Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 186



Only Noblemtl

#186. The Road to War (6)

Inside Hanseongbu, chaos reigned. On October 12, Japan’s ultimatum arrived, and it took less than half a day for the news of Japan’s preparations to declare war on Russia and Korea to spread throughout Hanseongbu from the diplomatic circles in Jeongdong.

High-ranking officials were busy packing their bags for evacuation, diplomats were rushing to meet foreign ministers, and sailors and marines from each country that had landed in Jemulpo were marching to protect the embassy.

Immediately after the coup, the military and officials began to argue fiercely over whether or not they should declare war.

Officers of the Marshal’s Office and the military department argued that there was no time to delay since Japan’s hostile actions had already been discovered and diplomatic severance had been declared not only with the Korean Empire but also with Russia, but officials who had studied abroad in France and other countries thought differently.

Their logic was that, unlike the war with China, the war with Russia would be a war with a European power and so a formal declaration of war would be made in a “gentlemanly” manner, and accordingly, when Russia declared war on Japan, we would do the same.

He said that declaring war while Japan had not yet taken full-scale military action against Russia would cause unimaginable problems later.

Of course, I supported the idea that Japan would wage war without declaring war. From a diplomatic standpoint, it would be right to declare war, but they would launch a cowardly surprise attack in order to enjoy the effect of strategic surprise, and I had even said that it would take place in Jemulpo, no matter what form it took.

And so time passed and it became 2:00 AM on October 15th.

The cabinet and the staff of the Marshal’s Office, exhausted from the continuous meetings and deliberation on countermeasures, were busy gathering information in the war room, smoking cigarettes.

“What’s the situation in Jemulpo?”

“Four Japanese battalions have landed, and two more battalions are currently preparing to land. The 3rd Brigade is there blocking any attempt by the Japanese to enter Hanseong.”

“Look, Japan has no intention of going to war against us yet. For now, we need to keep open the possibility of a diplomatic solution.”

“Well, the reason they haven’t taken military action yet is because their forces in the Jemulpo area are smaller in number and have weaker firepower than ours.”

About 20,000 soldiers were deployed to defend Jemulpo, including the 3rd Brigade and artillery and civilian troops conscripted from the area, but the Japanese forces that had landed in Jemulpo at that time were only about 4,000.

They may think that they are much weaker than them, but seeing that there are five times as many troops waiting in front of the well-prepared defensive positions, no one would dare to attack.

But it was only a matter of time before our still superior powers would be turned against them.

“But that’s only for a moment. Once the 12th Division advance guard arrives, it’s over. I don’t know for sure, but the situation is getting serious, so if we put our minds to it, we could send reinforcements from Yokohama to Jemulpo in a day or two and still have some left over.”

The distance between Korea and Japan was much shorter than expected. It was clear that Japan would immediately deploy troops toward Jemulpo, Busan, and Wonsan.

“And the Japanese Empire is a ‘rational lunatic’ who has enough of that kind of mind. They will definitely maintain their rationality even in the midst of madness and lead it in a way that is as advantageous to them as possible.”

And the 48-hour grace period suggested by the Japanese government would mean the time needed for the troops to arrive at Jemulpo.

“Then what do you want to do, sir?”

In response to Lee Beom-jin’s question, which seemed a bit irritated by the frustrating situation, I told him about the things we would soon face.

“It is not too late to declare war on Japan. The 48-hour grace period they have proposed is the time needed for the Japanese army and navy in Yokohama and Sasebo to deploy to Jemulpo, and there are now 12 hours left. The situation will change drastically by noon tomorrow.”

I said, taking out my pocket watch. The Japanese advance brigade would be joining forces with the Korean reserve forces by tomorrow afternoon at the latest.

“ha···.”

Lee Beom-jin would probably be going crazy too. I can understand his position. In accordance with the official declaration of war by the Russian Empire, the best thing to see at the moment would be for us to participate in their war based on the defense treaty.

However, in the event of war, where all the irrationality comes together, it seems that this rationality is still lacking. They will not give us such an opportunity or time.

“Have you talked to the French Republic and the German Empire?”

On the right, Minister of the Interior Sim Sang-hoon asked. However, Lee Beom-jin shook his head and showed a negative response.

“They only express sympathy for us on the eve of war, but neither the French Republic nor the German Empire can provide much help.”

“Then that’s right···.”

Lee Beom-jin seemed to have pinned some hope on the 1901 Great Compromise, but the interested parties at the time were unlikely to maintain that stance. France was trying to avoid confrontation with Britain.

In particular, they decided to cautiously watch the situation in the Far East, fearing that Germany would strike them from behind, and furthermore, they had ordered the military advisory group currently dispatched to Korea to unilaterally terminate their contracts and return to their home country starting this month.

Germany had been forced into the fray by the Kaiser’s reckless actions, but it seemed determined not to do anything foolish that might end up costing its leader.

Of course, diplomatically, they expressed concern about Japan’s military operations on the Korean Peninsula, but that was all.

“Until they take full-scale military action, we have no choice but to maintain the status quo.”

“So, aren’t we having a meeting right now, Commissioner?”

“If time is delayed, they will become stronger and will pressure Hanseongbu faster.”

I decided to speak to the cabinet members and the staff of the Marshal’s Office. They listened with interest and fear for what was about to happen.

“We must diminish the effects of strategic and tactical surprise before they can take advantage of it. Only then can we disrupt their well-planned plans.”

The idea that the game is not about winning, but about making the other person angry suddenly came to mind. In the huge game that Japan was going to play against Russia, our Korean Empire needed to ruin Japan’s game from the very beginning.

“So we must declare war on Japan now. If the Japanese army reinforces Jemulpo, there will be nothing we can do.”

“···Are you saying that our army should attack the Japanese army in Jemulpo now?”

“Yes. We must strike at the enemy at Jemulpo. If the enemy allows the Korean garrison and the 12th Division advance guard to join forces, the roles expected in the Hanseongbu and Gyeonggi-do areas will all go down the drain.”

To be exact, the operational plans that had to be attempted in the Hanseongbu and Gyeonggi-do areas were deeply related to this.

The place where regular warfare, battlefields with front lines, and battles between lines and districts would take place was not Hanseongbu and the Three South Provinces, but the lands north of Imjin.

Therefore, guerrilla warfare represented by guerrilla warfare had to be waged here in Hanseongbu, and the role had to be given to directly threatening the Japanese military’s supply line extending through the Gyeongin Road and disrupting their military rule.

However, the Emperor was fooled by Japan’s trickery, and as Japan headed toward war four months earlier than expected, the guerrilla warfare situation in the Gyeonggi Province area was still far from satisfactory.

“The best course of action would be to mobilize the 3rd Brigade deployed to defend the Gyeongin Road, and the Guards Division and Assault Infantry Regiment in Hanseongbu to wipe out the Japanese forces in the Jemulpo area.”

I moved the long-term markers on the map, the blue friendly markers indicating brigades and regiments on the Hansung and Gyeongin maps, to Jemulpo.

“Now is the time, gentlemen. The Japanese army has not yet arrived in full force, and two battalions of the Korean army are also busy disembarking. There are only four battalions in the city of Jemulpo.”

It was a plan that could have caused considerable damage, but it was worth going ahead with despite the risks.

Because eliminating the enemy’s bridgehead or not was a very important factor in determining the direction of the war.

And if we could organize the four battalions that had landed and the two battalions that were just disembarking and defeat them individually before the advance party arrived, it was clear that this would have a great effect in the long run.

“We have over 20 battalions of troops that can be deployed immediately in the direction of Jemulpo, so we must sweep them into the sea even at the risk of naval fire. Having lost their beachhead, they cannot help but be reluctant to land in Jemulpo.”

If the Korean reserve forces, which had to prepare the front line before the advance forces arrived, had collapsed and been annihilated, the Japanese army would have clearly chosen Busan and Gunsan, the closest and safest landing sites, rather than Jemulpo.

If that were to happen, it would be possible to expect that they would be able to gain time by giving up territory as part of their internal strategy. In addition, it would be possible to greatly restrict the strategic/tactical actions of the Japanese military.

“Besides, it’s Jemulpo, close to Hanseongbu. If we deal them a crushing blow at Jemulpo, they will inevitably be cowed. Now is the time.”

“If you say so… do you have any good plans?”

The new chief of staff, Lee Do-jae, asked me if my opinion was of interest. And I answered his question confidently.

“Of course. There is no need to mobilize a large number of troops at once. We can use the railway to move the assault infantry battalion behind enemy lines.”

I was planning a mobile operation, one that would utilize the railways, and use this as a basis to subdue the Japanese beachhead.

Since the Gyeongin Line was still functioning properly, all that was needed was to transport troops as soon as the war was declared and strike at the front and rear of the Japanese army.

I figured that maybe I could defeat them with much less damage. And everyone looked at me with puzzled expressions when I told them this story.

“By train···?”

“Yes. It only takes about 2 to 3 hours one way from Yongsan to Jemulpo. If we transport troops by rail, infiltrate our troops behind the enemy’s back, and deploy the 3rd Brigade on the Gyeongin Road to strike at both the front and rear, victory will be ours.”

It was similar to a hammer and anvil, and could also be seen as a primitive form of deep penetration.

“The enemy has only four battalions on the front line, and they will be too focused on the 3rd Brigade’s offensive to worry about our units entering via the railway.”

“Is there a reason for your judgment like that?”

“Here is the 3rd Brigade deployment map.”

I pointed to the places marked on the map with my baton and said, “Most of the companies and battalions were deployed with intention.”

“They are concentrated along the Gyeongin Highway. In particular, Juansan, where the main force of the brigade is deployed, is a place that connects Hanseong and Jemulpo, and is also a point that connects to Bupyeong, a key strategic point.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“The Japanese army is pathologically focused on the Gyeongin Highway. They know very well that if they fail to control this area, their war will be in great difficulty. If they launch an offensive there, how will they react?”

“Hmm, do you think I was caught off guard?”

“Yes, Prime Minister. If the assault infantry battalion appears in the enemy’s rear, their defenses will collapse in an instant.”

No matter how well trained the Japanese army was and how elite it was in Asia, it was uncertain whether it would be able to put up a tactically meaningful level of resistance when faced with unexpected attacks from the front and rear.

“If we gradually deploy troops, annihilate the remaining Japanese forces inside Jemulpo, and prepare a defensive posture, we will have to suffer quite a bit when the 12th Division’s advance unit lands.”

At times like this, I thought how great it would be if there was something like a train cannon, but I decided to be grateful that the railway was properly constructed and in use.

Everyone was baffled by my half-crazy opinion.

It was 2 AM, and while the two of them, both exhausted, were talking about how it wasn’t a bad idea to set the mood, someone on the other side cautiously raised his hand.

“I, Mr. Turnip.”

When I turned my head, the director in charge of the Railway Bureau under the Ministry of Agriculture, Commerce, and Industry was looking at the people around him, but he looked at me with an expression that said he had to make this one thing clear.

“I think you need to reconsider your plan.”

“What do you mean, Railroad Director?”

“I can travel from Yongsan to Jemulpo in 2~3 hours, but the preparation process is not easy. First of all, it takes more than an hour just to start the steam locomotive, and it takes at least another hour to connect the passenger cars and send them to Yongsan.”

He spoke cautiously but with a certain confidence. The railway director was a far more expert in this field, and he pointed out each and every difficulty in the operation I had devised.

“Besides, the locomotive drivers have no experience moving at night, which is highly unusual. So all the locomotives in Yongsan are currently out of action, and even if we send the troops and supplies to Yongsan on time, loading them onto the passenger cars is a separate issue.”

I felt like I had been hit hard on the back of my head with something at this point. The pallets that could easily carry shells and supplies during my military service, and the cranes that could load them, were definitely out of the question at this time.

“Is there any vehicle available right now?”

The director seemed to hesitate for a moment in response to Deputy Director Lee Do-jae’s question, then looked at the program schedule he had and gave an answer on the spot.

“I guess I’ll have to check the available formations myself to know for sure, but how many troops exactly will be moving?”

“There are roughly 600 people. The current situation is urgent, so let’s say that even if we leave out the field guns, we should bring the heavy machine guns.”

“If it’s to that extent, at least two formations will have to be mobilized just to send people. If it’s machine guns, then two more formations of freight trains will be needed. It will require four rounds of transport each way, so there’s a high chance that we won’t be able to send them all in time.”

I had my doubts, but when I saw the train configuration he presented, I understood right away.

“This little thing can’t pull that many vehicles at once.”

“······.”

Since the locomotive itself was originally small, its ability to transport troops and cargo was clearly different from that of modern times. There was no room now to compensate for the time loss that occurred in areas that were neither thought of nor even cared about.

“I doubt we can send them all with four trains, but if we can’t send them all with that, we have to organize the trains in a round trip. If we send the trains one way, we can run them with alternating departures with a 30-minute gap, but if we send them in a round trip, we have to handle the signals and switches at each station ourselves. If we’re not careful, there’s a chance that the trains will collide, which could be a tragedy.”

The atmosphere quickly sank as he spoke. The hope that we might be able to turn the momentum of the first war to our side was dashed by immediate technical limitations and practical problems.

However, field army commanders who agreed with my opinion acknowledged the basic premise that ‘we must launch a surprise attack immediately after declaring war and eliminate the bridgehead.’

Accordingly, various opinions about a preemptive strike began to exchange inside the war room, and inversely, time continued to run out.