The drill-master of the East
Subject(s): China--Manchuria, Japan, Japanese, Korea, Military education, Military occupation, Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
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A Japanese soldier trains a group of soldiers of various nationalities and ethnicities, including Koreans.
Comments and Context
In 1867 radical reforms were untaken in Japanese society. The Meiji Dynasty was restored to power, and in a rapid-fire attempt to join the world (as Admiral Matthew Perry’s “opening” in 1852 had sought), the country underwent radical social, political, military, and even religious adjustments. For instance, the Shinto faith was recognized as prominent, and Buddhism was downplayed, but Confucianism and especially Christianity were respected. Democratic structures were instituted, and a conscious effort to adopt Western ways took place throughout society. A Japanese version of the Industrial Revolution commenced under Meiji.
A logical extension of these changes was the aggressive and expansionist aspect of Emperor Meiji’s rule (1867-1912) in areas of foreign relations and militarily policies. It can easily be argued that the Japanese decided not to be victims of colonialism and exploitation experienced by other Asian countries; but in any event, the concerns of security and trade encouraged aggressive colonial policies of its own — in Korea, China, and Indo-China. Modeling its military structure after the French, and sending military observers and students to many Western countries, the Japanese were on the march.
In 1905, especially after Japan’s successful but bloody manhandling of Russian forces, the world took notice. The point of cartoonist Nankivell’s cover cartoon in Puck is not which nations Japan actually controlled or merely dominated, but what regional influence it had, and who its potential allies might be in a future conflict. Fears of a “Yellow Peril” were fueled by cartoons like this, and the new reality that it depicted.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1905-08-16
Creator(s)
Nankivell, Frank A. (Frank Arthur), 1869-1959
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Page Count
1
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
The drill-master of the East. [August 16, 1905]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278128. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Nankivell, Frank A. (Frank Arthur), 1869-1959. The drill-master of the East. [16 Aug. 1905]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 12, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278128.
APA:
Nankivell, Frank A. (Frank Arthur), 1869-1959., [1905, August 16]. The drill-master of the East.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278128.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 12, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
APA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
