raising an army

"Now the situation is very bad for us.
More than anything，we do not have withdrawal of army of Tokugawa yet."

But they had refused to Takasugi's approached.
Takasugi came from the upper class of Choshu and his class consciousness was very strong.
In contrast，most soldiers of those corps came from low class.　

”Will refrain from rash and blind act.”
The corps commander said so.
　
"My spirit is unlike the farmer like him."　
Takasugi was cursing him to originally farmers soldiers.
　
There was also that antipathy.　
(If I says oppositely，they become commander from lower class that was possible in those corps.
This corps was strong.)

Therefore，Takasugi's plan of raising an army was crushed.
That was not.
He decided to raising an army alone against the current regime.　(There was no soldier.)
　
・・・・・・・・・　
　
"I will participate in your raising an army."
There was young man who said so.
It was "Ito Shunsuke" who was returning from the United Kingdom.
　
Ito also came from the lower class.
He was able to study in the UK because his belongs group was at the helm of Choshu.
But now that group did downfall，and conservative group had at the helm.
(This "conservative"  meaning  is "conservation of status of the samurai".)　

”Future，there is no chance to person like me.”　　
He might have been so desperate.　
However, there was such situation besides him.
They were all prudent.　
　
Rather than a theory，Ito liked merely Takasugi maybe.

"Anyway he will die in solitude.
He is pitiful.
I'll die together.”　
Eventually they were raising an army at Shimonoseki in about 60 people against the current regime.

A few decades later，Ito became Japan's first prime minister.　
In other words，after this，they won to the current administration.　

rebel rebel

These two students came back to Japan.
These two people were also a member of the group that has been at the helm of Choshu.

"We must put a stop to their shelling and must make them aware of the world situation."
They therefore might had sense of duty as comrade.

But Choshu defeat at the battle of Kyoto.
Also the territory of the Choshu defeated by the Western fleet.
Decision of attack to Choshu’s territory by Tokugawa.
Downfall of their group inside Choshu government.　

"It does not make sense even if we go back to Japan.
Than that，we should fulfill the obligations of state students."

Until this point，they were powerlessness certainly.
New regime which established in Choshu began negotiations with Tokugawa.

”Strict punishment to a group of anti-Tokugawa.”
Negotiations were settled because they was accepted all terms of the Tokugawa.　
Ministers of their group had been Harakiri.  (Suicide as a punishment)

It was the de facto unconditional surrender.　
Tokugawa was withdrawal determined of army after this settlement.

”Choshu was spared the destruction barely.”
Ministers of the new government would have relieved.

・・・・・・・・・

"Gimme a break.
Why we must surrender to Tokugawa？　
Let's topple the current  regime than it."
　
Person who say so was appeared at that time.　
　
It was Takasugi Shinsaku who founded Kiheitai.
Corps like Kiheitai had been established after another.

”We are original Mouri samurai.”
There might was also such think their.

Takasugi approached them for raising an army against the current regime.
　

kiheitai

Number of soldiers is not enough when we does war with the Western countries.
The first idea might so.
　
”Takasugi Shinsaku” of upper class samurai of Choshu.
"The People of Choshu other than samurai let recruitment as soldiers."
He proposed so and was adopted.
At the time，this was noteworthy situation.　
Because military was the symbol of the samurai.
　

Even case of shinsengumi，subject to recruitment was the swordsman.
In the initial stage of recruitment，most of them were Ronin.
After a failed of the revolt of instigator，most of them went back to Edo.
Shinsengumi was established by remaining people.
(They was mainly swordsman of farmers.)




But this Choshu’s case，subject to recruitment was not only the swordsman but also all people of Choshu other than samurai.

This corps was established as a modern military organization.
This corps was called "Kiheitai".　

Modernization of the organization of samurai corps was difficult because they were bound by their class order.
But Kiheitai did possible because there was no bondage to them.
　
However，they had been considered mere ancillary corps of the samurai corps at first.
They did not come out in front of the era yet.

・・・・・・・・・
　
By the way，when Choshu was shelling the Western ship.
International students of Choshu were in the United Kingdom. (as stowaway)
And Kiheitai was established as a modern military organization.

Choshu of representatives of the Western exclusion that was like that.
So，possibilities of Japan，it was not only one already.　

　
Well，international students was knew at London the news of shelling by newspaper.
　
”We should returned to Japan immediately.
And we should stop their shelling.”
Had a such a proposal from one international student.

　
"It does not make sense even if we go back to Japan.
"Than that，we should fulfill the obligations of state (Choshu) students."

But such dissent dominated.
After all，only two people returned to Japan for stop choshu's shelling
A few decades later，These two people were became the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance of first of Japan.

for effort together

Mouri was spared the destruction but their territory became the territory of the earlier 3/1.
They became wasn't able to keeps many of the vassal.

When this case happened， in most cases samurai becoming Ronin and looking for the other lords.
In short，new lords of number of destroyed lords was born after Battle of Sekigahara.
Therefore their job opening existed.
However here was a strange thing happened.

”I do not need salary.”
”Please take me to Choshu.”

Many mouri samurai said so and went to Choshu.
They was throw away samurai class and became a farmer.

Also Mouri continued support of Mouri samurai who became Ronin.
Of course，Mouri themselves life also was a difficult situation.

"Please come back to Mouri.
For effort together.”

Case of Ronin who was not able to find employment place until the end.
Mouri said so to their.

Reclamation，promotion of the industry, etc.
After a while，Mouri almost recovered the previous economic situation.
They become accumulated a surplus conversely，
Its surplus was became funding to defeat the Tokugawa.

However，this way is not reasonable in the first place.
Come creak somewhere naturally.
Burden of originally farmers of Choshu was very greater.

However，250 years later from it.
”We are original Mouri samurai.”
Many people of Choshu had think so.
　
・・・・・・・・・　
　
”I think this harbor’s defense system is insufficient.”
A certain day，Westerners who came to Nagasaki said so to Japanese merchant.

”That issue is samurai's issue.”
”Nothing to do with us.”
The merchant answered with laugh.

This 250 years，the role was different by social class.
Military issue was issue that only samurai must think.

When Toyotomi was put an end to Warring States (temporarily)， confiscated the weapons of  people other than samurai.
They performed that policies actively for security recovery in Japan.
And this policy had been carried over to Tokugawa.

reward

Mouri (Choshu) territory before the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.
That was about Hiroshima Province, Shimane Province and Yamaguchi Province of now.
After this battle，it was became only Yamaguchi Prefecture.

De facto royal family of samurai at the time was Toyotomi clan.
(Toyotomi’s identification was not a samurai，was a aristocracy)

However，after the death of its founder ”Toyotomi Hideyoshi”，this regime headed to collapse rapidly.
Hideyoshi became king of Japan from farmers.
But his action of his late in life that apparently became "strange".
　
Domestic affairs and Foreign affairs，Its "strange" appeared to both.
He became a man who kills people quickly.
He did not kill the people as much as possible until became king.
Toyotomi had lost samurai's support rapidly and their support was gathered to Tokugawa Ieyasu.
　
Of course, the opposition was present.　
Representative five lords of Japan at the time were Toyotomi regime ministers.
Its top was Tokugawa and its No.2 was Mouri.　
　
Tokugawa was only ally of Hideyoshi's past lord.
Mouri was collaborator of when winning hegemony of Hideyoshi.　
　　
This power struggle bisected the Japan，war became inevitable finally.
　
・・・・・・・・・　
　
The commander of the Mouri army was lord's brother of before.
He had convinced Tokugawa victory of this power struggle.
Above all when Tokugawa was defeated (when their side was win).

"We can not keep the peace，Japan definitely falls back to the Warring States era.”
"Must create Tokugawa victory to make a peaceful world."
He was so convinced.
(Until then，war was followed by one hundred years in all around japan.)

"Conservation of the current status of the Mouri. "
On this condition he promised to betraying to Tokugawa side.
In fact，while being de facto Gen.，Mouri did not do combat against Tokugawa.
Eventually Tokugawa hegemony was established.

・・・・・・・・・

"I forgive you only.
I give you Choshu as reward.　
Other Mouri clan will be destroy."

Soon after，there was a notice from the Tokugawa so.

"It is breach of contract.
Before battle，Tokugawa had promised to preserve current status of Mouri."

He did protest so but it was in vain.

"Promise can be changed at our convenience any time.”
After this win,Tokugawa’s negotiations in japan became like that.

”I do not want the territory.
Please gives Choshu to the Head family of Mouri.”
Mouri escaped the destruction by his frantic negotiations.

for make the tomorrow to japan

By some freak coincidence，Sakamoto became a disciple of the Tokugawa senior officials.　

”At first，he came to kill me.”
Senior official said so later.
I do not know reason，Sakamoto became a disciple of him at any rate.
(Maybe they had hit it off simply.)
　
Sakamoto seems to have been an charming person.
However，in the class society，it did not help anything. 　
There was also no backing of nations for him like Satsuma and Choshu because he was a Ronin.

But，thanks to this senior official，after this his human companionship did become wider including Tokugawa people.
For example，when Sakamoto said I want to meet Saigo of Satsuma，senior official wrote a letter of introduction to Saigo.

This Tokugawa senior officials name is ”Katsu Kaishu”.
Saigo and katsu were  very famous at that time already，on the other hand Sakamoto was not known.
Sakamoto had the endorsement of people's trust to Katsu.
(Of course，I think Katsu wrote a letter of introduction because that's Sakamoto.)　
　
And later，Sakamoto wrote the endorsement of the alliance sentence between nations of Choshu and Satsuma as an individual of Ronin.

・・・・・・・・・　

Incidentally，a few years later Katsu saved one million people's life of Edo as cessation of large-scale combat in there.　
　
I also will not say unconditionally.
”Be victory or be defeat.”
With this idea. (Of course this idea had left.)

”Do our best for future of Japan.”
This idea was appeared.　

Katsu was surrendered edo of base ground of Tokugawa to new government by the discussion.
Because of that，Tokugawa become more disadvantage.
However，one million people’s life and capital functions remained almost intact.
　
・・・・・・・・・
　
Just maybe he would be Katsu’s political enemies，there was  person name "Oguri Tadamasa" of Tokugawa senior officials .
Oguri very talented，and had planed the policy for the victory of Tokugawa to the end.
At the same time、perhaps he had forecast the fate of the era exactly.

He built the first modern shipyard to Yokosuka. (Near Yokohama)
At that time, he said with a laugh.
"We can leave this shipyard to Japan."
"Tokugawa regime was worth of existence."

However，of course he claimed the fight against the new government to the end.
He was laid off finally by Tokugawa because of it.

As can be seen in this fact，Tokugawa might tried to the corresponds of adults to new government.
After all，the fight against the new government followed up to Ezo (now Hokkaido) of the north end.
But when Japan changes became clear，Tokugawa made definite effort to pass Japan of intact to new government.
　
　

dragon will fly

”Request to participate in subjugation military.”
Tokugawa notified so to lords，one of the main of this military was Satsuma.
(General Staff was satsuma samurai "Saigo Kichinosuke”.)

"Choshu is move to another region and significantly reduce the size of the territory."
Even if do not destroy Choshu，he considered disabling of Choshu.
　
But New regime was established in Choshu.
For this reason，subjugation military did not result in actual war.
Rightly this regime was favorably to Tokugawa.
They punished anti Tokugawa group，and pledged allegiance to the Tokugawa.
(Key Cabinet Ministers of before had been harakiri.)

・・・・・・・・・

Well，after this，New world had been created mainly in Satsuma and Tokugawa.　
And they lived happily ever after.
　
There was no such fact.　
Nothing was change after this，Choshu and Tosa was serve as the center of the era.
And they changed the era.　
　
Only，main characters was changed here.　
People who was main characters until now，they were gone at this point.
Of course their group didn't annihilated.
To reality，those who survive of their group had made the next era as main characters.　　

I will not say categorically，there was a reason why they had to survive.
　
”Honestly, I can not keep up.”　
They were comrades，but methodology would have been respectively.
　
・・・・・・・・・
　
For example，”Sakamoto Ryoma” of Tosa Goushi who became one person of main characters after this.
His born class was low.　
Wirepuller of the collapsed regime of Tosa was a close friend of same class of him.

"Dragon will fly."
When Sakamoto went out of Tosa as Ronin，close friend encouraged like that to Sakamoto.
(Ryoma's meaning is dragon.)

He remained in Tosa and aimed to reform of Tosa.
However，eventually it was accomplished in the form of the assassination of the Prime Minister of Tosa.
After this，themselves until the ruin，he continued the same way the assassination.