Imperialism in 1904 produced the Russo-Japanese War. The Japanese were interested in Korea, and they were offended by Russia's penetration into northern Korea. There was rivalry too over Manchuria. Tsar Nicholas II did not want war with Japan, but he believed in his empire's commercial future in the Far East. Some in his inner circle had commercial interests in the Far East and persuaded the tsar that Japan would never go to war against the great empire of Russia. They were convinced that Japanese "monkeys" were no match militarily for the civilized Russians. They failed to see that their military was antiquated. Russia's soldiers were not well armed and commanders were ineffectual cronies. It was the same kind of delusion that would contribute to their role in creating World War One. At the moment, however, it contributed to their opposition to any accord with the Japanese. They claimed, moreover, that a war with Japan would unite the nation in patriotism and still labor unrest.
Japan offered to recognize Russian control over northern Manchuria in exchange for recognition of Japanese control over southern Manchuria. But they saw futility negotiating with the Russians. War, they believed, was coming, and they moved to take advantage of a surprise attack. At night, on February 8, 1904, without having declared war, Japanese torpedo boats struck against Russian ships at Port Arthur (now Lushan, China). The following day the Japanese landed troops at Inchon, Korea, and from Inchon they started north to the Yalu River to do battle in Manchuria against the Russians.
No objections against Japan's "sneak attack" were made by the United States or by Great Britain, President Theodore Roosevelt admiring Japan's military capabilities and Britain favoring the actions of their Japanese ally. Russia was known to have interests in the direction of Tibet, and with Russia distracted by the Japanese, a British expeditionary force moved into Tibet and forced the Dalai Lama there to sign a treaty with Britain -- a treaty that granted trading posts in Tibet to the British and guaranteed that Tibet would not concede territory to any other foreign power.
Read Full Article »