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The Factors and Objectives The Russo Japanese War

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1. The Russo Japanese War began on February 8, 1904 and lasted until 5 September, 1905. The majority of the conflict was conducted within the region of Manchuria, however, several naval battles occurred within the Yellow Sea as well as in Tsushima Strait (the sea area between the southeastern Korean Peninsula and the southwestern portion of Japan).

2. The principle parties in this war were the Russian and Japanese Empires. While various aspects of the Chinese Empire played their roles in the lead-up to the conflict they did not, however, side with either of the two warring Empires during the war. Russia did have an alliance of sorts with France and Germany, however, this advantage in numbers was negated due to Japan’s formal alliance with Great Britain, who declared support for Japan should a third party become involved in a conflict.

3. The main theme for the context of this war was Russian and Japanese simultaneous determination to develop spheres of influence in eastern Asia, primarily within the nation of China and specifically within the region of Manchuria. This sense of determination found Meiji Japan fighting the Chinese Qing Dynasty during the Sino Japanese War over control of Korea, which was a Chinese tributary state. This war lasted from 1894-1895 and concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Within the terms of the treaty, China recognizing the independence of Korea and ceded the Liaodong Peninsula, the island of Taiwan, and the Penghu islands

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