Japanese-Russian War 1904-05 table. Causes of the Russo-Japanese War. Other events of the Russo-Japanese War

Upon completion wars 1894-1895 Japan claimed to take away from China not only Taiwan, but also the Liaodong Peninsula located near Beijing. However, three powerful European powers - Russia, Germany and France - staged a joint diplomatic demarche in 1895 and forced the Japanese to withdraw their demand for the concession of Liaodong. After suppression in 1900 Boxer Rebellion Russia occupied Manchuria along with Liaodong, thus gaining access to the Yellow Sea and beginning to build a strong military harbor here, Port Arthur. In Tokyo they were extremely offended that Russia took what it had recently forced the Japanese to give up. Japan began to demand compensation for itself in Korea, where its own and Russian influence at that time roughly balanced each other.

In the late autumn of 1901, a prominent Japanese figure, a recent prime minister, the Marquis Ito, came to St. Petersburg. He proposed an agreement on the terms of Russia recognizing exclusive Japanese rights in Korea, and Japan recognizing Russians in Manchuria. The St. Petersburg government refused. Then Japan began to prepare for war with Russia and in January 1902 entered into an alliance with England (friendly support in a war with one power and military support in a war with two).

A dangerous situation was being created for Russia: Great Siberian railway track from the European part of the empire to Vladivostok was not completely completed. Through traffic along it opened already in August 1903, but so far the Circum-Baikal Road was not enough - there was a traffic jam in the middle of the road. Of the latest Russian battleships, one “Tsesarevich” was ready. By 1905-1906, Russia should have strengthened itself in the Far East so as not to be afraid of Japan, but the next one and a half to two years became a time of great risk. Some members of the St. Petersburg government were in favor of an agreement with Japan, but Tsar Nicholas II was inclined to the opinion of the warlike Admiral Alekseev and the “retired cavalry guard” Bezobrazov, who said that excessive compliance by Russia would only provoke new Japanese demands. Bezobrazov promised “with one facial expression” to take Manchuria and Korea for the empire, and promised fantastic profits to the state from the timber concession in Korea. Nicholas II made him his personal representative in the Far East. Bezobrazov ruled there, disregarding neither the Russian ministries, nor the obligations of diplomats, nor the Chinese government (and often quarreling with Alekseev). On July 30, 1903, the tsar allocated the Far East to a special governorship headed by Alekseev, excluding the region from the jurisdiction of all ministries, giving the admiral command of the troops, administration, and diplomacy with Japan and China. On August 16, one of the main opponents of active actions in the Far East, Witte, was dismissed (honorable: dismissed from the post of Minister of Finance, but appointed chairman of the Committee of Ministers - which in Russia at that time was only an interdepartmental meeting, its chairman was not at all the head of government).

Russo-Japanese War[History of Russia. XX century]

Japan, meanwhile, began to demonstratively act as a “defender of China,” shouting that Russia had violated its rights, demanding the evacuation of Russian troops from Manchuria, frightening the Western world with Russian aggressiveness. This propaganda met with sympathetic attention in the Anglo-Saxon countries. At the end of 1903, the Russian government sent several new ships to the Far East. According to many, for Russia, the clash with Japan decided the issue of access to ice-free seas in the east. If Russia had not received it, the entire great movement to Siberia threatened to turn out to be just a giant dead end.

The balance of forces at the time the struggle began was not particularly favorable for the Russians. The construction of Port Arthur progressed extremely slowly, funds were allocated meagerly (although Witte, who was in charge of finances, spent up to 20 million rubles on equipping a huge commercial port in the city of Dalniy). There were very few Russian troops in the Far East. From 1895 to 1903, the Japanese, using indemnities received from China in 1895 and 1900, increased their peacetime army two and a half times (from 64 to 150.5 thousand soldiers) and tripled the number of guns. The former Japanese fleet was quantitatively weaker even than the Chinese and Dutch, but Japan rebuilt it, mainly in English shipyards - and received it at its disposal sea ​​power great power scale.

Although armed forces Russia had about 1 million fighters, less than 100 thousand of them were stationed in the Far East (50 thousand in the Ussuri region, 20 thousand in Manchuria, 20 thousand in the garrison of Port Arthur). Siberian way so far only 4 pairs of trains passed per day; there was no Circum-Baikal Railway. Russian population Far East, from which a call could be made, the number did not reach even a million. Japan was able to mobilize a million men, possessing a transport fleet sufficient to transport two divisions with all their equipment to the mainland at the same time. The Japanese fleet consisted of 14 battleships and armored cruisers, and the Russian Far Eastern fleet - 11 (although by 1905 their number was supposed to be increased to 15). In light ships, Japanese dominance was even more impressive. In addition, the Russian Far Eastern fleet was divided into two parts: 3 armored cruisers in Vladivostok, several months a year covered with ice, the rest are in Port Arthur.

Causes of the Russo-Japanese War

1. Contradictions between Russia and Japan over spheres of influence in China

2. Economic expansion of Russia into China and military expansion of Japan in Korea.

3. Construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER)

4. Russia's lease of the Liaodong Peninsula and Port Arthur as a naval base

5. For the Russian government, war is a means of preventing revolution, and for Japan it is a vital necessity, because without colonies, the rapidly growing Japanese economy was awaiting collapse.

The main events of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the course of military operations

Reasons for defeat in the war

Support for Japan from England and the USA.

Russia's poor preparation for war. Military-technical superiority of Japan.

Mistakes and ill-considered actions of the Russian command.

Lack of rapid transfer of reserves to the Far East

Results of the Russo-Japanese War

Korea was recognized as Japan's sphere of influence.

Japan took possession of South Sakhalin.

Japan received fishing rights along the Russian coast.

Russia leased the Liaodong Peninsula and the Port Arthur fortress to Japan

2. The defeat of Russia in the war with Japan was the reason for the start of the First Russian Revolution, because the main argument in favor of autocracy was undermined: maintaining the military power and external greatness of the country.

3. Weakening of Russia’s position in the Far East

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Far East was actively developing new lands, which provoked a war with Japan. Let's figure out what the causes of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 were.

Background and causes of the war

IN late XIX- At the beginning of the twentieth century, Japan experienced a period powerful development. Contacts with England and the USA allowed her to raise the economy to a new level, reform the army, build a new modern fleet. The Meiji Revolution established the Empire of the Rising Sun as a leading regional power.

At this time, Nicholas II came to power in Russia. His reign began with a stampede on the Khodynka field, which left a negative imprint on his authority among his subjects.

Rice. 1. Portrait of Nicholas II.

To raise authority, a “small victorious war"or new territorial expansions to demonstrate the greatness of Russia. Crimean War indicated territorial claims Russia in Europe. In Central Asia, Russia was stuck with India, and conflict with Britain had to be avoided. Nicholas II turned his attention to China, weakened by wars and European colonization. Long-term plans were also made for Korea.

In 1898, Russia leased the Liaodong Peninsula with the Port Arthur fortress from China, and construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER) began. The development of the territories of Manchuria by Russian colonists was actively underway.

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Rice. 2. Construction of Port Arthur.

In Japan, realizing that Russia was laying claim to lands that were within their sphere of interest, the slogan “Gashin-shotan” was put forward, calling on the nation to endure the increase in taxes for the sake of a military clash with Russia.

Based on the above, it should be noted that the first and main reason for the war was the clash of the colonial ambitions of the two countries. Therefore, the war that arose was of a colonial-aggressive nature.

The reason for the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 was the severance of diplomatic ties between the two states. Having failed to agree on the scope of colonial expansion among themselves, both empires began to prepare to resolve the issue by military means.

Progress of the war and results

The war began with active actions by the Japanese army and navy. First, Russian ships were attacked in Chemulpo and Port Arthur, and then troops were landed in Korea and on the Liaodong Peninsula.

Rice. 3. The death of the cruiser Varyag.

Russia conducted an active defense, waiting for the arrival of reserves from Europe. However, poor infrastructure and supplies prevented Russia from turning the tide of the war. However, the prolonged defense of Port Arthur and the victory of Russian troops at Liaoyang could have brought Russia victory in the war, since the Japanese had practically exhausted their economic and human reserves. But General Kuropatkin each time, instead of attacking and defeating the enemy army, gave orders to retreat. First, Port Arthur was lost, then the Battle of Mukden took place, and the Russian Second and Third Pacific squadrons were defeated. The defeat was obvious and the parties moved on to peace negotiations.

The consequence of defeat in the war was an even greater deterioration in the authority of the king among the people. This resulted in the First Russian Revolution, which lasted until 1907 and limited the power of the Tsar through the creation of the State Duma. 4.6. Total ratings received: 220.

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

Prerequisites

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

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

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

British interests were affected, so the Russian map continued to expand in the Far East.

The first to stand in the way was China, which had become impoverished from numerous wars and was forced give Russia part of its territories in order to gain support and funds. Thus, new lands came into the possession of our empire: Primorye, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.

The reasons also lay in Japanese politics. The new Emperor Meiji considered self-isolation a relic of the past and actively began to develop his country, promoting it on the international stage. 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 1904 war 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 were hidden the prerequisites for future confrontation, since the interests of two empires that contradicted each other met. So, on January 27 (February 9), 1904, the war between Russia and Japan officially began.

Reasons

The Russo-Japanese War became one of the most striking examples of “cockfighting”. There were no racist, religious or ideological disputes between the two warring countries. Nor did the essence of the conflict lie in increasing one’s own territory for significant reasons. It’s just that each state had a goal: to prove to itself and others that it was powerful, strong and invincible.

Let's first consider reasons for the emergence of the Russo-Japanese War within Russian Empire:

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

Let us briefly consider how this war could be useful to Japan. The Japanese had only one goal: to demonstrate their new weapons, which had been improved. I had to try the newest one military equipment, and where can this be done, if not in battle.

Pay attention! If the participants in the armed confrontation had won, they would have settled their internal political differences. The economy of the victorious country would have improved significantly and new lands would have been acquired - Manchuria, Korea and the entire Yellow Sea.

Military operations on land

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

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

The fact is that all food 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 became one of the reasons for Russia's defeat. Distance from industrial centers our country to the Far East is unrealistically large. 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 Russian ones. Moreover, having left their native and very small islands, they found themselves literally scattered over a vast territory. But in the ill-fated 1904-1905 they were saved by military power. The latest weapons and armored vehicles, destroyers, and improved artillery have done their job. It is worth noting the very tactics of warfare and combat that the Japanese learned from the British. In a word, they took it not by quantity, but by quality and cunning.

Naval battles

The Russo-Japanese War became real fiasco for Russian fleet .

Shipbuilding in the Far Eastern region at that time was not very developed, and delivering the “gifts” of the Black Sea to such a distance was extremely difficult.

In the country rising sun the fleet was always powerful, Meiji was well prepared, knew the enemy’s weaknesses very well, and therefore managed not only to hold back the enemy’s onslaught, but also to completely defeat our fleet.

He won the battle thanks to the same military tactics, which he learned from the British.

Main events

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

• February 9, 1904 – Battle of Chemulpo. The Russian cruiser "Varyag" and the steamer "Koreets", under the command of Vsevolod Rudnev, were surrounded by a Japanese squadron. In an unequal battle, both ships were lost, and the remaining crew members were evacuated to Sevastopol and Odessa. In the future, they were prohibited from enlisting in the Pacific Fleet;
• On February 27 of the same year, using the latest torpedoes, the Japanese disabled more than 90% of the Russian fleet by attacking it in Port Arthur;
• spring 1904 - defeat of the Russian Empire in numerous battles on land. In addition to difficulties with transporting ammunition and supplies, our soldiers simply did not have a normal map. The Russo-Japanese War had clear patterns and 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 – 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 Sakhalin.

Probably the answer to the question of who won the war is obvious. But in fact, numerous battles on land and water 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 both countries. The 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 revolution were in full swing. The enemy knew this, so he set a condition: Japan agreed to sign a peace treaty only on condition of complete surrender. At the same time, it had to be observed following points:

• 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 its enemy an indemnity for the maintenance of prisoners.

And they weren't the only ones negative consequences Russian-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 were also suspended.

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

This became the seed for the emergence of a new alliance called the Entente. It is worth noting that Europe was also frightened by the brewing revolution, so it tried to provide all possible support to our country so that these events would not go beyond its borders, but would 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 everything turn out this way?

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

1. Considerable distance from industrial centers. Railway could not cope with transporting everything necessary to the front.
2. Lack of Russian army and a fleet of proper training and skill. The Japanese had more advanced technology possession of weapons and combat.
3. Our enemy developed fundamentally new military equipment, which was difficult to cope with.
4. Betrayal from the outside tsarist generals. For example, the surrender of Port Arthur, which had previously been taken.
5. The war was not popular among ordinary people, as well as many soldiers who were sent to the front, were not interested in victory. But the Japanese soldiers were ready to die for the sake of the emperor.

Analysis of the Russo-Japanese War by historians

Russo-Japanese War, reasons for defeat

Conclusion

After the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, the old regime completely collapsed in Russia. Just a few years later, our ancestors became citizens completely new country. And most importantly, many who died on the Far Eastern Front were not remembered for a long time.

In the second half of the 19th century, Russia actively developed the Far Eastern territories, strengthening its influence in the East Asian region. The main rival in Russia's political and economic expansion in this region was Japan, which sought at all costs to stop the growing influence of the Russian Empire on China and Korea. At the end of the 19th century, these two Asian countries were very weak economically, politically and militarily and were completely dependent on the will of other states, which shamelessly divided their territories among themselves. Russia and Japan took the most active part in this “sharing”, capturing natural resources and the lands of Korea and Northern China.

Causes that led to the war

Japan, which by the mid-1890s began to pursue a policy of active external expansion of Korea, which was geographically closer to it, encountered resistance from China and entered into a war with it. As a result of the military conflict known as the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, China suffered a crushing defeat and was forced to completely renounce all rights to Korea, transferring a number of territories to Japan, including the Liaodong Peninsula, located in Manchuria.

This balance of power in this region did not suit the major European powers, which had their own interests here. Therefore, Russia, together with Germany and France, under the threat of triple intervention, forced the Japanese to return the Liaodong Peninsula to China. The Chinese peninsula did not last long; after the Germans captured Jiaozhou Bay in 1897, the Chinese government turned to Russia for help, which put forward its own conditions, which the Chinese were forced to accept. As a result, the Russian-Chinese Convention of 1898 was signed, according to which the Liaodong Peninsula was practically the undivided use of Russia.

In 1900, as a result of the suppression of the so-called "Boxer Rebellion", organized by secret society Yihetuan, the territory of Manchuria was occupied by Russian troops. After the suppression of the uprising, Russia was in no hurry to withdraw its troops from this territory, and even after the signing of the allied Russian-Chinese agreement on a phased withdrawal in 1902 Russian troops, they continued to rule the occupied territory.

By that time, the dispute between Japan and Russia had escalated over Russian forest concessions in Korea. In the zone of operation of its Korean concessions, Russia, under the pretext of building warehouses for timber, secretly built and strengthened military installations.

Exacerbation of Russian-Japanese confrontation

The situation in Korea and Russia's refusal to withdraw its troops from the territory of Northern China led to increased confrontation between Japan and Russia. Japan made an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate with Russian government, offering him a draft bilateral agreement, which was rejected. In response, Russia proposed its own draft treaty, which fundamentally did not suit the Japanese side. As a result, in early February 1904, Japan broke off diplomatic relations with Russia. On February 9, 1904, without an official declaration of war, the Japanese fleet attacked the Russian squadron to ensure the landing of troops in Korea - the Russo-Japanese War began.