Analyses On American Journalism Reports On The First Sino-Japanese War

In1894, the First Sino-Japanese War broke out. Seemingly,the two countriescompeted for the control of the Korean peninsula,actually for their leadership in EastAsia.Both countries have spent a lot in terms of materials and human resources totriumph. As the important position of the two in the international order inNortheast-Asia,and the important impact of shifting in power on the pattern ofinternational relations, the American journalism have paid a lot of attention to theincreasing contradictions between the two countries before the war.After the outbreakof the war, Japan allowed some army American journalists observing and reporting,what made the American journalism can keep an eye on the war and issued manyvaluable and instant reports.This article builds upon the four of major newspapers (Los Angeles times, SanFrancisco Examiner, San Francisco chronicle, Sacramento bee)on the West Coast ofthe US between1894and1895,aims to systematically review the reports about thewar, analyze the reporting preference and balance,and give an objective evaluation.The thesis is divided into three parts.The first part briefly introduces the situations of four newspapers,and analyzesrelated reports in terms of news theory, separately generalises the sources, timelinessand objectivity of the news,.The four newspapers had a long history,which had an advantage in sales volumeand influence in the US. The sources of American newspapers’ reports about the Warwere as follows: interviews with both the combatants, military observers,passersby inthe war zone and public; newspapers from other countries including China,Japan,Britain and France. Benefiting from the popularity of telegraphy at the end ofthe19th century, there were no technical obstacles to the American journalism in the timeliness of reporting.What affected the timeliness most was human factors, such asthe restrictions against foreign army journalists in Japan. In the objectivity, theAmerican journalism were results of specific historical stage,and limited by Americanyellow journalism.Therefore,the journalism frequently exaggerated, publishedcontroversial and unique remarks,even trumped up to attract attention. The Americanarmy journalists were subject to tight censorship of Japan, journalism was confusedby Japanese government’s confusing right and wrong,which both compromised theobjectivity of the four newspapers’ reporting about the war to varying degrees.The second part analyzes the reason why the American journalism tended tosupport Japan,mainly from the perspectives of Chinese and Japanese immigration inthe US, government’s propaganda about war in Japan and the preconceptions aboutwestern culture that the American journalism hadIn the1890s, there was strong anti-Chinese sentiment in the US.West Coast wasseverely afflicted area, incidents of extreme anti-Chinese violence were common.Under the influence of the anti-Chinese sentiment,the Four major newspapers gloatedover the defeat of the Qing dynasty and shielded the immoral actors of Japan.Meanwhile, Japanese government adopted a lot of theories including "IntertnationalSovereignty "and "Social Darwinism" in the propaganda,which were known in theAmerican journalism, aiming to preach their own justice and win favor.Based on"West-Centered Theory"，the American journalism lauded civilized Japan，but accusedQing dynasty with "Chinese Body and Western Usage".The third part focuses on the detailed reporting about the the First Sino-JapaneseWar of the American journalism,including reportings about Chinese and Japaneseleaders represented by Li Hung Chang, Meiji and ITO hirobumi, influential eventssuch as The Kowshine Incident and The Port Arthur Massacre, and responses to therising military power of Japan.When reporting the both leaders,the American journalism still unconsciouslyrevealed Anti-Chinese and Pro-Japanese sentiment.In their eyes, Li Hung Chang wasjust an old-time bureaucrat who was trapped in a backward political system and coulddo nothing to change the situation,let alone other less greater bureaucrats.By contrast, only the politicians such as Meiji emperor and ITO hirobumi who could make Japancivilized situation were great reformers compling with the trend of history. In addition,the American journalism were all cheering for Japanese victory in the Battle ofpungdo, Jinlu battle, and questioned the authenticity of outrages such as TheKowshine Incident and The Port Arthur Massacre.,or defended them.Only when theycame out in the wash did the American journalism condemn Japan to variousdegrees.Japan occuping The Port Arthur dampened the Pro-Japanese sentiment ofAmerican journalism,and elevated the Anti-Chinese one.This was because theAmerican journalismhas recognised the essentials of Japanese "civilization", andgradually made a reservation from national realistic interests so as to avoid Japaneseexpanding power in the Asia-Pacific region.All in all, limited by various factors, based on narrow minded national interestsand cultural biases,American reporting about the The First Sino-Japanese War wasinjustice and distorted,which derogated from news report principles of objectivity,authenticity and neutrality.