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| Religion: | Imperial Cult | ||
| Type of Government: | Absolute Monarchy | ||
The Kingdom of East Asia is the most populous state in the 240-300 area and the main target of Cathay expansionism. Founded as an attempt to bring unity to the various systems after the Collapse, East Asia eventually became an absolute monarchy, which itself was a shell of its former self by the 28th century. The more agrarian East Asia has been waging a defensive war against the industrialized Cathay Federation, sending millions of men to the trenches daily.
History
The system of Kwangchowan was relatively untouched by the Collapse after its local Chinese garrison refused mobilization orders from high command and instead took over the colonial government. Initially, the new government welcomed refugees with open arms, but after realizing the immense social instability accepting large numbers of refugees causes they eventually refused. Immigration laws became stricter and stricter until the practice was banned altogether. By that point, however, Kwangchowan was already a melting pot of various ethnicities that all competed for the system’s dwindling resources. Although some extremists called for forced Sinicization, moderates pointed out that attempting this would cause the conflict they were trying to avoid. Cooler heads prevailed, but only with a compromise: they would instead promote a new East Asian nationalism. The plan, it was argued, would forge the mostly Asian population together against “European influence,” real or imagined. Since China already had a large influence over many of the cultures there, Sinicization could be presented under an East Asian label and be accepted. And so, the Union of East Asia was formed.
Initially a dictatorship of the old Chinese garrison’s commanders, East Asia eventually became a kingdom with all of the trappings of old Asian monarchy. The general’s bloodline became the new royal family, with his subordinates becoming a new aristocracy. East Asia officially became a kingdom in 2456, a move the population was mostly apathetic about. However, there was the growing issue of feeding the Kwangchowan system’s growing population. The Chinese and Soviet militaries had little respect for the inhabited worlds’ environments, making them unfit for large-scale agriculture. Farmland would have to be found elsewhere. Past exploration had happened upon former colonies of the old powers torn apart by civil war or blasted back to the Stone Age by the Collapse, which were quickly colonized. These worlds, however, were for similar reasons unfit for large-scale food processing. Sensing that it was the most powerful state in the area, East Asia engaged in a campaign of expansion. It was during this era that it encountered rival powers such as the Cathay Federation and the Eurasian Empire, although the conservative East Asians always tried to avoid conflicts with those powers. They were mostly successful in that regard, but at the cost of only gaining worlds that were otherwise uncontested or having to share worlds with the other powers. Their attempts to peacefully coexist with the other powers of the region did not stop a Cathay invasion during the 2600s in what is now known as the First 240-300 War.
Modern East Asia is currently embroiled in the Second 240-300 War, which many East Asian leaders fear they will lose like the first. The central government only has strong control over Kwangchowan and other nearby systems. Many systems were given large amounts of self-determination prior to the war and now the large but outstretched East Asian military can’t devote a lot to defending worlds that aren’t important to the war against Cathay. The Emperor of East Asia has little control over his own country, as the government is now run by a cabal of military commanders who bicker amongst themselves as much as they try to lock the Emperor out of any political power. To motivate the population, a new imperial cult was formed around the Emperor. State propaganda depicts the Emperor as an invincible god among men who would lead his people to victory. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a pro-Cathay subversive and deserves the reeducation camp he’s sent to. Purges of “disloyal” and “insufficiently East Asian” elements are common both within the military and civilian spheres.
The East Asian army is ordered not to take or shoot prisoners to conserve resources; prisoners are to be hacked apart with blades. Civilians are not exempted from aggression, as every pro-Cathay civilian is a potential rebel or soldier fighting for Wuhan. The stubborn East Asian high command has also issued orders to not allow any retreat from the front whatsoever. Any soldiers attempting to do so are to be executed and their names turned in to high command so their families can be imprisoned for life in a labor camp. Likewise, any soldier that refuses to advance in East Asia’s distinctive infantry charges meets the same fate. East Asia's solution to every problem is normally to throw more men, armor and even horse-mounted cavalry at it.
Despite its xenophobic culture, East Asia is somewhat odd in that it has received support from all three superpowers during the war (at a price, of course), as none of the three want Cathy overrunning the area and becoming too powerful to manipulate. The United Technocracies exported arms and both the Coalition and Conseil sent small battlegroups to aid the East Asians, with occasional joint missions between them. This aid has continued even after the beginning of the Galactic War, although the superpowers’ propaganda would say otherwise.