alternatehistory.com

Against our Expectations

It was entirely against our expectations that we have unhappily come to open hostilities with Russia.
Japanese Proclamation of War, February 10, 1904

I

“Only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself/and falls upon the other.”

Excerpt from “Distant Guns – The Russo-Japanese War” by B. Tuchman Random House Publishing, 1968

The Russo-Japanese War was one of the defining events of the 20th Century. It represented, in a way, the triumph of the old order. It proved that European nations still ruled the world, and with reason. The spectacular defeat of Japan at the hands of a seemingly ailing empire did not shock the world; it merely reaffirmed pre-conceived notions about European superiority.

Excerpt from “The Young Buck – Japan 1865-1905” by J. Calloway, Norton Publishing, 1990

Japan had seemingly gained the trust of the Europeans. The astonishing revival of the formerly medieval kingdom at the hands of the Meji had shocked the world. Japan had even participated in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion with other European nations and the United States. Keep in mind this even was caused primarily by the killing of European missionaries at the hands of the boxers. Japan’s crushing victory over China in the 1890s had shown the world that Japan’s European styled military forces could do more than stand their own against the rest of Asia.

The involvement of Japan in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion led to more harm than good however. Despite having shown the Great Powers that Japan could stand among them they seemed to turn a blind eye to Russian Expansionism in Manchuria. The Japanese, needless to say, were angry…

… Japan’s conduct in the Russo-Japanese War has been criticized by diplomats and military strategists alike. The Japanese cult of attack has been widely blamed for Japan’s failure on land, and the lack of such initiative at sea has been seen as leaving the door open for Russian Success. Over-reliance on massed infantry assaults caused Japan horrific casualties in attacks along heavily fortified Russian positions on the Yalu River. Japanese leaders were not content to sit on their hands, and this ultimately led to their defeat.

At sea Japan had the opposite problem. Indecisiveness during the initial strike at Port Arthur prevented Japan from dealing any real damage to the Russian fleet. Blessed by an extremely gifted admiral in Togo Heihachiro the Japanese did not have the economic power to back up a prolonged sea campaign. By the time Admiral Stepan Makarov took command of the Russian fleet and resumed the offensive in May, 1904 the Japanese fleet had, realistically, only about six more months of fight left in it.

Excerpt from “Distant Guns – The Russo-Japanese War” by B. Tuchman, Random House Publishing, 1968

The opening blow of the war was struck hard and fast, and yet failed to accomplish very much. Japanese Admiral Togo Heihachiro sought to cripple the Russian fleet at Port Arthur, thus leaving the seaways between Korea and Japan free from Russian raiding. His surprise attack was planned for February 9th, 1904, very early in the morning. Admiral Togo had not counted on the Russians being ready for him, and using the massive guns at Port Arthur to drive him away, the casualties on both sides were light, but the Japanese had failed. The Russians set in for a siege.
Top