The last Russian-Japanese war. Russian military leaders in the Russo-Japanese War
The main reason for the war is the clash of interests of Russia and Japan in the Far East. Both powers sought dominance in China and Korea. In 1896, Russia began construction of the Chinese-Eastern Railway, which passed through the territory of Manchuria. In 1898, Witte agreed to lease the Liaodong Peninsula from China for 25 years. The Port Arthur naval base began to be built here. In 1900, Russian troops entered Manchuria.
Russia's advance towards the borders of Korea alarmed Japan. A clash between the two countries was becoming inevitable. Japan began to prepare for war. The tsarist government underestimated the enemy. The Russian army in the Far East numbered 98 thousand soldiers against the 150 thousand Japanese army. The supply of reserves was difficult due to the low capacity of the Siberian Railway. The fortification of Vladivostok and Port Arthur was not completed. The Pacific squadron was inferior to the Japanese fleet. While Japan was helped by major states, Russia remained almost isolated.
On both sides the war was of an unjust, aggressive nature. Russia and Japan entered into a struggle for the redivision of the world.
The Russo-Japanese War began on January 27, 1904 with an attack by the Japanese fleet on the Russian squadron in Port Arthur and the Korean port of Chemulpo. The first losses weakened the Russian fleet. The commander of the Pacific Squadron, Admiral S.O. Makarov, began preparations for active operations at sea. Soon his battleship hit a mine and he died. The artist V.V. Vereshchagin died along with him. After this, the fleet switched to the defense of Port Arthur and abandoned offensive operations.
The commander of the ground forces, General A.N. Kuropatkin, chose defensive tactics. This put the Russian army at a disadvantage. Japanese troops landed in Korea and then in Manchuria. In May 1904, Port Arthur was cut off from the main army. At the end of August 1904, the battle of Liaoyang took place, which ended with the retreat of the Russians. Port Arthur was left to its own devices. In September-October 1904, the Russian army tried to go on the offensive, but was stopped after the Battle of the Shahe River.
Near Port Arthur, 50 thousand Russians pinned down the 200 thousand Japanese army for almost 8 months. Only in December 1904 did General Stessel surrender the fortress to the enemy, although there were opportunities for further defense. The Port Arthur squadron was lost. The enemy fleet began to dominate the sea. The Japanese siege army was deployed against the main Russian forces.
In the decisive battle in February 1905 near Mukden, over 660 thousand people took part on both sides. Russia suffered another defeat and retreated north.
In October 1904, the 2nd Pacific Squadron under the command of Admiral Z.P. Rozhestvensky was sent to the Far East. In May 1905, a naval battle took place near the Tsushima Islands. The Russian squadron was destroyed. Only four ships broke through to Vladivostok.
Despite the developments, the situation gradually changed. After the victory at Muschvdazh and until the end of the war, the Japanese did not dare to undertake a new “education.” Japan has used up its reserves. Many military men predicted that by the autumn of 1905 a turning point would occur at the front. The continuation of the war was prevented by the first Russian revolution.
From the very first days, the war was unpopular in Russia and was perceived by the public as a meaningless conflict. With the outbreak of the war, the economic situation became more difficult. When news of defeats and losses began to arrive, hatred of the war became almost universal.
Win the war in such the situation was impossible. Peace negotiations began, mediated by American President T. Roosevelt. In August 1905, the Portsmouth Peace Treaty was signed. The Russian delegation at the negotiations was headed by S.Yu. Witte. He managed to achieve relatively mild peace terms. Russia lost the southern part of Sakhalin Island, recognized Korea as a Japanese sphere of influence, returned Manchuria to China, transferred to Japan the right to lease the Kwantung Peninsula with Port Arthur, and paid the cost of maintaining Russian prisoners.
The reasons for the defeat were the unpopularity of the war, underestimation of the enemy, the remoteness of the theater of operations, the weakness of the Pacific Fleet, the inept leadership of the army, and the unfavorable international situation. The first Russian revolution had a decisive influence on the outcome of the war.
1904-1905, the reasons for which are known to every schoolchild, had a great influence on the development of Russia in the future. Despite the fact that now it is very easy to “sort out” the prerequisites, causes and consequences, in 1904 it was difficult to imagine such an outcome.
Start
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the causes of which will be discussed below, began in January. The enemy fleet, without warning or obvious reasons, attacked the ships of Russian sailors. This happened for no apparent reason, but the consequences were great: the powerful ships of the Russian squadron became unnecessary broken garbage. Of course, Russia could not ignore such an event and on February 10 war was declared.
Causes of the war
Despite the unpleasant episode with the ships, which dealt a significant blow, the official and main reason for the war was different. It was all about Russia's expansion to the east. This is the underlying reason for the outbreak of war, but it began under a different pretext. The reason for the fury was the annexation of the Liaodong Peninsula, which previously belonged to Japan.
Reaction
How did the Russian people react to such an unexpected start to the war? This clearly outraged them, because how could Japan dare to take on such a challenge? But the reaction of other countries was different. The USA and England determined their position and sided with Japan. Press reports, which were numerous in all countries, clearly indicated a negative reaction to the actions of the Russians. France declared a neutral position, as it needed Russian support, but soon it entered into an agreement with England, which worsened relations with Russia. In turn, Germany also declared neutrality, but Russia’s actions were approved in the press.
Events
At the beginning of the war, the Japanese took a very active position. The course of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 could change dramatically from one extreme to the other. The Japanese were unable to conquer Port Arthur, but made many attempts. An army of 45 thousand soldiers was used for the assault. The army met strong resistance from Russian soldiers and lost almost half of its employees. It was not possible to hold the fortress. The cause of the defeat was the death of General Kondratenko in December 1904. If the general had not died, the fortress could have been held for another 2 months. Despite this, Reis and Stoessel signed the act, and the Russian fleet was destroyed. More than 30 thousand Russian soldiers were captured.
Only two battles of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 were truly significant. The Mukden land battle took place in February 1905. It was rightfully considered the largest in history. It ended disastrously for both sides.
The second most important battle is Tsushima. It happened at the end of May 1905. Unfortunately, for the Russian army it was a defeat. The Japanese fleet was 6 times larger than the Russian fleet. This could not but affect the course of the battle, so the Russian Baltic squadron was completely destroyed.
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the causes of which we analyzed above, benefited Japan. Despite this, the country had to pay dearly for its leadership, because its economy was depleted to the point of impossibility. This is what prompted Japan to be the first to propose the terms of a peace treaty. In August, peace negotiations began in the city of Portsmouth. The Russian delegation was headed by Witte. The conference became a big diplomatic breakthrough for the domestic side. Despite the fact that everything was moving towards peace, violent protests took place in Tokyo. The people did not want to make peace with the enemy. However, peace was still concluded. At the same time, Russia suffered significant losses during the war.
Just look at the fact that the Pacific Fleet was completely destroyed, and thousands of people sacrificed their lives for the sake of their Motherland. And yet, Russian expansion in the East was stopped. Of course, the people could not help but discuss this topic, because it was clearly clear that the tsarist policy no longer had such power and might. Perhaps this is what caused revolutionary sentiments to spread in the country, which ultimately led to the well-known events of 1905-1907.
Defeat
The results of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 are already known to us. And yet, why did Russia fail and could not defend its policy? Researchers and historians believe that there are four reasons for this outcome. Firstly, the Russian Empire was very isolated from the world stage diplomatically. That is why only a few supported her policy. If Russia had support in the world, it would be easier to fight. Secondly, Russian soldiers were not ready for war, especially in difficult conditions. The effect of surprise, which played into the hands of the Japanese, cannot be underestimated. The third reason is very banal and sad. It consists of multiple betrayals of the Motherland, betrayal, as well as the complete mediocrity and helplessness of many generals.
The results of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 were also losing because Japan was much more developed in the economic and military spheres. This is what helped Japan gain a clear advantage. The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the causes of which we examined, was a negative event for Russia, which exposed all its weaknesses.
Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 was the result of a clash of interests between Russia and Japan in the Far East. Both countries, which experienced in the last decades of the 19th century. processes of internal modernization, at about the same time, intensified 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 Russia's main naval base 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. Moreover, as Minister of Internal Affairs V.K. Plehve said, “to hold the revolution... a small victorious war is needed.” 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, 1,140 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 stood 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 from both sides took part. Russian troops were defeated and retreated, after which active hostilities on land ceased.
Tsushima disaster
The final chord of the war was the Battle of Tsushima. Back on September 19 (October 2), 1904, a detachment of ships under the command of Vice Admiral 3. P. Rozhestvensky set off from the Baltic to the Far East, which received the name 2nd Pacific Squadron (followed by the 3rd Squadron under the command of Rear Admiral N . I. Nebogatova). 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 of 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. Of particular importance was the achievement of fire superiority over the enemy and close interaction between military branches on the battlefield, and at sea - the optimal combination of speed, fire power and armor protection.
In Russia, the defeat marked the beginning of a revolutionary crisis that culminated in the transformation of the autocracy into a 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 largest armed conflict of the late 19th - early 20th centuries. It was the result of the struggle of the great powers - the Russian Empire, Great Britain, Germany, France and Japan, which aspired to the role of the dominant regional power, for the colonial division of China and Korea.
Causes of the war
The reason for the Russo-Japanese War should be recognized as a clash of interests between Russia, which pursued an expansionist policy in the Far East, and Japan, which attempted to assert its influence in Asia. The Japanese Empire, which modernized the social system and armed forces during the Meiji Revolution, sought to turn economically backward Korea into its colony and take part in the division of China. As a result of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. The Chinese army and navy were quickly defeated, Japan occupied the island of Taiwan (Formosa) and part of Southern Manchuria. Under the Peace Treaty of Shimonoseki, Japan acquired the islands of Taiwan, Penghuledao (Pescadores) and the Liaodong Peninsula.
In response to Japan's aggressive actions in China, the Russian government, led by Emperor Nicholas II, who ascended the throne in 1894 and a supporter of expansion in this part of Asia, intensified its own Far Eastern policy. In May 1895, Russia forced Japan to reconsider the terms of the Shimonoseki Peace Treaty and abandon the acquisition of the Liaodong Peninsula. From that moment on, an armed confrontation between the Russian Empire and Japan became inevitable: the latter began to systematically prepare for a new war on the continent, adopting in 1896 a 7-year program for the reorganization of the ground army. With the participation of Great Britain, a modern navy began to be created. In 1902, Great Britain and Japan entered into a treaty of alliance.
With the goal of economic penetration into Manchuria, the Russian-Chinese Bank was established in 1895, and the following year construction began on the Chinese Eastern Railway, laid through the Chinese province of Heilongjiang and designed to connect Chita with Vladivostok along the shortest route. These measures were carried out to the detriment of the development of the poorly populated and economically developed Russian Amur region. In 1898, Russia received a 25-year lease from China for the southern part of the Liaodong Peninsula with Port Arthur, where it was decided to create a naval base and fortress. In 1900, under the pretext of suppressing the “Yihetuan uprising,” Russian troops occupied all of Manchuria.
Far Eastern policy of Russia at the beginning of the 20th century
Since the beginning of the twentieth century. The Far Eastern policy of the Russian Empire began to be determined by an adventuristic court group led by State Secretary A.M. Bezobrazov. She sought to expand Russian influence in Korea, using a logging concession on the Yalu River, and to prevent Japanese economic and political penetration into Manchuria. In the summer of 1903, a governorship headed by Admiral E.I. was established in the Far East. Alekseev. Negotiations held in the same year between Russia and Japan on delimiting spheres of interest in the region did not produce results. On January 24 (February 5), 1904, the Japanese side announced the termination of negotiations and broke off diplomatic relations with the Russian Empire, setting a course for starting a war.
Countries' readiness for war
By the start of hostilities, Japan had largely completed its armed forces modernization program. After mobilization, the Japanese army consisted of 13 infantry divisions and 13 reserve brigades (323 battalions, 99 squadrons, over 375 thousand people and 1140 field guns). The Japanese United Fleet consisted of 6 new and 1 old squadron battleship, 8 armored cruisers (two of them, acquired from Argentina, entered service after the start of the war), 12 light cruisers, 27 squadron and 19 small destroyers. Japan's war plan included a struggle for supremacy at sea, the landing of troops in Korea and Southern Manchuria, the capture of Port Arthur and the defeat of the main forces of the Russian army in the Liaoyang area. The general leadership of the Japanese troops was carried out by the Chief of the General Staff, later the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Marshal I. Oyama. The United Fleet was commanded by Admiral H. Togo.
At the beginning of the twentieth century. The Russian Empire had the largest land army in the world, but in the Far East, as part of the Amur Military District and the troops of the Kwantung Region, it had extremely insignificant forces scattered over a vast territory. They consisted of the I and II Siberian Army Corps, 8 East Siberian Rifle Brigades, deployed into divisions at the beginning of the war, 68 infantry battalions, 35 squadrons and hundreds of cavalry, a total of about 98 thousand people, 148 field guns. Russia was not ready for war with Japan. The low capacity of the Siberian and East China Railways (as of February 1904 - 5 and 4 pairs of military trains, respectively) did not allow us to count on a quick reinforcement of troops in Manchuria with reinforcements from European Russia. The Russian Navy in the Far East had 7 squadron battleships, 4 armored cruisers, 7 light cruisers, 2 mine cruisers, 37 destroyers. The main forces were the Pacific squadron and were based in Port Arthur, 4 cruisers and 10 destroyers were in Vladivostok.
War plan
The Russian war plan was prepared at the temporary headquarters of His Imperial Majesty's governor in the Far East, Admiral E.I. Alekseev in September-October 1903 on the basis of plans developed independently of each other at the headquarters of the Amur Military District and at the headquarters of the Kwantung Region, and approved by Nicholas II on January 14 (27), 1904. It assumed the concentration of the main forces of Russian troops on the Mukden line -Liaoyang-Haichen and the defense of Port Arthur. With the beginning of mobilization, it was planned to send large reinforcements from European Russia to help the armed forces in the Far East - the X and XVII army corps and four reserve infantry divisions. Until reinforcements arrived, Russian troops had to adhere to a defensive course of action and only after creating numerical superiority could they go on the offensive. The fleet was required to fight for supremacy at sea and prevent the landing of Japanese troops. Since the beginning of the war, the command in chief of the armed forces in the Far East was entrusted to the viceroy, Admiral E.I. Alekseeva. Subordinate to him was the commander of the Manchurian Army, who became the Minister of War, Infantry General A.N. Kuropatkin (appointed on February 8 (21), 1904), and the commander of the Pacific squadron, Vice Admiral S.O. Makarov, who replaced the uninitiative Vice Admiral O.V. on February 24 (March 8). Stark.
The beginning of the war. Military operations at sea
Military operations opened on January 27 (February 9), 1904, with a sudden attack by Japanese destroyers on the Russian Pacific squadron, which was stationed without proper security measures on the outer roadstead of Port Arthur. As a result of the attack, two squadron battleships and one cruiser were disabled. On the same day, the Japanese detachment of Rear Admiral S. Uriu (6 cruisers and 8 destroyers) attacked the Russian cruiser “Varyag” and the gunboat “Koreets”, which were stationed in the Korean port of Chemulpo. The Varyag, which received heavy damage, was scuttled by the crew, and the Koreets was blown up. January 28 (February 10) Japan declared war on Russia.
After the attack by Japanese destroyers, the weakened Pacific squadron limited itself to defensive actions. Arriving in Port Arthur, Vice Admiral S.O. Makarov began to prepare the squadron for active operations, but on March 31 (April 13) he died on the squadron battleship Petropavlovsk, which was blown up by mines. Rear Admiral V.K., who took command of the naval forces. Vitgeft abandoned the struggle for supremacy at sea, focusing on the defense of Port Arthur and supporting ground forces. During the fighting near Port Arthur, the Japanese also suffered significant losses: on May 2 (15), the squadron battleships Hatsuse and Yashima were killed by mines.
Military operations on land
In February-March 1904, the 1st Japanese Army of General T. Kuroki landed in Korea (about 35 thousand bayonets and sabers, 128 guns), which by mid-April approached the border with China on the Yalu River. By early March, the Russian Manchurian Army had completed its deployment. It consisted of two vanguards - Southern (18 infantry battalions, 6 squadrons and 54 guns, Yingkou-Gaizhou-Senyuchen area) and Eastern (8 battalions, 38 guns, Yalu River) and a general reserve (28.5 infantry battalions, 10 hundreds, 60 guns, Liaoyang-Mukden area). A cavalry detachment operated in North Korea under the command of Major General P.I. Mishchenko (22 hundreds) with the task of conducting reconnaissance beyond the Yalu River. On February 28 (March 12), based on the Eastern Vanguard, reinforced by the 6th East Siberian Rifle Division, the Eastern Detachment was formed, led by Lieutenant General M.I. Zasulich. He was faced with the task of making it difficult for the enemy to cross the Yala, but under no circumstances engaging in a decisive clash with the Japanese.
On April 18 (May 1), in the battle of Tyurencheng, the 1st Japanese Army defeated the Eastern Detachment, drove it back from Yalu and, having advanced to Fenghuangcheng, reached the flank of the Russian Manchurian Army. Thanks to the success at Tyurenchen, the enemy seized the strategic initiative and on April 22 (May 5) was able to begin the landing of the 2nd Army of General Y. Oku (about 35 thousand bayonets and sabers, 216 guns) on the Liaodong Peninsula near Bizivo. The southern branch of the Chinese Eastern Railway, leading from Liaoyang to Port Arthur, was cut off by the enemy. Following the 2nd Army, the 3rd Army of General M. Nogi was supposed to land, intended for the siege of Port Arthur. From the north, its deployment was ensured by the 2nd Army. In the Dagushan area, preparations were made for the landing of the 4th Army of General M. Nozu. It had the task, together with the 1st and 2nd armies, to act against the main forces of the Manchurian Army and ensure the success of the 3rd Army in the fight for Port Arthur.
On May 12 (25), 1904, the Oku army reached the positions of the Russian 5th East Siberian Rifle Regiment on the isthmus in the Jinzhou region, which covered the distant approaches to Port Arthur. The next day, at the cost of huge losses, the Japanese managed to push back the Russian troops from their positions, after which the path to the fortress was open. On May 14 (27), the enemy occupied the port of Dalniy without a fight, which became the base for further actions of the Japanese army and navy against Port Arthur. The landing of units of the 3rd Army immediately began in Dalny. The 4th Army began to land at the port of Takushan. Two divisions of the 2nd Army, which completed the assigned task, were sent north against the main forces of the Manchurian Army.
On May 23 (June 5), impressed by the results of the unsuccessful Jinzhou battle, E.I. Alekseev ordered A.N. Kuropatkin to send a detachment of at least four divisions to the rescue of Port Arthur. The commander of the Manchurian Army, who considered the transition to the offensive premature, sent only one reinforced I Siberian Army Corps, Lieutenant General G.K., against the Oku army (48 battalions, 216 guns). von Stackelberg (32 battalions, 98 guns). On June 1-2 (14-15), 1904, in the battle of Wafangou, von Stackelberg’s troops were defeated and were forced to retreat north. After failures at Jinzhou and Wafangou, Port Arthur found itself cut off.
By May 17 (30), the Japanese broke the resistance of Russian troops occupying intermediate positions on the distant approaches to Port Arthur, and approached the walls of the fortress, beginning its siege. Before the start of the war, the fortress was only 50% complete. As of mid-July 1904, the land front of the fortress consisted of 5 forts, 3 fortifications and 5 separate batteries. In the intervals between long-term fortifications, the defenders of the fortress equipped rifle trenches. There were 22 long-term batteries on the coastal front. The fortress garrison numbered 42 thousand people with 646 guns (514 of them on the land front) and 62 machine guns (47 of them on the land front). The general management of the defense of Port Arthur was carried out by the head of the Kwantung fortified area, Lieutenant General A.M. Stessel. The ground defense of the fortress was headed by the head of the 7th East Siberian Rifle Division, Major General R.I. Kondratenko. The 3rd Japanese Army consisted of 80 thousand people, 474 guns, 72 machine guns.
In connection with the beginning of the siege of Port Arthur, the Russian command decided to save the Pacific squadron and take it to Vladivostok, but in the battle in the Yellow Sea on July 28 (August 10), the Russian fleet failed and was forced to return. In this battle, the commander of the squadron, Rear Admiral V.K., was killed. Vitgeft. On August 6-11 (19-24), the Japanese carried out an assault on Port Arthur, which was repulsed with heavy losses for the attackers. An important role in the beginning of the defense of the fortress was played by the Vladivostok detachment of cruisers, which operated on the enemy’s sea communications and destroyed 15 steamships, including 4 military transports.
At this time, the Russian Manchurian Army (149 thousand people, 673 guns), reinforced by troops of the X and XVII Army Corps, took up defensive positions on the distant approaches to Liaoyang in early August 1904. In the Battle of Liaoyang on August 13-21 (August 26 - September 3), the Russian command was unable to use its numerical superiority over the 1st, 2nd and 4th Japanese armies (109 thousand people, 484 guns) and, despite the fact that all enemy attacks were repulsed with heavy losses, he ordered the troops to be withdrawn to the north.
The fate of Port Arthur
On September 6-9 (19-22), the enemy made another attempt to capture Port Arthur, which again failed. In mid-September, in order to help the besieged fortress A.N. Kuropatkin decided to go on the offensive. From September 22 (October 5) to October 4 (17), 1904, the Manchurian Army (213 thousand people, 758 guns and 32 machine guns) carried out an operation against the Japanese armies (according to Russian intelligence - over 150 thousand people, 648 guns) on the Shahe River, which ended in vain. In October, instead of one Manchurian army, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Manchu armies were deployed. A.N. became the new commander-in-chief in the Far East. Kuropatkin, who replaced E.I. Alekseeva.
The fruitless attempts of Russian troops to defeat the Japanese in Southern Manchuria and break through to Port Arthur decided the fate of the fortress. On October 17-20 (October 30 - November 2) and November 13-23 (November 26 - December 6) the third and fourth assaults on Port Arthur took place, again repelled by the defenders. During the last assault, the enemy captured Mount Vysokaya dominating the area, thanks to which he was able to adjust the fire of siege artillery, including 11-inch howitzers, the shells of which accurately hit the ships of the Pacific squadron stationed in the inner roadstead and the defensive structures of Port Arthur. On December 2 (15), the chief of ground defense, Major General R.I., was killed during shelling. Kondratenko. With the fall of forts Nos. II and III, the position of the fortress became critical. December 20, 1904 (January 2, 1905) Lieutenant General A.M. Stessel gave the order to surrender the fortress. By the time of the surrender of Port Arthur, its garrison included 32 thousand people (of which 6 thousand were wounded and sick), 610 serviceable guns and 9 machine guns.
Despite the fall of Port Arthur, the Russian command continued to try to defeat the enemy. In the battle of Sandepu January 12-15 (25-28), 1905 A.N. Kuropatkin carried out a second offensive with the forces of the 2nd Manchurian Army between the Honghe and Shahe rivers, which again ended in failure.
Battle of Mukden
On February 6 (19) - February 25 (March 10), 1905, the largest battle of the Russian-Japanese War took place, which predetermined the outcome of the struggle on land - Mukden. During its course, the Japanese (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th armies, 270 thousand people, 1062 guns, 200 machine guns) attempted to bypass both flanks of the Russian troops (1st , 2nd and 3rd Manchu armies, 300 thousand people, 1386 guns, 56 machine guns). Despite the fact that the plan of the Japanese command was thwarted, the Russian side suffered a heavy defeat. The Manchu armies retreated to the Sypingai positions (160 km north of Mukden), where they remained until peace was concluded. After the Battle of Mukden A.N. Kuropatkin was removed from the post of commander-in-chief and replaced by infantry general N.P. Linevich. By the end of the war, the number of Russian troops in the Far East reached 942 thousand people, and Japanese, according to Russian intelligence, 750 thousand. In July 1905, a Japanese landing captured the island of Sakhalin.
Tsushima battle
The last major event of the Russo-Japanese War was the Tsushima naval battle on May 14-15 (27-28), in which the Japanese fleet completely destroyed the united Russian 2nd and 3rd Pacific squadrons under the command of Vice Admiral Z.P. Rozhdestvensky, sent from the Baltic Sea to help the Port Arthur squadron.
Treaty of Portsmouth
In the summer of 1905, in North American Portsmouth, through the mediation of US President T. Roosevelt, negotiations began between the Russian Empire and Japan. Both sides were interested in a speedy conclusion of peace: despite military successes, Japan had completely exhausted its financial, material and human resources and could no longer wage further struggle, and the Revolution of 1905-1907 began in Russia. On August 23 (September 5), 1905, the Portsmouth Peace Treaty was signed, ending the Russo-Japanese War. According to its terms, Russia recognized Korea as a sphere of Japanese influence, transferred to Japan Russia's lease rights to the Kwantung region with Port Arthur and the southern branch of the Chinese Eastern Railway, as well as the southern part of Sakhalin.
Results
The Russo-Japanese War cost the participating countries great human and material losses. Russia lost about 52 thousand people killed, died from wounds and diseases, Japan - more than 80 thousand people. The conduct of military operations cost the Russian Empire 6.554 billion rubles, Japan - 1.7 billion yen. The defeat in the Far East undermined Russia's international authority and led to the end of Russian expansion in Asia. The Anglo-Russian agreement of 1907, which established the delimitation of spheres of interest in Persia (Iran), Afghanistan and Tibet, actually meant the defeat of the eastern policy of the government of Nicholas II. Japan, as a result of the war, established itself as the leading regional power in the Far East, strengthening itself in Northern China and annexing Korea in 1910.
The Russo-Japanese War had a great influence on the development of military art. It demonstrated the increased importance of artillery, rifle and machine gun fire. During the fighting, the struggle for fire dominance acquired a dominant role. Actions in close masses and the bayonet strike lost their former significance, and the main battle formation became the rifle chain. During the Russo-Japanese War, new positional forms of struggle arose. Compared to the wars of the 19th century. The duration and scale of battles increased, and they began to break up into separate army operations. Artillery firing from closed positions became widespread. Siege artillery began to be used not only for fighting under fortresses, but also in field battles. At sea during the Russo-Japanese War, torpedoes were widely used, and sea mines were also actively used. For the first time, the Russian command brought in submarines to defend Vladivostok. The experience of the war was actively used by the military-political leadership of the Russian Empire during the military reforms of 1905-1912.
The confrontation between Russia and Japan for control of Manchuria, Korea, and the ports of Port Arthur and Dalny was the main reason for the outbreak of the tragic war for Russia.
The fighting began with an attack by the Japanese fleet, which on the night of February 9, 1904, without declaring war, launched a surprise attack on the Russian squadron near the Port Arthur naval base.
In March 1904, the Japanese army landed in Korea, and in April - in southern Manchuria. Under the blows of superior enemy forces, Russian troops abandoned the Jinzhou position in May and blocked Port Arthur 3 by the Japanese army. In the battle of June 14-15 at Wafangou, the Russian army retreated.
In early August, the Japanese landed on the Liaodong Peninsula and besieged the Port Arthur fortress. On August 10, 1904, the Russian squadron made an unsuccessful attempt to break out from Port Arthur; as a result, individual ships that escaped were interned in neutral ports, and the cruiser Novik near Kamchatka was lost in an unequal battle.
The siege of Port Arthur lasted from May 1904 and fell on January 2, 1905. Japan's main goal was achieved. The battles in Northern Manchuria were of an auxiliary nature, because the Japanese did not have the strength and means to occupy it and the entire Russian Far East.
The first major land battle near Liaoyang (August 24 - September 3, 1904) led to the retreat of Russian troops to Mukden. The oncoming battle on October 5-17 on the Shahe River and the attempt of Russian troops to advance on January 24, 1905 in the Sandepu area were unsuccessful.
After the largest Battle of Mukden (February 19 - March 10, 1905), Russian troops retreated to Telin, and then to Sypingai positions 175 km north of Mukden. Here they met the end of the war.
Formed after the death of the Russian fleet in Port Arthur, 2 Pacific made a six-month transition to the Far East. However, in the many-hour battle at Fr. Tsushima (May 27, 1905) it was fragmented and destroyed by superior enemy forces.
Russian military losses, according to official data, amounted to 31,630 killed, 5,514 died from wounds and 1,643 died in captivity. Russian sources estimated Japanese losses to be more significant: 47,387 people were killed, 173,425 were wounded, 11,425 died from wounds and 27,192 from disease. 
According to foreign sources, the losses in killed, wounded and sick in Japan and Russia are comparable, and there were several times more Russian prisoners than Japanese prisoners.
Results of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
For Russia . She ceded the Liaodong Peninsula to Japan along with a branch of the South Manchurian Railway and the southern half of the island. Sakhalin. Russian troops were withdrawn from Manchuria, and Korea was recognized as Japan's sphere of influence.
Russia's positions in China and throughout the Far East were undermined. The country lost its position as one of the largest maritime powers, abandoned the “oceanic” strategy and returned to the “continental” strategy. Russia has reduced international trade and tightened domestic policies.
The main reason for Russia's defeat in this war is the weakness of the fleet and poor logistics support.
Defeat in the war led to military reforms and a noticeable improvement in combat training. The troops, especially the command staff, gained combat experience, which later showed itself in the First World War.
Losing the war became the catalyst for the first Russian revolution. Despite its suppression by 1907, the Russian empire did not recover from this blow and ceased to exist.
For Japan . Psychologically and politically, Japan's victory demonstrated to Asia that it was possible to defeat the Europeans. Japan has become a great power at the European level of development. It became dominant in Korea and coastal China, began active naval construction, and by the end of the First World War had become the third naval power in the world.
Geopolitical. All of Russia's positions in the Pacific region were practically lost; it abandoned the eastern (southeastern) direction of expansion and turned its attention to Europe, the Middle East and the Straits zone.
Relations with England improved and an agreement was signed on the delimitation of spheres of influence in Afghanistan. The Anglo-Franco-Russian alliance “Entente” finally took shape. The balance of power in Europe temporarily shifted in favor of the Central Powers.
Anatoly Sokolov
