The Siege of Port Arthur (1 August 1904-2 January 1905), the Russian deepwater port and naval base at the tip of the Liaotung Peninsula (See Map below the Battlebox) in Manchuria was one of the longest and most vicious battles during the Russo-Japanese War. The Japanese were determined to capture the Russian port, leased from China in 1898 and deny the Russians their only ice-free naval base in the Far East. This war was caused by the leasing of this port, and Liaoning Province, by the weak Chinese government to the Russians after the region had been captured by the Japanese during the First Sino-Japanese War and confirmed in the Treaty of Shimonoseki. But the conditions imposed by Japan on China led to the Triple Intervention of Russia, France, and Germany just three days after the treaty. They demanded that Japan withdraw its claim on the Liaotung peninsula, concerned that Port Arthur would fall under Japanese control. At the outbreak of the war, the port was serviced by a newly built single tracked spur line of the Trans-Siberian Railway the mainline of which terminated in the ice-plauged Russian port of Vladivostok, consequently, the Tsar was equally determined that the Russian forces (Land and Sea) should hold. The Russian garrison, about 40,000 strong, commanded by Major-General Baron Anatoli Stoessel had began to prepare their defenses as the Japanese dispatched the Third Army, about 90,000 strong, plus reinforcements, under the command of General Baron Maresuke Nogi to begin their advance towards the port starting on June 1, 1904. Greater Manchuria, Russian (outer) Manchuria is region to upper right in lighter Red; Liaodong Peninsula is the wedge extending into the Yellow Sea The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) was an extremely bloody conflict that grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of Imperial Russia and Japan in Manchuria and... July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ... 1904 is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... January 2 is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Location within China Lüshun city or Lüshunkou or (literally) Lüshun Port (Simplified Chinese: 旅顺口; Traditional Chinese: 旅順口; pinyin: ), is a town in the southernmost administrative district of Dalian City of the Peoples Republic of China. ... A Pyrrhic victory (pronounced pirric) is a victory which is won at too great a cost for the victor. ... Greater Manchuria, Russian (outer) Manchuria is region to upper right in lighter Red; Liaodong Peninsula is the wedge extending into the Yellow Sea The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) was an extremely bloody conflict that grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of Imperial Russia and Japan in Manchuria and... The Battle of Port Arthur (February 9, 1904) was the opening battle of the Russo-Japanese War. ... The Battle of Yalu River took place on January 4, 1904, during the Russo-Japanese War. ... The battle of Dalian took place on May 30, 1904, during the Japanese forces under the command of general Hikato. ... Battle of the Yellow Sea Conflict Russo-Japanese War Date August 10, 1904 Place Vladivostok Result Japanese victory The Battle of the Yellow Sea was the first main naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, being fought on August 10, 1904. ... The Battle of the Japanese Sea was a minor naval enagement during the Russo-Japanese War. ... The Battle of the Yellow Sea was the first main naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, being fought on August 10, 1904. ... The Battle of Liaoyang (August 24, 1904 _ September 4, 1904) was one of the major battles of the Russo-Japanese War. ... Battle of Sha-ho River Conflict Russo-Japanese War Date February 20 to March 10, 1905 Place Near Sha-ho River Result Draw The Battle of Sha-ho River was a battle of the Russo-Japanese War fought along a 37-mile front centered at Sha-ho on the Mukden... Battle of Sandepu Conflict Russo-Japanese War Date January 25 and January 26, 1905 Place Near Mukden in Manchuria Result Draw The Battle of Sandepu, (also known as the Battle of Heikoutai) was a major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War. ... The Battle of Mukden was the last major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War, fought from February 20 to March 10, Japan and Russia near Mukden in Manchuria. ... The Battle of Tsushima (Japanese: 対馬海戦), commonly known as the Sea of Japan Naval Battle (Japanese: 日本海海戦) in Japan, was the last and most decisive sea battle of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. ... Location within China Lüshun city or Lüshunkou or (literally) Lüshun Port (Simplified Chinese: 旅顺口; Traditional Chinese: 旅順口; pinyin: ), is a town in the southernmost administrative district of Dalian City of the Peoples Republic of China. ... August 1st is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... 1904 is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... January 2 is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Liaodong Peninsula (sim. ... Extent according to Definition 1 (dark red), Definition 3 (dark red + medium red) and Definition 4 (dark red + medium red + light red) Northeast China (Simplified Chinese: 东北; Traditional Chinese: 東北; pinyin: ; literally east-north) and Manchuria (Manchu: Manju, Simplified Chinese: 满洲; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; pinyin: ) are names of a vast region in Northeast Asia. ... Greater Manchuria, Russian (outer) Manchuria is region to upper right in lighter Red; Liaodong Peninsula is the wedge extending into the Yellow Sea The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) was an extremely bloody conflict that grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of Imperial Russia and Japan in Manchuria and... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Liaoning (Simplified Chinese: 辽宁; Traditional Chinese: 遼寧; pinyin: ) is a northeastern province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Japan and Qing China fought the First Sino-Japanese War (or the Qing-Japanese War or Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895)), primarily over control of Korea. ... The Shunpanrō hall where the Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed The Treaty of Shimonoseki (Japanese: 下関条約, Shimonoseki Jōyaku), known as the Treaty of Maguan (T. Chinese: 馬關條約, S. Chinese: 马关条约;) in China, was signed at the Shunpanrō hall on April 17, 1895 between the Empire of Japan and the Qing... After the Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed between Japan and China on April 17, 1895 to conclude the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) three European Powers (Russia, Germany and France) intervened on April 23 with friendly advice to Japan to retrocede the Liaotung peninsula including Lushun (Port Arthur) to... Trans-Siberian line in red; Baikal Amur Mainline in green. ... Vladivostok Train Station Orthographic projection over Vladisvostok Vladivostok (Russian: Владивосто́к   listen? ) is a city in Russia. ... Baron is a specific title of nobility or a more generic feudal qualification. ... General Maresuke Nogi (乃木希典 Nogi Maresuke, December 25, 1849 - September 13, 1912) was a Japanese army general, and a prominent figure in the Russo-Japanese War. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1904 is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Stoessel delayed Nogi for over two months in vicious fighting to give the engineers and garrison troops to prepare the defenses which included deep-dug infantry trenches, supported with barbed wire, machine gun pits, and 506 heavy artillery guns. When Stoessel was forced with withdraw to Port Arthur on July 30, Nogi then set up the Third Army around the town, backed by 474 artillery guns, to begin an intense bombardment of the Russian defenses. By August 9th, the Russian Fleet, threatened by the artillery, felt it necessary to quit Port Arthur and attempt to make Vladivostok. This resulted in the related naval battle of Shantung on August 10th. Between August 19 and November 26, Nogi treated his army as cannon fodder in three separate and prolonged major frontal attacks against the Russian defenses. All of them were beaten back with heavy casualties. Even night attacks ended in dreadful casualties as the Russians used powerful searchlight batteries to illuminate the storming parties for the artillery gunners. The Battle of the Yellow Sea was the first main naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, being fought on August 10, 1904. ...

As the fighting progressed, all the technology of modern war was pressed into action at Port Arthur from massive 11-inch mortars capable of hurling 500-lb shells over five miles, as well as rapid firing light howitzers, Maxim machine guns, bolt-action magazine rifles, barbed wire entanglements, even hand grenades.
Mortar has several meanings: A mortar is a military weapon into which is dropped a mortar shell, which is then fired in a high ballistic trajectory. ... Loading a WW1 British 15 in (381 mm) howitzer 155 mm M198 Howitzer A howitzer or hauwitzer is a type of field artillery. ...

Location within China

After the failure of the last big Japanese attack on November 26, which left over 10,000 Japanese troops killed or wounded in just 15 hours of fighting, Nogi reluctantly decided that Port Arthur would not fall under massive frontal assaults and settled down to siege techniques. Download high resolution version (1804x1322, 278 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Dalian Categories: GFDL images ... Download high resolution version (1804x1322, 278 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Dalian Categories: GFDL images ... November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Under pressure from Tokyo, Nogi turned his attention to 203 Meter Hill, the highest point of ground in the Russian defense line. None of the Japanese positions afforded unobstructed observation of the harbor or town so the Japanese artillery could not be accurately directed against the port. 203 Meter Hill (so-called because of its height above sea-level) located about three miles north of Port Arthur and part of the Russian outer defense system, offered the best view which Japanese artillery spotters could offer the guns the exact points where the guns should direct their fire. Starting on November 27, Nogi had his engineers, called sappers or saps, dig siege trenches from the nearby hill, called Akasakayama, towards 203 Meter Hill, as the Japanese launched more attacks on the hill using hand-grenades and bayonet-fixed rifles. Japanese artillery poured more than 4,000 rounds on the Russian positions, which were manned by about 5,000 men. November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year. ...

Russian 500 pound shell bursting near the Japanese siege guns, near Port Arthur
More detailed description of photo Russo-Japanese War view, scanned from a Stereoscope card, published in 1905. ... Russo-Japanese War view, scanned from a Stereoscope card, published in 1905. ...

Diversionary attacks around the Port Arthur perimeter prevented the Russians of 203 Meter Hill from being relived with reinforcements. By December 6, with the Russians down to only 1,000 men, most of them wounded, fresh Japanese troops launched one final attack at dawn on the hill and it fell by mid-afternoon. December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

For General Maresuke Nogi, the cost to capture 203 Meter Hill was costly indeed when his last surviving son, a soldier among the attack force, was killed in action on that day during the assault. It was only the intervention of the Emperor that prevented an emotionally shattered Nogi from committing ritual suicide, or hara-kiri. The whole operation from November 27 to December 6 cost Nogi over 8,000 troops, but he had finally had the observation post he so desperately needed. Seppuku with ritual attire and second. ... December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

By the end of that day, Japanese artillery had begun a three-day bombardment of the Port Arthur harbor; most of the Russian warships there were already heavily damaged during the (naval) Battle of Port Arthur which opened the hostilities and had been unable to flee back on the August 10th breakout; these were sunk at their moorings. The Battle of Port Arthur (February 9, 1904) was the opening battle of the Russo-Japanese War. ...

Remnants of the Russian defences following the Japanese capture of Port Arthur

After nearly another month of artillery bombardments, Stoessel decided, on humanitarian rather than military grounds, that the garrison should surrender rather than subject the troops and the civilian population, both Russian and Chinese, to further misery and bloodshed. A cease-fire was order on December 30, and after a few days of negotiations, Nogi accepted the Russian surrender on January 2, 1905. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (877x655, 66 KB)Remains of the Russian defence at Port Arthur, after the Japanese overran the city. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (877x655, 66 KB)Remains of the Russian defence at Port Arthur, after the Japanese overran the city. ... January 2 is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The costs of the siege were terrible; out of the 40,000 strong Russian garrison, about 31,306 men had been killed, wounded or captured before the surrender. The Japanese casualties were later listed as 57,780 killed, wounded or missing.

Impact on History

The capture of Port Arthur, and the Japanese naval victory in the Battle of Tsushima five months later, did not convince the war-weary Russian government or ( Tzar Nicholas II) to sue for peace but only a diplomatic tour de force by US President Theodore Roosevelt initiated after a secret request by the war weary Japanese government got the Russians to the Peace Table. The United States mediated and under the terms of the Treaty of Portsmouth, New Hampshire in September 1905, the Russo-Japanese War came to an end which established Japan as the dominant power in Asia. President Roosevelt was awarded the Noble Prize for Peace for his offices as intermediary and mediator. In the face of Russian willingness to continue the conflict, Roosevelt got the Japanese to concede terms unwillingly (esp. reparations), and these generated riots in Japan as they were percieved as a loss of face, and these same perceptions (i.e. That America and other western powers had treated Japan as the 'defeated party' of the Russo-Japanese war) subsequently became part of the Japanese rationale for the infamous sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, as they explicitly stated in the famously 'late delivered' comunication declaring war -- after the sneak attack began. The Battle of Tsushima (Japanese: 対馬海戦), commonly known as the Sea of Japan Naval Battle (Japanese: 日本海海戦) in Japan, was the last and most decisive sea battle of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. ... Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia Nicholas II of Russia ( 18 May 1868 – 17 July 1918 ) was the last crowned Emperor of Russia. ... Order: 26th President Vice President: Charles Warren Fairbanks Term of office: September 14, 1901 – March 3, 1909 Preceded by: William McKinley Succeeded by: William Howard Taft Date of birth: October 27, 1858 Place of birth: New York City Date of death: January 6, 1919 Place of death: Oyster Bay, New... Treaty signing ceremony The Treaty of Portsmouth was signed on September 5, 1905 at the Portsmouth Naval Base, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, by Sergius Witte and Roman Rosen (for Russia) and Komura Jutaro and Takahira Kogoro (for Japan), ending the Russo-Japanese War. ... State nickname: The Granite State Other U.S. States Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Governor John Lynch (D) Official languages English Area 24,239 km² (46th)  - Land 23,249 km²  - Water 814 km² (3. ... The concept of power occurs in multiple areas. ... The Robert L. Noble Prize (not to be confused with the Nobel Prize) is awarded each year by the National Cancer Institute of Canada to researchers whose contributions have led to a significant advance in cancer research. ... Satellite image of Pearl Harbor. ...

References

• Morris, Edmund. (Edmund Morris) Theodore Rex. The Modern Library, 2002 (div. of Random House,2001 ISBN: 0-8129-6600-7