The Postcard is a satire of the sinking of the Russian fleet at Port Arthur by the Japanese. Russia is portrayed as a huge figure in comparison to the small Japanese man, showing the difference in power between one of the Great Powers of Europe and Japan who were just emerging from 200 years of Isolation. When Japan declared war on Russia, the Russians had to unify their 3 fleets by sailing them around the world to Port Arthur. It was here that the Japanese defeated them
This event, and the swift defeat of Russia by the Japanese showed the Europeans that their hegemony wasn’t absolute. Within the space of 30 years, Japan had been able to access the Industrialised markets and had used European technology to expand their economy. They bought British ships and used men from other European Nations as military advisers and managed to become an Imperial Power and control the 3rd Largest Navy in the World