Chapter 55 A Plausible Plan (3)
Two countries still don't recognize Russia's sole occupation of Manchuria: Britain and Japan.
Looking closely at the Anglo-Japanese Alliance they formed, there is this content:
<Britain and Japan recognize the independence of Korea and Qing, with Japan having special interests in Korea and Britain in Qing.>
In other words, tired of seeing various powers trying to get their share, Britain and Japan decided to clearly establish their respective spheres of influence - Qing for Britain and the Korean Empire for Japan.
How would the United States react to seeing such an alliance treaty?
Although the United States was becoming more active in its Open Door Policy in Asia than before, they had only gained the Philippines as a foothold and showed no further aggression beyond that.
Therefore, the United States would have to choose either Russia or Japan to maintain its Open Door Policy in Asia.
Even if it wasn't direct teamwork but more like indirect bandwagoning.
Against this backdrop, Bank of Japan Vice Governor Takahashi Korekiyo believed that the United States would take Japan's side.
First of all, the Russian Empire wasn't just indirectly entering the market like Britain, but was actually waging a territorial war.
If Russia won, there would likely be a ruthless monopoly by the victor.
So surely America would fill the first bond issue of 10 million pounds...
"Our family has already received oil development permits in Baku, Azerbaijan. Why would we help you and risk damaging our Russian business?"
"But, but you're in America but you're clearly a British bank, a British Empire family! We're allies!"
"That's between nations."
"Then at least give us a loan! Please give us a loan!"
"Sorry."
Korekiyo's cries were futile after trying private meetings, banquets, and social gatherings. Not only did no one listen to him, but now they wouldn't even meet with him.
Why? The U.S. government had been consistently favorable, so why was he suddenly being ignored so much on this side? Was Japan really that desperate in this war?
As Korekiyo sat in a corner of the financial social gathering today, tilting a meaningless glass of alcohol, he noticed a figure amid the cheerful crowd on the opposite side.
A familiar face. He had the same foreigner's aura about him. Yet people wouldn't leave his side.
Korekiyo hurriedly tapped the shoulder of someone nearby and asked.
"Who is that man?"
"What? Oh, those people over there? That's Chairman Emmanuel of Lehman Brothers, the fastest growing securities firm these days."
"No, the one next to him."
"Next to him... Looks like some German Jewish bankers?"
"No, I mean the oldest one in the middle!"
"Oh, you mean Lord Nicholas Giers who came to sell government bonds. Hey, but how do you know him to get so worked up?"
Nicholas Giers. He knew him. How could he not know? That cunning devil who packaged the dirty inner workings of the Russian Empire in diplomatic language - the enemy nation's Foreign Minister.
Why could he sell bonds so comfortably amid enthusiastic cheers, contrary to himself?
When two types of products with opposing positions enter the market simultaneously, it becomes a fight over dividing the pie from day one.
In other words, at this rate, the future of trying to sell bonds to America would only become bleaker.
'Why, why!'
Even though these people don't simply swallow what their country says, public opinion naturally has a flow that leads from top to bottom.
Why was private finance hostile to Japan, unlike this country's government?
As he was about to crush the glass in his hand with anger, Vice Governor Korekiyo's gaze fixed on someone rolling a glass with a pleasant smile right next to Foreign Minister Nicholas Giers.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
'...Jacob Schiff.'
A capitalist who held director positions in numerous companies and the leader of the immigrant Jewish community.
It must be him. It has to be because of him.
Now he could see the connection with those around him, the commonality among those drinking and laughing next to Minister Giers.
Jews.
The Jews were determined to destroy the Empire of Japan.
==
If there was a question asking which place had the highest Jewish population ratio - the answer would be very simple.
It was divided Poland.
Even if you changed the question to just ask which region had many Jews, the answer would still be Poland.
No matter how much Britain accepted Jews as members of society and America was a nation of immigrants, Jews still lived most numerously in Poland.
Although converted Protestant Jews were increasing with the times, and there were divisions within Judaism itself.
In the end, the yoke of being Jewish - a people who had settled all over the world for thousands of years - was not easily shed.
Looking more closely at the current situation in Poland, Poland - divided between Germany, the Dual Monarchy, and Russia - had been subjected to oppression policies by all three countries working together.
The 19th century oppression of Poland - restricting university education, closing Polish language schools, banning Polish national history education, violently suppressing demonstrations, ethnic discrimination, wage restrictions - was not simply at the level of discrimination.
Especially the assimilation policies implemented by Wilhelm I, that is, during Alexander III's time in Russia, did not aim for cultural assimilation.
The military. The two monarchs who were serious about the military had been forcing conscription of Poles and exploitation of human and material resources for military construction.
As time passed and the next generation of emperors ascended in both countries, Germany continued its oppression policy, but Russia changed.
"The Tsar has destroyed all the chains of oppression in Finland and Poland. Just as the previous Tsar discovered the potential of the Jewish people, he does not discriminate based on religion or region."
"I can't help but be impressed. Usually, it's not easy to directly oppose the policies of one's predecessor."
Minister Giers explained as much as possible how Tsarism and Judaism coexisted harmoniously in Russia.
"In a normal monarchy or democracy, they would have swayed the minority by gathering majority opinions, but Schiff, you recognize how it is in the Russian Empire? Now legally, whether Jewish or Korean, all are equal family members if loyal to the Tsar."