Causes of the war
The famous cruiser "Varyag"
At the beginning of the 20th century, Russia was an influential power with a significant territory. Nicholas II wanted to turn the country into a world colonial power. Particularly attractive were the territories providing year-round maritime communication.
In 1897, Russia leased Port Arthur and the Liaodong Peninsula from China. These territories are used as a naval base and provide access to the Pacific Ocean. Starting the construction of the railway in Manchuria in 1898, Russia stationed troops on Chinese territory, under the pretext of ensuring the safety of its construction. In addition, Russia had views of the territory of Korea.
The territories of China and Korea were also desirable for Japan. In 1894-1895, Japan won the war with China and claimed a number of its territories, including the Liaodong Peninsula and Manchuria, Korea was also supposed to fall under its influence. As a result of the intervention of Russia and a number of European countries, these plans were not implemented.
In 1903, countries tried to peacefully resolve disputes and delimit their zones of influence. Japan offered Russia to take control of the territory of northeastern China, but completely abandon its claims to the territory of Korea. This did not suit Russia. The Russian government was sure that Japan would not dare to start a war. They underestimated the enemy.
In 1904, Japan launched a war against Russia by attacking ships in Port Arthur, officially announcing the start of the war on the same day.
Course of the war (chronology of major events)
We bring to your attention a brief table of the main events of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. with dates, progress and results.
| Event | the date | Course and outcome of the event |
| The attack of the Japanese fleet on the Russian squadron | January 1904 | Japan suddenly attacked without declaring war. Her target was the Russian squadron. Japan planned to put out of action the strongest ships of the Russian squadron, for the unhindered entry of troops into the territory of Korea. The cruiser "Varyag" and the ship "Koreets" entered into an unequal battle in the port of Chemulpo near Seoul. Unable to get out of the encirclement, the teams decided to flood the ships. The cruiser "Pallada" took an unequal battle in Port Arthur. |
| Siege of Port Arthur | February-December 1904 | The fortress was a strategically important object. General R.I. Kondratiev took over the organization of the defense of the fortress, it lasted so long thanks to him. In December, during the shelling, the general was killed. A few days later, General A.M. Stessel decided to surrender Port Arthur. Later, General Stessel was sentenced to death under public pressure, but he was pardoned by Nicholas II. |
| Battle of Mukden | February 1904 | In this battle, the Japanese army was commanded by General Oyama, the Russian army by General A. Kuropatkin. Losses were heavy on both sides. Japan won not quite confident, but a victory. Among the reasons that led to the defeat are the poor provision of the Russian army and weak staff work. During the battle, there was an opportunity to go on the offensive, but General Kuropatkin gave the order to retreat. Some historians believe that General Kuropatkin missed several opportunities to deliberately turn the tide of the war. He would be interested in the return of Witte, who held the post of prime minister and was removed from it by order of Nicholas II. For this, it was necessary to reduce the war to a draw, so that the parties sat down at the negotiating table. Witte was a good negotiator and Nicholas II brought him back by the end of the war. |
| Tsushima battle | May 1905 | This battle turned out to be devastating for Russia. The Russian fleet was destroyed, only the Aurora cruiser and two more ships survived, the rest were mostly flooded, some were boarded. |
The results and consequences of the war for Russia and Japan
Under the terms of the peace treaty, part of Sakhalin Island passed under the rule of Japan. Russia recognized Japan's right to dominate Korea. The rights to lease the territory of the Liaodong Peninsula and Port Arthur passed to Japan.
Japan counted on monetary compensation and a large territory; the country was dissatisfied with the peace treaty. For Russia, the negotiations ended in success and represented an agreement of equal parties. However, the Russo-Japanese War became one of the causes of popular discontent.
Attack of the Japanese destroyers of the Russian squadron.
On the night of February 8-9 (January 26-27), 1904, 10 Japanese destroyers suddenly attacked the Russian squadron on the outer roadstead of Port Arthur. The squadron battleships "Tsesarevich", "Retvizan" and the cruiser "Pallada" were heavily damaged by the explosions of Japanese torpedoes and, in order not to sink, ran aground. Japanese destroyers were damaged by artillery fire from the Russian squadron. IJN Akatsuki and IJN Shirakumo. Thus began the Russo-Japanese War.
On the same day, Japanese troops began landing in the area of the port of Chemulpo. When trying to leave the port and head to Port Arthur, the gunboat "Koreets" was attacked by Japanese destroyers, forcing her to return.
February 9 (January 27), 1904, there was a battle at Chemulpo. As a result of which, due to the impossibility of a breakthrough, the cruiser "Varyag" was flooded by their crews and the gunboat "Koreets" was blown up.
On the same day, February 9 (January 27), 1904, Admiral Jessen went out at the head of the Vladivostok detachment of cruisers to the sea to begin hostilities to disrupt the transport communications between Japan and Korea.
On February 11 (January 29), 1904, near Port Arthur, not far from the San Shan Tao Islands, the Russian cruiser Boyarin was blown up by a Japanese mine.
On February 24 (February 11), 1904, the Japanese fleet tried to close the exit from Port Arthur by sinking 5 ships loaded with stone. The attempt was unsuccessful.
On February 25 (February 12), 1904, two Russian destroyers "Fearless" and "Impressive" stumbled upon 4 Japanese cruisers when leaving for reconnaissance. The first managed to escape, and the second was driven into Golubaya Bay, where it was flooded by order of Captain M. Podushkin.
March 2 (February 18), 1904, by order of the Naval General Staff, the Mediterranean squadron of Admiral A. Virenius (battleship Oslyabya, cruisers Aurora and Dmitry Donskoy and 7 destroyers), heading to Port Arthur, was recalled to the Baltic Sea .
On March 6 (February 22), 1904, the Japanese squadron shelled Vladivostok. The damage was insignificant. The fortress was transferred to a state of siege.
On March 8 (February 24), 1904, the new commander of the Russian Pacific squadron, Vice Admiral S. Makarov, arrived in Port Arthur, who replaced Admiral O. Stark in this post.
March 10 (February 26), 1904 in the Yellow Sea, when returning from reconnaissance to Port Arthur, was sunk by four Japanese destroyers ( IJN Usugumo , IJN Shinonome , IJN Akebono , IJN Sazanami) Russian destroyer "Guarding", and "Resolute" managed to return to the port.
Russian fleet in Port Arthur.
On March 27 (March 14), 1904, the second attempt by the Japanese to block the entrance to the harbor of Port Arthur was thwarted by flooding fireships.
April 4 (March 22), 1904 Japanese battleships IJN Fuji and IJN Yashima bombarded Port Arthur with fire from Pigeon Bay. In total, they fired 200 shots and main battery guns. But the effect was minimal.
On April 12 (March 30), 1904, the Russian destroyer Terrible was sunk by Japanese destroyers.
On April 13 (March 31), 1904, the battleship Petropavlovsk blew up on a mine and sank with almost the entire crew while going to sea. Among the dead was Admiral S. O. Makarov. Also on this day, the battleship Pobeda was damaged by a mine explosion and out of action for several weeks.
April 15 (April 2), 1904 Japanese cruisers IJN Kasuga and IJN Nisshin fired at the inner roadstead of Port Arthur with throwing fire.
On April 25 (April 12), 1904, the Vladivostok detachment of cruisers sank a Japanese steamer off the coast of Korea. IJN Goyo-Maru, coaster IJN Haginura Maru and Japanese military transport IJN Kinsu-Maru, after which he went to Vladivostok.
May 2 (April 19), 1904 by the Japanese, supported by gunboats IJN Akagi and IJN Chōkai, destroyers of the 9th, 14th and 16th destroyer flotillas, a third and final attempt was made to block the entrance to Port Arthur harbor, this time using 10 transports ( IJN Mikasha-Maru, IJN Sakura-Maru, IJN Totomi-Maru, IJN Otaru-Maru, IJN Sagami-Maru, IJN Aikoku-Maru, IJN Omi-Maru, IJN Asagao-Maru, IJN Iedo Maru, IJN Kokura-Maru, IJN Fuzan Maru) As a result, they managed to partially block the passage and temporarily make it impossible for large Russian ships to exit. This contributed to the unhindered landing of the 2nd Japanese Army in Manchuria.
On May 5 (April 22), 1904, the 2nd Japanese Army under the command of General Yasukata Oku, numbering about 38.5 thousand people, began landing on the Liaodong Peninsula, about 100 kilometers from Port Arthur.
On May 12 (April 29), 1904, four Japanese destroyers of the 2nd flotilla of Admiral I. Miyako began to sweep Russian mines in Kerr Bay. When performing the task, the destroyer No. 48 hit a mine and sank. On the same day, Japanese troops finally cut off Port Arthur from Manchuria. The siege of Port Arthur began.
Doom IJN Hatsuse on Russian mines.
On May 15 (May 2), 1904, two Japanese battleships blew up and sank on a minefield set up the day before by the Amur minelayer. IJN Yashima and IJN Hatsuse .
Also on this day, Japanese cruisers collided off Elliot Island. IJN Kasuga and IJN Yoshino, in which the second from the received damage sank. And off the southeast coast of Kanglu Island, an aviso ran aground IJN Tatsuta .
On May 16 (May 3), 1904, two Japanese gunboats collided during a landing operation southeast of the city of Yingkou. The boat sank as a result of the collision. IJN Oshima .
On May 17 (May 4), 1904, a Japanese destroyer blew up and sank on a mine. IJN Akatsuki .
On May 27 (May 14), 1904, not far from the city of Dalniy, he ran into stones and was blown up by his team, the Russian destroyer Attentive. On the same day, Japanese advice IJN Miyako hit a Russian mine and sank in Kerr Bay.
On June 12 (May 30), 1904, the Vladivostok detachment of cruisers entered the Korea Strait to disrupt Japan's sea lanes.
On June 15 (June 2), 1904, the cruiser Gromoboy sank two Japanese transports: IJN Izuma-Maru and IJN Hitachi Maru, and the cruiser "Rurik" sank Japanese transport with two torpedoes IJN Sado-Maru. In total, the three transports carried 2,445 Japanese officers and men, 320 horses, and 18 heavy 11-inch howitzers.
On June 23 (June 10), 1904, the Pacific squadron of Rear Admiral V. Vitgoft made the first attempt to break through to Vladivostok. But when the Japanese fleet of Admiral H. Togo was discovered, she returned to Port Arthur without engaging in battle. On the night of the same day, Japanese destroyers launched an unsuccessful attack on the Russian squadron.
On June 28 (June 15), 1904, the Vladivostok detachment of cruisers under Admiral Jessen went to sea again to disrupt the enemy’s sea lanes.
On July 17 (July 4), 1904, the Russian destroyer No. 208 blew up and sank in a Japanese minefield near Skrypleva Island.
July 18 (July 5), 1904 was blown up by a mine of the Russian mine layer "Yenisei" in Talienvan Bay and the Japanese cruiser sank IJN Kaimon .
On July 20 (July 7), 1904, the Vladivostok detachment of cruisers entered the Pacific Ocean through the Sangar Strait.
On July 22 (July 9), 1904, a detachment was detained with a contraband cargo and sent to Vladivostok with a prize crew, an English steamer Arabia.
On July 23 (July 10), 1904, the Vladivostok detachment of cruisers approached the entrance to Tokyo Bay. Here an English steamer with smuggled cargo was inspected and sunk. night commander. Also on this day, several Japanese schooners and a German steamer were sunk. Tea who was smuggled to Japan. And the later captured English steamer Kalhas, after inspection, was sent to Vladivostok. The cruisers of the detachment also headed to their port.
On July 25 (July 12), 1904, a squadron of Japanese destroyers approached the mouth of the Liaohe River from the sea. The team of the Russian gunboat "Sivuch", due to the impossibility of a breakthrough, after landing on the shore, blew up their ship.
On August 7 (July 25), 1904, for the first time, Japanese troops bombarded Port Arthur and its harbors from land. As a result of the shelling, the battleship "Tsesarevich" was damaged, the commander of the squadron, Rear Admiral V. Vitgeft, was slightly wounded. The battleship Retvizan was also damaged.
On August 8 (July 26), 1904, a detachment of ships consisting of the Novik cruiser, the Beaver gunboat and 15 destroyers participated in the shelling of the advancing Japanese troops in Tahe Bay, causing heavy losses.
Battle in the Yellow Sea.
On August 10 (July 28), 1904, while trying to break through the Russian squadron from Port Arthur to Vladivostok, a battle took place in the Yellow Sea. During the battle, Rear Admiral V. Witgeft was killed, the Russian squadron, having lost control, disintegrated. 5 Russian battleships, the cruiser "Bayan" and 2 destroyers in disarray began to retreat to Port Arthur. Only the battleship "Tsesarevich", the cruisers "Novik", "Askold", "Diana" and 6 destroyers broke through the Japanese blockade. The battleship "Tsesarevich", the cruiser "Novik" and 3 destroyers headed for Qingdao, the cruiser "Askold" and the destroyer "Grozovoi" - for Shanghai, the cruiser "Diana" - for Saigon.
On August 11 (July 29), 1904, the Vladivostok detachment came out to meet the Russian squadron, which was supposed to break through from Port Arthur. The battleship "Tsesarevich", the cruiser "Novik", the destroyers "Silent", "Merciless" and "Fearless" arrived in Qingdao. The Novik cruiser, having loaded 250 tons of coal into the bunker, went to sea in order to break through to Vladivostok. On the same day, the Russian destroyer "Resolute" was interned in Chifu by the Chinese authorities. Also on August 11, the team sank the damaged destroyer Burny.
August 12 (July 30), 1904 in Chifu, two Japanese destroyers captured the previously interned destroyer Resolute.
On August 13 (July 31), 1904, the damaged Russian cruiser Askold was interned and disarmed in Shanghai.
On August 14 (August 1), 1904, four Japanese cruisers ( IJN Izumo , IJN Tokiwa , IJN Azuma and IJN Iwate) intercepted three Russian cruisers going to meet the First Pacific Squadron ("Russia", "Rurik" and "Gromoboy"). A battle took place between them, which went down in history under the name Battle in the Korea Strait. As a result of the battle, the Rurik was sunk, and the other two Russian cruisers returned to Vladivostok with damage.
On August 15 (August 2), 1904, the German authorities interned the Russian battleship Tsesarevich in Qingdao.
On August 16 (August 3), 1904, the damaged cruisers Gromoboi and Rossiya returned to Vladivostok. In Port Arthur, the proposal of the Japanese general M. Noga to surrender the fortress was rejected. On the same day, in the Pacific Ocean, the Russian cruiser Novik stopped and inspected the English steamer. Celtic.
On August 20 (August 7), 1904, a battle took place off Sakhalin Island between the Russian cruiser Novik and Japanese IJN Tsushima and IJN Chitose. As a result of the battle "Novik" and IJN Tsushima received serious damage. Due to the impossibility of repair and the danger of the ship being captured by the enemy, the Novik commander M. Schultz decided to flood the ship.
On August 24 (August 11), 1904, the Russian cruiser Diana was interned by the French authorities in Saigon.
On September 7 (August 25), 1904, the Trout submarine was sent from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok by rail.
On October 1 (September 18), 1904, a Japanese gunboat was blown up by a Russian mine and sank near Iron Island. IJN Heiyen.
On October 15 (October 2), 1904, the 2nd Pacific squadron of Admiral Z. Rozhestvensky left Libava for the Far East.
November 3 (October 21) was blown up by a mine exposed by the Russian destroyer "Skory" and sank in a Japanese destroyer near Cape Lun-Wan-Tan IJN Hayatori .
On November 5 (October 23), 1904, on the inner roadstead of Port Arthur, after being hit by a Japanese shell, the ammunition of the Russian battleship Poltava detonated. As a result, the ship sank.
On November 6 (October 24), 1904, a Japanese gunboat ran into a rock in the fog and sank near Port Arthur. IJN Atago .
On November 28 (November 15), 1904, the Dolphin submarine was sent by rail from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok.
On December 6 (November 23), 1904, Japanese artillery, mounted on the day before captured height No. 206, began a massive shelling of Russian ships stationed in the inner roadstead of Port Arthur. By the end of the day, they sank the battleship "Retvisan" and the battleship "Peresvet" was heavily damaged. To keep intact, the battleship "Sevastopol", the gunboat "Courageous" and destroyers, were taken out from under Japanese fire to the outer roadstead.
On December 7 (November 24), 1904, due to the impossibility of repair after damage received from Japanese shelling, the crew of the battleship Peresvet was sunk by the crew in the western basin of Port Arthur harbor.
On December 8 (November 25), 1904, Russian ships, the battleship Pobeda and the cruiser Pallada, were sunk by Japanese artillery in the inner roadstead of Port Arthur.
On December 9 (November 26), 1904, Japanese heavy artillery sank the Bayan cruiser, the Amur mine layer and the Gilyak gunboat.
December 25 (December 12), 1904 IJN Takasago during a patrol, she hit a mine laid by the Russian destroyer Angry and sank in the Yellow Sea between Port Arthur and Chifu.
On December 26 (December 13), 1904, the gunboat "Beaver" was sunk by Japanese artillery fire on the Port Arthur roadstead.
Submarines of the Siberian Flotilla in Vladivostok.
On December 31 (December 18), 1904, the first four submarines of the Kasatka type arrived in Vladivostok from St. Petersburg by rail.
On January 1, 1905 (December 19, 1904) in Port Arthur, by order of the crew command, the battleships Poltava and Peresvet, half-flooded in the inner roadstead, were blown up, and the battleship Sevastopol was flooded in the outer roadstead.
On January 2, 1905 (December 20, 1904), the commander of the defense of Port Arthur, General A. Stessel, ordered the surrender of the fortress. The siege of Port Arthur is over.
On the same day, before the surrender of the fortress, the clippers Dzhigit and Robber were flooded. The 1st Pacific squadron was completely destroyed.
On January 5, 1905 (December 23, 1904), the Dolphin submarine arrived from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok by rail.
January 14 (January 1), 1905, by order of the commander of the port of Vladivostok from the Trout submarines,.
On March 20 (March 7), 1905, the 2nd Pacific squadron of Admiral Z. Rozhdestvensky passed the Strait of Malaka and entered the Pacific Ocean.
On March 26 (March 13), 1905, the Dolphin submarine left Vladivostok for a combat position on Askold Island.
On March 29 (March 16), 1905, the Dolphin submarine returned to Vladivostok from combat duty off Askold Island.
On April 11 (March 29), 1905, torpedoes were delivered to Russian submarines in Vladivostok.
On April 13 (March 31), 1905, the 2nd Pacific squadron of Admiral Z. Rozhdestvensky arrived in Kamran Bay in Indochina.
On April 22 (April 9), 1905, the Kasatka submarine set out from Vladivostok to the coast of Korea.
On May 7 (April 24), 1905, the cruisers Rossiya and Gromoboy left Vladivostok to disrupt the enemy's sea lanes.
On May 9 (April 26), 1905, the 1st Detachment of the 3rd Pacific Squadron of Rear Admiral N. Nebogatov and the 2nd Pacific Squadron of Vice Admiral Z. Rozhestvensky joined forces in Cam Ranh Bay.
On May 11 (April 28), 1905, the cruisers Rossiya and Gromoboy returned to Vladivostok. During the raid, they sank four Japanese transport ships.
On May 12 (April 29), 1905, three submarines were sent to the Transfiguration Bay to intercept the Japanese detachment - the Dolphin, the Kasatka and the Catfish. At 10 o'clock in the morning, not far from Vladivostok, at Cape Povorotny, the first battle took place with the participation of a submarine. "Catfish" attacked the Japanese destroyers, but the attack ended to no avail.
On May 14 (May 1), 1905, the Russian 2nd Pacific squadron of Admiral Z. Rozhdestvensky entered Vladivostok from Indochina.
May 18 (May 5), 1905 in Vladivostok near the quay wall from the explosion of gasoline vapors, the submarine "Dolphin" sank.
On May 29 (May 16), 1905, in the Sea of Japan near the island of Evenlet, the battleship Dmitry Donskoy was scuttled by its crew.
On May 30 (May 17), 1905, the Russian cruiser Izumrud landed on rocks near Cape Orekhov in St. Vladimir Bay and was blown up by her crew.
On June 3 (May 21), 1905, in the Philippines in Manila, American authorities interned the Russian cruiser Zhemchug.
On June 9 (May 27), 1905, the Russian cruiser Aurora was interned by the American authorities in the Philippines in Manila.
On June 29 (June 16), 1905, in Port Arthur, Japanese rescuers raised the Russian battleship Peresvet from the bottom.
On July 7 (June 24), 1905, Japanese troops launched the Sakhalin landing operation to land a force of 14 thousand people. While the Russian troops numbered only 7.2 thousand people on the island.
On July 8 (July 25), 1905, Japanese rescuers raised the sunken Russian battleship Poltava in Port Arthur.
On July 29 (July 16), 1905, the Japanese Sakhalin landing operation ended with the surrender of the Russian troops.
On August 14 (August 1), 1905, in the Tatar Strait, the Keta submarine carried out an unsuccessful attack on two Japanese destroyers.
On August 22 (August 9), 1905, negotiations between Japan and Russia began in Portsmouth through the mediation of the United States.
September 5 (August 23) in the United States in Portsmouth between the Japanese Empire and the Russian Empire was signed a peace treaty. According to the treaty, Japan received the Liaodong Peninsula, part of the CER from Port Arthur to the city of Changchun and South Sakhalin, Russia recognized Japan's predominant interests in Korea and agreed to conclude a Russian-Japanese fishing convention. Russia and Japan pledged to withdraw their troops from Manchuria. Japan's demand for reparations was rejected.
Causes of the Russo-Japanese War
1. Contradictions between Russia and Japan over spheres of influence in China
2. Russia's economic expansion into China and Japan's military expansion into Korea.
3. Construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER)
4. Leasing by Russia of the Liaodong Peninsula and Port Arthur as a naval base
5. For the Russian government, war is a means of preventing revolution, and for Japan, it is the first vital necessity, because without colonies, the rapidly growing Japanese economy would collapse.
The main events of the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905, the course of hostilities
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Events of the war (military operations took place both at sea and on land) |
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A defensive alliance was concluded between Russia and China against Japan, the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER) began |
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Russia leased from China part of the Liaodong Peninsula with the fortress of Port Arthur. |
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Russian troops were brought into Manchuria |
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England supported Japan and made an alliance with her |
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Russo-Japanese talks on the fate of Manchuria and Korea reached an impasse |
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Beginning of the Russo-Japanese War. Attack of the Japanese fleet on the Russian Far Eastern squadron. Loss of the cruiser Varyag and the gunboat Koreyets in Chemulpo Bay off the coast of Korea |
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Japanese troops landed on the Liaodong Peninsula and in southern Manchuria. |
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An attempt to fight with the enemy killed most of the team and the commander of the Pacific Fleet S.O. Makarov |
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27.01.1904 - 20.12.1904 |
The heroic defense of the fortress of Port Arthur. The fortress withstood 6 assaults and was surrendered as a result of the betrayal of the commandant A.M. Stessel |
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11.08 - 21.08.1904 |
Defeat of Russian troops near Laoyang |
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Inconclusive Russian counter-offensive on the Shah River |
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06.02 - 25.02.1905 |
The defeat of Russian troops near Mukden (Manchuria) |
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14.05 - 15.05.1905 |
The battle in the Tsushima Strait under the command of Z.P. Rozhdestvensky. The defeat of the Russian fleet at Tsushima |
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The Japanese occupied the island of Sakhalin. Russia had to go to peace talks. |
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In the city of Portsmouth (USA) a peace agreement was signed. |
Causes of defeat in the war
Support for Japan from Britain and the United States.
Weak preparation of Russia for war. Military technical superiority of Japan.
Mistakes and ill-conceived actions of the Russian command.
Lack of rapid redeployment of reserves to the Far East
Results of the Russo-Japanese War
Korea was recognized as a sphere of influence of Japan.
Japan took possession of South Sakhalin.
Japan received the right to fish along the Russian coast.
Russia Leases Liaodong Peninsula and Port Arthur Fort to Japan
2. The defeat of Russia in the war with Japan served as a pretext for the beginning of the First Russian Revolution, because the main argument in favor of autocracy was undermined: maintaining the military power and external greatness of the country.
3. Weakening of Russia's positions in the Far East
On the eve of the war, Japan had a relatively small, but well-trained and equipped with the latest weapons personnel army and navy. Russia kept only 100 thousand people in the Far East. on the territory from Lake Baikal to Port Arthur. The Russian fleet had 63 ships, many of which were obsolete.
The Russian war plan was based on the idea of gaining time for the concentration and deployment of forces in the Liaoyang area. To do this, part of the troops was supposed to hold back the advance of the Japanese army, gradually retreating to the north, and also to hold the fortress of Port Arthur. Subsequently, it was planned to go on the general offensive, defeat the Japanese army and land on the Japanese islands. The fleet was tasked with seizing dominance at sea and preventing the landing of Japanese troops on the mainland.
The Japanese strategic plan provided for seizing dominance at sea by a surprise attack and the destruction of the Port Arthur squadron, then the landing of troops in Korea and South Manchuria, the capture of Port Arthur and the defeat of the main forces of the Russian army in the Liaoyang area. In the future, it was supposed to occupy Manchuria, the Ussuri and Primorsky Territories.
Japan, despite concessions to Russia, January 24, 1904 severed diplomatic relations. On the night of January 27, Japanese destroyers, taking advantage of the carelessness of the Russian command, suddenly attacked the Russian squadron, stationed on the outer roads of Port Arthur. Japan declared war on Russia. japanese war cause portsmouth
In the afternoon of the same date, a large group of Japanese cruisers and destroyers blocked the Russian cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets" in the Korean port. Our ships, in battle with superior enemy forces, still could not make their way into the ocean. Not wanting to surrender to the enemy, the cruiser "Varyag" was flooded, and the "Korean" was blown up.
Only with the arrival in February 1904 in Port Arthur of Admiral S.O. Makarov's defense of the naval base was thoroughly strengthened, and the remaining ships of the squadron greatly increased their combat capability. But, on March 31, the battleship "Petropavlovsk", on which Makarov S.O. was, was blown up by a mine and sank in a matter of minutes. The fleet remaining in Port Arthur switched to passive defense.
In early February, units of the 60,000th Japanese 1st Army landed in Korea and in mid-April started fighting in southern Manchuria with the Russians of the 20,000th eastern detachment of the Manchurian army. Under the onslaught of superior enemy forces, our troops retreated, which gave the Japanese the opportunity, having landed another landing, already in southern Manchuria, to attack the Russian fortifications and capture Jingzhou, thereby cutting off Port Arthur from the land army. And in mid-May, the 3rd Japanese army, created to capture Port Arthur, landed in Talienvan Bay.
The 1st Siberian Corps, sent to help Port Arthur, after an unsuccessful battle at Vafangou with superior forces of the 2nd Japanese Army, was forced to retreat to the north.
In July, the Russian squadron attempted to break through from Port Arthur to Vladivostok. In the Yellow Sea there was a battle with the squadron of Admiral Togo. Both squadrons suffered serious damage. During the battle, Rear Admiral Witteft and almost his entire staff were killed. As a result of the ensuing confusion of orders, the Russian ships randomly retreated, some broke into the ports of foreign states and were interned there.
The ships of the Vladivostok squadron were active throughout the war, made daring raids on the coast of Japan, and sank ships with strategic military cargo. The cruisers of the Vladivostok detachment were sent to meet the breaking through 1st Pacific squadron, but in the Korean Strait they engaged in battle with the squadron of Admiral Kamimura. In a fierce battle, the cruiser Rurik was sunk.
The Japanese navy fulfilled its task and secured dominance at sea and the unhindered transfer of troops to the mainland.
In August 1904, General Kuropatkin began to pull his strike units back to Liaoyang - where the 3 Japanese armies were supposed to meet, advancing from the coast, Vyfangou and from Korea. On August 25, 1904, a major battle began at Liaoyang, which was notable for its particular bloodshed. The forces of the Japanese army amounted to 125 thousand against 158 thousand Russians. No decisive results were ultimately achieved; the Japanese lost 23 thousand, and the Russians - 19 thousand people, and despite the successful actions of the Russian troops, Kuropatkin considered himself defeated and began a systematic, well-organized retreat north to the Shahe River.
Having increased his army to 200 thousand people, General Kuropatkin, not having a sufficiently clear plan of action, launched an offensive against the 170 thousandth troops of Marshal Oyama. On October 5-17, 1904, a counter battle took place on the Shahe River, which ended in vain. Both sides suffered heavy losses and, having exhausted their offensive capabilities, went on the defensive. Here, for the first time, a continuous front over 60 km long was formed.
Strategically, Oyama won the decisive operation, frustrating the last Russian attempt to relieve Port Arthur. But still, the balance of power began to take shape in favor of the Russians and the position of the Japanese army became difficult. In this regard, the Japanese made attempts to capture Port Arthur as soon as possible.
The struggle for Port Arthur began at the end of July 1904, when the Japanese army, which landed on the Liaodong Peninsula, approached the outer contours of the fortress. On August 6, the first assault began, lasting 5 days, ending in the defeat of the Japanese. The Japanese army was forced to proceed to a long-term siege of the fortress. Until September, when the second assault began, siege work was carried out and the enemy artillery regiment was replenished with siege howitzers. In turn, the defenders of Port Arthur improved defensive structures.
A stubborn struggle unfolded for the dominant heights, which were of great importance in the defense system of the fortress. After fierce fighting, the Japanese managed to capture Mount Long. Attacks on Mount Vysokaya ended in vain. This ended the second assault on the fortress. On October 17, after a 3-day artillery preparation, the Japanese carried out the third assault on the fortress, which lasted 3 days. All enemy attacks were repulsed by Russian troops with huge losses for him. On November 13, Japanese troops (over 50 thousand people) launched a fourth assault. They were courageously resisted by the Russian garrison, which by this time numbered 18 thousand people. Especially heavy fighting took place behind the High Mountain, which fell on November 22. Having occupied Mount Vysokaya, the enemy began shelling the city and the harbor with howitzers. In November, most of the battleships and cruisers sank.
The siege of the fortress lasted almost eight months. The combat-ready units still held the defense, 610 guns could fire, there were enough shells and products, no more than 20 out of 59 fortified knots of the fortress were lost. But the general strategic situation in other sectors of the front by this time was clearly not in favor of the Russian troops. And due to the cowardice of General Stessel and the new head of the land defense, General A.V. Fock December 20, 1904 Port Arthur was surrendered to the Japanese.
Conclusion: As a result of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, Port Arthur was surrendered to the Japanese.
Synopsis on the history of Russia
The nature of war: imperialistic, unjust on both sides. The forces of the parties: Russia - 1 million 135 thousand people (total), actually 100 thousand people, Japan - 143 thousand people + navy + reserve (about 200 thousand). Japan's quantitative and qualitative superiority at sea (80:63).
Side Plans:
Japan- an offensive strategy, the goal of which is dominance at sea, the capture of Korea, the possession of Port Arthur, the defeat of the Russian group.
Russia- there was no general war plan that would ensure the interaction of the army and navy. defensive strategy.
Dates. Developments. Notes
January 27, 1904 - A surprise attack by a Japanese squadron of Russian ships off Port Arthur. Heroic battle between Varangian and Korean. Attack repulsed. Russian losses: Varyag is flooded. Korean is blown up. Japan ensured superiority at sea.
January 28 - Re-bombardment of the city and Port Arthur. Attack repulsed.
February 24 - Arrival in Port Arthur of the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral S.O. Makarov. Makarov's active actions in preparation for the general battle with Japan at sea (offensive tactics).
March 31 - The death of Makarov. The inaction of the fleet, the rejection of offensive tactics.
April 1904 - Landing of the Japanese armies in Korea, forcing the river. Yaly and entry into Manchuria. The initiative in actions on land belongs to the Japanese.
May 1904 - The Japanese began to lay siege to Port Arthur. Port Arthur was cut off from the Russian army. An attempt to release it in June 1904 was unsuccessful.
August 13-21 - Battle of Liaoyang. The forces are approximately equal (160 thousand each). Japanese attacks were repulsed. Kuropatkin's indecisiveness prevented him from building on his success. On August 24, Russian troops retreated to the Shahe River.
October 5 - The battle on the Shahe River began. Fog and mountainous terrain interfered, as well as Kuropatkin's lack of initiative (he acted only with part of the forces he had).
December 2 - The death of General Kondratenko. R.I. Kondratenko led the defense of the fortress.
July 28 - December 20, 1904 - The besieged Port Arthur heroically defended itself. December 20 Stesil gives the order to surrender the fortress. The defenders withstood 6 assaults on the fortress. The fall of Port Arthur was a turning point in the Russo-Japanese War.
February 1905 - Battle of Mukden. 550 thousand people participated from both sides. Kuropatkin's passivity. Losses: Russians -90 thousand, Japanese - 70 thousand. The battle was lost by the Russians.
May 14-15, 1905 - Naval battle at about. Tsushima in the Sea of Japan.
Tactical mistakes of Admiral Rozhdestvensky. Our losses - 19 ships sunk, 5,000 killed, 5,000 captured. The defeat of the Russian fleet
August 5, 1905 – Peace of Portsmouth
By the summer of 1905, Japan began to clearly feel the lack of material and human resources and turned to the United States, Germany, and France for help. The US stands for peace. Peace was signed in Portsmouth, our delegation was headed by S.Yu. Witte.
Peace conditions: Korea is Japan's sphere of interest, both sides withdraw their troops from Manchuria, Russia cedes to Japan Liaodong and Port Arthur, half of Sakhalin and railways. This treaty lost its force after the surrender of Japan in 1914.
Reasons for the defeat: the technical, economic and military superiority of Japan, the military-political and diplomatic isolation of Russia, the operational-tactical and strategic unpreparedness of the Russian army to conduct combat operations in difficult conditions, the mediocrity and betrayal of the tsarist generals, the unpopularity of the war among all segments of the population.
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