Asia Between the Wars

0.5 Causes of the First Sino-Japanese War

Explore the reasons why the First Sino-Japanese War became inevitable in a format that pays special attention to the politics and history of Korea, the war's major battlefield, with analysis as to why victory on one side was inevitable, perhaps before the war even began. 

0.4 China Before the Wars

Explore the history of the political and cultural hegemon of East Asia before the events of the First Sino-Japanese War. What systemic issues plagued the Qing Dynasty that led to its eventual decline and collapse? Why did it suffer such resounding defeats to western powers in the 19th century? 

0.3 Japan Before the War

Explore the history, culture, and background of Japan before the First Sino Japanese War, from the forcible opening of the country by Commodore Matthew Perry to the Meiji Restoration and Reformations, that laid the groundwork for its eventual victory in the First Sino Japanese War. 

0.2 Korea Before the War

Explore the culture, history, and values of Choson Korea before 1894, alongside the endemic factors that led to its tenuous balancing of Chinese and Japanese influences. 

0.1 Introduction to Exploring Asia

In the first episode of Asia Between the Wars, explore the methods and tools that we should utilize when studying the histories of China, Japan, and Korea from the First Sino-Japanese War to the Korean War. Learn about the themes, overarching events, and the motivations behind these monumentous events.