The Final Blow
The last shot rang out across the battlefield.
In the Russian Far East Army camp, Kuropatkin granted me an audience. Not that he had much choice in the matter.
“You’re the Korean Count Ok, correct? What brings you here?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. If the Japanese side requests peace negotiations, I urge you not to accept.”
“What are you saying? We’ve already decided to launch our offensive.”
Yeah, I know. But it’s not exactly going to yield much right now, is it?
I was well aware that Russian and Japanese forces had clashed multiple times already. Neither side had managed to land a meaningful blow. Kuropatkin was caught off guard by the unexpected resistance and now found himself paralyzed, unable to advance or retreat.
But what if the Sapodae stepped in at a moment like this?
“In that case, I’m relieved. However, please give the Korean Empire a chance as well.”
“Hmm. Go on.”
Kuropatkin’s eyes sparkled with interest.
“It’s possible that if peace talks fail and Your Excellency insists on moving the army, Oyama Iwao might attempt to surrender. To ensure Japan never dares challenge the Russian Empire again, not a single one of them can be left alive.”
“Japan’s limits have already been exposed. Even if we don’t bother crushing them here, we’ve already won. Wouldn’t that only benefit you Koreans?”
“You’re not wrong. But wouldn’t it also allow Russia to properly secure the Far East?”
Either way, the difference between having a knife at your back or not was enormous. Only after the Japanese army was thoroughly crushed could Russia truly breathe easy. Of course, our gains would be far greater, but that was beside the point.
“It’s true that the Japanese side has proposed a temporary ceasefire to sound out peace terms with our homeland.”
I figured as much. Their situation was worse than in the original timeline, so Oyama Iwao was probably desperate. His plan to exhaust the Korean Imperial Army had failed, so now he was likely considering surrender to Russia to buy time for the future.
“If Oyama Iwao requests surrender, what will you do?”
“We’d have to spare him. What else? For us, it would be a nuisance if they chose to fight to the death in a war we’ve already won.”
At the end of the day, victory was all that mattered. Russia just needed to pin the winner’s medal on its chest. Japan had already reached the limits of its national strength.
Even after the Battle of Tsushima, Japan had been teetering on the edge of collapse. If Russia held out longer, Japan would have lost. Although two more years had passed here, the failure at the Siege of Port Arthur and the disastrous naval battles meant the outcome wouldn’t be much different. On top of that, they had failed in Korea as well.
“Is everything quiet back in the Russian Empire’s homeland?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’m referring to the army’s bloody suppression of the protesters.”
Bloody Sunday, in other words. That was probably why Kuropatkin was hesitating to launch his offensive. A failure here would only complicate things for the Russian army. The railway supply lines must be in serious trouble by now too.
But that’s exactly why we exist.
“You know about that as well?”
“And your supplies aren’t exactly flowing smoothly either.”
The situation was better than in the original history, but the same could be said for Japan, so it had become a reenactment of the original timeline. At least Russia had prepared for a surprise attack and managed to preserve a decent amount of naval strength.
Anyway, the slower Kuropatkin and the Russian homeland responded, the better.
“Please delay your reply. We will sweep them away ourselves.”
“You will?”
The important thing here was that simply not answering was enough. The Russian mainland was far from the Far East. They could make up any excuse they wanted. A surprise retaliatory strike by the Korean Empire, which had just lost its emperor? There could be no more perfect justification.
Who in the world would criticize us for taking revenge on the Japanese army that assassinated the emperor? This was all thanks to Emperor Gojong dying at their hands.
“A surprise attack isn’t an exclusive patent held only by them. With our emperor dead and our homeland under attack, striking Oyama Iwao won’t earn us condemnation from the international community.”
This was revenge that only the Korean Empire could carry out in this situation. We had to act before peace terms were finalized back home.
“I will report Your Excellency’s contributions to St. Petersburg. I will tell them that as the supreme commander of the great power’s Far East forces, you saved the Korean Empire. Since the emperor who formed the Korea-Britain-Japan alliance is now dead, wouldn’t this bring us back to square one?”
Kuropatkin closed his eyes for a long moment, lost in thought. His staff seemed to be saying something, but ultimately his opinion was what mattered.
“Japan has already proposed peace to our homeland. Can you finish this within the given time?”
“We must. We have no choice. The entire Korean Empire is already boiling with a thirst for revenge against Japan. People are fighting everywhere. It’s not impossible.”
A meta only possible because this was Joseon. The entire nation had risen up to avenge their king. Now we would annihilate the main Japanese forces in Manchuria and bring this revenge to its conclusion.
“Very well. I’ll buy you some time.”
This was the final chance. By wiping out the Japanese army here, we could buy ourselves time to recover as well.
Boom—
Kwaaaang!
Rumble rumble rumble!
As the battleship Mikasa of the Japanese Combined Fleet sank, the Battle of Tsushima was drawing to its bitter end.
Togo Heihachiro, commander of the Combined Fleet, could only laugh hollowly from the bridge of his sinking flagship.
“So this is how the Japanese Combined Fleet meets its end. How did they know our every move?”
“Your Excellency… ugh…”
“Do not cry, any of you. We have done all we could. We fought without regret. Even in death, I have no lingering attachments.”
The real problem would be the future of the Empire after his death. The situation in Manchuria was already poor, and now they had been utterly crushed in a battle they absolutely had to win. Hard times lay ahead. Still, the Empire would rise again someday.
With that final thought, Togo Heihachiro shared the fate of his Combined Fleet.
Meanwhile, the Russian Baltic Fleet was in a festive mood.
“Uraaaaaaaa! Long live His Majesty the Tsar! Long live the Russian Empire!”
“May God protect the Tsar!”
“You Japs! Don’t you dare come back!”
Sailors on deck cheered so loudly they seemed to pierce the heavens as they watched the Japanese fleet sink.
“God still watches over our Russia.”
Admiral Rozhestvensky of the Baltic Fleet crossed himself, tears streaming down his face.
The Baltic Fleet, now joined with the Russian Pacific Fleet, had finally succeeded in crushing the Japanese Combined Fleet at the Tsushima Strait. Of course, the Russian fleet had suffered heavy losses as well, but the Russian Empire had seized command of the sea. Now even the Japanese home islands, which Japan was so proud of, lay within Russian striking range.
And this news hit Japan like a thunderbolt.
“The Combined Fleet has been annihilated at the Battle of Tsushima.”
“Commander Oyama Iwao continues to request peace negotiations.”
Defeat at Tsushima. They had lost a battle that essentially decided the Empire’s future. Oyama Iwao’s army still remained, but no one knew how long they could last.
“The forces at 203 Hill have already been wiped out. We must seek peace. Britain says it will attempt to mediate.”
British mediation. It was called mediation, but it would be a negotiation that decided the Empire’s fate. Since they had failed to live up to Britain’s expectations, it was now time for the hunting dog to be boiled.
“We’re finished. The Empire is finished.”
Japan’s national strength had reached its limit. America was already starting to read the room and pulling back from buying bonds. Britain’s attitude toward the Empire had completely changed. As if to prove that they had never been more than this, the British ambassador openly displayed contempt.
Everything the Empire had built up was collapsing. It was so bad that MacDonald, whom they had met not long ago, had stepped forward with a completely uncompromising attitude, insisting on mediation.
“At least you put up a good fight against the Russian army, so we will mediate. It would be best if you accept it soon.”
“Then what about Joseon, which the Empire should rightfully possess?”
“Hahahahaha! You’re still tied down by Korean rebels and you’re eyeing Korea? We will handle Korea appropriately during the negotiations, so Japan should focus on preparing for the end of the war.”
In other words: Your role is over, so go crawl into a corner. Britain would take care of Joseon from now on.
Katsura Taro’s blood boiled with rage, but now he had no choice but to commit seppuku. Or perhaps go completely mad and cause an incident.
“That son of a bitch Katsura Taro! Is this how you wage a war?!”
“Where is the invincible Imperial Army?! Why did we even start this war?!”
“Don’t tell me that bastard was in cahoots with Russia?”
“Give me back my son who was sent to Joseon!”
First, they had to calm the furious crowd. To do that, they needed to bring back at least Oyama Iwao’s main force alive.
But at this very moment, Oyama Iwao’s main Japanese force was pinned down by Russian and Korean troops. Their future looked anything but bright.
“What is the status of the Korean army?”
“They have turned around and are heading this way.”
“They must have learned that their emperor is dead. Our homeland is already preparing for peace talks, so how about we make a surrender offer here?”
“The Imperial Army, surrender?!”
“Surrender to those Korean bastards?!”
Oku Yasukata of the Second Army and Nozu Michitsura of the Fourth Army gnashed their teeth and shouted that they should prepare to fight the Korean army at once. But Oyama Iwao shook his head.
It seemed the homeland had already decided to accept Britain’s mediation proposal. There had never been any real choice.
If they were going to suffer humiliation anyway, they should at least preserve their fighting strength.
“The Korean army is nothing. But if we attack them, the Russian army is right behind them. Do you think they’ll let the Empire, which launched a surprise attack, get away with it? If it were just the Korean army, maybe. But the Korean army fighting alongside the Russians is a different story.”
“But surrender…”
“I understand how you all feel. However, if we fight gloriously to the death against Russia, it will be a proud chapter in the Empire’s history. But to be defeated by the Korean army would be the height of disgrace. It seems the Koreans are already working with the Russians, so I have sent someone to inform them that we are in negotiations with Russia. Tell the Korean army not to act rashly.”
This way, they could use Britain’s influence to prevent the Korean army from moving. Even without the First and Third Armies, their main force was still more than twice the size of the Korean army. Even if the Koreans arrived, they wouldn’t be able to do anything directly.
“Understood, Your Excellency.”
Unfortunately, Oyama Iwao had no idea that the Korean Imperial Army now approaching was no ordinary force.
“A surrender offer. And Britain is moving as well. What happens to us in this situation? What are our casualties?”
“We have suffered losses in the 1st Siberian Corps, 71st Infantry Division, 17th Corps, Orenburg Cossack Cavalry Division, and Baikal Cavalry Division. However, the enemy has also sustained heavy damage.”
Kuropatkin’s army had not escaped unscathed. After all, they were facing Japanese troops fighting with suicidal desperation. Although Kuroki’s First Army was tied down in the Korean Empire and Nogi’s forces had been annihilated, the survivors fought like madmen.
In that case, it would be good to make use of Korea here.
“For now, at least pretend to consider the surrender offer. Say that there should be no combat while the offer is being considered.”
This much should be enough to feed them. Of course, since peace negotiations through British mediation were already underway back home, the Korean Empire would have to hurry.
Just as expected, peace negotiations were proceeding. Negotiations that had begun without us, I might add.
But then Minister Jordan came to see me. It seemed the urgent situation on the Korean peninsula had led to him being tasked with resolving this matter.
“Your country’s Crown Prince is being held hostage by the Japanese army. Cease hostilities at once. Once negotiations are concluded, the independence of the Korean Empire will be guaranteed, and His Highness the Crown Prince will be returned safely.”
The British were threatening us. Of course it was the Japanese holding the hostage, but there wasn’t a soul in the world who didn’t know Britain stood behind Japan right now. Which meant these bastards were the real problem.
“So you’re saying they’ll just let them go?”
“The army under Supreme Commander Oyama Iwao stationed here will disarm according to surrender procedures and withdraw to the homeland.”
Withdraw to the homeland? They were just going to send back 250,000 Japanese troops as they were? No way in hell. I’d rather kill myself than let these bastards go.
The moment we spared Japan’s combat troops, it would mean we failed to avenge the emperor, and Japan would surely try to invade Korea again.
“What about Kuroki’s First Army?”
“Kuroki’s First Army will also withdraw from the Korean Empire after Oyama Iwao’s forces have safely completed their withdrawal.”
“Does that make any sense? They assassinate His Majesty the Emperor and then get to return home safely?”
“There was discord between the two nations, but shouldn’t we end this war first? If anything happens to the Japanese Manchurian Expeditionary Force, the Korean homeland could be in danger as well, no?”
In short: Send them back safely. If you do, we’ll ensure your homeland remains safe. It seemed Britain still hadn’t given up on Japan. They were going to use them as cannon fodder at the very least.
Did these British bastards really think I was that much of an idiot?
The Crown Prince’s life didn’t matter one bit, and there was no way Japan would kill Crown Prince Yi Cheok in the current situation. If they did, it would truly be over.
“You’re threatening us now?!”
“Threatening? The British Empire is trying to protect your Korean Empire from the Japanese Empire. Even at this very moment, civilians across the Korean Empire are dying, are they not?”
No matter how you looked at it, it was a threat.