INTL 190 - Haiti in a Transnational Context

First Sino-Japanese War

According to Britannica's First Sino-Japanese War article, after decades of fighting over Korea, Japan and China began direct hostilities on July 28, 1894. Much of the First Sino-Japanese War was fought at sea, and the Japanese navy was superior to its old Chinese navy. According to Kallie Szczepanski on ThoughtCo., this is mainly because Empress Dowager siphoned off some of the funds used to upgrade the Chinese navy to rebuild the Summer Palace in Beijing. On October 24, 1894, the Japanese built a bridge across the Yalv River and soon captured some cities in China. According to Szczepanski, from November 21, The Japanese army attacked Lvshunkou City. Szczepanski said Japanese troops carried out the infamous Port Arthur Massacre, killing thousands of unarmed Chinese civilians. In March, China lost Yingkou, Manchuria, and the Penghu island. By April, the Qing government realized that Japanese forces were approaching Beijing. After a series of setbacks, China finally decided to Sue for peace with Japan and signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki.


The picture comes from Britannica, a scene from the First Sino-Japanese War. This painting was inking and coloring on paper by Migita Toshihide, 1894. This painting is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. 
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