With the rise of western colonialism, Chinese peripheral political influence was totally eclipsed. Japan, which had modernized its economy if not its society and its politics in a few decades, defeated China at war (1894-1895) and, under the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, was ceded Taiwan and obtained China's renunciation of claims on Korea, which in 1910 Japan invaded a converted into a protectorate (Chosen). Here traditional Chinese dress seems incongruous with modern weapons.

The Japanese modernized faster than China, where there was resistance to western ways in general. In 1894-1895, the Japanese reaped the benefits of thier cultual precocity and defeated antiquated Chinese armies.

The ruler of autonomous Bulgaria, prince Alfred of Battenberg, annexed Eastern Rumelia (southern Bulgaria) in 1885 and fought off a Serbian attempt to prevent it (1886). He was acting without previous Russian approval and Russia was Bulgaria's international sponsor. Disgruntled pro-Russian officers forced him to abdicate by the very persuasive means shown here. The conspiracy was foiled in Plovdiv and Alfred was recalled, but Russia refused to recognize him and he refused to govern without Russian approval. In 1887, again without Russian approval, the Bulgarian parliament elected Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, an Austrian officer, as prince. When Bulgaria in 1908 cut all formal ties of allegiance to the Ottoman Empire, it became a kingdom and Ferdinand its king or tsar. Ruusia did not try to interfere.

The white, modern American fleet gives short shrift to the black, antiquated Spanish ships off Santiago, Cuba, in 1898.

During the siege of Port Arthur (104-1905), Japanese and Russian sappers were so close that sometimes the earth walls would collapse and they would engage in underground hand to hand combat.

Japan earned its spurs as a world power when it captured Port Arthur from the Russians in 1905. Here Japanese officers oversee a column of captured Russian troops.