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Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) Wikipedia

Japan and China fought the first Sino-Japanese War during 1894 and 1895, primarily over control of Korea. To distinguish it from the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)|second Sino-Japanese War, this war is called the "Jiawu War" (甲午戦争) in Chinese language|Chinese because it occurred in the Chinese year of that name. The Japanese refer to this conflict as the Nisshin War (日清戦争, literally "Japan-Qing Dynasty|Qing War").
Korea (under the Joseon Dynasty) had traditionally been a tributary state of China. In 1875 the Qing Dynasty of China had allowed Japan to recognise Korea as an independent state. However, China continued to try to assert its influence over Korea and public opinion in Korea split, with conservatives wanting to retain a close relationship with China while reformists wanted Korea to modernize and to have a closer relationship with Japan.

Following the assassination of a pro-Japanese reformist in 1894, a Korean religious sect, the Donghak, began the Donghak Peasant Revolution. The Korean government requested help from China in suppressing it. The Qing Dynasty informed the Japanese government of its decision to send troops to the Korean penisula in accordance with the Sino-Japanese Treaties of Tientsin of 1885 in which the two sides agreed to: (a) pull their expeditionary forces out of Korea simultaneously; (b) not send military instructors for the training of the Korean army; and (c) notify the other side beforehand should one decide to send troops to Korea.

However, Yuan Shikai from China remained in Seoul interfering in Korea's internal affairs after the treaty. For its part, Japan was ready to pounce upon any suitable opportunity for invasion. When China dispatched troops at the request of Korean royalty, the Japanese government simultaneously sent an expedition in support of the reformists and had seized the royal palace in Seoul by June 8, 1894. In an effort to increase its influence on the Korean peninsula, the Japanese government nominated a new Korean ruler and proposed a project for reform of the Korean governmental system. This was rejected by the Qing, who still regarded Korea as a dependent country.

War between Japan and China was officially declared on August 1, 1894, though some naval fighting had already taken place. The more modern Japanese army defeated the Chinese in a series of battles around Seoul and Pyeongyang, forcing them north, and by November 21 the Japanese had taken Port Arthur (now known as L?shunkou|Lushun).

The Japanese navy devastated China's northern fleet off the mouth of the Yalu River at the Battle of Yalu River (1894)|Battle of Yalu on September 17, 1894. The Chinese fleet lost 8 out of 12 warships, retreated behind the fortifications of the Weihaiwei Modern Naval tactics|naval base, and was then caught by a surprise Japanese land attack across the Liaodong Peninsula, which shattered the ships in harbour with shelling from the landward side. After Weihaiwei's fall on February 2 and an easing of harsh winter conditions, Japanese troops pressed into Manchuria.

Faced with these repeated defeats China signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki in April, 1895. The defeat of China at the hands of Japan highlighted the failure of the Chinese army to modernize adequately and resulted in increased calls within China for accelerated modernization and reform.

Last Modified:   2005-04-13