Posted on 09/23/2019 5:08:19 AM PDT by NorseViking
A deadly surprise.
Key point: Japan had a track record of surprise attacks.
At midnight the Russian fleet slept. A few minutes after the clock struck 12 a.m. on February 9, 1904, Tsarist Russia's Pacific squadron peacefully bobbed at anchor at the Russian naval base nestled in the Manchurian town of Port Arthur. Ashore, the mood that night was festive as the garrison's army and naval officers availed themselves of refreshments at a birthday party for the admiral's wife.
Soon their revelry was disturbed by flashes in the night and the dull thud of torpedoes slamming into metal hulls. Some thought it was fireworks in honor of the admiral's wife. In reality, it was Japan announcing the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War with a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur.
The drunken partygoers should not have been so surprised. Russia and Japan had long been on a collision course over who would control the plentiful resources of Manchuria, and ultimately the Far East as well. With the new Trans-Siberian Railroad linking Moscow to the Siberian port of Vladivostok, and having forced a feeble China to cede Port Arthur in 1895, Russia had asserted its ambitions to become the dominant power in the region.
Unfortunately, Japan had the same idea. Just fifty years before, the samurai had brandished their swords in impotent frustration at the American warships that dared to break Japan's feudal isolation by sailing into Tokyo Bay. But with astounding determination and energy, Japan had built a modern army and navy powerful enough to defeat the ailing Chinese Empire in 1894-95.
Could the bear and the tiger coexist? Negotiations had been underway since 1903 between St. Petersburg and Tokyo, with Japan offering to recognize Russian control of Manchuria if Russia recognized Japan's control of Korea.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...
Complete victory by Japan astounded the world .
Very interesting history.
The Koreets, a Russia gunboat, fired the first shot. The myth of Japanese surprise attacks must be maintained.
Seeing Russia’s spotty war record against an actual organized foe, Europe really thought a bit too highly of them even for THAT time.
I think it was a contributing factor for considering Pearl Harbor later. The difference was that the control of the Pacific wasn’t of enough priority for Tsarists. For US it was... different.
Well, the writer probably needs to spend a little more time studying history, and a little less time pontificating. (Or at least learn to use Google).
Japanese attack on Russia - February 8, 1904
Completion of the Trans-Siberian Railroad - July 21, 1904.
“With the new Trans-Siberian Railroad linking Moscow to the Siberian port of Vladivostok,” - Nope.
The fact that the railroad hadn’t been completed was part of the Czar’s problems. Anyone who ever watched the fictionalized movie ‘Nicholas and Alexandra’ knows that.
“” “” The Koreets, a Russia gunboat, fired the first shot. The myth of Japanese surprise attacks must be maintained.”” “”
Different battle. Koreetz and Varyag were ambushed by the Japanese fleet in Korea.
When I lived at the Navy base in Yokosuka, Japan back in the Sixties, right outside the base fence near the shoreline they had Togo’s flagship the Mikasa as a museum, her hull encased in cement. I went onboard a few times.
Mikasa is the last remaining example of a pre-dreadnought battleship anywhere in the world.
She was badly neglected after being decommissioned in the Twenties and somehow survived the war without having bomb-happy American aviators taking potshots at her.
Admiral Chester Nimitz had much to do with her successful preservation, raising money and such.
A great man.
Taranto was similar to Pearl Harbor in that it is a shallow water port. The Japanese were VERY interested and requested the Germans send them all the details possible.
The Germans complied hoping the Japanese would drain the American arms, food and fuel that England desperately needed.
Didn’t work out the way they hoped.
Three nights ago, I watched Tora, Tora, Tora, for the first time in many years. Interesting tho a little too detailed.
I watched it again last night and it was actually a little better as I understood some of the details after seeing them for the third time.
It all basically came to this, the Japanese were building an empire and the U.S. and other Western countries had reached a point where they didn’t think the status quo should be changed.
Nice movie, I like it too.
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