The Japanese state, went from a largely technologically backwater to a major world power house in
less then eighty years.
This was achieved via a massive and rapid modernization process, and a gradual expansion
of Japanese influence over eastern Asia, either economically, or militarily.
During this process of modernization, the state would flex its new muscles in various
localized affairs, which, while may not have shown to have much of an effect on the surface.
Played a critical part in future history.
And for the first time in over 250 years, Japanese soldiers would fight on foreign soil.
The Invasions pretext, was based on the 1871 Mudan incident, where 54 Ryukyuian sailors
were massacred by the Paiwan, one of the indigenous cultures in Taiwan.
While Ryukyu had technically been an independent kingdom for centuries, it had long been a
tributary and vassal state of the Ming and later Qing Empire.
Dating back to the creation of the Ryukyu kingdom in 1423.
However, Japanese influence had already shifted the status of this island to change, and they
fell under de-facto control of Japan in 1872, in return for a cancellation of a debt, and
kinda just because Japan said so.
So, for a few years in the 1870's.
Ryukyu was a recognized vassal state of both countries.
As a vassal state, the Ryukyuian population was under Japanese protection.
Upon news of this massacre.
Japan sent foreign minister Soejima Taneomi to Beijing in June 1873, asking for a compensation
to the families and a persecution of the perpetrators of the killings.
At first, the Chinese government denied the request, stating that it was a purely internal
affair, since once again, the Ryukyian kingdom was still de-jure a Chinese state.
Taneomi countered, by stating that four of the slain were from the Oyo province of Japan,
in
which the reply was that the aboriginal cultures of Taiwan, were not under direct Qing authority,
so negotiations came to a standstill.
After a few weeks Taneomi finally returned home, conversing with his government the next
best course of action to take.
Charles Le Gendre, an American Military advisor to the Japanese, pressured the Japanese government
to take the matter into their own hands, using force to deliver a message against the Qing
government.
Le Gendre in his memo's had viewed Japan as a major player within the Far eastern region.
In order to protect itself from this threat he thought.
Japan should use the failure of the Chinese government to meet their demands, as a pretext
for annexing Taiwan and the Pescadores.
LeGendre justified this argument based on an assessment of international conditions
at the time.
As the conflict between Britain and Russia over the Eastern Question grew worse the danger
of war between the two countries would increase, Japan may very well soon be locked out of
the ability to gain a foothold on the international stage, and end up as merely a colony between
other powers in the region.
He had predicted that the European powers would not intervene in an attempted annexation,
as Britain and Russia would prefer to see Japan rather than a rival power occupy Taiwan.
An expedition was planned and put into motion.
By using the pretext of the Mudan incident, Japan would expand their influence over not
only the Ryukyian island chain, but also attempt to capture the island of Taiwan itself.
Bringing with them, 300 women and children to start constructing lodgings and settlements
on the island.
Expanding their colonial control as time went on.
The timing was relatively good too.
As the Qing were still recovering or engaged in a multitude of wars and rebellions on the
mainland.
All which has massively crippled the economic and military power of the state.
With this knowledge, the Japanese government and military planners believed that a quick
localized conflict, away from the mainland, wouldn't alert officials in the Qing government
enough to mount a major expedition to protect Taiwan.
In case that this thought was wrong however, Japan had managed to get nominal backing from
the European and American consults, stating that Japan had the blessing of their mother
countries to do as they pleased in Taiwan.
As news reached higher ups in the foreign consulate chain however, the official stance
had changed.
Considering that Japan had not managed to get permission from the government in Beijing
for their action against the Taiwanese aboriginals as first thought.
These governments now put pressure on Japan to flat out not engage in the expedition,
or heavily limit it in scope.
The fear of a large scale war occurring over the far east was of great concern to the British
in particular, who had vested commercial interests in the area, and did not wish for a prolonged
war to endanger them.
British Minister in Japan Sir Harry Parkes, had managed to obtain Russian and Spanish
neutrality during any Japanese action in Taiwan, however, the inclusion of American personal
and vessels, threatened to cause this conflict to expand exponentially.
Regardless, The first ships of the expedition sailed in mid April from Sinagawa, a port
a short distance from Edo, present day Tokyo.
A force had been assembled for the invasion, which amounted to 3,700 men, headed by Saig?
Tsugumichi.
These men were growing relentless, and gradually grew to ignore the demands of even the central
Japanese government as time went on.
The first troops laiden ships would sail on May the 3rd, the day before secretary of the
Cabinet Kanai Yukiyasu, arrived in the city on orders for the expedition to be canceled.
As vessels had already left, it got approved post fact, However, its aims were greatly
restricted, and if the Chinese reaction stiffened, the government would claim that Saig? had
acted as a marauder without T?ky?
s approval.
All in an effort to save Geo-political face and standing.
On May 6 Saigo's troops would land a small force; commanded by Lieutenant Commander Douglas
Cassell, an American who had been a part of the 1867 American expedition to Formosa, and
as recently as 1872, had deeply explored the main areas of projected conflict.
For this, him and Lieutenant James R. Wasson were made colonials of the Japanese expedition
army.
This army would make a landing at Hengchun, a small town on the southern tip of the island.
The local tribe near Hengchun were friendly to the Japanese, and many were recruited to
help build trenches and cottages for the incoming troops, and the small contingent of families
that accompanied them.
Two would be taken as interpreters, and within just a few days.
All the tribes on the island were allied against, or neutral in the conflict against the Paiwan,
and their Rukai allies.
Vastly outnumbered and out gunned.
The Paiwan engaged purely in guerrilla style tactics, deceptions, ambushes, and out maneuvering
the Japanese to cause what damage that they could.
But even they understood that unless the Qing interacted directly on their behalf, victory
would be virtually impossible, and they were merely delaying the inevitable.
On 10 May Admiral Akamatsu and General Tani arrived at the town with another 500 men and
supplies to fortify their landing.
With this increase in forces, the army would start to push forward.
On the 17th would be the first main action of the conflict.
A 100 strong recognizance mission to the east of Hengchun would get ambushed by Paiwan soldiers,
resulting in the death of two Japanese.
Further action occurred along the southern shore, where men under admiral Akamatsu Noriyoshi
came under fire while surveying the local area, resulting in minimal casualties.
Another 1,500 soldiers would be landed on May the 20th, and with the increase presence,
Japanese Colonel Sakuma Samata, who was already known for his part in the Saga Rebellion,
would march inland with over 150 men, and engage in the battle of Stone Gate, the only
set piece battle of the whole campaign.
The Paiwaness and allies, numbered some 70 men, and had already established ambush locations
previously to this engagement, while the Japanese were left to have to try and find cover behind
scatterings of rocks, and fighting in waist high water.
The fighting between the two forces would continue on for over an hour, with the native
forces eventually retreating after being outflanked on the left flank.
Leaving behind 16 dead and dozens severely wounded, including the local chief and his
son.
After this battle, local resistance to the Japanese invasion would be extremely limited,
and an outbreak of malaria within the Japanese camp in July would killed over 500 of the
Japanese forces, including the American advisor Douglass Cassell.
This outbreak prevented further advances from their hold on the southern tip of Taiwan.
Internationally, tensions between the Qing government and Japan were rapidly growing.
By August of 1874, negotiations between the two were going no-where, and both were planning
for an all out war.
The Qing had mustered over 10,000 men in the South Canton province for an eventual trip
over to Taiwan, taxes in the province were being levied heavily, and fortification were
being build up in Shanghai and Tianjin, in case the Japanese attacked.
In the same time the Japanese were also preparing for war: three new steamers were purchased
abroad and the garrison in Taiwan grew up to 6,000 men.
With many more planned.
Neither side were willing to back down.
Yet, even as continual plans for war were drawn up, an eventual compromise was met.
After months of meeting, On 31 October 1874, the Beijing Agreement to end this conflict
was finally signed.
In this agreement, Japanese action to "protect its subjects" was deemed legitimate, consolation
money to the tune of 500,000 taels was paid to T?ky?, both for the deaths of the Ryukuian
families, but also for the infrastructure improvements Japan made in Taiwan, and Beijing
promised to enforceable put the native cultures of Taiwan under their control.
By December, Japanese forces would leave Taiwan, as Chinese rule de-facto returned.
Now, while this conflict may not seem like it had much impact, it actually very much
did.
Japan by organizing a punitive expedition had acted as an imperial power and got away
with it effectively.
In addition, the Chinese tacitly accepted Japan s claims on the Ry?ky?
Islands and its right to intervene in an area under their nominal control.
More importantly T?ky?, despite its susceptibility to foreign pressures, was able to direct the
former samurai s aggressiveness away from home and augment its prestige abroad.
Even though Japan failed to get away with a colony, Western press actually praised and
acknowledged Japan s so called "generosity" in surrendering Taiwan back to China and for
acting chivalrously for the sake of the whole civilized world.
The Japanese incursion into Taiwan and the feeble Chinese response was a revelation of
the Chinese general weakness and created an invitation to further foreign encroachment
in Taiwan.
In particular, the success of the Japanese incursion was among the factors influencing
the French decision to invade Taiwan in October 1884.
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