In the past, when Korea was faced with danger, it had chosen to be the “younger brother” of China. But by the late nineteenth century, China had been buffeted by western powers, particularly by Britain and Russia, and it faced a major threat in the growing power of a rapidly industrializing Japan.
Japan created a modern army and navy and viewed Korea and Manchuria as areas for industrial and agricultural expansion. The Korean government, under the Choson Dynasty moved more slowly toward reform and still looked to China for protection. This protection, however, looked less promising after China’s defeat in the Sino – Japanese War (1895).
Japan further established its influence over Korea when it triumphed in the Russo - Japanese War (1905). Western powers, like the United States and Britain, did little to interfere with Japan’s efforts to establish its sphere of influence in Korea.
The Koreans, however, resisted attempts to limit their independence. Through a series of maneuvers, which included the assassination of members of the Korean royal family, the Japanese gained influence in Korea.
In 1910, Japan officially took control of Korea and renamed it Chosen. Japanese occupation of Korea lasted until 1945 when the Japanese were defeated in World War II. Following the war, Korea was divided by Western powers. Russia occupied Korea north of the thirty-eighth parallel, and the United States occupied Korea south of the thirty-eighth parallel.
