Changes

Japan first defeated China, which had invaded Korea in 1894.  Japan beat the Chinese back, causing them to retreat from Korea and then Japan invaded and conquered Manchuria in the Sino-Japanese War.  The peace treaty (signed in 1895) gave the Pescadores Islands and Taiwan to Japan.

Japan first defeated China, which had invaded Korea in 1894.  Japan beat the Chinese back, causing them to retreat from Korea and then Japan invaded and conquered Manchuria in the Sino-Japanese War.  The peace treaty (signed in 1895) gave the Pescadores Islands and Taiwan to Japan.

Japan felt it was invincible.  It next took on Russian and defeated it in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.  Japan destroyed the Russian fleet and received control of the southern portion of the Chinese Eastern Railway and a lease on the Liaodong Peninsula, including Port Arthur, in its Treaty of Portsmouth with Russia.  Russia withdrew from Manchuria and promised to stay out of Korea.

Japan felt it was invincible.  It next took on Russia and defeated it in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.  Japan destroyed the Russian fleet and received control of the southern portion of the Chinese Eastern Railway and a lease on the Liaodong Peninsula, including Port Arthur, in its Treaty of Portsmouth with Russia.  Russia withdrew from Manchuria and promised to stay out of Korea.

There was even more to Japan’s aggression.  It took over Korea and annexed it to Japan in 1910.  This alarmed the rest of the world, making everyone wonder if and when Japan would stop expanding.  Japan took over Korea’s schools and taught the children in a way that favored Japan.  Japan also took over the presses (media) in Korea, thereby controlling what was said.  Japan completely dominated Korea.  Japan’s land policies favored Japanese settlers.  An underground nationalist movement in Korea began to grow, with resentment towards Japan.

There was even more to Japan’s aggression.  It took over Korea and annexed it to Japan in 1910.  This alarmed the rest of the world, making everyone wonder if and when Japan would stop expanding.  Japan took over Korea’s schools and taught the children in a way that favored Japan.  Japan also took over the presses (media) in Korea, thereby controlling what was said.  Japan completely dominated Korea.  Japan’s land policies favored Japanese settlers.  An underground nationalist movement in Korea began to grow, with resentment towards Japan.