Battles of the Russo-Japanese War

Bombardment during the Siege of Port Arthur

The following are known battles of the Russo-Japanese War, including all major engagements.

The Russo-Japanese War lasted from 1904 until 1905. The conflict grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of the Russian Empire and the Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea. The major theatres of operations were Southern Manchuria, specifically the area around the Liaodong Peninsula and Mukden, and the seas around Korea, Japan, and the Yellow Sea.

The Russians were in constant pursuit of a warm water port on the Pacific Ocean, for their navy as well as for maritime trade. The recently established Pacific seaport of Vladivostok was the only active Russian port that was reasonably operational during the summer season; but Port Arthur would be operational all year. Negotiations between the Tsar's government and Japan between the end of the First Sino-Japanese War and 1903 had proved futile. The Japanese chose war to maintain exclusive dominance in Korea.

The resulting campaigns, in which the fledgling Japanese military consistently attained victory over the Russian forces arrayed against them, were unexpected by world observers. These victories, as time transpired, would dramatically transform the balance of power in East Asia, resulting in a sober reassessment of Japan's recent entry onto the world stage. The embarrassing string of defeats increased dissatisfaction of the Russian populace with the inefficient and corrupt Tsarist government, and was a major cause of the Russian Revolution of 1905.

List of battles

Key:

Japanese victory
Indecisive
Battle Location Date Notes
Battle of Port Arthur Port Arthur, Manchuria (modern Lüshunkou) February 8–9, 1904 The Imperial Japanese Navy attacks the Russian Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur.
Battle of Chemulpo Bay Chemulpo Bay, Korea (modern Incheon) February 9, 1904 The Imperial Japanese Navy completes its attack of the Russian Pacific Fleet at Chemulpo Bay.
Battle of Yalu River Wiju, Korea (modern Uiju) April 30–May 1, 1904 Russian forces fail to hold a line at the Yalu River in the face of a Japanese attack.
Battle of Nanshan Liaotung peninsula, Manchuria (modern Liaodong peninsula) May 25–26, 1904 Japanese troops take Chinchou and Dalny.
Battle of Te-li-Ssu Outside Wafangdian, Manchuria June 14–15, 1904 Japanese and Russian forces skirmish near Wafangdian.
Battle of Motien Pass Liaotung peninsula, Manchuria (modern Liaodong peninsula) June 27, 1904 Russian troops abandon the critical Motien Pass.
Battle of Tashihchiao Tashihchiao, Manchuria (modern Dashiqiao) July 24–25, 1904 Japanese forces take the village of Tashihchiao.
Siege of Port Arthur Port Arthur, Manchuria (modern Lüshunkou) July 30, 1904–January 2, 1905 Japanese forces successfully lay siege to Port Arthur.
Battle of Hsimucheng Hsimucheng, Manchuria July 31, 1904 Russian forces are forced to abandon the village of Hsimucheng.
Battle of the Yellow Sea Off Shantung, Manchuria (modern Shandong) August 10, 1904 The Japanese and Russian navies fight to a stalemate.
Battle off Ulsan Off Ulsan, Korea August 14 Russian naval units are forced to cease their interference with Japanese shipping.
Battle of Liaoyang Liaoyang, Manchuria August 24–September 4, 1904 Japanese troops occupy Liaoyang
Battle of Shaho Sha River, Manchuria October 5–17, 1904 Both sides sustain heavy casualties in a Russian attack.
Battle of Sandepu South of Mukden, Manchuria (modern Shenyang) January 25–29, 1905 A Russian attack commences in freezing cold, causing both sides to sustain heavy casualties.
Battle of Mukden Mukden, Manchuria (modern Shenyang) February 20–March 10, 1905 Russian forces are encircled by Japanese and forced to abandon Mukden.
Battle of Tsushima Straits of Tsushima May 27–28, 1905 The Japanese navy destroys the Russian fleet in the Straits of Tsushima.

See also

References

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