Korea (jul 1, 1907 – jul 1, 1919)

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1907 Jan 21 Korea's king, or emperor, Gojong (also Gwangmu), has made statements hostile to the Japanese to international newsmen, such as, "The United States does not realize what Japan's policy in the Far East is and what it portends for the American people. The Japanese adopted a policy that in the end will give her complete control over commerce and industry in the Far East." The Japanese force his abdication and will keep him confined to his palace until his death in 1919.

1907 Aug 1 Japan's order that the Korean army disband creates a rebellion within the Korean army, and disorder spreads through the country, countered with violence by the Japanese.

1910 Aug 22 With no objection from Russia, the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty is signed. Korea's prime minister signs on behalf of Korea's monarch. The annexation will take effect in seven days, the 29th. Korea will become a Japanese colony with the name of Chosen. Japanese will run the entire government in Korea. Japan's government will declare the absorption of members of Korea's royal Yi family into Japan's royal peerage.

1919 Jan 21 Korea's King Gojong has been a prisoner in his palace. He dies at the age of 67, twelve years to the day since the Japanese forced him to abdicate. Some suspect that the Japanese speeded his death by poisoning him.

1919 Mar 1 Inspired with hope by President Wilson's much publicized Fourteen Points, which included a call for democracy and self-determination, Koreans have planned peaceful demonstrations for independence. Japan represses independence movement by military power. The official Japanese count of Korean casualties includes 553 killed, 1,409 injured, and 12,522 arrested, but the Korean estimates are much higher: over 7,500 killed, about 15,000 injured, and 45,000 arrested. Japanese authorities claim that the trouble in Korea stems from their having been too lenient.

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