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The Japanese officially terminate their diplomatic ties with Russia after negotiations between the Russian Empire and the Japanese Empire failed. The sole course of action between established and newly-emerging empires was war. The military and racial discrepancies were openly acknowledged among the Japanese officers. They wanted to firmly establish dominance over the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea, thus they were resolved to eliminate the Russians as soon as possible. Their national interest in Northeast China was to be protected by this plan. In light of this, the Imperial Japanese navy decided to conduct an unexpected attack against the Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur and also sent the Imperial Japanese troops to land at Inchon in Korea. The army and navy were going to work together closely to take over Port Arthur. As a result of this unexpected onslaught, Nicholas II of Russia decided to attack the Japanese Empire. Sailors were prepared for battle, and soldiers were poised for the assault. The Pacific Fleet decided to remain at Port Arthur and wait for the Baltic Fleet rather than engage the Combined Fleet in a crucial engagement that might have an undetermined outcome. The admirals decided to implement the blockade of Port Arthur because the Japanese had to move quickly and the Russian battleships posed a threat to them. Two efforts ultimately failed, and one of the Japanese admirals, Hirose Takeo, died in the second one. Stepan Makarov, the vice-admiral of the Pacific Fleet, gave his life when the Petropavlovsk, the fleet's flagship, tripped a naval mine. A devastating blow was given to the whole Pacific Fleet. However, it would be dangerous if the Combined Fleet launched a naval assault against the Pacific Fleet close to Port Arthur since the Pacific Fleet's coastal artillery would punish it. As a result, the Imperial Japanese Army emerged as Port Arthur's only prospect of conquest. The British Empire also sent the Japanese a military message: The Baltic Fleet is going to the Far East. The army was immediately requested by the Japanese admirals to undertake a full-scale attack from the Korean peninsula to Northeast China in order to seize Port Arthur as soon as possible. The Russian army was first fully attacked by the Imperial Japanese army. Despite having an advantage over the Japanese army, the Russian generals ordered their troops to retreat to Port Arthur, which had a powerful defence system. In this regard, the Japanese soldiers started to show up in those highlands close to Port Arthur. The Pacific Fleet was being shelled by Japanese battleships as well, but the Russian admiral Wilhelm Vitgeft led the entire fleet to break free and make an attempt to unite with the Vladivostok squadron. But during this military operation, the well-prepared Japanese sailors were able to kill Wilhelm Vitgeft and destroy Tsesarevich. Even though the Pacific Fleet was unable to reach Vladivostok and instead returned to Port Arthur, the Imperial Japanese Army was under more military pressure. The Russians used newly developed grenades, Maxim's machine gun, and electrical wires to kill thousands of Japanese soldiers in that instant, despite the fact that the Japanese soldiers were heavily influenced by Bushido and prepared to die for their country. This caused the Japanese to suffer a significant loss. The army should hold 203 Hill and send out many 28cm howitzers to cover the Japanese forces during their biggest charge of the Russo-Japanese War, said Akiyama Saneyuki, a professional officer in the Imperial Japanese navy, to resolve this military impasse. Under lethal bombardment from the Russian side, the military officials swung their samurai swords and charged with their warriors in the spirit of Bushido. All Japanese were ready to sacrifice their life for Emperor Meiji because they understood that the outcome of this war would determine the future of their country. The Japanese army was also able to take control of 203 Hill, one of the bloodiest engagements between Japanese and Russian forces during the Siege of Port Arthur, thanks to Yasusuke Nogi, the second son of Maresuke Nogi (the commander of the Japanese Third Army). The Pacific Fleet may be destroyed by the Japanese by installing all available artillery. The commander once asked the Nicolas II of Russia to permit the Baltic Fleet to return to St. Petersburg as they had just received dreadful news from the Far East. However, Nicolas II rejected this proposal since he had placed all his faith in the Baltic Fleet. The sailors of the Combined Fleet, on the other hand, had a full rest and preparation before engaging the Baltic Fleet. Despite the great military power of the Baltic Fleet, different battleships had differing standards and designs. Japan had a military edge as a result of the United Kingdom manufacturing all of the battleships for the Combined Fleets. The fleet admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Togo Heihachiro, was adamant that the Baltic Sea Fleet would sail via the Tsushima Strait because of a scarcity of fuel. The Japanese had a successful engagement at Tsushima Strait due to favourable timing and geographic advantages (Battle of Tsushima). The Japanese began talking with the Russians to stop the war as they basked in their stories of victory. Reference: D Steinberg J W Wolff (Eds. (2007). Russo-Japanese War in global perspective ; World War Zero. Vol. 2. (pp. 87–178). Brill. Esthus, R. A. (1981). Nicholas II and the Russo-Japanese War. Russian Review, 40(4), 396. https://doi.org/10.2307/129919 McKercher, B. J. C. (1989). Diplomatic Equipoise: The Lansdowne Foreign Office the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, and the Global Balance of Power. Canadian Journal of History, 24(3), 299–340. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjh.24.3.299 Wurtzburg, S. J. (2006). Choctaw Women in a Chaotic World: The Clash of Cultures in the Colonial Southeast. Ethnohistory, 53(4), 774–776. https://doi.org/10.1215/00141801-2006-027

As the Japanese government anticipated war with the Russian Empire, they made every effort to obtain adequate military funding. Despite the fact that the entire country supported the principle of 'enrich the country, strengthen the Armed Forces,' citizens' financial burden had reached its limit or a further socio-economic burden might trigger public anger. Because of this imminent concern, the Imperial Conference debated whether Japan’s financial strength would be sufficient to support a long-term war. Unsurprisingly, the Japanese Empire was incapable of supporting a large-scale war. Japan’s public finance revenue and active military personnel were only a tenth of those of the Russian Empire. Hence, the former Japanese General Viscount Kodama Gentaro believed that a military conflict with Russia was a suicide mission. Although it was a tall order to challenge the Russian Empire, the Japanese government decided to send Takahashi Korekiyo, the deputy governor of the Bank of Japan, to sell national loans to Western countries. However, no foreign power was willing to offer Japan wartime capital because the upcoming war was a one-sided contest between the Russian Empire and the Japanese Empire. Furthermore, as 'White Supremacy' demonstrated the disparity between white and non-white countries, the European empire has yet to be defeated in a large-scale war by a non-Western empire. When Mr Takahashi Korekiyo became disheartened and discouraged, he consulted with Jacob Schiff, a German-born Jewish American banker, in Paris in April 1904. As a solemn response to the Russian Empire's anti-Semitic actions, particularly the Kishinev pogrom a year ago, Jacob Schiff agreed to make loans to the Japanese Empire totalling $180 million. Meanwhile, the British Empire generously extended loans totalling 36 million British pounds to the Japanese Empire. Despite receiving massive wartime loans to prepare for a large-scale war, Japan's arms industry could not support this impending military conflict solely. The Imperial Japanese Navy found that purchasing battleships from the British Empire was the most effective solution. Six battleships, four armoured cruisers, two cruisers, sixteen destroyers, and ten torpedo boats were manufactured by the British. In addition, the Japanese admirals learned every military strategy from the Royal Navy. Given this, the British aided the Japanese in significantly increasing their military might. Furthermore, British diplomats did everything they could to discourage the Russians from purchasing battleships from other countries. The Royal Navy also raised the possibility of a clash with the Baltic Fleet if they joined the war in the Far East. As a result, the Japanese had plenty of time to prepare for war when the British provided diplomatic and military support. After obtaining more military, wartime loans, and diplomatic support, Japanese admirals and generals felt more confident. It is time to fight the Russian Empire! References Best, G. D. (1972). Financing a Foreign War: Jacob H. Schiff and Japan, 1904–05. American Jewish Historical Quarterly, 61(4), 313–324. British Assistance to the Japanese Navy during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5. (1980). The Great Circle, 2(1), 44–54. D Steinberg J W Wolff (Eds. (2007). Russo-Japanese War in global perspective ; World War Zero. Vol. 2. (pp. 87–178). Brill. Esthus, R. A. (1981). Nicholas II and the Russo-Japanese War. Russian Review, 40(4), 396. https://doi.org/10.2307/129919 McKercher, B. J. C. (1989). Diplomatic Equipoise: The Lansdowne Foreign Office the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, and the Global Balance of Power. Canadian Journal of History, 24(3), 299–340. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjh.24.3.299 Wurtzburg, S. J. (2006). Choctaw Women in a Chaotic World: The Clash of Cultures in the Colonial Southeast. Ethnohistory, 53(4), 774–776. https://doi.org/10.1215/00141801-2006-027

The Anglo-Japanese Alliance was officially formed on the 30th of January 1902. “Survival of the fittest” was the motto of that era so common interest was the only foundation of this unusual alliance. Let me share some history and international interactions before this alliance with you. The British Empire defeated Qing China and seized lots of Chinese lands to establish its sphere of influence six decades ago. Hong Kong, the banks of the Yangtze River, Tibet and Guangdong had the British sphere of influence, impacting the British national interest directly. What’s more, “Splendid isolation” was the British diplomatic approach, implying that the British would not ally with other foreign power. However, the German Empire, the Kingdom of Italy and the Austria-Hungary Empire formed the Triple Alliance. In contrast, the Russian Empire and the French Third Republic formed the “French-Russian Alliance” simultaneously. The British had less discursive power so an international ally was desperately needed. Meanwhile, the Japanese were afraid of the Russian military might and its rapid territorial expansion. They clearly understood the deadly consequence of solely confronting the Russian Empire. Since the British and the Japanese had an enormous national interest in the Far East, it became a catalyst to form an Anglo-Japanese Alliance. The Japanese had more substantial confidence when they got backed up by the British Empire. Even if the French allied with the Russian, the French was reluctant to declare war on the British. In other words, this French-Russo alliance became an empty and hollow title. Although the Western European powers trembled with fear on hearing of the Russian’s Baltic sea fleet, the British had a naval blockade against the Russian Empire. The Baltic Sea Fleet had to sail to the Far East by choosing a farther route. Even though the Russians owned the Black Sea Fleet, the Ottoman Empire practically controlled the Bosphorus Strait. Thus the Black Sea Fleet became a “paper tiger”. With diplomatic support from the Germans, French and Americans, the British and the Japanese urged the Russians to retreat their troops from the North-Eastern part of China. Even though the Russians initially fulfilled their promise, their unscrupulous ambition was reluctant to relinquish this vast region in China. The final negotiation between Japan and Russia failed. The Japanese Imperial Navy decided to bombard the Russian Fleet at Port Arthur. This war received worldwide attention because it was “David vs Goliath”. How could the Japanese defeat the Russians with all their might? Stay tuned to the next post! Reference: D Steinberg J W Wolff (Eds. (2007). Russo-Japanese War in global perspective ; World War Zero. Vol. 2. (pp. 87–178). Brill. Esthus, R. A. (1981). Nicholas II and the Russo-Japanese War. Russian Review, 40(4), 396. https://doi.org/10.2307/129919 McKercher, B. J. C. (1989). Diplomatic Equipoise: The Lansdowne Foreign Office the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, and the Global Balance of Power. Canadian Journal of History, 24(3), 299–340. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjh.24.3.299 Wurtzburg, S. J. (2006). Choctaw Women in a Chaotic World: The Clash of Cultures in the Colonial Southeast. Ethnohistory, 53(4), 774–776. https://doi.org/10.1215/00141801-2006-027

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