Port Arthur is an important Russian naval base in China. Photograph of 1904. During the First Japanese-Chinese War of 1894, the city was captured, and Japanese troops showed incredible cruelty to civilians. A year later, at the request of the Russian empire patronizing China, Japan returns the territories. But, from this time on, the Japanese harbor anger toward Russia. The militarization of the Land of the Rising Sun is gaining an incredible scale. It should also be noted that in 1867 Japan successfully carried out the Meiji restoration (the westernization of society). If at one time American Indians would have done social and technical changes according to the progressive European model, then the presidents, or indeed, the leaders of North America, would now be Vinita and Chinganchguky. Unlike the Iroquois and Sioux, samurai find the strength to change in order to remain themselves. In 1897, by the sole decision of Nicholas the Second, contrary to the resolution originally agreed upon with Witte (to leave friendly China alone), a Russian squadron was advanced to Port Arthur. The ruling dynasty is unable to resist the invasion. The self-rule of the king does not benefit the relations of the two great powers. Since 1901, Russia has received a completely rebuilt military base on the part of the planet where serious passions are boiling, and where the interests of the Russian people themselves are viewed the least
On the night of February 9, 1904, without waiting for the government of Nicholas II to clarify the reasons for the deployment of Russian garrisons in Korea under the guise of foresters, despite the agreement, and not listening to the assurances in the style of “They-there-no,” Japan begins the war. Two days later, diplomats from the Land of the Rising Sun officially report on the state of affairs. Photography – shelling of the Russian fleet in Port Arthur, from the dominant heights. I must say that four out of every five 11-inch Japanese shells do not explode. This and other factors allow the Port Arthur garrison to last 320 days. The irretrievable loss of Russia – 10 thousand people, 23 thousand prisoners, Japan – 35 thousand dead
The armored cruiser “Thunderbolt” (“Gromoboy”), one of the best ships of the First Russian Squadron (and with a relatively happy fate). To enjoy your gaze. The manufacturer – the Baltic factory, St. Petersburg. It is quite characteristic of its time the ship was launched in 1899, put into operation a year later. The displacement is 12,500 tons, the length is 147 meters, the width is 21 meters, the total power of the machines is 15,500 hp, the travel speed is 36 km. hours, autonomous navigation distance of 15 000 km. The main armament is four 203 mm., Sixteen 152 mm., Twenty four 75 mm. guns, four torpedo tubes. Crew 872 people. During the battle in the Korean Strait, the cruiser loses 91 sailors killed, but remains on the move and, after repair, becomes operational. In 1922, “Thundercaster” was dismantled for metal. In the First Worldwide Ships with Mixed Weapons, Dreadnoughts are pressed, they are also battleships with a displacement of 17,000 tons, the main trump card of which are large-caliber guns (305 mm and above). Russia manages to produce several battleships for the Great War
Japanese torpedo boats. It is these small ships that, for reasons that are not completely understood, lead a mystical horror to Admiral Rozhdestvensky. During a hike to Vladivostok, off the coast of Great Britain (Dogger Bank district in the North Sea), at night, the commander orders open fire on English trawlers, who traditionally conduct fishery here and how much they look like Japanese destroyers. This incident costs Russia a loss of face, almost war with the queen of the seas, a lot of money, as well as the delay in following the squadron. Some researchers consider the incident a very skillful provocation. Britain refuses to let Russian ships through the Suez Canal, because of which the path becomes several thousand kilometers longer. The fleet does not have time to help the besieged Port Arthur. After receiving the news of the surrender of the garrison, he is sent to break through to Vladivostok
In May 1905, the famous Tsushima battle will take place. About 85 ships of the Japanese fleet are attacking the following 38 pennants of the 2nd Pacific squadron of Admiral Rozhdestvensky following Vladivostok. The Mikasa flagship gets 40 hits of large-caliber (305 mm.) Russian shells, but thanks to their stiff fuses and the excessively “safe for travel in the tropics” moisture of pyroxylin, it does not have any serious damage. Formed in the armor holes, the Japanese plug in traffic jams. The ships of the Pacific squadron, after several discouraging clashes, one by one break through to their destination, fight, are thrown on a sandbank, or surrender. Only three of them come to Vladivostok. Admiral Z. Rozhdestvensky, the carrier and distributor of sacrificially suicidal feelings throughout the Russian fleet, climbs aboard the Mikas… Japan loses two or three destroyers in this battle. In the photo – Japanese ships during the battle of Tsushima. Tsushima is a small island in the Korean Strait, and its name translates as “Donkey Ears.” In total, about one hundred main and auxiliary ships take part in the battles of the Russo-Japanese war from each side. The loss of the Russian fleet 64 pennants, the Japanese squadron 24. Most of the latter destroyed by mines. After exhaustion of forces (the Japanese foreign debt increases fourfold, the Russian one third) and the huge losses – the Japanese army – 80,000 killed, the Russian army 60,000, September 5, 1905, both sides, with the mediation of Theodore Roosevelt, make peace. The militarists receive half of Sakhalin, Korea and the territories of modern China.
The reasons for Russia’s defeat are the uncertainty of the goal of the war for the people, and so possessing significant undeveloped territories. The lack of initiative of Russian naval commanders. The maneuvers, the real combat training, are usually considered by them as an “game of war” unworthy of a respectable officer. The main thing – to keep the gloss and without unnecessary trouble to live to retirement. The transfer to the reserve of gunners who had learned to shoot accurately for 7 years – leaving them on long service would have meant an increase in salary. The Japanese artillerymen, while training, shoot two barrels of guns at full wear and remain in service, as the main value of the fleet. The content of explosive in Japanese projectiles, shimozy, is three times the mass of pyroxylin in Russian projectiles (48 kg. Vs. 15 kg. Of the main caliber). They deploy armor not with their kinetic energy, but, above all, with a powerful explosion. Russian shells are set to explode only after penetrating thick armor, very often they do not work when they hit a weakly armored hull or water. Correction of fire in this regard is extremely difficult (the effectiveness of the shooting is not assessed by the command in advance). The photo shows a hole from the explosion of a Japanese shell in the hull of a Russian ship. In addition, thick smoke shimozy closes optical devices sights and makes it impossible to efficient firing
The squadron battleship “Eagle” after the Tsushima battle in the Japanese port of Madzuru, 1905. According to averaged data, the ship receives two and a half times less hits than the “Mikasa”. However, these shells explode. Russia loses the war. As some consolation, it can be recalled that in 1915, Germany surrendered the strategic naval base of Qingdao to the Japanese. After another quarter of a century, Japan gets involved in a fight with Britain, the United States, New Zealand, China, and right up to the Battle of Midway Atoll in June 1942, confidently defeats them. To finally pacify the samurai, tank armads of the USSR in the Celestial Empire, landings on the Kuril Islands, and nuclear bombardments from the United States will be needed. Even more effective than bombs is domestic and foreign policy. In November 1941, the American government put forward an ultimatum: to clear China and a number of islands in the Pacific Ocean from the Japanese presence. The whole world knows about the terrible massacre in the city of Nanjing (1937), when within a month the samurai kill at least 250 thousand civilians. The list of war crimes is constantly growing. To save people, even distant and unfamiliar,