Chapter 27

Russo-Japanese War

1904; Russian expansion into northern China leads to war; rapid Japanese victory followed. sig: this proved that Japan was now a world power and equal to western nations, also proved that russia was weak.

Kulaks ?

Agricultural entrepreneurs who utilized the Stolypin reforms to buy more land and increase production. sig: industrial Russia more

Emancipation of the serfs

Alexander II in 1861 ended serfdom in Russia; serfs did not obtain political rights and had to pay the aristocracy for lands gained. sig: created a larger urban labor force and cause political discontent, which would later cause rebellions and stuff

Matthew Perry

American naval officer; in 1853 insisted under threat of bombardment on the opening of ports to American trade. sig: caused japan to open up it's ports which would lead to conflict within japan and revolts, so then that would encourage the Meiji restoration.

Crimean War 1854-1856

Began with a Russian attack on the Ottoman Empire; France and Britain joined on the Ottoman side; resulted in a Russian defeat because of Western industrial might; led to Russian reforms under Alexander II. sig: proved that russia and the ottoman empire was weak, russia because they couldnt stand up agaisnt france and britain. also:

Trans-Siberian railroad

Constructed during the 1870s and 1880s to connect European Russia with the Pacific; increased the Russian role in Asia. sig: earned foreign currency needed to pay for western machinery, opened up siberia which increased the role in asian which could cause the russo- japanese war.

Russian Revolution of 1905 ?

Defeat by Japan marked by strikes by urban workers and insurrections among the peasantry; resulted in temporary reforms. sig: wanted more power to the people and general ppl which established the duma

Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) ?

Fought in Korea between Japan and Qing China; Japanese victory demonstrated its arrival as new industrial power. sig: paved the way for japan being a world power

Zaibatsu ?

Huge industrial combines (group of companies acting together for a commercial interest) created in Japan during the 1890s. sig: fully launched japan into an industrial revolution,

Diet ?

Japanese parliament established as part of the constitution on 1889; able to advise government but not control it. sig: basically no power. but shows that japan had incorporated businesses whereas russia didnt.

Bolsheviks

Literally the majority party, but actually a minority group; the most radical branch of the Russian Marxist movement; led by Lenin. sig: bc of russian protests and radicalism it was ideal, and bolsheviks actually encouraged protestors which would lead to the russian revolution.

Anarchists

Political groups that thought the abolition of formal government was a first step to creating a better society; became important in Russia and was the modern world's first large terrorist movement. sig: bc they lacked support they resulted to killings and bombings and stuff, this ended up strengthening the tsar regime and made successors resistant to reforms.

Meiji Restoration

Power of the emperor restored with Emperor Mitsuhiro in 1868; took name of Meiji, the Enlightened One; ended shogunate and began a reform period. sig: helped to advance japan, and centralized it. ended the samurai class, the beuarcracy expanded and modernized china. japan was like " i aint china or india "

Lenin (Vladimir Ilych Ulyanov) ?

Russian Marxist leader; insisted on the importance of disciplined revolutionary cells. sig: he basically makes his own approach to radicalism, his groups tried to influence the majority and overthrow the monarchy, REVOLUTION

Count Witte

Russian minister of finance (1892-1903); economic modernized responsible for high tariffs, improved banking system; encouraged Western investment in industry sig: russia became a debtor nation as huge industrial loans piled up, most of russia's industry was foreign owned. Started Russia industrialization

Duma ?

Russian national assembly created as one of the reforms following the Revolution of 1905; progressively stripped of power during the reign of Nicholas II. sig: the parliament created the stolypin reforms however, it became a hollow institution and everything kinda went back to how it was again, took power from the higher caste

Intelligentsia

Russian term for articulate intellectuals as a class; desired radical change in the Russian political and economic system; wished to maintain a Russian culture distinct from the West. sig: they wanted to build a new society and their radicalism was intellectual which motivated terrorism.

Dutch Studies

Studies of Western science and technology beginning during the 18th century; based on texts available at the Dutch Nagasaki trading center. sig: created new interest within western scientific technologies, based off that they were better than china's. they kinda rejected china?

Yellow peril

Western term for perceived threat from Japanese imperialism. sig:

Stolypin reforms ?

placate the peasantry after the Revolution, included reduction of land redemption payments and an attempt to create a market-oriented peasantry. sig: peasent unrest died down, resulted in the kulaks, ultimately the reforms failed and did nothing. Gave more power to kulaks, ustilized agricultural sector