In the course of human history, man has engaged in different wars for different reasons. History of human civilization is defined by numerous wars which some had good reasons while others had not reason at all. Prior to the Second World War, there were numerous was which were fought in different parts of the world mostly for political and economical reasons. The Second World War can be considered to be a turning point in human history as it ushered a new era of human reasoning and diplomacy to solve little difference. Previous wars like Russo-Japanese wars had been fought for little differences and the need for political and economical superiority between Russia and Japan. However, the war had devastating effects on both countries and also chattered way for alignment of powers in Asia.
Pre-war
The Russia-Japanese War which was fought between1904-1905 started as a military disagreement in which Japan won and forced Russia to abandon it expansionist rule in the Far East. The war came about as a result of the rivalry that existed between Russia and Japan since each of them wanted to control Manchuria. After the war, Japan emerged as a world power by defeating Russia. In 1898, Russia persuaded China to lease it the port of Port Arthur in the Southern Manchuria located at the tip of Liaotung Peninsula. This decision was reached after an arrangement with other European powers but the decision did not go well with Japan since it had to surrender the peninsula after it had won the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895. In 1896, Russia had decided to make a union with China in order to fight Japan and in the process it had won the rights to extend the Trans Siberian Railroad through Manchuria which was under control of China to the Russian port of Vladivostok thereby gaining control of a vital strip of Manchuria.
Even after building the Trans-Siberian rail, Russia still lacked the means necessary to reinforce its small armed forces in Manchuria with enough men and supplies. Japan in contrast had a big army which it had expanded after the war with China in 1894 and therefore Japan was stronger in military strength than Russia. It was not until 1903 when Russia broke the agreement to withdraw its army from Manchuria that Japan decide to launch an attack. The war began in 1904 after the Japanese troops made a surprise attack blockade on the Russian Navy fleet at Port Arthur. Between March and May, Japan had spread its troops all over Korea and in May 26, 1904, Japanese troops managed to cut-off Port Arthur from access by the Russian troops in Manchuria. The Russians forces retreated back to Mukden after losing the battle in June 1904. The overpowering of Russia was received with surprise both in the West and particularly across Asia. The thought of a non-Western country defeating a recognized power in such a large military war was particularly exciting to many anti-colonial independence engagements around the world. After the end of 2nd World War, a number of Japanese historians would remember the war with nostalgia, particularly those who had wanted to portray Japans actions in the first part of the century those showing leadership in a continued effort to set free oppressed Asian peoples and consequently downplayed Japans own imperialistic objectives throughout the era.
Wartime
The origin of the Russia-Japanese war was the competition for influence trade and territory in East Asia while Japan was struggling to become a great super power in the late 1800 and early 1900s. Japans location promoted her to get focused on Korea and Northern China and this had put Japan in a competition with her neighboring country, Russia. In the effort to occupy Korea, Japan had to go a war (Sino-Japanese War) in which it secured a peace called Treaty of Shimonoseki on April 17, 1895. The treaty required China to discard its claims to Korea and withdrawing from Taiwan and Port Arthur. Three Western powers Germany, Russia, and France, through an alliance of April 23, 1895 forced Japan to give up Port Arthur which the Russians later in 1898 bargained for a 25 year lease of the navy base with China. During this time, the Russian forces controlled much of Manchuria and this resulted to competition for control of command in Korea between Russia and Japan.
Japan tried to negotiate with Russia for a favorable agreement but Russia was dragging its feet and in 1903-1904, Japan planned to leave Manchuria, but later changed the decision and decided to use martial solution. Japan had at that time become modern military wise, although it wasnt compared to the Russian military but adequate to go on war with the Russian military which was stationed in Asia at the start of the war. Japan cut off its relations with Russia and declared war but the war did not begin until February 8, 1904 after enough hostilities had grown.
The Russians had fortified their naval base at Port Arthur located in Liaotung Peninsula, south of Manchuria and the Japanese wanted to have a controlling command of the sea to enable her forces to wage war on Asian dry land. Thus, their initial military goal was to counteract the Russian troops at Port Arthur. The Japanese troops under command of Admiral Heihachiro Togo made a surprise attack on the Russian ships at a Port Arthur, badly damaging the Russian battle ships.
After a series of indecisive marine attacks, Japanese were not capable of attacking the Russian fleet effectively under the land guns of anchorage and the Russians refused to depart from the harbor for the open seas, particularly after the demise of their commander Admiral Makarov on April 13. This provided Japanese troops with cover for a landing near Incheon in Korea, from which they managed to occupy Seoul and speedily occupied the other parts of Korea. Towards the end of April, Japanese land forces which were commanded by Kuroki Itei were set to cross the river Yalu into Russian-occupied Manchuria.
In order to counter the Japanese approach of gaining speedy victories to have power over Manchuria, Russian plan focused on holding-up fighting actions to keep Japanese army occupied meanwhile buying time for more reinforcement coming through the lengthy Trans-Siberian railway. On May 1, the encounter at river Yalu where Japanese troops raided a Russian location after an unstopped crossing of the river, was the first main land battle of the war. Japanese troops continued to land at numerous positions on Manchurian coast, from where they waged different military attacks and drove the Russians forces back to Port Arthur. Japan had begun a long cordon of Port Arthur, which was extremely secured by Russians forces. By August, Russian forces on fleet had tried to break out from Port Arthur and advanced to Vladivostok but they were stopped and overpowered during encounter on Battle of the Yellow Sea. All those who had remained at Port Arthur, were all killed by the artillery of the attacking army of the Japanese forces. There were protracted efforts to regain the city through land assault but it failed terribly. After Russians were defeated at the battle of Liaoyang, they moved back to Shenyang and gave up Port Arthur to Japanese forces on January 2, 1905. The Japanese army then moved on and drove the Russian army out of Shenyang by March 1905.
Despite Russia still having a larger army, it was defeated by Japan. Following a number of defeats, Russian army confidence waned day by day. In addition, Russia suffered great shock by the 1905 Russian Revolution, which symbolized a severe threat to the strength of the administration. Russia decided to discuss a peace resolution rather than continue with the war so as to focus on internal matters. A mediation offer by President Roosevelt of U.S.A led to the Portsmouth Treaty on September 5, 1905. In the treaty, Russia ceded to Japan the naval base at Port Arthur and southern half of the island of Sakhalin and the peninsula surrounding it. Russia agreed to withdraw from Manchuria and to distinguish Korea as a Japanese area of influence. Japan later invaded Korea in 1910.
The Japanese defeat by Russia was a major victory for the country efforts to gain influence in the contemporary era of an Asian nation over a Western one. Japanese esteem rose significantly as they started to be considered a modern great power. Without competition from Russia and with the interruption of European nations during Great depression and 1st World War, the Japanese military began the efforts to rule China that would result to 2nd World War in the Pacific. The Japanese victory over Russia set up a series of events that would result to decolonization in Russia and it led, in the short term, to restructuring of the Russian armed forces to enable it fight with Germany in the 1st World War but the rebellions, who were following the war, and overpowering of military led to the Russian Revolution to take place in 1917.
Negotiation and post war
There was a long road to negotiation which took more than one year from 1903. Japan however felt that Russia was dragging its feet on the negotiation table and therefore sought a military action. Japan had gone an extra mile to modernize her forces though it could not match Russia in terms of technology superiority. However, Japanese forces were adequate to wage war on Russian forces which were stationed in Asia. There were continued hostility between the two countries and the war eventually broke out on February 8, 1904.
The war did not only affect the two belligerent nations but also many other countries as well and particularly the political situation in the Far East was changed. After fighting for more than a year, both Russia and Japan were completely exhausted. Russia was stunned by the 1905 Revolution which seriously weakened its military basis. Japan was weakened financially and in terms of trained armed forces and President Roosevelt of USA was requested to intercede for peace between Japan and Russia and on 5th September1905, they signed the Treaty of Portsmouth. Russia settled to identify Japans unique interests in Korea accepted to transfer to the trading rights in south Manchuria and railroads and to lease of Port Arthur its peninsula to Japan. Russia was ordered to give to Japan half of southern Sakhalin plus the special fishing rights.
After the war Japan was firstly filled with a sign of arrogant satisfaction although many Japanese were not contented with the peace agreement. They were complimented by the whole world since such a speedy rise to international power had not been witnessed for centuries. When the war was over, many Japanese learnt the lesson that there were high gains brought about by war and they saw war as an efficient means to solve political impasse. The victory gave her control of South Manchuria which served as a useful market for Japanese goods and as a supply of raw materials needed by Japanese businesses. As a result, Japan was able to advance her industrialization, particularly in heavy industries.
The international rank of Japan was put higher after the defeat of Russia. In a short span of ten, Japan had become the leading Asian power by defeating Russia, which was a major western power and almost became a world power. In addition, the relationship between Japan and other countries improved greatly. Negotiations for the re-establishment of similar tariffs were started, and by 1911, Japan was able to discard off last trace of unlike treaties. The other victory of Japan was heralded throughout the East and gave heart to the separatist and transformation movements in Vietnam, Philippines, China, and India. Japan was viewed by the Far East countries as a representation and as a prophecy of sovereignty from the bondage of European command.
By her victory, Japan had shown the world that the western countries could be conquerable with weapons which they had made. With Japan leading as an example, one colony behind the other started self-governing movements from 1905. Japan became to be ranked in second position in Far East after the war. Japan then acquired footholds on the mainland South Manchuria - and Korea and it later used the lands as bridgeheads for further imperial advances during the First World War.
Japans relationship with the western powers was affected as well by the Russo-Japanese War. Japans victory over Russia brought pleasure to Britain and in 1905 August, the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was restored which had remaining two months to be terminated. Japan wanted the Alliance renewed to avert Russian retribution, and wanted British to identify Japan special interests in Korea. In addition, Britain wanted Japan to recognize her interests in India, Yangtze area and Southeast Asia. As a result, the extent of the renewed Alliance was extended to include the Asia and Far East Asia in general. The Alliance was renewed again in 1911 for another ten years and it turned in opposition to Germany and this enabled Japan to go into 1st World War. In the first place, Japan had obstructed the Russian advancement and had successfully dislodged a first class western power in South Manchuria and Korea thus leaving Russia with only a foothold in North Manchuria. After removing Russia threat in Korea, the means was open for a Russia-Japanese rapprochement. Consequently, a Russian vengeance was not possible because of the restoration of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. As a result, Russia turned her attention away from the Far East to center on the Balkans. Then Japan and Russia who had made enemies soon made friends with each other and in 1907, a Russo-Japanese conference was signed which, by its clandestine clauses, divided Manchuria into a Japanese and Russian sphere of influence. This, in effect, served as an exchange policy with Korea and south Manchuria ending with Japan.
Russo Japanese also affected Japan relation with the United States and France. The impressive rise of Japan as a colonial power in the Far East alarmed the United States and America was not happy with Japan advancement in South Manchuria which was a contravention of the Open Door Policy. United States was also worried about the safety of her Pacific ownership the Philippines. Accordingly, in 1905 and 1908, two accords were reached between the United States and Japan whereby each guaranteed to revere the others possessions in the Far East. However, Japanese-American relation slowly worsened and mutual conflicts increased later. In 1907, Japan and France came to an agreement by treaty to respect each others state on the Asian continent, particularly with regard to their spheres of control in China.
The results of the war also had devastating effects on Chinas home politics. The Russia-Japanese War took place on Chinese soil, but China was powerless to do more than accepted Manchuria as a zone of impartiality. At the end of the war, China was not even conferred with about the peace terms. The shift from Russia to Japan of the Liaodong leasehold and the rights to use the railway in South Manchuria was only unwillingly approved upon by the Qing government.
The Qing government accepted the humiliation was a reflection of her wickedness and this directly aroused the Chinese rebellion movement. In 1905, Sun Yat.sen founded the Tung Meng-hui to overthrow the Manchus. Since the accomplishment of Japans transformation was imminent, it was a requirement that reformers in China robustly advocated for and followed Japan as an example in their reform practice. In 1905, the Manchus brought to an end the century-old civil service assessment and promised the organization of a legitimate monarchy.
Japan was fighting the Russo-Japanese War chiefly to guard her interests in Korea. When Japan defeated Russian and made friends with Britain, it helped to tighten her grip on Korea. In November 1905, the Korean king was compelled by Japan to allow a Japanese Resident-General to be in command of over Korean foreign affairs. Japanese advisers by 1907, had power over Korean governmental and executive affairs, thus lowering Korea to nearly colony of Japan.
The Russia military lost two of its three fleets and only remained with the Black Sea Fleet and this was the outcome of an earlier accord that had prevented the fleet from departing the Black Sea. Japan marine force became the sixth-most powerful, while that of Russia was reduced to one only just stronger than that of AustriaHungary. The actual costs of the war were huge enough to have affected the Russian financial strength and in spite of grain exports, the nation developed an external balance of payments shortfall. The cost of military re-equipment and re-growth after 1905 pushed the economy further into shortfall, even though the amount of the deficit was obscured.
A lock of the hair of Admiral Nelsons was given to the Imperial Japanese marine forces from the Royal Navy after the war to celebrate the victory of the Tsushima battle which had a resemblance with Britains victory at Trafalgar in 1805 which is still displayed by Japan Self-Defense Force in a public museum called known as Kyouiku Sankoukan.
The Japanese were on the attack for most of the war and used accumulated infantry human wave attacks in opposition to defensive positions, which would turn out to be the standard of all European armies during 1st World War. Russo-Japanese war battles were an originator of trench warfare of 1st World War where machine guns and artillery had taken their toll on Japanese armed forces. A German armed forces advisor who was sent to Japan made a remarkable impact on the advancement of the Japanese military training, organization, tactics, and strategy. His improvements were recognized with Japans overwhelming triumph over China in the 18941895, Sino-Japanese war. Nevertheless, his over-reliance on the utilization of infantry in offensive campaigns also resulted into huge number of Japanese casualties.
Both Japan and Russia suffered economic and military exhaustion and Japanese historians consider this war to be the turning point for Japan, and a key to recognizing the reasons why Japan failed politically and militarily in the later years. The bitterness was felt at every level of Japanese general public and it became the compromise within Japan that their state had been treated as the defeated power during the peace convention. As time went on, this feeling, together with the sense of pride of becoming a great power grew and added to their increasing enmity towards the West and increased their own military and colonial ambitions, which would end in Japans invasion of South Asia, East, and Southeast Asia in an effort to build their own huge colonial empire called the co-prosperity sphere of Greater East Asia. Within five years after the Russo-Japanese war, Japan captured Korea as its colonial empire, and also invaded Manchuria.
Britain was also affected by Russo-Japanese war and as a result, the Admiralty of Britain extended its control to Singapore, Bombay, Auckland, Sydney and Simonstown. The 19041905 war guided the direction of the admiraltys thinking in strategic terms while dejecting its strategic grasp of a changing world. The Admiraltys tactical convention thought that a naval battle would emulate the situations of stationery combat and that ships would employ in one long line seafaring on parallel courses but in real sense, more flexible tactical thinking was required in the coming wars.
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904 can be considered as a way of two major powers in Asia. The war gave rise to a new balance of power not only in Asia but also in the west. It can also be considered as a way that brought in new military tactics that were to be applied in the consequential fist world war.
Sergei Witte who was a Finance Minister and Russian statesman was the central figure during planning and execution of the war. He had strived to put in place a plan for Russian condition in the Far East then lost control of it in the power fights and watched the war tear down his efforts and then returned to fevor timely to clean up the mess by calling for return to peace agreement table. The war was however not fought on the two enemies soil but it remained a decisive battle for control of economical and political power in Asia. The Russian territory had all the benefits except nearness and it lost the war through poor system of government and decadence. In a number of battles when Russian forces attacked with high morale and bravery they were ordered to drawn back following a new calculated theory.
Witte had extended the Siberian Railway through Manchuria and built a Russian city at Harbin. The imaginary tale of a private railway, Chinese Eastern Railway covered the self-government lapse. The China Eastern Railway was connected to the Russia-Chinese Bank through which Witte controlled Manchurian business. Witte depicted Russia as Chinas acquaintance in opposition to Japan, who had defeated China in the1894-1895 war. Some enterprenuers led by A.M. Bezobrazov advised Czar to expand Russia control southwards to Port Arthur and Manchuria and extend the China Eastern Railway division to Port Arthur. After several bogus starts, this group managed to set up the East Asian Development Company.
Bezolzrazov, who headed the company, clearly outlined the plan of the company as modeled on the same model as the British East India Company, and was intended to make the most of a concession in Korea.
Japan had thought they had won Korea, which she saw as a weak kingdom, purportedly sovereign, and Port Arthur by the end of the war. When the Europeans were consolidating their recognition in China after the Boxer Rebellion, their further progress into what Japan considered as its rightful sphere of influence could not be tolerated. Japan entered into the Anglo-Japanese Alliance as a first step in waging war against Russia. The British kingdom undoubtedly assisted the Japanese for the duration of the war, particularly through their terrifying international press control and really passed up cases of Russian ships inadvertently firing on British trawlers to avoid clashing. The Japanese later upheld the treaty and took all the German far-eastern colonies in 1st World War.
Both countries, Japan and Russia, lied to their people and both experienced domestic political riots in return. The Russian gave in to strikes and mutinies and this gave rise to liberal bourgeois. The Japanese also witnessed anti-peace riots with their hardest-lining politician, eking out a rather constructive settlement was falling below the unrealistic expectations of the deceived general public.
The Japanese entered into Manchuria from where they forced the Russians forced from Port Arthur back to Mukden, making it possible for her to get hold of the Manchurian capital-all resulting to heavy losses from Banzai charges. Port Arthur was captured after a long cordon. Incredibly, during that time the Russians were stronger than-ever and their reinforcements were arriving through the railway whereas the Japanese were using the last reserves of their ammunition and their military was depleted to emergency levels. The Russians suffered a decisive defeat since their ships had to pass through the English Channel and were harassed around the Cape of Good Hope while smaller ships passed through Suez and past the Indian Ocean. The French changed their neutrality to counter the British to allow the Russian ships rest and meet in Madagascar. Germans provided coaling ships to power the insatiable Russian boilers.
Nicholas was relieved as General after the capture of Port Arthur, after rightly taking into consideration that the land battle was to swing over to them. However, after the naval adversity of at Tsushima in May 1905 almost toppled him, he agreed to Roosevelts suggestion of arbitration. The Japanese were equally desperate, wanted him out first, and accepted the call for the two countries to go round a peace talk on June 10, which was two days before Russians agreed as this indicated waning power. This was the first indication for Japanese public that all was going as had been planned. Japanese political leaders were willing to accept anything that left them whole and in command of Korea. Although Witte was out-consulting them and showing remarkable consideration, finally Nicholas issued the south end of Sakhalin Island to close the deal without granting any compensation. The lack of monetary returns left Japan heavy in the debt of international finance.
All through, British enjoyed a steadiness of power that was preserved in the Far East while the two enemies, Russia and Japan, had a strong respect for one another for four decades. The infamous Soviet policy remained in force for the regal Russian. The war changed European alliances and Britain was now prepared to enter an entente with the poorly armed Russian Empire, particularly after the crisis of Moroccan of 1905 that changed the German Empire into the new major opponent. Bismarcks plans to evade a two-front aggressive alliance failed.
After shadowing 1st World War the Russo-Japanese War ended with huge loss of human lives and financial treasure, loss of faith and honor and an rebellion, revolution of the general public anxious to restructure or sweep away ancient rgimes. After Russia fought two wars in foreign soil, she had gained nothing important but just counted losses. On the other hand, Japan learned mistakes of war in the hardest way possible as she collapsed four decades after the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth.
Pre-war
The Russia-Japanese War which was fought between1904-1905 started as a military disagreement in which Japan won and forced Russia to abandon it expansionist rule in the Far East. The war came about as a result of the rivalry that existed between Russia and Japan since each of them wanted to control Manchuria. After the war, Japan emerged as a world power by defeating Russia. In 1898, Russia persuaded China to lease it the port of Port Arthur in the Southern Manchuria located at the tip of Liaotung Peninsula. This decision was reached after an arrangement with other European powers but the decision did not go well with Japan since it had to surrender the peninsula after it had won the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895. In 1896, Russia had decided to make a union with China in order to fight Japan and in the process it had won the rights to extend the Trans Siberian Railroad through Manchuria which was under control of China to the Russian port of Vladivostok thereby gaining control of a vital strip of Manchuria.
Even after building the Trans-Siberian rail, Russia still lacked the means necessary to reinforce its small armed forces in Manchuria with enough men and supplies. Japan in contrast had a big army which it had expanded after the war with China in 1894 and therefore Japan was stronger in military strength than Russia. It was not until 1903 when Russia broke the agreement to withdraw its army from Manchuria that Japan decide to launch an attack. The war began in 1904 after the Japanese troops made a surprise attack blockade on the Russian Navy fleet at Port Arthur. Between March and May, Japan had spread its troops all over Korea and in May 26, 1904, Japanese troops managed to cut-off Port Arthur from access by the Russian troops in Manchuria. The Russians forces retreated back to Mukden after losing the battle in June 1904. The overpowering of Russia was received with surprise both in the West and particularly across Asia. The thought of a non-Western country defeating a recognized power in such a large military war was particularly exciting to many anti-colonial independence engagements around the world. After the end of 2nd World War, a number of Japanese historians would remember the war with nostalgia, particularly those who had wanted to portray Japans actions in the first part of the century those showing leadership in a continued effort to set free oppressed Asian peoples and consequently downplayed Japans own imperialistic objectives throughout the era.
Wartime
The origin of the Russia-Japanese war was the competition for influence trade and territory in East Asia while Japan was struggling to become a great super power in the late 1800 and early 1900s. Japans location promoted her to get focused on Korea and Northern China and this had put Japan in a competition with her neighboring country, Russia. In the effort to occupy Korea, Japan had to go a war (Sino-Japanese War) in which it secured a peace called Treaty of Shimonoseki on April 17, 1895. The treaty required China to discard its claims to Korea and withdrawing from Taiwan and Port Arthur. Three Western powers Germany, Russia, and France, through an alliance of April 23, 1895 forced Japan to give up Port Arthur which the Russians later in 1898 bargained for a 25 year lease of the navy base with China. During this time, the Russian forces controlled much of Manchuria and this resulted to competition for control of command in Korea between Russia and Japan.
Japan tried to negotiate with Russia for a favorable agreement but Russia was dragging its feet and in 1903-1904, Japan planned to leave Manchuria, but later changed the decision and decided to use martial solution. Japan had at that time become modern military wise, although it wasnt compared to the Russian military but adequate to go on war with the Russian military which was stationed in Asia at the start of the war. Japan cut off its relations with Russia and declared war but the war did not begin until February 8, 1904 after enough hostilities had grown.
The Russians had fortified their naval base at Port Arthur located in Liaotung Peninsula, south of Manchuria and the Japanese wanted to have a controlling command of the sea to enable her forces to wage war on Asian dry land. Thus, their initial military goal was to counteract the Russian troops at Port Arthur. The Japanese troops under command of Admiral Heihachiro Togo made a surprise attack on the Russian ships at a Port Arthur, badly damaging the Russian battle ships.
After a series of indecisive marine attacks, Japanese were not capable of attacking the Russian fleet effectively under the land guns of anchorage and the Russians refused to depart from the harbor for the open seas, particularly after the demise of their commander Admiral Makarov on April 13. This provided Japanese troops with cover for a landing near Incheon in Korea, from which they managed to occupy Seoul and speedily occupied the other parts of Korea. Towards the end of April, Japanese land forces which were commanded by Kuroki Itei were set to cross the river Yalu into Russian-occupied Manchuria.
In order to counter the Japanese approach of gaining speedy victories to have power over Manchuria, Russian plan focused on holding-up fighting actions to keep Japanese army occupied meanwhile buying time for more reinforcement coming through the lengthy Trans-Siberian railway. On May 1, the encounter at river Yalu where Japanese troops raided a Russian location after an unstopped crossing of the river, was the first main land battle of the war. Japanese troops continued to land at numerous positions on Manchurian coast, from where they waged different military attacks and drove the Russians forces back to Port Arthur. Japan had begun a long cordon of Port Arthur, which was extremely secured by Russians forces. By August, Russian forces on fleet had tried to break out from Port Arthur and advanced to Vladivostok but they were stopped and overpowered during encounter on Battle of the Yellow Sea. All those who had remained at Port Arthur, were all killed by the artillery of the attacking army of the Japanese forces. There were protracted efforts to regain the city through land assault but it failed terribly. After Russians were defeated at the battle of Liaoyang, they moved back to Shenyang and gave up Port Arthur to Japanese forces on January 2, 1905. The Japanese army then moved on and drove the Russian army out of Shenyang by March 1905.
Despite Russia still having a larger army, it was defeated by Japan. Following a number of defeats, Russian army confidence waned day by day. In addition, Russia suffered great shock by the 1905 Russian Revolution, which symbolized a severe threat to the strength of the administration. Russia decided to discuss a peace resolution rather than continue with the war so as to focus on internal matters. A mediation offer by President Roosevelt of U.S.A led to the Portsmouth Treaty on September 5, 1905. In the treaty, Russia ceded to Japan the naval base at Port Arthur and southern half of the island of Sakhalin and the peninsula surrounding it. Russia agreed to withdraw from Manchuria and to distinguish Korea as a Japanese area of influence. Japan later invaded Korea in 1910.
The Japanese defeat by Russia was a major victory for the country efforts to gain influence in the contemporary era of an Asian nation over a Western one. Japanese esteem rose significantly as they started to be considered a modern great power. Without competition from Russia and with the interruption of European nations during Great depression and 1st World War, the Japanese military began the efforts to rule China that would result to 2nd World War in the Pacific. The Japanese victory over Russia set up a series of events that would result to decolonization in Russia and it led, in the short term, to restructuring of the Russian armed forces to enable it fight with Germany in the 1st World War but the rebellions, who were following the war, and overpowering of military led to the Russian Revolution to take place in 1917.
Negotiation and post war
There was a long road to negotiation which took more than one year from 1903. Japan however felt that Russia was dragging its feet on the negotiation table and therefore sought a military action. Japan had gone an extra mile to modernize her forces though it could not match Russia in terms of technology superiority. However, Japanese forces were adequate to wage war on Russian forces which were stationed in Asia. There were continued hostility between the two countries and the war eventually broke out on February 8, 1904.
The war did not only affect the two belligerent nations but also many other countries as well and particularly the political situation in the Far East was changed. After fighting for more than a year, both Russia and Japan were completely exhausted. Russia was stunned by the 1905 Revolution which seriously weakened its military basis. Japan was weakened financially and in terms of trained armed forces and President Roosevelt of USA was requested to intercede for peace between Japan and Russia and on 5th September1905, they signed the Treaty of Portsmouth. Russia settled to identify Japans unique interests in Korea accepted to transfer to the trading rights in south Manchuria and railroads and to lease of Port Arthur its peninsula to Japan. Russia was ordered to give to Japan half of southern Sakhalin plus the special fishing rights.
After the war Japan was firstly filled with a sign of arrogant satisfaction although many Japanese were not contented with the peace agreement. They were complimented by the whole world since such a speedy rise to international power had not been witnessed for centuries. When the war was over, many Japanese learnt the lesson that there were high gains brought about by war and they saw war as an efficient means to solve political impasse. The victory gave her control of South Manchuria which served as a useful market for Japanese goods and as a supply of raw materials needed by Japanese businesses. As a result, Japan was able to advance her industrialization, particularly in heavy industries.
The international rank of Japan was put higher after the defeat of Russia. In a short span of ten, Japan had become the leading Asian power by defeating Russia, which was a major western power and almost became a world power. In addition, the relationship between Japan and other countries improved greatly. Negotiations for the re-establishment of similar tariffs were started, and by 1911, Japan was able to discard off last trace of unlike treaties. The other victory of Japan was heralded throughout the East and gave heart to the separatist and transformation movements in Vietnam, Philippines, China, and India. Japan was viewed by the Far East countries as a representation and as a prophecy of sovereignty from the bondage of European command.
By her victory, Japan had shown the world that the western countries could be conquerable with weapons which they had made. With Japan leading as an example, one colony behind the other started self-governing movements from 1905. Japan became to be ranked in second position in Far East after the war. Japan then acquired footholds on the mainland South Manchuria - and Korea and it later used the lands as bridgeheads for further imperial advances during the First World War.
Japans relationship with the western powers was affected as well by the Russo-Japanese War. Japans victory over Russia brought pleasure to Britain and in 1905 August, the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was restored which had remaining two months to be terminated. Japan wanted the Alliance renewed to avert Russian retribution, and wanted British to identify Japan special interests in Korea. In addition, Britain wanted Japan to recognize her interests in India, Yangtze area and Southeast Asia. As a result, the extent of the renewed Alliance was extended to include the Asia and Far East Asia in general. The Alliance was renewed again in 1911 for another ten years and it turned in opposition to Germany and this enabled Japan to go into 1st World War. In the first place, Japan had obstructed the Russian advancement and had successfully dislodged a first class western power in South Manchuria and Korea thus leaving Russia with only a foothold in North Manchuria. After removing Russia threat in Korea, the means was open for a Russia-Japanese rapprochement. Consequently, a Russian vengeance was not possible because of the restoration of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. As a result, Russia turned her attention away from the Far East to center on the Balkans. Then Japan and Russia who had made enemies soon made friends with each other and in 1907, a Russo-Japanese conference was signed which, by its clandestine clauses, divided Manchuria into a Japanese and Russian sphere of influence. This, in effect, served as an exchange policy with Korea and south Manchuria ending with Japan.
Russo Japanese also affected Japan relation with the United States and France. The impressive rise of Japan as a colonial power in the Far East alarmed the United States and America was not happy with Japan advancement in South Manchuria which was a contravention of the Open Door Policy. United States was also worried about the safety of her Pacific ownership the Philippines. Accordingly, in 1905 and 1908, two accords were reached between the United States and Japan whereby each guaranteed to revere the others possessions in the Far East. However, Japanese-American relation slowly worsened and mutual conflicts increased later. In 1907, Japan and France came to an agreement by treaty to respect each others state on the Asian continent, particularly with regard to their spheres of control in China.
The results of the war also had devastating effects on Chinas home politics. The Russia-Japanese War took place on Chinese soil, but China was powerless to do more than accepted Manchuria as a zone of impartiality. At the end of the war, China was not even conferred with about the peace terms. The shift from Russia to Japan of the Liaodong leasehold and the rights to use the railway in South Manchuria was only unwillingly approved upon by the Qing government.
The Qing government accepted the humiliation was a reflection of her wickedness and this directly aroused the Chinese rebellion movement. In 1905, Sun Yat.sen founded the Tung Meng-hui to overthrow the Manchus. Since the accomplishment of Japans transformation was imminent, it was a requirement that reformers in China robustly advocated for and followed Japan as an example in their reform practice. In 1905, the Manchus brought to an end the century-old civil service assessment and promised the organization of a legitimate monarchy.
Japan was fighting the Russo-Japanese War chiefly to guard her interests in Korea. When Japan defeated Russian and made friends with Britain, it helped to tighten her grip on Korea. In November 1905, the Korean king was compelled by Japan to allow a Japanese Resident-General to be in command of over Korean foreign affairs. Japanese advisers by 1907, had power over Korean governmental and executive affairs, thus lowering Korea to nearly colony of Japan.
The Russia military lost two of its three fleets and only remained with the Black Sea Fleet and this was the outcome of an earlier accord that had prevented the fleet from departing the Black Sea. Japan marine force became the sixth-most powerful, while that of Russia was reduced to one only just stronger than that of AustriaHungary. The actual costs of the war were huge enough to have affected the Russian financial strength and in spite of grain exports, the nation developed an external balance of payments shortfall. The cost of military re-equipment and re-growth after 1905 pushed the economy further into shortfall, even though the amount of the deficit was obscured.
A lock of the hair of Admiral Nelsons was given to the Imperial Japanese marine forces from the Royal Navy after the war to celebrate the victory of the Tsushima battle which had a resemblance with Britains victory at Trafalgar in 1805 which is still displayed by Japan Self-Defense Force in a public museum called known as Kyouiku Sankoukan.
The Japanese were on the attack for most of the war and used accumulated infantry human wave attacks in opposition to defensive positions, which would turn out to be the standard of all European armies during 1st World War. Russo-Japanese war battles were an originator of trench warfare of 1st World War where machine guns and artillery had taken their toll on Japanese armed forces. A German armed forces advisor who was sent to Japan made a remarkable impact on the advancement of the Japanese military training, organization, tactics, and strategy. His improvements were recognized with Japans overwhelming triumph over China in the 18941895, Sino-Japanese war. Nevertheless, his over-reliance on the utilization of infantry in offensive campaigns also resulted into huge number of Japanese casualties.
Both Japan and Russia suffered economic and military exhaustion and Japanese historians consider this war to be the turning point for Japan, and a key to recognizing the reasons why Japan failed politically and militarily in the later years. The bitterness was felt at every level of Japanese general public and it became the compromise within Japan that their state had been treated as the defeated power during the peace convention. As time went on, this feeling, together with the sense of pride of becoming a great power grew and added to their increasing enmity towards the West and increased their own military and colonial ambitions, which would end in Japans invasion of South Asia, East, and Southeast Asia in an effort to build their own huge colonial empire called the co-prosperity sphere of Greater East Asia. Within five years after the Russo-Japanese war, Japan captured Korea as its colonial empire, and also invaded Manchuria.
Britain was also affected by Russo-Japanese war and as a result, the Admiralty of Britain extended its control to Singapore, Bombay, Auckland, Sydney and Simonstown. The 19041905 war guided the direction of the admiraltys thinking in strategic terms while dejecting its strategic grasp of a changing world. The Admiraltys tactical convention thought that a naval battle would emulate the situations of stationery combat and that ships would employ in one long line seafaring on parallel courses but in real sense, more flexible tactical thinking was required in the coming wars.
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904 can be considered as a way of two major powers in Asia. The war gave rise to a new balance of power not only in Asia but also in the west. It can also be considered as a way that brought in new military tactics that were to be applied in the consequential fist world war.
Sergei Witte who was a Finance Minister and Russian statesman was the central figure during planning and execution of the war. He had strived to put in place a plan for Russian condition in the Far East then lost control of it in the power fights and watched the war tear down his efforts and then returned to fevor timely to clean up the mess by calling for return to peace agreement table. The war was however not fought on the two enemies soil but it remained a decisive battle for control of economical and political power in Asia. The Russian territory had all the benefits except nearness and it lost the war through poor system of government and decadence. In a number of battles when Russian forces attacked with high morale and bravery they were ordered to drawn back following a new calculated theory.
Witte had extended the Siberian Railway through Manchuria and built a Russian city at Harbin. The imaginary tale of a private railway, Chinese Eastern Railway covered the self-government lapse. The China Eastern Railway was connected to the Russia-Chinese Bank through which Witte controlled Manchurian business. Witte depicted Russia as Chinas acquaintance in opposition to Japan, who had defeated China in the1894-1895 war. Some enterprenuers led by A.M. Bezobrazov advised Czar to expand Russia control southwards to Port Arthur and Manchuria and extend the China Eastern Railway division to Port Arthur. After several bogus starts, this group managed to set up the East Asian Development Company.
Bezolzrazov, who headed the company, clearly outlined the plan of the company as modeled on the same model as the British East India Company, and was intended to make the most of a concession in Korea.
Japan had thought they had won Korea, which she saw as a weak kingdom, purportedly sovereign, and Port Arthur by the end of the war. When the Europeans were consolidating their recognition in China after the Boxer Rebellion, their further progress into what Japan considered as its rightful sphere of influence could not be tolerated. Japan entered into the Anglo-Japanese Alliance as a first step in waging war against Russia. The British kingdom undoubtedly assisted the Japanese for the duration of the war, particularly through their terrifying international press control and really passed up cases of Russian ships inadvertently firing on British trawlers to avoid clashing. The Japanese later upheld the treaty and took all the German far-eastern colonies in 1st World War.
Both countries, Japan and Russia, lied to their people and both experienced domestic political riots in return. The Russian gave in to strikes and mutinies and this gave rise to liberal bourgeois. The Japanese also witnessed anti-peace riots with their hardest-lining politician, eking out a rather constructive settlement was falling below the unrealistic expectations of the deceived general public.
The Japanese entered into Manchuria from where they forced the Russians forced from Port Arthur back to Mukden, making it possible for her to get hold of the Manchurian capital-all resulting to heavy losses from Banzai charges. Port Arthur was captured after a long cordon. Incredibly, during that time the Russians were stronger than-ever and their reinforcements were arriving through the railway whereas the Japanese were using the last reserves of their ammunition and their military was depleted to emergency levels. The Russians suffered a decisive defeat since their ships had to pass through the English Channel and were harassed around the Cape of Good Hope while smaller ships passed through Suez and past the Indian Ocean. The French changed their neutrality to counter the British to allow the Russian ships rest and meet in Madagascar. Germans provided coaling ships to power the insatiable Russian boilers.
Nicholas was relieved as General after the capture of Port Arthur, after rightly taking into consideration that the land battle was to swing over to them. However, after the naval adversity of at Tsushima in May 1905 almost toppled him, he agreed to Roosevelts suggestion of arbitration. The Japanese were equally desperate, wanted him out first, and accepted the call for the two countries to go round a peace talk on June 10, which was two days before Russians agreed as this indicated waning power. This was the first indication for Japanese public that all was going as had been planned. Japanese political leaders were willing to accept anything that left them whole and in command of Korea. Although Witte was out-consulting them and showing remarkable consideration, finally Nicholas issued the south end of Sakhalin Island to close the deal without granting any compensation. The lack of monetary returns left Japan heavy in the debt of international finance.
All through, British enjoyed a steadiness of power that was preserved in the Far East while the two enemies, Russia and Japan, had a strong respect for one another for four decades. The infamous Soviet policy remained in force for the regal Russian. The war changed European alliances and Britain was now prepared to enter an entente with the poorly armed Russian Empire, particularly after the crisis of Moroccan of 1905 that changed the German Empire into the new major opponent. Bismarcks plans to evade a two-front aggressive alliance failed.
After shadowing 1st World War the Russo-Japanese War ended with huge loss of human lives and financial treasure, loss of faith and honor and an rebellion, revolution of the general public anxious to restructure or sweep away ancient rgimes. After Russia fought two wars in foreign soil, she had gained nothing important but just counted losses. On the other hand, Japan learned mistakes of war in the hardest way possible as she collapsed four decades after the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth.
No comments:
Post a Comment