Figure 1.-- The scale of the fighting in the Russo-Japanese War is not fully recognized in period histories. Mukden was one of the largest land battles to be fought before World War I and the most decisive land battle of the Russo-Japanese War I (February 20 - March 10, 1905). Mukden is probably the most under repoted major land battle in history. The scale of the figting was enormous, compared to earlier battles--only to be exceeded by World War I battles. There are a lot of Stereo View Scope cards about The Russo-Japanese ar, but not abour subsequent wares. This is because at the turn-of-the 20th century, half-tone printing was being perfected meaning that photographs could be reproduced in newspapers and magazines. Here we see older Japanese students being mobilized to support the soldiers at the front. Click on the image to read the vtext on gth back of the card.

After destroying the Russian Far Eastrn Fleet in a surprising attack, the Japanese next moved on Port Arthur by land. It would be the principal land battle of the Russo-Japanese War. The Japanese had a modern, highly motivated army of around 300,000 men backed up bt 400,000 well-trained reservists. The Japanese Army had been trained by Prussian/German officers. The Tsarist Army consisted of poorly motivated conscripts. At the beginning of the War there were about 80,000 poorly-trained Russian soldiers at Port Arthur. Russia reinforced the Port Arthur garison by shipping in men and material over the Trans-Siberial Railway, but the capacity of rail line was a major limitation. The Russians maangedvto amass a force of about 250,000 men by the end of the year. A major Japanese victory in the land battle at Mukden sealed Port Arthur's fate. The scale of the fighting was enormous and not fully recognized in period histories. Mukden was one of the largest land battles to be fought before World War I and the most decisive land battle of the Russo-Japanese War I (February 20 - March 10, 1905). This is probably the most under repoted major land battle in history. The dimensions of the figting was staggering compared to earlier wars--only to be exceeded by World War I battles. Today it is largel a footnote in history, but it was a najor battle in every sence of the word. Over 0.6 million men were involved in he battle and there were nearly 0.2 combat casualties. The scale of the battle particularly in the amount of ordnance being expended, was unprecedented in world history up to that point. The Japanese fired nearly 0.3 million artilleryshells and the Russians fired more in the 10 day of major fighting. To put it in context, the ammunition expenditure (artillery and small arms) in this one battle exceeded that of the German Army in the entire Franco-Prussian War. [Steinberg, pp. 191-92.] The Russians sufferd very heavy losses. And Port Arthur was cut off. The outer defense of Port Arthur were well-defended high points. This inckluded Hsiaokushan and Takushan near the Ta-ho River in the east, and Namakoyama, Akasakayama, 174-Meter Hill, 203-Meter Hill and False Hill in the west. These hills were heavily fortified with concrete construction, machine gun emplacements, and connecting trenches. After heavy fighting, the Russians were forced to withdrew to the inner defenses of Port Arthur (July 30, 1904). The Japznese layed seige (August 1, 1904). The Japanese who took the city from China in only a few days faced a real fight. Some of the weapons that made World War I so deadly were used at Port Arthur, icluding machine guns and heavy artillery. The Russian garison, however, could not be supplied or reenfolrced and after a protracted struggle had to surrender (January2, 1905). Ot was a major humiliatioin for a major European power. The Japanese renammed the port Ryojun. The Mukden battle would reverberate in World War II, giving the Japanese Army the idea that they could face off with the Soviet Red Army -- leading to Khalkhin Gol.

Sources

Steinberg , John, ed. (editor) The Russo-Japanese War in Global Perspective: World War Zero. Vol. II (Brill Academic Pub: 2005).

Created: 4:22 AM 12/20/2021
Last updated: 4:22 AM 12/20/2021