Russia holds onto Port Arthur in the Russo-Japanese war
- Thread starter walmart
- Start date
Russians can only hold onto Port Arthur if they win. Even if the defenders manage to throw back assaults on the hills, the Japanese will continue the war until defenders run out of supplies and surrender, so they can have favorable peace settlement.
Japan was almost broke by the time of the peace treaty
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Portsmouth
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Japanese_War
Holding on Port Arthur with naval artillery support, keeping Makarov alive and winning at Mukden would surely help. Japan may go bankrupt and still keep fighting, resulting in a stalemate and war ending with Korea remaining Japanese and Manchuria Chinese and if the fleet in Port Arthur is still available even as a fleet in being it may alter the result of Tsushima, the flagship Mikasa was hit several times in OTL( the Japs had extremely good luck in naval battles, the enemy admiral dying in the opening shots first the Chinese admiral abord the Dingyuan at the battle of Yalu River the Russian admiral at the battle of Yellow Sea and again in Tsushima ). Without Tsushima there would never be such a humiliation for Russia although the Russian Navy would continue to practice their outdated tactics.
Aphrodite
Banned
If the Russians can hold out at Port Arthur for another 5 months, the Baltic Fleet would not have to run the gauntlet through the Straits of Tsushima. Instead, it would have easily sailed into Port Arthur. The combined fleet would have given Russia complete naval control. Japan's war effort would collapse. Only 3rd party intervention would save them. Salisbury would do it only if the Americans joined. Teddy may have wished to but Congress is unlikely to allow it.
Recommended POD: Between 1898-1904 about 20,000,000 rubles were diverted from the fortification of Port Arthur to the development of Dalney as a commercial port. The Japanese quickly capture Dalney, 60 miles from Port Arthur. Without Dalney, Japan's resupply effort would have been difficult. The movement of the 10 innch guns used to reduce Port Arthur would have been impossible
Recommended POD: Between 1898-1904 about 20,000,000 rubles were diverted from the fortification of Port Arthur to the development of Dalney as a commercial port. The Japanese quickly capture Dalney, 60 miles from Port Arthur. Without Dalney, Japan's resupply effort would have been difficult. The movement of the 10 innch guns used to reduce Port Arthur would have been impossible
A nation never goes bankrupt in a businessman's sense. In that case North Korea should not exist. However a bankrupt Japan will take a long time to overcome it's debt.