Overview
Japan was becoming a formidable industrial and military power by the late 1800's, and the take-over of Taiwan in 1895 marked the beginning of its effort to build a great empire. By World War II (1939-1945), Japan had an empire in the Pacific and territory on the mainland of Asia as well. Allied forces defeated Japan in 1945, bringing an end to the war. As a result of its defeat, Japan was forced to give up all its territory on the mainland of Asia and all the islands it had governed in the Pacific.