Imperial Japanese Navy and maritime expansion (1894–1945)

1. Combined Fleet formally created for war

   Jul 18, 1894Labels: Combined Fleet, First Sino-Japanese

   • Combined Fleet

2. Battle of the Yalu River secures sea control

   Sep 17, 1894Labels: Battle of, Imperial Japanese

   • Britannica

3. Treaty of Shimonoseki expands Japan’s empire

   Apr 17, 1895Labels: Treaty of, Taiwan

   • Treaty Shimonoseki

4. Anglo-Japanese Alliance strengthens Japan’s position

   Jan 30, 1902Labels: Anglo-Japanese Alliance, United Kingdom

   • Britannica
   • NDL

5. Surprise attack at Port Arthur begins Russo-Japanese War

   Feb 8, 1904Labels: Port Arthur, Russo-Japanese War

   • Port Arthur

6. Battle of Tsushima confirms Japan as a naval power

   May 27, 1905Labels: Battle of, Combined Fleet

   • Tsushima

7. Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty takes effect

   Aug 29, 1910Labels: Japan Korea, Korea

   • Annexation 1910

8. Washington Naval Treaty limits Japan’s capital ships

   Feb 6, 1922Labels: Washington Naval, United States

   • Britannica

9. Japan signs the London Naval Treaty

   Apr 22, 1930Labels: London Naval, Japan

   • London Treaty

10. Mukden Incident triggers invasion of Manchuria

    Sep 18, 1931Labels: Mukden Incident, Manchuria

    • Britannica

11. Japan withdraws from the League of Nations

    Mar 27, 1933Labels: League of, Japan

    • Britannica

12. Marco Polo Bridge Incident escalates war in China

    Jul 7, 1937Labels: Marco Polo, Second Sino-Japanese

    • Britannica

13. Tripartite Pact aligns Japan with Axis powers

    Sep 27, 1940Labels: Tripartite Pact, Axis Powers

    • Britannica

14. Pearl Harbor attack opens the Pacific War

    Dec 7, 1941Labels: Pearl Harbor, Imperial Japanese

    • AP News

15. Japan signs the Instrument of Surrender

    Sep 2, 1945Labels: Instrument of, USS Missouri

    • US Archives
    • Instrument