Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 - one of the main events of the reign of Nicholas II. This war, unfortunately, ended in the defeat of Russia. This article briefly outlines the causes, main events of the Russo-Japanese War and its results.
In 1904-1905 Russia fought an unnecessary war with Japan, which ended in defeat due to command errors and underestimation of the enemy. The main battle was the defense of Port Arthur. The war ended with the Peace of Portsmouth, according to which Russia lost the southern half of the island. Sakhalin. The war has intensified revolutionary situation in the country.
Causes of the war
Nicholas II understood that Russia's further advance in Europe or Central Asia impossible. Crimean War limited further expansion in Europe, and after the conquest of the Central Asian khanates (Khiva, Bukhara, Kokand), Russia reached the borders of Persia and Afghanistan, which were in the sphere of influence British Empire. Therefore, the tsar decided to focus on the Far Eastern direction of foreign policy. Russia's relations with China were developing successfully: with the permission of China, the CER (Chinese-Eastern Railway) was built, connecting the lands from Transbaikalia to Vladivostok.
In 1898, Russia and China entered into an agreement under which the Port Arthur fortress and the Liaodong Peninsula were transferred to Russia for 25 years on a free lease basis. In the Far East, Russia met a new enemy - Japan. This country had undergone rapid modernization (the Meiji reforms) and was now setting itself up for an aggressive foreign policy.
The main reasons for the Russo-Japanese War are:
- The struggle between Russia and Japan for dominance in the Far East.
- The Japanese were outraged by the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway, as well as the strengthening economic influence Russia to Manchuria.
- Both powers sought to bring China and Korea into their sphere of influence.
- Japanese foreign policy had a pronounced imperialist tone; the Japanese dreamed of establishing their dominance in everything Pacific region(the so-called “Great Japan”).
- Russia was preparing for war not only because of foreign policy goals. There were internal problems, from which the government wanted to distract the people by staging a “small victorious war.” This name was invented by the Minister of Internal Affairs Plehve. It means that by defeating a weak enemy, people’s trust in the king will increase and contradictions in society will weaken.
Unfortunately, these expectations were not at all justified. Russia was not ready for war. Only Count S.Yu. Witte was an opponent the coming war, proposing peaceful economic development of the Far Eastern part of the Russian Empire.
Chronology of the war. Course of events and their description
The war began with an unexpected Japanese attack on the Russian fleet on the night of January 26-27, 1904. On the same day, an unequal and heroic battle between the cruiser "Varyag", which was commanded by V.F. Rudnev, and the gunboat “Koreets” against the Japanese. The ships were blown up so as not to fall to the enemy. However, the Japanese managed to gain naval superiority, which allowed them to further transfer troops to the continent.
From the very beginning of the war, the main problem for Russia was revealed - the inability to quickly transfer new forces to the front. The population of the Russian Empire was 3.5 times more Japan, but it was concentrated in the European part of the country. Trans-Siberian Railway, built shortly before the war, could not ensure the timely dispatch of fresh forces to Far East. It was much easier for the Japanese to replenish the army, so they had superiority in numbers.
Already in February-April 1904. The Japanese landed on the continent and began to push back Russian troops.
31.03.1904 a terrible thing happened, fatal for Russia and further progress war tragedy - Admiral Makarov, a talented, outstanding naval commander who commanded the Pacific squadron, died. On the flagship Petropavlovsk he was blown up by a mine. V.V. died together with Makarov and Petropavlovsk. Vereshchagin is the most famous Russian battle painter, author of the famous painting “The Apotheosis of War.”
IN May 1904. General A.N. Kuropatkin takes command of the army. This general has done a lot fatal errors, and all of him fighting characterized by indecision and constant fluctuations. The outcome of the war would have been completely different if this mediocre commander had not been at the head of the army. Kuropatkin’s mistakes led to the fact that the most important fortress in the region, Port Arthur, was cut off from the rest of the army.
IN May 1904. The central episode of the Russian-Japanese War begins - the siege of Port Arthur. Russian troops heroically defended this fortress from the superior forces of Japanese troops for 157 days.
Initially he led the defense talented general R.I. Kondratenko. He took competent actions, and inspired the soldiers with his personal courage and valor. Unfortunately, he died early December 1904., and his place was taken by General A.M. Stoessel, who shamefully surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese. Stessel was noted for similar “feats” more than once during the war: before the surrender of Port Arthur, which could still fight the enemy, he surrendered the port of Dalny without offering any resistance. From Dalny, the Japanese supplied the rest of the army. Surprisingly, Stoessel was not even convicted.
IN August 1904. A battle took place near Liaoyang, in which Russian troops led by Kuropatkin were defeated and then retreated to Mukden. In October of the same year, an unsuccessful battle took place on the river. Shahe.
IN February 1905. Russian troops were defeated near Mukden. It was a large, difficult and very bloody battle: both troops suffered huge losses, our troops managed to retreat to in perfect order, and the Japanese had finally exhausted their offensive potential.
IN May 1905 took place last Stand Russian-Japanese War: Battle of Tsushima. The Second Pacific Squadron, led by Admiral Rozhestvensky, was defeated at Tsushima. The squadron did long haul: she came out Baltic Sea, circumnavigated all of Europe and Africa.
Each defeat had a painful impact on the state of Russian society. If at the beginning of the war there was a general patriotic upsurge, then with each new defeat confidence in the tsar fell. Moreover, 09.01.1905 The First Russian Revolution had begun, and Nicholas II needed immediate peace and an end to hostilities in order to suppress protests within Russia.
08/23/1905. A peace treaty was concluded in the city of Portsmouth (USA).
Portsmouth World
After the Tsushima disaster, it became obvious that peace had to be made. Count S.Yu. became the Russian ambassador. Witte. Nicholas II persistently demanded that Witte adamantly defend Russia's interests during the negotiations. The Tsar wanted Russia to make no territorial or material concessions under the peace treaty. But Count Witte realized that he would still have to give in. Moreover, shortly before the end of the war, the Japanese occupied the island of Sakhalin.
The Treaty of Portsmouth was signed on the following terms:
- Russia recognized Korea in the Japanese sphere of influence.
- The fortress of Port Arthur and the Liaodong Peninsula were ceded to the Japanese.
- Japan occupied South Sakhalin. The Kuril Islands remained with Japan.
- The Japanese were granted the right to fisheries along the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk, Japan and Bering Sea.
It is worth saying that Witte managed to conclude a peace agreement for quite a long time mild conditions. The Japanese did not receive a penny of indemnity, and the cession of half of Sakhalin was of little significance for Russia: at that time this island was not actively being developed. A remarkable fact: for this territorial concession S.Yu. Witte received the nickname “Count of Polus-Sakhalinsky”.
Reasons for Russia's defeat
The main reasons for the defeat were:
- Underestimating the enemy. The government was committed to a “small victorious war” that would end in a quick and triumphant victory. However, this did not happen.
- Support for Japan by the USA and England. These countries supported Japan financially and also supplied it with weapons.
- Russia was not ready for war: there were not enough troops concentrated in the Far East, and the transfer of soldiers from the European part of the country was long and difficult.
- The Japanese side had a certain superiority in military-technical equipment.
- Command errors. It is enough to recall the indecision and hesitation of Kuropatkin, as well as Stessel, who betrayed Russia by surrendering Port Arthur to the Japanese, which could still defend itself.
These points determined the loss of the war.
Results of the war and its significance
The Russo-Japanese War had the following results:
- Russia's defeat in the war, first of all, “added fuel” to the fire of the revolution. The people saw in this defeat the inability of the autocracy to govern the country. It was not possible to arrange for the “little one” victorious war" Confidence in Nicholas II dropped significantly.
- Russia's influence in the Far Eastern region has weakened. This led to the fact that Nicholas II decided to shift the vector of Russian foreign policy towards the European direction. After this defeat royal Russia no longer accepted any operations to strengthen its political influence in the Far East. In Europe, Russia participated in the First World War.
- The unsuccessful Russo-Japanese War led to instability within Russia itself. The influence of the most radical and revolutionary parties, which gave critical characteristics, increased autocratic power, accusing her of inability to lead the country.
| Event | Participants | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese attack on the Russian fleet on January 26-27, 1904. Battle at Chemulpo | V.F.Rudnev. | The Japanese achieved naval superiority, despite the heroic resistance of the Russian fleet. |
| The death of the Russian fleet 03/31/1904 | S.O. Makarov. | The death of a talented Russian naval commander and a strong squadron. |
| May-December 1904 – defense of Port Arthur. | R.I. Kondratenko, A.M. Stessel. | Port Arthur was taken after a long and bloody struggle |
| August 1904 – Battle of Liaoyang. | A.N.Kuropatkin. | Defeat of Russian troops. |
| October 1904 – battle near the river. Shahe. | A.N.Kuropatkin. | The defeat of the Russian troops and their retreat to Mukden. |
| February 1905 – Battle of Mukden. | A.N.Kuropatkin. | Despite the defeat of our soldiers, the Japanese had exhausted their offensive potential. |
| May 1905 – Battle of Tsushima. | Z.P.Rozhestvensky. | The last battle of the war: after this defeat the Treaty of Portsmouth was concluded. |
IN late XIX century - the beginning of the 20th century, relations between Japan and Russia, aggravated due to the ownership of China and Korea, led to a major military conflict between the countries. After a long break, this became the first to use newest weapons.
Causes
Ended in 1856, it limited Russia's ability to move and expand south, so Nicholas I. turned his attention to the Far East, which negatively affected relations with the Japanese power, which itself laid claim to Korea and Northern China.
The tense situation no longer had a peaceful solution. Despite the fact that in 1903, Japan made an attempt to avoid a conflict by proposing an agreement under which it would have all rights to Korea. Russia agreed, but set conditions under which it demanded sole influence on the Kwantung Peninsula, as well as the right to protect railway in Manchuria. The Japanese government was not happy with this, and it continued active preparations for war.
The Meiji Restoration, which ended in Japan in 1868, led to new government, began to pursue a policy of expansion and decided to improve the country’s capabilities. Thanks to the reforms carried out, by 1890 the economy was modernized: modern industries, electrical equipment and machine tools are produced, coal is exported. The changes affected not only industry, but also the military sector, which was significantly strengthened thanks to Western exercises.
Japan decides to increase influence on neighboring countries. Based on the geographical proximity of Korean territory, she decides to take control of the country and prevent European influence. Having put pressure on Korea in 1876, an agreement on trade relations with Japan was signed, providing free access to ports.
These actions led to the conflict, the Sino-Japanese War (1894−95), which ended in Japanese victory and eventual impact on Korea.
According to the Treaty of Shimonoseki, signed as a result of the war, China:
- transferred to Japan territories that included the Liaodong Peninsula and Manchuria;
- renounced rights to Korea.
For European countries: Germany, France and Russia this was unacceptable. As a result of the Triple Intervention, Japan, unable to resist the pressure, was obliged to abandon the Liaodong Peninsula.
Russia immediately took advantage of the return of Liaodong and in March 1898 signed a convention with China and received:
- lease rights for 25 years to the Liaodong Peninsula;
- fortresses of Port Arthur and Dalniy;
- obtaining permission to build a railway passing through Chinese territory.
This negatively affected relations with Japan, which laid claim to these territories.
26.03 (08.04) 1902 Nicholas I. I. signs an agreement with China, according to which Russia needs to withdraw Russian troops from the territory of Manchuria within one year and six months. Nicholas I. did not keep his promises, but demanded from China restrictions on trade with foreign countries. In response, England, the USA and Japan protested over the violation of the deadlines and advised not to accept the Russian conditions.
In mid-summer 1903, traffic on the Trans-Siberian Railway began. The route passed along the Chinese Eastern Railway, through Manchuria. Nicholas I. begins to redeploy his troops to the Far East, arguing this by testing the capacity of the built railway connection.
At the end of the agreement between China and Russia, Nicholas I. did not withdraw Russian troops from the territory of Manchuria.
In the winter of 1904 at a meeting privy council and the Cabinet of Ministers of Japan, a decision is made to begin military operations against Russia, and soon an order is given to land Japanese armed forces in Korea and attack Russian ships in Port Arthur.
The moment of declaring war was chosen with maximum calculation, since by that time it had assembled a strong and modernly equipped army, weapons and navy. While the Russians armed forces were very scattered.
Main events
Battle of Chemulpo
Significant for the chronicle of the war was the battle in 1904 at Chemulpo cruiser“Varyag” and “Korean”, under the command of V. Rudnev. In the morning, leaving the port to the accompaniment of music, they tried to leave the bay, but less than ten minutes had passed before the alarm sounded and the battle flag rose above the deck. Together they resisted the Japanese squadron that attacked them, entering into an unequal battle. The Varyag was severely damaged and was forced to turn back to port. Rudnev decided to destroy the ship; a few hours later the sailors were evacuated and the ship was sunk. The ship "Korean" was blown up, and the crew was previously evacuated.
Siege of Port Arthur
To block Russian ships inside the harbor, Japan tries to sink several old ships at the entrance. These actions were thwarted by "Retvizvan" who was patrolling body of water near the fort.
In the early spring of 1904, Admiral Makarov and shipbuilder N.E. Kuteynikov arrived. They come at the same time a large number of spare parts and equipment for ship repairs.
At the end of March, the Japanese flotilla again tried to block the entrance to the fortress by blowing up four transport ships filled with stones, but sank them too far away.
On March 31, the Russian battleship Petropavlovsk sank after hitting three mines. The ship disappeared in three minutes, killing 635 people, among them were Admiral Makarov and the artist Vereshchagin.
3rd attempt to block the harbor entrance, was successful, Japan, having sank eight transport ships, locked the Russian squadrons for several days and immediately landed in Manchuria.
The cruisers “Russia”, “Gromoboy”, “Rurik” were the only ones that retained freedom of movement. They sank several ships with military personnel and weapons, including the Hi-tatsi Maru, which was transporting weapons for the siege of Port Arthur, due to which the capture lasted for several months.
18.04 (01.05) 1st Japanese army consisting of 45 thousand people. approached the river Yalu and entered into battle with an 18,000-strong Russian detachment led by M.I. Zasulich. The battle ended in defeat for the Russians and marked the beginning of the Japanese invasion of Manchurian territories.
22.04 (05.05) lands 100 km from the fortress Japanese army consisting of 38.5 thousand people.
27.04 (10.05) Japanese troops broke the railway connection between Manchuria and Port Arthur.
On May 2 (15), 2 Japanese ships were scuttled, thanks to the Amur minelayer, they fell into placed mines. In just five days in May (12-17.05), Japan lost 7 ships, and two went to the Japanese port for repairs.
Having successfully landed, the Japanese began to move towards Port Arthur to block it. Meet Japanese troops Russian command decided on fortified areas near Jinzhou.
On May 13 (26) a major battle took place. Russian squad(3.8 thousand people) and with 77 guns and 10 machine guns, they repulsed the enemy attack for more than 10 hours. And only the approaching Japanese gunboats, suppressing the left flag, broke through the defense. The Japanese lost 4,300 people, the Russians 1,500 people.
Thanks to the victory in the battle of Jinzhou, the Japanese overcame a natural barrier on the way to the fortress.
At the end of May, Japan captured the port of Dalniy without a fight, practically intact, which significantly helped them in the future.
On June 1-2 (14-15), in the battle of Wafangou, the 2nd Japanese Army defeated Russian troops under the command of General Stackelberg, who was sent to lift the Port Arthur blockade.
July 13 (26) The Japanese 3rd Army broke through the defenses Russian troops“at the passes” formed after the defeat at Jinzhou.
On July 30, the distant approaches to the fortress are occupied, and the defense begins. This is a bright historical moment. The defense lasted until January 2, 1905. In the fortress and adjacent areas, the Russian army did not have a single authority. General Stessel commanded the troops, General Smironov commanded the fortress, Admiral Vitgeft commanded the fleet. It was difficult for them to come to a common opinion. But among management team there was a talented commander - General Kondratenko. Thanks to his oratorical and managerial qualities, his superiors found a compromise.
Kondratenko earned the fame of the hero of the Port Arthur events; he died at the end of the siege of the fortress.
The number of troops located in the fortress is about 53 thousand people, as well as 646 guns and 62 machine guns. The siege lasted for 5 months. The Japanese army lost 92 thousand people, Russia - 28 thousand people.
Liaoyang and Shahe
During the summer of 1904, a Japanese army of 120 thousand people approached Liaoyang from the east and south. The Russian army at this time was replenished by soldiers arriving along the Trans-Siberian Railway and slowly retreated.
In August 11 (24) a general battle took place at Liaoyang. The Japanese, moving in a semicircle from the south and east, attacked Russian positions. In prolonged battles, the Japanese army led by Marshal I. Oyama suffered 23,000 losses, Russian troops led by Commander Kuropatkin also suffered losses - 16 (or 19, according to some sources) thousand killed and wounded.
The Russians successfully repelled attacks in the south of Laoyang for 3 days, but Kuropatkin, assuming that the Japanese could block the railway north of Liaoyang, ordered his troops to retreat to Mukden. The Russian army retreated without leaving a single gun.
In the fall, an armed clash occurs on the Shahe River. It began with an attack by Russian troops, and a week later the Japanese launched a counterattack. Russia's losses amounted to about 40 thousand people, the Japanese side - 30 thousand people. The completed operation on the river. Shahe set a time of calm at the front.
May 14−15 (27−28) Japanese fleet in the Battle of Tsushima, he defeated the Russian squadron, which was redeployed from the Baltic, commanded by Vice Admiral Z. P. Rozhestvensky.
The last major battle takes place on July 7 - Japanese invasion of Sakhalin. The 14 thousand strong Japanese army was resisted by 6 thousand Russians - these were mostly convicts and exiles who joined the army to acquire benefits and therefore did not have strong combat skills. By the end of July, Russian resistance was suppressed, more than 3 thousand people were captured.
Consequences
Negative influence The war also affected the internal situation in Russia:
- the economy is disrupted;
- stagnation in industrial areas;
- price increase.
Industry leaders pushed for a peace treaty. A similar opinion was shared by Great Britain and the United States, which initially supported Japan.
Military actions had to be stopped and forces directed toward extinguishing revolutionary trends, which were dangerous not only for Russia, but also for the world community.
On August 22 (9), 1905, negotiations began in Portsmouth with the mediation of the United States. The representative from the Russian Empire was S. Yu. Witte. At a meeting with Nicholas I. I. he received clear instructions: not to agree to the indemnity, which Russia never paid, and not to give up the land. Due to Japan's territorial and monetary demands, such instructions were not easy for Witte, who was already pessimistic and considered losses inevitable.
As a result of the negotiations, on September 5 (August 23), 1905, a peace treaty was signed. According to the document:
- The Japanese side received the Liaodong Peninsula, a section of the Chinese Eastern Railway (from Port Arthur to Changchun), as well as Southern Sakhalin.
- Russia recognized Korea as a zone of Japanese influence and concluded a fishing convention.
- Both sides of the conflict had to withdraw their troops from the territory of Manchuria.
The peace treaty did not fully address Japan's claims and was much closer to Russian conditions, as a result of which it was not accepted by the Japanese people - waves of discontent swept across the country.
The countries of Europe were satisfied with the agreement, as they hoped to take Russia as an ally against Germany. The United States believed that their goals had been achieved; they had significantly weakened the Russian and Japanese powers.
Results
War between Russia and Japan 1904−1905. had economic and political reasons. She showed internal problems Russian administration And diplomatic mistakes, admitted by Russia. Russia's losses amounted to 270 thousand people, of which 50,000 were killed. Japan's losses were similar, but there were more killed - 80,000 people.
For Japan, the war turned out to be much more intense than for Russia. It had to mobilize 1.8% of its population, while Russia had to mobilize only 0.5%. Military actions quadrupled the external debt of Japan, Russia - by 1/3. The ended war influenced the development of military art in general, showing the importance of weapons equipment.
How more people is able to respond to the historical and universal, the broader his nature, the richer his life and the more capable such a person is of progress and development.
F. M. Dostoevsky
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, which we will talk briefly about today, is one of the most important pages in the history of the Russian Empire. Russia was defeated in the war, demonstrating a military lag behind the world's leading countries. Another important event of the war was that as a result the Entente was finally formed, and the world began to slowly but steadily slide towards the First World War.
Prerequisites for the war
In 1894-1895, Japan defeated China, as a result of which Japan had to cross the Liaodong (Kwantung) Peninsula along with Port Arthur and Farmosa Island ( current name Taiwan). Germany, France and Russia intervened in the negotiations and insisted that the Liaodong Peninsula remain in the use of China.
In 1896, the government of Nicholas 2 signed a friendship treaty with China. As a result, China allows Russia to build a railway to Vladivostok through Northern Manchuria (China Eastern Railway).
In 1898, Russia, as part of a friendship agreement with China, leased the Liaodong Peninsula from the latter for 25 years. This move drew sharp criticism from Japan, which also laid claim to these lands. But this did not lead to serious consequences at that time. In 1902 tsarist army enters Manchuria. Formally, Japan was ready to recognize this territory as Russia if the latter recognized Japanese dominance in Korea. But the Russian government made a mistake. They did not take Japan seriously, and did not even think about entering into negotiations with it.
Causes and nature of the war
The reasons for the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 are as follows:
- Lease by Russia of the Liaodong Peninsula and Port Arthur.
- Economic expansion of Russia in Manchuria.
- Distribution of spheres of influence in China and the cortex.
The nature of hostilities can be determined in the following way
- Russia planned to defend itself and raise reserves. The transfer of troops was planned to be completed in August 1904, after which it was planned to go on the offensive, right up to the landing of troops in Japan.
- Japan planned to lead offensive war. The first strike was planned at sea with the destruction of the Russian fleet, so that nothing would interfere with the transfer of troops. The plans included the capture of Manchuria, Ussuri and Primorsky Territories.
Balance of forces at the beginning of the war
Japan could field about 175 thousand people in the war (another 100 thousand in reserve) and 1140 field guns. The Russian army consisted of 1 million people and 3.5 million in reserve (reserve). But in the Far East, Russia had 100 thousand people and 148 field guns. Also at the disposal of the Russian army were border guards, of whom there were 24 thousand people with 26 guns. The problem was that these forces, inferior in number to the Japanese, were widely scattered geographically: from Chita to Vladivostok and from Blagoveshchensk to Port Arthur. During 1904-1905, Russia carried out 9 mobilizations, calling for military service about 1 million people.
The Russian fleet consisted of 69 warships. 55 of these ships were in Port Arthur, which was very poorly fortified. To demonstrate that Port Arthur was not completed and was ready for war, it is enough to cite the following figures. The fortress was supposed to have 542 guns, but in fact there were only 375, and of these, only 108 guns were usable. That is, the gun supply of Port Arthur at the start of the war was 20%!
It is obvious that the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 – 1905 began with clear superiority Japan on land and sea.
Progress of hostilities
Map of military operations
rice. 1 - Map of the Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905
Events of 1904
In January 1904, Japan is torn apart diplomatic relations with Russia and on January 27, 1904 attacks warships near Port Arthur. This was the beginning of the war.
Russia began to transfer its army to the Far East, but this happened very slowly. A distance of 8 thousand kilometers and an unfinished section of the Siberian Railway - all this interfered with the transfer of the army. Bandwidth There were 3 trains of roads per day, which is extremely small.
On January 27, 1904, Japan attacked Russian ships, located in Port Arthur. At the same time, an attack was launched on the cruiser “Varyag” and the escort boat “Koreets” in the Korean port of Chemulpo. After an unequal battle, the “Korean” was blown up, and the “Varyag” was scuttled by the Russian sailors themselves so that it would not fall to the enemy. After that strategic initiative at sea passed to Japan. The situation at sea worsened after the battleship Petropavlovsk, with the fleet commander S. Makarov on board, was blown up by a Japanese mine on March 31. In addition to the commander, his entire staff, 29 officers and 652 sailors were killed.
In February 1904, Japan landed a 60,000-strong army in Korea, which moved to the Yalu River (the river separated Korea and Manchuria). There were no significant battles at this time, and in mid-April the Japanese army crossed the border of Manchuria.
Fall of Port Arthur
In May, the second Japanese army (50 thousand people) landed on the Liaodong Peninsula and headed towards Port Arthur, creating a springboard for the offensive. By this time, the Russian army had partially completed the transfer of troops and its strength was 160 thousand people. One of major events war - the Battle of Liaoyang in August 1904. This battle still raises many questions among historians. The fact is that in this battle (and it was practically a general battle) the Japanese army was defeated. Moreover, so much so that the command of the Japanese army declared the impossibility of continuing combat operations. The Russo-Japanese War could have ended here if the Russian army had gone on the offensive. But the commander, Koropatkin, gives an absolutely absurd order - to retreat. During further developments war in the Russian army there will be several opportunities to inflict on the enemy decisive defeat, but each time Kuropatkin either gave absurd orders or hesitated to act, giving the enemy the necessary time.
After the Battle of Liaoyang, the Russian army retreated to the Shahe River, where a new battle took place in September, which did not reveal a winner. After this there was a lull, and the war moved into a positional phase. In December, General R.I. died. Kondratenko, who commanded the ground defense of the Port Arthur fortress. The new commander of the troops A.M. Stessel, despite the categorical refusal of the soldiers and sailors, decided to surrender the fortress. On December 20, 1904, Stoessel surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese. At this point, the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 entered a passive phase, continuing active operations in 1905.
Subsequently, under public pressure, General Stoessel was put on trial and he was sentenced to death penalty. The sentence was not carried out. Nicholas 2 pardoned the general.
Historical reference
Port Arthur defense map
rice. 2 - Port Arthur defense map
Events of 1905
The Russian command demanded from Kuropatkin active actions. The decision was made to launch the offensive in February. But the Japanese forestalled him by launching an attack on Mukden (Shenyang) on February 5, 1905. From February 6 to 25, the largest battle of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 continued. On the Russian side, 280 thousand people took part in it, on the Japanese side - 270 thousand people. There are many interpretations of the Battle of Mukden in terms of who won it. In fact it was a draw. The Russian army lost 90 thousand soldiers, the Japanese - 70 thousand. Smaller losses on the part of Japan are common argument in favor of its victory, but this battle did not give any advantage or gain to the Japanese army. Moreover, the losses were so severe that Japan made no further attempts to organize large land battles until the end of the war.
Where fact is more important that Japan's population is much less population Russia, and after Mukden, the island country exhausted its human resources. Russia could and should have gone on the offensive in order to win, but 2 factors played against this:
- Kuropatkin factor
- Factor of the 1905 revolution
Tsushima happened on May 14-15, 1905 naval battle, in which the Russian squadrons were defeated. The losses of the Russian army amounted to 19 ships and 10 thousand killed and captured.
Kuropatkin factor
Kuropatkin, commanding ground forces, during the entire Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905, he did not use a single chance for a favorable offensive to inflict great damage on the enemy. There were several such chances, and we talked about them above. Why did the Russian general and commander refuse active action and not strive to end the war? After all, had he given the order to attack after Liaoyang, and with a high degree of probability the Japanese army would have ceased to exist.
Of course, it is impossible to answer this question directly, but a number of historians put forward the following opinion (I cite it because it is well-reasoned and extremely similar to the truth). Kuropatkin was closely associated with Witte, who, let me remind you, by the time of the war had been removed from the post of prime minister by Nicholas 2. Kuropatkin's plan was to create conditions under which the Tsar would return Witte. The latter was considered an excellent negotiator, so it was necessary to bring the war with Japan to a stage where the parties would sit down at the negotiating table. To achieve this, the war could not be ended with the help of the army (the defeat of Japan was a direct surrender without any negotiations). Therefore, the commander did everything to reduce the war to a draw. He successfully completed this task, and indeed Nicholas 2 called on Witte towards the end of the war.
Revolution factor
There are many sources pointing to Japanese financing of the 1905 revolution. Real facts transferring money, of course. No. But there are 2 facts that I find extremely interesting:
- The peak of the revolution and movement occurred at the Battle of Tsushima. Nicholas 2 needed an army to fight the revolution and he decided to start peace negotiations with Japan.
- Immediately after the signing of the Portsmouth Peace, the revolution in Russia began to decline.
Reasons for Russia's defeat
Why was Russia defeated in the war with Japan? The reasons for Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War are as follows:
- The weakness of the grouping of Russian troops in the Far East.
- The unfinished Trans-Siberian Railway, which did not allow the full transfer of troops.
- Errors army command. I already wrote above about the Kuropatkin factor.
- Japan's superiority in military-technical equipment.
The last point is extremely important. He is often forgotten, but undeservedly. In respect of technical equipment, especially in the navy, Japan was far ahead of Russia. 
Portsmouth World
To conclude peace between the countries, Japan demanded that Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States, act as a mediator. Negotiations began and the Russian delegation was headed by Witte. Nicholas 2 returned him to his post and entrusted him with negotiations, knowing the talents of this man. And Witte really took a very tough position, not allowing Japan to gain significant gains from the war.
The terms of the Portsmouth Peace were as follows:
- Russia recognized Japan's right to rule in Korea.
- Russia ceded part of the territory of Sakhalin Island (the Japanese wanted to get the entire island, but Witte was against it).
- Russia transferred the Kwantung Peninsula to Japan along with Port Arthur.
- No one paid indemnities to anyone, but Russia had to pay compensation to the enemy for the maintenance of Russian prisoners of war.
Consequences of the war
During the war, Russia and Japan each lost approximately 300 thousand people, but in view of the population, these were almost catastrophic losses for Japan. The losses were due to the fact that it was the first major war, during which automatic weapons were used. At sea there was a big bias towards the use of mines.
An important fact that many people ignore is that it was after the Russo-Japanese War that the Entente (Russia, France and England) and Triple Alliance(Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary). The fact of the formation of the Entente is noteworthy. Before the war in Europe there was an alliance between Russia and France. The latter did not want its expansion. But the events of Russia's war against Japan showed that the Russian army had many problems (this really was the case), so France signed agreements with England.
Positions of world powers during the war
During the Russo-Japanese War, world powers occupied following positions:
- England and USA. Traditionally, the interests of these countries were extremely similar. They supported Japan, but mostly financially. Approximately 40% of Japan's war costs were covered by Anglo-Saxon money.
- France declared neutrality. Although in fact it had an allied agreement with Russia, it did not fulfill its allied obligations.
- From the first days of the war, Germany declared its neutrality.
The Russo-Japanese War was practically not dealt with royal historians, because they simply did not have enough time. After the end of the war Russian empire existed for almost 12 years, which included a revolution, economic problems And world war. Therefore, the main study took place already in Soviet time. But it is important to understand that for Soviet historians it was a war against the backdrop of revolution. That is, “the tsarist regime sought aggression, and the people did their best to prevent this.” That is why it is written in Soviet textbooks that, for example, the Liaoyang operation ended in the defeat of Russia. Although formally it was a draw.
The end of the war is also seen as complete destruction Russian army on land and in the navy. If at sea the situation was really close to defeat, then on land Japan stood on the brink of an abyss, since they no longer had the human resources to continue the war. I suggest looking at this question even a little more broadly. How did the wars of that era end after unconditional defeat (and this is exactly what they often talked about Soviet historians) one of the parties? Large indemnities, large territorial concessions, partial economic and political dependence of the loser on the winner. But in Portsmouth world there is nothing like it. Russia didn’t pay anything, it only lost southern part Sakhalin (minor territory) and abandoned the lands leased from China. The argument is often made that Japan won the struggle for dominance in Korea. But Russia never seriously fought for this territory. She was only interested in Manchuria. And if we return to the origins of the war, we will see that the Japanese government would never have started the war if Nicholas 2 had recognized Japan’s dominance in Korea, just as the Japanese government would have recognized Russia’s position in Manchuria. Therefore, at the end of the war, Russia did what it should have done back in 1903, without bringing the matter to war. But this is a question about the personality of Nicholas 2, who today is extremely fashionable to call a martyr and hero of Russia, but it was his actions that provoked the war.
Among many modern Russian historians, nurtured, in turn, by Soviet historians, there is an opinion that the Russo-Japanese War is the most shamefully lost of the wars that the Russians have ever fought, and it was lost because bad qualities Russian soldier and officer. This is wrong. Let us give several examples depicting the incomparable fighting qualities of Russian soldiers and sailors.
On April 23, 1904, a team of Russian border guards consisting of 50 people, led by Lieutenant Sirotko, armed only with rifles, put up long-term resistance to an enemy twenty times superior to it, and this in an unfortified position!
October 17, 1904 lieutenant of the 25th East Siberian rifle regiment Topsasha, together with a company of Russian sailors, knocked the Japanese out of the trenches with a bayonet attack, hiding the enemy had a colossal superiority in strength. This feat aroused amazement even among the seasoned Japanese general Nogi, who reported it to the Japanese emperor.
Along with Russian sailors and soldiers, Port Arthur and their wives selflessly defended. One of these heroines was the female rifleman of the 13th regiment Kharitina Korotkevich. She and her husband, also a rifleman of the 13th regiment, took active part in several battles and was killed in September 1904.
It is no coincidence that during the assault on Port Arthur Japanese soldiers sometimes entire regiments disobeyed, refusing to storm the fortress, and this despite the chauvinistic frenzy that gripped many Japanese soldiers at that time.
Quite a lot heavy losses The Japanese were also inflicted by Russian sailors, who sank many enemy military transports. Some of them were captured by Russian cruisers in a safe condition and with valuable military cargo. But especially many Japanese ships died in 1904 from Russian mines near Port Arthur.
So, on May 2, Russian sailors sank two of the largest Japanese armadillo"Hatsuse" and "Yashima" and blew up the third battleship "Fuji". Moreover, on the same day in the turmoil Japanese cruiser The Noshino collided with the Japanese warship Kassuga and sank.
On May 4, Russian sailors sank the Japanese destroyer Akatsuki, on May 5 - the Japanese gunboat Oshima, etc., etc.
The following facts especially clearly testify to the amazing courage and heroism of Russian sailors.
On January 27, 1904, Japanese Admiral Uriu invited the commanders of the Russian cruiser Varyag and the gunboat Koreets to surrender, but they refused, despite the overwhelming superiority of the enemy forces. Not wanting to endanger the crew foreign ships, stationed in the roadstead in the same port of Chemulpo, the commanders of the Russian ships gave the order to go out to the open sea.
And here, on the open sea, arousing the admiration of the crews of foreign ships in the roadstead, the fearless Russian sailors showed extraordinary strength of resistance in an attempt to break through the close formation of the enemy squadron under fire and escape to Port Arthur. During this battle, the sailors of the battleship "Varyag" tried in every possible way to cover the sailors of the gunboat "Koreets" from enemy fire.
Despite the terrible damage on the ship (several guns on the Varyag were knocked out, both wheelhouses were knocked down, one of the chimneys was demolished, and a fire broke out in several places), the Russian sailors continued to energetically, calmly and fearlessly fight against the entire Japanese squadron. With well-aimed attacks, they disabled the flagship of the Japanese squadron, Assama, and the cruiser, Chiodo. And only severe damage to the steering apparatus forced the commander of the Russian cruiser to stop the battle. Having waited for the gunboat Koreets to approach, the Varyag headed to the harbor in order to repair the damage and rush into battle again.
The Japanese squadron, consisting of one battleship, five armored cruisers and eight destroyers, did not dare to pursue the daredevils. Russian ships entered the harbor without hindrance amid stormy greetings from foreign crews who were delighted with the truly unsurpassed heroism of the Russian sailors. Convinced of the impossibility of repairing the ships, and not wanting them to fall to the enemy, the Russians blew up the gunboat Koreets and sank the cruiser Varyag.
In March 1904, the Russian destroyer Steregushchy, riddled with enemy shells and blazing in flames, alone fought against an entire Japanese squadron. Due to the explosion of the boiler, the destroyer Steregushchy lost the ability to move, but despite this, several surviving sailors heroically continued to fight a terrible unequal battle, maintaining fire with one remaining gun. Midshipman Kudrevich was sending the last shells from the remaining one bow gun.
But now it’s out of order. There was almost no one left from the team. Signalman Kruzhkov, seriously wounded and weakened from loss of blood, before his death, straining last strength, sank the signal books into the sea so that they would not fall into the hands of the enemy. Anticipating their victory, the Japanese rushed to the Guardian, trying to take possession of it and deliver it as a trophy to Tokyo. But at that moment, when the Japanese began to take the Guardian in tow, they noticed that two Russian sailors were going down the hatch. The Japanese rushed after them, but the hatch was firmly battened down and did not give in to any effort.
The Japanese had to hastily flee from the "Guardian" without having a good meal. Two Russian sailors, sacrificing their lives, sank their warship so as not to surrender it to the enemies. If the Japanese had not managed to cut the towing rope, their destroyer would also have gone down.
On March 30, 1904, the crew of the Russian destroyer “Strashny” courageously and steadfastly fought off six Japanese destroyers and two cruisers.
Here are excerpts from the description of this battle.
“Six enemy destroyers and two twin-tube cruisers are approaching the shore, which began to shower the “Terrible” with volleys.
Having opened fire from his weak artillery, the commander gave the most full speed forward... Everything was on the enemy’s side - numbers, strength, and a big move.
The enemy was catching up, showering us with shells.
The hit shell tore apart the commander, Captain 2nd Rank Yurasavsky, and killed all the servants at the bow artillery. The shells quickly destroyed the destroyer and filled the deck with wounded and dead.
But the machine continued to work. The destroyer has not yet lost its vitality- he was leaving. The hope of salvation still glimmered in everyone’s heart. The servants supported the gunfire.
Lieutenant Maleev, who took command of the destroyer, energetically gives orders, gives instructions, cheerfully encourages. He is everywhere: sometimes at the stern, sometimes at the bow. Life and the thirst for life are in full swing within him, the illusory hope of help and salvation makes him forget, not to feel that there is death all around, that the enemy’s fire is intensifying, that the sea is boiling, as if in a cauldron, from falling and exploding shells. Midshipman Akinfiev falls, hit in the side... Howling, crackling, whistling of shells. Moans, screams, pleas and curses of the wounded and dying.
Lieutenant Maleev, seizing an opportune moment, sends a mine from the stern apparatus to the cruiser, overtaking the destroyer. The goal has been achieved.
The cruiser tilted and immediately fell behind. Another cruiser and two destroyers approached him. The situation has changed significantly. Only four destroyers destroy the Scary. Inspired by hope and admonished by his commander, miner Cherepanov rushes to the second apparatus, but as soon as he grabbed the lowering handle, the mine was torn apart by a shell that had hit it. The results are terrible!
Mechanical engineer Dmitriev was torn in half, everyone standing nearby was scattered; the car stopped. The Japanese also stopped and shot at the destroyer at a distance of 35 fathoms... A new shell creates an underwater hole. The last 47 mm cannon was knocked out. The destroyer dies. Lieutenant Maleev, making sure that there was no salvation, that the minutes of the “Terrible” were numbered, raised the head of his comrade-in-arms, mechanic Dmitriev, said goodbye and, kissing him, with the words: “Farewell, dear comrade!”, cheerfully addressed the team:
We'd rather die, but not give up!
Running up to a five-barreled mitrailleuse, which he himself had removed from a Japanese fireship, he opened rapid fire on the enemy.
Maleev gave his life dearly!
Mitrailleuse fire smashed the bridge of one destroyer and tore apart the funnel of another. The enemy, embittered by such tenacity, finished off the heroes with volleys. ...Maleev's cap was knocked off, he was wounded in the temple... he fell.
“Terrible” with piles of corpses and writhing in agony, covered in blood, quickly sank. Suddenly the Japanese stopped firing and began to retreat. From the side of Liaoteshan, Bayan came to the rescue.
The sailors of the Russian fleet and the soldiers of the Russian army who died in this war deserve eternal glory!
Today, February 9 (January 27), marks 112 years since legendary battle the cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets" with the Japanese squadron. From that moment on, the Russo-Japanese War broke out, which lasted more than a year and a half - until September 5 (August 23), 1905. Our selection contains the most remarkable facts of this war.
The battle at Chemulpo and the feat of the cruiser "Varyag"
The armored cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets" under the overall command of Captain 1st Rank Vsevolod Rudnev in Chemulpo Bay - a Korean port in the Yellow Sea - were opposed by two Japanese armored ships, four armored cruisers and three destroyers. Despite the desperate resistance of the Russian sailors, the forces were incomparable. Only after damage to the steering mechanisms and several guns was the Varyag forced to return to Chemulpo, where it was scuttled, and gunboat"Korean" - blown up.
The surviving sailors moved to ships of neutral countries, and after some time most of the team was able to return to their homeland. The feat of the cruiser sailors was not forgotten even after many years. In 1954, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the battle at Chemulpo, the Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Navy N.G. Kuznetsov personally awarded 15 veterans with medals “For Courage”.
Crew member of the cruiser "Varyag" Ivan Shutov with sailors Northern Fleet, 50s
The difficult fate of "Varyag"
But the Japanese were later able to lift the cruiser “Varyag” from the bottom and even put it into service in their Navy under the name “Soya”. In 1916, it was bought from Japan by Russia, which by that time was already an Entente ally. The cruiser made the transition from Vladivostok to Romanov-on-Murman (Murmansk). In February 1917, the ship went to Great Britain for repairs, where it was confiscated by the British. In 1925, while being towed, the cruiser was caught in a storm and sank off the coast in the Irish Sea. In 2003 the first Russian expedition with immersion in the area of the wreckage - then some small parts of the Varyag were recovered. By the way, the grandson of Vsevolod Rudnev, who lives in France, took part in the dive.
Death of Makarov and Vereshchagin
Mannerheim is responsible for the relief of the 3rd Infantry Division, which was caught in the “sack.” His dragoons, under the cover of fog, put the Japanese to flight. For his skillful leadership and personal courage, the baron was awarded the rank of colonel.
Also, with a detachment of “local police”, he conducted secret reconnaissance in Mongolia: “My detachment is simply Honghuzi, that is, local robbers with high road... These bandits... know nothing but a Russian repeating rifle and cartridges... There is no order or unity in it... although they cannot be blamed for lack of courage. They managed to escape from the encirclement where the Japanese cavalry had driven us... The army headquarters was very satisfied with our work - we managed to map about 400 miles and provide information about Japanese positions throughout the entire territory of our activities,” Mannerheim wrote.
