WI: Russia was Prepared for the Russo-Japanese War?

What if Russia had been prepared for the Russo Japanese War? WI: The Trans-Siberian Railway had been completely built and prepared by at least February 1904, how would this have effected the war? Would Russia use its army effectively to defeat the Japanese? Would Russia commit to the war and end Japan's Rise? If they did maybe the Russians would spread their influence in Manchuria and annex Hokkaido.
What would be the future relations between them?
 

Echenberg

Banned
Doubtful if the war would have happened then. Even with the Anglo-American support, Japanese struggled considerably in land war portion of the war. With trans-siberian railways fully connected, numerical advantage would have been overwhelming.

Japan linked the interest in the Manchuria and Korea in the series of negotiations prior to the war IOTL. Maybe division of the spheres of influence between Russia and Japan, with Russia taking Manchuria and Japan taking Korea could be amenable. Although with Russia at clear advantage, something like division of Korea at 39th parallels- around Pyongyang, I believe- would be also probable.

This would -ironically- probably going to prolong the independence of Korean Empire, with them taking positions similar to what Qajar Perisa took during the Great Game between Britain and Russia. Japan would certainly be more cautious and tries to enlist more support from the UK & US, while continuing the modernization. War could break out a decade later, with huge global geopolitical consequences.
 
Japan strikes in 1904 out of desperation. Even more important than finishing the trans-Siberian, is the completion of the Boraodino class battleships which would have given the Russians control over the seas

The Russian army performs decently against Japan and would have little trouble defeating it with a decent line of supply At sea, Japan managed to defeat the larger Russian force because it separated. Without that, Russian victory would have been assured

Assuming a Russian victory: Russia would take Korea and all the land north of the Chinese Wall. if this leads to a general partition of China, Russia is going to get the lion's share. If not, Russia would seek to make China a de facto protectorate just like Japan tried. Russia's likely to have more success being stronger and richer


If Russia had managed to finish the Trans-Siberian and the Borodino class earlier, Japan would have struck earlier. if she did not, she was doomed
 
Doubtful if the war would have happened then. Even with the Anglo-American support, Japanese struggled considerably in land war portion of the war. With trans-siberian railways fully connected, numerical advantage would have been overwhelming.
Depends, IIRC the early version of the railway was limited in the weight of the trains it could take and took something like 30 to 40 days to run from European Russia to the terminus in the Far East, even when it was later improved it still only went down to 20 days transit time. Via that small lifeline the Russians had to send all of the troops and materiel needed for the war. The Japanese could well look at that and decide to take a calculated risk that their troops will be able to take the desired territory and dig in before the Russian reinforcements and supplies start arriving.
 

Kaze

Banned
The trans-Siberian was only one of the problems. The other problems was fighting a 18th Century war against 19th Century tactics - the Japanese studied the British and Prussian military whose tactics were superior (all one has to do is look at how German vs Russian tactics of World War One to know). Then take the Russian Navy - before I break down in laughter, I will keep it civil --

The original plan for the famous naval attack was to use their superior ships of the Black Sea fleet to attack Japan and liberate Port Arthur - they were blocked at the Bosporus. Even if they could get the Black Sea Fleet out, the secret attack was known to the Japanese, the Japanese Ships were superior to that fleet as well and would have sent it to the bottom. (OTL used the Saint Petersburg Fleet - only the flagship Aurora survived the military disaster) .
 
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