The First World War and Japan: from the Anglo-Japanese Alliance to the Washington Treaty

Summary

ABSTRACT.The Anglo-Japanese alliance served both parties well in the original context of the Russo-Japanese War, but came under strain during the First World War, and even more at the Versailles Conference, before being cancelled under U.S. pressure in 1923. Japanese strategy in the Meiji Era was divided, the army standing for the “northward advance” on land against Russia, the navy for a “southward advance” by sea against western powers. Both were intended to control Chinese resources to sustain a major war.

RÉSUMÉ.l'alliance anglo-japonaise fut profitable aux deux pays dans le contexte originel de la guerre russo-japonaise, mais subit des tensions pendant la première guerre mondiale et même davantage lors du Traité de Versailles. Elle fut par la suite annulée, sous la pression des États- Unis, en 1923. La stratégie militaire japonaise pendant l'ère Meiji était divisée, l'armée se portant en faveur d'une « avancée vers le nord » par les terres contre la Russie, tandis que la marine promouvait une « avancée vers le sud » par la mer contre les puissances occidentales. Les deux avaient pour but de contrôler les ressources chinoises en cas de guerre grave.

RUSSIA'S SOUTHWARD ADVANCE AND THE ANGLO-JAPANESE ALLIANCE

From a historical and geopolitical view, the Korean Peninsula has always been surrounded by powerful land powers – Mongolia, the Chinese Empire, and Russia or the Soviet Union. For a long time, this peninsula was a bridge connecting Japan and the Eurasian continent. It helped bring culture to Japan, but the Mongols and the Goryeo dynasty also threatened Japan across this bridge. On entering the modern period, Japan maintained its security by allying with sea powers against the land powers.

Seeking ice-free ports, Russia built a coaling station in Jeoryeongdo, Korea, in 1888. Following the Triple Intervention, concluded in 1895, Russia leased the territory of Dalian and then began to show interest in the Korean Peninsula. As Russia increased its interference in Northeast Asia, Korea's King Ko Jong leaned toward Russia. Japan negotiated with Russia and offered to recognize Russian dominance in Manchuria in exchange for Russia's recognition of Japan's sphere of influence in Korea. This resulted in the Yamagata-Lobanov Agreement in 1896 and the Nishi-Rosen Agreement of 1898. However, Russia ignored these conventions by deploying its military forces and financial advisors to Korea.