(3) The Fighting
Intensifies, May to December 1904
MAY 1904
Naval Operations.
==May.02-03.[night] > The
third Japanese attempt to seal Port Arthur harbor with block ships
fails, but Togo
reports it a success
Port Arthur Front.
==May.05 > The Japanese 2nd Army
lands unopposed near the Kwantung (Liaotung) Peninsula at Pi-tzu-wo,
sixty miles northeast of Port Arthur [530.AM] - Viceroy
Alexeiev flees from
Port Arthur [1100.AM] - THE PORT ARTHUR CAMPAIGN to Jan.1905
Manchurian Front.
==May.06 > Japanese forces defeat
the Russians at Fengcheng
Naval Operations.
==May.06 > Viceroy Alexeiev urges
the Port Arthur fleet to attack the Japanese landings - the fleet does
nothing
Port Arthur Front.
==May.10 > The last trains escape
from Port Arthur - Port Arthur is cut off
==May.13 > The entire Japanese
2nd
Army has landed on the Kwantung Peninsula
==May.14 > Japanese forces are
probing the outposts of the first Russian defense line on the Kwantung
Peninsula, near Nanshan forty miles northeast of Port Arthur
Naval Operations.
==May.15 > The Japanese
battleship Hatsuse and the cruiser Yashima are sunk by
Russian mines
off Port Arthur - the cruiser Yoshino and the gunboat Oshima
are sunk in collisions - the gunboat Tatsuta runs aground
-
the Japanese battle fleet looses a third of its strength but succeeds
in
concealing most of the losses
==May.16 > The Japanese destroyer
Miyako is sunk by a mine
==May.17 > The Japanese destroyer
Akatsuki is sunk by a mine
Manchurian Front.
==May.19 > The Japanese Fourth
Army
lands unopposed at Ta-ku-shan (Dongou), west of the mouth of the Yalu -
~it
begins advancing north
Korea.
==May.19 > Korea finally breaks
relations and abrogates its treaties with Russia
Port Arthur Front.
==May.25 > The Battle of
Nanshan,
to May 26: Japanese attacks drive in Russian outposts, but fail to
take Chin-chou
==May.26 > The Japanese take
Chin-chou and begin costly assaults on the main Nanshan defense line [early.AM]
- after a determined defense the Russians are driven from Nanshan
[dusk]: Port Arthur’s first line of defense is breached
- severe Japanese
losses, 6,200 out of 30,000 engaged compared to 1,100 out of 3,000
Russians
Manchurian Front.
==May.27 > The aggressive Viceroy
Alexeiev and the realistic General Kuropatkin argue violently over
Russian strategy [evening]
Port Arthur Front.
==May.27 > The Russians evacuate
Dalny, but fail to destroy either the harbor or the supply stores [early.AM]
==May.30 > The Japanese occupy
Dalny
==May.30 > The inept General
Stoessel tells the gallant Russian survivors of Nanshan: “You are a
wretched, undisciplined corps of traitors, cowards, and blackguards.”
==end.May. > ~Stoessel is
squabbling
with Port Arthur fortress commander Smirnov
Korea.
==May.31 > The Japanese cabinet
adopts plans to control Korean foreign policy, military, police,
finances, communications, and transportation - vague plans are
formulated for Japanese migration to
Korea and for exploitation of its resources
Russia.
==May.--- > The Russian economy
is
being seriously impacted by the disruption of trade brought on by the
war
JUNE
1904
Yasusuke Nogi
Port Arthur Front.
==Jun.04 > General Nogi takes
command of the Third Japanese Army and the Port Arthur front - ~by
summer he has 80,000
men opposing the Russian garrison of 40,000
Manchurian Front.
==early.Jun > Japanese-led
guerilla
forces are active around Liaoyang in Manchuria, harassing Russian
outposts
and gathering intelligence
Korea.
==early.Jun to end.Sep > A
Japanese
attempt to impose the Nagamori Plan to develop Korea fails in the face
of
strong Korean opposition
Japan.United
States.
==Jun.13 > Theodore Roosevelt
warns
the Japanese Ambassador against the dangers of Japan entering “into a
general career of insolence and aggression” - ~ he writes “I am
perfectly well aware
that if (the Japanese) win out it may possibly mean a struggle between
them
and us in the future.”
Manchurian Front.
==Jun.14-15 > The Battle of
Te-li-ssu: a premature Russian relief expedition is routed eighty
miles north of
Port Arthur: the Russians loose 3,500 out of 25,000 men; the Japanese
loose
1,200 of 35,000
Naval Operations.
==Jun.15 > Russian warships sink
two
Japanese transports off Japan - over 2000 men and several batteries of
siege
guns are lost
==Jun.20 > Imperial Naval
Conference: Russia decides to send its Baltic Fleet around the
world to the
Far East
==Jun.23 > After many delays, the
Russian Port Arthur fleet makes an attempt to escape to Vladivostok,
but returns when
the Japanese fleet appears - ~Alexeiev’s repeated orders to sail are
ignored
Port Arthur Front.
==Jun.24 > Japan decides to take
Port Arthur, rather than merely isolate it, if casualties can be kept
fairly light
==Jun.26 > Japanese forces
quickly
check a Russian attack at Port Arthur
General.
==Jun.--- > Japan finally allows
some reporters near the front, under strict controls
Poland.
==Jun. to Jul. > The Polish
radical
leader Pilsudski travels to Japan, but fails to secure Japanese funds
for
anti-Russian activity
JULY
1904
Manchurian Front.
==beginning.Jul > The rainy
season
breaks in Manchuria, and the roads quickly become choked with mud
Port Arthur Front.
==Jul.03 > Japan decides to take
Port Arthur as quickly as possible, regardless of losses
==Jul.03-04 > Japanese forces
probe
Port Arthur’s outer defenses
Manchurian Front.
==early.Jul > ~Japanese First
Army
easily takes Motien Pass on the Antung-Liaoyang road
Naval Operations.
==Jul.06-Sep.03 > Russian
warships
stop vessels in the Red Sea - British protests lead to a settlement
with
Russia
Manchurian Front.
==Jul.17 > The Battle of Motien
Pass: a Russian counterattack is cut up by Japanese First Army’s
artillery
==Jul.22 > General Oyama takes
command of Japanese forces in Manchuria, with Kodama as his Chief of
Staff
==Jul.24 > The Battle of
Ta-shih-chiao (Dashiqiao): Russian forces withdraw after being attacked
by the Japanese Second Army
Russia.
==late.Jul > Japanese
intelligence
chief Akashi meets with Russian revolutionaries in Switzerland - ~Japan
subsidizes Lenin
Port Arthur Front.
==Jul.27-28 > Japanese forces
probe
Port Arthur’s outposts - ~Russian forces retreat to a line in the Wolf
Hills, five miles north of Port Arthur, but are soon ousted
Diplomacy.
==Jul.--- > Count Witte extends
Russian peace feelers to the Japanese Ambassador in London
==Jul.--- > The United States
warns
Russia that it will aid Japan if Germany or France extend aid to Russia
==Jul.--- > Foreign Minister
Komura
submits a formal draft of Japanese peace terms to the government: Japan
plans
to extend its influence in Korea, Manchuria and China
AUGUST
1904
Manchurian Front.
==Aug.01-25 > Russian forces in
Manchuria are falling back on Liaoyang
Korea.
==early.Aug > The Korean court
agrees to appoint pro-Japanese advisors on financial and foreign
affairs - ~the Korean
currency is reformed, securing Japanese financial hegemony
Port Arthur Front.
==early.Aug > Port Arthur’s food
supplies are dwindling
==Aug.07 > The first shells from
Japanese land forces fall on Port Arthur during a church service to
pray for victory
==Aug.07-09 > The Japanese take
Big
and Little Orphan Hills northeast of Port Arthur, loosing 3,000 men in
furious fighting
Naval Operations.
==Aug.07 > Admiral Vitgeft
receives
an order signed by the Czar to take the Port Arthur fleet to
Vladivostok
==Aug.10 [afternoon] > The
Battle of the Yellow Sea: Togo repels a final escape attempt by the
Port
Arthur fleet; Russian Admiral Vitgeft is killed
==Aug.14 [early morning] >
The Battle of Ulsan: Japan mauls the Russian Vladivostok
fleet; the Russian cruiser Rurik is sunk, other ships are
damaged - Japan consolidates its naval dominance off Manchuria
Port Arthur Front.
==Aug.16 > A Japanese offer for
Port
Arthur’s surrender is angrily refused by the Russians
==Aug.19.[dawn]-Aug.24.[dawn]
> Nogi’s first assault on Port Arthur’s main defense lines - very
fierce fighting; appalling Japanese losses in repeated frontal attacks
- Russian troops are driven from 174 Meter Hill and from the Pan-lung
forts - the Japanese
loose over 18,000 men; the Russians loose 3,000
Manchurian Front.
THE IMMENSE BATTLE OF LIAOYANG in Manchuria:
==Aug.26 > The Japanese First
Army
takes Kosarei Peak and Hung-sha Pass southeast of Liaoyang - Kuropatkin
pulls back from the outer Russian defense line, with the Japanese in
determined pursuit (or from Aug.25)
==Aug.29-30 > Russian troops
repel
intense Japanese assaults on the main defense lines south of Liaoyang -
the
Japanese Second and Fourth Armies are exhausted
==Aug.31-03 > The Japanese First
Army crosses the Tai-tzu River northeast of Liaoyang, holding off
confused Russian counterattacks
==Sep.04 > Kuropatkin
evacuates
Liaoyang [early.AM] - ~the city is sacked in succession by
Russian,
Chinese, and Japanese forces - Japanese losses are 23,600 out of
125,000
men engaged; Russian losses are 17,900 out of 158,000
Zinovy Petrovitch Rozhdestvensky
Naval Operations.
==end.Aug > Admiral
Rozhdestvensky
takes command of the Baltic Fleet (or Second Pacific Squadron), and
begins
trying to prepare it for its voyage to the Far East
==Aug.31 > The Russian cruiser Novik,
having escaped from Port Arthur, is sunk by the Japanese off Sakhalin
Island
Diplomacy.
==Aug.--- > Britain warns Germany
not to aid Russia against Japan
Korea.
==Aug.--- > Korean collaborators
form the Ilchinhoe (‘Restoration Society’ or ‘Progress Society’) to
support Japan
- Japanese authorities remain wary of the group
SEPTEMBER
1904
Manchurian Front.
==early.Sep > Considerable
Russian
reinforcements are arriving in Manchuria via the Trans-Siberian
Railroad
Naval Operations.
==early.Sep > Preparing for its
voyage to the Far East, the Russian Baltic Fleet holds a drill; most
crew members sleep through it - ~the fleet’s first target practice
scores no hits at all
Port Arthur Front.
==early.Sep > The Japanese begin
using siege techniques against Port Arthur’s defense lines
==Sep.18 to end.Sep > Renewed
Japanese attacks at Port Arthur - the Waterworks, the Temple Redoubts
and NamakoYama Hill soon fall
==Sep.19 > The Russians repel the
first Japanese attacks on the key 203 Meter Hill
Manchurian Front.
==Sep.24 > The Czar announces the
creation of the Russian Second Army, commanded by the deaf and
inexperienced General Grippenberg
Russia (Siberia).
==Sep.25 > The Lake Baikal rail
loop
officially opens - after thirteen years of construction, the
Trans-Siberian
Railroad is completed
Russia.
==Sep.30-Oct.09 > Russian liberal
and revolutionary groups secretly meet in Paris to form a united front,
with the
support of Japanese intelligence chief Akashi - ~rising political
agitation
in Russia
OCTOBER
1904
Naval Operations.
==Oct.01 > Japanese siege guns
open
fire on the Russian Port Arthur fleet
==Oct.03 > The Russian Baltic
Fleet
sails from Kronstadt for Reval: the battleship Orel immediately
runs
aground
Diplomacy.
==Oct.04 > Germany informs Russia
that it will honor its coaling contract to Baltic Fleet, even if drawn
into war
with Britain and France
Manchurian Front.
The indecisive Battle of Sha-Ho in Manchuria:
==Oct.05 > A Russian general
offensive opens north of Liaoyang, with the main advance to be through
the mountains to the east - Russian attacks on the left flank gain
ground to Oct.11
==Oct.10 [evening] > Oyama
orders a major Japanese counter-offensive to strike the Russian right
==Oct.12-13 > The Japanese halt
the
Russian advance in the mountains to the northeast of Liaoyang - the
Russian
center south of the Sha River is threatened
==Oct.16-17 > Renewed fighting
south
of the Sha River exhausts both armies - the Russians have lost 41,000
out of 200,000 engaged against 20,000 Japanese lost out of 170,000
Naval Operations.
==Oct.09 > At a farewell banquet
for
the Russian Baltic Fleet, the captain of the Alexander III says:
“...You
have wished us victory but there will be no victory... (If the ships
arrive in the Yellow Sea), Togo will blow them to bits. His fleet
is infinitely better than ours and the Japanese are real sailors. I can
promise you one thing, however. (We) shall at least know how to die.” -
on May.27, the captain
is killed at the Battle of Tsushima
==Oct.13 > The German ambassador
to
Britain erroneously warns Russia that Japanese warships are active in
the
North Sea
==Oct.15 > The Russian Baltic
Fleet sets out for the Far East, from Libau
==Oct.17 > The Baltic Fleet
steams
into the North Sea
==Oct.22 > The Dogger Bank
Incident: in the North Sea, the panicky Russian Baltic Fleet
mistakes English fishing trawlers for Japanese torpedo boats and fires
on them, sinking one and damaging
their own cruiser Aurora [after midnight] - ~the furious British
press
calls the Russians “this fleet of lunatics” - sharp British-Russian
crisis
Manchurian Front.
==Oct.25 > Viceroy Alexeiev
yields
his military powers to Kuropatkin; he leaves Manchuria five days later
Port Arthur Front.
==Oct.26-Nov.02 > Renewed
forceful
Japanese attacks on the Chinese Wall at Port Arthur achieve little
Naval Operations.
==Oct.28 > London informs its
naval
commander at Gibraltar: “It may become necessary for you to stop the
Baltic
Fleet.”
==Oct.28 > At the urging of
France,
the Czar agrees to refer the Dogger Bank dispute to the Hague Tribunal
- the last great British crisis with Czarist Russia is defused
Manchurian Front.
==fall > ~With winter
approaching,
the Russian army in Manchuria is drastically short of adequate clothing
and food
NOVEMBER
1904
Port Arthur Front.
==Nov.17-24 > Japanese forces set
off mine explosions under the forts at Port Arthur, with limited
success
==Nov.26-27 > The Japanese renew
their general assault on the Port Arthur lines in severe winter
conditions, and suffer very heavy losses for little gain
==Nov.27-Dec.05 > Extremely
violent
fighting on 203 Meter Hill at Port Arthur, with massive barrages from
Japanese
siege guns
Japan.
==Nov.--- > The Japanese
government
approaches opposition parties for support on the war budget - ~the
origins
of a corrupt secret deal between the parties to rotate control of the
government,
in effect until 1913
DECEMBER
1904
Port Arthur Front.
==Dec.05 > The last surviving
Russian officer on 203 Meter Hill desperately calls for help just
before line goes dead [400.PM] - Japanese forces complete
the conquest of 203 Meter
Hill, overlooking Port Arthur [500.PM] - 14,000 Japanese and
5,000
Russian troops have been lost on this one small hill
Naval Operations.
==Dec.05 > In Port Arthur harbor,
the battleship Poltava is blown up when a magazine is struck by
a Japanese shell
==Dec.06 > A Japanese observation
post on 203 Meter Hill directs the siege guns’ fire on the Russian
fleet stranded in Port Arthur harbor - most of the fleet is destroyed
by Dec.09
==mid.Dec > ~ The Japanese
Combined
Fleet returns to its home bases for refit and intensive gunnery
training
Port Arthur Front.
==Dec.15 > At Port Arthur, the
capable Russian General Kondratenko is killed by a Japanese shell;
commandant Stoessel replaces him with the incompetent General Fock
Russia (Siberia).
==mid.Dec > The Trans-Siberian
Railroad is temporarily thrown into chaos by a derailment west of Lake
Baikal
Japan.
==end.1904 > The Japanese
government’s foreign debt stands at ¥ 312 million, having tripled
within a year
Port Arthur Front.
==Dec.29 > A Russian war council
is
held in Port Arthur - commandant Stoessel is pressured into fighting on
Manchurian Front.
==Dec.--- > ~The Russian
reinforcement and supply situation in Manchuria is starting to improve
Japan.United
States.
==Dec.--- > Theodore Roosevelt
comment on Japan: “I wish I were certain that the Japanese down at
bottom did not lump...all of us, simply as white devils inferior to
themselves...to be treated
politely only so long as would enable the Japanese to take advantage of
our
various national jealousies, and beat us in turn.”- “So long as Japan
takes
an interest in Korea, in Manchuria, in China, it is Russia which is her
natural
enemy.” - ~America tacitly encourages Japanese expansion in Asia
Japan.
==1904. > ~Japanese schools are
systematically promoting ultra-nationalism
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