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Russo-Japanese War


 
 
The Russo–Japanese War (; Romaji: Nichi-Ro Senso; Russko-Yaponskaya Voyna; , February 10, 1904 – September 5, 1905) was a conflict that grew out of the rival imperialistImperialism

Imperialism is a policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of acquisition and/or maintenance...
 ambitions of the Russian EmpireRussian Empire

The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until it was declared a republic in August 1917....
 and Japanese EmpireEmpire of Japan

????? Dai Nippon Teikoku Empire of Great Japan...
 over ManchuriaManchuria

Manchuria is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia....
 and KoreaKorea

KoreaOne of the world's oldest civilizations, Korea began with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC, according to the Dangun...
. The major theatres of operations were Southern Manchuria, specifically the area around the Liaodong PeninsulaLiaodong Peninsula

The Liaodong Peninsula is a peninsula in the Liaoning province of northeastern China, historically known in the west as sout...
 and Mukden, and the seas around Korea, Japan, and the Yellow SeaYellow Sea

The Yellow Sea, occasionally called "West Sea" in North and South Korea, is the northern part of the East China Sea, which i...
.

The Russians were in constant pursuit of a warm water port on the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest body of water. ...
, for their navy as well as for maritime trade. The recently established Pacific seaport of VladivostokVladivostok

Vladivostok is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Chinese border and North Ko...
 was the only active Russian port that was reasonably operational during the summer season; but Port ArthurLüshunkou

name = Lush?nkou| image_skyline = PortArthur.JPG...
 would be operational all year. From the end of the First Sino-Japanese WarFirst Sino-Japanese War

The First Sino–Japanese War was a war fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan over control of Korea....
 and 1903 negotiations between the TsarTsar

Tsar , occasionally spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English, is a Slavonic term des...
's government and Japan had proved futile.






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Timeline

1904   Japanese surprise attack on Port Arthur (Lushun) starts Russo-Japanese War

1904   Russo-Japanese War: Russian troops in Korea retreat toward Manchuria followed by 100,000 Japanese troops.

1904   The Russian Baltic Fleet leaves Reval, Estonia for Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War.

1905   Russo-Japanese War: The Russian Army surrenders at Port Arthur, China; an event which shocked the world.

1905   Russo-Japanese War: Treaty of Portsmouth signed - In New Hampshire a treaty mediated by US President Theodore Roosevelt, is signed by victor Japan and defeated party Russia. In the agreement, Russia cedes the island of Sakhalin and port and rail rights in Manchuria to Japan.

1906   Pres. Theodore Roosevelt is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in negotiating peace in the Russo-Japanese War (1905).






Encyclopedia


The Russo–Japanese War (; Romaji: Nichi-Ro Senso; Russko-Yaponskaya Voyna; , February 10, 1904 – September 5, 1905) was a conflict that grew out of the rival imperialistImperialism

Imperialism is a policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of acquisition and/or maintenance...
 ambitions of the Russian EmpireRussian Empire

The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until it was declared a republic in August 1917....
 and Japanese EmpireEmpire of Japan

????? Dai Nippon Teikoku Empire of Great Japan...
 over ManchuriaManchuria

Manchuria is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia....
 and KoreaKorea

KoreaOne of the world's oldest civilizations, Korea began with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC, according to the Dangun...
. The major theatres of operations were Southern Manchuria, specifically the area around the Liaodong PeninsulaLiaodong Peninsula

The Liaodong Peninsula is a peninsula in the Liaoning province of northeastern China, historically known in the west as sout...
 and Mukden, and the seas around Korea, Japan, and the Yellow SeaYellow Sea

The Yellow Sea, occasionally called "West Sea" in North and South Korea, is the northern part of the East China Sea, which i...
.

The Russians were in constant pursuit of a warm water port on the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest body of water. ...
, for their navy as well as for maritime trade. The recently established Pacific seaport of VladivostokVladivostok

Vladivostok is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Chinese border and North Ko...
 was the only active Russian port that was reasonably operational during the summer season; but Port ArthurLüshunkou

name = Lush?nkou| image_skyline = PortArthur.JPG...
 would be operational all year. From the end of the First Sino-Japanese WarFirst Sino-Japanese War

The First Sino–Japanese War was a war fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan over control of Korea....
 and 1903 negotiations between the TsarTsar

Tsar , occasionally spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English, is a Slavonic term des...
's government and Japan had proved futile. Japan chose war to protect its country by maintaining exclusive dominance in Korea, while all European countries expected Russia would win.

The resulting campaigns, in which the fledgling Japanese military consistently attained victory over the Russian forces arrayed against them, were unexpected by world observers. These victories, as time transpired, would dramatically transform the balance of power in East Asia, resulting in a reassessment of Japan's recent entry onto the world stage. The embarrassing string of defeats increased Russian populace's dissatisfaction with the inefficient and corrupt Tsarist government and proved a major cause of the Russian Revolution of 1905Russian Revolution of 1905

The Russian Revolution of 1905 was an empire-wide spasm of both anti-government and undirected violence....
.

Origins of the Russo-Japanese war

After the Meiji RestorationMeiji Restoration

The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to a change in Japan...
 in 1868, the Meiji government embarked on an endeavor to assimilate Western ideas, technological advances and customs. By the late 19th century, Japan had emerged from isolation and transformed itself into a modernized industrial state in a remarkably short time. The Japanese wished to preserve their sovereignty and to be recognized as an equal with the Western powers.

Russia, a major Imperial power, had ambitions in the East. By the 1890s it had extended its realm across Central AsiaCentral Asia

Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia....
 to AfghanistanAfghanistan

Afghanistan ; Persian : ?????? ?????? ?????????, Pashto: ? ????????? ?????? ???????) is a landlocked country at ...
, absorbing local states in the process. The Russian Empire stretched from Poland in the west to the Kamchatka peninsula in the East. With its construction of the Trans-Siberian RailwayTrans-Siberian Railway

The Trans-Siberian Railway or Trans-Siberian Railroad is a network of railways connecting Moscow and European Russia ...
 to the port of VladivostokVladivostok

Vladivostok is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Chinese border and North Ko...
, Russia hoped to further consolidate its influence and presence in the region. This was precisely what Japan feared, as they regarded Korea (and to a lesser extent Manchuria) as a protective buffer.

Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895)

The JapaneseEmpire of Japan

????? Dai Nippon Teikoku Empire of Great Japan...
 government regarded Korea, which was geo-politically close to Japan, as an essential part of its national security. The Japanese wanted, at the very least, to keep Korea independent under Japanese influence. Japan's subsequent defeat of China during the war First Sino-Japanese War

The First Sino–Japanese War was a war fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan over control of Korea....
led to the Treaty of ShimonosekiTreaty of Shimonoseki

The Treaty of Shimonoseki , known as the Treaty of Maguan in China, was signed at the Shunpanro hall on April 17, 189...
 under which ChinaQing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty , occasionally known as the Manchu Dynasty, was a dynasty founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in wh...
 abandoned its own suzeraintySuzerainty

Suzerainty is a situation in which a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which allows the tributary so...
 over Korea and ceded TaiwanTaiwan

Taiwan is an island in East Asia, but the term "Taiwan" is also commonly used to collectively refer to the territories gove...
, Pescadores and the Liaodong PeninsulaLiaodong Peninsula

The Liaodong Peninsula is a peninsula in the Liaoning province of northeastern China, historically known in the west as sout...
 to Japan.

However, the RussiansRussian Empire

The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until it was declared a republic in August 1917....
, having their own ambitions in the region persuaded GermanyFacts About German Empire

The German Empire is the name conventionally given in English to the German state from the time of the proclamation of Will...
 and FranceFrench Third Republic

The French Third Republic, was the governing body of France between the Second French Empire and the Vichy Regime....
 to apply pressure on Japan. Through the Triple InterventionTriple Intervention

After the Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed between Japan and China on April 17 1895 to conclude the First Sino-Japanese War, three...
, Japan relinquished its claim on the Liaodong Peninsula for an increased financial indemnity.

Russian Encroachment

In December 1897, a RussianImperial Russian Navy

The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Navy of Imperial Russia, before the Soviet Union. ...
 fleet appeared off Port Arthur. After three months, in 1898, a convention was agreed between China and Russia by which Russia was leased Port Arthur, Talienwan and the surrounding waters. It was further agreed that the convention could be extended by mutual agreement. The Russians clearly believed that would be the case for they lost no time in occupation and in fortifying Port Arthur, their sole warm-water port on the Pacific coast, and of great strategic value. A year later, in order to consolidate their position, the Russians began a new railway from HarbinHarbin

Harbin is a sub-provincial city and the capital of the Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China....
 through Mukden to Port Arthur. The development of the railway was a contributory factor towards the Boxer RebellionBoxer Rebellion

The Boxer Uprising or Boxer Rebellion was a Chinese rebellion from November 1899 to September 7, 1901 against foreig...
 and the railway stations at Tiehling and Lioyang were burnt.
The Russians also began to make inroads into Korea, by 1898 they acquired mining and forestry concessions near Yalu and Tumen rivers, causing the Japanese much anxiety.

The Boxer Rebellion

The Russians and Japanese were both part of the eight member international forceEight-Nation Alliance

The Eight-Nation Alliance was an alliance of 8 nations which put down the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900....
 which was sent into quell the Boxer RebellionBoxer Rebellion

The Boxer Uprising or Boxer Rebellion was a Chinese rebellion from November 1899 to September 7, 1901 against foreig...
 and to relieve the international legations under siege in the Chinese capital. As with other member nations, the Russians sent troops into China, specifically ManchuriaManchuria

Manchuria is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia....
 to protect its interests. Russia assured other powers that it would vacate the area after the crisis. However, by 1903 the Russian had not yet adhered to any timetable for withdrawal and actually strengthened their position in Manchuria.

Negotiations

The Japanese statesman, Ito HirobumiIto Hirobumi

Prince was a Japanese politician and the country's first Prime Minister . ...
, started to negotiate with the Russians. He believed that Japan was too weak to evict Russia militarily, so he proposed giving Russia control over Manchuria in exchange for Japanese control of northern Korea. Meanwhile, Japan and BritainBritish Empire

The British Empire was the most extensive empire in world history and for a substantial time was not only a major power but ...
 had signed the Anglo-Japanese AllianceAnglo-Japanese Alliance Overview

The first was signed in London on January 30 1902 by Lord Lansdowne and Hayashi Tadasu....
 in 1902, the British seeking to restrict naval competition by keeping the Russian Pacific seaports of Vladivostok and Port Arthur from their full use. The alliance with the British meant, in part, that if any nation allied itself with Russia during any war with Japan, then Britain would enter the war on Japan's side. Russia could no longer count on receiving help from either Germany or France without there being a danger of the British involvement with the war. With such an alliance, Japan felt free to commence hostilities, if necessary.

On 28 July 1903, the Japanese Minister at St. Petersburg was instructed to represent his country's view opposing Russia's consolidation plans over Manchuria. Trade-offs followed and the situation was reached on 13 January 1904 whereby Japan proposed a formula of ManchuriaManchuria

Manchuria is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia....
 being outside her sphere of influence and sought in return a similar statement relating to Russia's discontinuing interest in KoreaFacts About Korea

KoreaOne of the world's oldest civilizations, Korea began with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC, according to the Dangun...
. By 4 February 1904, no formal reply had been forthcoming and on the 6th February Mr. Kurino Shinichiro, the Japanese Minister, called on the Russian Foreign Minister, Count Lamsdorf, to take his leave. Japan severed diplomatic relations on February 6, 1904.

War

Declaration of War

Japan issued a declaration of warDeclaration of war

A declaration of war is a formal declaration issued by a national government indicating that a state of war exists between t...
 on 8 February 1904. However, three hours before Japan's declaration of war was received by the Russian Government, the Japanese Imperial Navy attacked the Russian Far East Fleet at Port Arthur. Tsar Nicholas II was stunned by news of the attack. He could not believe that Japan could initiate a warlike act without a formal declaration of war, and had been assured by his ministers that the Japanese would not fight. Russia declared war on Japan eight days later. However, the requirement to declare war before commencing hostilities was not made international law until after the war had ended in October 1907, effective from 26 January 1910. MontenegroMontenegro Overview

The Republic of Montenegro is a country located in southeastern Europe....
 also declared war against Japan as a gesture of moral support for Russia out of gratefulness for Russian support in Montenegro's struggles against the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , is also sometimes known in the West as the Turkish Empire....
. However, due to logistical reasons and distance, Montenegro's contribution to the war effort was limited to those MontenegrinsMontenegrins

Montenegrins are a South Slavic people who are primarily associated with the Republic of Montenegro....
 who served in the Russian armed forces.

Campaign of 1904

Port Arthur, on the Liaodong PeninsulaLiaodong Peninsula

The Liaodong Peninsula is a peninsula in the Liaoning province of northeastern China, historically known in the west as sout...
 in the south of Manchuria, had been fortified into a major naval base by the Imperial Russian Army. Since it needed to control the sea in order to fight a war on the Asian mainland, Japan's first military objective was to neutralize the Russian fleet at Port Arthur.
Battle of Port Arthur
On the night of 8 February 1904, the Japanese fleet under Admiral Heihachiro Togo opened the war with a surprise torpedo boat attack on the Russian ships at Port Arthur. The attack badly damaged the Tsesarevich and RetvizanRussian battleship Retvizan Summary

Retvizan was a Russian pre-Dreadnought battleship which fought in the Russo-Japanese War....
,
the heaviest battleships in Russia's far Eastern theater, and the 6,600 ton cruiser PalladaRussian cruiser Pallada (1899)

The RUS Pallada was the lead ship in the Pallada-class of protected cruisers in the Imperial Russian Navy....
. These attacks developed into the Battle of Port ArthurBattle of Port Arthur

The Naval Battle of Port Arthur was the starting battle of the Russo-Japanese War....
 the next morning. A series of indecisive naval engagements followed, in which Admiral Togo was unable to attack the Russian fleet successfully as it was protected by the shore batteries of the harbor, and the Russians were reluctant to leave the harbor for the open seas, especially after the death of Admiral Stepan Osipovich Makarov on 13 April 1904.

However, these engagements provided cover for a Japanese landing near IncheonIncheon

Incheon Metropolitan City is a metropolitan city and major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul....
 in Korea. From Incheon the Japanese occupied SeoulSeoul

Seoul listen) is the capital and largest city of South Korea ....
 and then the rest of Korea. By the end of April, the Imperial Japanese Army under Kuroki Itei was ready to cross the Yalu riverYalu River

The Yalu River or the Amrok River , is a river on the border between China and North Korea....
 into Russian-occupied Manchuria.
Battle of Yalu River
In contrast to the Japanese strategy of rapidly gaining ground to control Manchuria, Russian strategy focused on fighting delaying actions to gain time for reinforcements to arrive via the long Trans-Siberian railwayTrans-Siberian Railway

The Trans-Siberian Railway or Trans-Siberian Railroad is a network of railways connecting Moscow and European Russia ...
 which was at the time incomplete near IrkutskIrkutsk

Irkutsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia....
. On 1 May 1904, the Battle of the Yalu RiverBattle of Yalu River (1904)

The Battle of Yalu River, 30 April to 1 May 1904, was the first major land battle during the Russo-Japanese War....
 became the first major land battle of the war, when Japanese troops stormed a Russian position after an unopposed crossing of the river. Japanese troops proceeded to land at several points on the Manchurian coast, and, in a series of engagements, drove the Russians back towards Port Arthur. These battles, including the Battle of NanshanBattle of Nanshan

The Battle of Nanshan was one of many vicious land battles of the Russo-Japanese War....
 on 25 May 1904, were marked by heavy Japanese losses from attacking entrenched Russian positions, but the Russians maintained their focus on defending, and did not counterattack.
Blockade of Port Arthur
The Japanese attempted to deny the Russians use of Port Arthur. During the night of 13 February-14 February, the Japanese attempted to block the entrance to Port Arthur by sinking several cement-filled steamers in the deep water channel to the port, but they sank too deep to be effective. Another similar attempt to block the harbor entrance during the night of 3-4 May also failed. In March, the charismatic Vice Admiral Makarov had taken command of the First Russian Pacific Squadron with the intention of breaking out of the Port Arthur blockade.

On 12 April 1904, two Russian pre-dreadnoughtPre-dreadnought

The term pre-dreadnought refers to the last type of battleship before HMS Dreadnought....
 battleships, the flagship PetropavlovskRussian battleship Petropavlovsk (1897)

The Petropavlovsk was the lead ship of the Petropavlovsk class of battleships built for the Imperial Russian Navy....
and the Pobeda slipped out of port but struck Japanese mines off Port Arthur. The Petropavlovsk sank almost immediately, while the Pobeda had to be towed back to port for extensive repairs. Admiral Makarov, the single most effective Russian naval strategist of the war, had perished on the battleship Petropavlovsk.

On 15 April 1904, the Russian government made overtures threatening to seize the British war correspondentWar correspondent

A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories first-hand from a war zone....
s who were taking the ship HaimunHaimun

SS Haimun was a Chinese steamer ship commanded by war correspondent Lionel James in 1904 during the Russo-Japanese War f...
into warzones to report for the London-based The TimesThe Times

The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1785, and under its current name since 178...
newspaper, citing concerns about the possibility of the British giving away Russian positions to the Japanese fleet.

The Russians learned quickly, and soon employed the Japanese tactic of offensive minelaying. On 15 May 1904, two Japanese battleships, the YashimaJapanese battleship Yashima Overview

IJN Yashima was the second ship of the Fuji-class of early pre-dreadnought battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, an...
 
and the HatsuseJapanese battleship Hatsuse

Hatsuse was a Shikishima-class pre-dreadnought battleship in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and one of the six battleships that...
, were lured into a recently laid Russian minefield off Port Arthur, each striking at least two mines. The Hatsue sank within minutes, taking 450 sailors with her, while the Yashima sank while under tow towards Korea for repairs. On June 23, 1904, a breakout attempt by the Russian squadron, now under the command of Admiral Wilgelm VitgeftWilgelm Vitgeft

Wilgelm Karlovich Vitgeft was a Russian rear admiral during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905....
 failed. By the end of the month, Japanese artillery were firing shells into the harbor.
Siege of Port Arthur
Japan began a long siege of Port ArthurSiege of Port Arthur

The Siege of Port Arthur, the deep-water port and Russian naval base at the tip of the Liaotung Peninsula in Manchuria was t...
. On 10 August 1904, the Russian fleet again attempted to break out and proceed to VladivostokVladivostok

Vladivostok is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Chinese border and North Ko...
, but upon reaching the open sea were confronted by Admiral Togo's battleship squadron. Known to the Russians as the Battle of August 10 , but more commonly referred to as the Battle of the Yellow SeaBattle of the Yellow Sea

The Battle of the Yellow Sea, a major naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, was fought on 10 August 1904....
, battleships from both sides exchanged gunfire. The battle had the elements of a decisive battle, though Admiral Togo knew that another Russian battleship fleet would soon be sent to the Pacific. The Japanese had only one battleship fleet and Togo had already lost two battleships to Russian mines. The Russian and Japanese battleships continued to exchange gunfire, until the Russian flagship, the battleship Tsesarevich, received a direct hit on the bridge, killing the fleet commander, Admiral Vitgeft. At this, the Russian fleet turned around and headed back into Port Arthur. Though no warships were sunk by either side in the battle, the Russians were now back in port and the Japanese navy still had battleships to meet the new Russian fleet when it arrived.
Fall of Port Arthur
Eventually, the Russian warships at Port Arthur were sunk by the artillery of the besieging army. Attempts to relieve the besieged city by land also failed, and, after the Battle of LiaoyangBattle of Liaoyang

The Battle of Liaoyang was one of the major land battles of the Russo-Japanese War....
 in late August, the Russians retreated to Mukden. Port Arthur finally fell on 2 January 1905 when the garrison's commanding officer ceded the port to the Japanese without consulting his high command.
Baltic Fleet
Meanwhile, at sea, the Russians were preparing to reinforce the Far East Fleet by sending the Baltic FleetBaltic Fleet

The Baltic Fleet is located at the Baltic Sea and headquartered in Kaliningrad, the other major base is at Kronstadt, locate...
, under Admiral Zinovy RozhestvenskyZinovy Rozhestvensky

Zinovy Petrovich Rozhestvensky1 was an admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy, who was in command of the Second Pacific Squadr...
  The fleet sailed around the world from the Baltic SeaBaltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53N to 66N latitude and from 20E to 26E longitude....
 to ChinaChina

China is a cultural region and ancient civilization in East Asia....
 via the Cape of Good HopeCape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of South Africa....
. The Baltic Fleet would not reach the Far EastFar East

Far East is an inexact term often used for East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia combined, sometimes including also t...
 until May 1905.

On 21 October 1904, while passing by the United KingdomUnited Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state that lies off the northwest coast...
 (an ally of Japan but neutral in this war), vessels of the Baltic Fleet nearly provoked a war in the Dogger Bank incidentDogger Bank incident

The Dogger Bank incident was the assault on British trawlers at the Dogger Bank by the Russian Baltic Fleet in the night of ...
 by firing on British fishing boats that they mistook for enemy torpedo boats.

Campaign of 1905

Harsh winter and final battles
With the fall of Port ArthurLüshunkou

name = Lush?nkou| image_skyline = PortArthur.JPG...
, the Japanese 3rd army was now able to continue northward and reinforce positions south of Russian-held Mukden. With the onset of the severe Manchurian winter, there had been no major land engagements since the Battle of ShahoBattle of Shaho

The Battle of Shaho was a land battle of the Russo-Japanese War fought along a 37-mile front centered at the Sha River on th...
 the previous year. Both sides camped opposite each other along 60 to of front lines, south of Mukden.

The Russian Second Army under General Oskar GrippenbergOskar Grippenberg

Oskar-Ferdinand Kazimirovich Grippenberg was a Russian military leader....
, between January 25–29, attacked the Japanese left flank near the town of Sandepu, almost breaking through. This caught the Japanese by surprise. However, without support from other Russian units the attack was stalled, Grippenberg was ordered to halt by KuropatkinAleksey Kuropatkin

Alexei Nikolayevich Kuropatkin was the Russian Imperial Minister of War who is often held responsible for major Russian draw...
 and the battle was inconclusive. The Japanese knew that they needed to destroy the Russian army in ManchuriaManchuria

Manchuria is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia....
 before Russian reinforcements arrived via the Trans-Siberian railroad.

The Battle of MukdenBattle of Mukden

The Battle of Mukden, the last major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War, was fought from 20 February to 10 March, 1905 be...
 commenced on February 20, 1905. In the following days Japanese forces proceeded to assault the right and left flanks of Russian forces surrounding Mukden, along a front. Both sides were well entrenched and were backed with hundreds of artillery pieces. After days of harsh fighting, added pressure from both flanks forced both ends of the Russian defensive line to curve backwards. Seeing they were about to be encircled, the Russians began a general retreat, fighting a series of fierce rearguard actions, which soon deteriorated in the confusion and collapse of Russian forces. On March 10, 1905 after three weeks of fighting, General Kuropatkin decided to withdraw to the north of Mukden.

The retreating Russian Manchurian Army formations disintegrated as fighting units, but the Japanese failed to destroy them completely. The Japanese themselves had suffered large casualties and were in no condition to pursue. Although the battle of Mukden was a major defeat for the Russians it had not been decisive, and the final victory would depend on the navy.
Victory at Tsushima
The Russian Second Pacific Squadron (the renamed Baltic Fleet) voyaged the unprecedented to relieve Port Arthur. The demoralizing news that Port Arthur had fallen reached the fleet while at MadagascarMadagascar

Madagascar, , is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa, close to Mozambique....
. Admiral Rozhestvensky's only hope now was to reach the port of VladivostokVladivostok

Vladivostok is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Chinese border and North Ko...
. There were three routes to Vladivostok, with the shortest and most direct passing through Tsushima Straits between Korea and Japan. However, this was also the most dangerous route as it passed very close to the Japanese home islands.

Admiral Togo was aware of the Russian progress and understood that with the fall of Port Arthur, the Second and Third Pacific Squadrons would try to reach the only other Russian port in the Far East, Vladivostok. Battle plans were laid down and ships were repaired and refitted to intercept the Russian fleet.

The Japanese Combined FleetCombined Fleet Overview

The was the main ocean-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy, analogous to the German High Seas Fleet....
, which had originally consisted of six battleships, was now down to four (two had been lost to mines), but still retained its cruisers, destroyers, and torpedo boats. The Second Pacific Squadron contained eight battleships, including four new battleships of the Borodino class, as well as cruisers, destroyers and other auxiliaries for a total of 38 ships.

By the end of May the Second Pacific Squadron was on the last leg of its journey to Vladivostok. They decided to take the shorter, more risky route between Korea and Japan. They travelled at night so they might not be discovered. Unfortunately for the Russians, one of their hospital ships exposed a light, which was sighted by the Japanese armed merchant cruiser Shinano Maru. Wireless communication was used to inform Togo's headquarters, where the Combined Fleet was immediately ordered to sortie. Still receiving naval intelligence from scouting forces, the Japanese were able to position their fleet so that they would "cross the T" of the Russian fleet. The Japanese engaged the Russian fleet in the Tsushima Straits on 27 May–28 May, 1905. The Russian fleet was virtually annihilated, losing eight battleships, numerous smaller vessels, and more than 5,000 men, while the Japanese lost three torpedo boats and 116 men. Only three Russian vessels escaped to Vladivostok. After the Battle of Tsushima, the Japanese army occupied the entire Sakhalin Islands chain to force the Russians to sue for peace.

Peace and aftermath

Treaty of Portsmouth

The defeats of the Russian Army and Navy shook Russian confidence. Throughout 1905, the Imperial Russian government was rocked by revolutionRussian Revolution of 1905

The Russian Revolution of 1905 was an empire-wide spasm of both anti-government and undirected violence....
. Tsar Nicholas II elected to negotiate peace so he could concentrate on internal matters.

The American President Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. , also known as T.R. and to the public as Teddy, was the 26th President of the United S...
 offered to mediate, and earned a Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of five Nobel Prizes bequested by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel....
 for his effort. Sergius Witte led the Russian delegation and Baron KomuraKomura Jutaro

Komura, Jutaro was a Japanese statesman....
, a graduate of Harvard, led the Japanese Delegation. The Treaty of PortsmouthTreaty of Portsmouth

The Treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War....
 was signed on 5 September 1905 in the U.S. naval station in Portsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth, New Hampshire is the largest city in Rockingham County in the state of New Hampshire in the United States of Ame...
. Witte became Russian Prime Minister the same year.

However a peace treaty with MontenegroMontenegro

The Republic of Montenegro is a country located in southeastern Europe....
 was not signed by the Japanese and a state of war technically remained with the country until its 1918 inclusion in the State of Serbs, Croats and SlovenesKingdom of Yugoslavia Overview

Kraljevina JugoslavijaKingdom of Yugoslavia...
 which inherited foreign relations of Kingdom of SerbiaKingdom of Serbia

The Kingdom of Serbia was a state that existed in the Balkans from 1882 to 1918....
. The issue resurfaced after the Montenegro's decisionMontenegrin independence referendum, 2006

The Montenegrin independence referendum was a refe­rendum on the independence of the Republic of Montenegro from S...
 to leave the union with SerbiaSerbia and Montenegro

Serbia and Montenegro the State Union [of] Serbia and Montenegro, was a confederated union of Serbia and...
 in 2006 (see List of wars extended by diplomatic irregularityList of wars extended by diplomatic irregularity

There are several claims of wars extended by diplomatic irregularity, often by a small country named in a declaration of war...
).

Russia recognized Korea as part of the Japanese sphere of influence and agreed to evacuate Manchuria. Japan would annex Korea in 1910, with scant protest from other powers.

Russia also signed over its 25-year leasehold rights to Port Arthur, including the naval base and the peninsula around it. Russia also ceded the southern half of SakhalinSakhalin

Sakhalin, GOST transliteration Sahalin, , also Saghalien, is a large elongated island in the North Pacific, lyin...
 Island to Japan. It was regained by the USSR in 1952 under the Treaty of San FranciscoTreaty of San Francisco

The between the Allied Powers and Japan, was officially signed by 49 nations on September 8, 1951 in San Francisco, California....
 following the Second World WarWorld War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,...
. However, the cessation of Southern Sakhalin to the USSR was not supported by the majority of Japanese politicians.

Casualties

Sources do not agree on a precise number of deaths from the war because of lack of body countBody Count

Body Count is a heavy metal and crossover thrash band headed by rapper Ice-T, who always refers to it as being a metal band....
s for confirmationConfirmed kill

A confirmed kill is a military term which classifies a kill as a specific incident....
. The number of Japanese dead in combat is put at around 47,000 with around 80,000 if disease is included. Estimates of Russian dead range from around 40,000 to around 70,000. The total number of dead is generally stated at around 130,000. China suffered 20,000 collateral deaths, and financially the loss amounted to over 69 million taelTael

The tael , was part of the Chinese system of weights and currency....
s worth of silver.

Political consequences

This was the first major victory of an Asian power over a European one in the modern era. Russia's defeat had been met with shock both in the West and across the Far East, that an Asian country could defeat an established European power in a large military conflict. Japan's prestige rose greatly as it began to be considered a modern Great PowerGreat power

A great power is a term used to refer to a nation or state that, through its great economic, political and military strength...
. Concurrently, Russia lost virtually its entire Pacific and Baltic fleets, and also lost international esteem. This was particularly true in the eyes of GermanyGermany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in central Europe....
 and Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Dual Monarchy or k.u.k....
; Russia was FranceFrance

France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and whi...
's and SerbiaSerbia

Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia is a landlocked country in Central and Southeastern Europe, covering the ce...
's ally, and that loss of prestige would have a significant effect on Germany's future when planning for war with France, and Austria-Hungary's war with Serbia.

In the absence of Russian competition and with the distraction of European nations during World War IWorld War I

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All Wars" was a global m...
, combined with the Great DepressionGreat Depression

The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn which started in 1929 and lasting through most of the 1930s....
 which followed, the Japanese military began its efforts to dominate China and the rest of Asia, which would eventually lead to the Second Sino-Japanese WarSecond Sino-Japanese War

The Second Sino-Japanese War was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan, both before and d...
 and the Pacific WarPacific War

The Pacific War was the part of World War II — and preceding conflicts — that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, its...
, theatres of World War IIWorld War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,...
.
Revolution in Russia
Popular discontent in Russia after the war added more fuel to the already simmering Russian Revolution of 1905Russian Revolution of 1905 Overview

The Russian Revolution of 1905 was an empire-wide spasm of both anti-government and undirected violence....
, an event Nicholas II of RussiaNicholas II of Russia

Nicholas II of Russia was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland....
 had hoped to avoid entirely by taking intransigent negotiating stances prior to coming to the table at all. In ten more years, that discontent would boil over into the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. In Poland, which Russia partitionedPartitions of Poland

The Partitions of Poland took place in the 18th century and ended the existence of the sovereign Polish-Lithuanian Commonwe...
 in the late 18th century, and where Russian rule already caused two major uprisingsList of Polish uprisings

This is a list of Polish uprisings....
, the population was so restless that an army of 250,000-300,000 - larger than the one facing the Japanese - had to be stationed to put down the unrestRevolution in the Kingdom of Poland (1905-1907) Summary

Revolution in the Kingdom of Poland was a major part of the Russian Revolution of 1905 in Russian-partitioned Poland ....
. Notably, some political leaders of Polish insurrection movement (in particular, Józef PilsudskiJózef Pilsudski

Jzef Klemens Pilsudski was a Polish revolutionary and statesman, Field Marshal, first Chief of State and dictator , of the...
) sent emissaries to Japan to collaborate on sabotage and intelligence gathering within the Russian Empire and even plan a Japanese-aided uprising.

In Russia, the defeat of 1905 led in the short term to a reform of the Russian military that allowed it to face GermanyGermany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in central Europe....
 in World War I. However, the revolts at home following the war planted the seeds that presaged the Russian Revolution of 1917Russian Revolution of 1917

The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of political events in Russia, which, after the elimination of the Russian autoc...
.

All above dates are believed to be New-Style.
Effects on Japan
Although the war had ended in a victory for Japan, there was a noteworthy gap between Japanese public opinion and the very restrained peace terms which negotiated at the war's end. Widespread discontent spread through the populace upon the announcement of the treaty terms. Riots erupted in major cities in Japan. Two specific demands, expected from such a costly victory, were especially lacking: territorial gains and monetary reparations to Japan. The peace accord led to feelings of distrust, as the Japanese had intended to retain all of Sakhalin Island, but they were forced to settle for half of it after being pressured by the U.S.

Assessment of war results

Russia had lost two of its three fleets. Only its Black Sea Fleet remained, and this was that result of an earlier treaty that had prevented the fleet from leaving the Black Sea. Japan became the sixth powerful naval power while the Russian navy declined to one barely stronger that of Austria Hungary.

A lock of Admiral NelsonFacts About Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson

Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, KB was an English admiral famous for his participation in the Napoleonic...
's hair was given to the Imperial Japanese Navy from the Royal Navy after the war to commemorate the victory of the 1905 Battle of Tsushima; which was in tune with Britain's victory at Trafalgar in 1805. It is still on display at Kyouiku Sankoukan, a public museum maintained by the Japan Self-Defense Force.

The Japanese were on the offensive for most of the war and used massed infantry tactics against defensive positions, which would be the standard by all European armies during World War IWorld War I

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All Wars" was a global m...
. Battles during the Russo-Japanese War were a precursor to trench warfareTrench warfare

Trench warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines of fortifications dug into the ground, facin...
 of World War I, in which machine guns and artillery had taken their toll on Japanese troops. Jakob MeckelJakob Meckel

Klemens Wilhelm Jacob Meckel was a general in the Prussian army and foreign advisor to the government of Meiji period Japan...
, a German military advisor sent to Japan, had a tremendous impact on the development of the Japanese military training, tactics, strategy and organization. His reforms were credited with Japan's overwhelming victory over China in the First Sino-Japanese WarFirst Sino-Japanese War

The First Sino–Japanese War was a war fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan over control of Korea....
 of 1894–1895. However, his over-reliance on the use of infantry in offensiveOffensive

Offensive may relate to* In sports, computer and video gaming, or combat; the team which is attacking, pitching or moving f...
 campaigns also led to the large number of Japanese casualties in the War.

Military and economic exhaustion affected both countries.
Japanese historians consider this war to be a turning point for Japan, and a key to understanding the reasons why Japan may have failed militarily and politically later on. The acrimony was felt at every stratum of Japanese society and it became the consensus within Japan that their nation had been treated as the defeated power during the peace conference. As time went on, this feeling, coupled with the sense of arrogance of becoming a Great PowerGreat power

A great power is a term used to refer to a nation or state that, through its great economic, political and military strength...
, grew and added to their growing hostility towards the West and fueled their own militarist and imperialist ambitions, which would cumulate in Japan's invasion of East, Southeast, and South Asia in World War IIWorld War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,...
 in an attempt to create their own great colonial empire in the name of creating the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity SphereGreater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere was an attempt by Japan to create a self-sufficient "bloc of Asian nations led by...
. Only five years after the war, Japan de jure annexed Korea as its colonial empire, and invaded Manchuria in the Mukden IncidentMukden Incident

The Mukden Incident of September 18, 1931, also called the Manchurian Incident, occurred in southern Manchuria when a ...
 21 years after in 1931. As a result, most Chinese historians note the war as a key development of Japanese militarismJapanese militarism Overview

Japanese militarism refers to militarism, the philosophical belief that military personnel should exercise full power in a n...
.

List of battles

  • 1904 Battle of Port ArthurBattle of Port Arthur

    The Naval Battle of Port Arthur was the starting battle of the Russo-Japanese War....
    , February 8: naval battleNaval battle

    A naval battle is a battle fought using ships or other waterborne vessels....
     Inconclusive
  • 1904 Battle of Chemulpo BayBattle of Chemulpo Bay Overview

    The Battle of Chemulpo Bay was an early naval battle in the Russo-Japanese War, which took place on 9 February, 1904 off the...
    , February 9: naval battleNaval battle

    A naval battle is a battle fought using ships or other waterborne vessels....
     Japanese victory
  • 1904 Battle of Yalu RiverBattle of Yalu River (1904)

    The Battle of Yalu River, 30 April to 1 May 1904, was the first major land battle during the Russo-Japanese War....
    , April 30 to May 1: Japanese victory
  • 1904 Battle of NanshanBattle of Nanshan

    The Battle of Nanshan was one of many vicious land battles of the Russo-Japanese War....
    , May 25 – May 26, Japanese victory
  • 1904 Battle of Telissu, June 14 – June 15 , Japanese victory
  • 1904 Battle of Motien PassBattle of Motien Pass

    General Count Fedor Keller had assumed command of the Russian Eastern Force from General Zasulich after the Battle of Yalu River....
    , July 17, Japanese victory
  • 1904 Battle of Ta-shih-chiao, July 24, Japanese victory
  • 1904 Battle of HsimuchengBattle of Hsimucheng

    The Battle of Hsimucheng was a minor land engagement of the Russo-Japanese War....
    , July 31, Japanese victory
  • 1904 Battle of the Yellow SeaBattle of the Yellow Sea

    The Battle of the Yellow Sea, a major naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, was fought on 10 August 1904....
    , August 10: naval battleNaval battle

    A naval battle is a battle fought using ships or other waterborne vessels....
     Japanese victory strategically/tactically inconclusive
  • 1904 Battle off UlsanBattle off Ulsan

    The naval Battle off Ulsan, also known as the Battle of the Japanese Sea, took place on 14 August 1904 during the Russ...
    , August 14: naval battleNaval battle Overview

    A naval battle is a battle fought using ships or other waterborne vessels....
     Japanese victory
  • 1904–1905 Siege of Port ArthurSiege of Port Arthur

    The Siege of Port Arthur, the deep-water port and Russian naval base at the tip of the Liaotung Peninsula in Manchuria was t...
    , August 19 to January 2: Japanese victory
  • 1904 Battle of LiaoyangBattle of Liaoyang

    The Battle of Liaoyang was one of the major land battles of the Russo-Japanese War....
    , August 25 to September 3: Inconclusive
  • 1904 Battle of ShahoBattle of Shaho

    The Battle of Shaho was a land battle of the Russo-Japanese War fought along a 37-mile front centered at the Sha River on th...
    , October 5 to October 17: Inconclusive
  • 1905 Battle of SandepuBattle of Sandepu

    The Battle of Sandepu, was a major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War....
    , January 26 to January 27: Inconclusive
  • 1905 Battle of MukdenBattle of Mukden Summary

    The Battle of Mukden, the last major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War, was fought from 20 February to 10 March, 1905 be...
    , February 21 to March 10: Japanese victory
  • 1905 Battle of TsushimaBattle of Tsushima

    The Battle of Tsushima , commonly known as the Sea of Japan Naval Battle in Japan and the Battle of the Tsushima S...
    , May 27 to 28 May naval battleNaval battle

    A naval battle is a battle fought using ships or other waterborne vessels....
    : Japanese victory

See also

  • Russian Imperialism in Asia and the Russo-Japanese War
  • Imperialism in AsiaImperialism in Asia

    Western imperialism in Asia traces its roots back to the late 15th century with a series of voyages that sought a sea passag...
  • List of warsList of wars

    This is a list of lists of wars, sorted by country, date, region, and type of conflict. ...
  • Baron Rosen
  • Sergius Witte

External links

  • Database of Russian Army Jewish soldiers injured, killed, or missing in action from the war: http://www.bfcollection.net/fast/rjmain.html
  • Text of the Treaty of Portsmouth: http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/1914m/portsmouth.html
  • Russian Navy history of war: http://www.navy.ru/history/hrn10-e.htm
  • Meeting of Frontiers (Library of Congress):
  • from the Christian Science Monitor, by Robert Marquand, December 30, 2005