On this day, 123 years ago, on March 20, 1902 (February 11, 1902, the lunar calendar), Yuan Shikai sent students to Japan to study military affairs. China youth studying in Japan to study military affairs On March 20, 1902, Yuan Shikai, governor of Zhili, petitioned for approval to send 55 students from the Military Army Academy to Japan to study in the Army Academy in order to cultivate "senior generals." Yuan Shikai has always sought Japan's military support. He not only hired Japanese officers as training consultants at high prices, but also asked every school to hire Japanese chief instructors. From weapons, drills, military school management methods, teaching materials, etc., he adopted Japanese standards. In Yuan Shikai's view, the problems encountered by the Japanese in the process of modernization and the methods to solve them are more in line with the reality of China than the methods of the Western capitalist powers.