Chapter 194: End of the Russo-Japanese War
The situation in the Far Eastern War shifted in July.
First, on July 13th, the long-awaited Trans-Siberian Railway of the Russian Empire was finally completed, connecting the vast empire from east to west.
The completion of the railway brought enormous benefits to the Russian Empire. It greatly improved the communication and transportation between the European and Asian regions of Russia and played an irreplaceable role in maintaining internal stability.
Of course, it also made it easier for the Russian Empire to transport troops from Europe to the Far East. Starting in August, over 40,000 Russian soldiers were arriving in the Far East each month to join the battle there.
In a short period, the Russian forces managed to achieve balance with the Japanese military. Although the battles were intensely brutal, there wasn't much territorial change.
By September 1904, the Far Eastern battlefield had 280,000 Russian troops and 430,000 Japanese troops, totaling over 700,000 soldiers.
As the war effort intensified for both Russia and Japan, there was little hope of ending the war in the short term. Both countries had prepared for a prolonged conflict and were seeking further resources and financial support from their respective allies, France and the United Kingdom.
Of course, the expanding demand for military supplies due to the war was no longer solely monopolized by Australia. France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and several other countries participated in the arms trade, selling large quantities of weapons to both Russia and Japan.
However, due to alliance agreements, France only exported arms to Russia, and the United Kingdom only to Japan. Germany, aligning with Russia, did not export arms to Japan.
This left only Australia and the United States as countries that exported arms to both Russia and Japan.
Still, Australia gained a greater market share than the United States, thanks to the advanced weapons it acquired from the United Kingdom and Germany.
In terms of arms exports during the war, Australia was second only to the United Kingdom and even slightly ahead of France. This reflected how important it was to plan ahead before the war.
As time went on, the flagship of the Pacific Fleet, the Prince of Wales, completed its repairs and rejoined the fleet.
This gave the Pacific Fleet a slight edge over the Japanese Combined Fleet, which was also why the ground war had turned into a prolonged battle.
In reality, if only combat power were considered, the Japanese forces had the advantage. After their Meiji Restoration, Japan had extensively modernized both its army and navy, equipping them with new weapons. They also implemented strict training modeled after the German Army and the British Royal Navy, which were the best in the world.
Russian forces, on the other hand, had significant training gaps in most of their troops, with the exception of some elite units. Their weapons were also outdated, and due to logistical constraints, the Japanese forces in the Far East were almost twice the size of the Russian forces, giving Japan a distinct numerical advantage.
Had it not been for the slight advantage provided by the Pacific Fleet, which occasionally offered fire support for the army, holding out at Port Arthur would have been much more difficult for the Russians.
While the battle for Port Arthur remained in a delicate balance, the actual casualties were known only to Russia and Japan.
Although these casualties weren't crippling to the two countries, they still represented significant losses, and without reaching their strategic objectives, these losses were felt keenly.
As of now, Japan and Russia had spent 130 million yen and 90 million rubles respectively on the war, both surpassing ten million pounds.
If the balance in the Port Arthur battle continued, the cost to both countries would only grow, and more personnel losses would follow.
Japan was fully aware of this. Compared to Russia, Japan had more to lose.
Russia's core strength was in Europe, and even if it lost its dominance in the Far East, it would not affect the country's status too much.
But Japan was different. Its core power lay in East Asia, and it was an island nation dependent on its navy. If Japan lost this war and its hard-earned navy, its dreams of regional hegemony would be shattered. Japan would become just a regional power and would no longer be able to challenge the great powers.
This thought was terrifying, and the Japanese were not willing to let it happen.
Fortunately, shortly after the war broke out, Japan conducted two preliminary mobilizations at home. These mobilizations added nearly 400,000 soldiers to Japan's forces, half of whom were already deployed to the front lines.
In an effort to turn the war into more of a decisive battle rather than a back-and-forth struggle, Japan deployed another 200,000 soldiers to occupy the eastern and central regions of the battlefield.
Unlike Russia, which required over a month to transport troops, Japan could transport its forces in under two or three days, giving it a clear advantage.
As expected, after the additional 200,000 troops were deployed, the ratio of Russian to Japanese troops in the Far East reached almost one to three.
The large number of Japanese soldiers made it increasingly difficult for Russia to respond. Combined with heavy casualties and insufficient supplies, Port Arthur was starting to look vulnerable.
Of course, after building up enough of an army, the battlefield was no longer just about Port Arthur, and the situation could be described as "spreading like wildfire."
Japan's forces split into two main directions: one group stayed to defend and attempt to capture Port Arthur, while the other advanced north to capture cities like Liaoyang and Shahe.
As the war progressed, the attitudes of Japanese and Russian soldiers began to diverge drastically.
At this point, Japan's Bushido spirit played a crucial role. Despite the heavy losses of their comrades, Japanese soldiers fought on without fear of death, charging with courage.
On the Russian side, however, every death of a comrade increased the fear among Russian soldiers.
To avoid affecting Europe's interests, a large portion of the troops sent to the Far East were temporarily mobilized peasants.
These men had been farmers just six months earlier, and now, they were stationed in the Far East, far from Russian-controlled lands, armed with mismatched rifles.
Did they want to defend their homeland? Of course, but they were far more afraid of death. With little training, they were ill-prepared for the reality of war, and it was no surprise that fear and panic set in.
At the end of October 1904, Japan mobilized a large portion of its artillery and began an unprecedented bombardment of the Port Arthur fortress.
These cannons were diverse in design, and if one looked closely, they could even identify different national styles—British, German, and American designs.
Of course, the German-style cannons were sold to Japan by Australia, and during this war, Australia earned at least two million pounds in profit, even expanding its military factories and enterprises.
Russia initially retaliated and even requested fleet support. However, Japan's fleet took the opportunity to challenge the Pacific Fleet, and to avoid surprise attacks, the Pacific Fleet had to quickly form defensive lines, cutting off support for the army.
Russia, already outnumbered in artillery, was further hampered by its inadequate supplies. After only two rounds of resistance, its artillery stockpile was exhausted.
In this situation, Russian soldiers, already weary, were simply trying to find a secure corner to hide until the Japanese bombardment ended.
What no one expected was that this bombardment lasted for several hours. Even though it was done in waves, the time in between wasn't enough for Russia to regroup and counterattack.
Even more surprising was that, during this massive bombardment, Japan sent a team to approach the Port Arthur fortress. Taking advantage of the distraction, they managed to capture the fortress while the Russian soldiers were unaware.
It was known that artillery shells didn't discriminate, and Japan was carrying out an all-out bombardment of Port Arthur. The Japanese forces could have been overwhelmed by their own fire, yet their soldiers faced it without showing fear.
The Russian soldiers began to panic. They felt as if they were fighting against demons. After all, anyone who wasn't afraid of death must surely be a demon, right?
By early October, the Port Arthur fortress, which had held out for six months, was finally breached. Japan had achieved its first major success in the war: removing Russia's supply station in the Far East.
With the fall of Port Arthur, the situation in the Far East shifted drastically. Japan regained the momentum it had lost at the start of the war, and began to march across the region, conquering cities and fortresses.
The 60,000 Russian defenders at Port Arthur were decimated, with over 20,000 killed and more than 30,000 captured. The fortress was reduced to ruins in the bombing.
The fall of Port Arthur had a massive impact on Russia. Before this, Russia had relied on two methods to transport supplies to the Far East: the newly completed Trans-Siberian Railway and maritime transport through Port Arthur.
But with the loss of the fortress, the Port Arthur port became highly vulnerable. Maritime transport was no longer feasible, leaving Russia with only the Trans-Siberian Railway as its lifeline.
By the end of October 1904, Japan advanced northward, occupying cities like Liaoyang and Shahe, pushing the front lines tens of kilometers further.
In early November, the main force of the Manchurian Army advanced north again, meeting the Russian forces stationed in Fengtian.
At this point, the Russian forces were outnumbered 400,000 to 170,000, and Japan held a decisive advantage.
More important than the numerical advantage was the unique strategy employed by Marshal Yamashita.
Japan's primary attack was on the Russian right wing, but the Russians had over 30,000 reserve troops there. To draw these reserves away, Yamashita sent the 5th Army to the left wing, under the guise of an attack, while secretly maneuvering the right wing to draw out the Russian reserves.
Incredibly, Russian Marshal Kuropatkin fell for the trap. Seeing Japan's movements, he moved most of the reserves to the left wing to counter the anticipated attack.
But three days later, Japan launched a fierce attack on the Russian right wing.
Two Japanese forces had already flanked the Russian right, forming a siege, trapping the Russian forces in a difficult situation.
Though the main battlefield was around Fengtian, the front stretched over 100 kilometers, making it impossible to bring in reinforcements in a short period. The Russian right wing had fewer than 10,000 troops left and was unable to assist.
In an attempt to save the left wing, which had been under heavy attack, Kuropatkin ordered his forces to abandon their positions and retreat north of the Hun River to shorten the front and send troops to reinforce the right wing.
But due to Japan's overwhelming numbers, these reinforcements couldn't tip the balance.
As another Japanese unit moved to the left, the balance held by Russia on the left wing was broken. Both wings were now at a disadvantage.
By mid-November, Japan had breached the Russian First Army's lines and began to encircle Fengtian from the left.
This put Kuropatkin in a state of panic. If the Japanese successfully encircled Fengtian, over 100,000 Russian troops in the Far East would be trapped, leading to a catastrophic loss for Russia.
In a desperate move, Kuropatkin ordered a retreat toward Tieling.
But since it was a hasty decision, the retreat was chaotic.
The cavalry, which had not participated in the battle, was prioritized in the retreat, but their wagons clogged the escape route, and the disorganization caused the troops to lose command.
Seizing the opportunity, Japan launched artillery attacks on the retreating Russian troops and launched a final assault.
This resulted in nearly a quarter of the Russian forces being surrounded, although the main force managed to retreat.
After the brutal fighting, Japan turned its focus to destroying the encircled Russian forces.
If the fall of Port Arthur was the first blow to the Russian Empire, this major defeat in battle was the second, and it shook Russia to its core.
When the news of the defeat reached Russia, Far Eastern Commander Kuropatkin was immediately removed from his post, and Li Nie was appointed as the new Commander of the Russian Far Eastern Army.
The Russians were not satisfied with the loss in the war, so they initiated a third round of conscription domestically and mobilized some of their warships from the European seas to form the Second Pacific Fleet, attempting to regain maritime dominance in the Far East.
The war has progressed in a way that neither Russia nor Japan had anticipated.
Although Japan currently has the upper hand in the Far East, both countries have paid a heavy price for this war.
As of now, the total number of troops involved in the war has surpassed one million, and the total number of mobilized forces has exceeded two million.
Since February of the year, the war has continued until November, at the end of the year.
Currently, both Russia and Japan have spent over 50 million pounds on this war.
Although Japan has now achieved its strategic goals, it has also suffered significant casualties.
At least 100,000 Japanese soldiers have been killed in this war, and 300,000 soldiers have sustained injuries of varying severity.
The Russian army's casualties have also been heavy. Although their losses have not been as severe as Japan's due to the defensive battles earlier, several subsequent engagements have resulted in significant losses for the Russian army.
At least 80,000 Russian soldiers have died in this war, and the number of wounded soldiers has reached over 200,000.
In mid-December, with the arrival of the Second Pacific Fleet, Russia regained maritime superiority.
A continuous stream of Russian soldiers also arrived via the Trans-Siberian Railway, barely managing to maintain the situation on the land front.
However, this equilibrium was not acceptable to either country. Currently, every day the war continues, both Russia and Japan are spending at least 100,000 pounds.
Especially when large-scale battles are launched, the expenditure increases by several times.
Which country can bear such enormous costs? Even the once-powerful British Empire was eventually overwhelmed by the strain of such a war of attrition, let alone the economically and industrially backward Russian Empire and Japan.
By the end of December, as the new year approached, both countries could no longer bear such immense consumption and launched a new offensive.
Both Russia and Japan had prepared for this offensive for a month, amassing weapons and ammunition sufficient for a long battle.
Of course, to stockpile these supplies, they had spent millions of pounds in funds and resources.
But the result of the war was disappointing for both countries. Although the casualties were severe, the situation remained in a delicate balance.
While Russia's troops were at a numerical disadvantage, the newly arrived reinforcements were elite troops from Europe, whose combat effectiveness was not inferior to that of Japan's military.
Additionally, the large quantities of new weapons they were equipped with helped them maintain a standoff with the Japanese forces.
After more than three months, the Russian Empire finally could not hold out any longer.
However, at this point, the Japanese government was also in a difficult position. The war had already cost them over 600 million yen, and the number of casualties among their soldiers had reached 600,000.
Had Russia not given up first, Japan likely would not have been able to hold out much longer.
With Russia's surrender, the great powers behind the scenes came to the forefront, attempting to mediate the war.
However, the great powers largely maintained their previous positions: Britain and the United States supported Japan, while Germany and France supported the Russian Empire.
Although Austria-Hungary and Germany were allies, Austria-Hungary had territorial disputes and enmity with the Russian Empire, so they remained neutral in this war.
Unlike in history, while the Russian Empire was at a disadvantage on land, it had the advantage at sea and had reached a relative equilibrium with Japan's naval forces.
This led to the Russian Empire accepting defeat with confidence.
As long as the peace talks did not go in Russia's favor, continuing the war was inevitable.
During the negotiations, Russia and Japan remained at war, and the smoke of battle in the Far East did not cease.
Due to the lack of breakthroughs in the war, Japan was forced to compromise with the Russian Empire, and both sides signed a treaty they could barely accept.
In the presence of representatives from Britain, the United States, Germany, France, and Australia, both Russia and Japan signed their names, and the Treaty of Portsmouth was formally enacted.
Unlike the historical version, this treaty did not significantly weaken Russia.
Firstly, like the historical Treaty of Portsmouth, the Russian Empire did not accept any war indemnities.
Secondly, the Russian Empire did not accept ceding any colonies or lands to Japan, with the only concession being some interests in China.
Although Japan was not satisfied with this outcome, the plans of Britain and the United States to weaken Russia's power in the Far East had been achieved, and even if Japan wanted to continue the war, the support from these two countries would wane.
Moreover, Russia was not without the potential for victory. Compared to the army, which could quickly mobilize large numbers of troops, the navy, a branch that could not expand quickly, was the key to determining naval superiority in the Far East.
Unfortunately, after the arrival of the Second Pacific Fleet, Japan no longer had the possibility of surpassing Russia's Far Eastern fleet in naval strength.
Additionally, with Russia's military firmly holding its ground, continuing the war would only increase the strain on Japan.
Both the enormous financial costs and the increasing casualties were unsustainable for the Japanese government.
Thus, gaining some interests in the Far East was a result that the Japanese government could reluctantly accept.
After all, Japan knew that if the war continued, it would only provoke greater anger from the Russian Empire.
If Russia risked angering its allies and transferred most of its military forces from Europe to the Far East, the balance of the war would shift in favor of Russia.
Although Japan had been at war with the Russian Empire, they had only faced part of Russia's forces.
The full strength of the Russian Empire was certainly beyond Japan's ability to defeat, and this was something Japan knew before the war began.
By April 1905, after a year and two months, the Russo-Japanese War finally came to an end. This war became one of the largest wars of the modern era, with both sides mobilizing over two million troops and suffering more than 300,000 deaths and over 400,000 injuries.
Japan gained some benefits in the Far East, securing exclusive rights over Korea, which served as a small compensation for their losses.
At least after this war, European and American countries began to regard Japan as a powerful nation with the potential to compete as a major world power.
(End of Chapter)
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