In 1864, members of an anti-foreigners faction blocked the Strait of Shimonoseki in West Japan. Their guns opened fire on passing Western ships. The Netherlands, Great Britain, France and the United States joined forces and together they sent a fleet to break the blockade. In only two days, the 17 warships, four of which were 4 Dutch, succeeded in lifting the blockade. This defeat undermined confidence in the Japanese government and contributed to its downfall in 1868. There was satisfaction in Dutch navy circles with the outcome of the incident: the Dutch Navy had proven that it could still measure up to the French and British Navy.
1864<div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1864-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
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