The Huai Army had China's best troops, and they were equipped with modern weaponry, including Mauser breechloader rifles, Krupp artillery pieces, and a large quantity of ammunition.

With the loss in Korea of the Qing dynasty's best trained forces, their army in Manchuria was reinforced by less capable and partially reformed Green Standard units.

[3] Some of the infantry carried American Winchester rifles, and they also had four field artillery pieces, six machine-guns and twenty-eight mountain guns.

[3] Between early August and mid-September, the Chinese troops in Pyongyang reinforced the walled stronghold with massive earthworks, and the location of the city itself contributed to a substantial defensive position.

Since the Japanese were hard pressed for time, as part of their strategy they needed to drive the Chinese troops from Korea before winter to avoid prolonged military operations.

It was still not easy to reach Pyongyang from the Wonsan again to due to the condition of Korean roads, but the distance was only about 160 km and the harbour was completely safe as Japanese transports could sail there without escort.

[5] The Japanese did exclude the idea of landing troops at the mouth of the Taidong River; however, due to the risk of such operation, it was considered a last resort.

[5] In Japan, a fleet of 30 transports had been commandeered for the conflict, assembled near the port of Hiroshima – the primary harbour for embarkation to Korea.

After a brief sortie south for the Battle of Seonghwan on 29 July 1894, the First Army moved towards Pyongyang, rendezvousing with reinforcements, which had landed via the ports of Busan and Wonsan.

Lieutenant-General Nozu Michitsura commanded the Japanese troops involved in the attack on Pyongyang; which included the Wonson column under Colonel Sato Tadashi, the Sangnyong column under Major-General Tatsumi Naobumi, the Combined Brigade under Major-General Oshima Yoshimasa and finally the Main Division under Nozu himself.

The apparent inability of these two divisions to take Pyongyang led to initial newspaper reports that China had won the battle, which later turned out to be false.

During the evening of 15 September, many Chinese troops tried to flee for the coast and the border town of Wiju (modern village of Uiju, North Korea) on the lower reaches of the Yalu River).

As a result of the Chinese surrender, early the following morning the two Japanese columns entered the northern gate of the city unopposed.

[7] After the Battle of Pyongyang, command of Japanese First Army was turned over from Marshal Yamagata to General Nozu for reasons of health.