Great Eastern Rivalry
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The Great Eastern Rivalry, also known as the Joyonghea-Quenmin conflict was a geopolitical rivalry between the Joyonghean Empire and the Empire of Quenmin that lasted from the late 19th century to 1945. The rivalry observed the two colonial powers vying for influence and territorial gains within East Asianna and islands in Hindalesia and the North Oceanian region.
The Great Eastern Rivalry was generally marked by distrust, diplomatic intrigue, espionage, and regional wars. The mutual fears from both powers regarded Lorica and the North Oceanian islands, each remaining apprehensive of the consequences of the other's expanding spheres of influence and territory. Joyonghea feared for its maritime trade ventures and border integrity dismantling from Quenminese expansionism, while Quenmin grew concerned of enlarged Joyonghean territories, sphere of influence, and interests in East Asianna hampering their economic status, and colonial and commercial ambitions. Thus, Joyonghea made it a priority to protect its territories and waters, while Quenmin continued its military expansions. Their apprehensions sometimes erupted in full-scale conflicts between the two powers, the first occuring in 1894-1897, the second in 1914-1920, and the third in 1937-1945.
The rivalry began around 1876 with movements and conflicts situated in and around the North Oceanian islands, most notably the Joyonghean colonization of the Whiteford Islands, the Quenminese annexation of Guom, and the establishment of the Kingdom of Kiribita as a Quenminese protectorate. From 1878 onward, the rivalry expanded onto Lorica. Until the first major confrontation in 1890, diplomatic manuevers, commercial imperatives, and espionage ensued among the colonial powers, with attempts to win over political alignments and economic agreements among bordering Oceanian island nations and Lorica and sabotage each other's efforts of expansion. The First War resulted in a status quo with agreements on maritime borders and buffer states. From 1913, the Quenminese political victory in the Kiribitan Civil War and their actions in the Montagique Affair, which involved Quenminese goals of establishing an independent protectorate of the island nation from the Atlantic Federation, incentivized Joyonghea to declare war against and invade Quenmin with pressure from the Federation and resulted in the Jeongsa War. The conflict inflicted huge economic and military tolls on Joyonghea, and was forced to cede more territory to Quenmin. The status quo subsided until Quenmin annexed Aurucolian Formosa on 7 May 1924 against the advice of the United Kingdom. Joyonghea then initiated diplomatic manuevering and espionage in order to guarantee and support Taoyuanese independence, resuming the rivalry. In 1932, it exacerbated with the Quocvangists ascending into power in Quenmin and advanced an extremely hawkish expansionist policy against Joyonghea in the form of conquest. After joining the Cremologna Pact in 1933, the Quenminese drew up plans to annex the entirety of the Joyonghea and underwent this venture in the Third Joyonghean-Quenminese War. However, their goal was unfulfilled due to stiff Joyonghean resistence with support from the United Kingdom.
The rivalry officially came to an end in 1945 with the Joyonghean victory in the Third Joyonghean-Quenminese War. Lorica and the Oceanian nations were granted independence from international efforts spearheaded by the United Kingdom, and the two nations pursued peacful relations. The Great Eastern Rivalry held significant impact in East Asianna's political landscape by playing a major role in the stabilization of contemporary Joyonghean and Quenminese relations and Lorica's present political situation and diplomatic relations with the two nations and the rest of Eordis. It also played an important role in the progression of the Asianna and the Pacific Campaign, as Quenminese invasion plans against Zanarkand never came to fruition. The Rivalry also instilled a major impact in popular media in Joyonghea, Quenmin, Lorica and Taoyuan, with numerous shows and literature being produced and set in this era.
Term
The term "Great Eastern Rivalry" originated from observing Western historians, especially from Europa. The tension had two other terms assigned by Joyonghean and Quenminese historians: the "Grand Chessboard" and the "Northern Playing Field," respectively.
Background
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Early explorations and expansions
North Oceania
Lorica
Hindalesia
First Joyonghean-Quenminese War
Kiribitan Civil War
Montagique
Second Joyonghean-Quenminese War
Annexation of Taoyuan
