Russia’s Expansion Into The Korean Peninsula From1861to1905

It is a comparatively complete historical period to study modern Russian Far East Policy from serfdom reform in1860to the end of Russo-Japanese War in1905. After the end of the Crimean War, Tsarist Russia withdrew from the competition in Europe for a short time, and then seeking to expand its proximity in Asia. In the Far East, the Korean Peninsula is an important expanding goal of Tsarist Russia eastward for its unique natural resources and location advantages and excellent ice-free harbor.This purpose of this paper is to discuss Russia’s three different historical processions on hitting Korean Peninsula, beginning with its tentative expansion after serfdom reform, then expanding continuously and deeply after Sino-Japanese war,and the last,Russia withdrew its forces from Korean Peninsula after Russo-Japanese War. This paper is to detail the Russo-Korean policy’s origin, development and subsequence which will provide helpful comprehension and reference for contemporary Korean issue.This article includes the introduction, three chapters of the text as well as the conclusion, in total five parts. The main contents are as follows:The Introduction part discusses the chosen topic’s researching status home and abroad and the purpose and significance of the chosen topic.The first chapter focuses on the part is that, after the failure of the Crimean War, Tsarist Russia was forced to carry out the reform of serfdom, and thus embarked on the path of development of modern capitalism. Because of thirst of raw materials and sales markets, it changed the traditional diplomatic objects, than began to expand to Central Asia and the Far East. At the same time, the Korean Peninsula was facing a forced and dangerous situation required changing the closed-door policy to opening up. Tsarist Russia has apparently a belated aggressor relative to Japan, Britain, the United States and other countries in Korea which had taken great advantages. The second chapter discusses that after the Sino-Japanese War, the Qing government withdrew from the competition on the Korean peninsula, the sudden thriving of Japan threaten Russia’s interests in the Korean Peninsula.Russia and the other two countries forcing Japan to give Liaodong Peninsula is a symbol that Tsarist Russia fully involved in the contend on the Korean peninsula. Since then, Tsarist Russia progressively got equal political advantages with Japan through a series of effective diplomatic means, the contradiction between Japan and Russia immediately became the principal contradiction of Northeast Asia which dominated the situation.The third chapter focuses on the contending between Russia and Japan on the Korean Peninsula before and after the Russo-Japanese War. The rapid rise of Japan as well as the formation of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance made a major threat to Russia’s interests on the Korean Peninsula. After the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, all the flaws which included underestimating the enemy, insufficient supply of logistics, lack of effective response measures eventually leaded to the defeat of Russia. Then Russia withdrew from the competition on the Korean peninsula.The conclusion summarizes Russia’s competition on the Korean peninsula in this historical period and analyzes the reason of Russian withdrawing. The flaws like Strong vestiges of feudalism, deformity of the capitalist mode carried on which made Russia can’t implement the global colonial expansion imitating on England and France. Due to the complexity of Northeast Asia, its traditional nude military expansion was hit. This study will provide some beneficial view for our understanding of the occurrence and development of the contemporary Korean issue.