Russian-Japanese War: the beginning of the end of the Russian Empire.

From the middle of the XIX century, Russia quietly and quietly strengthened its positions recently quite imperceptible, isolated and deprived of military power by Japan. For more than 50 years, it has managed to achieve significant success in the field of industrial development, strengthened the army and navy. A significant contribution to this was the fall of the barrier that existed for more than one century, which did not allow penetrating Japan's closed culture to European and American scientific and technological achievements.

Since the time when Japan began to build up its military potential and simultaneously began to reflect on the expansion of its more than scanty territories, the inevitable phenomenon was the Russo-Japanese War. The beginning of the conflict that led to it is usually referred to as the period when the interests of the two powers collided in China. The gradual strengthening of Russia's positions in the Far East, coupled with the threat of expansion of the markets for Britain and the US, led to the outbreak of hostilities.

The beginning of the Russo-Japanese War dates from February 8-9, 1905. Late in the night, Japanese troops attacked the Russian squadron standing on the port-arthur roadstead. The effect of surprise did not help the Japanese - the night battle did not bring the desired results and the fleet of the Russian army did not suffer significant losses.

In addition to sea battles, the enemy's plans included land battles. But for the landing of land forces the Japanese fleet needed complete control over the Yellow Sea. In the course of its establishment, the legendary death of the cruiser Varyag happened, which glorified the Russo-Japanese War in the centuries.

Historians agree that the main reason for Russia's defeat in this confrontation was the incompetence of the command staff, the backlog in terms of armament and the absence of a clear and clear plan for military operations. But, despite the fact that the Russian army quickly surrendered its positions, in the ranks of soldiers and officers until the signing of the peace agreement and even after there was the belief that the Russo-Japanese war would have been won if it continued.

But the continuation of hostilities in the Far East prevented the authorities from concentrating on combating the internal enemies gaining strength. That is why Nicholas II decided to sign the absolutely inglorious Portsmouth world, which angered a huge number of officers by the fact that the blood shed by Russian soldiers was shed in vain.

Interestingly, the results of the Russo-Japanese war did not suit not only Russia. Japan, the victor country, also did not feel particularly satisfied with the outcome of the war. At some point there was even a danger of riots in the country, because the war participants did not see the special advantages that the signed peace gave them.

September 5, 1905, the Portsmouth world was still signed. According to this document, the Russian-Japanese war led to the following results:

• Japan received possession of the southern part of Sakhalin Island;
• Russian troops left the rest of the island;
• Russia paid the maintenance of prisoners of war to the Japanese treasury;
• The southern branch of the CER and the rights to the Kwatun Peninsula passed to the winner country.

At the same time there were unsatisfied claims of the Japanese side to receive the remaining Russian vessels as trophies - the Russian tsar categorically refused to extradite them. Also, the indemnity, originally claimed by the Japanese as an indispensable condition of peace, was not paid to the winning side. But the main result of this short war was the fall in the eyes of the people and the nobility of the prestige of the Russian army and the very idea of autocracy. The direct result of the defeat in the Russo-Japanese war was the first Russian revolution and the further fall of the reigning regime.