The prime location of the Korean Peninsula made Korea a target for many strong and ambitious countries. Japan’s initial attempt at conquering the land back in 1592 failed due to Korea’s innovative war force, an ironclad ship known as a turtleboat, led by Admiral Yi Sunsin, and China’s support as Korea’s patron. (A) However, Japan returned years later after defeating both China and Russia in their respective wars [the Sino- Japanese War in 1894 and the Russo- Japanese War in 1904] and gained the Korean peninsula as their prize.(A)
The fall of Korea to Japanese hands can also be rooted back to the lack of modernization throughout Korea. Although many officials in Korea were warned and urged to take part in the global industrial revolution that occurred, officials chose to adopt an Isolationist policy, which gave Korea the nickname,”The Hermit Kingdom”(B). Closed off from all progress and connection to the rest of the world, Korea was unprepared when Japan defeated their neighboring patron, China, and held no match for the mighty forces that invaded their country.(F)
The Japanese annexation began in 1910, and lasted for 35 long years.(F)
