Chapter 194 The end of the Russo-Japanese War

The situation in the Far Eastern War changed in July. new

First, on July 13, the Trans-Siberian Railway, which the Tsarist Empire had longed for, was finally completed, finally connecting this vast empire from end to end.

The benefits of the completion of the railway to the Russian Empire were unimaginable. He not only greatly improved the exchanges and transportation between the European and Asian regions of the Tsarist Russian Empire, but also played an irreplaceable role in the domestic stability of the Tsarist Russian Empire.

Of course, this also made it easier for the Russian Empire to mobilize troops from Europe to the Far East.

Starting in August, more than 40,000 Russian soldiers will arrive in the Far East every month to join the battlefield in the Far East.

In a short period of time, the Tsarist Russian army did achieve a balance with the island country's army. Apart from the extremely fierce offensive and defensive battles, there were not too many changes in the territory.

As of battlefield 1, there are a total of 280,000 Russian troops and 430,000 island troops, which adds up to more than 700,000 troops.

As Russia and the island countries invest more and more in this war, there is basically no hope of ending the war in a short time.

Both countries are prepared for a protracted war and are seeking more resources and financial support from their allies France and Britain respectively.

Of course, the expanded arms demand caused by this war is no longer exclusive to Australia.

France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and many other countries participated in this arms trade and sold large amounts of arms to Russia and island countries.

However, due to their respective alliance treaties, French arms are only exported to Russia, and British arms are only exported to island countries.

In addition, the German Empire was wooing the Russian Empire and did not export weapons to the island countries.

This also leads to the fact that only Australia and the United States export arms to two countries at the same time.

However, Australia still relies on advanced weapons from the United Kingdom and Germany to obtain a larger market share than the United States' arms.

Australia's arms export scale in this war was only second to Britain and even slightly higher than France, which shows how important it is to make advance arrangements before this war.

As time progressed, the Pacific Fleet's flagship Crown Prince also completed repairs and rejoined the Pacific fleet.

This also resulted in the Pacific Fleet forming a weak advantage over the combined fleets of the island countries. This was also the reason why the land battlefield fell into a protracted offensive and defensive war.

In fact, if we only talk about combat effectiveness, the island country's military actually has the advantage. After the Restoration, this country carried out large-scale replacement of the equipment of the army and navy, and the training was relatively strict, imitating the German Empire, which had the first army, and the British Empire, which had the first navy.

As for the Russian army, except for a small number of elite troops whose training is ahead of the island nation's army, the training of most of the troops is worrying, and even their weapons and equipment are very backward.

And due to transportation restrictions, the current island army in the Far East is almost twice the size of the Russian army, and it also has a full advantage in terms of numbers.

If the Pacific Fleet had not been able to rely on its weak advantage to occasionally provide a little firepower assistance to the army, I am afraid that Lushun's defense would not have been so smooth.

Although the current offensive and defensive battle in Lushun still maintains a delicate balance, only Russia and the island nation know the actual huge casualties.

Although these casualties will not seriously damage the vitality of the two countries, they are still painful enough before the strategic goals are achieved.

So far, the island nation and Russia have spent 130 million yen and 90 million rubles respectively on this war, both of which have exceeded 10 million pounds.

If the Port Arthur offensive and defensive battle continues to maintain such a balance, the expenses for both countries will be very huge, and it will also be accompanied by a large number of casualties.

Island countries naturally understand this. And compared to the Tsarist Russian Empire, the island country is the one that cannot lose.

The foundation of the Russian Empire was in Europe. Even if the hegemony in the Far East was lost, it would not have a big impact on the country's status. new

But island countries are different. The basic base of the island country is in East Asia, and it is an island country on the sea.

If the island country fails in this war and loses the navy that it has developed for many years, then the island country's dream of hegemony will be completely shattered. The island country will become a regional power at most, and it will be impossible to get involved in the great powers.

The more I think about this kind of thing, the more terrifying it becomes, and the people of the island country naturally don't want this kind of thing to actually happen.

Fortunately, soon after the war broke out, the island country carried out two preliminary mobilizations domestically.

These two mobilizations have added nearly 400,000 available troops to the island nation, half of which have been sent to the battlefield.

In order to obtain early results and transform the war into an encounter rather than an offensive and defensive war, the island country once again dispatched 200,000 troops to occupy the eastern and central areas of the battlefield.

Compared with the transportation time of the Tsarist Empire, which took more than a month, the transportation time of the island country's army only takes less than two or three days, which has an absolute advantage.

As expected, after another 200,000 troops were added, the ratio of the Russian army and the island country's army in the Far East came to nearly one to three.

The large number of island troops also made it increasingly difficult for the Tsarist Empire to respond. Coupled with heavy casualties and insufficient logistical supplies, Port Arthur gradually became in crisis.

Of course, with an army of sufficient size, the current battlefield is not just one in Lushun, it can even be called multiple blooms.

The island country's army will use one part to defend and try to capture Lushun, and the other part will attack Liaoyang Shahe and other places from the north.

As the war progressed, the attitudes of the island soldiers and Russian soldiers gradually became two extremes.

At this time, the bushido spirit of the island country did play an important role. Even if the comrades around them suffered heavy casualties, the soldiers of the island country were not afraid of death and bravely launched a charge.

As for the Russian army, every casualty of a teammate increased the fear on the faces of the Russian soldiers.

In order not to affect European interests, more than half of the troops sent to the Far East were temporarily mobilized peasant soldiers.

These people may have been outright farmers half a year ago, but half a year later they were holding rifles of different styles and guarding lands in the Far East that did not belong to the Tsarist Russian Empire.

Don’t these people want to protect their country? Of course they want to, but they are even more afraid of death. Because they didn't have enough time to train, they had no preparation for what really happened on the battlefield, and it was natural for them to have fear and panic.

1 The island country mobilized more than half of its artillery and launched an unprecedented bombing of the Port Arthur Fortress.

These artillery can be said to be of various kinds. If you look carefully, you can even distinguish the different styles of three countries, including British, German, and American styles.

Of course, the German-style artillery was sold to them by Australia. Australia gained at least two million pounds in profits from this war, and even its military factories and military-industrial enterprises expanded a lot.

Russia initially fought back and even requested support from the fleet. However, the island fleet took the opportunity to challenge the Pacific Fleet. In order to avoid being attacked by surprise, the Pacific Fleet could only form a defense in a hurry, and its support for the army was naturally interrupted.

As for the Russian army, the number of artillery pieces originally lagged far behind the island army. Coupled with the problem of insufficient logistics, the reserve of artillery shells was already insufficient after only two rounds of resistance.

Of course, the Russian soldiers at this time had no other ideas. They just wanted to find a strong corner to huddle up and wait for the bombing of the island nation to end.

But what no one expected was that the bombing lasted for several hours. Although it was one round after another, the time in between was not enough for the Russian army to counterattack.

What the Russian soldiers didn't expect was that during such a major bombing, the island country actually sent a force close to the Lushun Fortress and boarded the fortress without the Russian soldiers paying attention.

You know, artillery shells don't have eyes, and the island country still bombed the entire Lushun Fortress.

The island nation's troops were likely to be overwhelmed by their own artillery fire, but there was no look of fear on their faces.

The Russian soldiers began to panic. They felt that they were at war with the devil. Aren't people who are not even afraid of death the devil?

In early October, the Port Arthur fortress that had been holding firm for half a year was finally breached. The island country had completed the first step in the war, which was to remove the Russian supply depot in the Far East.

After the capture of the Port Arthur Fortress, the situation in the Far East War took a huge turn.

The islanders once again returned to the state they were in at the beginning of the war, unstoppable in the Far East and attacking cities and towns wantonly.

More than 20,000 of the 60,000 Russian defenders of the Port Arthur fortress were killed and more than 30,000 were captured. The Lushun Fortress was also reduced to ruins in this bombing.

The capture of Port Arthur had a great impact on the Russian Empire. Previously, there were two ways for the Tsarist Empire to transport supplies to the Far East. One was through the recently completed Trans-Siberian Railway, and the other was by sea transportation. After arriving at the port of Lushun, they took the land route.

But after the Lushun Fortress was captured, the Port of Lushun also became in danger. Under such circumstances, sea transportation is basically impossible. The only logistical support that the Russian army in the Far East can rely on is the Trans-Siberian Railway.

1. Under the premise of paying huge casualties, the island country advanced the front line dozens of kilometers northward in Liaoyang, Shahe and other places.

In early November, the main force of the Manchurian Army moved north again and encountered the main force of the Russian army stationed in Fengtian.

At this time, the strength comparison between the two sides has become 400,000 to 170,000, and the island country's army has an absolute advantage.

More important than the numerical advantage was Marshal Dashan's unique strategy.

The main attack direction of the island country is the right wing of the Russian army, but Russia has more than 30,000 reserve troops on the right wing.

In order to allow the Russians to move these reserve forces to the left wing, Marshal Oyama sent the right-wing Fifth Army to the left wing openly. In fact, he secretly detoured to the right wing. The purpose was to lure the snake out of the hole and allow the Russians to move the right-wing reserve force to the left wing and strengthen the left wing. defense.

In fact, Russian Marshal Kuropatkin really fell into the trap. He saw the islanders' troop mobilization, so he transferred most of the right-wing reserves to the left wing to prevent the left wing from being attacked.

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But what I didn't expect was that on just the third day, the right wing of the Russian army was violently attacked.

And two island armies have circled to the rear of the right wing, forming a siege.

This put the Russian army in a difficult position. Although the main battlefield is around Fengtian, the front stretches for more than 100 kilometers.

It is impossible for troops from other regions to come to support in a short time. However, there are currently less than 10,000 reserve troops left on the right wing, and it is impossible to help the right wing's war.

In order to protect the left wing of the army, the two armies on the left wing could only stand still. Marshal Kuropatkin once again ordered the reserves to return to the right wing to protect the right wing position.

But this is a position that stretches for hundreds of kilometers. The reserve troops are running back and forth like this, and the soldiers are already exhausted.

On the fifth day, the reserve troops successfully returned and went into the battlefield without any energy or rest.

Because of their numerical superiority, the main force of the island nation continued to attack the right wing, and then launched attacks on the Russian left wing one after another.

The attack on the left wing appeared to be relatively evenly matched, but the islanders' purpose was only to hold back the Russian army's left wing.

As the main force of the island country's army attacked wave after wave, the casualties on the Russian right wing were increasing, and the defense line was shrinking step by step.

In order to save the right wing position that was about to be lost, Kuropatkin ordered the Russian left wing to abandon the position and retreat to the north of the Hun River so that he could compress the front and deploy part of the army to strengthen the right wing.

However, the numerical advantage of the island country's army is too great, and such deployment is not enough to make up for the balance on the right wing.

As the Manchurian Army headquarters once again mobilized a force to the Russian left wing, the balance previously maintained by the left wing was also broken, and both the left and right wings of the Russian army were at a disadvantage.

In mid-November, the island nation's army broke through the defense line of the Russian First Army and began to roundabout Fengtian from the left wing.

Now Marshal Kuropatkin really couldn't sit still. Once the island country's army successfully detours, the more than 100,000 Russian troops in the Far East will be surrounded by the island country's army.

Once these more than 100,000 troops are lost, the Far East will be like a young lady who takes off her clothes and is at the mercy of others.

In a panic, Marshal Kuropatkin ordered the entire army to retreat urgently toward Tieling.

Because it was a temporary order, the retreat of the entire Russian army was also quite chaotic.

Because the cavalry did not participate in the encounter, they also had the highest priority in the retreat.

However, the cavalry baggage seriously blocked the retreat road, and many soldiers were distracted, causing the various units to lose command.

The island nation's army took advantage of the chaos and attacked the retreating Russian army with artillery fire, and then launched the final assault.

This caused nearly a quarter of the Russian army to fall into the encirclement of the island country's army, but the main force was considered a successful retreat.

After experiencing a series of bitter battles, the island nation's army had no energy to pursue for the time being. Therefore, its main purpose was to destroy the surrounded Russian army.

If the fall of Port Arthur was the first blow to the Russian Empire, then the disastrous defeat in this battle was the second blow to the Russian Empire.

News of the defeat spread back to Russia, and Marshal Kuropatkin, commander-in-chief of the Far East, was immediately dismissed from his post and Li Nie was appointed commander-in-chief of the Far Eastern Army.

The Russians were not satisfied with their defeat in the war. They launched the third round of domestic conscription and mobilized some warships in European waters to form the Second Pacific Squadron in an attempt to regain maritime superiority in the Far East.

The development of the war has exceeded Russia and the island countries' expectations.

Although the current situation in the Far East is dominated by the island countries, both countries paid a heavy price for this war.

So far, both sides have invested more than one million troops in this war, and the total number of troops mobilized has even exceeded two million.

Starting in February at the beginning of the year, the war continued until November at the end of the year.

At present, both Russia and the island countries have spent more than 50 million pounds on this war.

Although the island country has achieved its strategic goal, it has also paid heavy casualties.

At least 100,000 island nation soldiers died in this war, and 300,000 soldiers suffered varying degrees of minor or serious injuries.

The casualties of the Russian army were also very heavy. Although the casualties were not as large as those of the island countries due to the early defensive battles, several later encounters still caused the Russian army to gradually suffer heavy casualties.

At least 80,000 Russian soldiers died in this war, and more than 200,000 soldiers were lightly or seriously injured.

In mid-December, with the arrival of the Second Pacific Squadron, Russia regained its advantage on the sea.

A steady stream of Russian soldiers also arrived on the Trans-Siberian Railway, barely maintaining the situation on land.

But this balance is also unacceptable to both countries. At present the war costs Russia and the island countries at least one hundred thousand pounds each for every day it lasts.

Especially when launching a large-scale war, the consumption will even increase several times.

Which country can afford such huge consumption? Even the once powerful British Empire was dragged down by such a war of attrition in the two wars, not to mention the Tsarist Russian Empire and island countries whose economy and industry were already very backward.

At the end of December, with the advent of the new year, both countries could not bear such huge consumption and launched a new round of offensive.

Russia and the island nation have been preparing for this offensive for a month, and the weapons and ammunition they have accumulated are enough to last for a long time.

Of course, in order to accumulate enough ammunition, they also spent millions of pounds and a lot of resources.

However, the outcome of the war greatly disappointed both countries. Although the casualties were heavy, the situation was still in a delicate balance.

Although the Russian army is at a numerical disadvantage, the newly supported troops are all elite troops from Europe, and their combat effectiveness is not weaker than that of the island countries.

Coupled with the fact that it is equipped with a large number of new weapons, this is also the reason why it can continue to maintain a stalemate with the island country's army.

In this way, after more than three months, the Tsarist Empire finally took the lead and could no longer hold on.

But it’s hard to say what the island country’s government is at this time. This war has cost them more than 600 million yen, and the number of casualties among soldiers is as high as 600,000.

If the Tsarist Empire hadn't given up first, I'm afraid the island country wouldn't have been able to hold on for long.

As the Tsarist Empire gave up, the major powers that were originally behind the scenes also came to the front and began to try to mediate the war.

However, the major powers basically maintained their previous attitudes. The United Kingdom and the United States supported the island country, and Germany and France supported the Russian Empire.

Although Austria-Hungary and Germany were allies, Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire had territorial disputes and hatred, and therefore remained neutral in this war.

Unlike in history, although the Russian Empire is currently at a disadvantage on land, it has advantages at sea and is in a relatively balanced state with the armies of island countries.

This also led to the fact that although the Russian Empire accepted defeat, it was very confident.

As long as the final result of the peace talks is not what the Russian Empire wants, then the continuation of the war is inevitable.

During the negotiations, Russia and the island countries were still in a state of war, and the smoke of gunpowder in the Far East had not stopped.

It was precisely because there was no breakthrough in the war that the island country finally had to compromise with the Russian Empire, and both parties signed a contract that both sides could reluctantly accept.

Under the joint witness of the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, France, and Australia, envoys from Russia and the island countries signed their names, and the "Portsmouth Peace Treaty" officially came into effect.

Unlike history, this contract did not weaken Russia so obviously.

First of all, like the historical Portsmouth Contract, the Russian Empire did not accept any compensation.

Secondly, the Tsarist Empire did not accept the cession of any colonies and land to island countries, and what it could accept was only the surrender of some of its interests in the Qing region.

Although the island country is not satisfied with this result, the plan of Britain and the United States to weaken the power of the Russian Empire in the Far East has been realized. Even if the island country wants to continue the war, the support of the two countries for the island country will be reduced.

What's more, the Tsarist Empire was not without the possibility of victory. Compared with the army, which can obtain a large number of troops through mobilization, the navy, a service that cannot grow in a short period of time, is an important factor in determining the advantage of the Far East.

Unfortunately, with the arrival of the Second Pacific Fleet in the Far East, the island country has no possibility of surpassing the Russian Far East Fleet in terms of navy.

Coupled with the fact that the Russian army strictly defends its positions, the continuation of the war will only increase the consumption of the island country.

Whether it is huge financial consumption or more military casualties, it is unbearable for the current island government.

Therefore, obtaining some of the interests in the Far East is a result that the island government can reluctantly accept.

After all, the island country also knows that if it continues to consume, it will inevitably arouse greater anger from the Russian Empire.

If Russia risks offending its allies and transfers most of its troops from Europe to the Far East, then the balance of the war will tilt in the direction of the Tsarist Russian Empire.

Although the island country is said to be at war with the Russian Empire, they are only facing part of the power of the Russian Empire.

The complete Tsarist Empire cannot be defeated by an island country. This is something that the people of the island country knew very well before launching the war.

1The Russo-Islamic War that lasted for one year and two months finally ended. This war can be regarded as one of the largest wars in modern times. Both sides mobilized more than two million troops. In this war, more than 300,000 people died and more than 400,000 were injured.

The island country has gained some benefits from the Far East and gained the right to monopolize North Korea, which can be regarded as a little compensation for the misfortune.

At least after this war, European and American countries have begun to pay attention to island countries and regard them as powerful countries, even with the potential to compete with the last great powers.

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