Russo-Japanese War
At the turn of the century, Russia was the largest nation in Europe, both in terms of population and land area. It also had a powerful army and navy, which in addition to its vast territory made it almost unthinkable for any nation to attempt to wage a war against it. Why then had Russia not only been defeated, but suffered tremendous and uneven casualties compared to the Japanese in the Russo-Japanese War? This loss, which later had dire consequences for the Russian empire, occurred because of inadequate preparation, poor leadership, and simply bad luck which plagued the Russian military forces in the Pacific.
Prior to the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad, “Russia held a position inferior to that of China in the Far East,” it’s efforts characterized by “haphazard measures of colonization, unstable means of communication and passive diplomacy.”<<1
Malozemoff, Andrew. Russian Far Eastern Policy 1881-1904. (Berkley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1958), 19.>> However, at its completion, Russia had a means of deploying a significant military force in Manchuria. Manchuria, of course, was home to the nearly ice-free Port Arthur; Russia’s other naval ports were frozen for a large part of the year. In addition, “control of Port Arthur gives [Russia] a large measure of control over the water approaches to Peking.”<<2
Asakawa, K. The Russo-Japanese Conflict. (Port Washington: Kennikat Press, 1970), 49.>> Moreover, by controlling the southern coast of Korea, “Russia would not merely possess a truly ice-free, and the best naval port to be found in East Asia, but also at last feel secure in Manchuria and complete her Far Eastern design of absorbing Korea and China and pressing down toward India.”<<3
Ibid, 50>> At the same time, “for Japanese, too, Port Arthur possessed importance beyond its strategic significance, fought for and won as it had been by their troops in the Chinese War and then wrestled from them by the Europeans.”<<4
Walder, David. The Short Victorious War. (London: Hutchinson & Co Ltd, 1973), 89-90.>> The Boxer Rebellion of 1900 was used by Russia “as a welcome pretext for taking outright possession of most of Manchuria, as a preliminary to turning it into an additional Russian province.” <<5
Busch, Noel F. Th...
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...other 590 wounded. <<32
Walder, 286
Select Bibliography
Asakawa, K. The Russo-Japanese Conflict. Port Washington: Kennikat Press, 1970.
Busch, Noel F. The Emperor’s Sword. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1969.
Hargreaves, Reginald. Red Sun Rising: The Siege of Port Arthur. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1962.
Malozemoff, Andrew. Russian Far Eastern Policy 1881-1904. Berkley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1958.
Walder, David. The Short Victorious War. London: Hutchinson & Co Ltd, 1973
White, John Albert. The Diplomacy of the Russo-Japanese War. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1964
>> Admiral Rozhestvensky himself was taken prisoner.
As we can see, the Russo-Japanese War proved to be a complete and total failure for Russia. A combination of bad luck, poor leadership and utter lack of preparedness for war has proved to be a disaster for its military and the navy in particular. It would also drastically alter the world’s perception of this empire; the defeat at Tsushima proved that it’s not as invulnerable as some western powers made her out to be.
End Notes
With the coinciding of a revolution on the brink of eruption and the impacts of the First World War beginning to take hold of Russia, considered analysis of the factors that may have contributed to the fall of the Romanov Dynasty is imperative, as a combination of several factors were evidently lethal. With the final collapse of the 300 year old Romanov Dynasty in 1917, as well as the fall of Nicholas II, a key reality was apparent; the impact that WWI had on autocratic obliteration was undeniable. However, reflection of Russia’s critical decisions prior to the war is essential in the assessment of the cause of the fall of the Romanov Dynasty. No war is fought without the struggle for resources, and with Russia still rapidly lagging behind in the international industrialisation race by the turn of the 20th century, the stage was set for social unrest and uprising against its already uncoordinated and temporarily displaced government. With inconceivable demands for soldiers, cavalry and warfare paraphernalia, Russia stood little chance in the face of the great powers of World War One.
Clausewitz’s thoughts on war termination effectively summarize the situation for the Japanese and Russian Empires preceding peace negotiations, “Inability to carry on the struggle can, in practice, be replaced by two other grounds for making peace: the first is the improbability of victory; the second is its unacceptable cost.” (Clausewitz, 91). The Japanese effectively identified their culminating point of victory and predicted that continued success would be highly improbable. The Russian Empire had the means to eventually turn the tide of the war, but the cost to do this was unacceptable. As a result, both chose to negotiate peace while continuing to take steps to improve their negotiating position. The Russo-Japanese War highlights the Japanese Empire’s ability to effectively plan, execute and negotiate the termination of a war, despite being considered a vastly inferior power at the onset of war.
Shortly after the Japanese suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Midway, the Imperial Army started to rethink their offensive strategy and started to plan to consolidate forces and begin to focus on defending what they had already captured. Within this strategy they realized that having an airfield built on Guadalcanal would give them the ability to secure their flanks as they continued to push on through the Pacific Ocean as well as allow them to severe the supply and communication lines between the United States and Australia. Guadalc...
Hester is a youthful, beautiful, proud woman who has committed an awful sin and a scandal that changes her life in a major way. She commits adultery with a man known as Arthur Dimmesdale, leader of the local Puritan church and Hester’s minister. The adultery committed results in a baby girl named Pearl. This child she clutches to her chest is the proof of her sin. This behavior is unacceptable. Hester is sent to prison and then punished. Hester is the only one who gets punished for this horrendous act, because no one knows who the man is that Hester has this scandalous affair with. Hester’s sin is confessed, and she lives with two constant reminders of that sin: the scarlet letter itself, and Pearl, the child conceived with Dimmesdale. Her punishment is that she must stand upon a scaffold receiving public humiliation for several hours each day, wearing the scarlet letter “A” on her chest, represe...
Japan had to open ports to foreign commerce when they lost the fight against Europe and America in Tokyo Bay (Bentley 508). After losing, Japan began industrializing and soon enhanced their military by investing in tools from western empires, who had very strong and powerful militaries. Once Japan had built a strong military they began to fight for Korea. They fought China and “demolished the Chinese fleet in a battle lasting a mere five hours,” and they later gained Korea and treaty rights in China (Bentley 550). China’s military was very weak. After losing Hong Kong and many trading ports to western empires following the Opium War, China was in trouble. Chinese people began rebelling against the Qing Dynasty. After the most popular rebellion, The Taiping Rebellion, China began the Self-Strengthening Movement. “While holding to Confucian values, movement leaders built shipyards, constructed railroads, established weapons industries, opened steel foundries with blast furnaces, and founded academies to develop scientific expertise” (Bentley 543). After doing all of these things, China still did not have a strong enough military. They continued to deal with problems from the western
7) Vernadsky, George. A History of Russia: Fourth Edition, Completely Revised. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1954.
Cressman, Robert J.; et al. (1990). "A Glorious page in our history", Adm. Chester Nimitz, 1942: the Battle of Midway, 4–6 June 1942. Missoula, Mont.: Pictorial Histories Pub. Co.ISBN 0-929521-40-4.
Gallen, James M. "THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR." THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.
- Japan invasion of Manchuria, China that started on 18 September 1931 (BBC - Japanese Expansion)
Hester Prynne is accused of adultery in a Massachusetts puritan colony in the 1600's. (Hawthorne, 49) Although Hawthorne argues that Hester Prynne was hardened both socially and physically by puritan punishment, the outcome makes her more independent and stronger as a person. She begins to aid the less fortunate, sick, and poor in her community. "so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength." (Hawthorne, 148). The community begins to accept her as a humanitarian, and realize that she is actually a very giving and strong willed person (The Scarlet Letter).
By the spring of 1942, the Japanese made great gains in the Far East. By May 1, the conquest of the Philippines, Burma, Malaya, and the Dutch East Indies had cost the Japanese Navy only 23 warships and none were larger than a destroyer. Only 67 transport ships had been lost. Their naval command had expected far greater losses and looked to expand even further in the Far East. However, the senior officers of the Japanese Navy argued on what was the next best objective to carry out. One school of thought was for the navy to continue with territorial gains. Admiral Yamamoto wanted to carry on an all out attack on America’s aircraft carriers in the Pacific because they feared these ships were the key success in the Pacific. Admiral Yamamoto believed that the destruction of the American’s aircraft carriers would ensure the security of Japan, so he wanted an attack o...
The portrayal of Hester Prynne in the novel, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, has led to many different opinionated views. Many debate whether or not Hester Prynne should be portrayed in an angelic or sinful light. The author and critic, D.H. Lawrence, focuses on Hester’s sin itself, and focuses on having the reader view an alternate perspective of Hester, seeing her not as the victim, but as the criminal, as she should be viewed based on traditional Puritan values. Lawrence achieves the perspective that Hester should be viewed in a sinful light through his rhythmic and fluid syntax, negative and hateful diction, as well as his sarcastic and critical tone.
Riasanovsky, Nicholas V., and Mark D. Steinberg. A History of Russia. 7th ed. Oxford: Oxford, 2005. Print.
After their defeat in the Crimean war (1853-1856), Russia’s leaders realized they were falling behind much of Europe in terms of modernisation and industrialisation. Alexander II took control of the empire and made the first steps towards radically improving the country’s infrastructure. Transcontinental railways were built and the government strengthened Russia’s economy by promoting industrialisation with the construction of factory complexes throughout...
The Manchurian incident was a turning point in Japanese history in which it abandoned its somewhat general policy of cooperation and peace and instead chose to pursue their personal interests in Asia (S,191). The Japanese interest in China was evident even before its invasion in 1931. In both the Sino Japanese war from 1894 to 1905 as well as the Russo-Japanese War from 1904 to 1905 Japan secured specific locations in Manchuria and other areas in China (U,351). Overall, the consensus for the extensive needs of the empire ultimately drove its policy making until the end of World War 2. To take control of what they believed to be the most mineral rich section of China in which they controlled expansive holdings in such as the South Manchurian Railroad, officers part of the Kwantung Army that were stationed there hatched a plan that would become to be known as the Manchurian Crisis. On September 18th 1931, Japanese soldiers located at the South Manchurian Railroad set off an explosive that they blamed on China (launching both nations into hostile relations for years to come.?? (P,115)) The Japanese invaded Japanese Invaded Chinese controlled Manchuria in 1931 because they wanted to accommodate the rising of the Japanese population, obtain more natural resources, and to stimulate their nearly collapsed economy.