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In 1875 Japan, which had begun to use Western technology, forced Korea to open itself to foreign trade especially Japanese, and to declare itself independent from China in its foreign relations.
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A group of pro-Japanese reformers tried to take over the Korean government but Gen. Yuan Shikia's Chinese troops stopped them, and they saved the Korean King. Besides saving the King these Chinese troops also killed a couple of Japanese legation guards.
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On April fourth, 1885 China and Japan sign the Li-Itō treaty to prevent a war. The treaty was to keep Japanese and Chinese troops out of Korea.
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In 1894 Japan finished its modernization program and continued to have a growing influence on young Koreans wich Japan would not want to give up.
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Kim Ok-Kyun, the pro-Japanese Korean leader of 1884 was lured to Shanghai and assassinated by agents of Yuan Shikai. His body was then put on a Chinese warship and sent back to Korea, where it was displayed as a warning to other rebels
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Tonghak rebellion broke out in Korea and at the request of the Korean king, the Chinese government sent troops to aid in dispersing the rebels. The Japanese considered this a violation of the Li-Itō Convention, and they sent 8,000 troops to Korea.
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The Chinese tried to enforce their own troops in Korea but Japan found out and attacked the Chinese ships causing the battle of Pungdo and the Japanese sunk the steamer Kowshing that was carrying the Chinese troops and supplies.
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War is declared between Japan and China the first Sino-Japanese war begins.
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Imperial Japan being more advanced technologically than China at the time, had better machines weapons and protection.
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Japan easily won the battle of Yalu River (otherwise known as The Battle of the Yellow Sea) with modern strategies advanced explosive shells, "battleships", and highly trained men against the unprepared Chinese who had low ammunition amounts poorly trained men and weak ships covered in flammable paint.
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Japanese troops scored quick and overwhelming victories on both land and sea. By March 1895 the Japanese had successfully invaded Shandong province and Manchuria and had fortified posts that commanded the sea approaches to Beijing. The Chinese sued for peace.
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in the treaty of Shimonoseki Chin allowed japan rule over Korea and access to all Chinese teritory.
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In 1896 Russia had concluded an alliance with China against Japan winning rights to extend the Trans-Siberian Railroad across Chinese-held Manchuria to the Russian seaport of Vladivostok, thus gaining control of an important strip of Manchurian territory.
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In 1898 Russia had pressured China into granting it a lease for the strategically important port of Port Arthur in southern Manchuria. Russia thereby entered into occupation of the peninsula even though it had forced Japan to give up just such a right after their victory over China in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–95.
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The war begins when Japan launches a surprise attack and siege on the Russian naval squadron at Port Arthur.
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Japan lands an army in Korea taking control of it quickly.
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Japan lands an army on the Liaodong Peninsula.
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Japans army in the Liaodong peninsula cut off the Port Arthur garrison from the main body of Russian forces in Manchuria. The Japanese then pushed northward, and the Russian army fell back to Mukden.
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Japan wins the battle at Fu-hsien.
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Japan wins the battle of Liaoyang.
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Japan decides to do a long siege of Port Arthur after failing at little attacks. Port Arthur’s Russian commander surrendered the port to the Japanese without consulting his officers and with three months’ provisions and adequate supplies of ammunition still in the fortress.
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The final land battle in the Russo-Japanese war ended in many casualties or each side Russia losing 89,000 men and Japan winning yet still losing 71,000 men.
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Japan destroyed Russias baltic fleet, winning the naval battle of Tsushima. Russia began to negotiate.
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Out of the peace conference at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, U.S came the Portsmouth Treaty resulting in Japan gaining control of the Liaodong Peninsula (and Port Arthur) and the South Manchurian Railway (which led to Port Arthur), as well as half of Sakhalin Island. Russia agreed to evacuate southern Manchuria, which was restored to China, and Japan’s control of Korea was recognized.
