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Japanese WWI Allied Victory Medal
(Full Size, With Case)
戰捷記章
(官方版, 含盒)
Item number: M115
Year: AD 1920
Material: Bronze
Size: case 108.4 x 59.8 x 23.0 / medal 35.4 x 81.2 x 1.7 mm
Weight: 21.5 g
Provenance: Quan Jian Zhai 2022
This item is the Japanese WWI Allied Victory Medal, accompanied by a wooden case with the inscription “Victory Medal.” It was established according to the “Victory Medal Regulations (戰捷記章令)” of the 9th year of Taisho (AD 1920), aimed at commemorating the victory of the Allied Powers in World War I and awarded to military personnel who served between the 3rd year of Taisho (AD 1914) and the 9th year of Taisho (AD 1920).
According to the “Victory Medal Regulations,” the material of the commemorative medal is bronze, with a diameter of one inch and two. On the obverse side is the image of the God of War, Takemikazuchi(建御雷), and on the reverse side is a depiction of the earth adorned with a spherical bead, surrounded by a cherry blossom wreath with flags of Japan, the United States, Britain, France, and Italy depicted on five petals. The outer edge is engraved with “The Great War in Defense of Civilization. Other Allied and Associated Powers. From the 3rd year of Taisho to the 9th year of Taisho.” The ribbon style features a symmetrical rainbow color scheme, aligning with the design of Victory Medals from other Allied countries during World War I. This medal was designed by the famous sculptor Shokichi Hata.
Japan entered the conflict to support its ally, Great Britain. Japan and Britain signed the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Alliance in AD 1902 to defend against the threat of Russian expansion in Asia and in response to Britain’s decreasing control of the oceans. When Great Britain declared war against Germany on 2 August AD 1914, Japan mobilized its navy, comprising approximately 100 warships. On 14 August, Japan issued an ultimatum to Germany, demanding the removal of its forces and the surrender of its territory in China and island possessions in the Pacific. Germany ignored the warning, prompting Japan’s declaration of war on 23 August, followed by a second declaration of war against Austria-Hungary on 25 August.
Japan’s leadership recognized that the unfolding conflict in Europe posed both a threat to and an opportunity for advancing Japan’s interests. At the outbreak of World War I, Germany controlled the port of Tsingtao on the Shantung Peninsula in eastern China. Germany maintained its Far Eastern squadron and garrisoned 3,500 troops and 2,500 reservists in Tsingtao. From a Japanese perspective, a German victory in the war could lead to increased competition in East Asia. Japan leveraged the war as an opportunity to honor its alliance with Great Britain, to assert itself as a great power, and to promote its expansionist policies. Japanese leaders viewed the war as offering “one chance in one thousand” to increase Japan’s territory while German forces were concentrated in Europe.
Japan’s contributions during the war initially focused on seizing German territory in the Far East. Japan led a joint Anglo-Japanese military operation, involving approximately 25,000 troops, to defeat the German forces in Tsingtao, which surrendered in November AD 1914. This marked a significant shift in the character of warfare, as it featured the first-ever use of Japanese seaplanes launched from an air carrier to sink a German minelayer and bombard German positions. Additionally, Japan acquired German possessions in Oceania, including the Caroline, Marianas, Marshall, and Yap islands.
The war resulted in Japan acquiring territory, experiencing an economic boom, and emerging as a great power with a prominent seat at the table during the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in June AD 1919.
物件編號: M115
年代: 公元 1920 年
材質: 青銅
尺寸: case 108.4 x 59.8 x 23.0 / medal 35.4 x 81.2 x 1.7 mm