First Sino-Japanese War

1894-07-25 - 1895-04-17

Conflict of 25 July 1894 to 17 April 1895 between Qing China and the Empire of Japan, fought primarily for influence over Korea. Japanese land and naval victories, including the capture of Port Arthur and Weihaiwei, forced China to sue for peace; the Treaty of Shimonoseki of 17 April required a massive indemnity and ceded Taiwan to Japan. The war shifted regional dominance in East Asia from China to Japan for the first time and exposed the failure of Qing military modernization, fueling upheavals that led to the 1911 Revolution.