Although
Nicholas II described himself as a man of
peace, he favoured an expanded Russian Empire. Encouraged by Vyacheslav
Plehve, the Minister of the Interior, the Tsar made plans to seize
Constantinople and expanded into Manchuria and Korea. On 8th February,
1904, the Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on the Russian
fleet at Port Arthur.
The
Russian Navy fought two major battles
to try and relieve Port Arthur. At both Liao-Yang and Sha Ho, the
Russians were defeated and were forced to withdraw. On 2nd January,
1905, the Japanese finally captured Port Arthur. The Russian
Army also suffered 90,000 causalities in its failed attempt to
Mukden (February, 1905).
In
May, 1905, the Russian Navy was attacked
at Tsushima. Twenty Russian ships were sunk and another five were
captured. Only four Russian ships managed to reach safety at Vladivostok.
These
defeats led to criticism of the Russian government. Bloody
Sunday and the Potemkin Mutiny were
both partly caused by the unpopularity of the war. The increase in
revolutionary activity in Russia convinced Nicholas II that he needed
to bring an end to the conflict and accepted the offer of President
Theodore Roosevelt to mediate between the two countries.
Sergi
Witte led the Russian delegation at the peace conference held
in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in August, 1905. Under the terms of
the Treaty of Portsmouth: (i) The Liaotung Peninsula and the South
Manchurian Railway went to Japan; (ii) Russia recognized Korea as
a Japanese sphere of influence; (iii) The island of Sakhalin was divided
into two; (iv) The Northern Manchuria and the Chinese Eastern Railway
remained under Russian control.
(1)
Felix Yusupov wrote about his views
on the Russo-Japanese War in his autobiography published in 1953.
The war with Japan, one of the most terrible blunders
made during the reign of Nicholas II, had disastrous consequences
and marked the beginning of our misfortunes. Russia was not prepared
for war, and those who encouraged the Tsar in his purpose betrayed
their Sovereign as well as their country. Russia's enemies took advantage
of the general dissatisfaction to set the Government and the masses
against each other.
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