Russo-Japanese War March 31, 1904. The course of the war

At the dawn of the twentieth century, a fierce clash occurred between the Russian and Japanese empires. In what year our country was expected to go to war with Japan. It began in the winter of 1904 and lasted more than 12 months until 1905, became a real blow to the whole world. It stood out not only as a subject of dispute between the two powers, but also with the latest weapons that were used in battles.

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Prerequisites

Main events unfolded in the Far East, in one of the most disputed regions of the world. At the same time, the Russian and Japanese empires claimed it, each had its own political strategies regarding this area, ambitions and plans. Specifically, it was about establishing control over the Chinese region of Manchuria, as well as over Korea and the Yellow Sea.

Note! At the beginning of the twentieth century, Russia and Japan were not only the strongest countries in the world, but also actively developing. Oddly enough, this was the first prerequisite for the Russo-Japanese War.

The Russian Empire was actively pushing its borders, touching Persia and Afghanistan in the southeast.

The interests of Great Britain were affected, so the Russian map continued to grow in the direction of the Far East.

China was the first to stand in the way, which became impoverished from numerous wars, was forced give Russia part of their territories in order to obtain support and funds. So, new lands came into the possession of our empire: Primorye, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.

The reasons also lay in the policy of Japan. The new emperor Meiji considered self-isolation a relic of the past and actively began to develop his country, promoting it in the international arena. After numerous successful reforms, the Japanese Empire reached a new, modernized level. The next step was the expansion of other states.

Even before the start of the war in 1904 Meiji Conquered China, which gave him the right to dispose of Korean lands. Later, the island of Taiwan and other nearby territories were conquered. Here the prerequisites for future confrontation were hidden, since the interests of the two empires met, which contradicted each other. So, on January 27 (February 9), 1904, the war between Russia and Japan was officially started.

Causes

The Russo-Japanese War has become one of the most striking examples of the "cockfight". No racist, religious or ideological disputes were observed between the two warring countries. The essence of the conflict did not lie in the increase of its own territory for significant reasons. It's just that each state had a goal: to prove to itself and others that it is powerful, strong and invincible.

First consider Causes of the Russo-Japanese War within the Russian Empire:

1. The king wanted to assert himself through victory and show all his people that his army and military power were the strongest in the world.
2. It was possible once and for all to suppress the outbreak of the revolution, in which the peasants, workers and even the urban intelligentsia were drawn.

How this war could be useful to Japan, we will briefly consider. The Japanese had only one goal: to demonstrate their new weapons, which were improved. It was necessary to test the latest military equipment, and where can this be done, if not in battle.

Note! The participants in the armed confrontation, in case of victory, would have adjusted their internal political differences. The economy of the victorious country would have improved significantly and new lands would have been received into its possession - Manchuria, Korea and the whole Yellow Sea.

Military action on land

At the beginning of 1904, the 23rd artillery brigade was sent to the eastern front from Russia.

The troops were distributed among strategically important objects - Vladivostok, Manchuria and Port Arthur. There was also a special corral of engineering troops, and a very impressive number of people guarded the CER (railway).

The fact is that all provisions and ammunition were delivered to the soldiers from the European part of the country by train, which is why they required additional protection.

By the way, this has become one of the reasons for the defeat of Russia. The distance from the industrial centers of our country to the Far East is unrealistically great. It took a lot of time to deliver everything necessary, and it was not possible to transport much.

As for the Japanese troops, they were outnumbered by the Russians. Moreover, having left their native and very small islands, they were literally scattered over a vast territory. But in the unfortunate 1904-1905 they were saved by military power. The latest weapons and armored vehicles, destroyers, improved artillery have done their job. It is worth noting the very tactics of warfare and combat, which the Japanese learned from the British. In a word, they took not quantity, but quality and cunning.

Naval battles

The Russo-Japanese War has become real fiasco for the Russian fleet.

Shipbuilding in the Far East region at that time was not too developed, and it was extremely difficult to deliver the “gifts” of the Black Sea to such a distance.

In the Land of the Rising Sun, the fleet was always powerful, Meiji was well prepared, knew the enemy's weaknesses very well, therefore he managed not only to restrain the enemy's onslaught, but also to completely defeat our fleet.

He won the battle thanks to all the same military tactics that he learned from the British.

Main events

The troops of the Russian Empire for a long time did not improve their potential, did not conduct tactical exercises. Their appearance on the Far Eastern front in 1904 made it clear that they simply were not ready to fight and fight. This is clearly seen in the chronology of the main events of the Russo-Japanese War. Let's consider them in order.

• February 9, 1904 - battle of Chemulpo. The Russian cruiser "Varyag" and the ship "Korean", under the command of Vsevolod Rudnev, were surrounded by the Japanese squadron. In an unequal battle, both ships perished, and the remaining crew members were evacuated to Sevastopol and Odessa. In the future, they were forbidden to enter the service in the Pacific Fleet;
• On February 27 of the same year, with the help of the latest torpedoes, the Japanese disabled more than 90% of the Russian fleet by attacking it in Port Arthur;
• spring 1904 - the defeat of the Russian Empire in numerous battles on land. In addition to the difficulties in transporting ammunition and provisions, our soldiers simply did not have a normal map. The Russo-Japanese War had clear schemes, certain strategic objects. But without proper navigation, it was impossible to cope with the task;
• 1904, August - the Russians were able to defend Port Arthur;
• 1905, January - Admiral Stessel surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese;
• May of the same year was another unequal sea battle. After the battle of Tsushima, one Russian ship returned to the port, but the entire Japanese squadron remained safe and sound;
• July 1905 - Japanese troops invaded the territory of Sakhalin.

Probably, the answer to the question of who won the war is obvious. But in fact, numerous battles on land and water have caused the exhaustion of both countries. Japan, although considered the winner, was forced to enlist the support of countries such as Great Britain. The results were disappointing: the economy and domestic politics of both countries were completely undermined. Countries signed a peace treaty and the whole world began to help them.

Outcome of hostilities

At the time of the end of hostilities in the Russian Empire, preparations for the revolution were in full swing. The enemy knew this, so he set a condition: Japan agreed to the signing of a peace treaty only on condition of complete surrender. At the same time, they had to comply the following items:

• half of the island of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands were to pass into the possession of the land of the rising sun;
• renunciation of claims to Manchuria;
• Japan was to have the right to lease Port Arthur;
• the Japanese get all the rights to Korea;
• Russia had to pay her enemy an indemnity for the maintenance of prisoners.

And these were not the only negative consequences of the Russo-Japanese War for our people. The economy began to stagnate for a long time, as factories and factories became impoverished.

Unemployment began in the country, prices for food and other goods rose. Russia began to be denied loans many foreign banks, during which business activities also stopped.

But there were also positive moments. By signing the Portsmouth Peace Agreement, Russia received support from the European powers - England and France.

This was the seed of the birth of a new alliance called the Entente. It is worth noting that Europe was also frightened by the impending revolution, so it tried to provide all possible support to our country so that these events would not go beyond its borders, but only subside. But, as we know, it was not possible to restrain the people, and the revolution became a vivid protest of the population against the current government.

But in Japan, despite numerous losses, things got better. The Land of the Rising Sun proved to the whole world that it can defeat the Europeans. The victory brought this state to the international level.

Why did it all work out

Let us list the reasons for Russia's defeat in this armed confrontation.

1. Significant distance from industrial centers. The railroad could not cope with the transportation of everything needed to the front.
2. The lack of proper training and skill in the Russian army and navy. The Japanese had more advanced technology possession of weapons and combat.
3. Our adversary developed a fundamentally new military equipment, which was difficult to cope with.
4. Betrayal by the tsarist generals. For example, the surrender of Port Arthur, which was previously taken.
5. The war was not popular among the common people, and many of the soldiers who were sent to the front were not interested in winning. But the Japanese warriors were ready to die for the sake of the emperor.

Analysis of the Russo-Japanese War by historians

The more a person is able to respond to the historical and universal, the wider his nature, the richer his life and the more capable such a person is of progress and development.

F. M. Dostoevsky

The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, which we will briefly discuss today, is one of the most important pages in the history of the Russian Empire. In the war, Russia was defeated, demonstrating a military lag behind the leading world countries. Another important event of the war - following its results, the Entente was finally formed, and the world began to slowly, but steadily, roll towards the First World War.

Background of the war

In 1894-1895, Japan defeated China, as a result of which Japan had to cross the Liaodong (Kwantung) Peninsula along with Port Arthur and Farmosa Island (the current name is Taiwan). Germany, France and Russia intervened in the course of the negotiations, insisting that the Liaodong Peninsula remain in the use of China.

In 1896, the government of Nicholas II signed a treaty of friendship with China. As a result, China allows Russia to build a railroad to Vladivostok through Northern Manchuria (China Eastern Railway).

In 1898, Russia, within the framework of a friendship agreement with China, leases the Liaodong Peninsula from the latter for 25 years. This move drew sharp criticism from Japan, which also laid claim to these lands. But this did not lead to serious consequences at that time. In 1902, the tsarist army enters Manchuria. Formally, Japan was ready to recognize this territory for Russia if the latter recognized Japan's dominance in Korea. But the Russian government made a mistake. They did not take Japan seriously, and did not even think of entering into negotiations with it.

Causes and nature of the war

The reasons for the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 are as follows:

• Lease of the Liaodong Peninsula and Port Arthur by Russia.
• Economic expansion of Russia in Manchuria.
• Distribution of spheres of influence in China and Korea.

The nature of hostilities can be defined as follows

• Russia planned to conduct defense and pull up reserves. The transfer of troops was planned to be completed in August 1904, after which it was planned to go on the offensive, up to the landing in Japan.
• Japan planned to wage an offensive war. The first strike was planned at sea with the destruction of the Russian fleet, so that nothing would interfere with the transfer of the landing force. The plans included the capture of Manchuria, the Ussuri and Primorsky Territories.

The balance of power at the beginning of the war

Japan in the war could put up about 175 thousand people (another 100 thousand in reserve) and 1140 field guns. The Russian army consisted of 1 million people and 3.5 million in reserve (reserve). But in the Far East, Russia had 100,000 men and 148 field guns. Also at the disposal of the Russian army were the border guards, who were 24 thousand people with 26 guns. The problem was that these forces, inferior in number to the Japanese, were widely scattered geographically: from Chita to Vladivostok and from Blagoveshchensk to Port Arthur. During 1904-1905, Russia carried out 9 mobilizations, calling for military service about 1 million people.

The Russian fleet consisted of 69 warships. 55 of these ships were in Port Arthur, which was very poorly fortified. To demonstrate that Port Arthur was not completed and ready for war, it is enough to cite the following figures. The fortress was supposed to have 542 guns, but in fact there were only 375, but even of these only 108 guns were usable. That is, the gun supply of Port Arthur at the time of the outbreak of the war was 20%!

It is obvious that the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 began with a clear superiority of Japan on land and at sea.

The course of hostilities

Map of military operations

rice. one - Map of the Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905

Events of 1904

In January 1904, Japan breaks off diplomatic relations with Russia and on January 27, 1904 attacks warships near Port Arthur. This was the beginning of the war.

Russia began to transfer the army to the Far East, but this happened very slowly. The distance of 8 thousand kilometers and the unfinished section of the Siberian railway - all this prevented the transfer of the army. The capacity of the road was 3 echelons per day, which is extremely small.

On January 27, 1904, Japan attacked Russian ships in Port Arthur. At the same time, in the Korean port of Chemulpo, an attack was made on the Varyag cruiser and the Korean escort boat. After an unequal battle, the "Korean" was blown up, and the "Varyag" was flooded by the Russian sailors themselves, so that the enemy would not get it. After that, the strategic initiative at sea passed to Japan. The situation at sea worsened after the battleship Petropavlovsk was blown up on a Japanese mine on March 31, on board of which was the commander of the fleet, S. Makarov. In addition to the commander, his entire staff, 29 officers and 652 sailors perished.

In February 1904, Japan landed an army of 60,000 in Korea, which moved towards the Yalu River (the river separated Korea and Manchuria). There were no significant battles at that time, and in mid-April the Japanese army crossed the border of Manchuria.

Fall of Port Arthur

In May, the second Japanese army (50 thousand people) landed on the Liaodong Peninsula and headed for Port Arthur, creating a bridgehead for the offensive. By this time, the Russian army had partially managed to complete the transfer of troops and its strength was 160 thousand people. One of the most important events of the war was the Battle of Liaoyang in August 1904. This battle still raises many questions among historians. The fact is that in this battle (and it was practically a general one), the Japanese army was defeated. And so much so that the command of the Japanese army declared the impossibility of continuing the conduct of hostilities. The Russo-Japanese War could have ended there if the Russian army went on the offensive. But the commander, Kuropatkin, gives an absolutely absurd order - to retreat. In the course of further events of the war in the Russian army there will be several opportunities to inflict a decisive defeat on the enemy, but each time Kuropatkin either gave absurd orders or hesitated to act, giving the enemy the right time.

After the battle at Liaoyang, the Russian army retreated to the Shahe River, where a new battle took place in September, which did not reveal a winner. After that, there was a lull, and the war moved into a positional phase. In December, General R.I. Kondratenko, who commanded the land defense of the Port Arthur fortress. The new commander of the troops A.M. Stessel, despite the categorical refusal of the soldiers and sailors, decided to surrender the fortress. On December 20, 1904, Stessel surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese. On this, the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 passed into a passive phase, continuing active operations already in 1905.

Later, under public pressure, General Stessel was put on trial and sentenced to death. The sentence was not carried out. Nicholas 2 pardoned the general.

History reference

Defense map of Port Arthur

rice. 2- Defense map of Port Arthur

Events of 1905

The Russian command demanded active actions from Kuropatkin. It was decided to start the offensive in February. But the Japanese preempted him by going on the offensive on Mukden (Shenyang) on ​​February 5, 1905. From February 6 to 25, the largest battle of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 continued. From the Russian side, 280 thousand people took part in it, from the Japanese side - 270 thousand people. There are many interpretations of the Mukden battle in terms of who won the victory in it. In fact, it was a draw. The Russian army lost 90 thousand soldiers, the Japanese - 70 thousand. Smaller losses on the part of Japan are a frequent argument in favor of her victory, but this battle did not give the Japanese army any advantage or gain. Moreover, the losses were so severe that Japan made no further attempts to organize major land battles until the end of the war.

Much more important is the fact that the population of Japan is much smaller than the population of Russia, and after Mukden, the island country has exhausted its human resources. Russia could and should have gone on the offensive in order to win, but 2 factors played against this:

• Kuropatkin factor
• Factor in the Revolution of 1905

On May 14-15, 1905, the Tsushima naval battle took place, in which the Russian squadrons were defeated. The losses of the Russian army amounted to 19 ships and 10 thousand killed and captured.

Kuropatkin factor

Kuropatkin, commanding the ground forces, throughout the entire Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905 did not use a single chance for a favorable offensive in order to inflict great damage on the enemy. There were several such chances, and we talked about them above. Why did the Russian general and commander refuse active actions and did not seek to end the war? After all, if he had given the order to attack after Liaoyang, and with a high degree of probability, the Japanese army would have ceased to exist.

Of course, it is impossible to answer this question directly, but a number of historians put forward the following opinion (I cite it for the reason that it is well-reasoned and extremely similar to the truth). Kuropatkin was closely associated with Witte, who, let me remind you, by the time of the war was removed from the post of prime minister by Nicholas II. Kuropatkin's plan was to create conditions under which the tsar would return Witte. The latter was considered an excellent negotiator, so it was necessary to reduce the war with Japan to a stage where the parties would sit down at the negotiating table. For this, the war could not be ended with the help of the army (the defeat of Japan is a direct surrender without any negotiations). Therefore, the commander did everything to bring the war to a draw. He successfully coped with this task, and indeed Nicholas 2 called on Witte by the end of the war.

Revolution Factor

There are many sources pointing to Japanese financing of the 1905 Revolution. The real facts of the transfer of money, of course. No. But there are 2 facts that I find extremely curious:

• The peak of the revolution and movement fell on the Battle of Tsushima. Nicholas 2 needed an army to fight the revolution and he decided to start peace negotiations with Japan.
• Immediately after the signing of the Peace of Portsmouth, the revolution in Russia began to wane.

Reasons for the defeat of Russia

Why was Russia defeated in the war with Japan? The reasons for Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War are as follows:

• The weakness of the grouping of Russian troops in the Far East.
• The unfinished Trans-Siberian Railway, which did not allow the transfer of troops in full.
• Mistakes of the army command. I already wrote above about the Kuropatkin factor.
• Japan's superiority in military equipment.

The last point is extremely important. He is often forgotten, but undeservedly. In terms of technical equipment, primarily in the navy, Japan was far ahead of Russia.

Portsmouth Peace

To conclude peace between countries, Japan demanded that Theodore Roosevelt, the President of the United States, act as an intermediary. Negotiations began and the Russian delegation was headed by Witte. Nicholas 2 returned him to his post and entrusted him with negotiating, knowing the talents of this man. And Witte really took a very tough position, not allowing Japan to get significant gains from the war.

The terms of the Peace of Portsmouth were as follows:

• Russia recognized Japan's right to dominate Korea.
• Russia ceded part of the territory of Sakhalin Island (the Japanese wanted to get the entire island, but Witte was against it).
• Russia transferred the Kwantung Peninsula to Japan along with Port Arthur.
• No one paid indemnities to anyone, but Russia had to pay a reward to the enemy for the maintenance of Russian prisoners of war.

Consequences of the war

During the war, Russia and Japan lost about 300 thousand people each, but in view of the population for Japan, these were almost catastrophic losses. The losses were due to the fact that this was the first major war in which automatic weapons were used. At sea, there was a big bias towards the use of mines.

An important fact that many bypass, it was after the Russo-Japanese War that the Entente (Russia, France and England) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary) were finally formed. The fact of the formation of the Entente draws upon itself. Before the war, Europe had an alliance between Russia and France. The latter did not want its expansion. But the events of the Russian war against Japan showed that the Russian army had many problems (it really was), so France signed agreements with England.

Positions of world powers during the war

During the Russo-Japanese War, the world powers occupied the following positions:

• England and USA. Traditionally, the interests of these countries were extremely similar. They supported Japan, but mostly financially. Approximately 40% of Japan's costs of the war were covered by Anglo-Saxon money.
• France declared neutrality. Although, in fact, she had an allied agreement with Russia, she did not fulfill her allied obligations.
• Germany from the first days of the war declared its neutrality.

The Russian-Japanese war was practically not analyzed by tsarist historians, since they simply did not have enough time. After the end of the war, the Russian Empire lasted for almost 12 years, which included a revolution, economic problems and a world war. Therefore, the main study took place already in Soviet times. But it is important to understand that for Soviet historians it was a war against the backdrop of a revolution. That is, "the tsarist regime strove for aggression, and the people prevented this with all their might." That is why it is written in Soviet textbooks that, for example, the Liaoyang operation ended in the defeat of Russia. Although technically it was a draw.

The end of the war is also seen as the complete defeat of the Russian army on land and in the navy. If at sea the situation was indeed close to defeat, then on land Japan was on the brink of an abyss, since they no longer had the manpower to continue the war. I propose to look at this question even a little wider. How did the wars of that era end after the unconditional defeat (and this is what Soviet historians often talked about) of one of the parties? Large indemnities, large territorial concessions, partial economic and political dependence of the loser on the winner. But there is nothing like it in the Portsmouth world. Russia did not pay anything, lost only the southern part of Sakhalin (an insignificant territory) and refused the land leased from China. The argument is often made that Japan won the fight for dominance in Korea. But Russia has never seriously fought for this territory. She was only interested in Manchuria. And if we go back to the origins of the war, we will see that the Japanese government would never have started a war if Nicholas 2 had recognized Japan's dominance in Korea, just as the Japanese government would have recognized Russia's positions in Manchuria. Therefore, at the end of the war, Russia did what it should have done back in 1903, without bringing matters to a war. But this is a question for the personality of Nicholas 2, who today is extremely fashionable to call a martyr and hero of Russia, but it was his actions that provoked the war.

One of the largest confrontations is the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The reasons for it will be discussed in the article. As a result of the conflict, armadillo guns, long-range artillery, and destroyers were used.

The essence of this war was which of the two warring empires would dominate the Far East. Emperor of Russia Nicholas II considered it his primary task to strengthen the influence of his power in East Asia. At the same time, Emperor Meiji of Japan sought to gain complete control over Korea. War became inevitable.

Background of the conflict

It is clear that the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 (the reasons are connected with the Far East) did not start instantly. She had her prerequisites.

Russia advanced in Central Asia to the border with Afghanistan and Persia, which affected the interests of Great Britain. Unable to expand in this direction, the empire switched to the East. There was China, which, due to complete exhaustion in the opium wars, was forced to transfer part of the territory to Russia. So she got control of Primorye (the territory of modern Vladivostok), the Kuril Islands, and partly Sakhalin Island. To connect distant frontiers, the Trans-Siberian Railway was created, which, along the railway line, provided communication between Chelyabinsk and Vladivostok. In addition to the railroad, Russia planned to trade on the ice-free Yellow Sea through Port Arthur.

In Japan, at the same time, their transformations were taking place. Having come to power, Emperor Meiji ended the policy of self-isolation and began to modernize the state. All his reforms were so successful that a quarter of a century after they began, the empire was able to seriously think about military expansion to other states. Its first targets were China and Korea. The victory of Japan over China allowed her to get in 1895 the rights to Korea, the island of Taiwan and other lands.

A conflict was brewing between two strong empires for dominance in East Asia. The result was the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The causes of the conflict should be considered in more detail.

The main causes of the war

It was extremely important for both powers to show their military achievements, so the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 unfolded. The reasons for this confrontation lie not only in the claims to the territory of China, but also in the internal political situations that had developed in both empires by that time. A successful campaign in a war not only gives the victor an economic advantage, but also raises her status on the world stage and silences opponents of her existing power. What did both states count on in this conflict? What were the main causes of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905? The table below reveals the answers to these questions.

Precisely because both powers were striving for an armed solution to the conflict, all diplomatic negotiations did not bring results.

The balance of power on land

The causes of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 were both economic and political. The 23rd Artillery Brigade was sent to the Eastern Front from Russia. As for the numerical advantage of the armies, the leadership belonged to Russia. However, in the East, the army was limited to 150 thousand people. However, they were scattered over a wide area.

• Vladivostok - 45,000 people
• Manchuria - 28,000 people
• Port Arthur - 22,000 people
• Security of the Chinese Eastern Railway - 35,000 people.
• Artillery, engineering troops - up to 8000 people.

The biggest problem of the Russian army was the remoteness from the European part. Communication was carried out by telegraph, and delivery was carried out by the CER line. However, a limited amount of cargo could be delivered by rail. In addition, the leadership did not have accurate maps of the area, which negatively affected the course of the war.

Japan before the war had an army of 375 thousand people. They studied the area well, had fairly accurate maps. The army has been modernized by English specialists, and the soldiers are devoted to their emperor to death.

The balance of power on the water

In addition to land, battles also took place on the water. Admiral Heihachiro Togo led the Japanese fleet. His task was to block the enemy squadron near Port Arthur. In another sea (Japanese), the squadron of the Land of the Rising Sun counteracted the Vladivostok group of cruisers.

Understanding the causes of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the Meiji state thoroughly prepared for battles on the water. The most important ships of her United Fleet were produced in England, France, Germany and significantly outnumbered Russian ships.

Major events of the war

When in February 1904 the Japanese forces began to cross into Korea, the Russian command did not attach any importance to this, although they understood the reasons for the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905.

Briefly about the main events.

• 09.02.1904. The historical battle of the cruiser "Varyag" against the Japanese squadron near Chemulpo.
• 27.02.1904. The Japanese fleet attacked the Russian Port Arthur without declaring war. The Japanese used torpedoes for the first time and disabled 90% of the Pacific Fleet.
• April 1904. The clash of armies on land, which showed Russia's unpreparedness for war (mismatch of form, lack of military maps, inability to fence). Due to the fact that Russian officers had white tunics, Japanese soldiers easily figured out and killed them.
• May 1904. Capture of the port of Dalniy by the Japanese.
• August 1904. Successful Russian defense of Port Arthur.
• January 1905. Surrender of Port Arthur by Stessel.
• May 1905. The naval battle near Tsushima destroyed the Russian squadron (one ship returned to Vladivostok), while not a single Japanese ship was injured.
• July 1905. Japanese invasion of Sakhalin.

The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the reasons for which were of an economic nature, led to the exhaustion of both powers. Japan began to look for ways to resolve the conflict. She resorted to the help of Great Britain and the United States.

Battle of Chemulpo

The famous battle took place on February 9, 1904 off the coast of Korea (the city of Chemulpo). Captain Vsevolod Rudnev commanded two Russian ships. These were the cruiser "Varyag" and the boat "Korean". The squadron of Japan under the command of Sotokichi Uriu consisted of 2 battleships, 4 cruisers, 8 destroyers. They blocked the Russian ships and forced them to join the battle.

In the morning, in clear weather, the Varyag and the Koreyets weighed anchor and tried to get out of the bay. In honor of the exit from the port, music began to play for them, but after only five minutes the alarm sounded on the deck. The battle flag went up.

The Japanese did not expect such actions and expected to destroy the Russian ships in the port. The enemy squadron in a hurry raised anchors, battle flags and began to prepare for battle. The battle began with a shot from the Asama. Then there was a battle with the use of armor-piercing and high-explosive shells from both sides.

In unequal forces, the Varyag was badly damaged, and Rudnev decided to turn back to the anchorage. There, the Japanese could not continue shelling because of the danger of damaging the ships of other states.

Having lowered the anchor, the Varyag team began to study the condition of the ship. Rudnev, meanwhile, went for permission to destroy the cruiser and transfer his team to neutral ships. Not all officers supported Rudnev's decision, but two hours later the team was evacuated. They decided to sink the Varyag by opening its floodgates. The bodies of the dead sailors were left on the cruiser.

It was decided to blow up the Korean boat, having evacuated the team before that. All things were left on the ship, and secret documents were burned.

The sailors were received by French, English and Italian ships. After carrying out all the necessary procedures, they were delivered to Odessa and Sevastopol, from where they were disbanded by the fleet. By agreement, they could not continue to participate in the Russo-Japanese conflict, so they were not allowed into the Pacific Fleet.

The results of the war

Japan agreed to sign the peace treaty with the complete surrender of Russia, in which the revolution had already begun. According to the Portsmouth Peace Treaty (08/23/1905), Russia was obliged to fulfill the following points:

1. Relinquish claims to Manchuria.
2. Renounce in favor of Japan from the Kuril Islands and half of Sakhalin Island.
3. Recognize Japan's right to Korea.
4. Transfer to Japan the right to lease Port Arthur.
5. Pay Japan an indemnity for the "maintenance of prisoners."

In addition, the defeat in the war had negative consequences for Russia in economic terms. Stagnation began in some industries, as their lending from foreign banks declined. Living in the country has risen in price significantly. The industrialists insisted on the speedy conclusion of peace.

Even those countries that initially supported Japan (Great Britain and the United States) realized how difficult the situation in Russia was. The war had to be stopped in order to direct all forces to fight the revolution, which world states equally feared.

Mass movements began among workers and military personnel. A striking example is the uprising on the battleship Potemkin.

The causes and results of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 are clear. It remains to find out what were the losses in human terms. Russia lost 270 thousand, of which 50 thousand were killed. Japan lost the same number of soldiers, but more than 80,000 were killed.

Value judgments

The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the reasons for which were of an economic and political nature, showed serious problems within the Russian Empire. He also wrote about this. War revealed problems in the army, its weapons, command, as well as blunders in diplomacy.

Japan was not fully satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations. The state lost too much in the fight against the European enemy. She hoped to get more territory, but the United States did not support her in this. Discontent began to brew inside the country, and Japan continued the path of militarization.

The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the reasons for which were considered, brought many military tricks:

• use of spotlights;
• the use of wire fences under high voltage current;
• field kitchen;
• radiotelegraphy for the first time made it possible to control ships from a distance;
• switching to fuel oil, which produces no smoke and makes ships less visible;
• the appearance of ships - minelayers, which began to be produced with the spread of mine weapons;
• flamethrowers.

One of the heroic battles of the war with Japan is the battle of the Varyag cruiser at Chemulpo (1904). Together with the ship "Korean" they opposed the whole squadron of the enemy. The battle was obviously lost, but the sailors still made an attempt to break through. It turned out to be unsuccessful, and in order not to surrender, the crew led by Rudnev sank their ship. For courage and heroism, they were awarded the praise of Nicholas II. The Japanese were so impressed by the character and stamina of Rudnev and his sailors that in 1907 they awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun. The captain of the sunken cruiser accepted the award, but never wore it.

There is a version according to which Stessel surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese for a fee. How true this version is, it is already impossible to verify. Be that as it may, because of his act, the campaign was doomed to failure. For this, the general was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in the fortress, but he was pardoned a year after imprisonment. He was deprived of all titles and awards, while leaving a pension.

The main events of the RUSSIAN-JAPANESE war of 1904-1905 January 26 - 27, 1904 March 31, 1904 February 1904 April 1904 July 17, 1904 July 28, 1904 August 1904 August 11 - 21, 1904 September - October 1904 October 1904 December 20, 1904 February 1905 February 25, 1905 May 14-15, 1905 June 1905 August 23, 1905 Sudden attack by Japanese destroyers on the Russian squadron on the outer roads of Port Arthur. Mining approaches to the port → The Russian fleet cannot influence the course of hostilities. Two Russian ships (the cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets") opposed 15 enemy warships near the port of Chemulpo (Korea). In an unequal battle, cruiser commander V.F. Rudnev ordered to leave the ship; "Varyag" was sunk, and "Koreets" was blown up. The flagship battleship "Petropavlovsk" ran into a mine in battle: Vice Admiral S.O. Makarov, his headquarters (281 people) and V.V. Vereshchagin A series of defeats of the Russian army in unequal battles near the town of Tyurenchen → rus. troops retreated to Laoliang. Japan captured the port of Dalniy (Liaodong Peninsula) - a springboard for operations against Port Arthur. The beginning of the Japanese siege of Port Arthur. Rus. the military base was defended for 7 months under the leadership of General R.I. Kondratenko, having withstood 4 assaults The Russian fleet, which tried to break through to Vladivostok, is defeated Japan launched a forced attack on Port Arthur, but met stubborn resistance → cessation of the assault, siege of the fortress. Liaoyang battle: three Japanese armies attacked the Rus. positions, but faced fierce resistance and suffered heavy losses. Commander of the Manchurian army A.N. Kuropatkin, reinsured, decided to retreat north to Mukden. Battles on the Shankh River (heavy losses on both sides) an attempt by the land army to help the besieged Port Arthur → The battle on the Shakh River ended unsuccessfully The 2nd Pacific squadron left the Baltic port of Libava under the command of Admiral Z.P. Rozhdestvensky to the rescue of Port Arthur (she had to go around Africa) Capitulation of Port Arthur (Surrendered by General A.M. Stessel, despite the decision of the Fortress Defense Council to continue resistance) Fighting near Mukden → threat of complete encirclement рус. army → order (February 22) of Kuropatkin about the immediate encirclement The Japanese occupied Mukden Tsushima battle: the Japanese fleet, which had superiority in strength, artillery and speed, defeated the 2nd Pacific squadron Landing of two Japanese divisions on about. Sakhalin → the unequal struggle of the militias from hard labor lasted two months Portsmouth m / d (through the mediation of US President T. Roosevelt; Portsmouth - USA; head of the Russian delegations - S.Yu. Witte): - loss of Port Arthur and the southern part of Sakhalin Island; - evacuation of troops of both countries from Manchuria; - refusal of Russia from claims; - the right to fish along the Russian shores.

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 to sea at the head of the Vladivostok detachment of cruisers 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, replacing 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 took part 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 commander of the Novik, 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 .

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 in the 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.