u/Independent_Print421

In 1684, the Kangxi Emperor ended the long-standing maritime trade ban, opening the coastal ports to foreign commerce, boosting international trade. With the advises of the Jesuits alongside the presence of British, Dutch and Portuguese traders, the Kangxi Emperor became more open in terms of foreign policies. With enough support from the court, the Kangxi Emperor initiated many education reforms. One of which was the Translation Project where he worked to translate many western works into Mandarin Chinese via methods such as phonetic transliteration, calquing (semantic translation), hybrid coinages, and adopting the original foreign terms, creating a Golden Era of the Enlightenment in the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Renaissance happened where Qing’s culture thrived. Meanwhile, the Jesuits managed to win the favor Pope Clement XI to authorize Chinese rites as civic rituals compatible with Catholicism. Future Emperors (the Yongzheng Emperor and the Qianlong Emperor) were educated on not just Confucian classics but also translated western works.

A new philosophy gained tractions amongst Kangxi’s court called State-Confucianism where they believed that Confucianism offers a superior framework for the moral way as it teaches people how to live ethnically while acknowledging that western excelled in mastering the physical world, creating material wealth. State-Confucianism acknowledges the superiority of western science  and mathematics but criticizes western culture being stuck in it and believed Chinese philosophy offers higher moral unity that science could be guided by this wisdom to prevent human alienation. The philosophy also argued that since Confucianism values Ren (benevolence), State-Confucianism saw things such as western science and modern medicine can directly reduce human suffering, improve livelihoods and save lives, therefore True Confucianism should eagerly adopt science because it served as a powerful instrument to practice Ren on a massive scale. State-Confucianism became the main philosophy for the Qing.

The Qing starts to expand their territories such as securing Sakhalin in 1689 to create Kuyedao, alongside conquering Outer Mongolia in 1696 and Tibet in 1720 after defeating the Dzungar Mongols. When the Yongzheng Emperor took the throne, he initiated many of his reforms similar to the Kangxi Emperor such as improving the Qing’s military where the Qing starts to transition towards more modern weaponry, such as western guns and other firepower. The navy was also an important part of the Yongzheng Emperor’s plan, using newly developed weapons and technology. He also initiated Anti-Corruption reforms such as implementing a revised Imperial Examination System which aimed to choose government officials based on merit, not family ties or wealth, modeling the system after Confucian principles and ensuring that officials were educated on both Confucian classics and western science while being morally sound and education reforms were initiated to encouraged the study of Western languages and sciences. He also reformed the Censorate, allowing them to independently investigate and prosecute confirmed case of corruption such as illicit favoritism without political interference alongside utilized high-paying salaries to the Censorate that matched the market to avoid financial temptation. To keep the Censorate in check from corruption, if the Left Censor-in-Chief is suspected of corruption, the Qing’s Justice System would step in and to conduct an independent, thorough investigation.

When the Qianlong Emperor took the throne, the Qing annexed Xinjiang in 1759 after defeating the Dzungar Khanate. During the Qianlong’s period, the Qing Dynasty was at its peak with the treasury overflowing, agricultural output soared and the population boomed. Many local national banks were chartered as private businesses gained permissions from the government to print money that people could used and the Qing permit licensed private banks to issue redeemable banknotes. The Qianlong Emperor agreed to allowed the British to establish an embassy in the Qing Dynasty in 1793, allowing a faster growing movement in the reformist movement within the Qing’s court. Initially viewed favorably by the Emperor, Heshen was punished by the Qianlong Emperor to please growing reformist officials in his court. In his later reign, he establish the Imperial Army, which would replace the outdated Eight Banners System and to catch up with the West militarily.

Following Qianlong Era, the Qing continued to modernized. New ministries were created such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior/Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture. The Qing starts to built modern arsenals, shipyards, mines, textiles factories, telegraph systems and more alongside modern schools which taught practical subjects such as Western sciences, mathematics, and practical governance. Agricultural reforms were introduced such as the establishment of agricultural schools. Multiple edicts were passed that would establish a commercial code and corporate laws that would recognize, regulate, and protect private merchant enterprises and joint-stock companies alongside approved and assisted in setting up modern chambers of commerce in major cities to support bankers, traders and business owners later on. The Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion never happened or were suppressed quickly due to the Qing's modernization. The Qing's territory remains intact without the unequal treaties, meaning no Qing Cessions to foreign powers like British Hong Kong. The First Sino-Japanese War happened between the Qing Dynasty and Japan over the influence of Joseon. Due to the Qing's modernization, Joseon, with the help of Qing's military, pushed back against the Japanese. The war ends in a Qing-Joseon victory. Due to a much stronger Qing, the Boxer Rebellion never happened. In 1898, the Qing replaced the Imperial Examination System with a Western-style secular curriculum that prioritized subjects like math and science. Meanwhile, Kaiser Wilhelm II made frequent visits to the Qing, seeing the potential of the Qing. The Qing signed a mutual defense pact with the German Empire became an unofficial member of the Triple Alliance.

In 1914, the Qing Dynasty joins World War 1 on the side of the Central Powers. The Qing attacked the Far Southeast Siberia in the North and Central Asian part of the Russian Empire to the west while in the south, the Qing attacked French Indochina. There is no Zimmerman Telegram and no resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, thus, the U.S. never entered World War 1. Germany invaded the Netherlands. For the most part the stalemate would continue throughout 1917, with some give and take on both sides. However, the October Revolution in
Russia would deal a terrible blow to the Entente war effort. Desperate for peace, the Bolsheviks would sign a humiliating peace treaty with the Central Powers where Russia would gave up control over the Baltics, Poland, Belarus and Ukraine to German’s influence while ceded the territories of Kars, Ardahan, and Batum back to the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile, Russia cede the Central Asia part of Russia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan) alongside the Far Southeast part of Russia to the Qing. Meanwhile, the Qing can now focused on southwards. Following the occupation of French Indochina, the Qing attacked British Malaysia and Dutch East Indies.

The Germans spent more time planning their final offensive. In 1918, The Germans launch an attack aimed at capturing strategic railway junctions at Amiens. The capture was a success, disrupting the Entente supply lines and split the Entente forces. The Germans would move towards Paris where the French armies began to collapse, crippling French war effort and an armistice would be signed shortly afterwards. Following France’s collapse, Austro-Hungary and Germany easily overwhelmed the Italian front. The Central Powers pushed deep into the Italian peninsula, forcing Italy into surrender in 1919. This leave only Britain, isolated, facing a unified German front on the continent, and dealing with extreme exhaustion at home, Britain formally conceded defeat in 1919, ending World War 1. The Treaty of Versailles was signed. Germany gains territories in Europe and Africa while France, Britain and the Netherlands would cede French Indochina, French posts like Pondicherry, Dutch East Indies, British Malaysia (alongside Singapore), French and British pacific colonies to the Qing.

During World War 1, in Russia, the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk helped the Whites gains support, especially from Germany after World War 1, who want to prevent communism’s spread. Lenin tries to solidify communist control by enforcing one party rule, upsetting socialist revolutionaries. In August 1918, Lenin is assassinated by one of the revolutionaries after a speech in Moscow, causing severe setbacks for the communists, losing morale and battles. By mid-1919, the communists are limited to central Russia, with many of their soldiers defecting to the White army. In October, the Whites capture Petrograd and, by early 1920, win the battle for Moscow, leading to the establishment of a new government in the reclaimed territories. Russia was finally reunified under Alexander Kolchak, who took the title "The Supreme Ruler of Russia", under the newly created Russian State. Russia became very authoritarian and extremely reactionary. Kolchak and his supporters blamed socialists, communists, and Jewish people for the collapse of the Russian Empire and opposed liberal ideas like democracy. This led to the Great Terror, where political dissidents and suspected Bolsheviks were persecuted. Antisemitic pogroms and other horrendous acts against various minority groups within Russia were also carried out by Kolchak's government.
In Britain, France, and Italy, anger over losing the war, poor living conditions, and massive unemployment resulted in widespread social unrest and the rise of political extremism.

In Britain during the early 1930s, Oswald Mosley and the Union of Fascists Party gained power, promise to restore national pride and resolve domestic issues. Mosley, now prime minister, blamed socialists, communists, Jewish people, and the Irish for the country’s problems, leading to the persecution of these groups, especially the Irish. In British colonies, such as India, strict control was imposed, and pro-independence movements faced severe crackdowns. Australia and New Zealand left the Imperial Commonwealth due to Mosley's anti-democratic actions. In France, General Philippe Pétain staged a coup in February 1934 amidst political instability, leading to the suppression of leftist groups and a harsh response to anti-colonial movements. Meanwhile, FDR passed away before becoming President in 1928 and Herbert Hoover is re-elected in 1932, resulting in the Second American Civil War between the United States, the Union of American States (the South) and the Pacific Republic of America (the West). By 1936, with all 3 sides tired of fighting. They agreed to an armistice.

Post-WW1, The Qing Dynasty remains centralized, regional armies never fragmented and infrastructures remain intact, avoiding decades of civil war. The Qing Dynasty continued to industrialized. When the Great Depression hits, the Qing abandoned their silver standard replaced it with a fiat currency alongside active fiscal spendings, successfully recovered. Meanwhile, military conscription is enacted in the Qing by the Xuantong Emperor, resulting in the Qing’s military have much more manpower. The Qing first invades Joseon and Japan in 1937, the invasion was a success despite resistance from the Korean and Japanese’s forces with Joseon and Japan being completely annexed in 1940, which is a year after World War 2 broke out. The Qing attacked British Raj through a unified coalition of soldiers from the vast Qing from Chinese to Japanese. Indians rose up against British’s fascist rule. During the war, the Qing invaded Afghanistan and Siam. Afghanistan and Siam were eventually conquered before British’s forced to gave up control of India in 1946. With the last remnants Indian independence were suppressed, the Qing completely annexed the British Raj. the Qing can now focused on expanding beyond Asia.

Post-WW2, the Qing invade the Philippines (which declared independence following Second American Civil War) which ended in a Qing’s victory, this began World War 3. Following a quick Qing’s victory in the Sino-Portuguese War in 1947, resulting in the annexation of Portuguese East Timor, Goa and posts in India. The Qing invaded Nepal, Bhutan, Brunei, the Maldives, Australia and New Zealand in 1949 which ended in 1950 in the Anti-Qing Coalition surrendered, as they would much rather protect their citizens over an unwinnable war. Following nuke being dropped in Germany by the United States, a German nuclear bomb being dropped in Washington D.C., wiping out the American government, the Qing and the German Empire invades the Americas. By 1960, the Americas is divided with Hawaii, Alaska, the Western Canada, the Pacific Republic, Union of American States, Mexico, the Central American states, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and the Caribbean islands were completely annexed by the Qing while the rest of the Americas is annexed by Germany. The Cold War began between two absolute monarchies post WW3: the Qing Dynasty and the German Empire.

Heavily inspired by this map: https://www.reddit.com/r/imaginarymaps/comments/mnv2pk/vengeance\_of\_manchuria\_a\_restored\_qing\_empire\_1955/

In 1684, the Kangxi Emperor ended the long-standing maritime trade ban, opening the coastal ports to foreign commerce, boosting international trade. With the advises of the Jesuits alongside the presence of British, Dutch and Portuguese traders, the Kangxi Emperor became more open in terms of foreign policies. With enough support from the court, the Kangxi Emperor initiated many education reforms. One of which was the Translation Project where he worked to translate many western works into Mandarin Chinese via methods such as phonetic transliteration, calquing (semantic translation), hybrid coinages, and adopting the original foreign terms, creating a Golden Era of the Enlightenment in the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Renaissance happened where Qing’s culture thrived. Meanwhile, the Jesuits managed to win the favor Pope Clement XI to authorize Chinese rites as civic rituals compatible with Catholicism. Future Emperors (the Yongzheng Emperor and the Qianlong Emperor) were educated on not just Confucian classics but also translated western works.

A new philosophy gained tractions amongst Kangxi’s court called State-Confucianism where they believed that Confucianism offers a superior framework for the moral way as it teaches people how to live ethnically while acknowledging that western excelled in mastering the physical world, creating material wealth. State-Confucianism acknowledges the superiority of western science  and mathematics but criticizes western culture being stuck in it and believed Chinese philosophy offers higher moral unity that science could be guided by this wisdom to prevent human alienation. The philosophy also argued that since Confucianism values Ren (benevolence), State-Confucianism saw things such as western science and modern medicine can directly reduce human suffering, improve livelihoods and save lives, therefore True Confucianism should eagerly adopt science because it served as a powerful instrument to practice Ren on a massive scale. State-Confucianism became the main philosophy for the Qing.

The Qing starts to expand their territories such as securing Sakhalin in 1689 to create Kuyedao, alongside conquering Outer Mongolia in 1696 and Tibet in 1720 after defeating the Dzungar Mongols. When the Yongzheng Emperor took the throne, he initiated many of his reforms similar to the Kangxi Emperor such as improving the Qing’s military where the Qing starts to transition towards more modern weaponry, such as western guns and other firepower. The navy was also an important part of the Yongzheng Emperor’s plan, using newly developed weapons and technology. He also initiated Anti-Corruption reforms such as implementing a revised Imperial Examination System which aimed to choose government officials based on merit, not family ties or wealth, modeling the system after Confucian principles and ensuring that officials were educated on both Confucian classics and western science while being morally sound and education reforms were initiated to encouraged the study of Western languages and sciences. He also reformed the Censorate, allowing them to independently investigate and prosecute confirmed case of corruption such as illicit favoritism without political interference alongside utilized high-paying salaries to the Censorate that matched the market to avoid financial temptation. To keep the Censorate in check from corruption, if the Left Censor-in-Chief is suspected of corruption, the Qing’s Justice System would step in and to conduct an independent, thorough investigation.

When the Qianlong Emperor took the throne, the Qing annexed Xinjiang in 1759 after defeating the Dzungar Khanate. During the Qianlong’s period, the Qing Dynasty was at its peak with the treasury overflowing, agricultural output soared and the population boomed. Many local national banks were chartered as private businesses gained permissions from the government to print money that people could used and the Qing permit licensed private banks to issue redeemable banknotes. The Qianlong Emperor agreed to allowed the British to establish an embassy in the Qing Dynasty in 1793, allowing a faster growing movement in the reformist movement within the Qing’s court. Initially viewed favorably by the Emperor, Heshen was punished by the Qianlong Emperor to please growing reformist officials in his court. In his later reign, he establish the Imperial Army, which would replace the outdated Eight Banners System and to catch up with the West militarily.

Following Qianlong Era, the Qing continued to modernized. New ministries were created such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior/Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture. The Qing starts to built modern arsenals, shipyards, mines, textiles factories, telegraph systems and more alongside modern schools which taught practical subjects such as Western sciences, mathematics, and practical governance. Agricultural reforms were introduced such as the establishment of agricultural schools. Multiple edicts were passed that would establish a commercial code and corporate laws that would recognize, regulate, and protect private merchant enterprises and joint-stock companies alongside approved and assisted in setting up modern chambers of commerce in major cities to support bankers, traders and business owners later on. The Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion never happened or were suppressed quickly due to the Qing's modernization. The Qing's territory remains intact without the unequal treaties, meaning no Qing Cessions to foreign powers like British Hong Kong. The First Sino-Japanese War happened between the Qing Dynasty and Japan over the influence of Joseon. Due to the Qing's modernization, Joseon, with the help of Qing's military, pushed back against the Japanese. The war ends in a Qing-Joseon victory. Due to a much stronger Qing, the Boxer Rebellion never happened. In 1898, the Qing replaced the Imperial Examination System with a Western-style secular curriculum that prioritized subjects like math and science. Meanwhile, Kaiser Wilhelm II made frequent visits to the Qing, seeing the potential of the Qing. The Qing signed a mutual defense pact with the German Empire became an unofficial member of the Triple Alliance.

In 1914, the Qing Dynasty joins World War 1 on the side of the Central Powers. The Qing attacked the Far Southeast Siberia in the North and Central Asian part of the Russian Empire to the west while in the south, the Qing attacked French Indochina. There is no Zimmerman Telegram and no resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, thus, the U.S. never entered World War 1. Germany invaded the Netherlands. For the most part the stalemate would continue throughout 1917, with some give and take on both sides. However, the October Revolution in
Russia would deal a terrible blow to the Entente war effort. Desperate for peace, the Bolsheviks would sign a humiliating peace treaty with the Central Powers where Russia would gave up control over the Baltics, Poland, Belarus and Ukraine to German’s influence while ceded the territories of Kars, Ardahan, and Batum back to the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile, Russia cede the Central Asia part of Russia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan) alongside the Far Southeast part of Russia to the Qing. Meanwhile, the Qing can now focused on southwards. Following the occupation of French Indochina, the Qing attacked British Malaysia and Dutch East Indies.

The Germans spent more time planning their final offensive. In 1918, The Germans launch an attack aimed at capturing strategic railway junctions at Amiens. The capture was a success, disrupting the Entente supply lines and split the Entente forces. The Germans would move towards Paris where the French armies began to collapse, crippling French war effort and an armistice would be signed shortly afterwards. Following France’s collapse, Austro-Hungary and Germany easily overwhelmed the Italian front. The Central Powers pushed deep into the Italian peninsula, forcing Italy into surrender in 1919. This leave only Britain, isolated, facing a unified German front on the continent, and dealing with extreme exhaustion at home, Britain formally conceded defeat in 1919, ending World War 1. The Treaty of Versailles was signed. Germany gains territories in Europe and Africa while France, Britain and the Netherlands would cede French Indochina, French posts like Pondicherry, Dutch East Indies, British Malaysia (alongside Singapore), French and British pacific colonies to the Qing.

During World War 1, in Russia, the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk helped the Whites gains support, especially from Germany after World War 1, who want to prevent communism’s spread. Lenin tries to solidify communist control by enforcing one party rule, upsetting socialist revolutionaries. In August 1918, Lenin is assassinated by one of the revolutionaries after a speech in Moscow, causing severe setbacks for the communists, losing morale and battles. By mid-1919, the communists are limited to central Russia, with many of their soldiers defecting to the White army. In October, the Whites capture Petrograd and, by early 1920, win the battle for Moscow, leading to the establishment of a new government in the reclaimed territories. Russia was finally reunified under Alexander Kolchak, who took the title "The Supreme Ruler of Russia", under the newly created Russian State. Russia became very authoritarian and extremely reactionary. Kolchak and his supporters blamed socialists, communists, and Jewish people for the collapse of the Russian Empire and opposed liberal ideas like democracy. This led to the Great Terror, where political dissidents and suspected Bolsheviks were persecuted. Antisemitic pogroms and other horrendous acts against various minority groups within Russia were also carried out by Kolchak's government.
In Britain, France, and Italy, anger over losing the war, poor living conditions, and massive unemployment resulted in widespread social unrest and the rise of political extremism.

In Britain during the early 1930s, Oswald Mosley and the Union of Fascists Party gained power, promise to restore national pride and resolve domestic issues. Mosley, now prime minister, blamed socialists, communists, Jewish people, and the Irish for the country’s problems, leading to the persecution of these groups, especially the Irish. In British colonies, such as India, strict control was imposed, and pro-independence movements faced severe crackdowns. Australia and New Zealand left the Imperial Commonwealth due to Mosley's anti-democratic actions. In France, General Philippe Pétain staged a coup in February 1934 amidst political instability, leading to the suppression of leftist groups and a harsh response to anti-colonial movements. Meanwhile, FDR passed away before becoming President in 1928 and Herbert Hoover is re-elected in 1932, resulting in the Second American Civil War between the United States, the Union of American States (the South) and the Pacific Republic of America (the West). By 1936, with all 3 sides tired of fighting. They agreed to an armistice.

Post-WW1, The Qing Dynasty remains centralized, regional armies never fragmented and infrastructures remain intact, avoiding decades of civil war. The Qing Dynasty continued to industrialized. When the Great Depression hits, the Qing abandoned their silver standard replaced it with a fiat currency alongside active fiscal spendings, successfully recovered. Meanwhile, military conscription is enacted in the Qing by the Xuantong Emperor, resulting in the Qing’s military have much more manpower. The Qing first invades Joseon and Japan in 1937, the invasion was a success despite resistance from the Korean and Japanese’s forces with Joseon and Japan being completely annexed in 1940, which is a year after World War 2 broke out. The Qing attacked British Raj through a unified coalition of soldiers from the vast Qing from Chinese to Japanese. Indians rose up against British’s fascist rule. During the war, the Qing invaded Afghanistan and Siam. Afghanistan and Siam were eventually conquered before British’s forced to gave up control of India in 1946. With the last remnants Indian independence were suppressed, the Qing completely annexed the British Raj. the Qing can now focused on expanding beyond Asia.

Post-WW2, the Qing invade the Philippines (which declared independence following Second American Civil War) which ended in a Qing’s victory, this began World War 3. Following a quick Qing’s victory in the Sino-Portuguese War in 1947, resulting in the annexation of Portuguese East Timor, Goa and posts in India. The Qing invaded Nepal, Bhutan, Brunei, the Maldives, Australia and New Zealand in 1949 which ended in 1950 in the Anti-Qing Coalition surrendered, as they would much rather protect their citizens over an unwinnable war. Following nuke being dropped in Germany by the United States, a German nuclear bomb being dropped in Washington D.C., wiping out the American government, the Qing and the German Empire invades the Americas. By 1960, the Americas is divided with Hawaii, Alaska, the Western Canada, the Pacific Republic, Union of American States, Mexico, the Central American states, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and the Caribbean islands were completely annexed by the Qing while the rest of the Americas is annexed by Germany. The Cold War began between two absolute monarchies post WW3: the Qing Dynasty and the German Empire.

After Nurhaci unified the Jurchen tribes, Nurhaci delivered a manifesto where he wanted to create a united Manchu state that spoke Manchu and inhabited by the Jurchen, aiming for political independence as the Ming Dynasty deteriorated. Nurhaci said in his speech that modern day Manchu nationalists interpreted as "We’re not trying to took over China, we’re never a part of it in the first place." In 1616, he declared himself Khan and founded the Later Jin Khanate, which later declared itself self governing. The Later Jin Khanate went to war with the Ming to establish their core territory (Manchuria). After Nurhaci's death in 1626 during the conflict, his son Hong Taiji made reforms and renamed the Jurchens "Manchu," ultimately establishing the Manchu Khanate. Once Manchuria successfully conquered their core territory, through a ceasefire in 1634, Manchuria agreed to withdrew and stopped expanding beyond the Shanhaiguan Pass in exchange for the Ming to recognize Manchuria as an independent state and both sides agreed to not step foot beyond Shanhaiguan Pass. The Shun Dynasty took over as the next and final Chinese Dynasty.

Following the war, Hong Taiji established a core bureaucracy in Manchu Khanate. The Khan of the Manchu Khanate would held supreme, absolute authority over all state, legislative, and judicial matters. The Great Council of the Khanate would be responsible for translating the Khan’s decrees into practice, managed state treasury and collected taxes and coordinated the Eight Banners effectively. They’re appointed directly by the Khan under the advice of his advisors. Provinces in Manchuria would be handled by provincial governors who aimed to collect taxes, supervised regional public works like dikes, canals, and waterways, manage local civil services such as school systems, supervise lower-level local such as prefectures, county magistrates officials and more.

During Hong Taiji’s reign, Manchu Khanate focused on reforming the state such as land tax reforms where provinces are required to report comprehensive figures of their labor service and tax registers annually to monitor population changes and curb local officials' arbitrary use and embezzlement of poll tax
revenue alongside the creation of the Complete Books of Taxes and Labor Service where it listed the fixed land tax and poll tax that each province, prefecture and county had to pay each year. By making these tax amounts official, ordinary people could see what they owed, taking away the local officials' ability to change tax rates at will.  Hong Taiji also focused on agricultural growth. This helped boosted the economy of Manchuria. Ijishūn Dasan Khan (the Shunzhi Emperor) became Khan under the regency of Dorgon. Ijishūn Dasan Khan under Dorgon continued Hong Taiji’s previous reforms.

Elhe Taifin Khan (the Kangxi Emperor) took over in 1661. With a combination of Jesuits’s influence, the presence of western traders and Elhe Taifin Khan’s genuine interest on western science caused Manchuria to enter a period of modernization. Elhe Taifin Khan focused on boosting literacy amongst Manchus first. He first created the Updated Manchu Dictionary, which sought to expand Manchu language by adding new words through phonetic transliteration, calquing (semantic translation), hybrid coinages, and adopting the original foreign terms. Later in his reign, he initiated the Translation Project which aimed to translated many western works through the updated Manchu language which would be continued by his successors. Following a Manchurian victory through the Siege of Albazin, Manchuria and Russia signed the Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689, setting borders and ceding Sakhalin to Manchuria.

The Hūwaliyasun Tob Khan (Yongzheng Emperor) took over as Khan. The Hūwaliyasun Tob Khan focused on lowering corruption within the Grand Council. He created an Anti-Corruption ministry (Office of Inspector General) to investigate and prosecute illicit favoritism without political interference alongside utilized high-paying salaries to the Office that matched the market to avoid financial temptation. To keep the Minister of the OIG in check from corruption, if the minister is suspected of corruption, the Manchu Justice System would step in and to conduct an independent, thorough investigation. The Hūwaliyasun Tob Khan also work to transition Manchurian’s army towards more modern weaponry, such as western guns and other firepower. The navy was also an important part of his plan, using newly developed weapons and technology. Abkai Wehiyehe Khan (the Qianlong Emperor) took the throne. Manchuria reached their absolute peak with the treasury overflowing, agricultural output soared and the population boomed. Many local national banks were chartered as private businesses gained permissions from the government to print money that people could used and Manchuria permit licensed private banks to issue redeemable banknotes. Britain established an Embassy in Manchuria. Initially trusted by the Khan himself, Heshen was ultimately punished by the Khan under the advice of the Office of Inspector General. In his later reign, he establish the Great Manchu Army, which would replace the outdated Eight Banners System and to catch up with the West militarily. Demographically, during Russia’s conquest of Mongolia in the 1750s, Mongolian nobles alongside Mongolian citizens fled to Manchuria. They’re accepted by the Khan only under the conditions that they must adapt into their customs (I.e adopting the queue, learn Manchu, etc…)

Following Abkai Wehiyehe Khan’s reign, Manchuria continued to modernized. New ministries were created such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior/Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture. Manchuria starts to built modernized arsenals, shipyards, mines, textiles factories, telegraph systems and more alongside modern schools which taught practical subjects such as Western sciences, mathematics, and practical governance. Agricultural reforms were introduced such as the establishment of agricultural schools. Multiple edicts were passed that would establish a commercial code and corporate laws that would recognize, regulate, and protect private merchant enterprises and joint-stock companies alongside approved and assisted in setting up modern chambers of commerce in major cities to support bankers, traders and business owners later on. During this time, immigration laws lessened as the later Khans believed that they would help created large domestic markets and workers to drive production, trade, and faster economic growth but only if they adopted Manchu’s culture. Meanwhile, following the conquest of Joseon by Japan, Meiji’s government, realizing that Manchuria could posed a threat, invited Manchurian’s representatives to proposed ways to calm tensions between the two states. That’s when the Nagasaki Pact was signed, Manchuria and Japan would gains each other’s markets via very low tariffs while foreign states still faced external tariffs from the two. This does not calmed the tensions between the two states but does calm the two economically. Meanwhile as the Shun Dynasty collapsed, Han-Chinese citizens from the Shun sought asylum to Manchuria. Additionally, more Korean and Japanese citizens immigrated to Manchuria. Manchuria became more multiethnic but still monocultural.

As the Manchu Khanate approached the 1900s, many Manchu citizens demanded domestic representations. In 1912, Manchu Khanate, under Gehungge Yoso Khan (Xuantong Emperor) under the regency of Dzai Feng, adopt a constitution that would turned the Manchu Khanate into a Constitutional Monarchy in 1912. The Queue technically isn’t abolished, however, it’s mostly used as a symbol of Manchu nationalism rather than mandatory. Under the new constitution, the Khan of the Manchurian Khanate is now the Head of State where his main duties mainly involve attending domestic ceremonies and performing state functions. His main powers include: appointed the Prime Minister who has parliamentary support, officially appointed ministers based on the Prime Minister’s advice, opened and closed sessions of the Parliament, announced new laws, may refuse to approve laws in specific situations, can dissolve Parliament if the Prime Minister advises it, serves as the commander-in-chief in a mostly ceremonial role, meets with foreign ambassadors, symbolizes the stability of the nation, can appoint a temporary Prime Minister during a constitutional crisis and can issue emergency orders that need to be confirmed by Parliament. In 1914, the Manchu Khanate remains neutral in World War 1 due to a lack of grievances for Manchuria to joined the war. Manchuria continued to industrialized. When the Great Depression hits, Manchuria abandoned their silver standard replaced it with a fiat currency alongside active fiscal spendings, recovering relatively quick than most nations.

Tensions between Manchuria and Japan reached an all time worst when Japan invaded Manchuria through Japanese Korea in 1931, beginning the Manchurian-Japanese War. Manchuria put up a strong resistance against Japanese’s forces with diplomatic efforts to help secure aid from Americans and Soviets. Eventually in 1945, Japan is defeated. Manchuria oversaw the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, Manchuria sided with the American Bloc. Manchuria initially introduced reforms aimed at reduced tenant dependency on landowners such as rents could not exceed 40% of agricultural output, tenants receiving long-term leases and prohibit land owners from evicting tenants arbitrarily. Eventually, Manchuria began purchasing agricultural land from large landowners in exchange for landowners to receive government bonds, shares in industrial development corporations, etc… lands was then distributed to the peasants with capped ownership so that a single household could only own the amount of land they could farm directly with family labor. In 2010, Manchuria, Republic of Korea (consisted of the Korean Peninsula following South Korean’s victory in the Korean War) and Japan signed an economic alliance similar to ASEAN. The three members would dramatically reduced tariffs between the three states to create a single market and production base.

Today, Manchuria is certainly not a top player in geopolitics, but remained a respected nation reputation wise. The current Khan of the Manchu Khanate is the Wenghūi Khan (Jin Yuzhang, ruling since 2015.)

No Lore

I don’t have much lore for this one, but essentially:

In this timeline, Heaven and Hell are real but their technologies never really advanced. While the demons weapons are mainly used for torture such as whips, pitchfork, iron swords and more alongside possessing supernatural physical strength, their weapons remain very primitive as Earth is advancing and the demons have no real magic as only angels have magic. Throughout human history, starting from the year 1000, the demons were sent to Earth to essentially stole human’s technologies to learn from Earth so that they could modernized and potentially launches an invasion and conquered Earth in the best scenario. They would only stole weapons, not attacking them, only killing them when necessary. Those who did witness or survived the demons tried to warn everyone about the demons but were dismissed as madmen or drunk and those who did believed them don’t know when would the demons show up as the demons would show up randomly. However, the demon’s industrialization plan mostly failed because the demons failed to considered the political, educational and institutional system that produced that technologies, which is why Hell’s technologies still lagged behind despite attempts to industrialize.

According to George Washington’s journals, during the American Revolution, George Washington encountered visions where he claimed to see Hell itself, the final vision came in 1789 where Washington saw an angel that reveals to Washington that Hell’s gate shall opened in 1790. This gave Washington’s enough preparations. Washington secretly assembled a small military force without telling congress the real reason behind his plan. Washington order the troops to patrol areas around Philadelphia to look for hostile entities. The troops complied but think they’re practicing some kind of bizarre form of espionage. Then 1790 came when 5 demons appears through a portal in Philadelphia as predicted by Washington before charging at the troops to steal their weapons. Panicked, the troops fired at the demons, killing them. As the demon’s body began to dissolved, the troops noticed that a Satanic Pendant didn’t dissolved with the body and is glowing. When Washington touched the pendant, a portal opened to reveal Hell before he closed the portal.

Autumn 1790, following the incident, Washington proposed plans to invades Hell. Congress was hesitant at first but following Washington argued that if demons could entered hell and stole Earth’s technologies, they could eventually acquire enough weapons to be a serious threat to humanity, congress approved the plan. U.S. began mobilizing troops. The Portal to Hell opened via the Satanic Pendant. The U.S. troops immediately invaded Hell, beginning the Great Hell War. Despite the demons having more troops, the American forces eventually won for several reasons: namely technological gaps, recruitment of those suffering in Hell in exchange for genuine peace for the first time (I.e. Julius Caesar and Odysseus). Heaven finally intervenes in 1792 and attempted peace talks with the Americans and demons. The Treaty of Philadelphia was signed, the U.S. would gains territories in Hell, Hell must stop sending demons to Earth, human souls in Hell would received legal protection, Hell would agreed to recognized the United States’s as a legitimate political power and human engineers and scholars would agreed to sent to Hell to teach the demons industrialization in exchange for Hell to abandoned its torture based institutions.

I don’t have much lore for what happened after 1792. This is just a map I made mainly because I’m bored.

Credits to:

https://www.deviantart.com/ravenzero-one/art/Venus-Blank-Map-386579404 for the map

And

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyC3aSNoINI/?ig_mid=A70AABF3-0BA3-40A5-B9EC-76507EFED06C&utm_source=igweb&img_index=1 for the art.

Credits:

https://www.deviantart.com/kriegguardsmen237831/art/The-US-great-seal-in-Art-Deco-945625622

https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/comments/73kvwf/was_playing_a_video_game_and_the_united_states_of/

In 2000 BC, an alien civilization had arrived in all 6 habitable continents, including North America. The civilization is unofficially known as the Cult of Death Worship. The cult believed that biological life is fundamentally meaningless. According to their doctrine, consciousness existed only temporarily inside physical bodies. Death wasn’t an ending, it was liberation from the illusion of existence. They referred the universe after death as the Great Nothingness, where they believed that death was the highest spiritual achievement possible. Their objective on Earth is to convert humanity into the death worship philosophy. They established three underground vaults across North America (Washington D.C., New York City and Los Angeles) alongside other continents. The vaults contained technologies aimed to accelerate what they called the Day of Enlightenment. The cult believed that once enough humans understood their teachings, humanity would be willing to destroy themselves.

However, when the aliens in North America tried to convert the Native Americans into their philosophy, almost all the Native Americans rejected the cult’s philosophy. The cult called them "the species that clings to the meaningless of life.", believing that conversion would take too long. They began their ritual in 1900 BC, the cult gathered around the three vaults in North America where every members committed mass suicides, their bodies disappeared and causing their species to be extinct. Before their death, they hoped that future generations of humanity would discover the vaults, activate their technologies and finished where they had started. Nothing happened until 1930. In 1930, while archeologists are excavating beneath Washington D.C., they accidentally discovered the vault. When they check the vault, they discovered incomprehensible languages and alien-technologies. The discovery was immediately classified by the American government. Following the discovery, under the Herbert Hoover’s administration, the U.S. approved Project Prometheus, scientists were recruited to study and understand the alien technologies led by Dr. William Street.

In 1940, Charles Lindbergh won the Republican nomination due to a lack of clear leadership within the Republican Party. Lindbergh campaigned in all 48 states by flying his plane across the country. He is able to emphasize his youth in contrast to Roosevelt’s declining health and unprecedented decision to run for a third term. Charles Lindbergh managed to won the election against Roosevelt. By 1942, the U.S. had successfully reproduced the alien’s weapons and the alien’s energy generator, one of the weapons was chemical weapons. Following the end of World War 2, Lindbergh and his cabinet discussed plans to unified Earth through conquest. Lindbergh believed that division caused wars with him highlighting history is fundamentally chaotic because billions of individuals, governments, religions and cultures had pursued different and conflicting things. He believed that it is an American duty to eliminate division, meaning no independent nations, competition governments, borders and everything that divide the world with one government and one future.

Congress debated the proposal, with the support of a coalition of Republicans and War Democrats, the plan was approved. Operation Terra was enacted on 1945, beginning with the U.S. invasion of Canada. Canada surrender just months due to the aliens technologies despite fierce resistance from Canadian forces. Mexico was also invaded and ended similarly to Canada. The United States bombs London, killing both the parliament and the royal family as the U.S. occupied Britain. Multiple bombs hit Europe and Moscow, killing majority of the world government there. The Soviet Union collapsed into warlord states. The U.S. continued to invades and bomb many nations from the rest of the Americas to Northern Africa to East Asia to Oceania and more. Resistances were proven futile as majority of the locations are contaminated, making rebellions difficult and those who did rebel were crushed by the American forces. In 1948, President Lindbergh ordered the disbandment of the legislative branch, with enough support from congress, accepts his demand. Lindbergh became dictator. By 1950, the U.S. had occupied one third of the world. President Lindbergh delivered a final ultimatum to every nations, either joins the U.S. or faced chemical annihilation, majority of nations accepted out of pure fear and joins the United States, though who refused were invaded and bombed by the U.S. Eventually, the U.S. successfully conquered the world in 1953 under Lindbergh. With the Treaty of Washington D.C. being signed by the U.S. and the surviving representatives of the world governments. The World State was formed. Millions had died and the majority of the world had been contaminated. Welcome to Lindbergh’s Hell…

Credit to u/ProjectMirai64 for the Japanese Emblem.

Quebec:

During the presidency of John Adams, congress approved a declaration of war against Spain over Spanish Florida because its boundaries were poorly defined and Spain’s increasingly weaker control of Florida, beginning the Florida War. The U.S. troops struggled with Spanish’s forces being more capable than expected. Eventually, the war ended inconclusive, however, this gave the Americans institutional memory as it taught the Americans what happened if the state neglected their army. Thus, military reforms were initiated such as West Point being expanded earlier alongside the U.S. created a much larger and much more professional army with a much stronger corps of engineers. The War of 1812 began with the American troops being much larger consists of 18,000 men at the time, backed by substantially better-training. Meanwhile, during the Napoleonic War, rather than invading Russia, Napoleon focused on the Peninsular Campaign instead. Britain is forced to redirect more resources to the Peninsular War, leaving fewer troops in the Americas and allowing the U.S. to push deeper into Upper Canada. In 1813-1814, the American army advanced over Niagara frontier, with British and Canada forces defends hard but don’t have enough troops than in our timeline. The American forces set up a permanent bridgehead and capture important settlements which disrupt communications linking Upper Canada and Lower Canada, weakening the British’s war effort further. Eventually, the British agreed for peace treaty. Britain reluctantly ceded all of British Canada into the U.S. in 1815.

When President James Monroe took over as President, he inherited a much larger but a much more divisive United States over whether the newly conquered American territories should be admitted as U.S. states or not. Some congressmen demanded the northern territories to be admitted as states immediately while some congressmen, mainly southerners, feared that admitting the northern territories would tip the balance towards free states. Monroe passed the Missouri Compromise where the Canadian territories would not be admitted until further notice. The Compromise would admitted Missouri as a Slave State while Maine as a Free State, keeping the free and slave states balanced in the Senate. The compromise also banned slavery in the Canadian territories and the rest of the Louisiana Purchase lands north of the 36°30′ parallel (except for Missouri). To resolved tensions between Quebec citizens and the American Government to prevent potential insurgencies alongside making Quebec’s administration much easier, Monroe invited Québécois officials into Washington D.C. where they discussed a compromise that please both sides. Following negotiations and concessions, an agreement was reached. Quebec would be admitted as the Québécois Autonomous State. Essentially, Quebec would have full control over internal and cultural affairs such as taxation, education and cultural matters (namely Religion, Languages and History), they can issued their own currency called the Québécois Dollar. Meanwhile, the U.S. would remain full control over Quebec’s foreign affairs such as tariffs or internal migration/immigration alongside the U.S. having full control over the monetary framework of the Québécois Dollar and Quebec’s public debts. The Québécois Constitution began creation in 1817 and enacted in 1818. The U.S. president would now be Head of the Québécois Autonomous State while the Québécois Prime Minister would be Head of the Government within Quebec inside the United States. Quebec became an Autonomous Devolved Parliamentary Government within a Federal Presidential Republic. Quebec citizens can vote in Québécois General Elections, however, Quebec does not have their own senators in U.S. Congress to kept the balance of Free and Slave states in the Senate, Quebec cannot vote in U.S. Presidential Elections until 1867.

In 1867, following the end of the American Civil War, many Canadian territories were finally admitted as U.S. states after nearly 52 years of territorial status. Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island would be admitted as U.S. states. Quebec would also be admitted but as an Autonomous State with autonomous privileges remain. Quebec now have their own senators, representatives, a vote in American elections and Québécois citizens can now ran for President.

Japan:

During World War 2, the Japanese Supreme War Council refused to surrender despite the atomic bombings. However, instead of immediately initiating Operation Downfall right away, the Allied Powers decides to tightened the naval blockade and use strategic bombings before initiating Operation Downfall. Due to the naval blockades and many incendiary bombs were dropped on many cities and transportation infrastructures, making travel and food distribution nearly impossible, especially as fuel resources dry up. The Allies also bombed Japanese’s farmlands to destroy the crops. Japan starts to destabilize as people became desperate to scavenge whatever they could eat, often fleeing what’s of the cities to do so. Later witnesses in Japan mentioned that many Japanese even resorted to doing unspeakable things like cannibalism and theft. Additionally, public services like law enforcement and the justice system began collapsing in many places. The Japanese government’s control over anything outside Tokyo (which is now an almost completely burned out ruin) is weak at best. The final decisive moment came once the Allies’s chemical weapons finished development and dropped on Japan’s farmland, effectively destroying any last remnants of available foods.

Operation Downfall began as the Allies invade Japan. As the Allies invaded Japan, the Japanese Government initiated Operation Ketsugo, calling every Japanese citizens to take up arms and sacrifice themselves in the name of the Emperor in what was known as "The Glorious Death of One Hundred Million". However, the Operation failed as many believed that continued fighting is not worth over survivability. But the fact that the Japanese government is willing to risk more deaths for supposed "honor" over surrendering but with less deaths, fueled the resentment towards the the current regime. By the time the Allies conquered and occupied Japan, they had to reconstruct a destroyed Japan. During Allied occupation, Japan begins to slowly and gradually stabilize through humanitarian aid. The Allies prosecute Hirohito as many officials believed that keeping him could make the occupation look like it supported the system that led to the catastrophe following evidences of Hirohito’s involvement in the wartime decisions and the Japanese’s growing opposition to the monarchy, thus, Hirohito is removed from the throne before eventually being put on trial. During the Tokyo Trial, the prosecutors argued that although the Emperor did not personally command every military operation, he possessed the constitutional and political authority to intervene and end the war but permitted the war to continue. The tribunal eventually found Hirohito guilty of responsibility of continuing the war. Hirohito was stripped of his imperial status and was sent to life imprisonment.

By 1951, Japan had been mostly stabilized. However, the U.S. faced the Japan Question as many American congressmen understood that it cannot keep the Japanese under occupation forever without any political rights. Talks began between American and Japanese officials began over the status of Japan. While some Japanese officials wanted independence for understandable reasons, some (known as the Retentionists) wanted to remain in American occupation, fearing losing their privileged access to the American market, especially when the Japanese market was getting increasingly dependent on the United States alongside fear of facing hostile neighbors such as China, North Korea or Soviet Union. However, they still wanted substantial autonomy, modeling after the Quebec precedent. The United States diplomats then presented both arguments to President Henry Wallace and the U.S. Congress where the matters remain heavily debated. Pro-Independence congressmen highlighted the logistical problems of keeping Japan under American occupation for long while Pro-Retentionists argued that retention is important for U.S. defense position in the Pacific and in dealing with the threats posed by the Soviet Union. Neither reach a satisfying conclusion. Thus, President Henry Wallace agreed to passed a referendum in Japan to Japan's scheduled independence.

The referendum was held in 1952, asking whether Japan wanted to be independent or became an Autonomous State within the United States. The results was extremely close but Japanese citizens ultimately voted to remain under American control by 50.2% as many saw as an opportunity to start a new life though there is strong support for independence. The new Japanese Constitution began creation in 1952. When Dwight D. Eisenhower took over as President, he and Japanese Representatives finally signed the Treaty of Cooperation between the United States and Japan, giving Japan autonomy within the U.S. while also approved the Japanese Constitution in 1953. The U.S. president would now be Head of State with the powers to control Japan’s foreign affairs such as tariffs or internal migration/immigration alongside the U.S. having full control over the monetary framework of the Japanese Yen and Japan’s public debts while the Japanese Prime Minister would be Head of the Government with control over domestic matters. Japan became an Autonomous Devolved Parliamentary Government within a Federal Presidential Republic. The Constitution terms would be similar to our timeline: powers would be transferred to the people, Japan would renounce war as a sovereign rights and guaranteed of fundamental civil liberties, freedom of speech, religion, and gender equality except Japan is now part of the U.S. Japanese citizens are allowed freely live, work, and study in the United States and its territories as non-immigrants. Japanese citizens can vote in Japanese General Elections, however, Japan does not have their own senators and representatives in U.S. Congress yet mainly out of fear of the Japan dominating American Presidential Elections. Japan therefore cannot vote in U.S. Presidential Elections until 1978.

With the Cold War going on, Japan became an important air and naval base for the U.S. during the Cold War. By the 1960s, Japan is split between generations with the younger generation being more Americanized. A movement arises among the younger, highly Americanized generation for representations, arguing that it is unjust for Japan to deny Japanese-American voting rights in Presidential elections and a vote in Congress alongside the unfair agreements between the U.S. and Japan such as the U.S. control of tariffs, arguing that if the U.S. could tax Japanese exports, Japan must have representations in the institutions imposing the taxes. Mass demonstrations broke out across Japan broke out across the 1970s. In 1977, when President Jimmy Carter was elected President. Carter finally agreed to the Japanese’s demands and began to revise the agreements. The negotiations were finally settled in early 1978 under the Treaty of Cooperation between the United States and Japan of 1978, Japanese citizens would finally be allowed to vote in Presidential elections and had their own senators and representatives in U.S. Congress while allowing Japan to maintain their autonomy. The Prime Minister would essentially filled the role of Governor in this timeline. Tariffs would also be reformed where all products made in Japan and brought into the United States are considered domestic trade. There are no tariffs or other restrictions on this trade as long as the goods met specific requirements about their origin, meaning American and Japanese goods can moved freely into each other’s territories. However, there are limits, under the Treaty, Japan’s representatives would be capped at the state with the highest representatives (example: Japan would have the same representatives as California despite Japan having more people than California because California had the highest population besides Japan.) Additionally, their electoral votes would also remain capped at the state with the highest electoral votes. This was made to prevent Japanese’s dominance over U.S. Presidential Elections. Japan remains under American control but now gains more representation in Congress. The core terms of the Japanese Constitution remain. Japan became an autonomous state.

I’m calling my timeline "From Washington to Quebec City to Tokyo" from now on.

Canada:

The point of divergence starts when during the presidency of John Adams, congress approved a declaration of war against Spain over Spanish Florida because its boundaries were poorly defined and Spain’s increasingly weaker control of Florida, beginning the Florida War. The U.S. troops struggled with Spanish’s forces being more capable than expected. Eventually, the war ended inconclusive, however, this gave the Americans institutional memory as it taught the Americans what happened if the state neglected their army. Thus, military reforms were initiated such as West Point being expanded earlier alongside the U.S. created a much larger and much more professional army with a much stronger corps of engineers. The War of 1812 began with the American troops being much larger consists of 18,000 men at the time, backed by substantially better-training. Meanwhile, during the Napoleonic War, rather than invading Russia, Napoleon focused on the Peninsular Campaign instead. Britain is forced to redirect more resources to the Peninsular War, leaving fewer troops in the Americas and allowing the U.S. to push deeper into Upper Canada. In 1813-1814, the American army advanced over Niagara frontier, with British and Canada forces defends hard but don’t have enough troops than in our timeline. The American forces set up a permanent bridgehead and capture important settlements which disrupt communications linking Upper Canada and Lower Canada, weakening the British’s war effort further. Eventually, the British agreed for peace treaty. Britain reluctantly ceded all of British Canada into the U.S. in 1815.

Northern Mexico:

Following the Mexican-American War, Nicholas Trist followed President James K. Polk’s order, the U.S. annexed more of Mexico, specifically Northern Mexico (Baja California region, Sonora and Chihuahua.)

Japan:

During World War 2, the Japanese Supreme War Council refused to surrender despite the atomic bombings. However, instead of immediately initiating Operation Downfall right away, the Allied Powers decides to tightened the naval blockade and use strategic bombings before initiating Operation Downfall. Due to the naval blockades and many incendiary bombs were dropped on many cities and transportation infrastructures, making travel and food distribution nearly impossible, especially as fuel resources dry up. The Allies also bombed Japanese’s farmlands to destroy the crops. Japan starts to destabilize as people became desperate to scavenge whatever they could eat, often fleeing what’s of the cities to do so. Later witnesses in Japan mentioned that many Japanese even resorted to doing unspeakable things like cannibalism and theft. Additionally, public services like law enforcement and the justice system began collapsing in many places. The Japanese government’s control over anything outside Tokyo (which is now an almost completely burned out ruin) is weak at best. The final decisive moment came once the Allies’s chemical weapons finished development and dropped on Japan’s farmland, effectively destroying any last remnants of available foods.

Operation Downfall began as the Allies invade Japan. As the Allies invaded Japan, the Japanese Government initiated Operation Ketsugo, calling every Japanese citizens to take up arms and sacrifice themselves in the name of the Emperor in what was known as "The Glorious Death of One Hundred Million". However, the Operation failed as many believed that continued fighting is not worth over survivability. But the fact that the Japanese government is willing to risk more deaths for supposed "honor" over surrendering but with less deaths, fueled the resentment towards the the current regime. By the time the Allies conquered and occupied Japan, they had to reconstruct a destroyed Japan. During Allied occupation, Japan begins to slowly and gradually stabilize through humanitarian aid. The Allies prosecute Hirohito as many officials believed that keeping him could make the occupation look like it supported the system that led to the catastrophe following evidences of Hirohito’s involvement in the wartime decisions and the Japanese’s growing opposition to the monarchy, thus, Hirohito is removed from the throne before eventually being put on trial. During the Tokyo Trial, the prosecutors argued that although the Emperor did not personally command every military operation, he possessed the constitutional and political authority to intervene and end the war but permitted the war to continue. The tribunal eventually found Hirohito guilty of responsibility of continuing the war. Hirohito was stripped of his imperial status and was sent to life imprisonment.

By 1951, Japan had been mostly stabilized. However, the U.S. faced the Japan Question as many American congressmen understood that it cannot keep the Japanese under occupation forever without any political rights. Talks began between American and Japanese officials began over the status of Japan. While some Japanese officials wanted independence for understandable reasons, some (known as the Retentionists) wanted to remain in American occupation, fearing losing their privileged access to the American market, especially when the Japanese market was getting increasingly dependent on the United States alongside fear of facing hostile neighbors such as China, North Korea or Soviet Union. However, they still wanted substantial autonomy, modeling after the British Dominion status. Essentially, the Retentionists proposed Japan would have full control over internal affairs such as taxation and education while the U.S. would remain have full control over foreign affairs, tariff, immigration, currency and public debt. The United States diplomats then presented both arguments to President Henry Wallace and the U.S. Congress where the matters remain heavily debated. Pro-Independence congressmen highlighted the logistical problems of keeping Japan under American occupation for long while Pro-Retentionists argued that retention is important for U.S. defense position in the Pacific and in dealing with the threats posed by the Soviet Union. Neither reach a satisfying conclusion. Thus, President Henry Wallace agreed to passed a referendum in Japan to Japan's scheduled independence.

The referendum was held in 1952, asking whether Japan wanted to be independent or became an Autonomous State within the United States. The results was extremely close but Japanese citizens ultimately voted to remain under American control by 50.2% as many saw as an opportunity to start a new life though there is strong support for independence. The new Japanese Constitution began creation in 1952. When Dwight D. Eisenhower took over as President, he and Japanese Representatives finally signed the Treaty of Cooperation between the United States and Japan, giving Japan autonomy within the U.S. while also approved the Japanese Constitution in 1953. The U.S. president would now be Head of State while the Japanese Prime Minister would be Head of the Government. Japan became an Autonomous Devolved Parliamentary Government within a Federal Presidential Republic. The Constitution terms would be similar to our timeline: powers would be transferred to the people, Japan would renounce war as a sovereign rights and guaranteed of fundamental civil liberties, freedom of speech, religion, and gender equality except Japan is now part of the U.S. Japanese citizens are allowed freely live, work, and study in the United States and its territories as non-immigrants. However, they cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections but can vote in Japanese General Elections.

With the Cold War going on, Japan became an important air and naval base for the U.S. during the Cold War. By the 1960s, Japan is split between generations with the younger generation being more Americanized. A movement arises among the younger, highly Americanized generation for representations, arguing that it is unjust for Japan to deny Japanese-American voting rights in Presidential elections and a vote in Congress alongside the unfair agreements between the U.S. and Japan such as the U.S. control of tariffs, arguing that if the U.S. could tax Japanese exports, Japan must have representations in the institutions imposing the taxes. Mass demonstrations broke out across Japan broke out across the 1970s. In 1977, when President Jimmy Carter was elected President. Carter finally agreed to the Japanese’s demands and began to revise the agreements.

The negotiations were finally settled in early 1978 under the Treaty of Cooperation between the United States and Japan of 1978, Japanese citizens would finally be allowed to vote in Presidential elections and had their own senators and representatives in U.S. Congress while allowing Japan to maintain their autonomy. The Prime Minister would essentially filled the role of Governor in this timeline. Tariffs would also be reformed where all products made in Japan and brought into the United States are considered domestic trade. There are no tariffs or other restrictions on this trade as long as the goods met specific requirements about their origin, meaning American and Japanese goods can moved freely into each other’s territories. However, there are limits, under the Treaty, Japan’s representatives would be capped at the state with the highest representatives (example: Japan would have the same representatives as California despite Japan having more people than California because California had the highest population besides Japan.) Additionally, their electoral votes would also remain capped at the state with the highest electoral votes. This was made to prevent Japanese’s dominance over U.S. Presidential Elections. Japan remains under American control but now gains more representation in Congress. The core terms of the Japanese Constitution remain. Japan became an autonomous state just like Quebec.

This is not meant to be realistic.

The point of divergence starts when during World War 2, the Japanese Supreme War Council refused to surrender despite the atomic bombings. However, instead of immediately initiating Operation Downfall right away, the Allied Powers decides to tightened the naval blockade and use strategic bombings before initiating Operation Downfall. Due to the naval blockades and many incendiary bombs were dropped on many cities and transportation infrastructures, making travel and food distribution nearly impossible, especially as fuel resources dry up. The Allies also bombed Japanese’s farmlands to destroy the crops. Japan starts to destabilize as people became desperate to scavenge whatever they could eat, often fleeing what’s of the cities to do so. Later witnesses in Japan mentioned that many Japanese even resorted to doing unspeakable things like cannibalism and theft. Additionally, public services like law enforcement and the justice system began collapsing in many places. The Japanese government’s control over anything outside Tokyo (which is now an almost completely burned out ruin) is weak at best. The final decisive moment came once the Allies’s chemical weapons finished development and dropped on Japan’s farmland, effectively destroying any last remnants of available foods.

Operation Downfall began as the Allies invade Japan. As the Allies invaded Japan, the Japanese Government initiated Operation Ketsugo, calling every Japanese citizens to take up arms and sacrifice themselves in the name of the Emperor in what was known as "The Glorious Death of One Hundred Million". However, the Operation failed as many believed that continued fighting is not worth over survivability. But the fact that the Japanese government is willing to risk more deaths for supposed "honor" over surrendering but with less deaths, fueled the resentment towards the the current regime. By the time the Allies conquered and occupied Japan, they had to reconstruct a destroyed Japan. During Allied occupation, Japan begins to slowly and gradually stabilize through humanitarian aid. The Allies prosecute Hirohito as many officials believed that keeping him could make the occupation look like it supported the system that led to the catastrophe following evidences of Hirohito’s involvement in the wartime decisions and the Japanese’s growing opposition to the monarchy, thus, Hirohito is removed from the throne before eventually being put on trial. During the Tokyo Trial, the prosecutors argued that although the Emperor did not personally command every military operation, he possessed the constitutional and political authority to intervene and end the war but permitted the war to continue. The tribunal eventually found Hirohito guilty of responsibility of continuing the war. Hirohito was stripped of his imperial status and was sent to life imprisonment.

By 1951, Japan had been mostly stabilized. However, the U.S. faced the Japan Question as many American congressmen understood that it cannot keep the Japanese under occupation forever without any political rights. Talks began between American and Japanese officials began over the status of Japan. While some Japanese officials wanted independence for understandable reasons, some (known as the Retentionists) wanted to remain in American occupation, fearing losing their privileged access to the American market, especially when the Japanese market was getting increasingly dependent on the United States alongside fear of facing hostile neighbors such as China, North Korea or Soviet Union. However, they still wanted substantial autonomy, modeling after the British Dominion status. Essentially, the Retentionists proposed Japan would have full control over internal affairs such as taxation and education while the U.S. would remain have full control over foreign affairs, tariff, immigration, currency and public debt. The United States diplomats then presented both arguments to President Harry S. Truman and the U.S. Congress where the matters remain heavily debated. Pro-Independence congressmen highlighted the logistical problems of keeping Japan under American occupation for long while Pro-Retentionists argued that retention is important for U.S. defense position in the Pacific and in dealing with the threats posed by the Soviet Union. Neither reach a satisfying conclusion. Thus, President Harry S. Truman agreed to passed a referendum in Japan to Japan's scheduled independence.

The referendum was held in 1952, asking whether Japan wanted to be independent or became an Autonomous State within the United States. The results was extremely close but Japanese citizens ultimately voted to remain under American control by 50.2% as many saw as an opportunity to start a new life though there is strong support for independence. The new Japanese Constitution began creation in 1952. When Dwight D. Eisenhower took over as President, he and Japanese Representatives finally signed the Treaty of Cooperation between the United States and Japan, giving Japan autonomy within the U.S. while also approved the Japanese Constitution in 1953. The U.S. president would now be Head of State while the Japanese Prime Minister would be Head of the Government. Japan became an Autonomous Devolved Parliamentary Government within a Federal Presidential Republic. The terms would be similar to our timeline: powers would be transferred to the people, Japan would renounce war as a sovereign rights and guaranteed of fundamental civil liberties, freedom of speech, religion, and gender equality except Japan is now part of the U.S. Japanese citizens are allowed freely live, work, and study in the United States and its territories as non-immigrants.

With the Cold War going on, Japan became an important air and naval base for the U.S. during the Cold War. By the 1960s, Japan is split between generations with the younger generation being more Americanized. A movement arises among the younger, highly Americanized generation for representations, arguing that it is unjust for Japan to deny Japanese-American voting rights in Congress and a vote in Congress alongside the unfair agreements between the U.S. and Japan such as the U.S. control of tariffs, arguing that if the U.S. could tax Japanese exports, Japan must have representations in the institutions imposing the taxes. Mass demonstrations broke out across Japan broke out across the 1970s. In 1977, when President Jimmy Carter was elected President. Carter finally agreed to the Japanese’s demands and began to revise the agreements.

The negotiations were finally settled in early 1978 under the Treaty of Cooperation between the United States and Japan of 1978, Japanese citizens would finally be allowed to vote in Presidential elections and had their own senators and representatives in U.S. Congress while allowing Japan to maintain their autonomy. The Prime Minister would essentially filled the role of Governor in this timeline. However, there are limits, under the Treaty, Japan’s representatives would be capped at the state with the highest representatives (example: Japan would have the same representatives as California despite Japan having more people than California. Additionally, their electoral votes would also remain capped at the state with the highest electoral votes. This was made to prevent Japanese’s dominance over U.S. Presidential Elections. Japan remains under American control but now gains more representation in Congress.

The point of divergence starts when during the presidency of John Adams, congress approved a declaration of war against Spain over Spanish Florida because its boundaries were poorly defined and Spain’s increasingly weaker control of Florida, beginning the Florida War. The U.S. troops struggled with Spanish’s forces being more capable than expected. Eventually, the war ended inconclusive, however, this gave the Americans institutional memory as it taught the Americans what happened if the state neglected their army. Thus, military reforms were initiated such as West Point being expanded earlier alongside the U.S. created a much larger and much more professional army with a much stronger corps of engineers. The War of 1812 began with the American troops being much larger consists of 18,000 men at the time, backed by substantially better-training. Meanwhile, during the Napoleonic War, rather than invading Russia, Napoleon focused on the Peninsular Campaign instead. Britain is forced to redirect more resources to the Peninsular War, leaving fewer troops in the Americas and allowing the U.S. to push deeper into Upper Canada. In 1813-1814, the American army advanced over Niagara frontier, with British and Canada forces defends hard but don’t have enough troops than in our timeline. The American forces set up a permanent bridgehead and capture important settlements which disrupt communications linking Upper Canada and Lower Canada, weakening the British’s war effort further. Eventually, the British agreed for peace treaty. Britain reluctantly ceded all of British Canada into the U.S. in 1815.

The point of divergence starts when during the presidency of John Adams, congress approved a declaration of war against Spain over Spanish Florida because its boundaries were poorly defined and Spain’s increasingly weaker control of Florida, beginning the Florida War. The U.S. troops struggled with Spanish’s forces being more capable than expected. Eventually, the war ended inconclusive, however, this gave the Americans institutional memory as it taught the Americans what happened if the state neglected their army. Thus, military reforms were initiated such as West Point being expanded earlier alongside the U.S. created a much larger and much more professional army with a much stronger corps of engineers. The War of 1812 began with the American troops being much larger consists of 18,000 men at the time, backed by substantially better-training. Meanwhile, during the Napoleonic War, rather than invading Russia, Napoleon focused on the Peninsular Campaign instead. Britain is forced to redirect more resources to the Peninsular War, leaving fewer troops in the Americas and allowing the U.S. to push deeper into Upper Canada. In 1813-1814, the American army advanced over Niagara frontier, with British and Canada forces defends hard but don’t have enough troops than in our timeline. The American forces set up a permanent bridgehead and capture important settlements which disrupt communications linking Upper Canada and Lower Canada, weakening the British’s war effort further. Eventually, the British agreed for peace treaty. Britain reluctantly ceded all of British Canada into the U.S. in 1815.

The point of divergence starts when during the presidency of John Adams, congress approved a declaration of war against Spain over Spanish Florida because its boundaries were poorly defined and Spain’s increasingly weaker control of Florida, beginning the Florida War. The U.S. troops struggled with Spanish’s forces being more capable than expected. Eventually, the war ended inconclusive, however, this gave the Americans institutional memory as it taught the Americans what happened if the state neglected their army. Thus, military reforms were initiated such as West Point being expanded earlier alongside the U.S. created a much larger and much more professional army with a much stronger corps of engineers. The War of 1812 began with the American troops being much larger consists of 18,000 men at the time, backed by substantially better-training. Meanwhile, during the Napoleonic War, rather than invading Russia, Napoleon focused on the Peninsular Campaign instead. Britain is forced to redirect more resources to the Peninsular War, leaving fewer troops in the Americas and allowing the U.S. to push deeper into Upper Canada. In 1813-1814, the American army advanced over Niagara frontier, with British and Canada forces defends hard but don’t have enough troops than in our timeline. The American forces set up a permanent bridgehead and capture important settlements which disrupt communications linking Upper Canada and Lower Canada, weakening the British’s war effort further. Eventually, the British agreed for peace treaty. Britain reluctantly ceded all of British Canada into the U.S. in 1815.

The point of divergence starts when during the presidency of John Adams, congress approved a declaration of war against Spain over Spanish Florida because its boundaries were poorly defined and Spain’s increasingly weaker control of Florida, beginning the Florida War. The U.S. troops struggled with Spanish’s forces being more capable than expected. Eventually, the war ended inconclusive, however, this gave the Americans institutional memory as it taught the Americans what happened if the state neglected their army. Thus, military reforms were initiated such as West Point being expanded earlier alongside the U.S. created a much larger and much more professional army with a much stronger corps of engineers. The War of 1812 began with the American troops being much larger consists of 18,000 men at the time, backed by substantially better-training. Meanwhile, during the Napoleonic War, rather than invading Russia, Napoleon focused on the Peninsular Campaign instead. Britain is forced to redirect more resources to the Peninsular War, leaving fewer troops in the Americas and allowing the U.S. to push deeper into Upper Canada. In 1813-1814, the American army advanced over Niagara frontier, with British and Canada forces defends hard but don’t have enough troops than in our timeline. The American forces set up a permanent bridgehead and capture important settlements which disrupt communications linking Upper Canada and Lower Canada, weakening the British’s war effort further. Eventually, the British agreed for peace treaty. Britain reluctantly ceded all of British Canada into the U.S. in 1815.

The point of divergence starts when during the presidency of John Adams, congress approved a declaration of war against Spain over Spanish Florida because its boundaries were poorly defined and Spain’s increasingly weaker control of Florida, beginning the Florida War. The U.S. troops struggled with Spanish’s forces being more capable than expected. Eventually, the war ended inconclusive, however, this gave the Americans institutional memory as it taught the Americans what happened if the state neglected their army. Thus, military reforms were initiated such as West Point being expanded earlier alongside the U.S. created a much larger and much more professional army with a much stronger corps of engineers. The War of 1812 began with the American troops being much larger consists of 18,000 men at the time, backed by substantially better-training. Meanwhile, during the Napoleonic War, rather than invading Russia, Napoleon focused on the Peninsular Campaign instead. Britain is forced to redirect more resources to the Peninsular War, leaving fewer troops in the Americas and allowing the U.S. to push deeper into Upper Canada. In 1813-1814, the American army advanced over Niagara frontier, with British and Canada forces defends hard but don’t have enough troops than in our timeline. The American forces set up a permanent bridgehead and capture important settlements which disrupt communications linking Upper Canada and Lower Canada, weakening the British’s war effort further. Eventually, the British agreed for peace treaty. Britain reluctantly ceded all of British Canada into the U.S. in 1815.

Credit to the original creator of the Flag: https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/comments/9repwc/redesign_of_a_us_flag_redesign/

The point of divergence starts when during the presidency of John Adams, congress approved a declaration of war against Spain over Spanish Florida because its boundaries were poorly defined and Spain’s increasingly weaker control of Florida, beginning the Florida War. The U.S. troops struggled with Spanish’s forces being more capable than expected. Eventually, the war ended inconclusive, however, this gave the Americans institutional memory as it taught the Americans what happened if the state neglected their army. Thus, military reforms were initiated such as West Point being expanded earlier alongside the U.S. created a much larger and much more professional army with a much stronger corps of engineers. The War of 1812 began with the American troops being much larger consists of 18,000 men at the time, backed by substantially better-training. Meanwhile, during the Napoleonic War, rather than invading Russia, Napoleon focused on the Peninsular Campaign instead. Britain is forced to redirect more resources to the Peninsular War, leaving fewer troops in the Americas and allowing the U.S. to push deeper into Upper Canada. In 1813-1814, the American army advanced over Niagara frontier, with British and Canada forces defends hard but don’t have enough troops than in our timeline. The American forces set up a permanent bridgehead and capture important settlements which disrupt communications linking Upper Canada and Lower Canada, weakening the British’s war effort further. Eventually, the British agreed for peace treaty. Britain reluctantly ceded all of British Canada into the U.S. in 1815.

This is my headcanons for the Qing Dynasty.

The Qing Dynasty is more relaxed in governance compared to previous dynasties, though not by much as he’s still strict, he believed in a small or light government model. He is mostly pragmatic, highlighted by him advising on low taxes to maintain social stability and avoid the perceived failures of his predecessor, the Ming. Due to the government structure being relatively small under his advice with only 20,000 officials for 300+ million people by 1800, it became practically impossible for the Qing to govern the state on his own. That’s why the Qing Dynasty relied on local gentries, merchants, clan associations and temples to help manage local tasks such as fund and construct ordinary infrastructures, as long as they don’t tried to challenge the Qing such making their own laws, levy taxes or raise an army. He’s also strategic when it came to managing his multiethnic empire. He developed a strategy where he would present himself differently to different peoples, he presented himself as a Scholar-Confucian to the Hans, a traditional leader to the Manchus, a Khan to the Mongols and a Chakravartin to the Tibetans.

However, he can be a bit dense as while he’s genuinely trying to be helpful, he often misunderstood assignments during crisis. For example: during the Self Strengthening Movement, the Qing Dynasty wanted to modernized the military but kept Confucian structures which is contradictory in a sense that he wanted to import western technology to the state without considering changing the political, educational and institutional system that produced that technologies. He understood the Qing had serious problems and doesn’t defend everything the Qing did though if someone criticizes him, he’ll become surprisingly defensive about the things he think he did well. His hobby involved over-stamping artifacts he really, really likes and cosplaying, both inherited from Qianlong and Yongzheng respectively. Following the collapse of the Qing, he currently worked as a film director after his dynasty collapsed, because of his efforts, many Qing C-Dramas became some of the most popular films today, which help rehabilitate his image though he still remains controversial. He doesn’t disappear because as long as there’s a clear Qing’s Pretender (Jin Yuzhang), then he would never died.

Following the end of the Boxer Rebellion, the Qing tries to initiated the New Policies, which aimed to reformed the military, the economy, the education, political institutions and more. The New Policies attempted to modernized the army such as in 1903 when an imperial edict expanded it to 36 divisions. The Qing abolished the traditional imperial examinations system and replaced it with modern educational institutions such as modern schools to taught them practical subjects. The Qing also starts to transition the government into a constitutional monarchy, resulting in the issuing of the Principles of the Constitution. However, it was proven to be too little, too late initially. When the Xinhai Revolution broke out, the Qing’s Government negotiated with Yuan Shikai to stay loyal with tempting offers such as tax exemptions for he and his family for 3 generations, hereditary titles and more if he support the Qing, which he accepted. This gave the Qing’s enough time to create a contingency plan in case Beijing falls. Meanwhile, provincial governments began declaring independence from the Qing.

While Yuan Shikai won most major battles early on, the revolutionaries managed to reorganize and launched a counterattack, winning major battles. The Qing’s Imperial Court began the plan as it became clear that the war is not in their favor. Before the revolutionaries could reach Beijing, The Xuantong Emperor and the imperial court, the treasury reserves containing silver and copper coins/bullions, artifacts and archives, alongside some Qing loyalists and most of the Beiyang Army’s officers including Yuan Shikai fled to Manchuria using Chinese Eastern Railway via Beijing-Harbin Railway. They reached Shenyang where they settled. The Revolutionaries attempted to invade Manchuria but were ultimately defeated by through a coordinated defense against revolutionaries’s forces. Eventually in May 2, 1912, the Qing and revolutionaries signed an armistice, ending the conflict.

In China, Sun Yat-Sen faced an extremely difficult situation where Sun inherited enormous financial difficulties such as original Qing debts and foreign indemnities alongside provincial military commanders and regional armies becoming more independent. Sun tries to strengthening the presidency which he justified as democracy would eventually be reached but China needed a strong government first. However, most of the orders he issued were largely ignored by the provincial governors. By 1916, many provinces broke off from China. Sun Yat-Sen resigned, remembered as an idealistic but naive and incompetent leader. By 1918, Zhili is now the only clique that is ruled by the old Republic.

Meanwhile, in Manchuria, the New Policies continued with Manchuria transition into a fully constitutional government. The Xuantong Emperor is now the Head of State where his main duties mainly involve attending domestic ceremonies and performing state functions. His main powers include: formally appointed a Prime Minister after the election, dissolving parliament only with the advice of Prime Minister, vetoed legislations though rarely used as it would instantly trigger a severe political crisis between the Emperor and Parliament, dismissed a Prime Minister who loses parliamentary support, can appoint or dismiss cabinet ministers acted only upon the advice of the Prime Minister, issued emergency decrees and select a Prime Minister in case of a hung parliament. The parliament, led by the Prime Minister, became the Head of Government. The first act is a symbolic renaming of the Qing Dynasty to the Imperial State of China.

The economy became one of Manchuria’s first priority. Manchuria established the Ministry of Finance who’s responsible for National taxation, national debts, currency, government accounting and more with specialized bureaus being created to handle specific tasks. Manchuria would establish Provincial offices and agencies responsible for local fiscal investigations to document various aspects of the economy such as cultivated land, land ownership, population and more. Manchuria established a National Land Registry where each parcel would be designated with an assigned number to each parcel alongside with important details with physical land certificates being issued to modernize taxation and enhance property rights. Economic reforms were initiated to consolidating complicated local taxes into a standardized land value tax while allowing the local governments to retain a predetermined percentage. The likin was also gradually replaced with the likin initially being reduced before gradually being replaced with a modern commercial taxation. Manchuria also starts to modernized the military which includes the expansion of military academies to train the New Army on modern techniques and weapons from Europe and Japan alongside railways and factories being constructed and expanded to boost Manchuria’s economy.

The question of whether to intervene in the Warlord Era remains a controversial question for Manchuria. While many war hawks argued that intervening would regains the Mandate of Heaven and restore the Qing’s dignity. Reformists ultimately won out because besides the obvious general public strongly opposed a return to imperial rule, they also argued that invading and occupying a nation that opposed them and potentially rebel against them would be too costly for Manchuria. In 1926, The Northern Expedition began led by Chiang Kai-shek. In 1927, Chiang Kai-shek purge communists during the Northern Expedition, ending the First United Front and beginning the Chinese Civil War. Japan went to war with Manchuria in 1931, despite Manchuria’s resistance effort, Manchuria was ultimately defeated by the Japanese’s forces in 1933. The Xuantong Emperor was offered by Japan to remain in his position but in exchange for Japan to appoint a Pro-Japanese Prime Minister and allowing Japanese troops use its territory, railways, and ports. The Emperor refused, proclaiming that a nation who is dependent on foreign invader is nothing more than an undignified puppet. As a result, the Emperor and the House of Aisin-Gioro was deposed, exiled and was put into House Arrest in Ryukyu Islands. Manchuria would be fully annexed by Japan.

The Second Sino-Japanese War broke out where the Kuomintang and the Communists would formed a Second United Coalition to resist Japan. During exile, the Xuantong Emperor wrote essays, documenting his experiences and thoughts in exile alongside his hopes for the future of Manchuria. His works would later be published once World War 2 ended. Japan was eventually defeated in World War 2 and Manchuria would be put under Allied Occupation. After some discussions, Manchuria became independent for several reasons. While they could gave Manchuria to China, if the Allies gave Manchuria to KMT, it would be unacceptable to the CCP and Soviet Union, if they gave Manchuria to the CCP and it would unacceptable to the KMT and western Allies. Thus, Manchuria would be independent as a neutral buffer state. Additionally, Manchuria had been de-facto independent for more than 30 years with their own government and The Xuantong Emperor refused to collaborate with the Japanese Government unlike the Korean Monarchy which made him popular amongst citizens of Manchuria. The Xuantong Emperor returns as Emperor of the Imperial State of China.

During the Chinese Civil War, The CCP changed their strategies to focused instead on destroying the KMT’s governance over rural areas. They recruit peasants, cut railways, attack isolated garrisons, seize grain and more. The CCP attacked Nationalist positions in places like Shandong and Henan to destroy the KMT’s transportation network. The KMT still faced challenges such as hyperinflation and corruption within the KMT. The Yangtze Campaign became the victory that changed everything with the PLA crossed the Yangtze in spring 1949, resulting in the capture of Nanjing, followed by Shanghai. The CCP starts to turn the war in their favor. The Nationalist starts to evacuated to Taiwan.
There are 3 Chinas to this day.

Following the end of the Boxer Rebellion, the Qing tries to initiated the New Policies, which aimed to reformed the military, the economy, the education, political institutions and more. The New Policies attempted to modernized the army such as in 1903 when an imperial edict expanded it to 36 divisions. The Qing abolished the traditional imperial examinations system and replaced it with modern educational institutions such as modern schools to taught them practical subjects. The Qing also starts to transition the government into a constitutional monarchy, resulting in the issuing of the Principles of the Constitution. However, it was proven to be too little, too late initially. When the Xinhai Revolution broke out, the Qing’s Government negotiated with Yuan Shikai to stay loyal with tempting offers such as tax exemptions for he and his family for 3 generations, hereditary titles and more if he support the Qing, which he accepted. This gave the Qing’s enough time to create a contingency plan in case Beijing falls. Meanwhile, provincial governments began declaring independence from the Qing.

While Yuan Shikai won most major battles early on, the revolutionaries managed to reorganize and launched a counterattack, winning major battles. The Qing’s Imperial Court began the plan as it became clear that the war is not in their favor. Before the revolutionaries could reach Beijing, The Xuantong Emperor and the imperial court, the treasury reserves containing silver and copper coins/bullions, artifacts and archives, alongside some Qing loyalists and most of the Beiyang Army’s officers including Yuan Shikai fled to Manchuria using Chinese Eastern Railway via Beijing-Harbin Railway. They reached Shenyang where they settled. The Revolutionaries attempted to invade Manchuria but were ultimately defeated by through a coordinated defense against revolutionaries’s forces. Eventually in May 2, 1912, the Qing and revolutionaries signed an armistice, ending the conflict.

In China, Sun Yat-Sen faced an extremely difficult situation where Sun inherited enormous financial difficulties such as original Qing debts and foreign indemnities alongside provincial military commanders and regional armies becoming more independent. Sun tries to strengthening the presidency which he justified as democracy would eventually be reached but China needed a strong government first. However, most of the orders he issued were largely ignored by the provincial governors. By 1916, many provinces broke off from China. Sun Yat-Sen resigned, remembered as an idealistic but naive and incompetent leader. By 1918, Zhili is now the only clique that is ruled by the old Republic.

Meanwhile, in Manchuria, the New Policies continued with Manchuria transition into a fully constitutional government. The Xuantong Emperor is now the Head of State where his main duties mainly involve attending domestic ceremonies and performing state functions. His main powers include: formally appointed a Prime Minister after the election, dissolving parliament only with the advice of Prime Minister, vetoed legislations though rarely used as it would instantly trigger a severe political crisis between the Emperor and Parliament, dismissed a Prime Minister who loses parliamentary support, can appoint or dismiss cabinet ministers acted only upon the advice of the Prime Minister, issued emergency decrees and select a Prime Minister in case of a hung parliament. The parliament, led by the Prime Minister, became the Head of Government. The first act is a symbolic renaming of the Qing Dynasty to the Imperial State of China.

The economy became one of Manchuria’s first priority. Manchuria established the Ministry of Finance who’s responsible for National taxation, national debts, currency, government accounting and more with specialized bureaus being created to handle specific tasks. Manchuria would establish Provincial offices and agencies responsible for local fiscal investigations to document various aspects of the economy such as cultivated land, land ownership, population and more. Manchuria established a National Land Registry where each parcel would be designated with an assigned number to each parcel alongside with important details with physical land certificates being issued to modernize taxation and enhance property rights. Economic reforms were initiated to consolidating complicated local taxes into a standardized land value tax while allowing the local governments to retain a predetermined percentage. The likin was also gradually replaced with the likin initially being reduced before gradually being replaced with a modern commercial taxation. Manchuria also starts to modernized the military which includes the expansion of military academies to train the New Army on modern techniques and weapons from Europe and Japan alongside railways and factories being constructed and expanded to boost Manchuria’s economy.

The question of whether to intervene in the Warlord Era remains a controversial question for Manchuria. While many war hawks argued that intervening would regains the Mandate of Heaven and restore the Qing’s dignity. Reformists ultimately won out because besides the obvious general public strongly opposed a return to imperial rule, they also argued that invading and occupying a nation that opposed them and potentially rebel against them would be too costly for Manchuria. In 1926, The Northern Expedition began led by Chiang Kai-shek. In 1927, Chiang Kai-shek purge communists during the Northern Expedition, ending the First United Front and beginning the Chinese Civil War. Japan went to war with Manchuria, despite Manchuria’s resistance effort. Manchuria was ultimately defeated by the Japanese’s forces. The Xuantong Emperor was offered by Japan to remain in his position but in exchange for Japan to appoint a Pro-Japanese Prime Minister and allowing Japanese troops use its territory, railways, and ports. The Emperor refused, proclaiming that a nation who is dependent on foreign invader is nothing more than an undignified puppet. As a result, the Emperor and the House of Aisin-Gioro was deposed, exiled and was put into House Arrest in Ryukyu Islands. Manchuria would be fully annexed by Japan.

The Second Sino-Japanese War broke out where the Kuomintang and the Communists would formed a Second United Coalition to resist Japan. During exile, the Xuantong Emperor wrote essays, documenting his experiences and thoughts in exile alongside his hopes for the future of Manchuria. His works would later be published once World War 2 ended. Japan was eventually defeated in World War 2 and Manchuria would be put under Allied Occupation. After some discussions, Manchuria became independent for several reasons. While they could gave Manchuria to China, if the Allies gave Manchuria to KMT, it would be unacceptable to the CCP and Soviet Union, if they gave Manchuria to the CCP and it would unacceptable to the KMT and western Allies. Thus, Manchuria would be independent as a neutral buffer state. Additionally, Manchuria had been de-facto independent for more than 30 years with their own government and The Xuantong Emperor refused to collaborate with the Japanese Government unlike the Korean Monarchy which made him popular amongst citizens of Manchuria. The Xuantong Emperor returns as Emperor of the Imperial State of China.

During the Chinese Civil War, The CCP changed their strategies to focused instead on destroying the KMT’s governance over rural areas. They recruit peasants, cut railways, attack isolated garrisons, seize grain and more. The CCP attacked Nationalist positions in places like Shandong and Henan to destroy the KMT’s transportation network. The KMT still faced challenges such as hyperinflation and corruption within the KMT. The Yangtze Campaign became the victory that changed everything with the PLA crossed the Yangtze in spring 1949, resulting in the capture of Nanjing, followed by Shanghai. The CCP starts to turn the war in their favor. The Nationalist starts to evacuated to Taiwan.

There are 3 Chinas to this day.