Red, White, and Blue: American Influence on Japan and China in the 19th Century
by
gsp1832 (student)
Red, White and Blue: American Influence on both Japan and China in the 19th Century
Historically, the nations of China and Japan have had their share of similarities and differences as two of the most recognizable powers of the east; not unlike their relations with The United States of America in the 19th Century. The United States would not be undone in this race for conquest in these domains, seeking previously untapped springs of exotic power and wealth. Within the two empires, The United States took varying approaches to seek this power, being both the initiator and the subsidiary as will be seen.
Due to its convenient geographic setting and natural resources, Japan had managed to stay isolated from the rest of the world for a great many years as a self-sufficient civilization. However, this attracted the attention of adjacent powers, who in turn sought to trade with the island nation. The troubles began with the locally western neighbor of Russia, who began showing up in the Japanese ports of Hokkaido as soon as the 1790s1, and with the growing influence of Great Britain in India and Malaysia, as well as China, the British began exploring Japanese coastal waters soon after. In 1852, American President Millard Fillmore approved a mission to be headed by Commodore Matthew C. Perry of the U.S. Navy to try and establish relations with the Japanese as the American government’s interests gave more attention to Pacific Affairs.1 Perry arrived with his squadron of four ships on July 8, 18531 and threatened to bombard the Japanese Capital if they did not open their ports to American Trade. Once, these demands had been met, there was an influx of foreign powers that felt to include themselves in involuntary trade arrangements with the Japanese. This period brought on a great time of economic and political instability to the region, resulting in backlash and infighting which led to the dismantling of the prior political scheme in Japan.
