WW1: Unusual Tales from The Great War.

At the end of the war Germany's Pacific Empire was gone. Japan had emerged and was recognised as a global power and China was disillusioned by the betrayal of the European powers. Here I look into the impact on Japan in the following decades, the German's diaspora left behind and how Chinese foreign policy is affected today.

Throughout the 19th century China had been a weakening power despite a very long history of stability. An early WW1 battle saw Japan defeat the Germans at Tsingtao and then press China to concede, financial, economic and political control in vast areas of land. This pressure continued throughout the war. With restitution claims rejected in Paris, China refused to sign the Treaty. WW1 shaped China's 20th century and the country we see today.

After the Battle of Tsingtao and the demise of the German Asian Fleet, what happened to the Islands? The New Zealanders on Samoa and the "Battle with the Wireless Mast". The Australians on New Guinea and their first casualties of the war, indiscipline and looting.

As Britain was recalling regiments from it's Empire, they were replaced by units from the Indian Army with new challenges and different loyalties. In Singapore, the 5th Light Infantry of Muslim soldiers from the North West Frontier were one such Regiment.

As the German fleet headed west, the SMS Emden sailed to the Indian Ocean and created havoc amongst allied naval and commercial shipping. When beaten by HMAS Sydney, a great Australian victory, an abandoned landing party create their own heroic history to return home.