By, Lauren, Rachel, Molly and Ryan

In the late 19th and early 20th century, many Western countries competed for trade, goods, and territory in East Asia. Japan wanted to join these modern colonial powers. The new government of Japan turned to Korea. Japanese government first wanted to separate Korea from Qing, and make Korea a Japanese satellite in order to make the country's security and national interests better.

In January 1876, Japan employed gunboat diplomacy to pressure Korea to sign the Treaty of Gangwha, which opened three Korean ports to Japanese trade and granted rights outside of a country’s territory to Japanese citizens. The rights granted to Japan under the treaty were similar to those granted western powers in Japan.

The time for Korea was very rough, and there weren’t many positives for them for the 35 years. In the 1920s the Japanese government responded to criticism of its rule in Korea by easing some of its restrictive policies

In 1910, Japan officially took control of Korea. Japanese rule of Korea lasted until 1945 when the Japanese were defeated in World War II. Under Japanese rule from 1910 to 1945, Koreans struggled to maintain their culture from before the war. By the 1930s, the Japanese government itself was under the control of the military. During World War II, Japan used Koreans in its military efforts. Koreans were either drafted into the Japanese army or had to work under dangerous, slavelike conditions.

Korea separated into North and South Korea in 1953 because they both believed in different things. North Korean’s are communists and South Korean’s are democrats. (They split along the 38 th parallel.) After WWII, the Korean War was started. It began in 1950 because North Korea invaded South Korea along the 38 th parallel. China used Manchuria for a base for the operations of the People’s Liberations Army in the Chinese Civil War. Later, in the Korean War, China forced Manchuria to be a base for North Korea. China also sabotaged the South Manchurian Railway. When Japan surrendered, Korea was very confused and in turmoil. Hi

The Japanese surrendered on Wake Island, September 2, 1945.

By Ryan

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