The year the Russian-Japanese War ended. The main causes of the war. Causes that led to the war

About the Russo-Japanese War in brief

Russko-yaponskaya voyna (1904 - 1905)

Russo-Japanese War begins
Russo-Japanese War causes
Russo-Japanese War stages
Russo-Japanese War results

The Russo-Japanese War, briefly summarized, was the result of the complex relationship between the two countries arising from the expansion Russian Empire on Far East. The country was experiencing economic growth and the opportunity arose to increase its influence, primarily on Korea and China. This, in turn, caused strong dissatisfaction in Japan.

The reasons for the war are Russia's attempt to spread its influence in the Far East. The reason for the war was Russia's lease of the Liaodong Peninsula from China and the occupation of Manchuria, which Japan itself had plans for.

The Japanese government's demands to withdraw from Manchuria meant the loss of the Far East, which was impossible for Russia. In this situation, both sides began preparing for war.
Describing the Russo-Japanese War briefly, it should be noted that in the highest circles of power there was hope that Japan would not decide to take military action with Russia. Nicholas II had a different opinion.

By the beginning of 1903, Japan was completely ready for war and was just waiting for a convenient reason to start it. The Russian authorities acted indecisively, never fully realizing their plans to prepare a military campaign in the Far East. This led to a threatening situation - Russia's military forces were in many ways much inferior to the Japanese. Quantity ground forces and military equipment was almost half that of Japan. For example, by the number of destroyers Japanese fleet had a threefold superiority over the Russian.

However, the Russian government, as if not seeing these facts, continued its expansion in relation to the Far East, and decided to use the war with Japan itself as an opportunity to distract the people from serious social problems.

The war began on January 27, 1904. The Japanese fleet suddenly attacked Russian ships near the city of Port Arthur. It was not possible to capture the city itself, but the most combat-ready Russian ships were disabled. Japanese troops were able to land in Korea without hindrance. The railway connection between Russia and Port Arthur was disrupted, and the siege of the city began. In December, the garrison, having suffered several heavy attacks by Japanese troops, was forced to surrender, while scuttling the remnants of the Russian fleet so that it would not fall to Japan. The surrender of Port Arthur actually meant the loss of the Russian army.

On land, Russia was also losing the war. The Battle of Mukden, the largest at that time, Russian troops could not win and retreated. The Battle of Tsushima destroyed the Baltic fleet.

But Japan was so exhausted by the ongoing war that it decided to enter into peace negotiations. She achieved her goals and did not want to waste her resources and strength further. The Russian government agreed to make peace. In Portsmouth, in August 1905, Japan and Russia signed a peace treaty. It cost the Russian side dearly. According to him, Port Arthur, as well as South part The Sakhalin Peninsula now belonged to Japan, and Korea finally fell under its influence.
In the Russian Empire, the loss of the war increased dissatisfaction with the authorities.

More wars, battles, battles, riots and uprisings in Russia:

Caucasian War

One of the largest confrontations is the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The reasons for this will be discussed in the article. As a result of the conflict, guns from battleships, long-range artillery, and destroyers were used.

The essence of this war was which of the two warring empires would dominate the Far East. Emperor Nicholas II of Russia considered it his first priority to strengthen the influence of his power in East Asia. At the same time, Emperor Meiji of Japan sought to gain complete control of Korea. War became inevitable.

Prerequisites for the conflict

It is clear that the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 (the reasons are related to the Far East) did not begin instantly. She had her own reasons.

Russia has advanced in Central Asia to the border with Afghanistan and Persia, which affected the interests of Great Britain. Unable to expand in this direction, the empire switched to the East. There was China, which, due to complete exhaustion in the Opium Wars, was forced to transfer part of its territory to Russia. So she gained control of Primorye (the territory of modern Vladivostok), Kurile Islands, partly Sakhalin Island. To connect distant borders it was created Trans-Siberian Railway, which provided communication between Chelyabinsk and Vladivostok along the railway line. In addition to the railway, Russia planned to trade along the ice-free Yellow Sea through Port Arthur.

Japan was undergoing its own transformations at the same time. Having come to power, Emperor Meiji stopped the policy of self-isolation and began modernizing the state. All his reforms were so successful that a quarter of a century after they began, the empire was able to seriously think about military expansion to other states. Its first targets were China and Korea. Japan's victory over China allowed it to gain rights to Korea, the island of Taiwan and other lands in 1895.

A conflict was brewing between two powerful empires for dominance in East Asia. The result was the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The causes of the conflict are worth considering in more detail.

Main causes of war

It was extremely important for both powers to show their military achievements, so the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 unfolded. The reasons for this confrontation lie not only in claims to Chinese territory, but also in the internal political situations that had developed by this time in both empires. A successful campaign in war not only provides the winner with economic benefits, but also increases its status on the world stage and silences opponents of the existing government. What did both states count on in this conflict? What were the main reasons for the Russian- Japanese war 1904-1905? The table below reveals the answers to these questions.

It was precisely because both powers sought an armed solution to the conflict that all diplomatic negotiations did not bring results.

Balance of forces on land

The causes of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 were both economic and political. The 23rd Artillery Brigade was sent to the Eastern Front from Russia. As for the numerical advantage of the armies, the leadership belonged to Russia. However, in the East the army was limited to 150 thousand people. Moreover, they were scattered over a vast territory.

Vladivostok - 45,000 people.
Manchuria - 28,000 people.
Port Arthur - 22,000 people.
Security of the CER - 35,000 people.
Artillery, engineering troops - up to 8000 people.

The biggest problem Russian army there was a distance from the European part. Communication was carried out by telegraph, and delivery was carried out by the CER line. However, a limited amount of cargo could be transported by rail. In addition, the leadership did not have accurate maps of the area, which negatively affected the course of the war.

Japan before the war had an army of 375 thousand people. They studied the area well and had fairly accurate maps. The army was modernized by English specialists, and the soldiers were loyal to their emperor to death.

Relationships of forces on water

In addition to land, battles also took place on water. The Japanese fleet was led by Admiral Heihachiro Togo. His task was to block the enemy squadron near Port Arthur. In another sea (Japanese), the squadron of the Land of the Rising Sun opposed the Vladivostok group of cruisers.

Understanding the reasons for the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the Meiji power thoroughly prepared for battles on the water. The most important ships of its United Fleet were produced in England, France, and Germany and were significantly superior to Russian ships.

Main events of the war

When Japanese forces began to move to Korea in February 1904, the Russian command did not attach any importance to this, although they understood the reasons for the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

Briefly about the main events.

09.02.1904. The historical battle of the cruiser "Varyag" against the Japanese squadron near Chemulpo.
27.02.1904. The Japanese fleet attacked the Russian Port Arthur without declaring war. The Japanese used torpedoes for the first time and disabled 90% of the Pacific Fleet.
April 1904. A clash of armies on land, which showed Russia's unpreparedness for war (inconsistency of uniform, lack of military maps, inability to fencing). Because Russian officers had white jackets, Japanese soldiers easily identified and killed them.
May 1904. Capture of the port of Dalny by the Japanese.
August 1904. Successful Russian defense of Port Arthur.
January 1905. Surrender of Port Arthur by Stessel.
May 1905. The naval battle near Tsushima destroyed the Russian squadron (one ship returned to Vladivostok), while not a single Japanese ship was damaged.
July 1905. Invasion of Japanese troops on Sakhalin.

The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the causes of which were economic in nature, led to the exhaustion of both powers. Japan began to look for ways to resolve the conflict. She resorted to the help of Great Britain and the USA.

Battle of Chemulpo

The famous battle took place on 02/09/1904 off the coast of Korea (the city of Chemulpo). The two Russian ships were commanded by Captain Vsevolod Rudnev. These were the cruiser "Varyag" and the boat "Koreets". The Japanese squadron under the command of Sotokichi Uriu consisted of 2 battleships, 4 cruisers, 8 destroyers. They blocked Russian ships and forced them into battle.

In the morning, in clear weather, the “Varyag” and the “Koreyets” weighed anchor and tried to leave the bay. Music played for them in honor of leaving the port, but after only five minutes the alarm sounded on deck. The battle flag went up.

The Japanese did not expect such actions and hoped to destroy the Russian ships in the port. The enemy squadron hastily raised anchors and battle flags and began to prepare for battle. The battle began with a shot from the Asama. Then there was a battle using armor-piercing and high-explosive shells on both sides.

In unequal forces, the Varyag was badly damaged, and Rudnev decided to turn back to the anchorage. There, the Japanese could not continue shelling due to the danger of damaging the ships of other countries.

Having lowered the anchor, the Varyag crew began to examine the condition of the ship. Rudnev, meanwhile, went for permission to destroy the cruiser and transfer its crew to neutral ships. Not all officers supported Rudnev’s decision, but two hours later the team was evacuated. They decided to sink the Varyag by opening its floodgates. The bodies of the dead sailors were left on the cruiser.

It was decided to blow up the Korean boat, having evacuated the crew first. All things were left on the ship, and secret documents were burned.

The sailors were received by French, English and Italian ships. After carrying out all the necessary procedures, they were delivered to Odessa and Sevastopol, from where they were disbanded into the fleet. According to the agreement, they could not continue to participate in the Russian-Japanese conflict, so they were not allowed into the Pacific Fleet.

Results of the war

Japan agreed to sign the peace treaty with the complete surrender of Russia, in which the revolution had already begun. According to the Portsmoon Peace Treaty (08/23/1905), Russia was obliged to fulfill the following points:

Give up claims to Manchuria.
Give up the Kuril Islands and half of Sakhalin Island in favor of Japan.
Recognize Japan's right to Korea.
Transfer to Japan the right to lease Port Arthur.
Pay Japan an indemnity for the “maintenance of prisoners.”

In addition, defeat in the war meant for Russia Negative consequences V economically. Stagnation began in some industries, as their lending from foreign banks decreased. Life in the country has become significantly more expensive. Industrialists insisted on a speedy conclusion of peace.

Even those countries that initially supported Japan (Great Britain and the USA) realized how difficult the situation in Russia was. The war had to be stopped in order to direct all forces to fight the revolution, which the world states equally feared.

Mass movements began among workers and military personnel. A striking example is the mutiny on the battleship Potemkin.

The causes and results of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905 are clear. It remains to be seen what the losses were in human equivalent. Russia lost 270 thousand, of which 50 thousand were killed. Japan lost the same number of soldiers, but more than 80 thousand were killed.

Value judgments

The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the causes of which were economic and political in nature, showed serious problems inside the Russian Empire. He also wrote about this. The war revealed problems in the army, its weapons, command, as well as mistakes in diplomacy.

Japan was not entirely satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations. The state has lost too much in the fight against the European enemy. She expected to get more territory, however, the United States did not support her in this. Discontent began to brew within the country, and Japan continued on the path of militarization.

The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the causes of which were considered, brought many military tricks:

use of spotlights;
use of wire fences under high voltage current;
field kitchen;
radio telegraphy made it possible for the first time to control ships from a distance;
switching to petroleum fuel, which produces no smoke and makes ships less visible;
the appearance of minelayer ships, which began to be produced with the proliferation of mine weapons;
flamethrowers.

One of the heroic battles of the war with Japan is the battle of the cruiser “Varyag” at Chemulpo (1904). Together with the ship "Korean" they confronted an entire squadron of the enemy. The battle was obviously lost, but the sailors still made an attempt to break through. It turned out to be unsuccessful, and in order not to surrender, the crew led by Rudnev sank their ship. For their courage and heroism they were praised by Nicholas II. The Japanese were so impressed by the character and resilience of Rudnev and his sailors that in 1907 they awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun. The captain of the sunken cruiser accepted the award, but never wore it.

There is a version according to which Stoessel surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese for a reward. It is no longer possible to verify how true this version is. Be that as it may, because of his action, the campaign was doomed to failure. For this, the general was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in the fortress, but he was pardoned a year after his imprisonment. He was stripped of all titles and awards, leaving him with a pension.

In the second half of the 19th century, Russia actively developed the Far Eastern territories, strengthening its influence in the East Asian region. The main rival in Russia's political and economic expansion in this region was Japan, which sought at all costs to stop the growing influence of the Russian Empire on China and Korea. At the end of the 19th century, these two Asian countries were very weak economically, politically and militarily and were completely dependent on the will of other states, which shamelessly divided their territories among themselves. Russia and Japan took the most active part in this “sharing”, capturing Natural resources and the lands of Korea and Northern China.

Causes that led to the war

Japan, which by the mid-1890s began to pursue a policy of active external expansion of Korea, which was geographically closer to it, encountered resistance from China and entered into a war with it. As a result of the military conflict known as the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, China suffered a crushing defeat and was forced to completely renounce all rights to Korea, transferring a number of territories to Japan, including the Liaodong Peninsula, located in Manchuria.

This balance of power in this region did not suit the major European powers, which had their own interests here. Therefore, Russia, together with Germany and France, under the threat of triple intervention, forced the Japanese to return the Liaodong Peninsula to China. The Chinese peninsula did not last long; after the Germans captured Jiaozhou Bay in 1897, the Chinese government turned to Russia for help, which put forward its own conditions, which the Chinese were forced to accept. As a result, the Russian-Chinese Convention of 1898 was signed, according to which the Liaodong Peninsula was practically the undivided use of Russia.

In 1900, as a result of the suppression of the so-called “Boxer Rebellion” organized by the Yihetuan secret society, the territory of Manchuria was occupied by Russian troops. After the suppression of the uprising, Russia was in no hurry to withdraw its troops from this territory, and even after the signing of the allied Russian-Chinese agreement on a phased withdrawal in 1902 Russian troops, they continued to rule the occupied territory.

By that time, the dispute between Japan and Russia had escalated over Russian forest concessions in Korea. In the zone of operation of its Korean concessions, Russia, under the pretext of building warehouses for timber, secretly built and strengthened military installations.

Exacerbation of Russian-Japanese confrontation

The situation in Korea and Russia's refusal to withdraw its troops from the territory of Northern China led to increased confrontation between Japan and Russia. Japan made an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate with Russian government, offering him a draft bilateral agreement, which was rejected. In response, Russia proposed its own draft treaty, which fundamentally did not suit the Japanese side. As a result, in early February 1904, Japan broke off diplomatic relations with Russia. On February 9, 1904, without an official declaration of war, the Japanese fleet attacked the Russian squadron to ensure the landing of troops in Korea - the Russo-Japanese War began.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, a fierce clash occurred between the Russian and Japanese empires. In what year did war with Japan await our country? It began in the winter of 1904 and lasted more than 12 months until 1905, becoming a real a blow to the whole world. It stood out not only as a subject of dispute between the two powers, but also as the latest weapon used in battles.

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Prerequisites

Basic events unfolded in the Far East, in one of the most contested regions in the world. At the same time, it was claimed by the Russian and Japanese empires, each with its own political strategies regarding this area, ambitions and plans. Specifically, there was talk of establishing control over the Chinese region of Manchuria, as well as over Korea and the Yellow Sea.

Note! At the beginning of the twentieth century, Russia and Japan were not just the strongest countries in the world, but also actively developing. Oddly enough, this became the first prerequisite for the Russo-Japanese War.

The Russian Empire actively expanded its borders, touching Persia and Afghanistan in the southeast.

British interests were affected, so the Russian map continued to expand in the Far East.

The first to stand in the way was China, which had become impoverished from numerous wars and was forced give Russia part of its territories in order to gain support and funds. Thus, new lands came into the possession of our empire: Primorye, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.

The reasons also lay in Japanese politics. The new Emperor Meiji considered self-isolation a relic of the past and actively began to develop his country, promoting it on the international stage. After numerous successful reforms, the Japanese Empire reached a new, modernized level. The next step was the expansion of other states.

Even before the start of the 1904 war Meiji conquered China, which gave him the right to dispose of Korean lands. Later, the island of Taiwan and other nearby territories were conquered. Here were the prerequisites for future confrontation, since the interests of two empires that contradicted each other met. So, on January 27 (February 9), 1904, the war between Russia and Japan officially began.

Causes

The Russo-Japanese War became one of the most striking examples of “cockfighting”. There were no racist, religious or ideological disputes between the two warring countries. The essence of the conflict did not lie in the increase in its own territory by significant reasons. It’s just that each state had a goal: to prove to itself and others that it was powerful, strong and invincible.

Let's first consider reasons for the emergence of the Russo-Japanese War within the Russian Empire:

The king wanted to assert himself through victory and show all his people that his army and military power were the strongest in the world.
It was possible to suppress once and for all the revolution that broke out, into which peasants, workers and even the urban intelligentsia were drawn.

Let us briefly consider how this war could be useful to Japan. The Japanese had only one goal: to demonstrate their new weapons, which had been improved. It was necessary to test the latest military equipment, and where could this be done if not in battle.

Note! If the participants in the armed confrontation had won, they would have settled their internal political differences. The economy of the victorious country would have improved significantly and new lands would have been acquired - Manchuria, Korea and the entire Yellow Sea.

Military operations on land

On Eastern front At the beginning of 1904, the 23rd artillery brigade was sent from Russia.

The troops were distributed among strategically important sites - Vladivostok, Manchuria and Port Arthur. There was also a special corral of engineering troops, and a very impressive number of people guarded the CER (railway).

The fact is that all food and ammunition were delivered to the soldiers from the European part of the country by train, which is why they required additional protection.

By the way, this became one of the reasons for Russia's defeat. The distance from the industrial centers of our country to the Far East is unrealistically large. It took a lot of time to deliver everything necessary, and it was not possible to transport much.

As for the Japanese troops, they were outnumbered by the Russian ones. Moreover, having left their native and very small islands, they found themselves literally scattered over a vast territory. But in the ill-fated 1904-1905 they were saved by military power. Newest weapons and armored vehicles, destroyers, and improved artillery did their job. It is worth noting the very tactics of warfare and combat that the Japanese learned from the British. In a word, they took it not by quantity, but by quality and cunning.

Naval battles

The Russo-Japanese War became real fiasco for Russian fleet .

Shipbuilding in the Far Eastern region at that time was not very developed, and delivering the “gifts” of the Black Sea to such a distance was extremely difficult.

In the land of the rising sun, the fleet was always powerful, Meiji was well prepared, knew very well weak sides enemy, therefore he managed not only to hold back the enemy’s onslaught, but also to completely destroy our fleet.

He won the battle thanks to the same military tactics that he learned from the British.

Main events

Troops of the Russian Empire for a long time did not improve their potential, did not conduct tactical exercises. Their entry to the Far Eastern front in 1904 made it clear that they were simply not ready to fight and fight. This can be clearly seen in the chronology of the main events of the Russo-Japanese War. Let's look at them in order.

February 9, 1904 – Battle of Chemulpo. The Russian cruiser "Varyag" and the steamer "Koreets", under the command of Vsevolod Rudnev, were surrounded by a Japanese squadron. In an unequal battle, both ships were lost, and the remaining crew members were evacuated to Sevastopol and Odessa. In the future, they were prohibited from enlisting in the Pacific Fleet;
On February 27 of the same year, using the latest torpedoes, the Japanese disabled more than 90% of the Russian fleet by attacking it in Port Arthur;
spring 1904 - defeat of the Russian Empire in numerous battles on land. In addition to difficulties with transporting ammunition and supplies, our soldiers simply did not have a normal map. The Russo-Japanese War had clear patterns and certain strategic objects. But without proper navigation it was impossible to cope with the task;
1904, August – The Russians were able to defend Port Arthur;
1905, January - Admiral Stessel surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese;
May of the same year – another unequal sea battle. After the battle of Tsushima, one Russian ship returned to the port, but the entire Japanese squadron remained safe and sound;
July 1905 - Japanese troops invaded Sakhalin.

Probably the answer to the question of who won the war is obvious. But in fact, numerous battles on land and water caused the exhaustion of both countries. Japan, although considered the winner, was forced to enlist the support of countries such as Great Britain. The results were disappointing: the economy and domestic politics both countries. The countries signed a peace treaty, and the whole world began to help them.

Outcome of hostilities

At the time of the end of hostilities in the Russian Empire, preparations for revolution were in full swing. The enemy knew this, so he set a condition: Japan agreed to sign a peace treaty only on condition of complete surrender. At the same time, it had to be observed the following items:

half of the island of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands were to pass into the possession of the land of the rising sun;
renunciation of claims to Manchuria;
Japan was to have the right to lease Port Arthur;
the Japanese get all the rights to Korea;
Russia had to pay its enemy an indemnity for the maintenance of prisoners.

And these were not the only negative consequences of the Russian-Japanese War for our people. The economy began to stagnate for a long time, as factories and factories became impoverished.

Unemployment began in the country, prices for food and other goods rose. Russia began to be denied loans many foreign banks, during which business activities were also suspended.

But there were also positive moments. By signing the Portsmouth Peace Agreement, Russia received support from the European powers - England and France.

This became the seed for the emergence of a new alliance called the Entente. It is worth noting that Europe was also frightened by the brewing revolution, so it tried to provide all possible support to our country so that these events would not go beyond its borders, but would only subside. But, as we know, it was not possible to restrain the people, and the revolution became a vivid protest of the population against the current government.

But in Japan, despite numerous losses, things are looking up. The Land of the Rising Sun proved to the whole world that it can defeat the Europeans. The victory brought this state to the international level.

Why did everything turn out this way?

Let us list the reasons for Russia's defeat in this armed confrontation.

Considerable distance from industrial centers. Railway could not cope with transporting everything necessary to the front.
The Russian army and navy lack proper training and skill. The Japanese had more advanced technology possession of weapons and combat.
Our enemy developed fundamentally new military equipment, which was difficult to cope with.
Betrayal by the tsarist generals. For example, the surrender of Port Arthur, which had previously been taken.
The war was not popular among ordinary people, as well as many soldiers who were sent to the front, were not interested in victory. But the Japanese soldiers were ready to die for the sake of the emperor.

Analysis of the Russo-Japanese War by historians

Russo-Japanese War, reasons for defeat

Conclusion

After the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, the old regime completely collapsed in Russia. Just a few years later, our ancestors became citizens of a completely new country. And most importantly, many who died on the Far Eastern Front were not remembered for a long time.

Causes:
1). The rapid strengthening of Russia in the Far East (in 1898 the Chinese Eastern Railway was built in Manchuria, in 1903 - the through Trans-Siberian Railway to Vladivostok, Russia built naval bases on the Liaodun Peninsula. Russia's position in Korea was strengthened) worried Japan, the USA and England. They began to push Japan to start a war against Russia in order to limit its influence in the region;
2). The tsarist government was striving for a war with a seemingly weak and distant country - it needed a “small victorious war,” believed V.K. Plehve and others;
3). It was necessary to strengthen Russia's position in the international arena;
4). The desire of the Russian government to distract the people from revolutionary sentiments.
The main result of the war was that, contrary to hopes that the “victorious war” would delay the revolution, it, according to S. Yu. Witte, brought it closer “by decades.”

Progress: January 27, 1904 - A sudden attack by a Japanese squadron on Russian ships near Port Arthur. The heroic battle of the Varangian and the Korean. The attack was repulsed. Russian losses: Varyag is sunk. The Korean is blown up. Japan secured superiority at sea.
January 28 - Repeated bombing of the city and Port Arthur. The attack was repulsed.
February 24 - Arrival of the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral S. O. Makarov, in Port Arthur. Makarov's active actions in preparation for general battle with Japan at sea (offensive tactics).
March 31 - Death of Makarov. Inaction of the fleet, refusal of offensive tactics.
April 1904 - Landing of Japanese armies in Korea, crossing the river. Yaly and entry into Manchuria. The initiative in actions on land belongs to the Japanese.
May 1904 - The Japanese began the siege of Port Arthur. Port Arthur found itself cut off from the Russian army. An attempt to unblock it in June 1904 was unsuccessful.
August 13-21 - Battle of Liaoyang. The forces are approximately equal (160 thousand each). The attacks of Japanese troops were repulsed. Kuropatkin's indecisiveness prevented him from developing his success. On August 24, Russian troops retreated to the river. Shahe.
October 5 - The battle on the Shahe River begins. Fog and mountainous terrain, as well as Kuropatkin’s lack of initiative (he acted only with part of the forces he had), were hindered.
December 2 - Death of General Kondratenko. R.I. Kondratenko led the defense of the fortress.
July 28 - December 20, 1904 - Besieged Port Arthur heroically defended himself. On December 20, Stesil gives the order to surrender the fortress. The defenders withstood 6 assaults on the fortress. The fall of Port Arthur was a turning point in the Russo-Japanese War.
February 1905 - Battle of Mukden. 550 thousand people participated on both sides. Passivity of Kuropatkin. Losses: Russians -90 thousand, Japanese - 70 thousand. The battle was lost by the Russians.
May 14-15, 1905 - Sea battle at o. Tsushima in the Sea of Japan.
Tactical mistakes of Admiral Rozhdestvensky. Our losses - 19 ships were sunk, 5 thousand died, 5 thousand were captured. Defeat of the Russian fleet
5 August 1905 - Peace of Portsmouth
By the summer of 1905, Japan began to clearly feel a shortage of material and human resources and turned to the USA, Germany, and France for help. The USA stands for peace. Peace was signed in Portsmouth, our delegation was headed by S. Yu. Witte.

Results: Loss of the Kulil Islands. Complete destruction, unpreparedness for war, lack of discipline in the armies.
An attempt to get out of the crisis with a lightning (victorious) war.