In 1853, 220 years of isolation policy of Tokugawa Shogunate trembled to the core, and Japan was forced to open its country. An incident remembered in Japanese History as the ‘Arrival of the Black Ships’. The nation was threatened with signing humiliating treaties by the gunboats of Commodore Perry docked in Tokyo Harbor.
Gunboats in the Tokyo Harbor
Almost 50 years ago, in 1816 Nepal signed an even more humiliating treaty with the East India Company to put an end to the Anglo-Nepal War. The treaty involved Nepal giving up almost 2/3 of her land and permanent presence of a British resident in Kathmandu.
Signing of Sugauli Treaty in 1816 A.D
These two Asian countries separated by hundreds of miles found themselves in a similar position which most of the world found itself in the 19th Century. The industrialized west had come knocking on their doors looking for markets and trade routes to sell their products and to colonize their lands if need be.
A culture of warriors was present in both countries, ‘Gurkhas’ in Nepal and ‘Samurais’ in Japan. Honor of these countries was dealt a death blow by these treaties. An honor that was to be restored and respect that had to be earned in front of a highly militarized opponent.
Both countries had realized that modern education would be crucial to compete with the Western countries and the elite of both countries were dazzled by the material progress of the West.
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says September 04, 2023 at 1:09 amrgddfdfb