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The War of Dogger Bank
Although the war would only go on for four months, it would have widespread ramifications that would be felt for the next century and beyond. Great Britain immediately began a blockade of the White Sea and St. Petersburg and sent an expeditionary force of ten thousand men to help Japan in the Far East.
The blockade proved catastrophic to the Russian economy. Her economy had been unstable following the onset of war with Japan, but the blockade brought its economy to near collapse. There was no way for the remaining Russian fleet to break the blockade, and as such there was no way for Russia to export via her ports and were forced to expensively export across land. Further, Russia lost its only friend on the continent. The French Republic refused to join the war against Britain or even Japan, citing how Russia was the aggressor and that they could not afford to go to war with Britain.
The invasion and occupation of Arkhangelsk by a British force on the 3 March 1905, along with the renewed invasion of Manchuria by Japan and the vast social discontent engulfing Russia, proved to be the last straw for Russia who sued for peace on the 10th. Tsar Nicholas sent a delegation to Liverpool, with direct orders to “give as little as possible”. However, despite attempts by France at mediation, the British and Japanese delegations at Liverpool made extensive demands, including the ceding of Manchuria and Port Arthur to Japan, and heavy war reparations to both Britain and Japan. Britain also demanded that the Russian Baltic Fleet be limited to a single capital ship and a set of screens.
However, upon hearing that the Russian delegation was about to accept the demands, Tsar Nicholas, against the advice of his new advisors, travelled to Liverpool himself and took control of the delegation, evidently expecting that his presence would help Russia’s cause on the peace table. But, the Japanese and British were of course unfazed, and continued pushing with their demands, threatening to renew the war if the Tsar refused. Disheartened, the Tsar conceded and on the 30th April the Treaty of Liverpool was signed, with the following terms:
- Russia will cede control of Manchuria, Sakhalin and Port Arthur to the Empire of Japan, and abandon her ambitions on China
- Russia will pay 10 Million pounds to Japan and Great Britain in war reparations
- Russia will fully compensate the families of those lost in the Battle of Dogger Bank
- Russia will limit its Baltic Fleet to one capital ship, as well as escorts
- Russia will abandon its ambitions on Persia, Afghanistan and the Ottoman Empire
- Along with other minor terms
The Treaty of Liverpool is often remarked by historians as the end of Imperial Russia. However, Russia would remerge again but would not be the same again.
Next: The May Revolution