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Šimonosecký incident byl zásadním diplomatickým konfliktem mezi světovými velmocemi a Japonskem. Knížectví Čóšú se pokusilo zablokovat Šimonoseckou úžinu poté, co byl vydán císařský rozkaz k vyhnání "barbarů" z Japonska. Jeho baterie napadly tři zahraniční plavidla v červnu a červenci 1863. Reakce velmocí zainteresovaných v japonské politice byla neústupná. Americké a francouzské lodi ostřelovaly nepřátelské pozice. Tyto útoky však nedokázaly zastavit výstavbu nových baterií, čímž byla uzavřena jedna z cest k plavbě po Vnitřním moři, což ohrozilo mezinárodní obchod. Pouze poté, co se britským diplomatickým zástupcům podařilo vytvořit jednotnou frontu velmocí, mohl být tento problém vyřešen. Jejich spojená flotila donutila Čóšú, aby se podrobilo a britská diplomacie přinutila tokugawský šógunát k vyplacení odškodného. Výsledky tohoto incidentu měly zásadní dopad na další směřování britské politiky a její zapojení do Restaurace Meidži. The Shimonoseki Incident was a major diplomatic conflict between the Great Powers and Japan. It was initiated by the Chōshū Domain, which tried to block the Shimonoseki Straits for the foreign shipping after an Imperial edict to expel the “barbarians” was issued. Chōshū batteries attacked three foreign vessels in June and July 1863. The reaction of the Great Powers involved in the Japanese policy was harsh. The Americans and French sent ships to bombard the enemy positions. However, these attacks did not stop the construction of new batteries and obstruct the safe passage through the Inland Sea, which considerably affected international trade with Japan. Only after the British representatives in Japan united the powers for a joint action could the problem be solved. The allied fleet forced Chōshū into submission, and the British diplomacy forced the Japanese military government (the Tokugawa bakufu) to accept the terms under which an indemnity was paid. The incident results had a serious impact on the future policy of Great Britain in Japan and its involvement in the coming Meiji Restoration.

Moderní odborníci považují Japonsko za svébytnou civilizaci odlišnou od jejích kontinentálních protikladů. K tomuto faktu výrazným způsobem přispěly podmínky, v nichž se jeho společnost vyvíjela. Geografické a přírodní podmínky japonských ostrovů ovlivňovaly podobu jejich předmoderní společnosti, ekonomiky a politického vývoje. Přírodní podmínky tak ovlivňovaly podobu japonské civilizace jako celku. Japonská geografie pak také ovlivňovala dynamiku vývoje vztahů Japonska a jeho kontinentálních sousedů a tím i celou zahraniční politiku země. Klima pak přispívalo k rytmu života na ostrovech a určovalo, kde budou lidé obývající Japonsko žít. Fakt, že je Japonsko často ovlivňováno přírodními katastrofami pak měl výrazný dopad na utváření japonské mentality. Jako celek utvářely přírodní a geografické podmínky velkou část japonské historie a japonskou společnost. Modern scholars consider Japan as a separate civilization different from its continental counterparts. This fact is contributed mostly to the special conditions in which its society developed. The geographical and natural conditions of Japanese Islands influenced the shape of the its pre-modern society, its economy and its political development. The natural conditions determined the way of its life, its culture and the shape of Japanese civilization as a whole. The geography of Japan than influenced the dynamics of its development, its relations with the Asian continent and the foreign policy of the Country. The climate than contributed to the rhythm of life on the islands and the place people choose to live in. The fact, that Japan is often afflicted by natural catastrophes then had important impact on the shaping of Japanese mentality. As whole the geographic and natural conditions predetermined much of Japanese history and shaped the evolution of its society.

By the end of the 19th century Great Britain had to deal with new serious problems in the Far East. The position of its international rivals – especially Russia – rose considerably during the 90s. This was quite apparent in the northern part of Qing Empire – Manchuria where the Russians gained important concessions and a naval base of Port Arthur. Britain therefore tried to utilize the deepening of the Russo-Japanese rivalry, which was apparent since the second half of the 19th century. After new Russian pressure ensuing the Boxer revolution, London started direct negotiations with Tokyo. Their result was the signing of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, which ended the era of British “Splendid Isolation”. Thanks to this development and naval and economic cooperation of both countries, Japan was able to soundly defeat Russia in the Russo-Japanese war. This was a considerable success of the British diplomacy, which was able to stop its main opponent without going to war itself. On the other hand, the rise of Japan as a Great Power meant, that the Land of the Rising Sun became a key factor in the British position in China. Britain started to be increasingly dependent on its support in next years.

At the beginning of the 20th century Great Britain had to guard its interests in China against the competition of other Great Powers. The British diplomacy therefore payed close attention to the internal situation in China. It focused mainly on the enforcement of its economic (especially trade) interests and maintaining its concessions in China. In order to accomplish these tasks, the British diplomats followed closely the internal situation in China – especially its efforts to reform its government, military or law. They also payed close attention to the relation of China towards other Great Powers and their influence in the Middle Kingdom. Great Britain also had to solve several important problems in its own relations with China. The most important of these was the question of the opium trade and the effort of the Chinese government to supperss its consumption. China was able to accomplish this important task only with the help of Great Britain.

The Article analyses some aspects of the presence of the American Army in Western Bohemia during the year 1945. Firstly it researches the question of the U.S. offensive to Western Bohemia, its causes and development and also describes the most important armed clashes with the Germans. In the second part the article concentrates on the presence of the Americans on the territory of Western Bohemia. It deals with the questions of the German prisoners, the stance of the civil population towards the Americans and their behaviour in Czechoslovakia and problems they had encountered (for example the question of their supply). In the conclusion the article describes the withdrawal of the U.S. forces during the autumn of 1945.

The Young Turk revolution changed considerably the position of the Great Powers in Istanbul. The unexpected turmoil in the Ottoman Empire caused considerable anxiety in the European capitals – especially in Vienna. From the point of view of Austria-Hungary it imperiled the occupation of the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Habsburg government. The change of the regime therefore compelled the foreign minister Alois Lexa von Aehrenthal to turn away from the traditional policy of maintaining status quo on the Balkans. However the Austro-Hungarian statesman viewed this situation as an opportunity to a rapprochement with Russia. At the end of summer 1908 he therefore started negotiations with his Russian counterpart Alexander Izvolsky concerning the status of Bosnia and Herzegovina.