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The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
was a conflict that grew out of the rival
imperialist ambitions of Imperial
Russia and
Japan in
Manchuria and
Korea. It resulted in a surprise victory for Japan, establishing Japan
as a major world power.
Popular discontent in Russia following the defeat led to the
Russian Revolution of 1905. The war ended with mediation by the
United States. There was discontent among Japanese over the lack of
territorial gains; this led to an erosion of good feelings towards the
United States.
The defeat of Russia was met with shock both in the West and especially
across
Asia. That a non-Western country could defeat an established power in
such a large military conflict was particularly inspiring to various
anti-colonial independence movements around the world. After the
conclusion of
World War II, some Japanese historians would look back upon the war
with nostalgia, especially those who have sought to portray Japan's
conduct in the first half of the century as one of leadership in a
sustained effort to liberate oppressed Asian peoples and thereby downplay
Japan's own imperialistic ambitions throughout the period.
Notes toward an article
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February 8,
1904 - Surprise Japanese attack on
Port Arthur (Lushun) bottles up Russian Fleet
- Further victories by Japan result in
January 2,
1905 surrender of Port Arthur
- Japanese victory at
Shenyang (Mukden) February 19-March
10, 1905
- Admiral
Heihachiro Togo destroys Russian fleet under Admiral
Zinovi Petrovich Rozhdestvenski at
Battle of Tsushima
May 27-28,
1905
- Mediation by U.S. President
Theodore Roosevelt leads to
Treaty of Portsmouth, N.H. (September 5)
Other dates: Relations severed
February 4,
1904; war declared Feb. 10; battle of the Yalu c. Apr. 26-May 1;
battle of
Liaoyang c. Aug. 24-Sept. 4; battle of the Shaho Oct. 9-16; (Dogger
Bank incident
October 21): Roosevelt offers mediation
June 8,
1905; talks open
August 10.
[All above dates are New-Style (Gregorian):
for conformity, where there are two, use the one that reads 13 days
"later" than the other.]
List of battles
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1904
Battle of Port Arthur,
February 8: Japan defeats Russia in Russo
-
1904
Battle of Yalu River, May: Japan defeats Russia
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1904
Battle of Dairen,
May 30: Japan defeats Russia
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1904
Battle of Liaoyang, September: Japan defeats Russia
-
1905
Battle of Mukden, March: Japan defeats Russia
-
1905
Battle of Tsushima
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