China Rising - A Victoria II w/ A House Divided AAR

[OJsDad]

Thanks for the words of encouragement folks.  I'll have a new installment later tonight.

Westernising China isn't going to be as quick or easy as I thought, or as it was in vanilla.  It sounds like it will be the 1880's before I can get there. 

However, with the next update, I'll start building on a new thread to the story line.  Hope you like, and don't be afraid to provide any feedback, critism included.

[OJsDad]

25 Dec 1849

Why did the fools do this on this day of all days.  This, a day of rejoicing, peace and giving.  As Rose has done every Christmas, she was working at one of the many orphanages that see makes sure are well financed.  The Christmas meal was just being served when a group of soldiers burst into the compound killing the first few members of the Imperial Guard that were there for the Empresses visit.  While she was on a visit to one of her charities, she insisted on the Guard staying out of sight as much as possible.  This meant that only a couple of her personal guard were close at hand.  The fourteen assassins made straight for the dining hall, there intelligence was very good and seemed to know right where to find Rose at that time.  Her personal guards killed three before they could make it across the courtyard and come crashing through the main door.  Before they fell, her guards killed four more in the confined entry way.  A fifth was killed by Rose, who had reloaded one of her guards pistols.  Just has the assassins thought they had her, they were taken from behind by a number of older boys, killing another assassin.  So enraged were the assassins, they turned their fury on not just those boys, but any child that got in their way.  The head mistress of the orphanage and one of the teachers managed to drag Rose away before the assassins could turn back to finish the business they had come to conduct.  However, a rescue party come from an unexpected source.  When the fighting first started, it alerted the neighbors.  Fearing the children of the orphanage were in trouble, they had come rushing.  When they saw the murdered members of the Imperial Guard and the screams of the children, they did not hesitate to come to their aid, heedless of the danger to themselves.  While very badly beaten, two of the assassins were captured alive, the rest were mutilated beyond recognition.

23 Feb 1850

The Imperial Intelligence Agency was able to convince the two surviving assassins to reveal who had hired them.  IIA was able to find those individuals, and eventually trace the money and individuals back to the government of Johore (present day Malaysia).  A clipper was sent with my own Foreign Minister.  The clipper returned almost as soon as it got there, with the decapitated head of my Minister and his personal secretary and their two guards.

I cannot even begin to imagine what kind of madness has possessed Johore, but I will put an end to it.  Today I declared a formal state of war between our two countries.  The newly built ships of the Imperial Chinese Navy, 10 clippers and 3 frigates took on board the 10 brigades of the 6th, 7th, and 8th Green Standard Armies.  Their orders are simple, bring me the head of the Sultan of Johore and annex the entire country.

[OJsDad]

April 25 1850

Our fleet arrived in the Straits of Johore and landed all three armies in Kuantan.  Seventh  army was left to take control of the providence  while 6th and 8th armies moved on the capital in Johore Bahru.  The Johore army's only three brigades of nine thousand troops were quickly destroyed.  Sixth army was left there to occupy Johore Bahru while eighth moved to Kuala Lumpur.  Armies from Manchuria and Guangxi were occupying Johore's fourth providence of Ipoh. 


21 July 1850

The Americans have included Qinghai into their Sphere of Influence.

28 Sept 1850

Today, General Tiemei delivered the Sultan of Johore's head and announced that the entire country had been occupied.  I have no joy in this, but I could never allow such an action to pass unchallenged.

[OJsDad]

1 Jan 1851

In the beginning of September of last year, there was a massive rebellion of reactionaries opposing my reforms and attempts to lead China into the modern era.  The rebellion would have lasted a lot longer if it had not been for the swift assistance of the other Chinese states, as the Imperial Army was caught totally unprepared and was struggling to contain the outbreak.  After interrogating the few leaders of the rebellion that were captured, and tracing back previously overlooked evidence, it was found that this rebellion was supported in large part by Japan.  My Ministers and I believe that Japan was hoping to greatly weaken China and then move to conquer Korea.  Since this time, we have ended our alliance with them, and our relationship is deteriorating.  Many in China are calling for war with Japan to end their threat to us once and for all.  While it is something that I do not embrace, I find myself not being able to say they are wrong.

Our home front efforts to bring China into the 19th century continue to show progress.  Literacy is up to 7.9% and we're generating 2.56 research points a day.  Our bureaucrats continue to improve with an empire wide effectiveness of 49.8%.  This is down some due to the state of the administration effectiveness of Chinese Singapore. 

[OJsDad]

17 Jan 1851

Guangxi has joined the Sphere of Influence offered by the Americans.

14 Jan 1853

While it was something I did not wish to do, but Japan has forced me to declare a state of war.  IIA discovered direct Japanese involvement in trying to incite rebellion with the reactionary elements here in China.  As punishment, we have set a goal of taking Yamaguchi region from them. 

Our navy quickly moved the 2nd and 11th Green Standard Armies to the Setto Island Sea and landed them in the regions of Tokushima and Kochi.  Our navy stays in the Setto Island Sea to prevent Japanese army units from trying to oppose the conquest of those regions. 

30 May 1853

After 119 days, 11th GSA gained control of Kochi and is not moving on Matsuyama.  Second GSA will have control of Tokushima in a few more days.

8 Oct  1853

Eleventh GSA has taken control of Matsuyama.

10 Oct 1853

The Netherlands has declared war on China.  They wish to take away Chinese Singapore from us.  While they have quite a presence in the islands of Indonesia,  I believe they have bitten off more than they can handle.  We out number them almost twenty to one. In brigades.  I know they have bette training and technology than China, but I am very confident that they will fail.

8 May 1854

The war against Japan goes slow.  Most of our focus is on our war with the Netherlands, which is going well at the moment.

In Japan, the Japanese navy has been unable to beat the ICN at sea, thus meaning they have not been able to take back the island providences that we have taken.  This is allowing us to use 10th GSA to land in Hakodate unopposed .  Once  Hakodate is taken, Ishikara and Nemuru will fall unopposed to the 10th. 

In the Dutch East Indies, the 6th attacked the Straits of Johore to land on the island of Tanjungpinang.  However, they were driven back by a Dutch artillery brigade.  The 6th was followed up by the 8th, which destroyed the Dutch unit and captured the island.

Recently, a Dutch cavalry unit landed in Kuala Lumpur.  The 6th and 7th GSA's countered attacked, and were able to force the Dutch to flee.  They are currently heading for Kuantan, where the 8th army will engage them.

Our fellow Chinese states are making good progress on capturing Dutch possessions.  My only fear is that the Dutch are able to concentrate their strength and their technology advantage will overwhelm our numerical superiority . 

[TheCommandTent]

Some interesting developments.  Looking forward to how this plays out.

[jomni]

Wow! You have been a very bad boy.  Just wondering what will happen if all Western nations decide to spank you.

[Staggerwing]

If you permanently hang on to Japan WW2 will play out very differently.

[bob48]

It makes for compulsive reading, that's for sure.

[OJsDad]

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys.  I had hoped to get more done this week since the wife and kids were out of town, but work got in the way.  Hang in there, I'll be back wiht more.

[OJsDad]

1 Jan 1856

War is improving in Japan.  With most of their army now trapped, we are better able to take the rest of Japan.  They still have a sizable army that can get at us, but we are now able to move more troops into the main island.  I am hopeful that our allies will be able to start landing troops and assisting us this year.  If there are no surprises, we should be victories in this war by years end.

Our literacy has improved to over 9.1% and we're now getting almost 3 research points a day.  The treasury is staying balanced.  Overall I am very pleased with the progress that we are making.

It has been pretty quiet in the residential suite of the palace.  Rose took the five youngest children home to spend Christmas with her parents.  Especially her mother, who has not been well most of the year, and it is very possible she will not live to see the end of year.  Kangxi is away at the academy.  He has grown and matured so much in the last several years.  Not only will he make an excellent successor to me, but a strong partner while I live.  He truly believes in what I am trying to do.  I think only his mother is stronger in trying to complete what I have started.

[OJsDad]

15 Oct 1857

Massive IJA forces numbering over 65,000 troops landed on their north island to try a retake it.  I had left it undefended in hopes of them sending some troops there.  We are now moving  11th army to Aomori to support the ships that will keep the IJN forces trapped on their north army.

In the south, 3 army of the ICA moved to occupy Yamaguci.  They were joined by the 9th army of Guangxi.  Guangxi's 24th army also began the occupation of Hiroshima.  The 2nd ICA army is moving to occupy Matsue. 

Japan is also having massive issues with reactionary rebels occupying some of their providences.

All of this good news is of course a harbinger of terrible news.  My mother-in-law has been taken by her illness.  Rose and the children were still there.  By the time I had received word, they would have started from home.  She was a wonderful woman, and the world will be a little worse off without her.

5 April 1858

Japans days are numbered, but they still refuse to surrender.  And because of this, we will now demand the Fukuoka region.  This will give us all of southern Japan.

Our own reactionaries have gone into revolt, mostly in southern China today.  With most of our armies in Japan, we have to rely heavily on our sister states to come to our aid.


24 Apr 1858

A flu pandemic is sweeping the country.  We have had to go into debt to fight it, but every life saved is worth id.

5 Feb 1859

Finally, Japan has accepted the end and accepted our peace terms.  Kangxi, having graduated from the War College, had been assigned to 2nd army.  As my heir, he acted as my personal representative for the surrender.  Hopefully we can keep any issues of rebellion incheck.

[OJsDad]

1 Jan 1863

The last few years have been ones of peace.  There have been no rebellions in our Japanese territories or anywhere else for that matter.

Our literacy is over 12.1% and we're getting over 3.58 research points a day.  This has allowed us to implement a new policy to import flintlock rifles.  This will allow us to better train and equip our units. 

The only real concern is that Civil war has ripped the USA apart.  Three sons of Rose's sisters have gone to war, and her father is the Secretary of the Navy.  I do hope that President Lincoln is able to reunite the country and end that terrible institution of slavery once and for all in their great land.

We are no longer concentrating on hiring clergymen, but are now focused on hiring bureaucrats in our conquered lands.  Overall, our administrative effectiveness is just shy of 75%.  This is providing the treasury with the funds it needs to fund things like education and our military.

Speaking of our military, our navy acquired two new Man-of-War ships.  There are no other known ships like them in Asia, that we know of. 

Kangxi has stayed in Japan serving in the function of Imperial Governor.  This has worked out extremely well.  In fact, I give him all the credit for keeping peace there.  Though he does need to return home this spring to get married. 

The Palace is not only filled with activity over his wedding, but that of his sisters also.  In fact, Lilly has been personally making sure that her brothers wedding happens on time, as I've told her she cannot get married until after her brother.  Of course, according to Rose, I'm not better with my constant dropping of hints about lacking grandchildren.  I tell her I do no such thing, and since I'm the Emperor, I cannot be wrong about that.  With that, she just rolls her eyes at me.  I'm tempted to ask her if there is a problem with her eyes or if it is just old age, but frankly, I'm just too scared of her.

[OJsDad]

1 Sept 1864

Massive revolts have broken out throughout the empire.  These seemed to be fueled by those that oppose the ongoing trade with European and American countries.  This is not helped by the belief that these foreigners are helping to spread the use of opium among our people. 

I suspect that those same reactions are the ones behind the secret formation of a Socialist party here in China.  Of course, those that embrace socialism while denouncing foreign trade and presence in China don't realize that their ideology originated in Europe.   I have read the writing of these socialists, and while they tell of great utopia, they seem to rely on force of arms to get what they cannot get with words of persuasion.  Time will tell how this plays out.

9 Dec 1865

Japan's government has fallen to reactionary forces.  They have stopped the country cold in its move to join the modern world.  They have also told the Americans that they will not hold influence of them.  I do not know what the US's response will be, but I cannot allow reactionaries here to gain encouragement from their Japanese brethren.   Therefore I have given the order to prepare to go to war.  We will speed up the modernization of our armies in Japan, and add a couple of more ships  to our fleet. 

[OJsDad]

1 July 1866

Our original plan was to wait and get our armies upgraded before invading Japan.  However, it was decided that their armies may be a lot weaker than ours because of the recent rebellion.  Therefore, we have decided to invade now.  The new units will have to follow on when they are ready.

4 June 1868

Kangxi has sent word today that victory is ours.  Most of Japan has been seeded to the China.  Hopefully, this will keep any bad influences from Japan ever again interfering in Chinese internal affairs again. 

The war went pretty much as Kangxi and the War College had planned it.  The Japanese was just a shadow of itself from the rebellion.  While they put up a bit of a fight at the beginning, they were no much for our armies.  And once the other Chinese states joined us, there was no way Japan could recover.  They did try to raise additional units, but most were butchered as soon as they tried to take the field by our awaiting armies.