Background and Causes of the First Sino-Japanese War
– First Sino-Japanese War took place from 1894 to 1895
– Conflict between the Qing dynasty and Empire of Japan over influence in Korea
– Qing government sued for peace in February 1895 after continuous Japanese successes
– War demonstrated the failure of Qing dynasty’s attempts to modernize its military
– Regional dominance in East Asia shifted from China to Japan
Korean Politics and Reforms
– King Gojong ascended the throne at the age of 12 with his father ruling as regent
– Daewongun initiated reforms to strengthen the monarchy and purge foreign ideas
– Queen Min recruited her relatives and political enemies of the Daewongun to gain influence
– Queen Min ousted the Daewongun from power in 1873
– Departure of the Daewongun led to Korea abandoning its isolationist policy
– Ganghwa Treaty signed in 1876, opening Korea to Japanese trade
– Korean King Gojong established diplomatic ties with the United States in 1880
– Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation signed between the United States and Korea in 1882
– Compromise reached regarding Korea’s status as an independent nation
– Korea signed similar trade and commerce treaties with other Western countries
– Li Hongzhang, influential figure in China, advocated for Korean self-strengthening program
– Korean government pursued enlightenment policy for national prosperity and military strength
– Administrative reforms and establishment of the Office for Extraordinary State Affairs in 1881
– Selective acceptance and mastery of Western technology while preserving cultural values
– Technical mission sent to Japan in 1881 for further learning and modernization
War Aftermath and Impact
– Qing dynasty’s prestige and classical tradition suffered a major blow
– Loss of Korea as a tributary state sparked public outcry in China
– War led to a series of political upheavals and the 1911 Revolution in China
– War known as the War of Jiawu in China, Japan-Qing War in Japan, and Qing-Japan War in Korea
– Shift in regional dominance from China to Japan in East Asia
– The First Sino-Japanese War weakened China’s influence in East Asia
– Japan’s victory established it as a major player in the region
– Korea became a protectorate of Japan after the war
– The war set the stage for future conflicts and rivalries in East Asia
– The war contributed to the decline of the Qing Dynasty in China and the rise of Japanese imperialism
Japanese Insecurities over Korea
– Discussions in Japan about national security focused on the issue of Korean reform
– Korea’s inability to defend itself against outsiders made it a strategic concern for Japan
– Japanese interest in Korean reform was driven by the desire to resist foreign intrusion and play a larger role on the peninsula
– Japan believed that Korean independence could be achieved through importing civilization from the West
– Meiji leaders debated between adopting a passive role or actively interfering in Korean politics to ensure reform took place
– Nagasaki incident: Riot in Nagasaki in 1886 caused by Chinese sailors from the Beiyang Fleet, resulting in anti-Chinese sentiment in Japan
– Bean controversy: Poor harvest in 1889 led to soybean export prohibition, increased tensions between Japan and Korea
– Prelude to the war: Kim Ok-gyun affair, assassination of pro-Japanese Korean revolutionary in 1894, called Japan’s commitment to Korean supporters into question
– Donghak Rebellion: Peasant rebellion in Korea in late April 1894, Chinese forces sent to suppress the rebellion
Japanese Military and Reforms
– Meiji government prioritized the creation of a modern national army and navy
– Sent military officials abroad for training and evaluation
– Modeled Imperial Japanese Navy after the British Royal Navy
– Sent Japanese students to Britain to study and observe the Royal Navy
– Developed naval officers skilled in gunnery and seamanship
– Composed of 12 modern warships, 8 corvettes, 1 ironclad warship, 26 torpedo boats, and auxiliary/armed merchant cruisers
– Divided among three main naval bases at Yokosuka, Kure, and Sasebo
– Had a relatively large merchant navy with 288 vessels
– Nippon Yusen Kaisha shipping company had 66 vessels subsidized by the Japanese government
– Employed the Jeune École doctrine favoring small, fast warships
– Adopted German doctrines and military system
– Reorganized command structure into divisions and regiments
– Strengthened army logistics, transportation, and structures
– Established artillery and engineering regiments as independent commands
– Conscription included men between the ages of 17 and 40
– Conscription included territorial militia or national guard
– Soldiers underwent active military service for three years
– Became part of the first and second Reserve after active service
– First Reserve called up first, followed by the second Reserve
– Country divided into six military districts, each recruiting for a square infantry division Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Sino-Japanese_War
