The Meiji Restoration

• 1868: New imperial government is established at Tokyo (formerly Edo).
• 1871-1876: A series of laws end caste privileges and centralize the government.
• 1873: Universal military conscription is introduced.
• 1877: Satsuma Rebellion.
• 1889: The Meiji Constitution is established.
• 1890: The Imperial Diet meets for the first time.
• 1894-1890: Sino-Japanese War.
• 1904-1905: Russo-Japanese War.
• 1915: Japan issues the Twenty-one Demands in an attempt to gain control of China
• 1931: Mukden incident.
  • Japan conquers Manchuria.
• 1936: "February Mutiny"
• 1937: Incident at Marco Polo Bridge leads to war with China.
• 1941: Japanese forces occupy Indochina
  • Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
• 1945: Japan surrenders

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources