February 2nd, 1895 - The Battle of Weihaiwei

Conflict: Sino-Japanese War

Combatants: Chinese vs. Japanese

Location: China

Outcome: Japanese victory

In the summer of 1894, both China and Japan deployed troops to Korea to assist in suppressing disorders. But when the Korean government successfully quelled the disorder, neither China nor Japan would depart. Japan took control of the Korean government a month later. By August, China and Japan had declared war on one another.

The Japanese conducted largely successful land operations in Korea and Manchuria, pushing the Chinese back across the Yalu River. By January of 1895, the Japanese were determined to destroy China's naval capability. On January 30th and 31st, Japanese army forces captured the Chinese port city of Weihaiwei. Meanwhile, the Japanese fleet under Admiral Yuko Ito had blockaded any escape for the Chinese fleet commanded by Admiral Ting Ju-Ch'ang.

Beginning on February 2nd, the Japanese warships began nightly torpedo attacks on Ting's squadron of battleships, cruisers, gunboats, and torpedo boats. During the day, the Japanese army pummeled the Chinese ships from the captured shore batteries. By February 5th, one battleship was sinking. On February 7th, the Chinese torpedo boats attempted to run the blockade but only two escaped. By February 12th, Ting was forced to surrender his remaining ships and committed suicide.

The Battle of Weihaiwei by Ogata Gekko

Points of Interest:

• By March of 1895, the Chinese sought peace with Japan. China ceded Formosa, the Pescadores, and the Liaotung Peninsula to Japan.

• Japan's victory in the Sino-Japanese War and, shortly thereafter, the Russo-Japanese War, helped establish the nation as a major military power in the early 20th century.

Admiral Itoh Sukeyuki (Yuko Ito) by an unknown photographer

Admiral Ting Ju-Chang by an unknown photographer

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Sources:

Dupuy, Trevor N., Johnson, Curt, & Bongard, David L. (1992). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military Biography. New York: Castle Books (HarperCollins).

Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.

Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.