Japan Attacks: First Sino Japanese War Documentary
Channel: The Chinese Revolution
Date: 2024-01-27

This is a first Sino Japanese War documentary.  It covers the first Sino Japanese War from 1894-95.

Meiji Japan learns from the West and builds its economy, its army and the Japanese Imperial Navy. 

In the Battle of Tabaruzuka, Saigo Takamori led Samurai who resisted Japanese reforms and did battle with conscripts.  The new Japanese Army, bolstered by conscription, was able to replenish itself more quickly and defeated the samurai.

Japan begins its own gunboat diplomacy and takes control of the Ryukyu Islands.  It defeats China in the Sino-Japanese War and gains Penghu and Taiwan, as well as control over Korea.  The Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895 was extremely harsh on Japan.

Russian and Japanese tensions build.  

Great Britain allies with Japan and the Japanese Imperial Navy launches a sneak attack on Port Arthur (Dalian). 

In the Russo Japanese War, Japan destroys two Russian fleets and Teddy Roosevelt negotiates the peace treaty.  The Russo Japanese War is explained. Asian and Chinese nationalists take heart in the Asian victory over a European power.  

This is episode 19 of the Chinese Revolution series.

Timestamps
00:00 – Meiji Restoration Modernizes Japan
02:49 - Japan Institutes Conscription
03:12 - Saigo Takamori Leads a Samurai Rebellion 
07:29 – Japan Eyes Korea and gains the Treaty of Ganghwa
08:08 – Japan Supports Modernizers in Korea Leading to the Imo Incident
08:44 – Pro-Japanese Coup in Korea Led to the Li - Ito Convention
09:47 – Japanese Thinkers Consider War Against China
10:02 - Japan Exploits a Korean Peasants' Revolt
10:25 - The First Sino Japanese War of 1894-1895
18:22 - Japan Invades the Pescadores Islands (Penghu) and Takes Taiwan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki
19:32 - Japan Returns the Liaodong Peninsula
19:43 - Resistance to Japan Occupying Taiwan and the Short Lived Republic of Formosa
20:22 - China Seeks Assistance from Russia
21:02 - Great Britain Allies with Japan
22:04 - Russo Japanese War of 1904-1905
28:23 - Teddy Roosevelt Negotiated Peace Between Russia and Japan