This timeline details the main wars that have taken place in East Asia and South East Asia
598 to 614
Goguryeo–Sui War
Fought between: Goguryeo Kingdom against Sui Dynasty
Location: North Korean Peninsula. Manchuria
Result: Goguryeo victory
Location: North Korean Peninsula. Manchuria
Result: Goguryeo victory
645 to 668
Goguryeo–Tang War
Fought between: Goguryeo Kingdom (Korea) against Tang Empire
Location: China, Korea
Result: Tang Victory
Location: China, Korea
Result: Tang Victory
Autumn 1180 to April 1185
Gempei War
Fought between: Minamoto Clan against Taira Clan
Location: Japan
Result: Minamoto Clan victory, Kamakura Shogunate established.
Location: Japan
Result: Minamoto Clan victory, Kamakura Shogunate established.
1207 to 1279
Mongol Conquest of China (Part of the Mongol Conquests)
Fought between: Mongol Empire and Genghis Khan against Western Xia, Jin dynasty, Song dynasty
Location: China, Mongolia
Result: Decisive Mongol victory, establishment of the Yuan dynasty.
Location: China, Mongolia
Result: Decisive Mongol victory, establishment of the Yuan dynasty.
1216 to 1221
Mongol Conquest of Central Asia (Part of the Mongol Conquests)
Fought between: Mongol Empire and Genghis Khan against Khwarazmian dynasty
Location: Central Asia
Result: Mongol victory and conquest of the region
Location: Central Asia
Result: Mongol victory and conquest of the region
1231 to 1257
Mongol Invasion of Korea (Part of the Mongol Conquests)
Fought between: Mongol Empire and Genghis Khan against Korea
Location Korean Peninsula
Result: Mongol victory, Goryeo became a vassal of the Yuan dynasty.
Location Korean Peninsula
Result: Mongol victory, Goryeo became a vassal of the Yuan dynasty.
November 1274
First Mongol Invasion of Japan (Part of the Mongol Conquests)
Fought between: Mongol Empire and Kublai Khan against Japan
Location: Northern Kyūshū
Result: Japanese victory.
Location: Northern Kyūshū
Result: Japanese victory.
June 1281 to August 1281
Second Mongol Invasion of Japan (Part of the Mongol Conquests)
Fought between: Mongol Empire and Kublai Khan against Japan
Location: Nagato, Hakata Bay, Tsushima, Iki
Result: Japanese victory
Location: Nagato, Hakata Bay, Tsushima, Iki
Result: Japanese victory
July 1467 to 1477
Onin War
Fought between: Hosokawa family (Japan) against Yamana family (Japan)
Location: Japan
Result: Victory for the Hosokawa family
Location: Japan
Result: Victory for the Hosokawa family
May 1592 to December 1598
Japanese Invasion of Korea
Fought between: Japan against Korea, China
Location: Korea
Result: Japanese defeat
Location: Korea
Result: Japanese defeat
18th March 1839 to 29th August 1842
First Opium War
Fought between: Britain, British India against China
Location: China
Result: British victory – Britain gained Hong Kong
Location: China
Result: British victory – Britain gained Hong Kong
October 1856 to August 1860
Second Opium War (Arrow War)
Fought between: Britain, France against China
Location: China
Result: British/French victory
Location: China
Result: British/French victory
3rd January 1868 to 18th May 1869
Boshin War
Fought between: Imperial Japan against Shogunate Japan
Location: Japan
Result: Imperial victory
Location: Japan
Result: Imperial victory
April 1883 to June 1885
Tonkin War (Sino-French War)
Fought between: China, North Vietnam against France
Location: South-east China, North Vietnam, Taiwan
Result: Stalemate
Location: South-east China, North Vietnam, Taiwan
Result: Stalemate
1st August 1894 to 17th April 1895
First Sino-Japanese War
Fought between: China against Japan
Location: Korea, Manchuria, Taiwan
Result: Japanese victory
Location: Korea, Manchuria, Taiwan
Result: Japanese victory
1904, 8th February to 1905, 5th September
Russo-Japanese War
Fought between: Russian Empire against Japan
Location: Manchuria, Korean Peninsula, Sea of Japan
Result: Japanese Victory
Location: Manchuria, Korean Peninsula, Sea of Japan
Result: Japanese Victory
1927, 12th April to 1950, 1st May (paused to fight Sino Japanese War)
Chinese Civil War
Fought between: Chinese Nationalists against Chinese Communist Party
Location: China
Result: Communist Party victory
Location: China
Result: Communist Party victory
1937, 7th July to 1945, 9th September
Second Sino-Japanese War from 1941 part of World War Two
Fought between: China against Japan
Location: China and Burma (Myanmar)
Result: Chinese victory
Location: China and Burma (Myanmar)
Result: Chinese victory
1939, 1st September to 1945, 2nd September
World War II Pacific War
Fought between: Axis Powers – Japan against Allies – United States, China, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Soviet Union
Location: South-east Asia, Burma, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean
Japanese unconditional surrender
Location: South-east Asia, Burma, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean
Japanese unconditional surrender
1945, August to 1950, April
Chinese Civil War
Fought between: Chinese Communist Party against Chinese Nationalists
Location: China
Result: Communist Party victory
Location: China
Result: Communist Party victory
1946, 19th December to 1954, 1st August
First Indochina War
Fought between: France, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia against Viet Minh
Location: Vietnam
Result: Viet Minh victory, Vietnam partitioned to North and South
Location: Vietnam
Result: Viet Minh victory, Vietnam partitioned to North and South
1950, 25th June to 1953, 27th June
Korean War (part of the Cold War)
Fought between: South Korea, United States, United Kingdom against North Korea, China, Soviet Union
Location: Korean Peninsula
Result: Inconclusive
Location: Korean Peninsula
Result: Inconclusive
1959, 26th September to 1975, 30th April
Vietnam War (part of the Cold War)
Fought between: South Vietnam, United States against North Vietnam, Viet Cong, Khmer Rouge
Location: Vietnam
Result: North Vietnam victory
Location: Vietnam
Result: North Vietnam victory
First published 2015; updated and re-published Jan 28 @ 11:59 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2015 – 2022). Wars Fought in East Asia 598 to 1975.