1894-7-25 First Sino-Japanese War 1895-4-17

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First Sino-Japanese War 1894-1895 - House > .

How Europe Colonized Asia - Pacific War 1 - K&G > .

How the Meiji Restoration Turned Japan into an Empire - Pacific War 2 - K&G > .

China's Hundred Days' Reform and Cixi's coup d'état (1898) | Hx China - House > .

History and Future of Korean Geopolitics - Mac > .

Japan - Never a Superpower - KhAnubis > .

23-9-14 Hx Japan vs Xina: Why Xina and Japan are headed to war - BuBa > .

23-8-23 China vs Japan vs Korea: Japan Preparing for War with Xina - BuBa > .

End of Empire - China's Last Emperor - House >> .

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Pacific War - week by week - K&G >> .

0:00 Introduction
0:46 Donghak Peasant Rebellion
5:18 First Sino-Japanese War
8:15 Beiyang and Weihaiwei
11:05 Treaty of Shimonoseki

The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over influence in Joseon Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the port of Weihaiwei, the Qing government sued for peace in February 1895.

The war demonstrated the failure of the Qing dynasty's attempts to modernize its military and fend off threats to its sovereignty, especially when compared with Japan's successful Meiji Restoration. For the first time, regional dominance in East Asia shifted from China to Japan; the prestige of the Qing dynasty, along with the classical tradition in China, suffered a major blow. The humiliating loss of Korea as a tributary state sparked an unprecedented public outcry. Within China, the defeat was a catalyst for a series of political upheavals led by Sun Yat-sen and Kang Youwei, culminating in the 1911 Xinhai Revolution.

The war is commonly known in China as the War of Jiawu, referring to the year (1894) as named under the traditional sexagenary system of years. In Japan, it is called the Japan–Qing War. In Korea, where much of the war took place, it is called the Qing–Japan War

1890-3-20 Bismarck Resigns

.20th March 1890: Wilhelm II formally accepts Bismarck's resignation - HiPo > .

20th March 1890: Kaiser Wilhelm II - Otto von Bismarck’s resignation - HiPo > .

Late 19th Century History (1875-1899) - HiPo >> .

Bismarck's resignation had been demanded by the Kaiser a few days earlier and was submitted on the 18th. Bismarck’s exit from office two days later ended his decades-long domination of German and European politics, and ushered in the new age of Weltpolitik.

As Minister President and Foreign Minister of Prussia, Bismarck had overseen the unification of Germany in 1871. He then continued as Chancellor of Germany for almost two decades, throughout which Germany dominated European politics, and controlled the balance of power to ensure peace.

However the death of Kaiser Wilhelm I, which was quickly and unexpectedly followed by his son Frederick III, led to the young and relatively inexperienced Wilhelm taking the throne. Rather than allow his Chancellor to govern as he had done for the previous few decades, Wilhelm preferred to rule as well as reign which led to confrontations between the two men in the tussle for control.

The situation came to a head in early 1890, when they disagreed over social policy. While Bismarck was keen to introduce permanent anti-socialist laws, Wilhelm preferred to be more moderate. The stark difference in their positions became most obvious when Bismarck said he sought a violent confrontation in order to suppress the socialists. Wilhelm later took offence at Bismarck negotiating a new political alliance without his knowledge.

With their relationship in tatters, Wilhelm insisted that the 75 year old Bismarck submit his resignation. He was succeeded by Leo von Caprivi, and dedicated the rest of his life to writing his memoirs.

1887-6-18 Germany, Russia sign Reinsurance Treaty

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18th June 1887: Germany and Russia sign the secret Reinsurance Treaty - HiPo > .

22-7-26 France's Hx & Geostrategic Choices in Central Europe - gtbt > .

Territorial Evolution Of HUNGARY - Knowledge > .

Late 19th Century History (1875-1899) - HiPo >> .

Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary had entered into a second Three Emperors’ Alliance in 1881. Like the one before it, the agreement was designed by the German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, to isolate France from potential allies and avoid rivalry between his two neighbours over territory in the Balkans.

 
Continuing tensions between Austria-Hungary and Russia over this region led to the agreement’s collapse in 1887 and forced Bismarck to find another way to maintain French diplomatic isolation.

Germany had already formed the Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1879, so the Reinsurance Treaty was created to ensure Russia continued to side with Germany. In return Germany agreed to a Russian sphere of influence in Bulgaria and the Black Sea.

By the time the treaty came up for renewal in 1890, Wilhelm II had become Kaiser of Germany. He insisted that Bismarck resign the Chancellorship in March that year, and argued that his personal relationship with Tsar Alexander III would be enough to avoid any future problems with Russia. Bismarck’s successor Leo von Caprivi was also unwilling to seek a renewal of the Reinsurance Treaty, meaning that it lapsed.

Without the treaty to tie St Petersburg to Berlin, the Russian government began to forge closer relations with France. France’s improving diplomatic situation was formalised in the Franco-Russian Alliance of 1892. This opened up Germany to the possibility of a war on two fronts, making the failure of the Reinsurance Treaty a contributing factor to the outbreak of the First World War.

1882-5-20 Triple Alliance

.20th May 1882: Establishment of the Triple Alliance - HiPo > .

22-7-6 Balkan Conflict - History! Future? - VisPol > .

22-7-26 France's Hx & Geostrategic Choices in Central Europe - gtbt > .

Territorial Evolution Of HUNGARY - Knowledge > .

Late 19th Century History (1875-1899) - HiPo >> .

Germany and Austria-Hungary had formed the defensive Dual Alliance in 1879 in which both countries agreed to assist each other if they were attacked by Russia and promised benevolent neutrality to the other in case of war with another nation.

Two years later Italy, which had North African imperial ambitions, was frustrated by France’s seizure of Tunisia. Wishing to secure a foreign alliance in case of future aggression from France, Italy consequently turned to Germany and Austria-Hungary, expanding their established relationship to form the Triple Alliance in 1882.
The alliance provided Italy with German and Austro-Hungarian assistance in case France chose to attack, in return for which Italy would assist Germany if they were attacked. Meanwhile Austria-Hungary benefited from a guarantee that Italy would remain neutral in case of a war with Russia, removing the risk of a war on two fronts and providing some security amidst the rising tensions in the Balkans.

The alliance was renewed in 1887, 1907 and 1912. Meanwhile, in October 1883, Romania had secretly joined the Triple Alliance. This move was so secret that only King Carol I and a few senior politicians even knew.

However, similar to Italy’s involvement in the agreement, this did not result in Romania's joining the Central Powers when war broke out in 1914. Having based their decision on the fact that the first country to take offensive action was Austria-Hungary when it attacked Serbia, both Italy and Romania initially opted for neutrality. They claimed that, since the Triple Alliance was defensive, they were not duty bound to support the aggressor.

1871-1-18 Wilhelm I of Prussia 1st German Emperor

.18th January 1871: Wilhelm I of Prussia proclaimed the first German Emperor - HiPo > .

On 18 January 1871 Wilhelm I of Prussia was proclaimed the first German Emperor.

Wilhelm had been made the President of the North German Confederation on its formation in 1867, and during the Franco-Prussian War took a leading role in the command of the combined German forces. Amidst the patriotic fervour that followed the successful German advance, in November 1870 the remaining states south of the river Main joined the North German Confederation.

On 10 December the Reichstag of the Confederation renamed itself the German Empire. Wilhelm was formally declared the German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles on 18 January. The title was accepted grudgingly by Wilhelm who would have preferred ‘Emperor of Germany’ rather than ‘German Emperor’, but Bismarck warned that this would be dangerous as it suggested he had a claim to other Germanic lands such as Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland. He also refused to be titled ‘Emperor of the Germans’, since this would have suggested he ruled with permission from the German people rather than by ‘the grace of God’. As a believer in divine right, this suggestion was unacceptable to him.

Three months later, on 14 April, the Reichstag adopted the German Constitution. This stated that the King of Prussia would be the permanent President of the confederation of states that formed the Empire. Therefore, the role of Emperor was tied to the Prussian crown.

The creation of the federal Empire made Wilhelm the head of state and president of the federated monarchies that made up the 27 constituent territories.

William I or Wilhelm I (Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and German Emperor from 18 January 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the first head of state of a united Germany. He was de facto head of state of Prussia from 1858, when he became regent for his brother Frederick William IV, and he became king when his brother died three years later.

Under the leadership of William and his minister president Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the establishment of the German Empire. Despite his long support of Bismarck as Minister President, William held strong reservations about some of Bismarck's more reactionary policies, including his anti-Catholicism and tough handling of subordinates. In contrast to the domineering Bismarck, William was described as polite, gentlemanly and, while staunchly conservative, more open to certain classical liberal ideas than his grandson Wilhelm II, during whose reign he was known as Wilhelm the Great (der Große).