1. Militarization of Japan 1890s- 1910s Militarization – process in which a society organizes itself for military conflict and violence.

2. Sino-Japanese War 1894-1895  In declaring war on China, Japan was allowed its first test to use its modern weapons against another country.  Japan’s goal through this war was to gain control over the Korean peninsula and the Island of Taiwan.  Japan wins the war and power of East Asia transfers over to Japan from China.  Japan desired conquering Manchuria but was ordered to cease its conquest through a triple alliance of Russia, France, and Germany.

3. Power of Japan’s New Fleet

4. Japan Seeks Revenge  During the Sino-Japanese War, Japan was order to halt its conquest of Manchuria by Russia.  Russia organized the take over of a crucial territorial area along the Liaodong Peninsula and took over the city of Port Arthur, desperate to gain a warm water port.  Japan infuriated over the “theft” declared war on Russia.

5. Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905  Japan issued a declaration of war on February 8, 1904.  However, three hours before Japan's declaration of war was received by the Russian Government, the Imperial Japanese navy attacked the Russian Far East fleet at Port Arthur.  News of Russia’s declaration of war reached Japan eight days later

6. Area of Fighting

7. Russia unprepared…  Tsar Nicholas II was stunned to hear of Japan’s attack on the fleet since he thought negotiations could be made and Japan would not fight.  The ability of Russia to wage a descent campaign against Japan would be difficult due to the amount of time it took to sail and travel from Moscow to Port Arthur.

8. Advancing Japanese Army

9. Major Battles  The Japanese gained a significant footing on Manchuria in the land battle of the Yalu River pushing the Russians back to Port Arthur.  The Russians proved their defensive power by winning the Battle of Nanshan in keeping their position at Port Arthur.  Japan won a decisive victory over Russia in a naval battle during the Siege of Port Arthur.  Both sides inflicted heavy casualties during the Battle of Mukden. This battle would crush the Russians but Japan failed to utterly destroy them.

10. Yalu River is the natural border of the Koreas. Location of many key battles of the Russo- Japanese War.

11. Japanese Navy Bombing Port Arthur

12. Retreating Russian Soldiers

13. TIME OUT! LET’S TALK PEACE!  After seeing the carnage, the Americans using their “gunboat diplomacy” convinced Japan and Russia to meet for a peace conference.  President Theodore Roosevelt met with delegations from Russia and Japan at Portsmouth Naval Yard in Kittery, Maine in 1905. In successful signing a peace deal with both nations, President Roosevelt will win the Nobel Peace Prize.

15. Treaty of Portsmouth

16. Japan’s Gains  Japan was able to keep its territory on the Korean peninsula.  Japan gained Port Arthur.  Japan also gained the southern half of the Russian island Sakhalin  This was the first war won by an East Asian power over a Western European Nation.  This defeat proved to be the final downfall of the old Russian Empire. Tsar Nicholas II would soon be murdered in the violet Communist Revolution in Russia in 1917.