1904–1905Reputable sourceWell documented
The Russo-Japanese War
On the timeline · around 1904–1905 · Modern Japan
What happened
Rival ambitions in Manchuria and Korea led to war between Japan and the Russian Empire. Japan's modern army and navy won a string of victories, annihilating the Russian fleet at Tsushima. U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt brokered the peace at the Treaty of Portsmouth in 1905, winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Why it matters
It was the first time in the modern era that an Asian power decisively defeated a European great power, announcing Japan's arrival on the world stage and inspiring anti-colonial movements across Asia.