Siege of Port Arthur (1904-1905)
During the Russo- Japanese war, there was a total of 16 major battles. Of all the battles, the Siege of Port Arthur was the most famous and significant. It was the longest and most violent land battle in the war, it last from August 1, 1904 to January 2, 1905. 57,780 Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded and 31,306 Russians were killed or wounded. Port Arthur was considered one of the most fortified positions in the world at that time.
The shelling of Port Arthur began on August 7, 1904 by a pair of land-based 120 mm guns, and was carried on intermittently until August 19, 1904. The Japanese Navy also participated in shore bombardment, while in the northeast the army prepared to attack the two isolated hills extended from the outer defense perimeter. The Japanese were able to advance only as far as the forward slopes of both hills, and many soldiers drowned in the Ta River. 1,280 Japanese were killed trying to take the hill. Japanese Navy, on the other hand, had almost completely wiped out the Russian Pacific Fleet.
Following the loss of the Pacific Fleet, the motivation for holding onto Port Arthur was questioned by Russian Generals on December 8, 1904, but the idea of surrender was not an option. Japanese trench and tunnel warfare continued. On December 18, 1904, the Japanese detonated an 3,968-pound mine under Fort Chikuan, which fell shortly after. 10 days later, Fort Erhlung was destroyed in the same manner. On December 31, 1904, a series of mines were detonated under Fort Sungshu, the sole surviving major fortress, surrendered.
On January 1, 1905, Wantai finally fell to the Japanese. Russian Generals Smirnov and Tretyakov had no choice, but to surrender, even though they didn't notify the council first. On January 5, 1905, Russia surrendered Port Arthur over to the Japanese. It was a great advantage over Russia during the Russo-Japanese war. The Russians fell 9 months later.
The defeat of the Russian Army and Navy shook Russian military motivation. Throughout 1905, the Imperial Russians were occupied by revolution. All the Russian people were against the war, so they protested and rioted. The Empire was certainly capable of sending more soldiers, but their economy was in a poor state, the embarrassing defeat of Russian Army and Navy by Japan, and the relative unimportance of the disputed land to Russia made the war very unpopular. On September 5, 1905, the Treaty of Portsmouth was signed in Maine, United States, ending the Russo-Japanese war.
Sources:
-The Russo-Japanese war; a photographic and descriptive review of the great conflict in the Far East, gathered from the reports, records, cable despatches, photographs, etc., etc., of Collier's war correspondents
-The Russo-Japanese War Research Society
-http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-russo-japanese-war-begins
The shelling of Port Arthur began on August 7, 1904 by a pair of land-based 120 mm guns, and was carried on intermittently until August 19, 1904. The Japanese Navy also participated in shore bombardment, while in the northeast the army prepared to attack the two isolated hills extended from the outer defense perimeter. The Japanese were able to advance only as far as the forward slopes of both hills, and many soldiers drowned in the Ta River. 1,280 Japanese were killed trying to take the hill. Japanese Navy, on the other hand, had almost completely wiped out the Russian Pacific Fleet.
Following the loss of the Pacific Fleet, the motivation for holding onto Port Arthur was questioned by Russian Generals on December 8, 1904, but the idea of surrender was not an option. Japanese trench and tunnel warfare continued. On December 18, 1904, the Japanese detonated an 3,968-pound mine under Fort Chikuan, which fell shortly after. 10 days later, Fort Erhlung was destroyed in the same manner. On December 31, 1904, a series of mines were detonated under Fort Sungshu, the sole surviving major fortress, surrendered.
On January 1, 1905, Wantai finally fell to the Japanese. Russian Generals Smirnov and Tretyakov had no choice, but to surrender, even though they didn't notify the council first. On January 5, 1905, Russia surrendered Port Arthur over to the Japanese. It was a great advantage over Russia during the Russo-Japanese war. The Russians fell 9 months later.
The defeat of the Russian Army and Navy shook Russian military motivation. Throughout 1905, the Imperial Russians were occupied by revolution. All the Russian people were against the war, so they protested and rioted. The Empire was certainly capable of sending more soldiers, but their economy was in a poor state, the embarrassing defeat of Russian Army and Navy by Japan, and the relative unimportance of the disputed land to Russia made the war very unpopular. On September 5, 1905, the Treaty of Portsmouth was signed in Maine, United States, ending the Russo-Japanese war.
Sources:
-The Russo-Japanese war; a photographic and descriptive review of the great conflict in the Far East, gathered from the reports, records, cable despatches, photographs, etc., etc., of Collier's war correspondents
-The Russo-Japanese War Research Society
-http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-russo-japanese-war-begins
Battle of the Yellow Sea (10 August, 1904)
The Battle of the Yellow Sea was a major naval battle in the Russo-Japanese War. Russians referred to it as the Battle of 10 August, because it was fought on the 10th of August, 1904. The Japanese had: 4 battleships, 2 armored cruisers, 8 protected cruisers, 18 destroyers, and 30 torpedo boats. On the other hand, the Russians had a mere: 6 battleships, 4 protected cruisers, and 14 destroyers. Russia's goal was to "get out" of Port Arthur and regroup with the rest of the naval fleet in Vladivostok. As you could imagine, the Russians had very little chance of succeeding.
At about 12:25 the battleships encountered each other near "Encounter Rock" at a range of about 11 miles from each other. The Russians battle-fleet was headed southeast, while the Japanese had an intercepting course to wipe them out. At 13:00, both sides had commenced fire at a range of 8 miles (longest they've fired at that time). No hits were scored... yet. At about 13:25 hours, and again at a range of over 8 miles, Togo's battleships opened fire on Russian flagships, hitting the latter 12 times. By about 13:30 hours the Russian flagship had returned fire, knocking out the Japanese wireless communications.
RESULTS: The Russians wanted to breakout and sail to Vladivostok relocating the fleet to there would have left the Japanese needing to mount a new campaign if it wanted to attack the Russian fleet. The Japanese had an objective to destroy the Russian fleet while minimizing their own losses. Once the Russian fleet left Port Arthur the Japanese initially sought to prevent it returning there, when the Japanese realized the Russians were not returning to Port Arthur they also sought to prevent the Russians reaching an alternative port, the Japanese prevented the Russians from reaching Vladivostock but failed to stop most of the fleet returning to Port Arthur. Neither side fully achieved its goals.
At about 12:25 the battleships encountered each other near "Encounter Rock" at a range of about 11 miles from each other. The Russians battle-fleet was headed southeast, while the Japanese had an intercepting course to wipe them out. At 13:00, both sides had commenced fire at a range of 8 miles (longest they've fired at that time). No hits were scored... yet. At about 13:25 hours, and again at a range of over 8 miles, Togo's battleships opened fire on Russian flagships, hitting the latter 12 times. By about 13:30 hours the Russian flagship had returned fire, knocking out the Japanese wireless communications.
RESULTS: The Russians wanted to breakout and sail to Vladivostok relocating the fleet to there would have left the Japanese needing to mount a new campaign if it wanted to attack the Russian fleet. The Japanese had an objective to destroy the Russian fleet while minimizing their own losses. Once the Russian fleet left Port Arthur the Japanese initially sought to prevent it returning there, when the Japanese realized the Russians were not returning to Port Arthur they also sought to prevent the Russians reaching an alternative port, the Japanese prevented the Russians from reaching Vladivostock but failed to stop most of the fleet returning to Port Arthur. Neither side fully achieved its goals.