The victorious campaign created wider conditions of life for the Japanese people and State, and at one blow raised it to be a determining co-factor in international politics, and gave it a political importance which must undeniably lead to great material advancement.

If this war had been avoided from weakness or philanthropic illusions, it is reasonable to assume that matters would have taken a very different turn.

The growing power of Russia in the Amur district and in Korea would have repelled or at least hindered the Japanese rival from rising to such a height of power as was attained through this war, glorious alike for military prowess and political foresight.
The appropriate and conscious employment of war as a political means has always led to happy results.

Even an unsuccessfully waged war may sometimes be more beneficial to a people than the surrender of vital interests without a blow.

We find an example of this in the recent heroic struggle of the small Boer States against the British Empire.