Revisiting Russo-Japanese Hegemonic Rivalry in East Asia before 1904: Korean Railroads

Abstract

Illustrating overlooked aspects of a hegemonic conflict surrounding the Korean peninsula amidst changing geopolitical dynamics in the Far East before the Russo-Japanese war, this analysis provides an alternate reading of international history during the age of "New Imperialism". With Korea's railroad system enmeshed with Russo-Japanese rivalry in Northeast Asia, a technologically inferior Korea could only resort to concession diplomacy and, relatedly, neutralisation -also attempted by Russia -to preserve its fragile independence. Despite the high hopes that accompanied them, such efforts were unable to protect Korea and its railroads from Japanese control as the clouds of the Russo-Japanese War overshadowed the region.Originally conceived to transport passengers and material goods in the nineteenth century, the political establishments in modern and modernising Powers learnt to appreciate the economic and military dimensions of railways, as the combination of steam locomotion and iron rails allowed armies to deploy quickly a large number of their forces over long distances. Strategic