Above: Map of Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905

In the Russo-Japanese War of 1904/05 a victorious Japan forced Russia to give up its policy of expansion towards the Far East. Thus Japan became the first Asian country to humble a European country.

Above: Japanese combat canon deployed at Port Arthur

The seeds of the war originated from competition between the two countries to dominate Korea and Manchuria. In 1898 China had been forced to grant to Russia a lease for the strategically important port of Port Arthur (now Lu-Shun). It was at the tip of Liaotung Peninsula in southern Manchuria. Thereby Russia occupied the region. Ironically Russia in concert with other European powers had forced Japan to give up such a right after China lost to Japan the war of 1894/95. An alliance made with China against Japan gave Russia rights to extend the Trans-Siberian Railroad across Manchuria (then in China) to the Russian seaport of Vladivostok. By it a large portion of Manchuria came under Russian control.

Above: Russian ground troops in Manchuria marching to war

Russia constructed the railroad (1891/1904) but it still did not have the facilities to transport men and supplies to its armed forces in Manchuria. On the other hand the Japanese army had expanded since Sino-Japanese war of 1894. By 1904 its ground troops far outnumbered those of Russia in the Far East. Japan picked up an excuse to attack when Russia failed in 1903 to withdraw its troops from Manchuria as per previous agreement.

Above: Destroyed vessel in the port of Port Arthur (1904)

On 8th February 1904 the main Japanese fleet suddenly attacked a Russian naval squadron in Port Arthur. In March Japan landed an army in Korea and quickly overran it. In May another Japanese unit landed on the Liaotung Peninsula and by 26th May Port Arthur was cut off from its links with the mainland. As Japan advanced the Russians began to retreat to Mukden (now Shen-Yang) after being defeated, south of Mukden, at the two battles at Fu-Hsien on 14th June and Lia-Yang on August 25th. After getting some reinforcements Russia again took up the offensive but due to poor military leadership, the advantage could not be followed up.

When several costly routine assaults on Port Arthur failed, the Japanese opted for a long drawn siege. There was enough provision inside the fort for it to hold out another three months but chaos reigned inside the fort. Corruption and incompetence was rampant. The Russian commander surrendered without consulting his officers.

Above: Picture of Russian army retreating after the war in Mukden

In late February and early March of 1905 the final battle was fought at Mukden. 270,000 Japanese defeated 330,000 Russians. There were heavy casualties on both sides – 89,000 Russians and 71,000 Japanese. Russian General Kuropatkin interrupted the fighting and withdrew north from Mukden. The latte fell into the hands of Japan.

Above: Naval war scene of Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905

It was the naval battle of Tsushima, which finally gave Japan the upper hand. However they had failed to get undisputed command of the sea. On this depended their plans on land. But Russian forces kept somewhat active both in Port Arthur and Vladivostok. In May 27th and 29th 1905, Admiral Togo’s main Japanese fleet destroyed the Baltic fleet of Russia. This had sailed under the command of Rozhestvensky in October 1904 from the Baltic port of Liepaja to come to the help of Port Arthur. Financially Japan had become exhausted but the decisive victory at Tsushima coupled with Russia’s internal unrest, forced the European power to agree to peace.

Above: Picture of Tsar Nicholas II

President Roosevelt of USA was the mediator at the talks, held in Portsmouth USA from 9thAugust to 5th September 1905. Japan got control of Liaotung Peninsula with Port Arthur as well as the Southern Manchurian railroad and half of Sakhlin Island. Russia was to withdraw from southern Manchuria and restore it to China. Japan’s Korean conquest was recognized. Just within two months of signing the treaty a revolution in Russia compelled Tsar Nicholas II to agree to a Constitutional Charter framed in the October Manifesto.

Above: Japanese ships in operation during the war of Tsushima

BATTLE OF TSUSHIMA (MAY 27-29, 1905):

Japan failed to get complete supremacy over the sea because of Russian naval sorties from its bases in Port Arthur and Vladivostok. Both sides suffered. Russia decided to send its Baltic fleet to the Far East under Admiral Rozhestvensky to coordinate naval operations. Preparations took up the whole of summer and the sailing took place on 15th October 1904. The first blunder was when the Russians fired on British trawlers, mistaking them to be Japanese torpedo boats, off the Dogger Bank in the North Sea. It was a costly mistake. Immediate war could have broken out with the British had not the Russians unconditionally apologized with promises of compensation. When Rozhestvensky came to know of the surrender of Port Arthur near Madagascar, he at first planned to return to Russia. But when he learnt of reinforcements being sent, in March 1905, via the Suez Canal he decided to go ahead. He was joined by the naval reinforcements at Camranh Bay in Vietnam. Although the armada looked formidable it consisted of poorly captained war weary ships. In May the cumbersome fleet reached China Sea and tried to reach Vladivostok through the straits of Tsushima. Japan’s Admiral Togo ambushed him with faster and better-armored ships at Pusan off the southern coast of Korea on 27th May. Within two days, only one third of the Russian fleet remained. It was a swift, decisive, crushing humiliating, hopeless defeat after having taken seven months to reach destination.

Below: A table showing the Fleet Sequence in Tsushami War (click table to enlarge)