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an alliance. The Chinese Government prevaricated; as it turned out, this was fortunate as Japan took up the cudgel and confronted the Russians.
Despite the Qing dynasty's innate sense of superiority, China was impotent on the world stage. She lacked the capacity to prevent the war from taking place on her territory and when she declared her neutrality she appealed to the belligerents not to usurp Chinese sovereignty in Manchuria. Japan agreed and disclaimed any post-war territorial ambitions. Russia on the other hand refused to regard Manchuria as neutral territory, leading to Chinese public opinion becoming resentful of Russian arrogance, as well as being critical of the timid Qing attitude.
To the Japanese the war was a matter of life or death; whereas to the Russians it was a matter of face. At official level the pluck of Japan in facing Russia electrified China from the start. However, during the first months of the war the Chinese were not at all sure that the Japanese, with their smaller forces, would be able to hold out to finish the war with a clear victory. As the months passed the Chinese were still divided; some were certain the Russians must win eventually and trimmed accordingly - others were believers in Japan and among them there developed an ominous feature as they began to express the opinion that the next step would be for Japan to rid China of every foreigner.
Chinese foreign relations
China, still suffering from the imperial myopic views of her own ascendancy, despite fighting going on in her territory, now realised the need to secure the advantages of civilised treatment and sought to attend the Geneva Convention. Questions also arose over a number of matters involving China's relations with foreign powers. These included China's foreign debts, neutrality, contraband, etc.
China declared its neutrality and quietly got on with aiding the Japanese in whatever way they could without incurring any Russian reaction. The Chinese peasants had their local loyalties and therefore most were not particularly interested in the whys and wherefores of neither the war nor who might win, so long as they and their families remained unscathed. Educated Chinese, however, watched the progress
131
an alliance. The Chinese Government prevaricated; as it turned out, this was fortunate as Japan took up the cudgel and confronted the Russians.
Despite the Qing dynasty's innate sense of superiority, China was impotent on the world stage. She lacked the capacity to prevent the war from taking place on her territory and when she declared her neutrality she appealed to the belligerents not to usurp Chinese sovereignty in Manchuria. Japan agreed and disclaimed any post-war territorial ambitions. Russia on the other hand refused to regard Manchuria as neutral territory, leading to Chinese public opinion becoming resentful of Russian arrogance, as well as being critical of the timid Qing attitude.
To the Japanese the war was a matter of life or death; whereas to the Russians it was a matter of face. At official level the pluck of Japan in facing Russia electrified China from the start." However, during the first months of the war the Chinese were not at all sure that the Japanese, with their smaller forces, would be able to hold out to finish the war with a clear victory. As the months passed the Chinese were still divided; some were certain the Russians must win eventually and trimmed accordingly - others were believers in Japan and among them there developed an ominous feature as they began to express the opinion that the next step would be for Japan to rid China of every foreigner.
Chinese foreign relations
China, still suffering from the imperial myopic views of her own ascendancy, despite fighting going on in her territory, now realised the need to secure the advantages of civilised treatment and sought to attend the Geneva Convention. Questions also arose over a number of matters involving China's relations with foreign powers. These included China's foreign debts, neutrality, contraband, etc.
China declared its neutrality and quietly got on with aiding the Japanese in whatever way they could without incurring any Russian reaction. The Chinese peasants had their local loyalties and therefore most were not particularly interested in the whys and wherefores of neither the war nor who might win, so long as they and their families remained unscathed. Educated Chinese, however, watched the progress
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