The Origins of the Russo-Japanese War (Origins Of Modern Wars)

The Russo-Japanese war of 1904-5 has been seen as the turning point of the development of the modern world. Written by a specialist in Japanese diplomacy, this book has been described by the Times Higher Education Supplement as 'diplomatic history at its very best'. The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5 was a turning point in the development of the modern world: the Japanese humiliation of Russia announced a very different era in the relations of East and West from that familiar to nineteenth-century imperialists, while Russia's defeats made their own contribution to the revolution of 1905 and, ultimately, 1917. The origins of the war have thus a more than local significance geographically and historically, and are the subject of Ian Nish's major study. Professor Nish shows how the causes of the war are to be found in the events of the previous decade: China's weakness after her catastrophic defeat in her war with Japan (1894-5) and Russia's attempt to act as her 'European protector'. After the Boxer disturbances in 1900, the Russian armies moved into Manchuria, the three north-eastern provinces of China and despite promises to evacuate only withdrew partially from the territory. Japan negotiated with Russia about Manchuria and the related problem of Korea and, when the negotiations failed, declared war. In a series devoted to the study of the origins of wars it is important to examine the origins of wars between European and non-European countries. The Russo-Japanese conflict was a war in the age of railways and in the period of large navies. it was a war fought with vast armies which ended with vast casualties. And though it was a regional rather than a global war, it intimately involved many countries apart form the two belligerent powers themselves. Professor Nish examines in detail the responses of China (whose territories were fought over), the United States, Britain, France and Germany to the developing crisis. The First Russo-japanese Confrontation (1894-97) -- The Far Eastern Crisis (1897-98) -- The Road To The Open Door (1898-1900) -- Confusion In China (1900) -- Manchuria Under Boxers And Russians (1900-1901) -- Japan Resists Over Manchuria (october 1900-june 1901) -- After The Peking Protocol (july-december 1901) -- Kurino, Komura And Korea (1902-3) -- Russo-chinese Convention And Its Aftermath (1902-3) -- Japan's Search For Consensus (1903) -- Russia's New Course And Renegotiation With China (1903) -- Diplomatic Inactivity (september-november 1903) -- Final Negotiations- Climax And Beyond (1903-4) -- Final Negotiations- An Adversarial Coda (1904) -- International Efforts For Peace (1903-4). Ian Nish. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 259-266.