Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 339



Only Noblemtl

#339. Portsmouth and the End of the War (3)

“How was your conversation with the Joseon guys?”

“They are tougher than cow tendons. They say there will be no peace talks unless there is an unconditional withdrawal.”

“I expected it, but it’s much worse. Are we really the ones who have been left behind for the past several decades?”

Ito frowned, perhaps because of the acrid smell of cigarette smoke in the break room, or because of the reality that was not going as he wanted. The peace terms that had been prepared in anticipation of the war ending with the capture of Lushun were too much.

“To be honest, the very clause that Korea must be completely included in Japan’s interests is unreasonable. How can that work for those who completely destroyed our military on the peninsula?”

“···It will be difficult.”

The Japanese military on the peninsula front was completely destroyed, with dozens of high-ranking officers, including colonels and above, being captured.

Although Kuroki and Hasegawa were still barely holding on, they were already classified as almost out of action.

In this situation, Japan could not unconditionally stick to its conditions.

Even President Roosevelt had already for the first time abandoned his support for the Japanese claim that the victor of the Russo-Japanese War should have exclusive control over Korea.

The problem was that public opinion toward Korea was growing considerably in the House of Representatives as well as the Senate.

These Americans, who supported liberalism even in trade, now had a sense of moral superiority over Korea, which was fighting for freedom, and even Roosevelt, who was acting self-righteously like a “cowboy,” could not help but listen to their voices.

“Besides, Roosevelt is drawing a line with us on the Manchurian issue.”

The United States, which had recently intervened in numerous international disputes and taken on the role of mediator or policeman, was unwilling to recognize the exclusive status of any one country in Manchuria.

“That way, they can leave room for themselves to intervene in the Manchurian issue. You sly bastards.”

It was to the point that immediately after the Battle of Port Arthur, President Roosevelt summoned the Japanese ambassador to the United States and said that the responsibility for maintaining order in Manchuria after the war should be handed over to the Qing army and that all troops should withdraw.

Although the Japanese government strongly protested this, his response was quite quick and cold-hearted.

This was a terrible pressure that if they continued to ignore their considerations in this way, they would have no choice but to reconsider Japan’s war bonds.

The US and UK were still buying Japanese bonds to keep Japan afloat, so if they had stopped selling them and demanded a sudden repayment, the Japanese Empire’s economy would have collapsed irreversibly.

“If we keep going like this, we won’t be able to accomplish anything.”

“Since both Roske and Joseon are so hard-line, we can’t achieve our goal. We won’t even discuss returning the territory, unless we withdraw unconditionally.”

He said this while gulping down water, as if he was feeling suffocated. Then he heard an example and started to groan.

“···It would be nice if the Imperial Navy could do something.”

“They are running low on fuel, Count.”

Although the Imperial Navy was still intact, its fleet was unable to advance onto the land and plant its flag.

Moreover, it was difficult to gain the upper hand in the current situation where Roske’s grand fleet was still alive.

The combined fleet was in a situation where it could not maintain a fight at an advantageous position against them, which had grown to over 30 warships and a crew of 14,000.

The 1 million tonnes of anthracite coal from Cardiff, which had already been supported by Britain, was also running out.

Even the high-quality anthracite coal from the Sadong coal mine, which was obtained with great difficulty after occupying Pyongyang, was now unavailable.

That’s because the whole place was taken back by the Joseon bastards.

In the end, for present-day Japan, the fleet was closer to a shield than a spear.

Due to the lack of fuel, they were unable to maintain their mobility, and even then, they were barely able to maintain the combined fleet by reducing the amount of supplies to civilians, so the economic loss was doubling with each passing day.

Ultimately, it meant that they could not fully carry out their will with limited military means alone.

“···Relax the reinforcement conditions.”

“Yes? Count, but if you do that, public opinion in the country will completely change. The cabinet may even be shaken.”

“Otherwise, the terms of the dialogue itself are impossible. We’ll have to make some concessions. Diplomacy is a game where the one who wants everything loses. It’s a game where you inevitably give something away and receive something in return.”

Ito said, scribbling something on a piece of paper.

Gomura looked at him like that and saw what was written on the paper.

The solution Ito came up with was close to being an extension of the Great Compromise of 1901.

“Report this to your home country. This is the only way for now.”

“···I guess there’s no choice.”

“Rather than allowing the Roske to grow bigger, it might be better for us if Joseon could survive as an independent nation for a while. If the enemy is too strong, it might be better to tear them apart.”

Ito began to return to the negotiating table, leaning on his cane.

Then he smiled bitterly and said to Gomura.

“We have to start over. This war without gunfire. The military failed in this war, but shouldn’t we end it?”

‘It’s the end···.’

Gomura felt that there was something wrong with Ito’s words.

The military’s movements were unusual, and the end of this war would ultimately lead to the beginning of another.

I don’t know what the consequences will be, but it will likely leave a deep scar on the Japanese Empire’s society, economy, politics, and even culture for decades to come.

“···Understood, Count. Let’s go again.”

Still, only by somehow bringing it to a good conclusion could the collapse of the Japanese Empire be prevented.

Even if the cabinet is overturned once or twice, it will not collapse, but if the imperial system itself collapses, it will be uncontrollable.

***

“Hmm, a return to the 1901 compromise… That part is quite refreshing. The other proposals are just so-so.”

“Let’s talk frankly here. Why did our Empire of Japan prepare for war with the Empire of Russia? All of this was based on mutual misunderstanding. The Treaty of Hanseong, which was supposed to maintain strict neutrality, was a problem in which both countries fiercely opposed each other in order to exert influence over the Empire of Korea, leading to war.”

Lee Beom-jin laughed at them inwardly.

It was shocking that the same people who had attempted to create a pro-Japanese puppet government in Korea and bring back a large number of exiles to stage a coup were now saying such things.

I was finally able to understand what people meant when they said I had two nostrils to breathe.

This is the conclusion that was reached after dozens of rounds of talks over the course of a full month.

“So we will also completely withdraw our troops from the Korean Peninsula and Port Arthur. In return, the Russian Empire will simultaneously withdraw its troops from the Korean Empire and guarantee its safety as a neutral country.”

“But how can we believe in your return? We, the Russian Empire, remember the naval battle at Jemulpo, which was carried out by the Japanese Empire in a mean and surprise attack. We cannot forget the tragic end of the Varyag and the Koryets.”

“Bam!” said Vite, slamming the desk down.

To them, Varyag and Koryech were already new saints and icons that emerged from the war with Japan.

They were a symbol of resistance against the vile Japanese, and also the wrath of the Russian army.

“Our Korean Empire also agrees with this in principle, but I think we need to look into it in detail. If we were to declare ourselves a neutral nation, we would also have to abolish the Korea-Russia Defense Treaty… You never talk about an alliance with Britain, do you?”

“The Korea-Russia Defense Treaty is in violation of the 1901 Korea-Seong Treaty-”

“Are you saying that the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902 was not a threat to our Korean Empire at all? How shameless of you to say such a thing. The existence of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance is the basis for the Korea-Russia Defense Treaty. Do you know how much a military alliance in the Far East creates a sense of crisis in the surrounding countries?”

Lee Beom-jin continued his argument by placing the Korea-Russia Defense Treaty and the Anglo-Japanese Alliance on the same level.

Of course, as long as the Anglo-Japanese Alliance existed, the Korean Empire had to face a situation where it was no different from being burdened with a huge obstacle to its survival. It was only because of the Korea-Russia Defense Treaty, and because of the evil alliance they spoke of, that a balance could be maintained.

“However, it is unreasonable to place the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and the Korea-Russia Defense Treaty on the same level, Your Excellency. The authority of the treaty itself is···.”

“Authority? What authority? Are you referring to the authority that your country has arbitrarily established? If so, then I cannot follow it. I agree with your opinion that we should remain a neutral nation, but as long as the Anglo-Japanese Alliance is maintained, it is impossible for us to break the defense treaty with Russia.”

Ito looked into the distance and thought to himself, ‘I’ve gotten caught up in this.’

The delegations from the three countries were engaged in a heated debate for quite some time.

“···Then what if the countries involved in the Hanseong Treaty and the United States, which mediated this negotiation, guarantee the independence and sovereignty of the Korean Empire?”

Suddenly, Secretary of State John Hay, who had been acting as a mediator, or rather as an observer to President Roosevelt, came up with a new plan.

He had been carefully studying the texts of the Treaty of San Stefano and the Treaty of Hanseong, trying to somehow connect the tense parallel lines.

“···A guarantee?”

“Yes. To be precise… Since the root of the problem that is currently entangled between the three countries is the problem of Korea, how about discussing the armistice negotiations in which, instead of abolishing the Korea-Russia Defense Treaty, the countries that participated in the Hanseong Treaty and the United States of America jointly guarantee the safety and sovereignty of the Korean Empire?”

This left everyone speechless for a moment.

To be exact, it was close to calculating each other’s profits and losses.

Russia needed to improve relations with Britain through France, Japan needed to end the threatening Russo-Korean Defense Treaty, and the Korean Empire needed protection as a sovereign state as well as massive investment for postwar reconstruction.

“Hmm···.”

“To give you an easy analogy, you can think of it as an expanded version of the 1901 Treaty of Seoul. The conditions from that time are maintained, but the United States of America is joining… and there is a small addition of a small portion of the profits from the post-war Manchurian issue.”

‘Like those perverts who believe in free trade.’

The United States also had its eyes on Manchuria.

It was clear that they were taking the same approach as they did now, because they believed that the entire Far East, including Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula, would eventually become their market.

It may be that we cannot just sit back and watch Russia monopolize the market.

“If we each take a step back and approach each other again, we may be able to achieve ultimate peace. So I think it would be good to think about our proposal as well.”

“But there is a blind spot here, Secretary of State.”

Lee Beom-jin said with a frown.

“What part is it, Your Majesty?”

“If we return to the Treaty of Hanseong, we must also take over all the treaties with the Empire of Japan that were concluded before the war. In particular, these include Japan’s priority business rights on the Gyeongbu Line, the Namro Telegraph, and the stationing of Japanese military garrisons.”

“Of course I should take over-”

“That can’t be. They were the agents of the invasion, and now we have eliminated them all with our own hands. If we allow them to come back, we will have no choice but to continue the war without any relation to the Russian Empire.”

“It would be more rational to resolve this issue through gradual negotiations···.”

“The current war is the result of the failure of that negotiation, Count Ito. Our country has already crossed the river of no return with the blood of countless soldiers at Juansan, Pyongyang, and Hamheung. We will never compromise on negotiations regarding our territory, disarmament, or surrender. If we do, our war will be passed on to our children.”

Lee Beom-jin spoke concisely, and instead proposed another condition.

That was something Ito hadn’t even thought about.

“We also demand a comprehensive revision of the unequal parts of the Ganghwa Island Treaty that has continued since 1876. Only when this is achieved will Korea and Japan be able to discuss peace on an equal footing, and at the same time, we believe that true tranquility will come to the Far East.”

“That has nothing to do with this war.”

“Why doesn’t it matter? Since that treaty, hasn’t your country been planning to make our Korean Empire into a puppet, either as a protectorate or as a being that must be annexed someday? Don’t forget that peace negotiations can only proceed when mutual respect and protection of sovereign states come first.”

Then he exchanged some words with the Russian side and then opened his mouth again.

“Of course, if this is a priority, I think we can also discuss re-discussing the Korea-Russia Defense Treaty and restoring the Korea-Seong Treaty system itself.”

“···I will personally try to persuade the government about this. Then, shall we discuss the Manchurian issue as well?”

Ito nodded and moved on to another topic without giving Gomura a chance to say anything.

Gomura looked at him with an expression as if asking what he was doing, but Ito slyly ignored him and continued his story.