Chapter 176
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Side Story: Far East Front (2)
BOOM! KABOOM!!
"Keep rowing!"
"We have to seize Hanoi before those Japs do!"
The showdown between the Republic of China and Japan kicked off when Japanese forces landed at Haiphong.
The Japanese aimed to capture Hanoi—the historic capital of past Vietnamese dynasties and seat of the French Indochina Governor-General—to claim control over Indochina. To do that, they first needed to take the gateway to Hanoi: Haiphong.
"Grand President, sir! The Japanese have begun landing at Haiphong!"
"What?! Damn it, those Japs moved faster than we expected. Tell Feng Guozhang to start our advance on Hanoi immediately!"
Upon hearing of the Japanese landing at Haiphong, Yuan Shikai promptly ordered Feng Guozhang—who had been preparing to march from the Annam border—to hurry toward Hanoi.
They could write off French Indochina's Guangxi Clique region since it had fallen to Japan before the topic even came up.
But losing Annam too would shatter his prestige beyond repair, and his dream of becoming emperor would fly out the window once more.
Under the Grand President's orders, the former Beiyang Army—now the Republic of China forces—crossed the border and raced toward Hanoi.
"Whether it's those Chinese bastards or the Japs, those slant-eyed monkey scum like Hans von Choi are treating us French like a joke!"
Of course, to the French Indochina Governor-General's office, suddenly facing a black horde of Republic of China troops at the border and Japanese landing at Haiphong, the Chinese and Japanese were all the same enemy.
But anger couldn't change the grim reality.
Reinforcements from the homeland were impossible right now.
Quality aside, they were hopelessly outnumbered. Embodying imperialist arrogance, the Indochina garrison forcibly conscripted local Vietnamese as meat shields against the Japanese—backed by their navy—and the Republic of China forces pushing up the waterways.
RAT-TAT-TAT! RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!
"Aaaagh! I don't wanna die!"
"Why the hell do we have to fight for those French dogs?!"
But this only fueled the rage of Vietnamese already suffering under French oppression.
Vietnam's independence leader Phan Bội Châu and his Vietnam Restoration League seized the moment.
"Now is the time to reclaim Vietnam's independence! Rise up, Vietnam! Let's rescue His Majesty the Emperor from the French!"
As French rule wavered, waves of independence swept through Vietnam, groaning under colonial yoke.
Uprisings erupted across Vietnam against the French, and even Duy Tan—the 11th emperor of the still-extant Nguyen dynasty—secretly backed them.
"Brothers of Asia, rise up. The Imperial Japanese Army stands with you!"
"Hurray! Long live the Great Empire of Japan!"
The cunning Japanese exploited this.
Posing as liberators in Vietnam, they won local support and marched smoothly toward Hanoi.
Of course, as we all know—and as Koreans under a pro-Japanese regime on the brink of annexation, stripped of diplomatic and military rights, could attest—this was pure deception.
Yet Japan still inspired longing among Asians suffering under imperialist powers, and uninformed Vietnamese believed helping the Japanese would bring independence.
RAT-TAT-TAT! RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!
"Why is our advance so damn slow?!"
"Th-the Annamese resistance is too fierce, sir. Our supply lines in the rear are under attack too..."
"Damn it! We can't dawdle here. The Japanese are already at Hanoi’s doorstep!"
In contrast, the Republic of China forces faced setback after setback.
BOOM! KABOOM! BOOM!!
"Artillery!"
"Artillery?! The French are retreating— who the hell is shelling us?!"
"From the sea, General! The sea!"
Feng Guozhang snatched his binoculars and spun around at his subordinate's report.
What he saw through them: Japanese naval ships flying the Rising Sun flag, indiscriminately bombarding the Republic of China troops.
"Have those Jap bastards lost their minds?! Why are they firing on us?! Signal them to stop at once!"
"We did that already. But they're ignoring us—whether on purpose or not!"
"What? Those filthy..."
Feng Guozhang gritted his teeth, furrowing his brow.
They were definitely targeting them on purpose.
To hinder their advance.
"Captain, the Republic of China troops are signaling us to cease fire."
"Ignore 'em and keep pounding. You gonna hand Annam over to those stinking Chinese?"
Feng Guozhang's hunch was spot on.
Japan was indeed shelling their temporary allies to obstruct them.
And that wasn't all.
Japanese forces recruited local Vietnamese to hit Republic of China supply lines and lay traps along advance routes.
The Vietnamese obliged with glee.
History between China and Vietnam—from the Trưng Sisters to Lê Lợi—was one of enmity.
To the Vietnamese, Republic of China troops were just another invader, no different from the French (and they weren't wrong).
"Banzai for the Great Empire of Japan! Banzai for His Imperial Majesty!"
"Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!"
While the Republic of China forces floundered against Japan's dirty tricks, unable even to advance properly, the Japanese leisurely claimed victory in the Hanoi race.
The tricolor came down from the Indochina Governor-General's office in Hanoi, replaced by the Rising Sun. With the Governor-General surrendering, French in Laos and Cambodia gave up resistance and raised their hands.
"That incompetent fool Feng Guozhang... Argh!!"
"Sir? Sir!"
Hearing the news, Yuan Shikai clutched his neck and collapsed in his Nanjing Grand Presidential mansion.
Had Feng seized even a sliver of northern Vietnam, it might've been different—but he hadn't.
Sure, Feng had his excuses.
But unable to stomach the constant setbacks, Yuan Shikai fell ill and took to his bed.
The Republic of China, meanwhile, erupted in factional strife over the next Grand President, showing signs of fracture once more.
"Now that the French have surrendered, let's discuss Vietnam's independence."
"No, we believe Annam is too premature for independence. It needs extensive 'guidance' from the Great Empire of Japan until its people can stand alone."
"Wh-what? Wait, that's not what we agreed... Mmph!"
Japan revealed its true colors, imprisoning Emperor Duy Tan and Phan Bội Châu—who had hoped for freedom from French rule.
"I've heard about Annam, Teacher Wan."
"Yes. When Japanese troops landed in my homeland, I held some hope. But as you teachers warned, they propagandize as liberators yet show no interest in Vietnam's independence."
Wan Shengong—Nguyễn Sinh Cung in Vietnamese, a 23-year-old Vietnamese youth—spoke with a darkened expression. Min Yeong-hwan and Choi Jae-hyung, disguised in Chinese attire to hide their identities, looked sympathetically at the young man and his homeland.
Liberation from French rule or not, Annam's masters had simply swapped from French to Japanese.
Just like their own homeland, Korea—so close from Kiaochow yet unreachable.
"This horrific war called the World War has cost Koreans and Annamese alike so much. It's truly regrettable."
The sudden World War was a disaster for the Korean Free Government and independence activists.
Choi Jae-hyung and other Korean collaborators in the Maritime Province had fled through Qing territory to Kiaochow to escape advancing Japanese.
It cut deep for both Min Yeong-hwan and Choi Jae-hyung.
For Min, the Maritime Province was the Free Government's key base, training independence fighters with German instructors.
For Choi, it was the beloved second home he'd built over a lifetime.
Even Choi had to abandon his Russian imperial post and flee.
As the Free Government's public face—since they couldn't openly reveal ties to Hans Choi and Germany—he moved in secrecy. Japan was desperate to kill him.
An Jung-geun, the Koreans' hero who executed Itō Hirobumi on Choi's orders from the Maritime Province, said it all.
"Still, I'm glad Teacher Choi and the Koreans of the Maritime Province are safe."
"Thank you for saying so, Teacher Wan."
It was thanks to the Qing government.
Hans, unwilling to lose Choi and the Maritime Koreans, had contacted Duan Qirui. In exchange for German weapons, they secured safe passage through Qing lands.
Duan had no reason to snub Germany, and the arms boosted his North Manchuria reclamation. A win-win, as Hans liked.
"Some stayed behind in the Maritime Province, though."
The socialist independence activists.
Relations with the constitutional monarchy-pursuing Free Government had long been toxic, so Min wouldn't accept them anyway.
Plus, with Imperial Germany oddly allied to Japan, they'd lumped the German-backed Free Government into their attacks.
This sparked some Free Government voices questioning trust in Germany.
Min saw it as frog-in-a-well nonsense.
Who could've foreseen Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination sparking a great war among powers?
The war was an unforeseen calamity for everyone.
Japan's alliance entry made sense given the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and their grudge against Russia.
Germany, desperate for allies, had no reason to refuse.
'That's why we must think beyond the war's end.'
The Anglo-Japanese Alliance was already creaking over intervention.
And Min knew Japan wouldn't stop at French colonies—they'd likely clash with Germany and Britain later.
Count Choi had hinted at the same in letters.
So Min dismissed calls to reconsider Germany as absurd.
"They lounge safely in Kiaochow thanks to whose backing, and they spout that nonsense..."
"Teacher Min?"
"Ah, sorry. I got sidetracked. Anyway, Teacher Wan, what are your plans? Returning to Annam?"
"I'm heading to London as planned. I want to see more of the world."
"Hm, with the Far East war wrapping up, sea routes should reopen soon. Perfect timing for travel. Take care."
"Yes, thank you for everything. I hope to stay in touch with you and the Free Government. Our Vietnam and Korea face the same fate."
"Haha..."
Min let out a bitter laugh.
Just as Annam would likely become postwar Japanese colony, a victorious Japan had no reason to keep Korea as a puppet.
Then, the Free Government would shed its "free" moniker—mere opposition to Japan's lapdog court—and emerge as a true government.
Forging ties with fellow Vietnamese activists against Japan was a no-brainer for Min and the Free Government.
"Safe travels, then."
Bid farewell by Min Yeong-hwan and Choi Jae-hyung, Nguyễn Sinh Cung—the future Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam's great independence fighter—continued his journey.
Vowing, like his new friends, to one day return to his stolen homeland.