unit 1: russo-japanese war 1905

Question 1

why did russia go to war with japan?

Question 2

witte

Answer 2

wanted to expand far east economically

Question 3

pretext

Answer 3

to war that could be blamed: > disputes over korea and manchuria > 1904 - rejected japanese proposal settlement of korean question. provoke military response

Question 4

saw

Answer 4

japan as an inferior nation - easy victory

Question 5

japan

Answer 5

was looking west, russia was looking east. destined for collision

Question 6

distract

Answer 6

attention from domestic troubles by rallying the nation in a patriotic struggle. > plehve was believed to be the main force pushing through war - was actually witte

Question 7

1896

Answer 7

alliance with china against japan. 1898 - pressured china into leasing liadong peninsula

Question 8

what happened in the conflict?

Answer 8

> february 8th 1904 - attacked russian fleet in port arthur
russia underestimated japan - not backwards country. emporer meiji: rapid modernisation (western)
japanese army and navy were better prepared
january 1905 - port arthur fell to japan and seized key manchurian town of mukden
russian boltic fleet took 8 months to reach his destination - blown out of water as tsushima on arrival in may 1905
treaty of portsmouth: russia withdrew remaining forces and accepted japanese control of port arthur and korea

Question 9

russia’s defeat

Answer 9

> ineffective military commanders preparation
ignorance of conditions
distance which men and materials had to be transported
the incomplete trans-siberian railway

Question 10

impact of defeat

Answer 10

> russian naval was destroyed at tsushima bay and port arthur. last far east naval base captured in 1905
political parties felt their was no justification
plehve - assassinated in 1904
mirsky appointed as minister of the inferior - unpopular. hint at political reforms
35% increase in bread and bad harvests
alexandrovich (nicholas’ uncles was murdered in february 1905)

Question 11

causes

Answer 11

> need for ice-free port
distract from home problems

Question 12

course

Answer 12

> january 1905 - port arthur fell to japan
february 1905 - russian surrender of mukden
may 1905 - russian fleet destroyed at tsushima
russian surrender

Question 13

outcome

Answer 13

> loss of manchuria, korea, port arthur
political unrest

Question 14

reasons for defeat

Answer 14

> underestimated japanese strength
lack in military planning
poor strategy
japan’s readiness, skill and spirit