One of the largest confrontations is the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The reasons for this will be discussed in the article. As a result of the conflict, guns from battleships, long-range artillery, and destroyers were used.
The essence of this war was which of the two warring empires would dominate the Far East. Emperor Nicholas II of Russia considered it his primary task to strengthen the influence of his power in East Asia. At the same time, Emperor Meiji of Japan sought to gain complete control of Korea. War became inevitable.
Prerequisites for the conflict
It is clear that the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 (the reasons are related to the Far East) did not begin instantly. She had her own reasons.
Russia advanced in Central Asia to the border with Afghanistan and Persia, which affected the interests of Great Britain. Unable to expand in this direction, the empire switched to the East. There was China, which, due to complete exhaustion in the Opium Wars, was forced to transfer part of its territory to Russia. So she gained control of Primorye (the territory of modern Vladivostok), the Kuril Islands, and partly the island of Sakhalin. To connect distant borders, the Trans-Siberian Railway was created, which along the line railway provided communication between Chelyabinsk and Vladivostok. In addition to the railway, Russia planned to trade along the ice-free Yellow Sea through Port Arthur.
Japan was undergoing its own transformations at the same time. Having come to power, Emperor Meiji stopped the policy of self-isolation and began modernizing the state. All his reforms were so successful that a quarter of a century after they began, the empire was able to seriously think about military expansion to other states. Its first targets were China and Korea. Japan's victory over China allowed it to gain rights to Korea, the island of Taiwan and other lands in 1895.
A conflict was brewing between the two strong empires for dominance in East Asia. The result was the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The causes of the conflict are worth considering in more detail.
Main causes of war
It was extremely important for both powers to show their military achievements, so the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 unfolded. The reasons for this confrontation lie not only in claims to Chinese territory, but also in the internal political situations that had developed by this time in both empires. A successful campaign in war not only provides the winner with economic benefits, but also increases its status on the world stage and silences opponents of the existing government. What did both states count on in this conflict? What were the main reasons for the Russian- Japanese war 1904-1905? The table below reveals the answers to these questions.
It was precisely because both powers sought an armed solution to the conflict that all diplomatic negotiations did not bring results.
Balance of forces on land
The causes of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 were both economic and political. The 23rd Artillery Brigade was sent to the Eastern Front from Russia. As for the numerical advantage of the armies, the leadership belonged to Russia. However, in the East the army was limited to 150 thousand people. Moreover, they were scattered over a vast territory.
- Vladivostok - 45,000 people.
- Manchuria - 28,000 people.
- Port Arthur - 22,000 people.
- Security of the CER - 35,000 people.
- Artillery, engineering troops- up to 8000 people
The biggest problem for the Russian army was its remoteness from the European part. Communication was carried out by telegraph, and delivery was carried out by the CER line. However, a limited amount of cargo could be transported by rail. In addition, the leadership did not have accurate maps of the area, which negatively affected the course of the war.
Japan before the war had an army of 375 thousand people. They studied the area well and had fairly accurate maps. The army was modernized by English specialists, and the soldiers were loyal to their emperor to death.
Relationships of forces on water
In addition to land, battles also took place on water. The Japanese fleet was led by Admiral Heihachiro Togo. His task was to block the enemy squadron near Port Arthur. In another sea (Japanese), the squadron of the Land of the Rising Sun opposed the Vladivostok group of cruisers.
Understanding the reasons for the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the Meiji power thoroughly prepared for battles on the water. The most important ships of its United Fleet were produced in England, France, Germany and were significantly superior to Russian ships.
Main events of the war
When Japanese forces began to move to Korea in February 1904, the Russian command did not attach any importance to this, although they understood the reasons for the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
Briefly about the main events.
- 09.02.1904. The historical battle of the cruiser “Varyag” against the Japanese squadron near Chemulpo.
- 27.02.1904. The Japanese fleet attacked the Russian Port Arthur without declaring war. The Japanese used torpedoes for the first time and disabled 90% of the Pacific Fleet.
- April 1904. A clash of armies on land, which showed Russia's unpreparedness for war (inconsistency of uniform, lack of military maps, inability to fencing). Because Russian officers had white jackets, Japanese soldiers easily identified and killed them.
- May 1904. Capture of the port of Dalny by the Japanese.
- August 1904. Successful Russian defense of Port Arthur.
- January 1905. Surrender of Port Arthur by Stessel.
- May 1905. The naval battle near Tsushima destroyed the Russian squadron (one ship returned to Vladivostok), while not a single Japanese ship was damaged.
- July 1905. Invasion of Japanese troops on Sakhalin.
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the causes of which were economic in nature, led to the exhaustion of both powers. Japan began to look for ways to resolve the conflict. She resorted to the help of Great Britain and the USA.
Battle of Chemulpo
The famous battle took place on 02/09/1904 off the coast of Korea (the city of Chemulpo). The two Russian ships were commanded by Captain Vsevolod Rudnev. These were the cruiser "Varyag" and the boat "Koreets". The Japanese squadron under the command of Sotokichi Uriu consisted of 2 battleships, 4 cruisers, 8 destroyers. They blocked Russian ships and forced them into battle.
In the morning at clear weather“Varyag” and “Koreyets” weighed anchor and tried to leave the bay. Music played for them in honor of leaving the port, but after only five minutes the alarm sounded on deck. The battle flag went up.
The Japanese did not expect such actions and hoped to destroy the Russian ships in the port. The enemy squadron hastily raised anchors and battle flags and began to prepare for battle. The battle began with a shot from the Asama. Then there was a battle using armor-piercing and high-explosive shells on both sides.
In unequal forces, the Varyag was badly damaged, and Rudnev decided to turn back to the anchorage. There, the Japanese could not continue shelling due to the danger of damaging the ships of other states.
Having lowered the anchor, the Varyag crew began to examine the condition of the ship. Rudnev, meanwhile, went for permission to destroy the cruiser and transfer its crew to neutral ships. Not all officers supported Rudnev’s decision, but two hours later the team was evacuated. They decided to sink the Varyag by opening its floodgates. The bodies of the deceased sailors were left on the cruiser.
It was decided to blow up the Korean boat, having evacuated the crew first. All things were left on the ship, and secret documents were burned.
The sailors were received by French, English and Italian ships. After carrying out all the necessary procedures, they were delivered to Odessa and Sevastopol, from where they were disbanded into the fleet. According to the agreement, they could not continue to participate in the Russian-Japanese conflict, so they were not allowed into the Pacific Fleet.
Results of the war
Japan agreed to sign the peace treaty with the complete surrender of Russia, in which the revolution had already begun. According to the Portsmoon Peace Treaty (08/23/1905), Russia was obliged to fulfill the following points:
- Give up claims to Manchuria.
- Refuse in favor of Japan from Kuril Islands and half of Sakhalin Island.
- Recognize Japan's right to Korea.
- Transfer to Japan the right to lease Port Arthur.
- Pay Japan an indemnity for the “maintenance of prisoners.”
In addition, defeat in the war meant for Russia Negative consequences in economic terms. Stagnation began in some industries, as their lending from foreign banks decreased. Life in the country has become significantly more expensive. Industrialists insisted on a speedy conclusion of peace.
Even those countries that initially supported Japan (Great Britain and the USA) realized how difficult the situation in Russia was. The war had to be stopped in order to direct all forces to fight the revolution, which the world states equally feared.
Mass movements began among workers and military personnel. A striking example is the mutiny on the battleship Potemkin.
The causes and results of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 are clear. It remains to be seen what the losses were in human equivalent. Russia lost 270 thousand, of which 50 thousand were killed. Japan lost the same number of soldiers, but more than 80 thousand were killed.
Value judgments
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the causes of which were economic and political in nature, showed serious problems within Russian Empire. He also wrote about this. The war revealed problems in the army, its weapons, command, as well as mistakes in diplomacy.
Japan was not entirely satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations. The state has lost too much in the fight against the European enemy. She expected to gain more territory, but the United States did not support her in this. Discontent began to brew within the country, and Japan continued on the path of militarization.
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the causes of which were considered, brought many military tricks:
- use of spotlights;
- use of wire fences under high voltage current;
- field kitchen;
- radio telegraphy made it possible for the first time to control ships from a distance;
- switching to petroleum fuel, which produces no smoke and makes ships less visible;
- the appearance of mine-layer ships, which began to be produced with the proliferation of mine weapons;
- flamethrowers.
One of the heroic battles of the war with Japan is the battle of the cruiser “Varyag” at Chemulpo (1904). Together with the ship "Korean" they confronted an entire squadron of the enemy. The battle was obviously lost, but the sailors still made an attempt to break through. It turned out to be unsuccessful, and in order not to surrender, the crew led by Rudnev sank their ship. For their courage and heroism they were praised by Nicholas II. The Japanese were so impressed by the character and resilience of Rudnev and his sailors that in 1907 they awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun. The captain of the sunken cruiser accepted the award, but never wore it.
There is a version according to which Stoessel surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese for a reward. It is no longer possible to verify how true this version is. Be that as it may, because of his action, the campaign was doomed to failure. For this, the general was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in the fortress, but he was pardoned a year after his imprisonment. He was stripped of all titles and awards, leaving him with a pension.
About the Russo-Japanese War in brief
Russko-yaponskaya voyna (1904 - 1905)
Russo-Japanese War begins
Russo-Japanese War causes
Russo-Japanese War stages
Russo-Japanese War results
The Russo-Japanese War, briefly summarized, was the result of a complex relationship between the two countries resulting from the expansion of the Russian Empire in the Far East. The country was experiencing economic growth and the opportunity arose to increase its influence, primarily on Korea and China. This, in turn, caused strong dissatisfaction in Japan.
The reasons for the war are Russia's attempt to spread its influence in the Far East. The reason for the war was Russia's lease of the Liaodong Peninsula from China and the occupation of Manchuria, which Japan itself had plans for.
The Japanese government's demands to withdraw from Manchuria meant the loss of the Far East, which was impossible for Russia. In this situation, both sides began preparing for war.
Describing the Russo-Japanese War briefly, it should be noted that in the highest circles of power there was hope that Japan would not decide to take military action with Russia. Nicholas II had a different opinion.
By the beginning of 1903, Japan was completely ready for war and was just waiting for a convenient reason to start it. The Russian authorities acted indecisively, never fully realizing their plans to prepare a military campaign in the Far East. This led to a threatening situation - Russia's military forces were in many ways much inferior to the Japanese. Quantity ground forces And military equipment was almost half that of Japan. For example, in terms of the number of destroyers, the Japanese fleet had a threefold superiority over the Russian one.
However, the Russian government, as if not seeing these facts, continued its expansion in relation to the Far East, and decided to use the war with Japan itself as an opportunity to distract the people from serious social problems.
The war began on January 27, 1904. The Japanese fleet suddenly attacked Russian ships near the city of Port Arthur. It was not possible to capture the city itself, but the most combat-ready Russian ships were disabled. Japanese troops were able to land in Korea without hindrance. The railway connection between Russia and Port Arthur was disrupted, and the siege of the city began. In December, the garrison, having suffered several heavy attacks by Japanese troops, was forced to surrender, while scuttling the remnants of the Russian fleet so that it would not fall to Japan. The surrender of Port Arthur actually meant the loss of the Russian army.
On land, Russia was also losing the war. The Battle of Mukden, the largest at that time, Russian troops could not win and retreated. The Battle of Tsushima destroyed the Baltic fleet.
But Japan was so exhausted by the ongoing war that it decided to enter into peace negotiations. She achieved her goals and did not want to waste her resources and strength further. The Russian government agreed to make peace. In Portsmouth, in August 1905, Japan and Russia signed a peace treaty. It cost the Russian side dearly. According to him, Port Arthur, as well as the southern part of the Sakhalin Peninsula, now belonged to Japan, and Korea finally fell under its influence.
In the Russian Empire, the loss of the war increased dissatisfaction with the authorities.
More wars, battles, battles, riots and uprisings in Russia:
- Caucasian War
The Russo-Japanese War showed Russia's failure not only in foreign policy, but also in the military sphere. A series of defeats caused irreparable damage to the authority's authority. Japan did not achieve complete victory, having exhausted its resources, it was content with small concessions.
Epigraph: Russian soldiers showed heroism both on land and at sea, but their commanders were unable to lead them to victory over Japan.
In previous articles “Causes of the Russo-Japanese War 1904 - 1905”, “The feat of the “Varyag” and the “Korean” in 1904”, “The beginning of the Russo-Japanese War” We touched on some issues. In this article we will look at general progress and the results of the war.
Causes of the war
Russia’s desire to gain a foothold on the “non-freezing seas” of China and Korea.
The desire of the leading powers to prevent Russia from strengthening in the Far East. Support for Japan from the USA and Great Britain.
Japan's desire to oust the Russian army from China and seize Korea.
Arms race in Japan. Raising taxes for the sake of military production.
Japan's plans were to seize Russian territory from the Primorsky Territory to the Urals.
Progress of the war
January 27, 1904- near Port Arthur 3 Russian ships were hit by Japanese torpedoes, which did not sink thanks to the heroism of the crews. The feat of Russian ships " Varangian" And " Korean» near the port of Chemulpo (Incheon).
March 31, 1904- death of the battleship " Petropavlovsk"with the headquarters of Admiral Makarov and a crew of more than 630 people. The Pacific Fleet was decapitated.
May–December 1904– heroic defense of the Port Arthur fortress. The 50 thousandth Russian garrison, having 646 guns and 62 machine guns, repelled the attacks of the 200 thousandth enemy army. After the surrender of the fortress, about 32 thousand Russian soldiers were captured by the Japanese. The Japanese lost more than 110 thousand (according to other sources 91 thousand) soldiers and officers, 15 warships sank and 16 were destroyed.
August 1904- battle under Liaoyang. The Japanese lost more than 23 thousand soldiers, the Russians - more than 16 thousand. Uncertain outcome of the battle. General Kuropatkin gave the order to retreat, fearing encirclement.
September 1904- battle at Shahe River. The Japanese lost more than 30 thousand soldiers, the Russians - more than 40 thousand. Uncertain outcome of the battle. After this, a positional war was fought in Manchuria. In January 1905, revolution raged in Russia, making it difficult to wage the war to victory.
February 1905 – Battle of Mukden stretched over 100 km along the front and lasted 3 weeks. The Japanese launched their offensive earlier and confused the plans of the Russian command. Russian troops retreated, avoiding encirclement and losing more than 90 thousand. The Japanese lost more than 72 thousand.
The Japanese command admitted underestimating the enemy's strength. Soldiers with weapons and provisions continued to arrive from Russia by rail. The war again took on a positional character.
May 1905- tragedy of the Russian fleet off the Tsushima Islands. Admiral's ships Rozhestvensky (30 combat, 6 transport and 2 hospital) They covered about 33 thousand km and immediately entered into battle. No one in the world I couldn’t defeat 121 enemy ships with 38 ships! Only the cruiser Almaz and the destroyers Bravy and Grozny broke through to Vladivostok (according to other sources, 4 ships were saved), the crews of the rest died heroes or were captured. The Japanese suffered 10 severe damage and 3 sank.
Until now, Russians, passing by the Tsushima Islands, lay wreaths on the water in memory of the 5 thousand dead Russian sailors.
The war was ending. The Russian army in Manchuria was growing and could continue the war for a long time. Human and financial resources Japan were exhausted (elderly people and children have already been drafted into the army). Russia signed from a position of strength Treaty of Portsmouth in August 1905.
Results of the war
Russia withdrew troops from Manchuria, transferred to Japan the Liaodong Peninsula, the southern part of Sakhalin Island and money for the maintenance of prisoners. This failure of Japanese diplomacy caused widespread unrest in Tokyo.
After the war, Japan's external public debt increased 4 times, and Russia's by 1/3.
Japan lost more than 85 thousand killed, Russia more than 50 thousand.
More than 38 thousand soldiers died from wounds in Japan, and more than 17 thousand in Russia.
Still, Russia lost this war. The reasons were economic and military backwardness, weakness of intelligence and command, the great remoteness and extension of the theater of military operations, poor supplies, and weak interaction between the army and navy. In addition, the Russian people did not understand why they needed to fight in distant Manchuria. The revolution of 1905–1907 further weakened Russia.
Will they be made correct conclusions? To be continued.
Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 was the result of a clash of interests between Russia and Japan in the Far East. Both countries that experienced last decades XIX century internal modernization processes intensified at about the same time foreign policy in this region. Russia was aimed at developing economic expansion in Manchuria and Korea, which were nominally Chinese possessions. However, here she encountered Japan, which was rapidly gaining strength, which was also eager to quickly join in the division of weakened China.
Power rivalry in the Far East
The first major clash between St. Petersburg and Tokyo occurred when the Japanese, having defeated the Chinese in the war of 1894-1895, intended to impose extremely difficult peace conditions on them. The intervention of Russia, supported by France and Germany, forced them to moderate their appetites. But St. Petersburg, acting as a defender of China, strengthened its influence in this country. In 1896, an agreement was signed on the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER) through Manchuria, which shortened the route to Vladivostok by 800 km and made it possible to expand the Russian presence in the region. In 1898, Port Arthur on the Liaodong Peninsula was leased, which became the main naval base Russia on the Pacific Ocean. It had an advantageous strategic position and, unlike Vladivostok, did not freeze.
In 1900, during the suppression of the so-called Boxer Rebellion, Russian troops occupied Manchuria. It was Tokyo's turn to express its extreme dissatisfaction. Proposals to divide spheres of interest (Manchuria - Russia, Korea - Japan) were rejected by St. Petersburg. Emperor Nicholas II was increasingly influenced by adventurers from his circle who underestimated the strength of Japan. In addition, as Minister of Internal Affairs V.K. Plehve said, “to keep the revolution... you need a small victorious war" This opinion was supported by many at the top.
“Maxims” were adopted by the Russian army on May 28, 1895. In the Russo-Japanese War they were used in two forms: with large wheels and a shield, or, as shown in the figure, on a tripod
Meanwhile, Japan was actively preparing for war, increasing its military power. The Japanese army deployed for mobilization numbered over 375 thousand people, 1140 guns, 147 machine guns. The Japanese fleet consisted of 80 warships, including 6 squadron battleships, 8 armored ships and 12 light cruisers.
Russia initially had about 100 thousand people (about 10% of the entire army), 148 guns and 8 machine guns in the Far East. There were 63 Russian warships in the Pacific Ocean, including 7 squadron battleships, 4 armored ships and 7 light cruisers. The remoteness of this region from the center and the difficulties of transportation along the Trans-Siberian Railway had an impact. In general, Russia was noticeably inferior to Japan in terms of readiness for war.
Warriors move
January 24 (February 6, new style) 1904 Japan interrupted negotiations and severed diplomatic relations with Russia. Even before the official declaration of war, which followed on January 28 (February 10), 1904, Japanese destroyers attacked the Russian squadron in Port Arthur on the night of January 26-27 (February 8-9) and damaged two battleships and a cruiser. For the Russian sailors, the attack was sudden, although it was clear from the behavior of the Japanese that they were about to start a war. Nevertheless, the Russian ships were stationed in the outer roadstead without mine nets, and two of them illuminated the roadstead with searchlights (they were the ones that were hit in the first place). True, the Japanese were not distinguished by their accuracy, although they fired almost point-blank: out of 16 torpedoes, only three hit the target.
Japanese sailors. 1905
On January 27 (February 9), 1904, six Japanese cruisers and eight destroyers blocked in the Korean port of Chemulpo (now Incheon) the Russian cruiser "Varyag" (commander - captain 1st rank V.F. Rudnev) and the gunboat "Koreets" and asked them to surrender. The Russian sailors made a breakthrough, but after an hour-long battle they returned to the port. The heavily damaged "Varyag" was sunk, and the "Korean" was blown up by its crews, who boarded the ships of neutral states.
The feat of the cruiser “Varyag” received wide resonance in Russia and abroad. The sailors were solemnly welcomed to their homeland, they were received by Nicholas II. The song “Varyag” is still popular both in the navy and among the people:
To the top, comrades, everyone is in place! The last parade is coming... Our proud “Varyag” does not surrender to the enemy, No one wants mercy.
Failures at sea haunted the Russians. At the end of January, the mine transport "Yenisei" was blown up and sank on its own minefields, and then the cruiser "Boyarin" sent to its aid. However, the Japanese were blown up by Russian mines more often. So, on May 2 (15), two Japanese battleships exploded at once.
At the end of February, the new commander of the squadron, Vice Admiral S.O. Makarov, a brave and active naval commander, arrived in Port Arthur. But he was not destined to defeat the Japanese. On March 31 (April 13), the flagship battleship Petropavlovsk, moving to help ships attacked by the Japanese, ran into a mine and sank in a matter of minutes. Makarov, his personal friend the battle painter V.V. Vereshchagin and almost the entire crew died. The command of the squadron was taken by the low-initiative Rear Admiral V.K. Vitgeft. The Russians tried to break through to Vladivostok, but on July 28 (August 10) they were stopped by the Japanese in the battle in the Yellow Sea. In this battle, Vitgeft died, and the remnants of the Russian squadron returned to Port Arthur.
On land, things were also not going well for Russia. In February 1904, Japanese troops landed in Korea and in April reached the border with Manchuria, where they defeated a large Russian detachment on the Yalu River. In April - May, the Japanese landed on the Liaodong Peninsula and interrupted Port Arthur's connection with the main army. In June, Russian troops sent to help the fortress were defeated near Wafangou and retreated to the north. In July the siege of Port Arthur began. In August, the Battle of Liaoyang took place with the participation of the main forces of both sides. The Russians, having a numerical advantage, successfully repulsed the Japanese attacks and could count on success, but the army commander A.N. Kuropatkin showed indecisiveness and ordered a retreat. In September - October, the oncoming battle on the Shahe River ended in vain, and both sides, having suffered heavy losses, went on the defensive.
The epicenter of events shifted to Port Arthur. For more than one month, this fortress withstood a siege, repelling several assaults. But in the end, the Japanese were able to capture the strategically important Vysokaya Mountain. And after this, General R.I. Kondratenko, who was called the “soul of defense” of the fortress, died. On December 20, 1904 (January 21, 1905), generals A. M. Stessel and A. V. Fok, contrary to the opinion of the military council, surrendered Port Arthur. Russia lost its main naval base, the remnants of its fleet and more than 30 thousand prisoners, and the Japanese freed 100 thousand soldiers for action in other directions.
In February 1905, the largest battle of this war took place, the Battle of Mukden, in which more than half a million soldiers took part on both sides. Russian troops were defeated and retreated, after which active fighting stopped on land.
Tsushima disaster
The final chord of the war was the Battle of Tsushima. Back on September 19 (October 2), 1904 from the Baltic to Far East A detachment of ships departed under the command of Vice Admiral Z. P. Rozhestvensky, which received the name of the 2nd Pacific Squadron (followed by the 3rd Squadron under the command of Rear Admiral N.I. Nebogatov). They included, in particular, 8 squadron battleships and 13 cruisers of various classes. Among them were both new ships, including those that had not yet been properly tested, and outdated ones, unsuitable for ocean voyages and general battles. After the fall of Port Arthur, we had to go to Vladivostok. Having made an exhausting journey around Africa, the ships entered the Tsushima Strait (between Japan and Korea), where the main forces of the Japanese fleet (4 squadron battleships, 24 cruisers of various classes and other ships) were waiting for them. The Japanese attack was sudden. The battle began on May 14 (27), 1905 at 13:49. Within 40 minutes, the Russian squadron lost two battleships, and then new losses followed. Rozhestvensky was wounded. After sunset, at 20:15, the remnants of the Russian squadron attacked dozens Japanese destroyers. On May 15 (28), at 11 o'clock, the remaining ships afloat, surrounded by the Japanese fleet, lowered St. Andrew's flags.
The defeat at Tsushima was the most difficult and shameful in the history of the Russian fleet. Only a few cruisers and destroyers managed to escape from the battlefield, but only the cruiser Almaz and two destroyers reached Vladivostok. More than 5 thousand sailors died, and over 6 thousand were captured. The Japanese lost only three destroyers and about 700 people killed and wounded.
There were many reasons for this disaster: miscalculations in the planning and organization of the expedition, unpreparedness for battle, weak command, obvious shortcomings of Russian guns and shells, different types of ships, unsuccessful maneuvering in battle, problems with communications, etc. The Russian fleet was clearly inferior to the Japanese in material terms. and moral preparation, military skill and perseverance.
The Treaty of Portsmouth and the outcome of the war
After Tsushima, the last hopes for a favorable outcome for Russia of the war, in which the Russian army and navy did not win a single major victory, collapsed. In addition, a revolution began in Russia. But both sides were exhausted. Human losses amounted to approximately 270 thousand people. Therefore, both Japan and Russia readily accepted the mediation of US President T. Roosevelt.
On August 23 (September 5), 1905, a peace treaty was signed in the American city of Portsmouth. Russia gave Japan South Sakhalin and its rights to lease Port Arthur and adjacent territories. It also recognized Korea as Japan's sphere of influence.
The Russo-Japanese War had a great influence on military and naval affairs. For the first time, machine guns and rapid-fire cannons were used so widely, light machine guns, mortars, and hand grenades appeared, and experience began to accumulate in the use of radios, searchlights, balloons, and wire barriers with electric current in war. Submarines and new sea mines were used for the first time. Tactics and strategy were improved. The defensive positions combined trenches, trenches, and dugouts. Special meaning acquired fire superiority over the enemy and close interaction between military branches on the battlefield, and at sea - optimal combination speed, fire power and armor protection.
In Russia, the defeat marked the beginning of a revolutionary crisis, which ended with the transformation of the autocracy into constitutional monarchy. But the lessons of the Russo-Japanese War did not teach the ruling circles of the Russian Empire anything, and eight years later they pushed the country into a new, even more ambitious war - the First World War.
The article briefly talks about the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905. This war became one of the most shameful in Russian history. The expectation of a “small victorious war” turned into a disaster.
- Introduction
- Progress of the Russo-Japanese War
- Results of the Russo-Japanese War
Causes of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
- The main prerequisite for the outbreak of the war was the growth of imperialist contradictions at the turn of the century. European powers sought to divide China. Russia, which did not have colonies in other parts of the world, was interested in maximizing the penetration of its capital into China and Korea. This desire ran counter to Japan's plans. The rapidly developing Japanese industry also required the seizure of new territories to allocate capital.
- The Russian government did not take into account the increased combat effectiveness of the Japanese army. In the event of a quick and decisive victory, it was planned to significantly reduce revolutionary sentiment in the country. The Japanese elite relied on chauvinistic sentiments in society. It was planned to create Greater Japan through territorial conquests.
Progress of the Russo-Japanese War
- At the end of January 1904, the Japanese, without declaring war, attacked Russian ships based in Port Arthur. And already in June, the successful actions of the Japanese led to complete destruction Russian Pacific squadron. The Baltic fleet (2nd squadron) sent to help, after a six-month journey, was completely defeated by Japan in Battle of Tsushima(May 1905). Sending the 3rd squadron was becoming pointless. Russia has lost its main trump card in its strategic plans. The defeat was a consequence of underestimating the Japanese fleet, which consisted of the latest warships. The reasons were insufficient training of Russian sailors, Russian warships that were outdated at that time, and defective ammunition.
- In military operations on land, Russia also showed a significant lag in many respects. The General Staff did not take into account the experience of recent wars. Military science adhered to outdated concepts and principles of the Napoleonic Wars era. It was assumed that the main forces would gather together followed by a massive strike. Japanese strategy, under the guidance of foreign advisers, relied on the development of maneuver operations.
- The Russian command under the leadership of General Kuropatkin acted passively and indecisively. The Russian army suffered its first defeat near Liaoyang. By June 1904, Port Arthur was surrounded. The defense lasted for six months, which can be regarded as the only success of the Russians in the entire war. In December the port was handed over to the Japanese. The decisive battle on land was the so-called “Mukden Meat Grinder” (February 1905), as a result of which the Russian army was practically surrounded, but at the cost of heavy losses it managed to retreat. Russian losses amounted to about 120 thousand people. This failure, coupled with the Tsushima tragedy, showed the futility of further military action. The situation was complicated by the fact that the “victorious war” caused a revolution in Russia itself.
- It was the outbreak of the revolution and the unpopularity of the war in society that forced Russia to enter into peace negotiations. Japanese economy was significantly undermined as a result of the war. Japan was inferior to Russia both in the number of armed forces and in material capabilities. Even a successful continuation of the war would have led Japan to economic crisis. Therefore, Japan, having won a number of spectacular victories, was content with this and also sought to conclude a peace treaty.
Results of the Russo-Japanese War
- In August 1905, the Portsmouth Peace Treaty was concluded, containing humiliating conditions for Russia. Japan included South Sakhalin, Korea, and Port Arthur. The Japanese gained control of Manchuria. Russia's authority on the world stage was greatly undermined. Japan has demonstrated that its army is combat-ready and armed with the latest technology.
- In general, Russia was forced to abandon active actions in the Far East.