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Russo-Japanese War

“Over the north country whose seas are frozen
Spring wind blows across
It is time to beat Russia
Rampant for three hundred years”
This poem written by Orgai Mora in 1904 sets the stage for a war in which Russia was not prepared for. Throughout the course of the war Japanese forces continually put pressure on the Russian military and for the most part Russia could do nothing. Russia’s lack of modern war strategy and lack of communication sent their military into a downward spiral until finally it collapsed. Russia should have never gotten into this war, and their greed of imperialism would set them on a course for a war of which would have tremendous effects on the government and revolution after the war.
The cause of this war can be dated back to 1868 with the Meiji Restoration, where the Meiji Government of Japan wanted to accustom itself to Western ideas, technology, and customs. Japan, in a short time, transformed itself into a more modern industrialized state and wanted to be seen as an equal to the Western powers. At the same time, Russia had established itself as a major Imperial Power and wanted to establish itself in the East. With the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway to the port of Vladivostok, Russia wanted to build a foundation and make its presence known in the East Region.
What Russia was really interested in was Port Arthur in China, which was a warm-water port on the Pacific Coast. Russia thought this would be of great strategic value for economic and military purposes. In December 1897 a Russian fleet appeared off Port Arthur and after 3 months Russia and China came to an agreement in the China would lease the port and the surrounding waters to Russia. To establish Russia’s presence then in Port Arthur, Russia built a railway from Harbin through Mukden to Port Arthur. This railway contributed to the Boxer Rebellion and the railway stations at Tiehling and Lioyag were burned down. Russia quickly organized its forces and occupied...