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Military conscription (view source)
Revision as of 17:37, 22 February 2015
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The chief figures involved in pushing for the institution of conscription included [[Omura Masujiro|Ômura Masujirô]] (who suggested it as early as [[1868]]), as well as [[Yamada Kengi]] of [[Choshu han|Chôshû]], [[Tani Kanjo|Tani Kanjô]] of [[Tosa han|Tosa]], and [[Yamagata Aritomo]]. They saw conscription not only as a means by which to strengthen the country's defenses against outside attack, especially from the Russians, but also as a means of strengthening it against uprisings against [[Meiji government|the new government]]. A centralized military would also help guard against regional governors gathering power and becoming regional warlords.
The chief figures involved in pushing for the institution of conscription included [[Omura Masujiro|Ômura Masujirô]] (who suggested it as early as [[1868]]), as well as [[Yamada Kengi]] of [[Choshu han|Chôshû]], [[Tani Kanjo|Tani Kanjô]] of [[Tosa han|Tosa]], and [[Yamagata Aritomo]]. They saw conscription not only as a means by which to strengthen the country's defenses against outside attack, especially from the Russians, but also as a means of strengthening it against uprisings against [[Meiji government|the new government]]. A centralized military would also help guard against regional governors gathering power and becoming regional warlords.
[[E.H. Norman]] argues that these men were well aware of elements within the Meiji government, and new-formed military, who still believed strongly in samurai ideals, who believed that commoner/peasant troops could not be as loyal and dutiful nor as skilled in combat as the samurai, people who might lead pro-feudal revolts against the new government in order to restore samurai rule if they were rubbed the wrong way. They were to be proven right, as the 1870s saw numerous [[shizoku rebellions|samurai uprisings]] of this sort, particularly in [[Kyushu]], culminating with the [[Satsuma Rebellion]] in [[1877]].
A set of recommendations submitted in 1872 by Vice Minister of Military Affairs Yamagata Aritomo, and Deputy Vice Ministers [[Kawamura Sumiyoshi]], and [[Saigo Tsugumichi|Saigô Tsugumichi]] presents the case for the threat posed by Russia, and the need for a standing army, citing standard practices in Europe and their effectiveness. The official regulations adopted the following year made all men twenty years of age and older eligible for the draft, with a number of exceptions, including those who were too small, sick, infirm, or disabled; those serving as head of household; those serving in certain official positions or studying certain subjects of strategic importance (military academies, medicine, etc.); and those whose brother was already in the army. Once recruited, a man was to serve a three-year term, and then be entered into the reserves, and allowed to return home.<ref>David Lu, ''Japan: A Documentary History'', ME Sharpe (1997), 315-320.</ref>
[[E.H. Norman]] argues that these men were well aware of elements within the Meiji government, and new-formed military, who still believed strongly in samurai ideals, who believed that commoner/peasant troops could not be as loyal and dutiful nor as skilled in combat as the samurai, people who might lead pro-feudal revolts against the new government in order to restore samurai rule if they were rubbed the wrong way. They were to be proven right, as the 1870s saw numerous [[shizoku rebellions|samurai uprisings]] of this sort, particularly in [[Kyushu]], culminating with the [[Satsuma Rebellion]] in [[1877]], in which the conscript army also proved itself.
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