Although Japan was in a state of heightened tension with Russia over the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria, negotiations between Japan and Russia have been underway since 1903.
During the negotiations, the theory of war with Russia intensified in Japan, and Konoe Atsumaro Organizes a Tairo Doshikai to insist on strong diplomacy with Russia. On the other hand, Kanzo Uchimura and Kotoku Shusui / Toshihiko Sakai , who argue against the war theory in part. Etc. were in conflict.
However, Sino-Japanese War In Japan, which was crazy with the victory in Japan, it gradually leans toward the theory of battle.
The start of the Russo-Japanese War
Negotiations with Russia are February 1904 Even if it is prolonged further, it will be judged that it is disadvantageous to Japan just by waiting for the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway, and we will notify the diplomatic ties.
In this way, the Japanese army made a surprise attack on the Russian fleet outside Lushun Port, and Russo-Japanese War Will open.
* If you want to know the situation on the Russian and European sides of the Russo-Japanese War, please refer to the article below.
Siege of Port Arthur and Battle of Mukden
In the land battle, the Battle of the Yalu River and the Liaodong Peninsula were held near the border between South Korea and the Qing dynasty. Defeat Russia in. In addition, the Liaoyang Battle in South Manchuria But I won and succeeded in securing the Korean Peninsula To do.
On the sea side, the command of the sea of the Yellow Sea is secured However, in order to completely conquer the Liaodong Peninsula, Russian Pacific Fleet Base Lushunkou However, the three total attacks in front of the lack of cooperation between the Japanese Army and the Navy and the robust fortress also fail in vain. At that time, the Russian Baltic Fleet The Japanese Navy, which was cornered after the final round of the Far East, promised to cooperate with the Army in the Siege of Port Arthur, and at the expense of 15,000 people, the Siege of Port Arthur was achieved.
Next, we will head for Mukden, the central city of South Manchuria.
In 1905, a main battle will be held in Mukden with 250,000 Japanese and 320,000 Russians. The Japanese will also win this battle and rout Russia's main army. However, the Japanese army was also full of wounds and could not chase after running out of ammunition, and although it was able to occupy Mukden, it did not lead to the defeat of the Russian army.
Battle of Tsushima
On the other hand, in the naval battle, it was not possible to obtain definitive command of the sea while maintaining Japan's superiority.
Heihachiro Togo, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Fleet, laid a guard net in the waters around the Tsushima Strait, as the Baltic Fleet would be at a disadvantage to Japan if it joined the Navy in the Far East.
The Baltic Fleet arrived in the waters near Japan over seven months from the Baltic Sea, and was dropped off the coast of Tsushima in May 1905 by the Battle of Tsushima.
The Combined Fleet led by Togo is [ Crossing the T ] To defeat the Baltic Fleet.
With this victory, the battlefield was decided, and the Japanese government proceeded with peace.
With the economic support of the United States and Britain, which oppose Russia's occupation of Manchuria, Japan had an advantage in the battlefield, but it was exhausted and there was no room left to expand the front.
Russo-Japanese War Japan's damage and war costs
- Mobilized soldiers 1.1 million
- Killed in action over 80,000
- Injured more than 140,000
- POWs over 2000
- War expenses:Approximately 2 billion yen
As a result of this enormous war cost, emergency special tax of 200 million yen And compulsory allocation of government bonds The national power was exhausted due to such factors, and the burden on the people had reached its limit.
Japan and Russia will be at the peace table with the mediation of the United States and will conclude the Treaty of Portsmouth on September 5, 1905. In this way, the war with Russia, which was said to be overwhelmingly disadvantageous, was won, and the Russo-Japanese War ended.
Impact on Japan after the Russo-Japanese War
This victory in the Russo-Japanese War suppresses the Russian Empire's southward policy I succeeded in doing so.
Postwar Russo-Japanese Agreement Japan-Russia relations recover rapidly However, mutual trust was maintained until the collapse of the empire due to the Russian Revolution. Treaty of Portsmouth So, secure interests in the Korean Peninsula And then eliminate Russian military threats However, immediate security was promised.
Japan's biggest goal is achieved However, I couldn't get compensation due to the contents of the peace treaty Therefore, it has been a pain for the Japanese people. Therefore, Hibiya burning incident Riots have occurred in various places including.
However, the victory over the great power of the Russian Empire was the British and American, French and German allies. Raise the reputation of Japan by the great powers such as Contribute to the revision of the inequality treaty Needless to say, I did.