Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905

The Russo-Japanese war developed out of the rivalry between Russia and Japan for dominance in Korea and Manchuria. In 1896 Russia concluded an alliance with China against Japan and, in return, it won rights to extend the Trans-Siberian Railroad across Chinese-held Manchuria to the Russian seaport of Vladivostok, thus gaining control of an important strip of Manchurian territory. Then, in 1898, Russia pressured China into granting it a lease for the strategically important harbor of Port Arthur (now Lu-shun) in southern Manchuria. Russia thereby entered into occupation of the Liaotung Peninsula, even though, in concert with other European powers, it had forced Japan to relinquish just such a right after the achieving a decisive victory over China in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95. Japan proposed a compromise in 1903. After Russia refused to seriously negotiate accommodating Japan in Korea and Manchuria the Japanese ambassador broke off the talks on February 4, 1904. Japan decided it was time to attack.

The war began on February 8, 1904, when the main Japanese fleet launched a successful surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur; the next day another Japanese fleet struck Chemulpo (Inchon), Korea, eliminating the Russian warships there. The rest of the Russian fleet was icebound in Vladivostok. Having established superiority at sea, Japan was free to land thousands of troops in Korea; on May 1st the Japanese army crossed the Yalu River, marking the boundary of Korea and Manchuria. Another Japanese army landed on the Liaotung Peninsula, and on May 26th the Russian garrison in Port Arthur was surrounded and besieged. The Russian army in Manchuria fell back toward Mukden (now Shen-yang) after bloody but indecisive battles to the south. The costly Japanese siege of Port Arthur ended with a Russian surrender on January 2, 1905. The final significant battle of the land war was fought at Mukden in late February and early March 1905; after a long and stubborn fight and heavy casualties on both sides, the Russians withdrew northward and Mukden fell. Japan finally achieved a decisive victory in the war in the naval Battle of Tsushima; the Russian Baltic Fleet met a Japanese fleet in the Tsushima Strait and over the course of a two-day battle, May 27th to 29th, the Russian fleet was annihilated.

Japan was by this time financially exhausted, but its decisive victory at, together with growing internal political unrest throughout Russia, resulted in a willingness of the Russian government to accept American mediation. Peace negotiations began on August 10th at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The Treaty of Portsmouth, signed on September 5, 1905, ended the war. Japan gained control of the Liaotung Peninsula and Port Arthur as well as the South Manchurian railroad (which led to Port Arthur), and half of Sakhalin Island. Russia agreed to evacuate southern Manchuria, which was restored to China. Russia recognized Korea as being a Japanese sphere of influence. The Russians also agreed to pay the Japanese costs of maintaining Russian prisoners and granted fishing rights off the coast of Siberia. Most importantly, Japan was the first Asian power in modern times to defeat a European power and the victory gained its recognition as a great power.

References

Clodfelter, 645-51; COW85; EB - Russo-Japanese War; Kohn, 414-5.

Category

Inter-State War

Region

East Asia

Belligerents

Japan, Russia

Dispute

Territory

Initiation Date

February 8, 1904

Termination Date

September 15, 1905

Duration

1 year, 6 months, 29 days
(576 days)

Outcome

Negotiated Settlement
(Japanese victory)

Fatalities

Total: 151,831
Japan:80,378
Russia: 71,453
Japan: 622

Magnitude

5.2