The Celestial Struggle, China’s War Within and Beyond: 1916-1917

About the Committee:

It is January of 1916. Four years ago, the Xinhai revolutionaries ushered in the downfall of the Qing dynasty, and with it the imperial system that had dominated Chinese society for over two millennia. To ensure the success of the revolution, however, the revolutionaries approached Yuan Shikai, the leader of the Qing loyalist armies. The revolutionaries agreed to make Shikai the President of the newly declared Republic of China if Shikai forced the child emperor Puyi to abdicate. Now, it appears that four years of rule by Yuan Shikai have entirely undone the effects of the revolution. In his efforts to concentrate power within himself, he has dissolved the National Assembly of the Republic and replaced civil provincial governors with military ones. Just last month, he went as far to declare himself Emperor of China, a move that has only destabilized everything. While all of this domestic upheaval is ongoing, the European powers responsible for the past 77 years of Chinese humiliation have been tearing each other into pieces like rabid dogs. The two sides of the conflict threaten to tear China itself apart in their efforts to protect their interests in the country, or even drag China into the Great War altogether. In light of these conflicts, both domestic and abroad, that threaten the stability of Chinese civilization, all of you, the most powerful warlords, politicians, diplomats, and political thinkers in China, have gathered together in an informal council to guide the nation through them. Will you allow your country to slip back into monarchy, and with it, your power? If not, how will you be able to create and maintain a stable government? How will you respond to the acts of foreign agitation made by major powers on either side of the bloodshed in Europe? Which side will China take? How can you use these crises to benefit your own interests? Keep in mind that as you grapple with these questions, the specter of the Japanese Empire looms in the background…

A LETTER FROM THE DaiS:

Dear Delegates, 

My name is Will Luebkert and I could not be more excited to be a co-director for the Celestial Struggle committee! I am a sophomore at U of M majoring in Political Science and Economics. This is my first year as a MUNUM crisis committee director, though it is my second year working in MUNUM overall. My experience with Model United Nations stretches back to 7th grade, and I have remained involved with it through high school up until now. As a matter of fact, I have participated in this very conference twice as a delegate during my high school career. The tremendous amount of fun that I had at those conferences has played an essential role in motivating me to assist in delivering a similar experience to you all. Outside of MUNUM, you can find me researching and advocating for state-level solutions to various issues as part of my involvement in the Michigan Institute for Progressive Policy and keeping up with recent worldwide economic developments as a writer for Michigan Journal of Economics. For me, the most difficult part of being a MUN delegate was navigating the complex web of intrigue between various characters in crisis committees, so I cannot wait to see what strategies you all come up with to advance your characters’ goals in committee!

My name is Anjan Singer and I am super excited to be one of your co-directors for the Celestial Struggle committee! I am a Sophomore at U of M majoring in Economics, and this is my second year at MUNUM and my first time directing a committee. I have been a part of Model United Nations since middle school and have attended MUNUM specifically in my high school career as a delegate. In addition to MUNUM, I am a contributor to the Every Three Weekly satire paper here on campus (similar to the Onion). I love the drama, humor, and intrigue of MUN, and I cannot wait to see the intriguing and creative stories that you all will no doubt create through the crafting of your arcs!

We are very excited to start committee with you all. If you have any questions, you can reach us at luebkewi@umich.edu and sanjan@umich.edu.

Best,

Will and Anjan