Russo-Japanese War Flashcards
When was the war?
1904-1905
What was Russia looking to do?
Exploit China’s weakness to gain access to trade + territory = empire aims
What were Russia’s aims?
- Consolidate its position in Eastern Siberia
- Gain control of the Chinese section of the Trans-Siberian railway
- Gain a warm water port on the Pacific coast (port Arthur) = constant aim of leaders
What was the war intended to distract?
Domestic problems = food shortages, poor working conditions + the rise of political opposition
- stem the tide of revolution
What was the outcome of the war?
- Russia defeated by an enemy it had dismissed as the ‘yellow peril’
- Baltic fleet destroyed
- 40-70,000 troops killed
What happened at the Treat of Portsmouth 1905?
- Japan given port Arthur
- Russia looses lots of influence in the Pacific
Why was the war particularly humiliating for Russia?
- First time a Western country had been defeated by an Eastern country
- Russia and Japan had begun to industrialise at the same time
What did the defeat highlight?
The inefficiency, weakness and corruption of the Russian state
What was the only thing the war could be blamed on?
The Tsar who had failed to create an effective system to prevent such disasters
= unlike Crimean war could not be due to serfs/backwardness
What was foreign policy refocused on after the defeat?
On expanding Russian influence in Eastern Europe = sowed the seeds for WWI
What policies may be a result of the war?
OM and Duma
- war led to demonstrations e.g. bloody Sunday
What discontent did the war cause?
caused separate strands of opposition e.g. peasants, workers, students and political opponents of the regime to become active at the same time
What did the Duma promise?
A radical departure from autocratic government, although ended up being nothing more than a talking shop
