the Korean Empire.

It would have been a matter of outrage if the War Department or the Navy Ministry at home had known about it, but the home country was far away and Admiral Alexeyev was close by.

“By order of the Governor-General of the Far East, if you request it, I can send a ground regiment and a small fleet to Jemulpo and Hansung. Furthermore, although negotiations with Japan are currently underway, the home country will reject their demands. So don’t worry too much.”

Lieutenant General Stark responded to the envoy of the Emperor of the Korean Empire, following the orders of the Governor-General of the Far East.

“If that is so, then fortunately, it is true that your country’s recent movements have been unusual. Not only His Majesty the Emperor, but also the political world and the people are all trembling in fear. Are they trying to sacrifice themselves to the evil dragon and plot to take over Manchuria?”

“Our Russian Empire is not a mean nation that betrays its faith like the British Empire. I promise this to you with manly honor. If any trouble comes to your country, Vice Admiral Stark, Commander of the Lushun Fleet of the Russian Empire, will appear at Jemulpo with his fleet and ground forces.”

He shouted confidently. It was an unbearable tyranny for those island monkeys to dare to touch the Far Eastern kingdom that the Tsar himself wanted to protect. The Russian Empire was not like that mean British Empire.

Wasn’t it a country of saints who saved princesses from evil dragons, like the country of St. George? In order to protect the utopia of the Great Russian Empire, he thought it was necessary to save this poor and pitiful Korean Empire.

Only then did Chief In-soo Kim look satisfied with his boast.

“A distinguished guest has arrived today. Why don’t you attend the congratulatory party?”

“I appreciate the invitation, but His Majesty the Emperor is anxiously awaiting the appointment of the Commander-in-Chief. Even if it is a bit difficult, I must return immediately.”

Admiral Kim In-soo politely declined Vice Admiral Stark’s invitation and headed back to the official ship he had come aboard. After he left, the fleet’s adjutant cautiously asked him.

“Admiral, can I make such a promise to the Korean Empire’s secret envoy? This has not yet been handed down from the home country…”

“Realistically, if we abandon them, the Lushun Fleet will be trapped in this narrow space. Do you want to follow the Beiyang Fleet?”

For practical reasons as well, Lieutenant General Stark needed the Korean Empire.

Before taking command of the Port Arthur Fleet, he studied the war between the Qing and Japan in 1894–1895, particularly the end of the Beiyang Fleet.

Their defeat was due to their passive fleet operation and the early loss of the Korean Peninsula.

The ports of Jemulpo and Gunsan on the Korean Peninsula were the best military ports available to the Japanese Navy, as they could serve as controllable bases to prevent the fleets north of the 39th parallel from escaping.

Even now, Russia and Japan are still growling over Jemulpo, and the Japanese navy still operates a military telegraph line in Gunsan Port to monitor the Russian fleet in Port Arthur.

With the combined fleet stationed at Gunsan Port, they effectively blockaded the Beiyang Fleet, the strongest fleet in Asia.

Of course, their movements were also influenced by the passive actions of Li Hongzhang, who did not want the war to escalate.

The conclusion was simple: control of the Korean Peninsula’s waters and land would ensure the safety of Port Arthur, the operational capabilities of the Pacific Fleet, and, by extension, the safety of all Russian forces in the Far East.

“We still need the Korean Empire. As long as we control Lushun, our reality is that we cannot and must not abandon the Korean Empire.”

“But wouldn’t it be problematic to make a promise without an order from the home country?”

“Don’t worry.”

He dismissed his adjutant’s concerns.

“The Tsar is on our side.”

With the hardliners at home raising their voices, it was clear that the Tsar would understand their actions.

Although the Foreign Minister expressed great concern about the adventurous tendencies of local commanders, there was no need to listen to such cowards.

War is not for cowards like that, it’s for the people on the front lines.