Japanese Empire
Definition
The Japanese Empire refers to Japan's imperial expansion between 1868-1945. During this time, Japan transformed from an isolated feudal society into a global power following victories in several wars against China and Russia.
Analogy
Imagine if you were playing a game where you started off small but kept winning battles against bigger players (like Risk). That's what happened with Japan - they started off relatively small but grew their empire by winning key conflicts.
Related terms
Meiji Restoration: A major revolution in Japan in 1868 that led to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure marking transition from feudal regime to capitalist state.
Sino-Japanese War(s): These were two conflicts fought between Qing dynasty China and Meiji Japan over dominance in Korea leading to significant territorial gains for Japan.
Pearl Harbor Attack: A surprise military strike by Japanese Navy Air Service against United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 1941 which led to U.S. entry into World War II.
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