What is history: it is the echo of the past to the future, the reflection of the future on the past. - Hugo
83 days of emperor career, dramatic ending, beiyang warlord Yuan Shikai on what basis to call the emperor?
In China's modern history, the Beiyang warlords have left the most colorful strokes. And Yuan Shikai, the chief leader of the Beiyang warlords, was even more ambitious and was once ready to claim the title of emperor, so what did Yuan Shikai rely on behind his daring to claim the title of emperor?
In the Beiyang military clique headed by Yuan Shikai, the situation at that time was viewed in such a way, and in such a world of great controversy, strength often represented the right to speak, and taming this increasingly out-of-control era through force became the consensus reached by the entire Beiyang military clique.
In China at that time, although there were other warlords in various places, the Beiyang warlords with Yuan Shikai as the core were undoubtedly the most powerful, and the other local small warlords had no strength at all to compete with the Beiyang Army Group. It was in such a chaotic world where soldiers came first, the strength of the Beiyang Army became the most important support for Yuan Shikai to dare to become emperor.
In the cunning mind of Yuan Shikai, although he has the hardware of the Beiyang Army as his most powerful support, he still needs some of the most supported by public opinion. As a result, the infamous "Preparatory Committee" has stepped onto the stage of history in such a historical background.
At the same time, various petition groups began to sprung up all over the country, and such tricks were no small feats for Yuan Shikai, who was proficient in power. It was under the trick of this petitioning group that for a time the whole country demanded the restoration of the imperial system.
Yuan Shikai took a group photo with the ministers of various countries
When Yuan Shikai had the strength of the Beiyang Army as a backing, and the illusion of public opinion created by the petition groups in various places as a supplement. There is also a very difficult problem in front of Yuan Shikai, that is, the attitude of the Western powers towards Yuan Shikai's claim to the throne, which coincides with the fact that this period is in the middle of the First World War, and the great powers have acquiesced to Yuan Shikai's act of claiming the emperor.
These are the three major dependencies of Yuan Shikai's claim to the throne, because all aspects have been done well. Finally, in December 1915, Yuan Shikai became emperor of the Chinese Empire, and Yuan Shikai's dream of being emperor lasted only 83 days before it was shattered.
Yuan Shikai thought of his own strength to support himself, he also thought of the importance of creating public opinion, he even thought of the attitude of the great powers, but what he did not think of was the importance of the people's hearts, and it was in this situation that Yuan Shikai came to the end of his life in the people's condemnation.