War: Russo-Japanese 1904-1905

Question 1

Russo-Japanese War 1904-5

Summary

Answer 1

• Russia got port Arthur and South sakhalin / Manchuria from China after getting a 25 year lease of the port from China to turn it into a naval base

• after the Boxer Rebellion in 1901 it was decided are Japan had helped Russia beach China but they would withdraw from Manchuria by 1903

• both Japan and Russia want Korea, so Japan decides to form a Alliance of Britain and France in 1902

• February 1903 Russia refuses to withdrawed troops from Nigeria angering the Japanese so they retaliate launching night attack on port Arthur

• they do this again in December 1904 with 6000 Russian surrendering

– may 1905 Rozhestvensky battle squad was beaten by Admiral Togo at tsushima Straits

– 1905 saw a humiliating defeat at mukden

• war ended up being an incredibly embarrassing defeat for Russia has Nicholas II deemed it easy War which would gain him support
– but it was a embarrassment leading to opposition

• in August 1905 the Treaty of Portsmouth was signed which resulted in the following terms:
– Russia was forced withdraw from port Arthur, South sakhalin and South manhura
– Russian leaders had to acknowledge Japanese sovereignty in Korea

Question 2

Russo-Japanese War 1904-5

Society?

Answer 2

• it was an embarrassing defeat for the Navy, has Russia was deemed to be a powerful empire and Japan was deemed to not

• = great anger and increased for level of social inrest due to this embarrassment which led to more strikes in 1905

– which had originally been over poor pay and conditions but now there was added anger to Nicholas II
– this leads to the 1905 Revolution

Question 3

Russo-Japanese War 1904-5

Politics?

Answer 3

• August 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth meant
– Russia was forced to withdraw from port Arthur, South sakhlain and South manchia
– as well as acknowledged Japanese sovereignty in Korea

• created doubt in the tsarrest system as it’s failure in the seemingly easy war was seen as incompetence

– the wars entire point was to increase support for Nicholas II and distract people from the unrest that was going on in Russia with strikes for Pay, conditions, hours and rights

– however it’s failure led to the 1905 Revolution which further increased unrest and dissatisfaction with Nicolas

– leading to the October manifesto and the establishment of a representative elective state Duma

– the first two of these dumas voiced radical opinions, views and issues to all of Russia
– likely increasing opposition towards Nicholas
– which is why he got rid of them and changed the franchise and process of election in 1907

Question 4

Russo-Japanese War 1904-5

Nationalities?

Answer 4

Due to the Treaty of Portsmouth 1905 Russia lost port Arthur, South Kahalin, South manchuria and the people there as well as any claims it had to Korea to Japan

• this meant that Russia’s influence in the Far East had significantly decreased as a result of Japan’s interference

– this defeat meant Japan emerged as a large Force in the Far East and Russia wouldn’t regain its influence in the area until after the Civil War

Question 5

Russo-Japanese War 1904-5

Economy?

Answer 5

The wars incredibly costly to the economy despite updating their gear and army they still failed to beat Japan

• the Trans-Siberian Railway to get to the Far East didn’t fix the Troop and equipment transport issue from the Crimean War
– as still took too long and the troops tired + not carry enough things with them to the front on time

• this shows the economy had not developed enough for industrial War
– highlighting the need to industrialize more

• agriculture was impacted because of people needing to be fed when going to war

– eventually led to stolopyns agricultural reforms after the 1905 Revolution to appease the peasants to gain more support for Nicholas II
– including changes to mir, the types of farms, peasants rights, etc

Question 6

Russo-Japanese War 1904-5

Turning Point

Answer 6

• Japanese war was a Turning Point as it showed despite all of the effort Russia had put into industrialize since the Crimean War

– they were still unable to beat another industrial power showing that they hadn’t done it enough which had clearly angered the peasants combining this with their current grievances against pay and conditions and rights for themselves in Russia

– it led the 1905 Revolution which led to the October manifesto in the establishment of the state Duma
– and thus the widespreading of political ideas to the Russian population further increasing opposition to tsardom